The entrance to the Tianqi Martial Arts Academy.
Yet, here it was crowded with people, strong warriors from all over had gathered, each wearing a look of schadenfreude as they gazed upon the gates of the Tianqi Martial Arts Academy.
At the very front of the crowd…
A pitch-black stele stood there, with four bright red characters inscribed on it——Disgrace of Tianqing!
As the name suggests.
These four characters were a clear indication that the Tianqi Martial Arts Academy was considered a disgrace to the Tianqing Kingdom!
Around the stele sat a group of strong men, each with a longsword on their back, dressed in garments whiter than snow, and possessing an extraordinary handsome appearance.
Each one of them radiated a sharp Sword Qi that pierced the heavens.
All of them were strong warriors above the Shentong Realm.
In the forefront of these warriors in white, a young man held in his hand a three-foot green peak, his face cold as frost, his eyebrows covered in a layer of white chill, standing tall like an ancient pine, exuding an icy Sword Intent aura.
However, this aura of Sword Intent wasn't particularly strong, it was intermittent, merely the condensation of a Sword Intent seed.
Fang Qingzhu's complexion was pale, with a thread of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, her right sleeve soaked with blood dripped onto her Purple Dragon Whip, sliding down along the patterns of the whip onto the ground.
Niu Dali and the four brothers from the Shi Family were all ashen-faced, suffering heavy injuries.
"Hmph, is this all the Tianqi Martial Arts Academy can muster? Truly the disgrace of the Tianqing Kingdom, in my opinion you should take down the signboard of the Tianqi Martial Arts Academy!" The cold voice came from the young man.
He was Huang Zijian of Mingjian Manor's four great swordsmen, with Tenth Level of Shentong Realm Cultivation, having grasped the seed of Sword Intent, and ranking twenty-second on the Heavenly Qing Dragon and Tiger List.
Fang Qingzhu's face was frosty, and she coldly said, "I have not lost yet!"
"Not lost? Hmph, had it not been for the fact that you are a woman, that sword just now would have taken your life!"
Huang Zijian sneered, his gaze turning to look at Niu Dali and the others, "I advise you to hand over that Xiao Yi to my Mingjian Manor quickly! That thief dared to steal the famous swords from the sword tomb of my Mingjian Manor, if he doesn't die, my Mingjian Manor and your Tianqi Martial Arts Academy will never rest!"
Shi Yaoqian spurted blood out of his mouth, his face weak, "I've said Xiao Yi is not in the academy..."
Niu Dali said in a muffled voice like thunder, "If our boss were here, you dogs of Sword Mountain Manor would have been slashed by him long ago..."
"Hahaha, slashed by him? That's just a fool's dream. My Mingjian Manor is proficient in swordsmithing and even more skilled in swordsmanship. If that Xiao Yi you speak of were to compete in swords with me, I would take his life within three moves!" Huang Zijian declared arrogantly.
Fang Qingzhu said, "Your strength is not far from that of Zhuge Shuangdao. Even he became a ghost under brother Xiao Yi's sword. If you were to face brother Xiao Yi, it would be you who falls within three moves!"
Huang Zijian's pupils slightly contracted, and he snorted coldly, "My Sword Mountain Manor blocks the front door of your Tianqi Martial Arts Academy, yet that Xiao Yi is hiding like a turtle with its head withdrawn, not even daring to show his face. And you say I am not his match?"
Fang Qingzhu said proudly, "You are not even qualified to carry Xiao Yi's shoes!"
"You're courting death!"
With a cold huff, Huang Zijian raised his hand and swung out a sword.
The silver sword wind cut through the ground, slashing straight at Fang Qingzhu.
The Purple Dragon Whip in Fang Qingzhu's hand seemed to come alive, snapping out with a crack, but it was repelled by the sharp edge of the sword, forcing Fang Qingzhu to stagger a few steps backwards.
Huang Zijian stepped forward, reaching Fang Qingzhu in an instant, with the edge of his sword thrusting straight at her heart.
If this sword struck, Fang Qingzhu was bound to die without a doubt!
It was at this critical moment.
A figure stepped through the void and appeared above Huang Zijian in an instant, only to stomp down with one foot. With a loud thud, Huang Zijian's head was brutally slammed onto the ground.
Huang Zijian's head heavily hit the ground.
The comer wrapped an arm around Fang Qingzhu's waist and, with a few leaps, landed steadily in front of the main gate of the Tianqi Martial Arts Academy.
Fang Qingzhu recognized the person and her face lit up with joy, "Brother Xiao Yi?"
Xiao Yi glanced at Fang Qingzhu's bleeding hand, and said with a deep voice, "Sorry, I'm late!"
Fang Qingzhu pursed her lips and shook her head.
Xiao Yi's gaze swept over Niu Dali, the four brothers of the Shi Family, each one of them severely injured, he frowned and said, "Where are Jiang Tai and Gu Junhe?"
His voice already carried a hint of ice-cold fury.
People from Sword Mountain Manor had fought right up to our doorstep, yet these two hadn't shown themselves at all?
If either of them had appeared, Sword Mountain Manor would never have dared to be so arrogant.
Niu Dali gave a bitter smile. "The head left two months ago, and Brother Jiang went to the northern borders half a month ago, it will still be several days before he returns..."
Xiao Yi's eyebrows were tightly knitted.
Only then did he recall the opening of the secret realm for those in the Tao Tribulation Realm, which Gu Junhe had entered.
Since he had gone to the northern borders, naturally, he couldn't be blamed either.
Xiao Yi took a deep breath and looked at Fang Qingzhu and Niu Dali and the others. "How are the injuries?"
Fang Qingzhu shook his head. "They're just superficial!"
Niu Dali: "A few broken bones."
The four brothers of the Shi Family also spoke up, each one of them seriously injured.
Xiao Yi nodded, and as he turned around, Huang Zijian was already getting up again, his face swollen and bruised, with two lines of blood flowing from his nostrils down to his upper lip, glaring at Xiao Yi with a face full of resentment: "You bastard, you..."
Xiao Yi turned a deaf ear and looked at Fang Qingzhu. "Did he cause your injuries?"
Fang Qingzhu subconsciously nodded.
"Wait for me a moment!"
Xiao Yi leaped into action.
Without the crowd hearing any noise, they saw Huang Zijian suddenly flying backward, landing on the ground with a bang, a footprint-shaped crater deeply indented in his chest.
Almost his entire chest was crushed.
One kick, instant kill!
The strong onlookers were all dumbfounded with disbelief, "How is this possible?"
"Huang Zijian of the Divine Power Realm Tenth Layer, who had grasped the seed of Sword Intent, was instantly killed by a single move?"
The most shocked were the strong from Sword Mountain Manor.
The young man seated before the black stele, who had kept his eyes closed the whole time, opened them, his eyes bright like stars and radiating cold light, he stared fixedly at Xiao Yi and articulated with a pause between each word, "You, shouldn't have killed him!"
"So what if I did?" Xiao Yi replied casually.
The young man said, "Send him to his grave!"
Xiao Yi asked, "By yourself?"
"Yes, just by myself!"
The young man paused then slowly raised his finger, pointing one by one at Fang Qingzhu, Niu Dali, and the four brothers of the Shi Family, and slowly said, "Not just you, them as well, and the families behind you all, must accompany Huang Zijian in burial!"
Xiao Yi touched his nose and said, "Exterminate my family? The Xiao Family of the Great Qian Dynasty, please feel free!"
Xiao Yi urged, "Don't be polite, really, I wish you would immediately exterminate the Xiao Family!"
The young man's face turned green.
The Xiao Family of the Great Qian Dynasty, they were a much more powerful presence than the entire Tianqing Kingdom, asking him to exterminate the Xiao Family?
Wasn't that a death wish?
"Why so silent? Can't do it? Or don't dare?" Xiao Yi's face was full of mockery.
The young man's face was as black as charcoal.
Xiao Yi sighed, "If you can't handle it, why put on an act?"