Chapter 33 - The Wind Blew
In the cultivation room, Lu Lixing and Wen Shi were seated on the sofa in the rest area, facing each other in silence. Their eyes locked, neither uttered a word.
After a ten-minute silent standoff, Wen Shi's patience wore thin, and he broke the silence.
“You're going to die.”
Wen Shi had high hopes for Lu Lixing's talent and potential, but until those qualities were transformed into real strength, Lu Lixing amounted to nothing. Sure, he might have the upper hand over Zhang Tu with his current abilities, but taking on the school's elite top 100 students was a whole different ball game: an impossible feat.
That's why Wen Shi was convinced of Lu Lixing's impending doom.
Unfazed by Wen Shi's grim prediction, Lu Lixing offered a slight smile, seemingly indifferent to his own mortality. “Death isn't what's frightening,” he said with serene confidence. “It's all about how I meet it.”
Wen Shi's brow creased as he observed Lu Lixing's composed demeanor. “The way you talk makes me think you're certain you'll survive. It's incredibly hard to believe.”
Wen Shi himself was astounded by his own thoughts. The idea that Lu Lixing might actually emerge victorious from the Battle of the Hidden Dragon Platform seemed ludicrous. He must be out of his mind to entertain such a notion.
Since its inception, the Battle of the Hidden Dragon Platform had only occurred four times, each event shaking the very foundations of the Federation and causing an uproar. The most infamous instance was during its inaugural year when a civilian genius, much like Lu Lixing, faced the same injustice. Oppressed by the privileged students and school authorities, he refused to go down without a fight and took his stand on the Hidden Dragon Platform. Though he perished in that battle, he wasn't taken down by his adversaries; he died of exhaustion after slaying sixty-three opponents.
The outcome of that battle sent shockwaves through the Federation. As a result, the school's entire leadership was dismissed and prosecuted, and an institution once renowned throughout the Federation vanished overnight. The survivors of that fateful Hidden Dragon Platform battle were forever branded with shame.
Over the following nine years, three more battles ensued, but none could match the glory of that first, fateful fight. Nevertheless, the schools that hosted these subsequent battles inevitably fell into decline, eventually shutting their doors for good.
Wen Shi had high hopes for Lu Lixing, yet he doubted that Lu Lixing possessed the formidable power of the Hidden Dragon Platform's first challenger. Even if he did, after defeating sixty-three adversaries, he'd still face the daunting task of overcoming the remaining thirty-seven. No matter Lu Lixing's strength, victory seemed a distant prospect.
“The Hidden Dragon Platform wasn't established to shield us, the civilian geniuses,” Wen Shi said, giving Lu Lixing a penetrating look. “The outcome of the Battle of the Hidden Dragon Platform is a foregone conclusion, and I deeply regret not stopping you.”
Wen Shi had indeed intended to dissuade Lu Lixing from his perilous quest, but with all eyes upon them, he was powerless to act. Moreover, he had vowed not to meddle in Lu Lixing's decisions, leaving him no choice but to watch as Lu Lixing inched closer to certain doom.
“Why bother with these words if you're convinced I'm doomed?” Lu Lixing asked, casting a glance at the cultivation room. “Did you bring me here to maximize my strength before the battle begins? I appreciate it, truly. I need all the help I can get.”
Wen Shi, sensing Lu Lixing's reluctance to converse, let out a weary sigh. “If there's anything you need, ask now. I'll assist you as best I can within my principles. You're fated to die, but I refuse to let you go quietly into the night. Show the living what it means to be a true man!”
Disappointed by Lu Lixing's decision yet admiring his spirit, Wen Shi would prefer to see talents perish on the Hidden Dragon Platform rather than betray their principles by siding with the aristocratic sects.
With a few parting words, Wen Shi departed, leaving Lu Lixing alone in the cultivation room. There was no time to ponder the future; every second had to be devoted to training. Lu Lixing was determined to astonish everyone at the Battle of the Hidden Dragon Platform.
As anticipated, the news of the Battle of the Hidden Dragon Platform set Skyhaven and the entire Federation abuzz. The impending battle has put Skyhaven at the center of attention, drawing crowds from far and wide.
The Speaker of Skyhaven, outraged by the events surrounding the Hidden Dragon Platform, furiously phoned Mi Hongbo to give him an earful. However, upon learning that the Zhang family was the instigator, he tempered his anger. While he could berate Mi Hongbo freely, he approached the matter of the Zhang family with caution.
Despite this, the Zhang family felt the weight of scrutiny from all sides. The origins of the conflict were clear to any invested party, as it was common knowledge that Lu Lixing had faced an onslaught of a million Demonic Beasts during the first challenge—a fact witnessed by all present. Consequently, the Zhang family was on the receiving end of a stern military warning.
In the conference room, Zhang Maozhe sat with a sullen expression, feeling unjustly treated as he observed the patriarch's wrathful demeanor. They had not foreseen that their ploy to use the Black Wind Defense scenario to trouble Lu Lixing would provoke a military admonition.
Zhang Yande, the Zhang family patriarch, was so incensed he wished he could strike down Zhang Maozhe himself. He couldn't fathom why Zhang Maozhe had chosen to use the Black Wind Defense to target Lu Lixing, inadvertently hitting a nerve with the military.
“You've brought this upon us,” Zhang Yande said with a cold huff. “The General has taken note of this incident. If Lu Lixing emerges victorious from the Battle of the Hidden Dragon Platform, he has vowed to obliterate the Zhang family. This, he will use as leverage to recruit Lu Lixing into the military ranks.”
Although Zhang Yande was seething, he wasn't overly concerned. The General had stipulated that the destruction of the Zhang family hinged on Lu Lixing's survival through the battle—a feat that seemed nearly impossible. In Zhang Yande's view, the General's words served more as a cautionary tale to the Zhang family and others: they could stir trouble if they wished, but they must never trivialize the sacrifice of the Federation's fallen heroes.
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