CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 34: THE ASTONISHING DARK HORSE

EDITOR: ENDLESSFANTASY TRANSLATION

"Li Yuanhao, what do you mean by that?"

Ji Wuyue’s eyebrows twitched, her sharp gaze locked onto Li Yuanhao.

Li Yuanhao scoffed coldly, shifted his gaze away, and no longer responded.

"They’re coming!"

A startled cry rang out from the academy, the ground seemed to tremble, and everyone craned their necks, looking toward the western gate.

Outside the western gate of the academy, two figures—one rising, one falling—could be seen far off, chasing each other and sprinting toward the academy.

"Two people? I wonder who they are?"

Zi Hongyuan squinted.

"In terms of cultivation, Li Heshan is leagues ahead; his Daluo Step has reached the Great Accomplishment Realm. In terms of Qinggong, it seems that only Li Tianyang and Qin Luoxue have the ability to compete with him."

"Qin Luoxue’s Qinggong technique is Cloud Smoke Step, graceful and light. But the Qinggong technique of these two people is clearly not the same. It seems that it should be Li Heshan and Li Tianyang."

The instructors and elders nearby watched the distant figures and analyzed heatedly.

"Hahaha... it’s definitely Yanger!"

Li Yuanhao slapped the table and stood up, his face flushed as he watched the rapidly approaching figures in the distance, so excited that his beard trembled.

"Congratulations, congratulations! Your son is so talented; he is sure to be admitted to the Golden Palace. His future is limitless..."

The other instructors and academy elders congratulated Li Yuanhao one after another.

With such an outstanding son, the father would be honored by his child, and Li Yuanhao’s position in the academy would surely rise as well.

Ji Wuyue sat in her seat, biting her lip. The chair creaked under her grip, her beautiful eyes reflecting her unwillingness.

There was no one in the Silver Moon class with the strength to compete for the top three, so she held no hope. It’s just that she found Li Yuanhao’s smug expression extremely disgusting. She would rather it be Qin Luoxue arriving than Li Tianyang!

"Eh, who’s the boy with the saber next to Li Heshan?" Zi Hongyuan looked at the approaching figures, a glint flashing in his pupils.

"Dean, that’s my son, Li Tianyang." Li Tianyang’s weapon was the Snake-headed Saber. Li Yuanhao, increasingly certain, answered casually.

A sudden, awkward silence fell. Zi Hongyuan coughed, embarrassed, and said awkwardly to Li Yuanhao, "Li Yuanhao, it seems that boy is not Li Tianyang."

"Dean, you must be joking."

Li Yuanhao smiled faintly, turning his gaze toward the western gate, then suddenly froze.

At this moment, the two figures had already entered the western gate and were clearly visible.

The youth with thick eyebrows on the left was undoubtedly Li Heshan.

And the youth beside him carrying a saber was—

"Impossible!"

The smile on Li Yuanhao’s face solidified. He cried out in surprise and collapsed directly back into his seat, his face pale as if he had seen a ghost. He kept muttering, "How could it be him? How could it be him..."

"Who’s that boy carrying a saber? He can actually compete with Li Heshan!"

"He’s wearing the Silver Moon class uniform; he must be a Silver Moon class student!"

"A Silver Moon class student? Besides Bing Ruolan in the Silver Moon class, the second-ranked Nanfei only has mid-stage Fourth Level Rigid-Soft Realm strength. How could he be a match for Li Heshan?"

"You’re right. I don’t know where this dark horse came from."

"Hey! That saber... It’s Luo Feng! The one who outperformed Li Tianyang in Qingfeng Town! I recognize him!"

The entire field was in an uproar, everyone discussing the identity of the youth who could keep pace with Li Heshan.

"Ji Wuyue, congratulations, congratulations! I never thought you could have such an outstanding student! This is truly something to be celebrated!" Once the identity of the newcomer was clarified, a nearby instructor congratulated Ji Wuyue.

"Congratulate me for what?" Ji Wuyue frowned and looked at the person speaking.

She had assumed the arrivals were definitely Li Tianyang and Li Heshan, so she hadn’t paid attention to the situation in the square.

That instructor pointed to the square and laughed. "Your class’s Luo Feng has the power to stand toe-to-toe with Li Heshan. Isn’t that worth congratulating?"

Luo Feng? Ji Wuyue shook her head with a bitter smile, thinking the other person was joking.

She was very clear about Luo Feng’s strength. Although he was a talent with unlimited potential, his current cultivation was only at the late stage of the Rigid-Soft Realm; he couldn’t possibly have the strength to contend with Li Heshan.

Although she thought so, Ji Wuyue couldn’t help but look up at the square.

SWISH!

Seeing the familiar figure in the square, Ji Wuyue’s beautiful eyes trembled. She suddenly stood up and rushed to the edge of the stands.

"It really is him..."

Ji Wuyue looked at the two figures near the western gate, clenched her fists tightly, and slammed one onto the stand. Her beautiful eyes curved into crescents. "Good boy! You even fooled me! Just wait and see how I’ll punish you!"

The arrivals were indeed Li Heshan and Luo Feng.

After leaving Bing Ruolan, Luo Feng used the Teng Dragon’s Step to its fullest, finally catching up with Li Heshan before they reached the academy.

"Luo Feng, I never thought your Qinggong could reach such a level!" Li Heshan said while still running.

His Daluo Step, a well-regarded martial art among Yellow Grade mid-rank techniques, was already at the Great Accomplishment Realm. He originally thought he could easily shake off Luo Feng and seize the First Challenge King’s Golden Throne, but unexpectedly, the opponent was so tenacious that he couldn’t get rid of him no matter what.

Luo Feng executed the Teng Dragon’s Step, keeping pace with Li Heshan. Gazing at the First Challenge King’s Golden Throne in the center of the square, his eyes were calm as he laughed heartily. "Li Heshan, I told you, the First Challenge King’s Golden Throne is mine!"

Li Heshan’s gaze hardened, but this time he didn’t refute Luo Feng’s arrogance.

In terms of Qinggong alone, Luo Feng’s cultivation was superior to his. If it weren’t for his own cultivation being significantly higher than Luo Feng’s, he would have definitely been left far behind by now.

"What’s this Qinggong technique you’re practicing? I’ve never seen it before."

Luo Feng smiled faintly. "I’ll tell you once I’ve gotten the First Challenge King’s Golden Throne. I’m going ahead now."

WHOOSH!

With that, the four transparent Qi Dragons around Luo Feng suddenly writhed violently, and his speed once again increased, surprisingly widening the gap between him and Li Heshan by three or four steps!

He can still speed up!

Li Heshan looked at Luo Feng, his heart filled with both shock and anger.

He had initially thought that Luo Feng’s speed, like his own, was at its limit. He never expected that the other party was still holding back.

At this rate, the First Challenge King’s Golden Throne will definitely fall into Luo Feng’s hands. Li Heshan dared not be careless. His eyes flashed, and he swiftly drew the sword from his waist. The blade shimmered as it thrust toward Luo Feng.

Luo Feng had long been prepared. He held his Tiger Soul Saber horizontally to block Li Heshan’s lightning-fast sword strike, his feet stopping as his gaze fixed on Li Heshan.

"Li Heshan, you finally made your move."

Li Heshan held his longsword, his gaze calm. "Luo Feng, I admit my Qinggong is not as good as yours. However, the Challenge King competition isn’t just about Qinggong! You should be proud for forcing me to this extent! Chasing Wind Thirteen Swords!"

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The longsword in Li Heshan’s hand suddenly emitted over a dozen sword glimmers, firmly boxing Luo Feng in.

"Chasing Wind Sword Technique..."

Luo Feng felt the frigid chill within the sword glimmers and couldn’t help but narrow his eyes.

The Chasing Wind Sword Technique was one of the more famous sword techniques among Yellow Grade mid-rank martial arts. Once the longsword was drawn, it was as if a wild wind danced, dazzling and making it impossible to defend against—extremely fierce.

"Hahahaha... Luo Feng, it seems the First Challenge King’s Golden Throne is mine!" Having blocked Luo Feng’s path, Li Heshan laughed heartily. He performed the Daluo Step and prepared to leave.

"You’re celebrating too soon." Luo Feng used stillness to counter motion. Waiting for the sword glimmers to approach, his Tiger Soul Saber swung upwards in a reverse slash!

CRACKLE!

The myriad sword glimmers shattered. Luo Feng’s Tiger Soul Saber collided with the fine steel longsword in Li Heshan’s hand. A fierce wind blasted out, sending both of them staggering back two steps.

Li Heshan’s gaze finally turned somewhat grave.

From afar, it didn’t seem like much. But experiencing it firsthand, Li Heshan truly felt the terror of Luo Feng’s strength. Just one blow from Luo Feng’s saber had obliterated his sword glimmers.

The youth’s saber technique was exceptionally solid, his movements clean and decisive, without any wasted motion.

Faced with this situation, Li Heshan, instead of being alarmed, actually laughed. He stamped his foot on the ground, his figure shooting towards Luo Feng like a bolt of lightning.

"Good saber technique! Let’s see how many of my strikes you can withstand!"

"Bring it on!" Luo Feng clenched the Tiger Soul Saber, his face filled with fighting spirit, showing no signs of backing down.

Li Heshan’s swordsmanship was impressive, and coupled with the difference in their cultivation levels, he was the perfect opponent for Luo Feng. This would greatly hone Luo Feng’s combat experience, help eliminate any shortcomings in his saber technique, and be immensely beneficial for his power growth.

The two figures collided in an instant. Immediately, the sound of clashing metal rang out incessantly, and the glint of sabers and swords soon enveloped their forms.

In the spectator stands, students from both the Gold Sun class and the Silver Moon class stared wide-eyed; many even unconsciously stood up from their seats.

"This Luo Feng can actually contend with Li Heshan. He’s truly remarkable!"

"Tsk tsk, to think the Silver Moon class actually produced such a prodigy! With early-stage Fifth Level Iron Bone Realm cultivation, he can push Li Heshan into a fierce battle. Looking at the intensity of this fight, it’s no less impressive than a battle between inner court students."

"He’s got to be this year’s biggest dark horse..."

"Looks like we have to train harder too, or they’ll soon surpass us."

Some of the inner court students who had come to watch the battle discussed animatedly as they observed the intense fight in the square.

"Hehe, I didn’t expect this year’s Challenge King competition to bring such a surprise. Seeing this Luo Feng reminds me of Lu Xiaoyun from three years ago. Back then, he also rose from obscurity, then suddenly amazed everyone and shone brilliantly. Now, he’s already one of the Ten New Dragons of the Flowing Cloud Region. Three years have flown by; time truly passes quickly." On the highest stands, Zi Hongyuan watched Luo Feng with keen interest.

"Lu Xiaoyun? That once-in-a-century super genius? Can this Luo Feng even be compared to him?" a white-haired academy elder asked in astonishment.

Zi Hongyuan smiled faintly, pointing at Luo Feng. "Do any of you know what Qinggong technique Luo Feng is cultivating?"

"His Qinggong cultivation surpasses Li Heshan’s; it’s very mysterious. It seems the Qinggong technique he is practicing is high-grade, but I’ve never seen this particular technique before." The other elders and instructors all shook their heads.

Sitting on the left side of the high platform, the middle-aged instructor in charge of the Martial Arts Hall frowned at Luo Feng, then suddenly slapped his forehead and exclaimed, "I remember now! He’s the one who borrowed the Teng Dragon’s Step!"

Teng Dragon’s Step!

The surrounding instructors and elders were all visibly shocked.

"Hehe, correct! If I’m not mistaken, what he’s displaying is indeed the Teng Dragon’s Step! Moreover, with four Qi Dragons swirling around him, his Teng Dragon’s Step has clearly reached the fourth stage!" Zi Hongyuan said, his face beaming.

HISS!

Audible gasps rippled through the surrounding instructors and elders, who stared at Luo Feng in utter shock.

Everyone in the Purple Sun School knew of the Teng Dragon’s Step’s marvels. For over a decade, no one had successfully cultivated it. Many elders, and even Dean Zi Hongyuan himself, had attempted it, all ending in failure.

Even the super genius Lu Xiaoyun had only managed to touch the threshold of the Teng Dragon’s Step’s first stage!

Yet Luo Feng had actually cultivated the Teng Dragon’s Step to the fourth stage! What terrifying comprehension!

"Li Heshan has higher cultivation, while Luo Feng possesses profound Qinggong. I wonder into whose hands the First Challenge King’s Golden Throne will fall..." someone lamented.

"Hmph. Luo Feng’s comprehension might be good, and his Qinggong may be slightly superior to Li Heshan’s. But strength is strength. His mere early-stage Fifth Level Iron Bone Realm cultivation is simply no match for Li Heshan. He doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance for the First Challenge King’s Golden Throne!"

Li Yuanhao had recovered by now. He clenched the armrest of his chair, his expression grim, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on Luo Feng.

"That’s also true."

The people nearby nodded in agreement; after all, the disparity in their cultivation levels was too great.