“Since that is the case, we shall follow Dean Chen’s opinion…”
Fu Zhaoxing cleared his throat and was just about to announce the verdict when Ye Ling’er suddenly stood up, her eyes fixed on Chen Hai, a cold smile curling at the corner of her mouth.
“Is this the most famous White Deer Academy in Great Qi, a place of scholarly refinement that nurtures trees and cultivates the next generation?”
“Hah, truly laughable.”
“The Ye family may indeed have declined now. My ancestors have all died on the battlefield, sacrificing their lives for Great Qi’s rivers and mountains.”
“But do you really think the Ye family is like the setting sun, something anyone can bully?”
Chen Hai sneered, “Ye Ling’er, didn’t you say it yourself yesterday?”
“In this world, the strong prey on the weak, and might makes right.”
“Moreover, today, it is you who have committed a grave crime. You have no one to blame but yourself.”
“Take action! Seize Ye Ling’er!”
At Chen Hai’s command, over a dozen teachers rushed in from outside, holding Iron Chain Magical Artifacts in their hands.
These teachers were all from the White Deer Academy’s Enforcement Division, subordinates of Fu Zhaoxing, with cultivation levels at the Golden Core Realm.
However, in front of Ye Ling’er, who was at the Nascent Soul Realm, they naturally had no power to resist.
“Palm Sword!”
Ye Ling’er didn’t even need to summon her sword. She condensed Spiritual Power in her palm into sword energy, which erupted outward in all directions.
The dozen or so teachers were instantly blasted back several meters, collapsing in disarray on the ground. Their bodies were covered with gruesome bloodstains, and they let out painful groans and screams.
“Ye Ling’er, how dare you! You actually injure people in public and openly resist arrest!”
Chen Hai’s eyebrows furrowed as he said sternly, “Since you remain obstinate and show no intention of repentance, then don’t blame me, the dean, for taking action personally to cleanse the ranks of White Deer Academy!”
“Heavenly Full Army-Breaking Fist!”
Chen Hai gathered dazzling white light in both hands and leaped forward, charging toward Ye Ling’er.
Although Ye Ling’er was only sixteen years old and had already reached the Nascent Soul Realm—such monstrous talent truly shocked Chen Hai immensely.
But no matter how monstrous she was, she was still only at the Nascent Soul Realm after all.
The gap between the Nascent Soul Realm and the Spirit Transformation Realm was one of qualitative difference.
Moreover, as a grown man dealing with a mere inexperienced young girl, and with the advantage of a higher cultivation realm, there was simply no suspense.
As Chen Hai charged right in front of Ye Ling’er, confident he could cripple the girl with a single punch, Ye Ling’er remained unperturbed in the face of his fierce assault.
Calmly and unhurriedly, she retrieved a sword from her Storage Ring.
Seeing the ancient patterns on the sword’s blade and the terrifying power it contained, Chen Hai’s pupils suddenly contracted.
“This… this sword, could it be…”
He had already realized in his heart, but it was too late.
Ye Ling’er gripped the sword hilt with both hands, pouring Spiritual Power into the Xuanyuan Sword.
Although with her Nascent Soul Realm cultivation, she could only activate a sliver of the Xuanyuan Sword’s power, the icy, fierce energy radiating from the blade still terrified all the surrounding students, causing them to collapse to the ground in fear.
“Xuanyuan—”
“One Sword!”
Ye Ling’er shouted deeply, gently swinging the sword toward Chen Hai.
What seemed like a light, effortless swing gathered all the sword’s might around it into a single point, blasting toward Chen Hai before her.
Chen Hai’s body, still suspended in mid-air, was instantly enveloped by the terrifying sword might.
With his body at the center, a violent explosion erupted.
“Ah!”
Chen Hai let out a series of shrill, agonized screams that echoed through every corner of White Deer Academy.
The surging sword aura blasted outward, directly cracking the surrounding walls and shattering the windows with a violent crash.
All the students in the classroom had never witnessed such a scene before. They all huddled under their desks, trembling uncontrollably.
Including Fu Zhaoxing, who curled up beneath the lectern, hugging his knees, and stammered in a shaky voice, “Is… is this the Ye family’s ancestral treasure, one of the two Supreme Imperial Artifacts of Great Qi—the Xuanyuan Sword?”
“This power… it’s even more terrifying than the legends…”
After a long while, the violent explosion finally subsided.
Chen Hai knelt on one knee on the ground, covered in wounds from head to toe, looking like a bloody mess.
His left arm had been completely torn apart by the sword aura, and several of his Meridian Channels had been severed.
Now, slumped on the ground, he remained under the oppressive might of the Xuanyuan Sword, struggling even to breathe.
“The Ye family’s Xuanyuan Sword… is actually in your hands…”
“A Supreme Imperial Artifact of such stature… that Prince Xiaoyao actually entrusted it to you for safekeeping…”
Only then did Fu Zhaoxing and the other students cautiously crawl out from under their desks.
Gazing at the Xuanyuan Sword held with overwhelming authority in Ye Ling’er’s hand, everyone felt both awe and burning envy.
This was the legendary Supreme Imperial Artifact.
In the entire Great Qi Dynasty, only two such artifacts existed.
The Xuanyuan Sword, which held the fate of Great Qi, was actually being kept by a mere child like Ye Ling’er.
Had that Prince Xiaoyao drunk himself into madness?
Seeing the murderous intent still blazing in Ye Ling’er’s eyes, the half-crippled Chen Hai couldn’t help but shudder violently.
“Ye Ling’er, you… what do you intend to do?”
“I am the Vice Dean of White Deer Academy! Do you truly intend to kill me?!”
Ye Ling’er said coldly, “Though you are a teacher, you cannot distinguish loyalty from treachery or truth from falsehood. You condemned me without just cause and sought to throw me into the Heavenly Prison.”
“You are unworthy of being a teacher.”
“Today, I must kill you.”
As she spoke, Ye Ling’er walked up to Chen Hai and raised the Xuanyuan Sword expressionlessly.
Chen Hai was so terrified his face turned pale and then flushed, nearly wetting himself in fear. His words became incoherent.
“Ye Ling’er, y-you… calm down!”
“I am not only the Vice Dean of the Academy but also a fourth-rank imperial censor and a direct disciple of Prime Minister Qin!”
“The Ye family today is no longer the Ye family of old.”
“If you dare kill me, from this day forward, there will be no place for your Ye family anywhere in the Great Qi Dynasty!”
“Think of your father—he’s nothing but a hopeless drunkard, clinging to the glory of his ancestors to hold the title of Prince Xiaoyao and live off the court’s stipend.”
“If you kill me, Her Majesty the Empress will surely strip him of his title and banish him from the imperial city!”
“Without his princely status, in a Great Qi Dynasty where the Demon Tribe appears frequently, how will a useless man like him survive?”
Hearing this, Ye Ling’er couldn’t help but sneer in disdain.
Her father was an Ascension Realm Great Power.
No matter which dynasty he went to, its ruler would personally receive him and treat him as the most honored guest.
Only the current Great Qi Empress was not only ungrateful but also short-sighted.
To treat their loyal and righteous Ye family with such contempt and humiliation…
What difference did it make whether they stayed in such a wretched place or not?
“There are plenty of Demon Tribes who want to exterminate the Ye family. You needn’t worry about that.”
Ye Ling’er smiled, stepping on Chen Hai’s hand to prevent him from using his skills to resist.
At that moment,
a deep and powerful shout suddenly came from behind.
“Stop!”