Chapter 83: Mu Feng of the Hidden Dragon Ranking

Xia Jiuxuan rose at once and strode toward the estate gate.

“Who are you, and what do you want here?” he asked coolly.

“Where is your master? Tell him to come out and speak!”

The middle-aged man at the head of the group did not even spare Xia Jiuxuan a proper glance, instantly taking him for a servant.

“I am asking you a question. What are you doing here?” Xia Jiuxuan said, his tone turning sharper.

“Hm? You little servant—how dare you speak to my lord like that? Hurry up and call out that so-called Headmaster Xia to greet us. If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll flay you alive!”

Though the middle-aged man remained expressionless, the guard beside him was arrogance itself, even pointing a horsewhip at Xia Jiuxuan.

Xia Jiuxuan frowned faintly. “I am the Headmaster Xia. Speak, if you have business.”

“You?”

All eyes turned to Xia Jiuxuan.

This youth looked no more than sixteen or seventeen. He dared claim to be the head of the Taixuan Academy?

“Hmph. So this is the arrogance of your Taixuan Academy? A mere dog-servant dares impersonate the headmaster and humiliate us? You truly do not place our Longwu Academy in your eyes. You’re asking for a beating!”

The guard drew his long whip and lashed it fiercely at Xia Jiuxuan.

Xia Jiuxuan slid sideways and avoided the blow, his voice cold as ice. “If you dare act so brazenly again, I will cut you down without mercy!”

“Brat, you’ve got a little skill. You can even dodge my whip.”

The guard was mildly surprised, but he took Xia Jiuxuan’s warning to heart not at all. Instead, he drew the saber at his waist and leaped down from the beastblood warhorse.

“You servant, so arrogant and overbearing. Today I’ll teach you a lesson on behalf of your academy head, and while I’m at it, I’ll give your Taixuan Academy a warning!”

Without another word, he raised his blade and slashed toward Xia Jiuxuan’s shoulder.

“Seeking death!”

This time, Xia Jiuxuan had already shown enough restraint!

The other party had come to find someone, yet hadn’t even bothered to determine whom they were looking for before acting with such insolence. That had crossed Xia Jiuxuan’s bottom line!

The Dragon Scale Spear burst forth with a thunderous crack.

“Watch out!”

Sensing the terrifying aura of spear intent, one of the youths cried out in alarm.

But the guard gave it no thought at all. His saber collided with the Dragon Scale Spear.

A sharp clang rang out.

The saber shattered, and the Dragon Scale Spear drove straight through, piercing his head without pause.

The first-rank transcendent guard died instantly.

Everyone was dumbstruck.

This unremarkable youth actually possessed such terrifying power!

At sixteen or seventeen years of age, to kill a transcendent realm cultivator—that was the bearing of a top-tier genius even among the ten mortal martial nations!

“And you?” Xia Jiuxuan said, spear in hand, pointing at the middle-aged man at the front.

The meaning was plain enough: I have killed your man. Will you make a move or not?

The middle-aged man’s face darkened, but he did not dare erupt in anger. After all, it was his guard who had been rude first.

Besides, a youth with such strength must surely stand behind a power not lightly provoked.

“It was a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. This Lu was too lax in disciplining his subordinates, and for him to strike this young master without permission was unforgivable.” The middle-aged man dismounted from the beastblood warhorse and clasped his hands. “Little brother, please inform your academy head that Lu Sen of Longwu Academy has come to pay a visit and wishes to discuss some matters.”

Xia Jiuxuan put away the Dragon Scale Spear and said indifferently, “How many times must I say it? I am the one you seek, the Headmaster Xia.”

“...”

The crowd stared at him in bewilderment.

He was the head of the first hall of Taixuan Academy? Impossible.

That Jiang Qingyang had claimed to be bedridden and sent word that all affairs of Taixuan Academy were being handled by Master Xia. Only after inquiring around did they find this residence.

And now the other side had sent out only a youth to dismiss them?

“Friend, your Taixuan Academy goes too far! I, Mu Feng of Longwu Academy, challenge you!”

Behind Lu Sen, the youth named Mu Feng flew out in a fit of anger, also raising his spear to point at Xia Jiuxuan.

“Young Master Mu, calm yourself!” Seeing Mu Feng rush forward, Lu Sen hurriedly signaled him to stop.

“Mr. Lu, step aside.”

Mu Feng’s tone was that of an order.

“Young master...”

“Step aside!”

Lu Sen still tried to stop him, but Mu Feng swept him away with a single spear stroke.

Lu Sen could only sigh inwardly and no longer dare say more.

“Are you sure you want to challenge me?” Xia Jiuxuan’s eyes turned cold as he asked.

“Enough nonsense. Since you’re so arrogant, why should I not challenge you?”

Mu Feng was completely unfazed.

Xia Jiuxuan curled the corner of his mouth in a cold smile. “Not bad cultivation, just entered the transcendent realm. Dragon Vein Battle-Intent Physique, too—your constitution is passable. Very well, I’ll grant you your wish and give you a chance to challenge me.”

He saw through the young man before him in an instant.

Though both were only in their teens, reaching the transcendent realm at such an age made one a peerless prodigy in the mortal martial regions.

Moreover, his constitution belonged to an unusual battle body. In the same realm, the combat power it could unleash far surpassed that of ordinary physiques.

It was no wonder Mu Feng dared step forward after witnessing Xia Jiuxuan kill a transcendent cultivator with his own eyes.

He was confident, and he had the capital for it.

“You! You can even see through my constitution?” Mu Feng was profoundly shocked.

“Young master, you are already ranked in the top twenty of the Rising Dragon List. Your name has long spread across the ten nations. It is only natural that this brat knows a few basic things about you,” said one of the guards beside him.

Only then did Mu Feng’s heart settle.

He had been challenging people everywhere lately, cutting his way up the Rising Dragon List. It was no strange thing for his reputation to have spread.

Mu Feng fixed his gaze on Xia Jiuxuan. “Speak. What kind of challenge do you accept? Life and death, or a point-for-point spar?”

Xia Jiuxuan answered without hesitation. “Then let us decide life and death.”

Mu Feng frowned. “Knowing my background and still daring a fight to the death? Have you no fear of dying?”

Xia Jiuxuan gave a contemptuous smile. “Try it, and you’ll know.”

Mu Feng fell silent.

Over the past half-year, there had been no fewer than a hundred geniuses who had fallen before him.

Yet he had never encountered an opponent so composed, so brazen.

“Young master, no!” Hearing that the two sides were to contest in a life-and-death match, Lu Sen immediately stepped forward to stop them. “Young master, do not forget why we came here!”

Mu Feng frowned at the reminder, pondered for a moment, then said, “A fight to the death is indeed somewhat inappropriate. One move to decide the victor, with all else stopped at the edge. What do you say? Once I finish my business, I’ll accompany you in battle however you wish!”

Xia Jiuxuan said lazily, “Are you here to make a joke of yourself? You were the one who issued the challenge. I accepted, and now you lack the courage?”

Mu Feng remained unconcerned. “Believe what you will. One move to decide the winner. Do you dare?”

“Very well. I’ll grant you one chance to keep your life. Make your move.”

Xia Jiuxuan no longer bothered with nonsense and summoned his spirit sword.

“Hm?” Seeing the sword in Xia Jiuxuan’s hand, Mu Feng’s brows knitted, and he blurted out, “Aren’t you a spear cultivator? Why have you drawn a sword? Do you look down on me?”

“My apologies. I cannot answer that,” Xia Jiuxuan said faintly.

“What do you mean by that?” Mu Feng’s expression darkened.

“You should ask my sword.”

Boom!

The ground trembled. Layer upon layer of wild sword intent burst forth from his body, covering the entire area in an instant.