Chapter 129: A Desperate Level of Combat Power

Zulian, in the form of a small child, stood guard at the door with utmost diligence, occasionally turning his head to check on the silent room. A flicker of worry appeared in his eyes; bound by a contract with Feng Chuxun, he could sense a drastic transformation occurring within his companion, yet he was powerless to do anything about it.

He could only place his trust in Shen Qingyun.

When the tedious wait finally reached the end of the second day, the long-closed door opened. At the sound, Zulian immediately turned, his eyes full of hope. Shen Qingyun slowly emerged, looking somewhat weary after two days of confinement.

Feeling his legs gripped, Shen Qingyun looked down to see Zulian hugging him tightly, looking up with wide, expectant eyes. Shen Qingyun smiled and said, "Don't worry, everything is fine now."

Upon hearing those words, Zulian let out a sigh of relief. His strength seemingly failing him, he collapsed to the floor and sprawled out. With a flash of colorful light, he reverted into the form of the Chixue Sword.

Bending down to pick up Chixue, Shen Qingyun glanced back at Feng Chuxun, who lay on the floor in a deep sleep. Turning his gaze toward the pitch-black sky, he recalled the events that had transpired within Feng Chuxun’s sea of consciousness, and the corners of his lips curled upward.

"Tomorrow," he murmured. "How truly exciting."

***

Today was an extraordinary day for the Outer Court of Zixiao Academy. For a rare occasion, all the students of the Outer Court had gathered together. They were not their usual contentious selves; instead, their faces were etched with gravity. Today, they shared a common enemy, and they were determined to give their all to show this enemy just how grave a mistake it was to underestimate Zixiao Academy.

The Zixiao Outer Court consisted of seven palaces, each a hub for geniuses. The top five students from every palace possessed formidable strength that left others in awe. Today, their clash with Shen Qingyun and Feng Chuxun would be the true main event.

Because of this, even students ranked outside the top ten of their palaces had gathered. Even knowing their efforts might be futile, they came to witness what kind of sparks would fly when the top prodigies collided. Living in their ivory tower, their admiration for the strong was remarkably pure.

When Shen Qingyun and Feng Chuxun arrived at the designated starting point, the students of all seven palaces had blocked the area completely. It took quite an effort for Shen Qingyun to squeeze into the center.

Only when the figure of Ye Zhong appeared, suspended above their heads, did the noisy scene settle into silence. Countless gazes fixed upon him, waiting for his address.

Under the scrutiny of all, Ye Zhong swept his gaze across the crowd. His booming voice echoed like thunder: "Today, the disciples of the seven palaces have gathered in a rare assembly. There is no need for me to explain why. You are the most elite prodigies of the Southern Domain, each qualified to enter the Inner Court. Among you are those currently undergoing their examinations; today, the Vice Dean will grade you based on your performance. Those who excel may bypass the remaining tests and enter the Inner Court directly. The Inner Court is the core of Zixiao Academy, and it will be of immense benefit to you! Give it your all—not only to make those who have erred realize their mistakes but also to secure better conditions for your own cultivation!"

Glancing at the now-motivated students, Ye Zhong smiled slightly and continued, "I shall now announce the rules. We will follow a format of 'clearing the stages.' The participants must pass through each gate from the starting point to the finish line. Once you reach the end, the gates of the Zixiao Academy will be open to you forever, and the rules of the academy will no longer constrain you."

The final sentence was clearly directed at Shen Qingyun and his companion.

The students were stunned by Ye Zhong's words. They had expected a group assault, believing that no matter how strong Shen Qingyun was, he would be overwhelmed by their sheer numbers. They turned their confused gazes toward Ye Zhong, waiting for further clarification.

Ye Zhong laughed aloud, "You may form teams as you wish. I look forward to your performance."

After Ye Zhong finished, some exchanged glances and immediately flashed away. Among the first group to leave, Shen Qingyun spotted several familiar faces.

More and more people whispered to one another before departing. Those who remained were generally at the mid-stage of the Spirit Phase Realm, and many were people Shen Qingyun had previously beaten.

To Shen Qingyun and Feng Chuxun, the mid-stage Spirit Phase Realm posed no threat, so they were essentially ignored.

Still, appearances had to be kept, and the stages had to be cleared.

"Are you all coming together, or one by one?" Shen Qingyun yawned lazily, his eyes still filled with undisguised contempt.

"Arrogant!"

Hearing his words, the crowd erupted in anger. Their faces flushed with fury, and spiritual energy of various attributes converged, looking like a chaotic hodgepodge of power.

Shen Qingyun merely glanced at them coldly and said, "Chuxun."

As he spoke, Feng Chuxun stepped forward, causing the ground to tremble. His next words nearly sent the crowd into a frenzy: "To deal with you, I am enough on my own." He slowly drew Chixue, and a sharp, piercing aura radiated from his body.

Seeing this from the air, Ye Zhong’s face twitched violently. *Minor Achievement Sword Intent!* Feng Chuxun had not only grasped Sword Intent but had elevated it to the Minor Achievement stage.

If Ye Zhong had previously only wanted to keep the two, he now truly felt a pang of regret. A sword genius who had mastered Sword Intent was beyond reproach, regardless of his cultivation level. Yet, he had personally pushed such a talent out of Zixiao Academy’s gates.

"Use your techniques! Don't give him a chance!" someone in the crowd shouted. Countless spells were launched at Feng Chuxun.

Feng Chuxun’s expression remained calm. Facing the rain of spells, a gray light erupted from his body, and an aura reminiscent of an ancient, savage beast emanated from him. A broken sword manifested behind him, glowing with the same gray light and resonating with his own.

Suddenly, a fierce gale arose—and the wind itself turned black!

*Boom!*

A pair of pitch-black, terrifying wings sprouted from Feng Chuxun’s back. He slashed his sword, and a heaven-shaking blade light cut through the air. The spells that were struck did not even ripple; they simply vanished into nothingness.

"End this."

Feng Chuxun whispered softly. The broken sword expanded several times in size, pressing down toward the students. Wherever it passed, the very atmosphere was stirred into a frenzy.

The sword did not ultimately descend, yet everyone present was struck with terror, feeling as if a pair of invisible, murderous eyes were watching them from the void—if they dared to move, they would suffer fatal harm.

The scene fell deathly silent, as if time itself had stopped.

Chixue returned to its sheath, but the black wings on Feng Chuxun’s back did not dissipate. He turned to Shen Qingyun and said, "It is settled."

Shen Qingyun nodded. "Then let us move to the next stage." As he spoke, his gaze flickered toward the black wings. This broken sword was mysterious; even he could not fully fathom its secrets. He had only been able to wipe away the lingering trace of a soul on the blade to eliminate its threat to Feng Chuxun. However, Shen Qingyun suspected that the era in which this broken sword originated was likely from the primordial past.

In the end, the broken sword had attained immortality. In the current world, where immortals no longer existed, a Great Emperor was the pinnacle of existence. Even in the higher realms, Shen Qingyun was certain that no immortals remained.