Chapter 21 The Golden Figure

"Why go to such trouble? In all of Dragon Lair City, you have the highest cultivation. Why not step forward and fight?" Xia Jiuxuan lifted his spear, its tip unceremoniously pointed at Lord Liang.

Lord Liang, at the pinnacle of the fourth palace realm, stood clad in black iron armor and wielded a spiritual battle sword. The techniques and martial skills he practiced were of a higher grade than those of the city guards, making him the strongest in Dragon Lair City.

As for why Lord Liang could govern a city with only the fourth palace realm cultivation, it was determined by the size of the city. Dragon Lair City spanned only a few kilometers, a small city requiring only a ruler below the fifth palace realm.

Xia Jiuxuan’s actions today were far from reckless. With his calculating mind, he had already accounted for the city lord’s movements and knew the limits of his own peak strength. According to his estimations, his current power matched that of Lord Liang.

In other words, Xia Jiuxuan, at the pinnacle of the ninth innate realm, was sufficient to battle a true fourth palace realm master.

It was not that Xia Jiuxuan was extraordinarily defiant of the heavens; rather, these ordinary martial cultivators could never fully realize the limits of the innate realm.

"Utterly laughable," Lord Liang scoffed, full of disdain.

He admitted Xia Jiuxuan was formidable, a rare genius in a hundred years. But having slain a few elderly palace realm cultivators, did he truly think he could challenge him? He was not worthy.

The true palace realm was beyond what someone of the innate realm could comprehend.

Despite finding Xia Jiuxuan ridiculous, Lord Liang dismissed the two city guards he had sent.

"If you can withstand three of my attacks, I’ll allow you a few more days of freedom before imprisoning you."

Lord Liang had received instructions from a young master; he would not kill Xia Jiuxuan outright, but leave him for that young master to execute personally.

Naturally, that person was Xia Zhong.

"Once on the stage, life or death is decided. What need for three moves?" Xia Jiuxuan’s words stirred a great commotion.

Lord Liang himself had come forth, yet this young man dared to be so arrogant? Truly lawless.

Hearing this, Lord Liang’s heart swelled with murderous intent; were it not for the status and background of Xia Zhong, he would have ended Xia Jiuxuan with a single sword.

Never had he encountered such audacity.

"Foolish brat, I’ll show you what true strength is!" Lord Liang strode onto the execution platform.

...

Around the platform, tension thickened. Meanwhile, in a distant tower, Liu Weiyu felt much more at ease.

No matter what, in this battle, he surely wouldn’t be a match for Lord Liang. Realm and strength were worlds apart.

"Weiyu, A-Yao, what do you think of the boy’s chances in this next fight?" Suddenly, a clear female voice rang behind Liu Weiyu and A-Yao.

Liu Weiyu turned, his face changing dramatically.

"Teacher... You, you’re here!"

His eyes were filled with confusion. Not only his teacher, but three other renowned instructors stood by her side. Four in total.

"Didn’t you send me a message about a peerless genius here?" the woman asked, a bit puzzled.

Liu Weiyu’s heart skipped a beat. She glanced at A-Yao and immediately understood—A-Yao must have sent the secret message.

"Uh... Yes, yes, that person is a childhood friend of mine. When I returned home recently, I discovered he had cultivated spear intent and had some knowledge of formations. After careful observation over several days, I dared inform you, Teacher..."

Now that her teacher knew, she certainly wouldn't foolishly deny the credit—it was better than gaining nothing.

"Very well. Let us observe and see if he is worthy to enter my tutelage," the woman said, and the other three nodded, all looking toward the execution platform.

...

On the platform, Lord Liang cast aside his cloak, revealing violet-blue armor. His sword shone with an intense green light.

The entire stage whipped up a fierce wind, his pressure and aura far surpassing that of any family elder.

"One sword, to defeat you."

Lord Liang raised his sword, his figure blurring as he attacked Xia Jiuxuan.

"Sword intent!"

"Lord Liang's sword intent is terrifying!"

"Indeed, worthy of the city lord; his sword intent must far exceed Xia Jiuxuan’s spear intent!"

"Good, good! After this battle, let’s see how Xia Jiuxuan dares to act so wildly!"

A barrage of sword shadows enclosed Xia Jiuxuan.

"Roar!"

Suddenly, from the storm of sword intent, came the sound of beasts roaring and dragons singing. A surge of blood-red light burst from the vortex, shooting straight into the sky.

This scene left the crowd dumbstruck.

Lord Liang’s sword intent had such effects? Terrifying, truly terrifying!

At the heart of the sword intent, Xia Jiuxuan's black hair whipped about, his blood energy surging to the limit.

"You wish to defeat me with one sword? Why can’t I kill you with a single strike?"

In this battle of life and death, Xia Jiuxuan was not careless. He unleashed the Blood Fury Nine Lives technique.

After binding the Dragon Soul days ago, this technique had been cultivated to the ninth form by the Dragon Soul, allowing a ninefold explosion of blood energy and more than nine times the fighting power.

But by his nature, Xia Jiuxuan always kept a trump card in reserve, so he only detonated two layers of demon blood energy.

His spear intent surged forth, clashing with the swirling sword intent.

With a terrifying burst, Xia Jiuxuan’s figure flashed, appearing before Lord Liang.

"You—!"

Lord Liang was shocked. His eighty percent sword intent attack had been broken so easily?

Moreover, why had the boy’s aura suddenly become so fearsome?

He felt as if he faced not a young man, but a terrifying demon king.

An unspeakable strangeness.

"Ten Directions Annihilation Sword!"

In his fright, Lord Liang unleashed his full power, layers of sword intent raining down like droplets.

"Courting death."

Xia Jiuxuan’s gaze darkened; his entire body spun with the black iron spear, directly breaking through any sword intent that blocked his path.

Thud, thud, thud...

The sheer force shook Lord Liang, forcing him to retreat, shattering the ground beneath his feet.

Clang!

In a flash, the spear tip stabbed toward Lord Liang’s chest. He was lucky his spiritual sword barely blocked the attack.

The clash of weapons sent immense force outward.

Within dozens of yards, the audience was thrown back, some killed outright by the shockwave.

"You rascal, I underestimated you. Your overall strength truly matches mine. But you will lose. How can your common iron spear compete with my spiritual sword? Hmph!"

"Is that so?"

Xia Jiuxuan’s lips curled in a cold smile. He gripped the spear and pushed forward.

Clang!

Lord Liang’s sword shattered into fragments.

"What’s happening? Impossible! How could you break my spiritual sword?"

Lord Liang staggered back, blood pouring from his mouth.

"That worthless sword of yours? How could it withstand my Dragon Scale Spear? Frog in a well."

Indeed, Xia Jiuxuan’s spear had been transformed by his unique refining techniques.

Both spear tip and shaft were coated with dragon scales.

Against a dragon scale-crafted spear, Lord Liang’s spiritual sword was nothing.

"You! So your greatest reliance is this spear!"

"Enough talk—let’s settle life and death!"

Boom!

It was as if the entire city trembled. The divine spear in Xia Jiuxuan’s hand roared with the fury of dragons.

He charged, all his explosive power concentrated at the spear tip.

His speed was too fast.

Lord Liang had no way to evade—he had to take it head-on.

Crack!

The Dragon Scale Spear pierced through the defenses, striking Lord Liang’s armored chest.

Cracks spread inch by inch; his black iron armor shattered like glass.

The spear tip drove half an inch into his chest.

The scene froze.

Lord Liang had lost.

"Bold youth, do not harm the city lord!"

The city guards surged forward, hoping to save Lord Liang.

Xia Jiuxuan ignored them, ready to finish Lord Liang.

"Stop!"

A voice like thunder echoed through Dragon Lair City.

In the next moment, four figures landed on the nearly destroyed execution platform.

"Young one, he is of imperial lineage. If you kill him, you’ll be an enemy to the entire dynasty. Consider carefully."

The speaker was a woman of stunning beauty, appearing in her early twenties.

Xia Jiuxuan’s heart tightened, his brows furrowed.

He pondered swiftly, then withdrew the Dragon Scale Spear.

"Spirit Sealing Realm."

He thought to himself, surprised that such powerful figures had appeared today.

The martial path comprised six great realms: Innate, Palace, Profound, Spirit Sealing, Transcendent, and Saint.

Now, someone of the Spirit Sealing Realm had arrived, only two realms shy of the pinnacle of the Martial Dynasty.

Xia Jiuxuan was still at the lowest: Innate. How could he resist?

His only choice was to stop and observe their intentions.

Moreover, the woman’s words were true. With his current strength, to oppose the Martial Dynasty? Impossible.

Even if he could escape and live as a fugitive, Xia Ran was still young and could not bear such hardship.

"Who are you four?"

Having just escaped death, Lord Liang felt as if reborn, hurriedly clasping hands in respect.

"Step aside," the woman rebuked him harshly.

"Young one, with such spear intent, you are qualified to enter the Grand Profound Academy. Are you willing to become my disciple?"

Grand Profound Academy!

So it was the Grand Profound Academy!

Whether nobles or Lord Liang, all were shocked.

The Grand Profound Academy was the empire’s foremost institution, coveted even by princes and royal heirs.

How could Xia Jiuxuan, of all people, attract four masters from the academy to invite him personally?

Their arrival was more astonishing than the previous battle.

"So, you are teachers from the imperial capital," Xia Jiuxuan said calmly. "I have matters to settle here. Once they’re resolved, I will consider it."

Xia Jiuxuan cared little for academies; his consideration was for Xia Ran.

If Xia Ran could be sent to the empire’s top academy, it might be a good thing.

After all, the child was still young—he couldn’t let her grow up only knowing blood and steel, never interacting with others.

"Consider it?"

The four were surprised by his response.

Did he even understand what he was saying?

Teachers from the Grand Profound Academy came personally, yet he said he would consider?

Ah, never mind. He’s inexperienced; no need to fuss.

"No one can take him without my loyal brother’s permission."

Just then, the clouds above the sky suddenly gathered and dispersed, revealing a figure radiating golden light.

Even the four teachers from the imperial capital at the Spirit Sealing Realm were secretly startled and looked up.

Xia Jiuxuan narrowed his eyes—beside that golden figure, who could it be but his mortal enemy, Xia Zhong?