Tianshu gathers, killing intent emerges!

"Three tickets to the Holy Academy stop, please."

Seeing Zhou Xiaoxian count out thirty copper coins and hand them to the ticket seller at the Railway Carriage station, Shi Lai was astonished and pulled right out of the experience. This—this looked so much like light rail or the subway. No, wasn't it exactly the same?

Once he boarded the city's Railway Carriage, Shi Lai felt even more out of place. Its construction was exactly like a sightseeing shuttle at a tourist attraction. The only difference was that it wasn't electrically powered. Instead, two people up front drove the horses, taking them racing along the tracks.

"Shi Lai, you don't get motion sickness, do you?"

"I... probably don't."

Zhou Xiaoxian nodded. "Good. This must be your first time in Lieyang City, right? Lieyang City is huge. We came in through the eastern gate and have been moving around the edges of East District Four and East District Three, but the Holy Academy is in West District One. It would take about six hours on foot. You wouldn't quite make it in time."

"Oh, okay." Despite being used to big cities, Shi Lai somehow felt like a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time. It was a very strange feeling.

Just then, a boy in the seat ahead, who had perhaps overheard Zhou Xiaoxian and Shi Lai's conversation, turned around. His eyes lit up when he saw Zhou Xiaoxian. Then he noticed the boy sitting beside her, particularly Shi Lai's filthy clothes and bandaged leg, and felt especially annoyed. As he turned back, he snorted softly.

"A beggar wants to get into the Holy Academy too?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it was just enough for Shi Lai to hear. Zhou Xiaoxian thought little of it. Looking Shi Lai over, she actually agreed that he ought to change his clothes before going to apply at the Holy Academy.

Yet Shi Lai actually put his hand on his sword hilt.

"What did you say?!"

His voice was so loud that the other passengers looked over.

The boy turned back in surprise, intending to argue with him. Yet for some reason, when he met those eyes brimming with killing intent, he shrank back in fright. As if trying to salvage his pride, he muttered, "What are you shouting for on the Railway Carriage? An uncouth country bumpkin, just as I thought."

At that, Shi Lai was about to draw his sword. Zhou Xiaoxian hurriedly snapped in a low voice, "Shi Lai, what are you doing?!"

Shi Lai's head cleared. He looked down in bewilderment at his hand on his sword, then scratched his head blankly. Why am I so angry? Right, I can use Reloading a Save. I can just slash him up for fun, then reload. It'll refresh my reload count too.

If he provokes me again, I'll slash him up for fun!

Xia Yi turned to look at Shi Lai, a hint of surprise on his face as his thoughts began to turn.

The Holy Academy... come to think of it, whether or not the person outside the academy coveting the Xia Family's legacy is that military governor, Feng Shuhu, at least one senior figure inside the academy must be involved. I wonder if they'll lose their composure after hearing that I injured Feng Shuhu.

The atmosphere in the tram remained somewhat strange throughout the journey.

Only when they reached the Holy Academy stop did the boy in the front seat give a little snort and jump off. Pointing at Shi Lai, he said, "Beggar, I actually hope you get into the Holy Academy. Once we're classmates, I'll take my time dealing with you!"

Shi Lai's anger flared again. He hopped off on one leg and nearly fell, then drew his sword and pointed it at the boy, roaring, "Get over here! I'll fucking cut you down!"

"Tch. Lunatic."

The boy spat out the words and turned to leave. Shi Lai hopped after him twice, realized he couldn't possibly catch up, and swung his sword through empty air twice in impotent fury.

The people around him hurriedly backed far away in alarm.

"Shi Lai!" Zhou Xiaoxian snapped angrily under her breath. She jumped off and stopped him. "Why are you bothering with him? Besides, he's right. You really should change your clothes before going to the Holy Academy..."

"I'm not changing! If that Holy Academy rejects me because of my appearance, then I won't join!"

Zhou Xiaoxian froze, deeply surprised. Shi Lai wasn't normally like this. What was...?

She turned to Xia Yi, but he merely smiled. "He's right. The Holy Academy isn't a place that judges people by their appearance. Let's go."

The Holy Academy's founding dated back a thousand years, to the fierce wars between the Human Race and the Demon Race, making it older than Xia Yi. Moreover, Xia Yi had once taught there for a time, so he knew it fairly well.

Of course, eight hundred years had passed, and the world had changed dramatically. The Holy Academy certainly wouldn't have stayed exactly the same.

At the very least, the statue enshrined before the gates of the Holy Academy hadn't been there before.

But Xia Yi could tell at a glance who it was.

From afar, he looked like a burly man with a curling beard; up close, he was extraordinarily handsome, with double pupils: Xiang Yu, the Conqueror!

"Speaking of which, where did Liu Bang go? The history books Xiao Xian gave me didn't seem to mention him at all." Muttering to himself, Xia Yi casually glanced at the vermilion flying eaves in the distance, then naturally withdrew his gaze.

The Holy Academy's gates were exquisitely carved. The main gate was shut, so the three could only enter through a side gate. The moment they stepped inside, Shi Lai was dumbfounded.

"Whoa? A mountain? Such a huge mountain?"

Not far ahead, a towering mountain that pierced the clouds abruptly appeared before the three of them. A training ground stood high atop it, and pavilions rose amid the clouds at its summit. Veiled in a thin mist, it looked dreamlike and otherworldly.

But the walls clearly aren't very high. Why couldn't I see such a huge mountain from outside?

It must be hundreds, even a thousand meters tall, right?

Seeing his reaction, Zhou Xiaoxian explained, "The headmaster placed an obstructing sight Saint Soul around the Holy Academy. You can't see this mountain without coming through the gates."

Shi Lai nodded with his mouth wide open. Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out again.

"Hmph, beggar, stunned, are you? You really came to apply at the Holy Academy dressed like that? Looks like you won't have much chance of being in my class."

Not far ahead, at the foot of the mountain, stood a table and chair. A thin middle-aged man sat in the chair.

In front of the table and chair, a boy holding what appeared to be a registration form wore a mocking expression as he looked at Shi Lai. It was none other than the boy from the Railway Carriage!

Zhou Xiaoxian's delicate brows drew together slightly. "Shi Lai, ignore him," she said softly, then greeted the middle-aged man in the chair. "Teacher Hu."

Teacher Hu returned a gentle smile. "There are only six people in your Beginner Class who can write recommendation letters, and I've already received five. I thought you weren't going to exercise that right of yours, Xiao Xian."

With that, he looked at the provocative boy, who seemed a little surprised, and his tone became less polite. "If you've finished filling out the form, hurry up the mountain. Don't linger here!"

The mocking boy felt rather annoyed, but didn't dare argue. He turned back and said respectfully, "Yes."

Just then, Xia Yi's eyes abruptly narrowed. With a metallic rasp, Shi Lai drew his sword, threw away his crutch, and planted his injured leg on the ground despite the pain. He lunged forward and swung, slashing the boy straight across the back!

Splat-

Blood spurted amid a scream, and the boy crumpled to the ground, his face full of disbelief!

Zhou Xiaoxian cried out, wide-eyed, "Shi Lai!"

Even Teacher Hu stared in shock, the brush in his hand dropping to the ground with a clatter. He had sat here registering new students for many years, and this was the first time he had seen anyone dare to suddenly attack someone at the Holy Academy.

Shi Lai still wasn't finished. He planted his injured leg directly on the fallen boy's back and aimed his sword tip at the back of his neck. "Once, twice, three times-you just won't stop running your fucking mouth at me! Still got something to say?!"

Well now, he's from the Northeast? Xia Yi was still in the mood to laugh. Catching a blur out of the corner of his eye, he grew even more amused inwardly, but cried out as if in alarm, "Show mercy!"

Shi Lai thought the shout was directed at him. Feeling that he ought to show the old man some respect, he eased the pressure of his sword tip slightly. The next instant, however, a sharp pain struck his chest, and all the strength in his body vanished as though leaking out.

[Your Saint Soul power has been abolished]

[Your Saint Soul slots have been closed]

[Your level has dropped to level 1]

[Your...]

"Deputy Dean!" Zhou Xiaoxian was stunned by this series of events. "You..."

What's happening to me...? Shi Lai lay slumped sideways across the boy he had slashed, whose fate was unknown. Struggling to lift his head, he saw a stern, fat face.

His body was unbearably weak, yet his mind was clearer than ever. What... was I doing before? Why did I...

"Hmph! Tianshu gathers, killing intent emerges!"

"Those who have just condensed their Tianshu Star are easily angered and agitated, but those who dare to kill in public are still rare!" the fat man standing beside him said in a low voice. "If left unchecked, this boy will surely become a fiend one day. It is better to cripple him now!"

"Deputy Dean Luo!" Teacher Hu hurriedly rose to greet him. "This was a failure on my part!"

"No, it has nothing to do with you." Deputy Dean Luo shook his head. "The elder who taught him cultivation gave him no warning, yet asked me to show mercy after he committed a grave wrong. How laughable! That person must be utterly vile in character as well, with no sense of propriety!"

Crack!!

A sharp sound suddenly rang out.

Deputy Dean Luo turned in surprise, his pupils abruptly contracting. He couldn't help crying out in alarm, "The Break the Cauldrons and Sink the Boats Saint Soul?! You... are you insane?!"

Behind Xia Yi, amid a shimmering phantom river, a figure appeared, smashing jars and breaking boats!

As this scene unfolded, Xia Yi's beard and hair flew wildly, as though tinged with blood!

"Who are you calling vile?!" His figure flashed, and he abruptly seized Deputy Dean Luo by the throat!

Deputy Dean Luo was both in pain and utterly bewildered.

Why? I only just tested him, and he immediately used Break the Cauldrons and Sink the Boats to fight to the death?! The one I crippled doesn't even look like his illegitimate son!