Chapter 146: Xie Lingfeng's Triumph and Meng Chong's Message

Chapter 146: Xie Lingfeng's Triumph and Meng Chong's Message

Xu Yan turned to Fu Yuntian and bowed, "Grand Academician, farewell. I will pay another visit to the Seven Stars Academy when I have the time."

With that, their trip to the Seven Stars Academy had come to an end. As for the Treasure Pavilion, he would visit again if the need arose.

Next on the agenda was Canglan Island, where he would receive Yin Hong's inheritance and purchase spirit herbs before returning to the Borderland.

"You are always welcome here, Xu Yan," Fu Yuntian said with a deep breath.

"It was an honor for me, a mere lady, to witness Master Xu's overwhelming victory against a Grand Master. It has been some time since we last met at the Wushuang Pavilion. Would you care to catch up?" The plain-clothed woman's voice was crisp, invigorating all who heard it.

"It's you," Xu Yan said, patting Xie Lingfeng on the shoulder. "This is the friend I was telling you about. He also needs to temper his mental state, so I thought he could spend some time here with you."

Xie Lingfeng swallowed and forced a laugh, "Brother Xu, that won't be necessary. I've already been tempered enough!"

The plain-clothed woman's eyes sparkled with a smile, but Xie Lingfeng felt a chill down his spine.

"Master Xu, it seems Xie Lingfeng is not interested," she said, still smiling.

Xu Yan stared at her for a moment, feeling a sense of caution. There was something off about this woman's attitude; she seemed softer than when they had first met at the Wushuang Pavilion.

Du Yuying, too, was filled with wariness.

"If that's the case, then never mind," Xu Yan bowed and turned to leave.

At that moment, the students of the Seven Stars Academy seemed to snap out of their daze.

"Master Xu, I have some questions about martial arts that I would like to ask. I hope you can guide me," one student said.

"Master Xu, I've been feeling confused lately, and I'm not sure if it's because of my martial arts cultivation. Could you please help me figure it out?" asked another.

A crowd of female students rushed forward.

Xie Lingfeng swallowed hard. Had these women gone crazy?

Hu Shan's face, on the other hand, shone with envy. The male students shared his sentiment, their eyes filled with admiration.

"Brother Xie, see you at the courtyard!" Xu Yan said, and in a flash, he disappeared from sight.

As soon as he left, the eager students of the Seven Stars Academy were filled with disappointment, some even directing their frustration at Xie Lingfeng.

"That so-called number one genius of the Sword Peak in a thousand years, Jian Zuo, is all hype. He's nothing special!"

"Exactly. He's only renowned because of his father's reputation as a Grand Master," another student chimed in.

Xie Lingfeng's anger surged. It was true that he wasn't as good as Xu Yan, but who were they to question him? His expression turned cold, and he drew his sword, declaring, "Today, Xie Lingfeng challenges all students under 30 years old at the Seven Stars Academy!"

With that, he leaped into the air and headed straight for the martial arts stage.

"Today, I, Xie Lingfeng, will show you just how capable the students of the Seven Stars Academy are. In my eyes, you are all worthless!" he shouted.

Hu Shan was thrilled by his master's declaration. "My young master, Xie Lingfeng of the Sword Peak, challenges all students under 30 years old at the Seven Stars Academy!" he echoed. "In my young master's eyes, all of you are nothing but trash!"

Du Yuying: ...

Plain-clothed woman: ...

On the martial arts stage, Xie Lingfeng stood tall, sword in hand.

He hadn't intended to issue such a challenge, but the students' scorn had ignited his pride. After all, he was a renowned genius, and his arrogance knew no bounds.

"Xu Yan single-handedly broke through nine layers of the martial arts stage. I may not be as good as him, but today, I will suppress all students under 30 years old at the Seven Stars Academy!" Xie Lingfeng declared, his anger rising. "What gives you the right to mock me, you worthless bunch?"

The Seven Stars Academy was in an uproar. All the students were furious.

Arrogant! Xie Lingfeng's challenge was a direct affront to the entire younger generation of the Seven Stars Academy!

Xu Yan, who had already left, turned back.

He walked up to Hu Shan and asked, "Hu Shan, what do you think about placing a bet here at the Seven Stars Academy?"

Hu Shan was taken aback, "What kind of bet?"

Xu Yan was excited at the prospect of winning more spirit crystals, "A bet on whether Brother Xie will win or the Seven Stars Academy will prevail!"

Hu Shan immediately understood, and his mouth twitched, "Isn't that a bit..."

"It's a great opportunity to make money!" Xu Yan interrupted, full of confidence in Xie Lingfeng.

"Alright then," Hu Shan agreed after a moment's thought.

Of course, it would be up to him to handle these matters. If people found out that Xu Yan was betting on Xie Lingfeng to win, how could they make a profit?

Hu Shan walked to a large stone, drew his sword, and placed it on the rock. "Today, my young master challenges the students of the Seven Stars Academy. I am confident that my young master can suppress all his peers here. Who dares to take this bet?" he shouted.

The students of the Seven Stars Academy, already incensed by Xu Yan's arrogance, were further provoked by Xie Lingfeng's bold declaration. But Xu Yan had earned the right to be arrogant through his strength.

Who was Xie Lingfeng to act so superior? His reputation as a genius was nothing but hype.

"How do we bet?" a student immediately asked.

"It's simple," Hu Shan replied. "If the Seven Stars Academy wins, I will give this sword to them, representing a loss for the Sword Peak. But if my young master wins, your spirit crystals will be mine!"

Hu Shan glanced at the students present and added, "You will only lose your spirit crystals, but I am putting the reputation of the Sword Peak on the line. Don't think I'm taking advantage of you. Do you dare to bet, or will you admit defeat right now?"

Stimulated by his words, the students of the Seven Stars Academy became agitated.

"We'll take that bet! Let's see what Xie Lingfeng is capable of!"

"Hmph, the Sword Peak's reputation will be ours, Seven Stars Academy!"

The students eagerly placed their bets, all wagering on the victory of the Seven Stars Academy.

On the large stone, a pile of small bags containing spirit tickets had formed, and Xu Yan watched with growing excitement.

This was going to be another big win.

On the martial arts stage, Xie Lingfeng's mouth twitched as he felt the pressure mounting.

If he lost, not only would he disgrace the Sword Peak, but he would also cost Xu Yan a fortune!

Taking a deep breath, he said coldly, "There's no need for anyone below the Grand Master realm to come up."

Boom!

The aura of a Grand Master surged, shaking the surroundings.

The students of the Seven Stars Academy were stunned once more. Xie Lingfeng was a Grand Master! And he was only about twenty years old. How many in the Inner Realm could match his achievement?

The rumors about him were not just empty hype.

"I'll go!"

A student from the Seven Stars Academy leaped onto the stage. He, too, was a Grand Master.

"Please," Xie Lingfeng said coldly.

"Kill!"

The Grand Master student raised his hand and slashed with his sword.

In a flash of sword light, his sword went flying, and his shoulder was pierced.

"Next!" Xie Lingfeng said coldly.

The students of the Seven Stars Academy were silent.

With a single sword strike, a Grand Master had been defeated! Even Fu Yuntian's expression turned solemn. While Xie Lingfeng's strength may not have matched Xu Yan's, his prowess was still extraordinary, befitting his reputation as a genius.

Fu Yuntian hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Alright!"

Ding Yan nodded.

The second Seven Stars Academy Grand Master student to take the stage was a bit stronger, but Xie Lingfeng defeated him with two swords! Then the third, the fourth...

Not a single one could withstand Xie Lingfeng's three swords! And the Grand Master students who dared to face him were all nearing thirty years old. In terms of both age and strength, they were far inferior to Xie Lingfeng.

At this, the students of the Seven Stars Academy fell silent.

Those who had impulsively placed bets, driven by excitement, now felt a sting of regret as they looked at the pile of bags on the stone, wishing they could back out.

However, they couldn't bear to lose face for the Seven Stars Academy, so they could only watch helplessly, not daring to retrieve their bags.

The happiest person there was Xu Yan, who had just made a huge profit in spirit crystals.

The trip to the Seven Stars Academy had been extremely fruitful. Not only had they witnessed Xu Yan's overwhelming victory over a Grand Master, but now, with this bet, they had gained even more spirit crystals. Even if each student had only wagered a thousand spirit crystals, it still amounted to a substantial sum.

"Is there anyone else who wants to fight?"

Xie Lingfeng held his sword and looked down at the students of the Seven Stars Academy with contempt.

Just then, a powerful aura approached from the direction of the Seven Stars Academy. A long knife flew onto the martial arts stage, and a man with an expressionless face appeared, grasping the handle of the knife.

"Ping Dong, I've come to learn from you!"

The newcomer was about the same age as Xie Lingfeng, around twenty years old, and his cultivation level was similar as well.

Xie Lingfeng's expression turned solemn. "So it's Ping Dong."

Ping Dong, the top genius of the Seven Stars Academy, was renowned alongside Xie Lingfeng as one of the three youngest Grand Masters in the Inner Realm!

"Brother Xie, you've met a worthy opponent!" Xu Yan said to Xie Lingfeng.

"Xu Gongzi, who do you think will win?" Du Yuying asked softly.

"Of course, Brother Xie!" Xu Yan replied without hesitation.

Xie Lingfeng had refined his true qi, greatly enhancing his strength and understanding of the sword path. Although Ping Dong was strong, he was still a notch below Xie Lingfeng.

Of course, if Xie Lingfeng hadn't refined his true qi, his strength would have been comparable to Ping Dong's, and it would have been hard to predict the outcome of their battle.

"Please!" Xie Lingfeng said solemnly.

Ping Dong was evidently a man of few words. He merely nodded and pointed his knife forward. In an instant, knife light flashed, and knife qi crisscrossed, filling the air with a chilling killing intent.

Xie Lingfeng swung his precious sword, unleashing the Myriad Rivers Sword Technique. However, the sword technique he displayed now was not the original version but an improved one.

Sword qi rippled and surged, and then he executed the Flying Rainbow Sword! The sword light flashed like lightning, crisscrossing through the sword qi. For a time, the two of them fought fiercely.

At one moment, the sword qi converged into a vortex, sweeping upwards, and the sword light flashed as if piercing through the sky.

Boom!

The knife light shattered, the knife qi dissipated, and in front of Ping Dong stood Xie Lingfeng, his sword glinting coldly.

"I lost!"

Ping Dong remained silent for a while before finally speaking.

"You were merciful!"

Xie Lingfeng cupped his hands in gratitude.

"Xie Lingfeng, your reputation is well-deserved!"

Ping Dong turned and left.

"Is there anyone else who wants to fight?"

Xie Lingfeng stood proudly with his sword, looking down at the students of the Seven Stars Academy.

At this moment, the students of the Seven Stars Academy were silent.

"Brother Xie, you've won. There's no need to continue fighting," Fu Yuntian said with a bitter smile.

With Ping Dong's defeat, there was no one in the younger generation who could match Xie Lingfeng.

Hu Shan was delighted. He picked up all the bags from the stone and bundled them together, holding them in his hand.

"Let's go," Xu Yan said excitedly.

Xie Lingfeng stepped down from the martial arts stage and walked alongside Xu Yan. Hu Shan, Du Yuying, the plain-clothed woman, and the old woman followed closely behind.

After leaving the Seven Stars Academy, Hu Shan handed the bundle of bags to Xu Yan. "Xu Gongzi, these are yours!"

"Then I won't be polite."

Xu Yan happily accepted them.

Upon arriving in Seven Stars City, Xu Yan immediately went to the Treasure Pavilion to exchange the spirit tickets for a larger sum.

"Eight hundred thousand spirit crystals! It's really not easy to earn money!"

Xu Yan sighed as he left the Treasure Pavilion.

Xie Lingfeng and the others were speechless.

The group arrived at the elegant place that Du Yuying had mentioned, which turned out to be a quiet and serene location.

"Cui'er, didn't you say you would book this place?" Du Yuying frowned when she saw several martial artists sitting there, sipping spirit tea.

"Miss, those people seem to be of high status. The shop didn't allow us to book the entire place," Cui'er replied in a low voice.

"Miss Du, there's no need to go to such trouble. It's fine as long as there's space for us," Xu Yan said.

The group sat down in a small, elegant courtyard.

Suddenly, they heard the voices of several martial artists.

"Have you heard? The proud disciple of Sword Cliff, Xie Lingfeng, is actually bald!"

"Really? I haven't heard that Xie Lingfeng is bald."

"You don't understand. Xie Lingfeng wears a wig!"

"Brother Yuan, how did you find out?"

His companion asked curiously.

"It's news from Yan Country. Xie Lingfeng killed several Grand Masters, and he provoked a powerful enemy. I heard he's being pursued by a Grand Master!"

"Wow! Who is this Grand Master that dares to pursue Xie Lingfeng? Don't they fear Sword Cliff and Xie Tianheng?"

"That's unclear."

Suddenly, someone interrupted: "Brother Yuan, your information is outdated. You've just returned to Seven Stars City, so you might not know, but Xie Lingfeng is currently at the Seven Stars Academy. He broke through nine layers of the martial arts stage.

"And I heard that the one being pursued by a Grand Master is Hu Shan from Sword Cliff! That bald guy is Hu Shan!"

"Oh? Is that true? So that's what happened?"

Brother Yuan was astonished.

"The one being pursued by a Grand Master is Hu Shan from Sword Cliff?"

"That's right! I just got the news!"

"Do you know which Grand Master it is? Hu Shan's father, Grand Master Hu Hai, used to be Xie Tianheng's assistant. How dare they pursue Hu Shan? Don't they fear Grand Master Hu Hai?"

"Who knows what's going on? It's probably because of some treasure."

...

Xie Lingfeng and the others looked at each other in dismay. What kind of rumor was this?

Xie Lingfeng tugged at his hair and twitched the corners of his mouth. "When did I become bald?"

Hu Shan was also bewildered. "That's not right. I'm right here. When was I pursued by a Grand Master? And with my strength, a Grand Master wouldn't need to pursue me. They could just kill me directly. How could I have a chance to escape?"

Du Yuying and the plain-clothed woman also looked surprised.

The information those people had was not only outdated but also outrageous.

However, Xu Yan's eyes widened in anger. "It's my junior brother, Meng Chong! What kind of Grand Master dares to pursue my junior brother?"

He stood up, his face flushed with rage.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end