His voice had barely died away…
Ding Hao’s frosty palm had already pressed upon his forehead.
A chill that was cold enough to destroy any form of life seeped into Lu Pengfei’s body instantly. It actively destroyed and devoured all his life force. A form of fear that he had never experienced had engulfed him which made him ask in disbelief, “Why…? Why…?”
“Even if you didn’t tell me, I will have my means of finding him. After all, I hate being threatened by someone.” Ding Hao’s voice fell flat and cold. The frost on his palm spread all over Lu Pengfei’s body instantly. That layer of ice, mesmerizing yet deadly had consecutively attained victory in the five academies competition thrice.
And just like that, Lu Pengfei’s ended in that kneeling posture.
After doing all that, Ding Hao gently breathed and later, flicked the dirt off his shoulder, then turned around suavely. He smiled and walked toward Wang Xiaoqi and the rest. Pulling Gao Xue’er’s little hand, he walked in the direction of the sun and toward the depths of the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect.
Instantly, he had vanished in everyone’s sights.
…
In fact, Ding Hao had not escaped.
After sending Gao Xue’er to the “Invincible Mysterious Martial Arts Academy” behind the mountains of the poor, he had returned again to the front of the mountain, back to the number eight great stone chamber of the academy where he had lived in the past.
After that, for a very long time, he rarely walked out of the room.
The high echelons of the sect were also shrouded in a strange silence. In the face of such betrayal of the sect rules by Ding Hao, who had killed his sectmates and humiliated his elders, the fact that the Sentencing Hall had not arrested Ding Hao right after caused much shock and surprise to many people.
Moreover, there were many who were speculating that it had to be because between the high-level sects, as for matters on dealing with Ding Hao, disputes had arisen. That was why for a very long time, the scandal had not been resolved. After all, the capability that Ding Hao had shown had proven his talent; with such a mystifying talent, surely the sects would be dealing with it in the most careful manner.
But if, after killing someone, Ding Hao would have chosen to escape, he would have definitely provoked the experts of the sects to chase after him, with no holds barred.
In fact, the reason why the high-level experts of the sect were silent was because the reality was as they had speculated.
Of course, their silence did not mean that the whole sect would be in silence. Not only did they witness Ding Hao’s series of actions, but also how scores of people were still in a state of extreme shock.
…
The Southern Academy of purple shirts
Lyu Kuang was sitting in the stone chamber silently.
Before him, a stone board was displayed that showed freckles of white light.
That was a high quality piece of white jade board. Its surface was glistening and shining like a sheet of white paper that had just been spread out. A long saber was held in Lyu Kuang’s hands and he lowered his head as if deep in thought. After a long time, his wrist flicked a little and he used the tip of the blade as his pen. Slowly, on the stone board, he carved out a word.
Wild.
Silently, he looked at that word. From Lyu Kuang’s facial expression, he seemed to be in a slightly complex state.
For a long time, he had thought that only someone like him would not do something that would only scratch on the surface level, and that he would only seek for the truth and essence, despising those laughable and insincere offerings. He had thought that only one such as himself existed; that he would be able to bear the essence of being “frantic”. Before that, he had even despised Ding Hao, that fellow whose face was always carrying a smile.
But currently…
“Frantic. What is frantic? Having fun and cursing angrily is frantic? Defying ethical code is frantic? These are not frantic. Drawing sword for friends, keeping killing intent, pointing the sword bravely without withdraw, and doing something right is frantic. Just like what Ding Hao did.” Lyu Kuang thought.
Lyu Kuang thought that he had started to waste his life since a few decades ago.
He used the saber swiftly like a pen and carved Ding Hao’s name on the board, just behind the word “frantic”.
He was gazing silently at the three words. After a long while, he sighed softly and broke the whole board into pieces with his palm.
Since then, Crazy Kuang, Lyu Kuang, had changed completely. He subdued his wildness and became more and more reticent. However, he exerted more energy into the saber technique he was practicing.
…
In the tranquil woods, the branches were green and lush, and the twigs became soft.
Two graceful figures walked side by side without any word for a long time.
They were Murong Yanzhi and Yu Jueyao.
“He’s back. As we expected, after half a year, his strength becomes so strong that it’s beyond our imagination. This kind of person is the so-called genius,” Murong Yanzhi murmured while stopping suddenly.
The homely girl looked aimlessly at the twigs afar swaying in the wind.
“Hey, Sister Yanzhi, honestly, you had fallen in love with Senior Brother Ding a long time ago. Is that right?” Yu Jueyao said while playing with her beautiful long hair gaily.
“Little girl, you should ask yourself first,” Murong Yanzhi said crossly.
“What can I do? I was reluctant back then. My fine body was seen and touched by Senior Brother Ding…” Yu Jueyao said while rolling her big and sparkling eyes.
Thinking about the scene in the site of the sect under the Western Rock Mountain Range, the two girls flushed and felt their hearts racing.
“Well, I had asked you to inquire into it. Are there any results? What will the sect do with Senior Brother Ding?” Murong Yanzhi changed the topic and became serious.
“It’s hard to say now. Senior Brother Ding has made big trouble. Lu Pengfei is not an average person. He won the Five Academies Competition three times consecutively. Moreover, he is thought highly of by several elders of the Sect. It’s said that he has been accepted as a peripheral discipline of a sect which is the third-generation of the Core Disciples. Now the sect is extremely angry and insists that Senior Brother Ding should be punished by the rules of the sect,” Yu Jueyao said angrily, “My big brother is silent about this. It seems that the contest between High-level is not clear.”
Murong Yanzhi nodded. There was a touch of depression in her eyebrows. She said, “What I heard of was similar to you. This thing was not just a simple matter about violating the rules. It has become the pretext of the struggle between every sect. As for Senior Brother Ding, it’s not good news.”
“If that thing is true, maybe Senior Brother Ding can escape the tribulation.”
“You mean… Grandmaster Qi…”
“Well, some people say that Senior Brother Ding is the one who is chosen by Grandmaster Qi.”
“If this is the case, then it would be best. But we can’t depend on such vague and illusory rumors to save Senior Brother Ding’s life. Jueyao, this time, we must do everything we can to save Senior Brother Ding.”
“I’ll beg my reticent brother for that when I am back. Anyway, he must deal with this.”
“Alright, I’ll persuade my mother to do him justice when back home.”
The two girls discussed for a while. After exchanging the information they got and encouraging each other, they left the woods rashly.
