The farce quickly subsided after Mo Wufeng stormed off in disgrace.
In one fell swoop, Mo Wufeng had plummeted from his pedestal, exposed as a scheming, shameless villain. But the man's skin was thick enough to brazen it out, muttering something about "all being fair in war" before leading his team away.
On the judges' podium, the directors of the four major academies wore varied expressions. Mu Yunsang and Shen Botong seemed amused, while Feng Yuanzhan of Hailan Academy felt a surge of vindication. Even if Zhenlong Academy had won, they'd lost all dignity in the process.
Di Jinglong snorted coldly, suppressing his fury. As a director, he couldn't openly retaliate against a junior. With a flick of his sleeve, he bowed to Minister Wen Ce and strode off.
Wen Ce stroked his beard, eyeing Ling Feng with interest. "That young man is rather intriguing."
"Lord Wen may not know, but this is no ordinary youth," Tong Chengtai explained with a smile. "He is General Weiyuan, personally ennobled by His Majesty. During his celebratory banquet, even Grand Commandant Li and General Deng attended."
"So this is the famed General Weiyuan." Wen Ce nodded. "Truly, heroes emerge from among the young."
As the crowd thinned, the East Court's Sword Team was about to depart when Cai Yan and her Hailan Academy teammates approached.
"Mr. Ling, I must thank you on Jianyi's behalf for what you did earlier," she said gracefully, her voice soft.
Wan Jianyi stepped forward and clasped his fists. "Brother Ling, my sincere gratitude."
Ling Feng smiled faintly. Wan Jianyi was clearly a man of few words, but his sincerity was evident.
"No need. Mo Wufeng and I had our own grievances—this wasn't solely for your sake."
Cai Yan glanced at Wan Jianyi. "Even so, you've done us a great service. At the very least, Jianyi can regain his footing now."
Wan Jianyi gritted his teeth. "Brother Ling, as a personal debt, I'd die for you if needed. But in battle, I won't hold back."
"Good. What's the point if opponents don't give their all?"
Ling Feng laughed, finding Wan Jianyi all the more likable.
After exchanging pleasantries, the teams parted ways. Tomorrow would mark the second match of the tournament.
Tianwei Academy versus Wenyuan Academy!
Ling Feng held the Blood Soul, absorbing the evil emperor's martial prowess essence once more. Using the Sacred Mystical-Heaven Art's purifying energy, he refined its malevolence before channeling it to break through his realm barrier.
After unlocking ninety-eight meridian gates, he'd hit another wall.
The hundred-meridian limit was an unprecedented challenge—especially the final few gates, where each step forward felt as difficult as reaching the heavens. Even with the combined power of the Blood Soul and the Tiance Spirit Spring, progress remained painstakingly slow.
Still, the faint cracks forming in the barrier each day reassured him—the ninety-ninth gate was only a matter of time.
Finally, Ling Feng exhaled, storing the Blood Soul away. This evil dao treasure was indeed formidable—without the Sacred Mystical-Heaven Art, its corruption would've been irresistible.
A black shadow flickered as the despicable donkey rolled off the bed, grinning. "Kid, your Sacred Mystical-Heaven Art really can suppress the Blood Soul's evil. Starting tomorrow, this divine beast won't babysit you anymore. With your willpower, there's no risk of demonic possession."
"Better safe than sorry." Ling Feng smiled wryly. "The Essence-Stealing Blood Pearl in my body radiates intense malevolence qi. I'll still need you as my enforcer."
The donkey immediately demanded compensation—this greedy, shameless creature never missed a chance to profit!
The four academies' sword teams reconvened at the imperial city's central arena. The stands were packed, especially for the "dark horse" East Court's Sword Team.
After Ling Feng's exposure of Mo Wufeng yesterday, his fame in the imperial capital had skyrocketed.
General Weiyuan. Divine Imperial Physician.
Titles most could only dream of.
"The second match of the Four Major Academies' Sword Team Grand Tournament begins now!" the announcer declared. "Tianwei Academy and Wenyuan Academy, finalize your lineups! Once set, substitutions within a round are forbidden."
As the announcement concluded, both captains rallied their teams.
"Ling Feng, Xiaofan, Gong Cheng, and Xiaolin."
Following their strategy, Gu Tengfeng kept Li Bufan benched—against Wenyuan Academy, they could afford to hide their ace. As for Mu Qianxue, her role was to remain their "surprise" for the Royal Sword Team.
Soon, both teams took the stage. After formal greetings, they assumed their positions. At the referee's signal, the battle commenced.
Facing the relatively weaker Wenyuan Academy, Gu Tengfeng adopted an aggressive approach. After instructing Jiang Xiaofan to guard Xue Xiaolin, he led Ling Feng and Gong Cheng in a full-frontal assault, instantly dominating the free-for-all zone with overwhelming pressure.
Wenyuan Academy knew their chances were slim, but even in defeat, they refused to go down without a fight.
Yun Qianfan unleashed his Taotie soul manifestation, aiming to single-handedly stall Ling Feng. Without Li Bufan's speed, Gong Cheng and Gu Tengfeng were easier to contain—or so they thought.
Their calculations were off.
Though Yun Qianfan rivaled Li Yunting in strength, the current Ling Feng was no longer the same as before.
With two Primordial Locks released, Ling Feng's ninety-eight meridian gates erupted with a shockwave, blasting Yun Qianfan backward. Even the Taotie's devouring power failed to restrain him.
Now unbound, Ling Feng was like a tiger let loose. He tore through Wenyuan Academy's flag-guarding zone, effortlessly toppling their White Tiger battle flag.
Their flag keeper, a pure support specialist, stood no chance.
The match ended so suddenly that the referee barely registered the sound of the flag cracking before it was over.