Dai Mubai lay unconscious, his life hanging in the balance. Ma Hongjun and Oscar, who were closest to him, rushed to his side the moment they saw him collapse.
They carefully lifted him up, calling his name repeatedly, but he remained unresponsive, as if he were already dead.
Tang San glanced at Chen Yuan with a wary expression before moving to Dai Mubai's side to check on him. Discovering that Dai Mubai was still breathing, Tang San relaxed slightly. He quickly pressed on several key acupoints on Dai Mubai's body and channeled the gentle soul power he had cultivated through the Mysterious Heaven Technique into Dai Mubai's body, helping to stabilize his chaotic soul power.
Miraculously, a hint of color returned to Dai Mubai's face, and his condition improved slightly compared to before.
Ma Hongjun and Oscar breathed a sigh of relief, then turned their attention to Chen Yuan, their eyes filled with a mix of emotions.
At that moment, a gust of wind swept through the air as Flender, his wings spread wide, flew over. Seven soul rings—two yellow, two purple, and three black—floated around him, the optimal configuration for a Soul Sage.
Not far behind, heavy footsteps echoed as Zhao Wuji came running.
Both Flender and Zhao Wuji were Soul Sages, and at their level, their senses were incredibly sharp. They had detected the clash of soul power at the academy's entrance.
Zhao Wuji's face was still bruised and swollen from his earlier beating, but seeing Dai Mubai unconscious, he couldn't hold back his anger. He roared, "What happened?"
Ma Hongjun immediately stepped forward, pointing at Chen Yuan. "Teacher Zhao, it was Ning Rongrong who provoked Dai Mubai. Then this guy suddenly showed up and beat Dai Mubai like this."
Zhao Wuji glared at Chen Yuan, his anger rising. However, when he saw Chen Yuan's three soul rings—yellow, purple, and purple—he was momentarily stunned. This configuration defied common knowledge.
Flender, who had also heard Ma Hongjun's explanation, was equally alarmed. His gaze shifted to Chen Yuan, and he clasped his hands in a respectful gesture. "Young friend, may I ask who you are and why you injured my student? If he has offended you in any way, I apologize on his behalf. If not, I would appreciate an explanation."
Chen Yuan stood with his sword resting at his side, a faint smile on his lips as he replied, "My name is Chen Yuan. This sword is called the Seven Kill Sword. My master holds the title of Sword Douluo, revered by the world as Sword Douluo Chen Xin. I came here under the orders of the sect leader to protect Rongrong."
"There's no need to apologize to me. If you want to apologize, apologize to Rongrong. That foul-mouthed scum is lucky to still be alive."
As Chen Yuan's words fell, silence descended over the academy entrance. Ma Hongjun, who had spoken up earlier, now shrank back. Though he often bullied others, he knew better than to provoke someone he couldn't handle.
Zhao Wuji's teeth chattered as he recalled being beaten by Tang Hao. He really didn't want to deal with another high-profile spirit master.
As Dai Mubai's teacher, Zhao Wuji knew exactly what kind of person Dai Mubai was. He changed women as often as he changed clothes, so it was entirely possible that he had said something inappropriate to Ning Rongrong.
Flender's back was drenched in cold sweat as he looked at Chen Yuan and the sword in his hand. His voice was hoarse as he said, "The Seven Kill Sword… Sword Douluo… the legendary number one offensive martial soul and the number one offensive Douluo in the world."
Chen Yuan nodded, then added meaningfully, "Indeed. Aside from the Clear Sky Hammer of the once-renowned Clear Sky Clan, there are few martial souls that can compare to my family's Seven Kill Sword."
Though Chen Yuan's words seemed casual, Tang San, who was still channeling soul power into Dai Mubai, was deeply shaken. His dark eyes flickered with a mix of emotions.
The Clear Sky Clan, the Clear Sky Hammer—that was his second martial soul. Did it have some special origin? If all of this was true, how had his father, and by extension, himself, fallen to such a state? Tang San's mind was flooded with curiosity.
This was exactly what Chen Yuan had intended. He wanted Tang San to seek him out, to beg him, and perhaps in doing so, he could extract some benefits from him.
After a moment, Flender landed on the ground, his wings disappearing. He sighed and turned to Ning Rongrong, who stood behind Chen Yuan. Clasping his hands, he said, "Rongrong, you are my student, and so is Dai Mubai. I failed to discipline him properly, allowing him to say something inappropriate to you. As the dean, I apologize on his behalf."
Flender knew better than to let his academy disappear quietly from the face of the continent.
Ning Rongrong, in a much better mood now that she had seen Dai Mubai's sorry state, smiled sweetly and stepped forward. "I forgive him, Dean. My Brother Chen Yuan might have been a bit heavy-handed, but I hope Dai Mubai will be okay…"
Her gaze then shifted to Chen Yuan, her eyes sparkling with genuine joy. She said softly, "Brother Chen Yuan, let's leave for now. You can tell me how you ended up here."
This wasn't the place for a conversation. Chen Yuan activated his third spirit skill, and the Seven Kill Sword flew out of his hand, transforming into a large silver sword that hovered in front of them.
"Rongrong, hop on," Chen Yuan said.
Ning Rongrong had left the sect before Chen Yuan had obtained his third spirit ring, but she was familiar with Chen Xin's third spirit skill and had even experienced it herself. She nimbly jumped onto the sword.
Chen Yuan followed, steadying Ning Rongrong by holding her slender wrist and placing a hand on her delicate shoulder to keep her balanced. With that, he controlled the Seven Kill Sword, and they soared into the sky, heading toward Suotuo City.
Their figures grew smaller and smaller until they disappeared from sight.
Zhao Wuji exclaimed in shock, "That's a flying ability!"
Flender said solemnly, "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is truly remarkable. That's the kind of monstrous talent that defies common sense and achieves extraordinary power."
After they spoke, the area fell into silence once more. But a faint sound of something breaking could be heard—it was Oscar's heart.
Oscar watched as Chen Yuan took Ning Rongrong away, his eyes stinging and his heart heavy with bitterness. He had harbored some feelings for Ning Rongrong, but now he realized he was nothing more than a clown. The moment he failed to stand by her side, he had lost any chance of being close to her.
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### Meanwhile, on the Flying Sword!
Ning Rongrong's eyes were half-closed, her heart filled with a newfound sense of dependence on Chen Yuan after everything that had happened. Even the warmth radiating from Chen Yuan's body made her feel incredibly safe.
Chen Yuan began to explain the story he had prepared earlier. "When we found out you had run away from home, my master and your Bone Grandpa both wanted to bring you back immediately, fearing you might be in danger. But the sect leader stopped them. He said that his strictness must have pressured you into leaving, so he decided to let you relax outside for a while."
"However, he was still worried about your safety, so he sent me to protect you. But you really traveled far—past the Jialing Pass, through the Kingdom of Silves, all the way to the Kingdom of Balak. And then you joined that Shrek Academy."
Ning Rongrong lowered her head. She had been angry with her father, thinking he would be furious with her. She hadn't expected this. "Sword Grandpa, Bone Grandpa, Dad…"
Seeing her like this, Chen Yuan continued, "They miss you and care about you deeply, Rongrong. So, what do you want to do now? Return to the sect, or stay outside for a while longer?"
Ning Rongrong opened her mouth to speak but quickly grew resolute. She bit her lip and said, "I want to stay!"
Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow, a hint of confusion in his voice. "Shrek Academy? What about what happened today?"
Ning Rongrong's expression turned cold, her eyes devoid of emotion. "I'll never forget what happened today, nor the looks on their faces. Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, Tang San… I've always been the one who's unreasonable, but this time, they were the ones being unreasonable in front of me. If I leave now, I won't be satisfied. If this place can make me stronger, then I'll become stronger than all of them. That's the only way I'll feel better. And that Tang San—he has some kind of special weapon. Even at the Great Soul Master level, he can make a Soul Sage like Zhao Wuji struggle. I want to learn more about that weapon. It might be useful for the sect."
Chen Yuan was surprised. It seemed Ning Rongrong had changed. He smiled and said, "Rongrong, you've grown up. You're thinking about cultivating seriously and considering the sect's interests."
Ning Rongrong's face flushed, but she quickly turned to Chen Yuan with an expectant look. "Brother Chen Yuan, can you come back with me tomorrow?"
Chen Yuan nodded, smiling lightly. "I came out to protect you. If you want to stay, then I'll stay too. I'll accompany you back tomorrow and see what kind of attitude those people at the academy have."
Ning Rongrong felt incredibly happy after hearing this. Though she hadn't realized it before, the feeling of having someone support and protect her was something she had come to cherish deeply.
Chen Yuan took Ning Rongrong to Suotuo City, where they spent the evening enjoying themselves. It wasn't until late at night that they booked two rooms. After Ning Rongrong went to rest, Chen Yuan waited in his room.
Before long, Zhang Youfu arrived with a few others. After entering, he asked, "Young Master, what is Miss Rongrong's decision?"
Chen Yuan replied, "Write a letter to the sect leader. Tell him that Rongrong has been inspired by some talented peers here and wants to focus on her cultivation for a while. Since this is a rare opportunity, she'll stay for some time. I'll remain by her side to ensure her safety."
Zhang Youfu nodded. With Chen Yuan openly protecting her and their group watching over her in secret, it was a good opportunity for Ning Rongrong to focus on her training. He said, "I understand. I'll write the letter to inform the sect leader."
After Zhang Youfu left, Chen Yuan walked to the window, opened it, and gazed at the bright moon in the sky, lost in thought.
In truth, he had other reasons for staying. Obtaining the Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone had already been a significant gain, but if there were more opportunities, he wasn't about to pass them up.
The Eight Spider Lances—perhaps they could help him get closer to Dugu Bo and his granddaughter, Dugu Yan. Chen Yuan wasn't well-versed in poisons, but Dugu Bo, a powerful expert who had been tormented by his own toxins, was a key figure in Tang San's journey.
Chen Yuan wanted to intercept this opportunity and obtain the immortal herbs from Dugu Bo. But to do so, he needed to be cautious. The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye was Dugu Bo's greatest secret, and bringing it up carelessly could arouse suspicion.
(End of Chapter)
Word Count : 1,947
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