Elen's voice was not loud, but its weight was so immense that it silenced the entire room in an instant.
Rakar immediately fell silent, his mouth still slightly open as if he wanted to continue speaking, but no words came out. He sat back down stiffly, then attempted to glance at Master Garron, wanting to whisper something.
But something strange happened.
He couldn't move his neck.
His eyes widened, his body tensed. An invisible force pressed against the back of his neck, as if an unseen power was restricting his every movement. His heart pounded wildly. He tried to move his hands, but only his fingers trembled weakly.
Rakar began to sweat.
Elen continued to stare at him, expressionless.
And on the other side, Nita merely smiled faintly, her eyes shining softly—yet there was something intimidating in her gaze.
Elen then shifted her attention to Master Garron and the members of the Iron Fist Sect standing behind him. Her eyes were sharp, full of authority. When she spoke, her voice was firm, carrying a subtle hint of intimidation.
"You. Who gave you permission to enter my academy?" she asked, her expression cold and unyielding.
Master Garron, who had remained silent all this time, finally lifted his head slightly. His gaze remained as calm as deep waters, even as he looked at Nita standing behind Elen. His face betrayed no emotion, as if this entire situation was nothing more than an ordinary conversation to him.
"Greetings to the Headmaster. Greetings to the Queen," he said first with a polite tone, then continued without haste.
"We are from the Iron Fist Sect. We came to seek justice for one of our sect members who faced an issue within Celestial Academy," Garron explained. His voice remained relaxed, but every word he spoke was carefully structured, as if he had prepared this narrative long before arriving.
"As for the matter of teaching methods, Instructor Rakar's techniques have been tested and recognized within our sect. There should be no dispute regarding this." He then glanced at Lei Yuan with a look of disdain. "That man is merely a rogue cultivator with no sect. What could he possibly know?"
Lei Yuan clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. His eyes, already burning with anger, blazed even brighter upon hearing Master Garron's words.
"A duel has indeed taken place," Garron continued in a neutral tone, "and our sect member, Rakar, lost. However, that was merely due to insufficient preparation. Therefore, we request a rematch, with the Headmaster and even the Queen as witnesses, to ensure the outcome is truly fair."
As he said this, Garron's eyes flickered briefly toward Nita. For a split second, there was a glimmer of surprise in them, as if he had just realized something unexpected—something almost too unbelievable to comprehend.
"Iron Fist Sect, is it?" Elen suddenly spoke, her voice carrying a sharp edge.
She stared directly at Garron, her eyes gleaming with pressure. "Did you forget my question? Did you obtain permission to enter the academy?" she repeated, her tone heavier this time, clearly indicating her impatience.
These people… they didn't come to resolve the issue. They only wanted to create chaos.
"And also, why bring so many people?" Elen continued, her voice now laced with suspicion. "Are you planning to attack my academy?"
Her gaze swept over the ranks behind Garron—several elders of the sect with Master-level strength, standing in a formation that appeared highly organized. Their presence was no mere coincidence.
Hearing that question, Master Garron's shoulders tensed slightly, a sign that he hadn't expected Elen to strike directly at the heart of the matter.
"Well, Headmaster Elen..." His voice wavered slightly before he quickly steadied it again. "We came here without causing any destruction or trouble. We only seek justi—"
"Stop with the excuses."
Elen raised a hand, cutting off his words with a firm gesture. A thin smile formed on her lips, but it was not one of friendliness.
"So, you truly did come without permission and brought your sect's forces? And now you expect me to believe that you have no intention of attacking my academy?" she said, her smile morphing into a sharp smirk.
The room suddenly felt colder. Some members of the sect behind Garron exchanged glances, as if they had just realized they might have made a grave mistake.
"Where did you get the audacity to come here? Is it because your realm is older than the Divine Sky? Is that why you seek war?" Elen spoke without hesitation, her tone deliberately provocative.
At the corner of the room, Nita simply observed in silence. Earlier, she had warned Elen not to be too soft when dealing with opponents. Now, Elen realized one thing—kindness would only make people like Garron feel that they could take advantage of her as they pleased.
Master Garron was stunned. His gaze sharpened, but only for a brief moment before his lips curled into a cold smile. "Hahaha... Headmaster Elen, you are far from what I expected. It turns out, you are bolder than I thought." His laughter was wild, full of arrogance.
He flicked his robe with a firm motion. "It is not I who seeks war, but if that is what you desire, then let it happen." His face no longer carried any pretense of peace. It was as if he had just made a major decision in his heart.
Garron turned around, signaling to his followers. "Everyone, let's go. The Iron Fist Sect will have no further dealings with Celestial Academy."
The members of the sect immediately moved to follow their leader. Even Rakar, though reluctant, turned his body around. But before they could take another step—
The air around them suddenly grew heavy, as if swallowed by an invisible force. Their muscles tensed, unable to move no matter how much strength they exerted.
A soft yet authoritative voice echoed through the room. "The Iron Fist Sect from the realm of Titanus Terra, is it?"