Inside the academy, the liveliest topic lately was none other than the ongoing elimination tournament. Of the students in Chu Feng’s Class Three, only a little over a dozen had made it into the third round. At this rate, there would probably be fewer than ten who ultimately participated in the civil and martial competition.
Chu Feng sat alone at his desk, looking through the sword manual in his hands. Ever since he had learned to recognize some of the characters, he had begun trying to puzzle out the meaning behind its contents.
The sword is me, and I am the sword. This was the mark of attaining mastery in the Sword Dao. Reaching this stage meant truly stepping into the realm of the Dao, where anything casually picked up could become a sword.
As for sword cultivators, only those who possessed a pure and unwavering Dao heart could travel farther on their pursuit of the Great Dao. Fearless, regretless, never retreating…this was what it meant to possess a clear and enlightened Sword Heart.
As Chu Feng flipped through the sword manual, hushed whispers sounded around him.
“That transfer student actually made it into the third round!? Looks like he isn’t all show after all!”
“He doesn’t look particularly strong to me. He looks like such a pushover. And yet Master Cao actually said that even Senior Brother Cao Yunxiao felt inferior to him? Putting him on the same level as Senior Brother Cao Yunxiao… I bet Master Cao was just hyping him up.”
“Heh. Whether it’s true or not, we’ll find out in the third round. It’d be hilarious if they build him up too much, only for him to fall flat on his face.”
Most of the disciples gossiping were the sort who loved juicy rumors. At the same time, they were also obsessed with looks. In their eyes, attractiveness was practically equivalent to combat power.
Although Chu Feng heard all the rumors and gossip, he didn’t take them to heart. As the saying went, a man fears fame as a pig fears fattening. The more famous someone became, the more controversy followed them. Faced with things like this, it was better to keep his mouth shut. Otherwise, after passing through enough mouths, anything he said would eventually be twisted beyond recognition.
Before transmigrating, Chu Feng had experienced firsthand just how terrifying fandom culture could be.
Just as Chu Feng was about to get up and leave the classroom, a familiar figure walked over. It was none other than Young Master Qian.
Young Master Qian said with a cheerful smile, “I really have to thank Student Xiang for bringing me to the Demon-Suppressing Tower last time. Thanks to you, I was fortunate enough to make it into the third round as well.”
Young Master Qian had his own ways of safely making it through both the illusion and the Demon-Suppressing Tower, but when it came to facing the demonic shadows, two fists could hardly contend against four hands. If Chu Feng hadn’t helped clear them out, he might not have made it there at all.
“Since you paid me, naturally I had to get you there.”
Chu Feng smiled faintly. Though truthfully, he hadn’t been much help during the final illusion trial. If Young Master Qian hadn’t eventually made it out on his own, Chu Feng had even been considering whether he ought to return the spirit stones.
“So, what do you think? Would Student Xiang consider teaming up with me again for the third round? Don’t worry, I won’t short you on spirit stones.”
Young Master Qian finally revealed the purpose of his visit.
“Team up? But if I remember correctly, isn’t the third round an elimination tournament?”
Chu Feng recalled the elder’s explanation of the third round, and he didn’t remember hearing anything about teams being allowed.
“There’s something you don’t know, Student Xiang. The academy’s third round is somewhat similar to the civil and martial competition. Although it ultimately comes down to individual performance, you’re allowed to form teams during the early stages.”
Young Master Qian explained some of the tournament’s unwritten rules to Chu Feng.
Chu Feng considered it for a moment before saying, “Let me think about it.”
“Of course. There will always be a place for Student Xiang on my team.”
Young Master Qian sounded so sincere that Chu Feng was actually a little touched.
Just then, a commotion broke out.
A tall, handsome young man with sharp brows and bright eyes walked over.
The young man was dressed entirely in black, his expression indifferent. His aura was like a sword drawn from its sheath, and he made no attempt whatsoever to restrain the sword intent emanating from his body, causing everyone in his path to hurriedly move aside.
He paid no attention to anyone else and walked straight up to Chu Feng.
Chu Feng looked at the young man before him, whose body was surging with sword intent, and asked, “Are you here to see me?”
The instant Young Master Qian saw the young man, his expression changed drastically. He whispered, “Student Xiang, be careful. That’s Wei Mingxuan, one of the top five experts in the Sword Dao Academy.”
Chu Feng nodded slightly. Wei Mingxuan….he had never heard the name before. Judging by his appearance, Chu Feng was also certain he had never met this person.
Wei Mingxuan looked at Chu Feng and chuckled. “That’s right. I wanted to see for myself just what kind of remarkable person this young man so highly praised by Master Cao really is. And while I’m at it, I might just take especially good care of you during the third round.”
With that, Wei Mingxuan gave him a mocking smile.
Hey, hey, what’s that supposed to mean? We don’t even know each other!
“Have I offended you somehow?”
Chu Feng asked in a low voice. Looking at Wei Mingxuan’s expression, he felt as though he were being watched by a venomous snake.
The commotion here quickly attracted a crowd of students.
“That’s Wei Mingxuan! Good grief, that guy just broke through to the peak of the fourth rank. He’s been on a roll lately!”
“Heh! Now this is interesting. That kid’s only at the third rank, and he’s managed to provoke Wei Mingxuan. With that guy’s temper, getting beaten black and blue would be getting off lightly.”
“This is going to be good.”
Chu Feng’s expression grew slightly solemn. Peak fourth rank, huh? That was certainly strong, but he should still be able to handle it. As long as his opponent wasn’t at the fifth rank, it wouldn’t be enough to force him into a desperate fight.
Wei Mingxuan saw that Chu Feng didn’t look the least bit intimidated and snorted coldly. In the past, who among those who saw him didn’t flee in terror? It seemed he would have to teach this transfer student a lesson first.
Besides, a senior brother had entrusted him with a task. As long as he ensured that this young man was eliminated before the literary and martial competition, he would receive a handsome reward.
The reward was generous enough to tempt even a seventh-rank elder, let alone Wei Mingxuan.
Wei Mingxuan smiled coldly as true qi roared out from within his body. Sword qi swirled above his head, sword intent coursing through it as though capable of cleaving mountains apart.
The moment the people around him sensed that sword intent, they recoiled as though confronted by a venomous serpent, hastily retreating.
Chu Feng, however, remained completely unfazed, as though the razor-sharp sword intent had no effect on him whatsoever.
After all, he had even witnessed battles between eighth- and ninth-rank powerhouses. He himself could also be considered highly experienced in combat. This sword intent was certainly formidable, but compared to what he had seen before, it was still a little lacking.
Seeing himself being treated with such contempt, Wei Mingxuan barked coldly, “Let’s see just how capable you really are!”
His sword intent erupted forth, clearly intending to knock Chu Feng down a peg.
Naturally, Chu Feng had no intention of backing down. Just as he was about to unleash his own sword intent, Wei Mingxuan’s overwhelming sword intent was suddenly shattered by an icy, bone-chilling aura.
Bang!
The sword qi shattered, dissolving into countless specks of light.
“Who!?”
Wei Mingxuan was horrified. Even he felt a deep, instinctive fear in the face of that icy aura.
Everyone around them had their innermost fears stirred by the bone-chilling presence….everyone except Chu Feng.
When the aura reached Chu Feng, however, it transformed into a gentle spring breeze, carrying a trace of warmth.
A graceful figure appeared before everyone.
She wore a long white dress, its hem trailing across the ground without gathering a speck of dust. A pale lotus-colored sash encircled her waist, with a silver token hanging from it.
Silver threads embroidered the dress in patterns of snow, layer upon layer like drifting mist. Her wide sleeves were adorned with plum blossoms that fluttered gently in the breeze, like a solitary plum standing proudly amid the winter snow.
Her lustrous hair cascaded like a waterfall, her skin was smooth as jade, and her figure was full and graceful, with long, slender legs. A faint aloofness lingered between her brows and eyes, giving her the appearance of an immortal maiden.
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