Chapter 120: Justice
These well-wishers were all nobles of the imperial city, which also hinted to the crowd that behind the Snow Moon Holy Academy stood the imperial family.
Many people were eager to try. With the imperial family personally stepping forward to establish the Holy Academy, its influence was naturally immense and powerful. If one could enter it, why worry about not becoming famous in Snow Moon in the future?
The well-wishers gradually withdrew and returned to the crowd. The Celestial Wolf King stood with a smile, and the crowd knew that the next step would be the academy recruiting members.
But just then, a sharp whistling sound tore through the sky above. The crowd felt an extremely fierce aura above their heads, causing their gazes to freeze as they looked up.
"Arrow!"
In the sky, an arrow, like a shooting star, came from the horizon, drawing a brilliant arc, and headed straight for the Celestial Wolf King on the high platform.
"What's going on?"
The eyes of the crowd all froze. Someone actually dared to shoot an arrow so blatantly at the Celestial Wolf King, and on the day of the Holy Academy's founding—too arrogant.
Duan Tianlang's expression also stiffened, his smile vanishing as his lips turned cold.
"Break!"
A powerful sword qi howled and slashed out, causing the falling arrow to stop its advance and descend from the air. At the same time, the rumbling sound of hooves came from afar, shaking the earth.
"Liu Canglan, congratulations on the founding of the Snow Moon Holy Academy."
A surging voice rolled in, making the crowd's gaze sharpen.
Liu Canglan, Divine Archer Liu Canglan, had also come!
"Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry, congratulations on the founding of the Snow Moon Holy Academy."
The rolling waves of sound covered the sky and earth, carrying a bloody, iron-willed aura. From afar, the crowd could already sense an iron-blooded army constantly approaching.
"What is that?"
Just then, many people's faces changed drastically. In the distance, countless arrows soared into the sky, carrying a whistling wind, rushing toward the heavens, extremely dazzling.
Everyone's gaze froze, staring blankly at the arrows that blotted out the sky and sun, instantly blocking the sunlight above their heads.
Was Divine Archer Liu Canglan really here to congratulate the founding of the Snow Moon Holy Academy?
"How dare you!"
Duan Tianlang's face instantly darkened to the extreme. He roared, his body leaping into the air, a brilliant sword light dazzling in his hand.
At the same time, many among the Snow Moon Holy Academy crowd also leaped into the air, releasing surging, powerful auras. Fierce attacks all blasted toward the falling arrows.
In the space, countless arrows flew wildly in chaos. The crowd below instantly fell into disarray, dodging to avoid being hit by the stray arrows.
The rolling sound of horse hooves arrived before them. One after another, Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry charged in from the crowd that had parted in the middle, bringing with them a domineering, fierce wind.
The leader had a resolute face, handsome and clean, with eyes as deep as the starry sky. What was even more striking was his long hair, all as white as snow.
"It's Liu Canglan. Why has his hair all turned white?"
The crowd, seeing the ferocious Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry, felt their hearts tremble violently. Was Liu Canglan actually going to cause trouble on the day of the Snow Moon Holy Academy's founding?
The sound of hooves stopped. This batch of Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry numbered at least two hundred, all with solemn expressions and unwavering gazes, as if their eyes could pierce through everything.
"Liu Canglan, do you know what you're doing?"
The Snow Moon Holy Academy crowd had already fallen into chaos. Duan Tianlang's face was cold and gloomy, his eyes fixed tightly on Liu Canglan atop the iron horse.
"I've come to seek justice."
Liu Canglan's voice was calm, but it was precisely this calmness that carried an unparalleled determination.
"Justice?" Duan Tianlang sneered. "Today is the day of the Holy Academy's founding, a celebration for all of Snow Moon, and you come to ask me for justice?"
"I have devoted twenty years of my life to Snow Moon, fighting on battlefields without ever frowning. When Snow Moon wanted to establish the Holy Academy, I had my only daughter, Liu Fei, run around everywhere, hoping to get more people to join the academy and become pillars of the nation."
Liu Canglan's white hair fluttered in the wind. He raised his head, looking at the sky, and spoke slowly.
"My heart has been entirely for Snow Moon. I even handed over command of the Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry to you. However, you, Duan Tianlang, led the Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry, allied with several sects, and destroyed the Cloud Sea Sect—the sect that raised me into adulthood. On that day, blood flowed like rivers. Duan Tianlang, tell me, what justice am I seeking?"
Liu Canglan slowly lowered his gaze from the sky, landing it on Duan Tianlang, sharp as a blade.
The crowd, hearing Liu Canglan's words, felt a surge of emotion in their hearts. The imperial family was the most heartless!
Liu Canglan was such a hero, famous throughout the land, yet his sect was destroyed just because of an imperial decree!
No one would believe that Duan Tianlang had destroyed the Cloud Sea Sect without the imperial family's authorization.
"The Cloud Sea Sect refused the establishment of the Holy Academy and disobeyed the orders of the Snow Moon imperial family. They were rebels and deserved to be destroyed. Now, you, Liu Canglan, lead the army's iron cavalry into the imperial city and cause trouble on the day of the Holy Academy's founding. Do you know what crime this is?"
Duan Tianlang swept his cold gaze around and said icily, "And you all, originally soldiers of Snow Moon, now join with a rebel to charge into the imperial city. Do you know your crime?"
"Rebel?"
The crowd's gaze froze. With one sentence, Duan Tianlang had labeled Liu Canglan a rebel.
But Duan Tianlang and his men showed no fluctuation in their expressions, remaining perfectly calm.
"For justice, what crime is there? I, Liu Canglan, have no guilt toward Snow Moon, only toward my sect and toward these brothers of mine."
Liu Canglan glanced at the people around him, a trace of guilt in his eyes.
"To die with the general, what regret is there in life?"
The man to Liu Canglan's left gave a light smile. On this iron-blooded soldier's face, that smile was full of tenderness—the bond of brotherhood.
"To die with the general, no regrets."
Several hundred iron cavalry shouted in unison. They had all voluntarily followed him here. Since they came, they were already prepared to die, unafraid of death.
The crowd, seeing these iron-blooded soldiers laughing and talking about life and death, felt a sense of tragic heroism rise in their hearts, as if a surge of hot blood was welling up.
"With a general like this, what more could one ask for in life?"
Among the crowd, Wen Aoxue's eyes flickered, a trace of sorrow passing through the depths of her gaze.
Beside Wen Aoxue, Lin Feng, beneath his bronze mask, had eyes that flickered constantly. A voice echoed in his mind: If the ruler wants his subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die.
The moment Liu Canglan led the iron cavalry into the imperial city, he already had the resolve to die. Even if he died, he wanted to seek justice. Perhaps he understood that even if he died, he might not obtain that justice.
Liu Canglan looked at each of his brothers, let out a long breath, and spoke with a tone tinged with desolation.
"Since that's the case, today will be our final battle. What a pity it's not on the battlefield, but here in this Snow Moon imperial city."
He took down the bow and arrow from his back, aiming the arrow at Duan Tianlang.
But Duan Tianlang's gaze was extremely calm, a sinister cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
At the same time, many powerful figures suddenly flashed to Duan Tianlang's side, releasing cold auras, their killing intent fully exposed, fierce and sharp.
The great battle was about to erupt.
"Wait."
Just then, a loud shout came from the crowd, exceptionally clear and resounding. Then, the crowd saw a figure step forward.
This person wore a bronze mask on his face, his features unclear.
Liu Canglan swept a glance, originally about to act, but seeing the bronze mask, his heart trembled, and the arrow on his bowstring slowed.
"It's him!"
Liu Canglan had seen Lin Feng before, at the Cloud Sea Sect. He had been about to cripple his own cultivation, but Lin Feng stopped him. Later, hearing what Lin Feng said to his subordinates, he knew that the one wearing the bronze mask was Lin Feng.
The one the entire Cloud Sea Sect had used their lives to protect.
"This has nothing to do with you. Get lost."
Liu Canglan cursed coldly, but how could Lin Feng not understand his intention? He calmly shook his head and said to Liu Canglan, "General, since you've already seen through everything, why bother coming to the imperial city?"
"For justice." Liu Canglan replied indifferently, not expecting Lin Feng to step in, putting him in a difficult position.
"Justice? That's just the justice in your eyes, General. In others' eyes, this justice is nothing but a chess piece to take your life. Justice isn't worth a single cent."
Lin Feng shook his head, stepped forward, walked to Liu Canglan's side, and looked at Duan Tianlang.
"Celestial Wolf King, today is the founding of the Snow Moon Holy Academy. May I ask a few questions?"
Duan Tianlang frowned, not expecting Lin Feng to suddenly appear. But since today's matter had to be handled well, he didn't refuse and replied coldly, "Speak!"
"Why is the Snow Moon Holy Academy named 'Holy Academy'?"
"Holy means pure and noble. The Snow Moon Holy Academy takes the name 'Holy Academy' to signify the noble status and pure identity of the academy." Duan Tianlang replied.
"I see." Lin Feng nodded slightly, then pointed at the Snow Moon Holy Academy crowd and said, "Among them, some are from the Hao Yue Sect, some from the Ice and Snow Mountain Villa, and some are from the Cloud Sea Sect that you destroyed. Now, they are all disciples of the Snow Moon Holy Academy. According to your meaning, Celestial Wolf King, recruiting people from other sects is nobility, and placing those rebels in the Snow Moon Holy Academy is purity. Is that right?"
As Lin Feng's words fell, the crowd instantly fell silent. Duan Tianlang's eyes also froze.
"Just now, the Celestial Wolf King also scorned the word 'rebel,' but the Cloud Sea Sect was destroyed by you, Celestial Wolf King. The disciples of the Cloud Sea Sect now follow you—isn't that rebellion? An academy that accommodates these rebels and rabble—how can it be called a Holy Academy? And to top it off, it's named after Snow Moon, becoming a symbol of the nation? Forgive my ignorance, but I ask the Celestial Wolf King to enlighten me."
Seeing Duan Tianlang silent, Lin Feng spoke again. With every word he said, Duan Tianlang's face grew darker.
What a sharp tongue, what piercing words—leaving him speechless!