Deep within the sixth-Rank Spiritual Array, figures filled the sky, their silhouettes dense and indistinct. Yet at the very center, two factions stood in stark opposition.
On one side was naturally Su Xuan at the lead, with Li Qing, Guo Xiong, and An Ran at her side. These four could be regarded as the true core strength of the Willow God Association. Facing them, though fewer in number with only three, their aura was far more menacing. The leader of that group possessed cultivation at the late-phase Heaven Fusion Realm, while the other two stood at the mid-phase Heaven Fusion Realm. In terms of strength, they clearly surpassed Su Xuan's group.
"Junior Sister Su Xuan, hand over the Heavenly Spirit Lotus Seeds," the late-Phase Heaven Fusion Realm youth said with a faint smile. "Though you earned second place at the Freshmen Assembly, you should know well that with your current strength, you are no match for us."
The appearance of the Heavenly Spirit Lotus had drawn quite the stir. Yet discovering it amidst the tide of spiritual energy in the heavens and earth still required a stroke of luck.
Su Xuan's luck had proven extraordinary, as she was the first to find the Heavenly Spirit Lotus. But seizing such a treasure was never just about luck, as was being proven at this very moment.
Though Su Xuan was gentle and disliked conflict, that did not mean she could be easily bullied.
Her reply to the threat was firm and unyielding.
"The Heavenly Spirit Lotus was found by us. If you want it, fine, exchange for it with Spiritual Values."
This time, nine lotus seeds had emerged. Three were taken by others, leaving six in Su Xuan's group's possession. This was exactly why trouble had now come knocking.
"I will not take advantage of you. Four hundred thousand Spiritual Values for one seed. I can part with two for that price."
This way, each of the four would keep one seed, and the two exchanged would bring them an extra two hundred thousand Spiritual Values, evenly splitting fifty thousand each. Fair and reasonable.
Unfortunately, it was clear the opposing group had no intention of paying.
"Heh, you dare to open your mouth like a lion… Do you really think you freshmen are qualified to demand Spiritual Values from us?" the youth's smile faded, his voice turning cold.
At his change of expression, the man beside him stepped forward. With a low shout, his palm shot out like an eagle's talon, vast spiritual energy surging as he reached for Su Xuan's slender wrist.
But Su Xuan, already on guard, was not the one who moved. Instead, a towering figure suddenly appeared before the three girls. His body was instantly cloaked in black spiritual energy, as if he had transformed into a raging black bear.
"If you have the guts, come at me! Striking at women, what sort of man does that make you!"
The one who intervened was the only male among the four, Guo Xiong. His strength was not on par with Su Xuan, but as a man, how could he cower behind women?
"Hmph!"
The senior who attacked frowned, his claw-like fingers shimmering as spiritual energy crystallized along their tips. They gleamed with sharpness as he struck Guo Xiong's chest.
Bang!
A violent collision erupted, a shockwave of spiritual energy sweeping outward.
Guo Xiong felt a stabbing pain across his chest as blood gushed forth. Five deep claw marks, bleeding profusely, marred his torso.
"Roar!"
A bestial bellow burst from Guo Xiong's throat as a violent aura surged outward. His entire form, cloaked in black spiritual energy, seemed like an enraged bear. His massive hands swung like twin war hammers, smashing forward with the intent to crush anything in his path.
Boom, boom!
The muffled thuds resounded as the senior was sent flying, his spiritual energy flow momentarily disrupted.
"What a reckless brute," the leading youth remarked, briefly surprised, though nothing more.
After all, if this was merely an exchange of injury for one strike, they could easily whittle Guo Xiong down to death.
The crowd of onlookers could also see this clearly, their eyes glittering with amusement as they watched the freshmen being toyed with like mice by cats.
"Liu Feng, can you even handle this? If not, let us take over. Afterward, we will leave two lotus seeds for you," came a mocking voice.
The crowd parted, and another group approached. At their head was none other than Huo Yun, who already had a grudge with Liu Bai.
"Iron Cavalry Society? You want to compete for the Heavenly Spirit Lotus too?" The late-Phase Heaven fusion Realm youth, Liu Feng, turned grim.
"What, only Xuanwu Pavilion can act, and Iron Cavalry Society cannot claim a share?" Huo Yun sneered, his eyes flashing with cold malice as they swept over Su Xuan and her group.
Both factions were shamelessly vying for what was not theirs. Rage boiled in Guo Xiong's chest, and he nearly charged to fight them then and there.
But Su Xuan stopped him, shaking her head softly.
Their current strength was simply insufficient. This was fact, and anger alone could not change it.
Soon, the two sides finished their discussion. Their gazes simultaneously fell on Su Xuan's group.
"Enough, Junior Sister Su Xuan. We have given you ample time. State your decision," Liu Feng said with a hint of impatience.
"If you cannot decide, then allow me to decide for you," Huo Yun added coldly, his aura pressing down.
One played the good face, the other the bad, both steadily tightening the noose around the four.
Just as Guo Xiong could no longer endure the humiliation and prepared to fight to the death, a low voice filled with suppressed fury descended from the skies.
"Oh? And what decision do you intend to make for them?"
The voice instantly brought relief to Su Xuan's face, while Li Qing and An Ran also felt their hearts lighten.
Guo Xiong's eyes lit up with excitement as he cried out, "Boss?!"
All eyes turned to the figure that now hovered above them.
For Guo Xiong and the others, joy bloomed. With that figure's arrival, it was as if their backbone had returned, their tension melting away.
For Huo Yun, however, hatred boiled over, his expression twisted with venom as though he wished to devour Liu Bai whole.
"So, you are Liu Bai?" Liu Feng studied him with curiosity. He wanted to see what was so special about this freshman who had stirred the entire Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy.
"Xuanwu Pavilion? The faction founded by Liu Xuan, ranked thirteenth on the Heavenly Rankings?" Liu Bai asked faintly.
"Correct," Liu Feng nodded. "Your strength and talent are impressive. How about it? Join my Xuanwu Pavilion."
Liu Bai blinked, momentarily surprised at the direct invitation.
"You want to recruit me? You are unqualified. Tell Liu Xuan to come in person if he wishes to speak," Liu Bai replied with a glance, losing all interest in conversation.
Even Liu Xuan was merely at the early-phase of the Heaven Transformation Realm. With such strength, how could he presume to make Liu Bai his subordinate?
Liu Feng froze, not expecting Liu Bai to be so arrogant, as though he did not even place his leader in his eyes.
On the side, Huo Yun sneered inwardly.
Fool. Without even understanding Liu Bai's nature, he dares to extend such an invitation. He brought humiliation upon himself. Now, there was no way out but battle.
This suited Huo Yun perfectly. Against Liu Bai alone, he held no confidence. But with Xuanwu Pavilion's support, let us see how long Liu Bai's arrogance lasts.
Yet what Huo Yun could not anticipate was that Liu Bai's arrogance would exceed his imagination a hundredfold.
"You are unharmed?" Liu Bai asked Su Xuan and her companions.
Su Xuan shook her head. "We are fine, thanks to your timely arrival."
But when Liu Bai's gaze fell upon the deep, bone-deep wound across Guo Xiong's chest, his face darkened immediately.
Without further words of comfort, his eyes shifted toward the two hostile factions opposite him.
"Now, each of you will bring out one million Spiritual Values, and I will consider this matter closed today."
The words dropped, and not only Huo Yun and Liu Feng, but even many of the surrounding spectators were stunned. This freshman was far too arrogant, or perhaps crazed for Spiritual Values. Was he directly trying to challenge two of the academy's major student forces at once?
They knew well that Xuanwu Pavilion was not something that could be compared to Iron Cavalry Society. It was one of the true top five factions within the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy. Its pavilion master Liu Xuan was a genuine Heavenly Transformation Realm expert.
"Are you out of your mind? Do you even hear what you are saying?" Liu Feng laughed in fury. "Do you truly think that being the top freshman means you can run rampant through the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy? Wake up, boy. You are nothing more than a freshman. To think you can throw your weight around here is far too soon."
Liu Bai only smiled lightly, unwilling to waste more words with these frogs at the bottom of the well.
He pressed his hands together, forming a seal, and gave a low shout.
"Lightning, come!"
Boom, boom, boom.
Dozens of golden bolts of thunder suddenly fell from the sky, forming a rain of lightning within a radius of a hundred meters.
The scene came swiftly and vanished just as quickly. When the golden lightning dispersed, what everyone saw were the members of both factions sprawled on the ground, heavily injured.
An uproar burst forth. Many spectators scrambled to retreat, fearing another wave of golden thunder might strike them as well.
Though they had heard of Liu Bai's reputation, they dismissed him as a freshman. A talented one, perhaps, but still just a freshman. He had been in the academy for barely over a month. How strong could he possibly be?
But what they had just witnessed was Liu Bai heavily injuring more than ten upperclassmen, many at the middle and late-phase of Heaven Fusion Realm. The shock left them dumbfounded and trembling.
Such a feat, was it not something only a Heavenly Transformation Realm expert could accomplish?
Even Su Xuan and the others felt as though they were dreaming. They had been with Liu Bai since their time in the Northern Heaven Realm, entered the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy with him, joined the Freshmen Assembly together, and had only been apart for a few days. When had he already grown into something so terrifying?
"Now, do I need to repeat myself?" Liu Bai hovered above the ground, gazing down at the fallen members of the two factions, his voice calm.
Liu Feng and Huo Yun's faces were ashen. But the terrifying thunder that had given them no chance to evade filled their hearts with dread.
"We… we do not have that many Spiritual Values," Liu Feng forced the words through gritted teeth, lowering his head in shame.
Huo Yun, on the other hand, simply dropped to the ground like a dead dog, feigning silence. Do what you will. Kill me if you dare.
"You do not have enough? Then summon your leaders. If underlings cause trouble, should their leaders not come to clean it up? I will give you time," Liu Bai said with a faint smile.
Today, without satisfactory compensation, he would not relent. Such a perfect opportunity had to be used to gain benefits for his own people.
As for whether the leaders would come, Liu Bai was not concerned. Unless they truly cared nothing for their reputations.
In the academy, where killing was not allowed, face was more important than life. Unless they wished to hide away in seclusion until graduation, they would have no choice but to come.
It did not take long before word reached Iron Cavalry Society and Xuanwu Pavilion. Their respective leaders, Bai Ran and Liu Xuan, soon learned that their people had been suppressed.
After hearing the details, though each had their own thoughts, both immediately set out for the Spiritual Convergence Array.
When the two great leaders arrived, the atmosphere grew oppressively heavy. Many onlookers swallowed nervously and backed away.
Liu Xuan, ranked thirteenth on the Heavenly Rankings, a genuine Heavenly Transformation Realm expert.
His hawk-like sharp eyes swept across the scene. Even Guo Xiong, normally brash and unafraid of anyone, felt unease crawl across his skin, as though a predator had locked onto him.
"Boss!" Liu Feng, seeing his backer, immediately leapt up and hurried to his side.
In truth, Liu Bai had not struck with killing intent earlier. He had merely unleashed the ferocity of golden thunder to intimidate them. If he had truly unleashed the Five Elements Divine Lightning Art in earnest, even Elder Lin would not withstand it, let alone this group.
Huo Yun, dejected, walked toward a white-robed youth, muttered softly, and then fell silent.
In his heart, he was crushed. Not because of losing once again to Liu Bai, nor the looming compensation, but because he realized Liu Bai's growth was far too terrifying. At this rate, perhaps in this lifetime, he would never have the chance for revenge.
In the sky, Liu Bai faced Liu Xuan and Bai Ran. The three stood opposite each other, silence weighing heavy over the entire Spirit Convergence Array. All eyes turned upward, waiting for the clash between these three powers.
....
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