Chapter 274: The Name That Shook the Heart
The Name That Shook the Heart
"Who... are you?"
The question escaped the Green Robed Man almost unconsciously.
The arrogance that had filled his face moments ago was gone.
Only shock remained.
The blood-red sea churned beneath the dark heavens, while black clouds drifted endlessly overhead. Waves crashed against distant cliffs, yet the Green Robed Man barely noticed any of it.
His attention was entirely focused on the woman standing before him.
Her white robes fluttered gently.
The Amethyst Mist Sword gleamed in her hand.
She stood calmly amidst the violent battlefield, as though everything around her was insignificant.
For the first time since entering the Martial Emperor Tomb, the Green Robed Man felt genuine unease.
He had crossed countless miles from the Blue Empire.
Before entering the tomb, he had been full of confidence.
He wanted to display his talents.
He wanted to defeat famous geniuses.
He wanted to prove that the younger generation of the Open Mountain Sect was second to none.
Yet his first true battle had nearly shattered that confidence.
The woman before him was not only stronger than expected.
She was terrifying.
Every sword strike carried enough pressure to make his heart tremble.
Who exactly was she?
Selena looked at him coldly.
The sea breeze lifted strands of her silver-white hair.
Her expression remained indifferent.
"Listen carefully."
Her voice was neither loud nor soft.
Yet every word carried unmistakable confidence.
"I am Selena, a nineteenth-generation student of Celestis Academy’s Amethyst Summit Division."
The moment those words fell—
The Green Robed Man froze.
His pupils contracted violently.
"What!"
The shout escaped his mouth before he could stop it.
His face instantly turned pale.
Amethyst Summit Division.
That name was famous throughout the Forsaken Domain.
Perhaps not because of the division itself.
But because of its current Teacher.
Leon.
The Purple Sword Monarch.
The man whose reputation had spread across the younger generation like wildfire.
A man whose sword had shaken countless powerful factions.
A man whom even elders spoke about with caution.
Before leaving the Open Mountain Sect, several elders had repeatedly warned him.
No matter who he offended.
No matter what conflict occurred.
Never provoke the people of Celestis Academy.
Especially the students of Amethyst Summit Division.
Yet fate seemed determined to mock him.
Out of everyone he could have encountered inside the Martial Emperor Tomb...
The very first person he fought happened to be Leon’s student.
The Green Robed Man nearly cursed the heavens.
Damn it.
Was the world playing a joke on him?
Of all the people he could meet...
Why her?
Regret immediately flooded his heart.
Had he arrived earlier and witnessed Selena’s battle records outside, he would have recognized her immediately.
Unfortunately, there was no medicine for regret.
At this moment, he felt as though his intestines had turned green from remorse.
The arrogant expression on his face vanished completely.
In its place appeared an awkward smile.
The transformation was so sudden that even Selena blinked.
The Green Robed Man immediately clasped his fists respectfully.
"So you’re the student of the Sword Monarch. No wonder your swordsmanship is so astonishing."
His tone became polite.
Almost painfully polite.
"Since you’re the student of the Sword Monarch, I’ll give this treasure to you. Fairy, I was wrong just now and offended you. I hope you won’t take offense."
His attitude changed so quickly that it felt almost absurd.
But he didn’t care.
Face?
Dignity?
Those things were important.
Living was even more important.
A wise man knew when to advance and when to retreat.
The Green Robed Man understood very clearly that this was not someone he could afford to offend.
Continuing the fight would only lead to disaster.
Selena stared at him strangely.
A moment ago, he had looked ready to fight to the death.
Now he was apologizing.
The contrast was so great that even she found it difficult to process.
A faint look of confusion appeared on her usually cold face.
The Green Robed Man immediately became nervous.
Seeing her expression change, he feared she might still attack.
Fortunately, Selena remained silent.
Inside, however, she was genuinely puzzled.
When did her Teacher’s name become this effective?
The more she thought about it, the stranger it felt.
Then suddenly—
A warm feeling appeared in her chest.
Her gaze softened slightly.
Teacher...
A faint smile almost appeared on her face.
In this world, Leon was more than just her Teacher.
He was the person who had changed her fate.
The person who had pulled her from despair.
The person she admired most.
The person she trusted most.
The person she always looked up to.
Whenever she felt lost, she remembered his teachings.
Whenever she felt weak, she remembered his confidence in her.
In many ways, Leon was the only family she truly had.
Thinking about it now, a trace of pride appeared in her heart.
People feared his name.
People respected his name.
People spoke of him with awe.
And she was his student.
The realization made her unexpectedly happy.
It was not pride in herself.
It was pride in him.
As his student, seeing the respect others showed toward him naturally brought her joy.
For some reason, even the blood-red world around her seemed a little brighter.
A faint warmth lingered in her heart.
However, Selena quickly regained her composure.
She was not someone who enjoyed bullying others.
Since the Green Robed Man had admitted defeat, there was no reason to continue the matter.
She merely glanced at him one last time.
Then she turned around.
The treasure was still flying through the crimson sky.
Without another word, she chased after it.
The Green Robed Man remained frozen in place until her figure disappeared into the distance.
Only then did he finally release the breath he had been holding.
"Phew... Scared me to death."
His legs almost gave out beneath him.
Cold sweat soaked his back.
The fear lingering in his heart refused to disappear.
That encounter had been far too dangerous.
Fortunately, he reacted quickly enough.
Had he stubbornly continued fighting...
The consequences would have been unimaginable.
After all, that was Leon’s head student.
If he somehow won, Leon would personally come looking for him.
If he lost, he would die on the spot.
No matter how he looked at it, there was no good ending.
Under such circumstances, admitting defeat was clearly the smartest choice.
The Green Robed Man was still recovering from the shock when another figure descended from the sky.
An elderly man landed beside him.
The old man looked at his appearance and immediately frowned.
"Young Master, what’s wrong?"
The old man looked genuinely confused.
In his memories, the Green Robed Man had always been arrogant and spirited.
Seeing him covered in sweat was practically impossible.
"Young Master, did something happen? Why are you covered in cold sweat? You look like you just came back exhausted and completely drained..."
The Green Robed Man instantly rolled his eyes.
He glared at the old man.
"Bullshit. You’re the one who’s exhausted. Even if I fought three hundred rounds, I’d still be standing."
The old man’s mouth twitched.
For a moment, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
The Green Robed Man then explained everything that had happened.
As he listened, the old man’s expression changed repeatedly.
By the end, he couldn’t help inhaling sharply.
"This... Young Master, you made the correct decision."
The old man’s face turned serious.
"Fortunately, you reacted quickly and didn’t offend Selena. I’ve heard countless stories about Leon recently. Rumor says that even Dario from Sky Breaker Academy couldn’t block a single strike from him."
The old man paused.
His expression became increasingly solemn.
"If you had truly injured her just now, our household would likely have been wiped out. Even the Open Mountain Sect might not have survived the consequences."
The Green Robed Man stared at him speechlessly.
His eyelids twitched.
After a long silence, he wanted to say something.
You think too highly of me.
Injure her?
It would be good if she didn’t kill me.
