Su Xiuyi looked at the ancient corpse before him, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. According to the Corpse-Nurturing Great Technique, he could turn it into an immensely powerful member of the Yin Death Clan, one that would never turn on its master. He had gained a free fighter, so naturally, he was very pleased.
Following the Corpse-Nurturing Great Technique, Su Xiuyi pricked his finger and let a drop of essence blood fall onto the ancient corpse's skull. The next moment, he seemed to form a connection with the corpse in the coffin. Su Xiuyi knew that although the Corpse-Nurturing Great Technique was wondrous, nurturing a corpse servant would take no small amount of time. But he had nothing to do in the Myriad Text Academy, and time was something he had plenty of.
He continued cultivating as usual each day, and soon, five years passed.
A full five years had passed since he entered the Myriad Text Academy. During that time, Su Xiuyi's strength had grown considerably. Today, his white robes fluttered around him, and he looked to be in excellent spirits.
After opening the coffin, he found that the corpse servant he had been nurturing had grown flesh, though he still didn't know when it would wake. Even so, Su Xiuyi could sense its strength.
"Martial uncle, are you there?"
Five years had passed, and Tiezhu had matured somewhat. He had also reached the Sky Soaring Realm. He came carrying a pot of wine and a few side dishes.
"Tiezhu, how are things now? Are you confident you can make it into the palace examination?" Su Xiuyi appeared behind the door, reclining in a lounge chair and drinking wine as he asked with a smile.
"Martial uncle, I'm confident, but I can't leave the Southern Heaven Academy. I won't take part in the palace examination," Tiezhu said, his expression grave with worry.
"Oh?"
"What's wrong? Why did you suddenly give up?" Su Xiuyi couldn't help asking.
"Martial uncle, grandmaster's injuries have been getting worse. They're so severe that there's no way to treat them. If I leave and something happens to him, I'm afraid no one will be willing to help." Tiezhu had noticed that Wang Lin's condition had been growing worse and worse lately.
"Go."
"With injuries like those, what difference would it make if you stayed?"
"There are still some good people in the academy. If something really happens to Master, someone will look after him. Besides, you should have faith in your grandmaster." Su Xiuyi pondered for a moment, then smiled.
Su Xiuyi was helpless when it came to Wang Lin's injuries. Even after signing in for five years, he had received no divine item capable of healing Wang Lin. All he could do was watch.
A long while later, Tiezhu left.
The palace examination was held once every five years, and the examinees had to travel to the imperial city for the assessment. People from the Southern Heaven Academy escorted their disciples to the imperial city one after another.
Hundreds of millions of miles away, figures appeared amid an endless mountain range.
They seemed to be waiting for something. These members of the Demon Race were all immensely powerful, with seven of them at the Mountain and Sea Realm. Soon, a great demon at the Sun and Moon Realm Stage arrived, an icy gleam flickering in his demonic eyes.
"Wang Lin slew a demon king of our race, yet he's still alive to this day. This is a disgrace to the Demon Race, and only his blood can wash it away. The Great Zhou Dynasty's palace examination is about to begin, and our people hidden in Southern Heaven City have sent word that nearly all the Southern Heaven Academy's experts have gone to the Great Zhou Imperial City. This time, Wang Lin will die. Are you ready?" Towering killing intent flashed in the Sun and Moon Realm Stage great demon's eyes.
"We've long been ready to shed our blood for the dignity of the Demon Race at any moment!" the Mountain and Sea Realm great demons declared, their faces flushed red.
"Go. Bring back Wang Lin's head!"
The Mountain and Sea Realm great demon spoke with an icy expression.
"Yes. We shall not fail our mission."
The seven Mountain and Sea Realm great demons vanished into the mountains the next moment.
The Myriad Text Academy was as quiet as ever, and the Southern Heaven Academy had also grown much quieter. Many people had rushed to the imperial city to watch the palace examination held once every five years.
That day, the seven experts of the Demon Race split into groups and entered Southern Heaven City one after another. Having reached the Mountain and Sea Realm, these great demons could naturally assume human form, so they aroused no suspicion. Everything seemed normal.
After evading the notice of the Southern Heaven City lord's manor, however, the seven figures quietly approached the Southern Heaven Academy.
The seven figures approached the Southern Heaven Academy, their eyes fixed on the Literary Court. From the information they had obtained, they naturally knew exactly where the Literary Court in which Wang Lin lived was located.
"Lang Qi, are you certain? Is Wang Lin in the Literary Court?" A burly figure's eyes gleamed with bloodlust.
A drop of essence blood floated before the one he had questioned, who was currently calculating and sensing.
"He's there, but Wang Lin is close to death too. How could he have killed our king and come away unscathed? Our strength is enough to kill him."
"Take his head and wash away our clan's disgrace."
Lang Qi's expression was vicious.
Whoosh!
A figure landed before the seven of them. It was a young human.
"What's the situation at the Southern Heaven Academy now?" Lang Qi looked at the young man and asked coldly.
"Lord Lang Qi, there aren't many experts left in the Southern Heaven Academy now. The powerful ones escorted the disciples to the imperial city long ago. Only three Mountain and Sea Realm cultivators remain," the young man said at once.
"Good. Thank you for your efforts. Rest now!"
Lang Qi's hand shot out and snapped the young man's neck, utterly cold-blooded.
"In that case, let's send Wang Lin on his way. Go!" Lang Qi and the others headed straight for the Southern Heaven Academy.
All seven were experts. They approached the Literary Court silently, without drawing anyone's attention.
In the courtyard, Wang Lin, his sleeves hanging empty, suddenly opened his eyes. A flicker of killing intent appeared in them.
"So you've come? It took you five years to work up the courage. What a pack of good-for-nothings."
A cold sneer curled Wang Lin's lips.
"Heh heh!"
"Wang Lin, are you in despair? Did you ever imagine this day would come? So what if you were the imperial preceptor and burned your lifespan and essence blood to kill our demon king? Did you change anything? Your disciple still died. We've come to see you off today."
Boom!
The Literary Court's gate was blasted inward in an instant, and seven figures strode through it, brimming with killing intent.
Icy, bloodthirsty killing intent burst from those seven pairs of eyes as they sealed off every escape route Wang Lin had.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
At that instant, seven Mountain and Sea Realm auras erupted from the seven of them.
"This is bad! Experts from the Demon Race have broken into the Literary Court. I'm afraid they're after Dean Wang Lin's life!" Some Southern Heaven Academy disciples who sensed the Mountainsea presences instantly turned pale, their hearts pounding wildly. Nothing good could come of Demon Race experts sneaking into the academy.
Before those disciples could make a sound, however, they were mercilessly wiped out.
Wang Lin's pupils also contracted slightly. "So you're remnants of the Demon Race," he said gravely. "This old man thought certain people had finally lost their patience."
"That's right, you old dog Wang Lin. Do you still remember killing our clan's demon king? We've come to avenge that disgrace today." Lang Qi smiled sinisterly.
(End of chapter)