Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Thunder in the Heart
After a long moment, Nalan Rongruo snapped back to her senses. She immediately pulled Zhang Ling’Er behind her, afraid that Shen Daoxing would strike again.
"You!"
Clutching her red, swollen cheek, Zhang Ling’Er’s eyes looked like they were about to shoot fire. "I will never let you get away with this," she snarled. "I, Zhang Ling’Er, swear that I will make you pay!"
’Who was she, Zhang Ling’Er?’
She was a top-tier genius from the Tang Kingdom’s Yunling Academy. Her older brother, Zhang Lei, was the academy’s sole True Disciple. Who didn’t treat her with the utmost respect and courtesy on any given day?
But today, in front of everyone, she had been slapped by some nameless nobody. How could she possibly endure such humiliation?
Shen Daoxing said coldly, "Fine. I’ll be waiting. My name is Shen Daoxing. Make sure you don’t find the wrong person."
"Good, good, good! You’d better not go anywhere."
Trembling with rage, Zhang Ling’Er turned and stalked off into the distance.
Seeing this, Lin Ke’Er whispered, "Shen, we should leave quickly."
Shen Daoxing had never heard of Zhang Lei, but Lin Ke’Er knew him all too well. Zhang Lei was ranked among the top five geniuses in the entire Tang Kingdom. With his cultivation at the peak of the Eighth Layer of the Profound Platform realm, he could even hold his own against a master of the Ninth Layer. He was leagues stronger than Zhang Ling’Er.
Shen Daoxing shook his head. "We all have to enter the True Dragon Nest eventually. Where could we possibly go? Don’t worry about it."
Lin Ke’Er’s lips parted, and a look of guilt crossed her face.
’This is all my fault,’ she thought. ’I’m the one who brought this trouble upon Shen.’
Nearby, Nalan Rongruo shook her head. "Some things are inevitable. If you’re determined to die, not even the King of Hell can save you. It’s just a pity my good intentions went to waste."
One of the sycophants nearby had a sudden ’realization’ and quickly praised her. "So Miss Nalan was trying to resolve the conflict! Such a compassionate heart is truly admirable!"
Shen Daoxing was so amused by this sycophant’s act that he almost laughed out loud.
’In a world where the Martial Dao reigns supreme, if Nalan Rongruo really had such a kind heart, she would have died a horrible death long ago.’
Shen Daoxing said coldly, "What? By your logic, if someone slaps my friend, my friend should just take it?"
Nalan Rongruo shook her head. "I know you’re resentful, but have you ever heard the tales of a mayfly trying to shake a great tree, or a mantis trying to stop a chariot?"
"HAHAHAHA!"
Shen Daoxing burst out laughing. "Who is the mayfly? Who is the tree? Who is the mantis? And who is the chariot?"
"It seems you are not only arrogant, but also lack self-awareness."
Nalan Rongruo said nonchalantly, "I wouldn’t say I know every single student in the Inner Courtyard of Celestial City Academy, but I am familiar with all the top-tier geniuses. I have never once heard the name Shen Daoxing, which means you can’t be considered a prodigy in the Martial Kingdom."
Shen Daoxing retorted, "Are only students from Celestial City Academy considered prodigies?"
Nalan Rongruo replied calmly, "Is that not the case? It’s common knowledge that Celestial City Academy is the only institution of note in the Martial Kingdom."
Shen Daoxing said, "Then that only proves your ignorance!"
His words caused an immediate uproar. The crowd erupted, denouncing Shen Daoxing.
"What an arrogant bastard!"
"Brat, how dare you call Miss Nalan ignorant! The audacity!"
"You’re the ignorant one!"
"Just wait until Zhang Lei gets here and beats you to death, you reckless loudmouth!"
...
The crowd was filled with righteous indignation. Nalan Rongruo’s ’Flower Guardians’, in particular, had a cold glint in their eyes. If Shen Daoxing hadn’t just intimidated a portion of the crowd with his earlier display of force, they would have likely already made a move.
Seeing this, Lin Ke’Er was on the verge of tears. "Shen, this is all my fault."
Shen Daoxing was now surrounded by enemies, and she was the main reason.
"It’s not your fault."
Shen Daoxing comforted her, "How could you possibly say this is your fault?"
"She is not at fault, but you are!"
Just then, a cold shout rang out.
Following the voice, they saw a man approaching with a powerful and imposing gait. He wore a long black robe, and the Primordial Energy around his body seemed to burn and seethe. His cold, stern expression was enough to make one’s blood run cold.
Behind him was Zhang Ling’Er. She now held her head high, her disdainful gaze sweeping over the crowd, as proud as a peacock.
But when her eyes landed on Shen Daoxing, a trace of venomous hatred appeared within them.
"It’s Zhang Lei from Yunling Academy."
"The top genius of the Tang Kingdom, an existence comparable to the Four Heroes of Celestial City Academy."
"That kid from the Martial Kingdom is a dead man."
...
The moment that young man appeared, the surrounding area burst into a frenzy.
After all, Zhang Lei was one of the absolute top-tier geniuses entering the True Dragon Nest this time. Only the Four Heroes of the Martial Kingdom’s Celestial City Academy and a few other top geniuses from the Yan Kingdom, the Tang Kingdom, and other nations could be compared to him.
The geniuses of this generation were divided into two types: those who had made it onto the Martial Arts Ranking...
...and those who had not. Zhang Lei belonged to the latter, a top-tier genius who had yet to appear on the Martial Arts Ranking.
With Zhang Lei’s appearance, the incident began to escalate once more.
Some geniuses from further away heard the commotion and rushed over.
"Who is this person? How dare they provoke Zhang Lei!?"
"Could it be one of the Martial Kingdom’s Four Heroes?"
"No, it’s some nobody named Shen Daoxing."
"Now this is going to be a good show."
...
Geniuses from the academies of various kingdoms surged forward. These were all well-known figures in their own countries. The few sycophantic nobodies from before quickly made way for them.
Zhang Lei’s gaze was as cold and sharp as an arrow, locked tightly onto Shen Daoxing.
Instantly, a heavy, mountain-like pressure surged forward with the force of a tidal wave, crashing down directly upon Shen Daoxing.
He wasn’t intentionally releasing his pressure; it was simply the natural aura he exuded. Only a genius who had triumphed in a hundred battles could cultivate such an imposing presence.
It made the very air seem to solidify, and many of the weaker Martial Artists found it extremely difficult to breathe.
Even the faces of those fairly renowned geniuses changed slightly, revealing a hint of shock.
’Peak of the Eighth Layer of the Profound Platform realm, yet stronger than the average Martial Artist at the Ninth Layer of the Profound Platform.’
’Is that kid out of his mind? How could he provoke such a terrifying genius?’
"You’re reaping what you’ve sown."
Nalan Rongruo shook her head and sighed, then looked toward Shen Daoxing.
She seemed to be searching his calm eyes for any sign of fear, despair, cowardice, or regret.
But she was disappointed.
From beginning to end, those eyes, as placid as still water, remained utterly unchanged. Yet, for a fleeting moment, it was as if a clap of thunder had resounded within them.
She had never seen such tranquility in the eyes of any other young man, not even in her own fiancé, Xia Junze.
’Could I have been mistaken?’ Nalan Rongruo wondered in shock.
’A face like a placid lake, a heart like a clap of thunder!’
What a terrifying man this was!
A smile touched the corners of Shen Daoxing’s lips as he said lightly, "The sole True Disciple of Yunling Academy. Is that supposed to be impressive? I don’t think so."
