Chapter 84: The New Leader Arrives

A swordsman? Mu Feng was thunderstruck.

No wonder this youth was so composed; he truly was no ordinary man, cultivating both spear and sword at once.

From that savage aura of sword intent, it was plain that his sword path was even stronger than his spear path.

Mu Feng no longer dared the slightest contempt.

One strike would decide victory or defeat.

So he had to give it everything he had.

Mu Feng raised his spear and unleashed the inherited ultimate technique, the Dragon-Piercing Tyrant Spear, in a direct assault.

It was said that Mu Feng’s ancestor had once slain a true dragon with this very spear art and taken its blood.

After bathing in dragon blood, that ancestor had transformed his meridians, and from then on the Mu clan became cultivators of dragon blood, possessing a dragon-blood battle body.

Merely using the ancestral spear art was not enough, Mu Feng felt; the hot blood within him had begun to boil as well.

Battle intent erupted wildly from within him, and within a radius of three hundred feet, all was shrouded beneath its oppressive force.

A sharp cry rang out.

Mu Feng thrust with all his strength, stirring a roaring dragon’s howl.

Forward, forward, forward!

He became a streak of afterimage, killing toward Xia Jiu Xuan.

With a metallic ring, Xia Jiu Xuan’s robe billowed, and eight spirit swords circled around his body.

“Blazing Fire Wildfire Sword.”

With a soft murmur, Xia Jiu Xuan fused the eight illusory spirit swords into one, then merged them into the blade in his hand.

Bang...

Sword tip met spear tip. The stone slabs beneath their feet shattered open, then were lifted and hurled away by overwhelming force like a tidal wave.

Within three hundred feet, the guards of the Mortal-Transcending realm were directly blasted backward.

Even Lu Sen, who was at the sixth level of the Mortal-Transcending realm, had no choice but to avoid the edge of sword intent and spear intent, flying back in retreat.

Crackle, crackle, crackle!

Countless streaks of lightning flashed between the two men.

Bang!

Another explosive crash sounded, and Xia Jiu Xuan’s figure was forced back several feet.

On the opposite side, Mu Feng was sent flying, slamming heavily into a stone stele a hundred feet away.

“Young Master Mu!”

Seeing this, Lu Sen hurried over and helped Mu Feng to his feet.

By then, blood had seeped through both his chest and back, and a red line of blood remained on the left side of his neck.

“The young master... lost...”

The guards stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what they were seeing.

Over the past half year, Young Master Mu had traveled everywhere challenging others, contending with over a hundred geniuses, and had never once tasted defeat.

Even those few ranked within the top hundred of the Hidden Dragon List had only managed to drag out the fight with him for a while; in the end, they all fell to the young master’s hands.

And now, the young master had actually been defeated in a single move. Just how terrifying was this youth’s strength?

Mu Feng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and, enduring the searing pain in his organs, walked back.

He too stared in astonishment at the composed Xia Jiu Xuan, the storm in his heart impossible to calm.

“I lost.”

With that admission, Mu Feng accepted his defeat wholeheartedly.

Only he knew how terrifying that sword intent truly was.

If the other party had struck a little more ruthlessly, he might have been killed outright within three moves.

Mu Feng understood clearly that the gap between himself and this youth was not merely a hair’s breadth, but at least thirty percent.

“Brother, may I ask what sword art you use, and from whom it was passed down?”

Though defeated, Mu Feng did not become resentful or ashamed; instead, he genuinely grew respectful of Xia Jiu Xuan.

“Trash sword art, not worth mentioning,” Xia Jiu Xuan replied indifferently.

The crowd fell silent.

This youth was far too arrogant. Such a powerful sword art, and he called it trash?

He was plainly mocking Young Master Mu.

Hearing this, Mu Feng also looked somewhat embarrassed.

“Do you have anything else?”

Seeing the dazed crowd, Xia Jiu Xuan prepared to show them the door.

“Yes, there is!”

Mu Feng hastened forward a few steps and cupped his hands. “Brother, the reason we came to the Supreme Profound Academy this time is that we truly have extremely important business. Yet the dean, Lord Jiang, says he is ill in bed and refuses to see us, telling us only to come find the academy head, Lord Xia. I beg you, brother, please do us this favor and pass on the message. Please accept this small token with our thanks.”

As he spoke, Mu Feng produced ten high-grade spirit crystals and offered them before Xia Jiu Xuan.

Seeing this, the people behind him were utterly dumbfounded.

When had Young Master Mu ever bowed his head to anyone? Yet today he had actually taken the initiative to offer spirit crystals in exchange for a message. It seemed the young master had truly been won over by this man.

Ten spirit crystals was not much, but at least this youth knew how to conduct himself.

Xia Jiu Xuan took them without hesitation and said coolly, “What exactly do you want with me? Speak.”

Mu Feng rolled his eyes. He still refused to pass along the message?

Very well, then he would just tell him. Once he understood the importance of the matter, he would certainly go report it.

“Eh, it’s like this, brother.” Mu Feng organized his thoughts and spoke as briefly as possible. “Recently, the Ten Kingdoms Grand Conclave of Heaven’s Chosen is about to begin. Our Dragon Martial Academy wishes to join forces with the Supreme Profound Academy and participate in the competition. I wonder whether your academy has any prodigies with special physiques who would be willing to go along with us?”

“Not interested.”

Xia Jiu Xuan did not even need to hear the rest before refusing outright.

“Brother, please hear me out—” Mu Feng tried to say a few more words.

“No need.”

Xia Jiu Xuan waved his hand and cut him off.

“Young Master Mu, let it go.” Lu Sen stepped forward and shook his head with a sigh. “Can’t you see it? The Supreme Profound Academy simply doesn’t take us seriously. Rather than standing here and swallowing this insult, why not seek another place and team up with other prodigies instead?”

“That’s right, Young Master. You’re now ranked twentieth on the Hidden Dragon List. Those geniuses from the secluded sects will surely be eager to befriend you. Why care about a mere Supreme Profound Academy?”

“Indeed, Young Master. In the past ten years, the Supreme Profound Academy hasn’t produced a single person who made it onto the Hidden Dragon List. In my view, it has long since declined beyond repair. Let’s go.”

The people behind Mu Feng all stepped forward to persuade him.

“Go slowly, I won’t see you off.”

Xia Jiu Xuan immediately made an inviting gesture.

“Sigh.”

Mu Feng shook his head with a sigh, then said, “If others look down on you, you can’t blame them. You can only blame yourself for not being strong enough, for not having a louder reputation.”

“Young Master, that’s not quite fair. Some people are simply ignorant of what is good for them.” One guard said in a strange, mocking tone.

“I’m speaking the truth. If the one who came to the Supreme Profound Academy today were the number one on the Hidden Dragon List, I’m afraid he wouldn’t have been treated this way. I accept my loss. Let’s go.”

At last, a sense of disappointment rose in Mu Feng’s heart.

But there was nothing he could do. Since his skill was inferior to another’s, how could he still have the face to linger?

Mu Feng leaped onto his beast-blooded steed, and the others followed behind him, ready to depart.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Suddenly, several figures swept through the air and landed directly before Xia Jiu Xuan’s residence.

Seeing who had come, Xia Jiu Xuan frowned.

“It’s you?”

The one standing before him was a stunningly beautiful young woman, dressed in a long scarlet gown that shone like a celestial spirit.

“At last I found you.”

The woman in red gazed at Xia Jiu Xuan.

Xia Jiu Xuan was speechless.

Over there, Mu Feng and the others halted their steps as well when they saw newcomers arrive.

“What a strong aura of sword intent. Another swordsman!”

Sensing the aura emanating from the woman, Mu Feng was secretly astonished.

“Young Master, look. That girl seems very familiar...” Lu Sen said, looking at the young woman in red.

Mu Feng had the same feeling, so he began searching his memory.

Suddenly, his face changed drastically as he recalled that fleeting glimpse from seven days earlier!

“It’s her! The newly crowned first place on the Hidden Dragon List, Duanmu Wan!”

Mu Feng’s entire body stiffened. He had never imagined that this peerless young woman would also come here.

Xia Jiu Xuan pondered for a moment, recalling the scene from before. This woman was probably here for revenge.

That day, he had snatched Duanmu Wan’s spirit crystals and left her behind in the ancient forest as he ran off.

Women were all petty by nature; she certainly would not let him off.

“You’re here to make trouble for me?”

Come if you like. If it came to a fight, he’d just rob her again. What was there to fear?

“Senior is joking. How could Wan’er dare show disrespect to Senior Xia?”

Duanmu Wan bent low and gave Xia Jiu Xuan a respectful bow.

Not far away, Mu Feng and the others all shook with shock, utterly dumbfounded.