Chapter 117: Just Wait

“How did you get in here?”

Yun Qingni and Yun Ting stood at the forefront of the group, their gazes fixed on Shen Qingyun and Feng Chuxun, eyes brimming with hostility.

“We just walked right through the main gate,” Shen Qingyun shrugged and replied casually.

“It seems you’re not willing to say anything more,” Yun Ting said to Shen Qingyun. “Trespassing in Zixiao Academy—let us arrest you first. Then we’ll let the instructors decide your fate!”

Shen Qingyun had no intention of saying much more. Calmly, he uttered, “Chuxun, begin.” Then he stepped aside, intending to watch with detached interest.

Feng Chuxun was already prepared. The moment Shen Qingyun’s words fell, he drew his sword and took a step forward.

“Arrogant!” Yun Ting snorted coldly. Seeing only one of the two step forward to fight, he thought it was suicide.

“You all step back. Let me handle this!”

Yun Ting turned his head slightly and stepped forward to confront Feng Chuxun.

Immediately, Yun Ting unleashed a magical assault—ice-blue arrows of light so thick that at first glance, each was thicker than Feng Chuxun’s sword.

“It’s appeared—the Ice Condensation Technique of Brother Yun!”

Behind Yun Ting, Yun Qingni’s expression was filled with excitement, as if witnessing a rare and extraordinary spell.

“Ice Mark, attack!” One by one, the ice arrows surged forth, a bone-chilling coldness spreading as if to freeze everything in its path.

Seeing this, Feng Chuxun showed no fear; instead, a fierce fighting spirit gleamed in his eyes. The Red Snow was a spiritual weapon imbued with dual attributes—extreme cold and extreme heat.

He activated the Red Snow’s intense heat, nimbly weaving through the hail of ice arrows. The heat waves created by his sword formed a domain of warmth, countering the biting cold of the ice arrows.

“Bang!”

Both Feng Chuxun and Yun Ting took a step forward simultaneously, their spiritual power pressing fiercely against the air. The ice arrows exploded mid-air, scattering into countless irregular crystalline shards that glittered brilliantly under the sunlight.

Feng Chuxun pressed the attack, surging towards Yun Ting, sword intent suddenly manifesting!

“Pierce!” Yun Ting commanded, and instantly, all the ice shards rained down upon Feng Chuxun. The overwhelming shards seemed to envelop him completely.

Shen Qingyun, watching from the side, narrowed his eyes slightly. The spell was a fixed type but used with such vitality—no wonder this was a gathering place for the elite of the Southern Domain. This alone was incomparable to the disciples of sects within the Tianlan Kingdom.

Meanwhile, many among the onlookers, including Yun Qingni, turned their gazes toward Shen Qingyun. While Yun Ting and Feng Chuxun battled, they had not forgotten Shen Qingyun. Even if he did not intervene, it could not change the fact that he had trespassed into Zixiao Academy.

“Planning to lay a hand on me?”

Suddenly, Shen Qingyun spoke, sending a shock through those present. Though he had been watching the duel, it seemed as if he could even perceive movements in the blind spots of his vision. His gaze remained calm on Feng Chuxun as he said, “But I don’t want to fight you. Private dueling is forbidden at Zixiao Academy—you know that better than anyone, right?”

“Um…”

Hearing Shen Qingyun’s words, hesitation flickered across the faces of Yun Qingni and the others. Zixiao Academy’s rules were ironclad; as members, they were bound to obey them.

Yet, with the opportunity before them, could they just watch it slip away?

The person fighting Yun Ting was not from Zixiao Academy, yet he was holding his own against Yun Ting. Yun Qingni couldn’t help but wonder about Shen Qingyun’s true strength—if Yun Ting obeyed him, could he be even stronger?

“So it’s a beast spirit—that’s rare.”

Watching Yun Ting summon his spirit companion, Shen Qingyun remarked appreciatively. Yun Ting’s spirit was an ice-attribute bird-like beast: the Ice Feather Eagle.

“If it’s a beast spirit, then there should be training in the master spirit auxiliary spells as well,” Shen Qingyun mused, stroking his chin with interest.

“What? Who is he, that he even knows about Brother Ting’s main spirit auxiliary training!”

Yun Qingni’s heart trembled as she looked at Shen Qingyun, eyes wide with astonishment.

“Does he really train that?”

Hearing Yun Qingni, Shen Qingyun’s lips curved into a faint smile. He had only spoken casually but it turned out to be true. This made their duel even more intriguing—how would Feng Chuxun respond?

Yun Ting withdrew and created distance, leaping into the air with movements perfectly mirroring the spreading wings of the Ice Feather Eagle behind him.

“Feel the power of me and my spirit—Blizzard!”

Yun Ting spread his arms wide in midair. The Ice Feather Eagle let out a piercing cry, its wings stirring up a fierce wind that carried a biting cold. Suddenly, the chill intensified sharply; the wind cutting across faces felt like blades slicing skin.

Feng Chuxun winced as pain flared across his face, a streak of crimson appearing. The taste of blood was all too familiar. With a thought, a spiritual shield manifested to block the oncoming gale.

“Do you think that’s enough to stop my blizzard?”

Yun Ting sneered with contempt. How naive!

“Fall back behind me!” Yun Ting commanded to Yun Qingni and the others.

At his order, they swiftly moved behind him. The Ice Feather Eagle’s wings beat faster, the wind growing colder still. Yun Qingni and the others could even hear the howling whistle of the gale.

Here, as if divided by Yun Ting’s presence, the season behind him remained normal, but ahead lay a frozen winter.

Feng Chuxun sensed the sudden drop in temperature and heard the faint creaks of his spiritual shield nearing its limit.

Expressionless, Feng Chuxun summoned a colossal broad sword behind him, which appeared with a dazzling sword aura shooting skyward.

“Unleash it.”

He commanded calmly, and the massive broad sword sprang to life.

“Your spirit is as unimpressive as you are,” Yun Ting scoffed disdainfully. “With a spirit at the early spirit realm like yours, you can never contend with the power of me fused with the Ice Feather Eagle. Surrender now!”

“Too much nonsense.”

Sword intent erupted as Feng Chuxun’s broad sword slashed toward Yun Ting.

“Futile!” Yun Ting barked. “Ice Feather Eagle, kick it away!”

The Ice Feather Eagle soared high, sunlight glinting off its feathers in icy blue radiance. Then, with a sharp dive, it struck at the broad sword.

Feng Chuxun’s eyes locked on the broad sword. At the eagle’s strike, the sword swiftly shifted aside, then rose to strike back at the eagle. Without surprise, the eagle was knocked away.

“Damn!” Yun Ting gritted his teeth in frustration. He had intended the eagle’s kick to insult Feng Chuxun’s spirit, but Feng Chuxun had anticipated the move and instead knocked the eagle away.

However, the blow did not truly harm the eagle. Returning behind Yun Ting, a flash of icy blue light shimmered in his eyes. Instantly, his body and the eagle rose, wings extended.

A faint blue glow enveloped Yun Ting as he dove downward, leaving a long blue streak in the air, charging toward Feng Chuxun. His figure, expression, and movements were just like a sky-hunting eagle!

This was the master spirit auxiliary spell: the master could share the spirit’s abilities. The stronger the spirit’s power, the greater the master’s benefit. But the requirement was that only special types of spirits could cultivate this spell. Ordinary spirits possessed only ordinary abilities, which would not grant real power to their masters.

Moreover, as the master grew stronger, the spirit would also grow stronger, and with a stronger spirit, the master could unlock even greater abilities. This was the true might of the master spirit auxiliary spell!

“Like some birdman,” Feng Chuxun muttered as he charged at Yun Ting. Though at a disadvantage, he held an edge his opponent lacked.

Sword intent!

Feng Chuxun had contemplated this—his sword intent belonged to the spatial type, similar to what Shen Qingyun had used, able to shorten distances invisibly.

He swung the invisible sword intent, unleashing a blade of sword light at Yun Ting.

The brilliant sword light met Yun Ting’s defense and vanished instantly. Before Yun Ting’s mocking smile fully bloomed, he felt a threatening presence approaching.

“What is that!” Yun Ting’s eyes widened in shock. Though he could see nothing, the keen sense of danger was unmistakable.

The invisible sword intent struck Yun Ting, erupting in silver light. Those watching saw only a flash and a faint sword silhouette. Then, Yun Ting’s spiritual power spiraled out of control, and he fell from the sky, unsupported.

“Brother Ting!” Yun Qingni cried out in alarm. How had this happened? Feng Chuxun hadn’t moved, yet Yun Ting fell.

Meanwhile, in a palace within Zixiao Academy, many sat quietly in meditation. One among them was different—he passed through the group and frowned at the palace’s entrance.

“Gone?”

Shaking his head, he turned and walked away. The sensation earlier had been fleeting but real.

Now, it was gone—likely someone had inadvertently released sword intent.

Back with Shen Qingyun, Yun Qingni held the unconscious Yun Ting, his cause of collapse unknown.

“Tell me—what dark trick did you use to do this to Brother Ting?!” Yun Qingni glared fiercely at Feng Chuxun, unwilling to accept defeat.

Feng Chuxun frowned. Dark trick? So it was only acceptable for your Brother Ting to win, but not for me? His icy gaze pierced them.

Those behind Yun Qingni were startled, pulling at her arm. “Sister Ni, let’s go for now. If Brother Ting can’t beat him, we stand no chance. Better to retreat and report to everyone in the palace.”

Yun Qingni clenched her teeth and nodded. “Fine.” Then, gritting her teeth, she warned Feng Chuxun, “Just you wait!” Before following the others away.

Feng Chuxun blinked in confusion, clearly not understanding.

Shen Qingyun approached and patted him on the shoulder. “How do you feel?”

Feng Chuxun nodded. “They’re truly strong—worthy students of Zixiao Academy.” This was no flattery; without his sword intent, he himself might be the one lying on the ground now.

Sword intent was mysterious—each battle revealed new ways to wield it, as if it were limitless in capability.

Pausing, Feng Chuxun asked, “That woman told me to wait—what is she going to do?”

Shen Qingyun raised his brow, glancing toward their departing direction. “Probably because the little one can’t beat you, she’s gone to find the big one.”

“Ha?”