Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Murderer
"What!?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Haitao’s face filled with utter shock.
’Shen Daoxing killed Mo Yunlei!?’
He knew full well that Mo Yunlei was a cultivator at the Ninth Layer of the Profound Platform Realm. Among the younger generation of the Martial Kingdom, only Xia Junze could definitively suppress him.
Soon, Lin Haitao began to doubt the veracity of the news. "Is what you’re saying true?"
"Of course, it’s true."
Ouyang Rong said in a low voice, "And that’s not all. Did you know that in the True Dragon Secret Realm, it’s said that even Zhu Kai, Mo Yunlei, and Chen Baxian combined were no match for Shen Daoxing?"
"This Shen Daoxing’s talent is peerless, a monster without equal."
As she spoke, a trace of envy and jealousy appeared on Ouyang Rong’s face.
’If only I had been the one to pick up this Shen Daoxing.’
Then the Royal Academy would have another genius—one who could contend with the Celestial City Academy.
But she quickly shook her head.
’Shen Daoxing’s edge is too sharp. Even at the Royal Academy, he would likely clash with the Celestial City Academy eventually. That might not necessarily be a good thing.’
Lin Haitao nodded, his brow furrowing. "Since you know about this, that bunch of old geezers from the Celestial City Academy must know too, right?"
Ouyang Rong nodded. "They definitely know."
Lin Haitao asked doubtfully, "Then why are they...?"
Ouyang Rong shook her head. "There hasn’t been any movement."
"Impossible!"
Hearing this, Lin Haitao said coldly, "The quieter those old bastards are, the more malicious their intentions."
Ouyang Rong remained silent.
In truth, she also knew those old men from the Celestial City Academy very well. They were extremely protective of the academy’s reputation. A matter this serious? They would never just sit by and do nothing.
"If those old bastards from the Celestial City Academy decide to throw martial ethics out the window..."
Lin Haitao looked in the direction of the Celestial City Academy and said coldly, "I wouldn’t mind bathing the Celestial City Academy in blood."
Ouyang Rong quickly interjected, "Don’t be rash."
Although Lin Haitao couldn’t do anything to those old men of the Celestial City Academy, he could certainly deal with their students.
Such a massacre would be nothing short of a disaster for the Martial Kingdom.
Right now, the Martial Kingdom still relied on the Celestial City Academy for support.
Lin Haitao said flatly, "As long as the Celestial City Academy doesn’t do anything foolish, I naturally won’t be the first to make a move."
.....
「In a dense forest.」
Shen Daoxing and Ling Shuanghua had been traveling for five days. If they had taken a Cloud Ship, they would have reached the Martial Kingdom long ago.
At this moment, the two were resting by a river.
"What level is your strength at now?"
Ling Shuanghua was dressed in a pale white long dress, her stunning beauty almost breathtaking.
Shen Daoxing took a gulp of water. "Eighth Layer of the Profound Platform Realm."
"Not bad."
Ling Shuanghua nodded. "Your strength is quite high, but there’s still a considerable gap between you and Xia Junze. A year ago, he was at the Third Layer of the Grotto Heaven Realm. Now that a year has passed, he’s most likely around the Fifth Layer of the Grotto Heaven Realm."
Shen Daoxing’s expression was calm, showing no change whatsoever.
Ling Shuanghua asked, "What’s wrong? You don’t seem worried in the slightest."
Shen Daoxing replied, "You should be asking him that question."
Ling Shuanghua was slightly taken aback, then she nodded. "Well said."
In that moment, she found herself admiring the Shen Daoxing before her.
That unruliness, that confidence... it was just like a former disciple of hers.
And that disciple had died at Xia Junze’s hands. At the time, Xia Junze was sixteen years old, with a cultivation at only the Fourth Layer of the Profound Platform Realm, while her disciple was at the Third Layer of the Profound Platform Realm.
The two fought a battle to the death, and in the end, Xia Junze was victorious.
At this thought, a shadow of grief passed through Ling Shuanghua’s eyes. "If I have the chance, I absolutely will not let you die."
"What do you mean?"
Shen Daoxing asked, confused.
Ling Shuanghua shook her head. "It’s... it’s nothing."
BUZZ! BUZZ!
Just then, the surrounding aura began to hum.
"Not good!"
Ling Shuanghua was suddenly alarmed, drawing her longsword in an instant.
The blade’s light was clear, revealing a hint of azure.
A dark figure appeared in the distance. He stretched out a hand, and the air immediately began to tremble violently, as if it were boiling.
BOOM!
A massive Palm Seal condensed in the air and then came crashing down.
A furious gale billowed out, howling in all directions.
Shen Daoxing felt as if his body were caught in a tempest, on the verge of collapsing.
"Go!"
Ling Shuanghua grabbed Shen Daoxing by his clothes and threw him with all her might.
BOOM!
The immense Palm Force slammed down, kicking up waves of Primordial Energy.
"Elder Ling—!"
Seeing this, Shen Daoxing’s eyes instantly turned bloodshot.
Where the Palm Seal landed, dust and smoke billowed up, creating massive, surging waves.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH—!
The next moment, streams of ice-cold Sword Qi emerged from the dust cloud, slicing through the waves of Primordial Energy and the swirling smoke.
"You coward! Is sneaking around all you know how to do?"
To Shen Daoxing’s delighted surprise, Ling Shuanghua’s exquisite face gradually came into view.
An aged voice rang out, "Worthy of the Floating Snow Sword. This Sword Qi is truly sharp. You must have comprehended twelve forms of Sword Intent, haven’t you?"
Following the voice, they saw a man wearing a cloak, his face and age obscured.
Shen Daoxing thought to himself, ’A coward indeed, not daring to show his true face.’
Ling Shuanghua looked at the cloaked man and said coldly, "You’re mistaken."
The cloaked man asked, puzzled, "Mistaken about what?"
"My sword is called the Floating Blood Sword."
After she spoke, Ling Shuanghua slashed her longsword toward the cloaked man.
SWISH!
The strike was like a fleeting glimpse of a startled swan—impossibly fast.
"A parlor trick."
The cloaked man extended his hands and caught the sharp sword light directly between his fingers, then squeezed.
The ice-cold sword light instantly turned to dust.
’A master!’
Ling Shuanghua’s heart sank. After just two probing moves, she knew the person before her was undoubtedly a top-tier expert.
Ling Shuanghua asked, "Who in the world are you?"
The cloaked man sneered, "I’m the one who’s come to take your lives."
At this moment, Shen Daoxing spoke up, "Elder Ling, if I’m not mistaken, this person must be a dog from the Celestial City Academy."
"Hahaha!"
Ling Shuanghua burst out laughing. "You’re absolutely right. Not only is he a dog from the Celestial City Academy, but by the looks of it, he’s an old dog."
The cloaked man shook his head. "You think I’d be angry? In my eyes, you’re nothing but two corpses. So, I’m not the least bit upset. After all, there’s no point in getting worked up over dead people."
With that, the cloaked man attacked again.
He suddenly clenched his fist, and the air seemed to implode with a sound like rolling thunder.
THUD!
The Primordial Energy in his body surged forth, and he threw a punch forward.
Ripples immediately spread through the air in front of him as a surge of Fist Force, carrying a savage aura, rushed out. The ground cracked and split wherever it passed, a testament to its contained power.
Ling Shuanghua’s heart went cold, and she raised her longsword.
SWISH!
A sharp sword light shot forth, carrying an indomitable momentum.
