Chapter 1929: Causing Chaos at the Enfeoffment Ceremony
In the distance, a group of figures came roaring through the air, causing the crowd's pupils to contract slightly. Someone had actually come to cause trouble.
"Rebels of the Heavenly Terrace Academy, harming fellow disciples!" a man being chased by the Heavenly Terrace members roared. On the Enfeoffment Platform, the older generation of War King Academy elders also had cold glints in their eyes. At the Enfeoffment Ceremony, where heroes gathered from all sides, such an incident had actually occurred within their own War King Academy.
"I'll go intercept them," one person said in a low voice.
"Let them come," an old man said solemnly. The man immediately stopped in his tracks. Moments later, the Heavenly Terrace members arrived at this place.
The Heavenly Terrace members were cloaked in murderous aura, roaring through the air. Before them, the crowd was vast and boundless, all eyes fixed on the Heavenly Terrace group. Ji Shang's gaze was icy cold, piercing through the void, landing directly on Lin Feng. It was him.
Ji Shang had heard from the Ji Gate members that this man had gone from the Immortal Kingdom Trial Ground to War King Academy, only to be killed by Zong Que. Yet now, why had he appeared again?
When Ji Shang's eyes fell on Sword Blind and Ao Xu, his pupils suddenly flashed with a sharp, piercing coldness. Looking back at Lin Feng, he seemed to have figured something out.
Zong Que stepped forward, arriving not far from Lin Feng and the others. Waves of killing intent swept out like a violent wind, descending upon the Heavenly Terrace members.
"You're not dead," Zong Que said coldly. Behind him, a group of Rock Gate experts appeared, their murderous aura soaring to the heavens, carrying a terrifying, heavy pressure that pressed down on Lin Feng and the others like ancient peaks.
"Causing chaos at the Enfeoffment Ceremony, rebelling against War King Academy, harming fellow disciples—all deserve execution!" a voice boomed out. The Heavenly Terrace members looked at the speaker, their pupils cold. It was the same enforcer from the battle platform that day.
"Scum," Tantai cursed coldly at the man.
"You dog-bastard enforcer, how dare you call yourself an enforcer? When the Moon Gate and Rock Gate were harming our Heavenly Terrace, were you blind? Where were you?" Tantai roared. The man's face turned green with anger, and he spoke to an old man on the Enfeoffment Platform: "Ancestor Xuantian, I request enforcement! Execute all these Heavenly Terrace disciples to rectify the academy's conduct!"
But at this moment, Ancestor Xuantian's gaze was fixed straight ahead. There, a pair of eyes was staring at him unwaveringly. The owner of those eyes was Lin Feng. His pupils held the intent of death, and though he was only at the Low-rank Emperor realm, Ancestor Xuantian could sense an extraordinary quality about him.
"I'll allow you to explain yourselves. If you don't have sufficient reason, no matter where you come from, causing chaos in War King Academy's conduct—no one can protect you," Ancestor Xuantian said in a low voice. Lin Feng's expression was calm as he looked at Ancestor Xuantian and said, "I have brought the Heavenly Terrace members here today because I trust the academy. At this moment, I ask you, Senior: Is War King Academy the academy of all its disciples, or is it the academy of those who are enfeoffed as kings, or of a select few?"
"War King Academy has produced countless heroes across generations. Anyone can become an enfeoffed king. Naturally, it is the academy of all disciples, not just a few."
"In the past, our Heavenly Terrace fought a fair battle on the platform against the Moon Gate. Zong Que intervened and killed my external incarnation on the spot. No one in War King Academy did anything. After the killing, the enforcer even said I deserved to die and should be executed. What does that mean?" Lin Feng said calmly. Ancestor Xuantian frowned slightly, turning to look at the enforcer beside him, and asked, "Is this true?"
The enforcer's heart trembled. His eyes flashed coldly at Lin Feng, then he said, "Ancestor, this man assisted people from another realm in the Immortal Kingdom Trial Ground, opposing our own legion and killing War King Academy disciples. He rebelled against the academy. How could he not deserve death?"
Ancestor Xuantian frowned again, then looked at Lin Feng and said, "As a member of War King Academy, since you entered the Immortal Kingdom Trial Ground with other academy disciples, you should have fought alongside the academy's strong. Instead, you killed our own disciples. Indeed, you deserve death."
"I did not enter the Immortal Kingdom Trial Ground as a representative of War King Academy," Lin Feng said calmly, looking at Ancestor Xuantian. "In the past, by chance, I accidentally fell into the Underworld. Later, I learned that the Immortal Kingdom Trial Ground could lead to the Nine Heavens, so I wanted to enter it to return to the Nine Heavens Continent. It happened to coincide with the Nine Heavens launching a war of conquest, where everyone from the Underworld was to be killed. I was part of the Underworld's legion, so naturally, I was a target for the Nine Heavens' slaughter. I ask you, Ancestor, what should I have done?"
Ancestor Xuantian's expression froze. Accidentally falling into the Underworld? Not only him, but many around were startled. What kind of place was the Immortal Kingdom Trial Ground? And there was also the Underworld?
"If that's the case, then life and death are determined by fate when training abroad."
"You're right, Senior. When training abroad, life and death are determined by fate. Even if we were enemies, what crime did I commit? Zong Que violated the academy's rules, disrupted a fair battle, and killed a fellow disciple. The enforcer did nothing to stop him and, without asking the reason, helped Zong Que declare that I deserved death. Do you know why, Ancestor?" Lin Feng's gaze fell on the Enfeoffment Platform. His black pupils were exceptionally calm. The Enfeoffment Ceremony, where heroes gathered, was the time he had chosen. At this moment, even if some people wanted to play dirty tricks, they had nowhere to hide. If the academy's upper echelons were the same as those people, then he had nothing to say. At worst, he would leave War King Academy. In front of everyone, he didn't believe War King Academy would kill them on the spot.
"Why?"
"Because Ji Shang was enfeoffed as a king, his status transcendent. Everyone groveled, willing to be Ji Shang's slaves. Zong Que acted for the Ji Gate, and the enforcer was unjust because of Ji Shang. I ask you, does War King Academy seem like it belongs to Ji Shang alone?" Lin Feng's voice boomed, causing the crowd to show interest. They now understood the situation. Such things were inevitable everywhere, even in the other three academies. There was no absolute fairness; talent determined everything.
Ancestor Xuantian was silent for a moment, then cast a cold glance at the enforcer. Another person beside Ancestor Xuantian looked at Lin Feng and asked, "Even if they were wrong, you brought people to harm fellow disciples. That crime is unforgivable."
"Bullshit," Tantai muttered under his breath. Hou Qinglin then spoke, his voice carrying a cold edge: "War King Academy is a den of corruption."
As his words fell, everyone's gazes turned sharply to Hou Qinglin, their eyes piercing.
"How dare you!" the enforcer roared. "Ancestor, these Heavenly Terrace members not only harmed fellow disciples but also insulted the academy's reputation. They should be expelled!"
"If I could leave War King Academy, I would have done so long ago. I don't need you to expel me," Hou Qinglin said coldly. The crowd erupted in murmurs. Hou Qinglin's words were undoubtedly a denigration of the academy, carrying a hint of insult.
Ancestor Xuantian's expression darkened. In front of so many people, Hou Qinglin's words tarnished the academy's reputation.
"Let me ask you, Ancestor: Why do we join the academy?" Hou Qinglin looked at Ancestor Xuantian and asked.
"For strength."
"You're right, Ancestor. The disciples of War King Academy join only for strength. As for honor or disgrace, we treat the academy as it treats us. But after the unjust enforcement on the battle platform, the Ji Gate and Moon Gate monitored every move of our Heavenly Terrace. Whenever someone stepped half a step out of the academy, they would immediately use ruthless means to harm them. Their goal was to force our Heavenly Terrace to leave War King Academy. And once we left, given their behavior, I believe you can imagine what they would do. For months, our Heavenly Terrace disciples lived in shadow, with no one caring. I ask you, Ancestor: Would our Heavenly Terrace members feel any sense of honor toward the academy? What should we have done?" Hou Qinglin asked in a low voice, giving Ancestor Xuantian a general understanding of the situation.
"The Heavenly Terrace's suffering was caused by the enforcer's mistake. But in the world of martial arts, this is how it is. Strength reigns supreme. There is no absolute fairness. War King Academy is like this, and so is everywhere else. The strong live; the weak die," Ancestor Xuantian said slowly. Many around smiled. This old man spoke directly, revealing the essence of the matter. Without strength, there is no respect. The Heavenly Terrace's suffering was naturally influenced by Ji Shang's enfeoffment as a king.
"You speak truly, Ancestor!" Lin Feng said loudly, bowing slightly to Ancestor Xuantian, making the crowd even more intrigued.
Lin Feng raised his head, looking at Ancestor Xuantian, and said, "The strong live; the weak die. Ji Shang was enfeoffed as a king, the Ji Gate grew powerful, and the academy's enforcement was like this. The Heavenly Terrace had no recourse. Since the academy wouldn't enforce the rules, our Heavenly Terrace had to enforce our own revenge—crippling the Rock Gate members and killing the Moon Gate members."
Ancestor Xuantian smiled upon hearing Lin Feng's words and said, "I can forgive the grudge between the Heavenly Terrace and the Ji Gate and Rock Gate. But have you considered this: Once I forgive your Heavenly Terrace, the Ji Gate and Rock Gate will retaliate against you again, and War King Academy won't be able to interfere. Have you thought about that?"
"This old fox," the crowd thought, realizing Ancestor Xuantian's cunning. All eyes fell on Lin Feng and the others. In this way, the Heavenly Terrace members were essentially shooting themselves in the foot.
"All the grudges stem from the battle between the Heavenly Terrace and the Moon Gate that day. Lin Feng earnestly requests that you, Ancestor, allow the Heavenly Terrace to challenge the Moon Gate to another battle, with no regard for life or death," Lin Feng said, bowing slightly to Ancestor Xuantian. At this moment, the expressions of the crowd froze.
"You destroyed my Rock Gate, and now you don't even mention it?" Zong Que's voice was cold, his killing intent surging like a wave.
"Don't worry. You killed my external incarnation. I haven't settled that score with you yet. If the Rock Gate wants to join in, the Heavenly Terrace will accept. We'll take on both the Moon Gate and the Rock Gate, with no regard for life or death," Lin Feng said, looking at Zong Que. His pupils of death were cold to the extreme.
"The Moon Gate is also a part of the Ji Gate," Ji Shang's voice boomed from the Enfeoffment Platform. The crowd's expressions stiffened. Was Ji Shang going to make a move as well?
Lin Feng's gaze slowly shifted, landing on Ji Shang, and he said with a smile, "If the Ji Gate also wants to shamelessly interfere and deal with our Heavenly Terrace members, we'll take it all on. The Ji Gate members have been running rampant in the academy, relying solely on your enfeoffment as a king. But with talent like yours being enfeoffed as a king in the academy and worshipped like a god, it's truly a disgrace to the academy!"