Everyone sank into silence when they saw Song Fan being kicked off the stage. Not a noise was made, and even the challenges going on at the other stages were put on a temporary pause.
Xiang Shaoyun’s moves weren’t particularly flashy, and they even looked crude. However, each move he made carried a might that seemed capable of sweeping away everything in his way.
One ought to know that Song Fan was a prodigy ranked highly in the True Martial Academy. He was a right-hand man of the Little Overlord. Thus, the easy way in which he was defeated had shocked many people.
Xiang Shaoyun did not say anything. He did not feel any pride from putting Song Fan down. On the contrary, he was bored. He longed for an intense battle, and he hoped that the next challenger would be able to give him some pressure. Perhaps this was the type of loneliness all who stood at the peak would feel.
Dugu Qiubai, the number one genius of True Martial Academy, looked at Xiang Shaoyun with a trace of slight interest in his eyes. However, he quickly shut his eyes again, as though Xiang Shaoyun’s current performance was still not enough for him to personally make a move.
The atmosphere turned repressive, and for a while, there were no new challengers. Zhan Wushuang couldn’t hold himself back anymore, but instead of challenging Xiang Shaoyun, he stepped onto a different stage and blasted a True Martial Academy disciple off the stage with only several punches, creating a stunning performance.
“Xiang Shaoyun, I hope you can last until the end,” Zhan Wushuang issued his challenge.
“The same goes for you,” replied Xiang Shaoyun nonchalantly.
In the past, Zhan Wushuang was someone he had to slightly look up at, but now, Zhan Wushuang was someone on equal standing with him. It was even possible that Xiang Shaoyun could afford to look down on Zhan Wushuang now. That wasn’t even arrogance. It was merely the loftiness any worthy cultivator would have, the confidence that one was unequalled.
Time passed, and eventually, Jiang Qi from the Sacred Deer Academy also took over a stage and gained some prestige for her academy. She looked like an ordinary sweet girl, but the potential she displayed was absolutely comparable to the top geniuses there.
The Nine Palace Academy also occupied a stage.
The disciple occupying the stage was the Nine Palace Academy’s number two genius. His combat strength was impressive, and his attacks were overbearing. He was able to quickly occupy the stage for his academy.
And thus, the True Martial Academy was momentarily occupying no stage, and their faces turned unsightly. Even so, they were in no rush as they still had a decent number of genius disciples who had yet to make a move. People like Dugu Qiubai, Little Overlord, and Dugu Qiubai were still staying put.
As far as the True Martial Academy was concerned, those three were definitely going to be part of the Four Blazing Suns, with the final member of the four to be the only variable.
Shortly after, True Martial Academy’s Gu Feng made her move. She selected Jiang Qi as her opponent, trying to snatch a stage for her academy.
Gu Feng fought at her full strength, harnessing the bloodline of an actual phoenix to grant her valiant combat prowess. Even with her strength, she was only ranked seventh in the True Martial Academy. One could see just how intense the True Martial Academy’s internal competition was.
However, Jiang Qi was someone the Sacred Deer Academy had taken great care at cultivating. She was no weakling, and she had an Innate Water Star Physique and a nine-star physique that allowed her to combine strength and gentleness when fighting. She was well-rounded in offense and defense. She also had a great mastery over the profundity of water, and with her strength, a massive battle erupted between her and Gu Feng.
After an intense fight, Jiang Qi defeated Gu Feng and preserved her spot on the stage. The Sacred Deer Academy elder was pleased with Jiang Qi’s performance. If she was defeated so soon after getting on the stage, it would be a source of embarrassment for their entire academy.
As time passed, Xiang Shaoyun had also won several fights in a row. There were some who kept refusing to believe that he was as strong as he seemed. They wanted to test his strength, and they ended up being defeated one after another.
“Is this really your Dragon Phoenix Academy’s abandoned disciple?” a True Martial Academy elder asked Shadowflash and Feng Huosuo.
“Yes. Don’t be blinded by his potential. He has a terrible character,” said Feng Huosuo.
A Nine Palace Academy elder said, “I personally think this child is decent. Since he has been abandoned by your academy, we can consider recruiting him after all this is over.”
“I think so as well. This child looks good, and he is practically dripping with righteousness. The Sacred Deer Academy is willing to make an exception and recruit him,” said a Sacred Deer Academy elder with an appreciative look.
“Haha, our True Martial Academy will be the best fit for a good sapling like this,” said the True Martial Academy with a hearty laugh.
As for Feng Huosuo and Shadowflash, their faces darkened. They were the ones who had framed and forced Xiang Shaoyun out of the academy. But now, he had turned into a treasure in the eyes of the other academies, and the two were greatly upset by it.
“You might not know this, but it was all thanks to these two elders that my young master became the Dragon Phoenix Academy’s abandoned disciple,” the wolf guard’s voice rang out.
Next, the wolf guard appeared out of nowhere.
“Wolf guard, don’t think that you can run your mouth just because you’re a high-level elder,” said Shadowflash.
“Hehe, are you afraid of admitting to what you did? My young master is overflowing with talent, and even my master looks at him favorably, which is why my master accepted him as a disciple. For selfish reasons, the two of you forced him out of the academy. You can scheme all you want, but you will eventually pay for it. My young master will emerge as the champion, and I’ll see what you have to see after returning to the academy,” mocked the wolf guard.
That was the truth. As the abandoned disciple of the Dragon Phoenix Academy, if Xiang Shaoyun proceeded to become the competition’s champion, the Dragon Phoenix Academy’s reputation would be completely ruined.
As the key persons who had forced Xiang Shaoyun out of the academy, Shadowflash and Feng Huosuo would definitely face some complications in the academy. One ought to know that this competition was something the four academies attached great importance to.
It wasn’t going to be easy for the Dragon Phoenix Academy to advance from third place after staying there for so many years. If Xiang Shaoyun was still their disciple and emerged as the champion, everything would change.
Alas, it was too late for them to change anything. The elders of the other academies finally understood what was going on, and their eyes lit up in excitement as they started considering recruiting Xiang Shaoyun.
“Hmph. You really think he will be the champion? I doubt so,” said Feng Huosuo with a cold snort.
“Keep watching, then. If the young master can’t even do that much, he won’t be qualified to be my master’s disciple,” said the wolf guard confidently.
The competition continued. After about half of the disciples were eliminated, Xiang Shaoyun, Zhan Wushuang, Jiang Qi, and the Little Overlord were the ones remaining on the four stages.
Xiang Chenxi, the Little Overlord, had gotten on the stage by defeating the Nine Palace Academy’s number two disciple. From that, one could see just how strong he was.
The Nine Palace Academy disciples were naturally unable to accept that they did not have even one of the stages under their name. Finally, Jiu Tian, their number one disciple, made a move with Zhan Wushuang being his target.
