Author note: Sorry for being late. I was thinking of entering a competition here in the webnovel, but I am still not sure if to enter the competition or not. What do you guys think should enter or not?
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Once all the students had exited the Dragon Forest, they assembled in front of the Azure Fang Pagoda.
Fu noticed the malicious gazes many academy staff were casting toward Ye Feng, and the sight startled him. Ye Feng, too, sensed the hostility and was equally surprised. Bewildered, he thought to himself, 'What's going on? Why are the academy staff looking at me with such malice? Have I offended them somehow?'
Fu then turned to Ye Feng and asked, "Why are the academy staff giving you that look? What did you do this time? They're staring at you as if you've killed their wives or their sons."
Ye Feng shook his head, completely speechless at Fu's words. "No idea," he said after a moment. "But my gut is telling me that things are going to become troublesome for me at the academy from now on."
Fu nodded in agreement; he shared the same uneasy feeling as Ye Feng.
Instructor Li stood before the students and announced, "Alright, the Monster Core Hunting Competition is officially over. The academy staff will now approach each team and count the monster cores they gathered in the Dragon Forest to determine the winners of the competition."
The academy staff began approaching each team to count the monster cores they had brought back from the Dragon Forest. However, some of them walked toward Ye Feng with clear malicious intent.
Ye Feng and Fu narrowed their eyes, their bodies tensing as they prepared for a possible battle but before the other academy staff could reach them, Senior Zhao stepped forward.
He gave Ye Feng and Fu a friendly smile and said, "Hello, Ye Feng, Fu. You can call me Instructor Zhao. Please show me all the monster cores you collected in the Dragon Forest."
Ye Feng nodded and handed over his and Fu space belts containing all the monster cores that they had collected from the Dragon Forest. Senior Zhao released the contents of the belts, and the monster cores immediately poured out.
He—and the academy staff standing nearby—were stunned as an enormous number of monster cores spilled forth, piling up into a small mountain. Senior Zhao found it hard to believe just how many monster cores Ye Feng and Fu had gathered. After calming down, an almost imperceptible smile appeared on his face.
'Hehe… now I understand why the princess is so interested in those two.'
After carefully counting the pile of monster cores, Senior Zhao placed them back into the space belts and handed the belts to Ye Feng. A satisfied smile appeared on his face as he said, "Ye Feng, Fu, the two of you did an outstanding job. I'm confident you two could challenge the top two spots in this competition. Keep up the good work"
Fu and Ye Feng cupped their fists simultaneously to senior Zhao. "Thank you, Teacher Zhao."
With a lazy wave of his hand, Senior Zhao smiled and left.
The sight of the enormous number of monster cores Ye Feng and Fu had brought back from the Dragon Forest left all the academy staff and students utterly shocked and speechless. Jealousy filled the eyes of many students, while certain academy staff stared at Ye Feng with unmistakable malice.
After the academy staff finished counting the monster cores gathered by all the teams, they reported the results to Instructor Li. Upon receiving the reports, Instructor Li announced the results to the students and revealed the two students who won the first and the second spots of the competition.
Ye Feng emerged as the champion of the Monster Core Hunting Competition, while Fu secured the second place.
Third place was claimed by five students who had joined forces for the competition.
After the academy instructors distributed the badges to Ye Feng, Fu, and the five students, Instructor Li announced the end of the Monster Core Hunting Competition and dismissed all the students.
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With Ye Feng
After Instructor Li dismissed the students, Fu and Ye Feng bid each other farewell and went their separate ways. Ye Feng headed toward his dwelling, his footsteps unhurried.
After only a few minutes, five middle-aged men in academy staff robes suddenly surrounded him. Each of them brandished a Saint weapon, their killing intent unmistakable.
Ye Feng's expression hardened. He swiftly summoned his Blood Dragon Fang, then narrowed his eyes and asked coldly,
"How can I help you, teachers?"
The five academy staff members smirked maliciously. One of them stepped forward and sneered.
"Don't take it personally, kid. The Zhang clan placed a massive bounty on your head."
The speaker was a bald, tan-skinned, muscular man wielding a massive Mace Saint weapon. Without another word, he charged forward, the other four following close behind.
Ye Feng tightened his grip on his weapon and steadied his breathing. He knew this battle would be extremely difficult—but backing down was not an option.
The bold, middle-aged man swung his saint weapon down at Ye Feng. Ye Feng raised his Blood Dragon Fang to block the strike.
"CLANK!, CRACK!"
The impact sent Ye Feng flying through the air as fractures spread across the Blood Dragon Fang. A mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips as he crashed to the ground. Before he could recover, the other four academy staff seized the opportunity and charged in to finish him off.
Ye Feng watched helplessly as four saint weapons descended toward him. His body was too slow—there was no time to dodge or defend.
Just as death loomed over him, four figures appeared out of nowhere. Their saint weapons clashed as they intercepted the fatal strikes, blocking every blow that would have claimed Ye Feng's life.
Senior Zhao stepped forward, his gaze icy as he stared at the five academy staff.
"You five have quite the nerve—ganging up on a student inside the academy. Aren't you afraid of the consequences?"
The five academy staff who had attacked Ye Feng turned and tried to flee the moment their assassination attempt failed. Suddenly, a violent gust of wind crashed down at them from the sky.
"FWOOOSH!"
An enraged voice thundered from above them making the five academy staff trembled in fear.
"Where do you think you five are going?"
The faces of the five academy staff turned pale when they recognized this voice it belongs to the academy headmaster.
The bold, tan-skinned middle-aged man muttered under his breath, his expression grim, "It's the headmaster… this is bad."
The headmaster descended from the sky and landed heavily on the ground. He stood there in silence, glaring at the five academy staff who had tried to assassinate Ye Feng. An oppressive aura radiated from him as his cold, piercing gaze locked onto them. Under that menacing stare, they instinctively swallowed, their throats dry with fear.
The headmaster's voice was calm, yet filled with fury.
"You five dare to attack a student within the academy grounds. You truly have a lot of courage… good, very good."
The bold middle-aged man looked at Chen, his eyes filled with fear, and said nervously, "Headmaster, this is a misunderstanding."
The headmaster ignored him he summoned his saint weapon—a golden gauntlet that covered his right hand. Long, heavy metal claws extended from it, gleaming with a terrifying aura.
A violent gust of wind erupted as the headmaster vanished. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared directly in front of the bold middle-aged man.
The headmaster clutched the man's saint weapon with his gauntlet. The golden claws shone blindingly bright, and a heartbeat later—
"CRASH!"
The huge Mace Saint Weapon shattered into countless fragments. The bold middle-aged man screamed in extreme pain, "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" as he was sent reeling backward, coughing up globs of blood.
After the headmaster shattered the bold man's saint weapon, the man crashed to the ground, his body left in a critically fatal state. The remaining four, who had attempted to kill Ye Feng, instinctively stepped back in terror.
"Headmaster, have mercy!" one of them pleaded.
The headmaster let out a low chuckle upon hearing this and said. "I am usually a very calm person. However, you attacked a student of my academy with the intent to kill him—and you expect me to stand by and do nothing?"
One of the four gritted his teeth and spoke up. "But what about him? He nearly killed Zhang Bo and Zhang Wei. If they hadn't activated the flare formation in time, they would have died in the Dragon Forest."
The headmaster nodded calmly. "You are correct. However, Zhang Bo and Zhang Wei were the ones who first broke the iron rule of the academy. According to the report I received, they nearly killed Ye Long. Ye Feng merely delivered the punishment they deserved."
They were left speechless by the headmaster's words. He continued coldly,
"The five of you are expelled from the academy, along with Zhang Wei and Zhang Bo. You have one hour to leave the academy grounds. Now get out—you are an eyesore."
They quickly grabbed the bold man and fled as fast as they could. The headmaster then turned to Ye Feng and said coldly, "Ye Feng, you are coming with me. We need to have a long chat."
A powerful gust of wind enveloped Ye Feng, and in the next moment, both he and the headmaster shot into the sky. Senior Zhao and the remaining academy staff could only stand there, watching the two figures disappear beyond the clouds.
Senior Zhao then glanced at the men accompanying him and said calmly, "You all may leave now. I need to go and report this matter to the princess."
The four academy staff members nodded respectfully to Senior Zhao and departed one after another, their figures soon disappearing from sight.
Senior Zhao then turned and walked toward Rou's Dwelling, a smile spreading across his face. 'I wonder how the princess will react when I share this wonderful news,' he mused.
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In the medical bay
The headmaster arrived at the medical bay, carrying Ye Feng in his arms. He scanned the Radiant Saint Masters gathered before him and said sharply, "Heal him—his saint weapon is cracked."
The Radiant Saint Masters immediately sprang into action, following the Chen's orders. Ten minutes later, Ye Feng was fully healed. Without a word, he rose to his feet, and together, Ye Feng and the headmaster walked toward the headmaster's office.
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In the headmaster's office
The headmaster sank into his chair as he entered his office, fixing Ye Feng with a serious gaze. "Listen carefully, Ye Feng. Because of what you did to Zhang Wei and Zhang Da, the Zhang clan's followers within the academy will be targeting you from now on. They aim to claim the bounty the Zhang family Patriarch placed on your head."
Ye Feng's eyes narrowed. "I have a bounty on my head? What do you mean by Zhang clan followers?"
The headmaster leaned forward slightly, his tone grave. "After what you did to Zhang Da and Zhang Wei in the Dragon Forest the Patriarch of the Zhang family placed a bounty on your head."
"The reward is quite generous because you crippled Zhang Da—he is his favorite son, after all."
"You are a young master of the Ye clan. Surely you know of the Zhang family alchemy skills. Their renown extends throughout the Hidden Dragon Kingdom—and even neighboring kingdoms speak of it."
Ye Feng nodded, acknowledging the headmaster's words.
"Thanks to their alchemical prowess," the headmaster continued, "the Zhang family have secured the loyalty of many powerful experts across the Hidden Dragon Kingdom. Some of these experts are part our academy staff—like those who had attacked you just now."
Ye Feng's eyes widened in surprise. The headmaster's tone grew serious as he said, "You need to get stronger and raise your cultivation quickly. I can protect you from the Zhang family while you're inside the academy, but outside… you'll be on your own."
Ye Feng's eyes narrowed, a steely resolve settling on his face. The headmaster tossed a badge toward him, and Ye Feng caught it instinctively. "This badge grants you access to Level Five of the library," the headmaster explained. "Use it wisely. And I strongly advise you to attempt entering the Asura Sword Spirit World again."
Ye Feng bowed slightly, cupping his fists. "Thank you, Headmaster, for everything you've done. I will make sure your kindness isn't wasted."
A faint smile appeared on the headmaster's face as he nodded. With a wave of his hand, he said, "You may leave."
Ye Feng straightened, his expression resolute, and left the headmaster's office.
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In Rou's dwelling
Senior Zhao entered Rou's dwelling after receiving her permission and knelt respectfully. "Princess, I have come to provide an update. Young Master Ye Feng encountered followers of the Zhang clan immediately after the Monster Cores Hunting Competition concluded."
Behind the curtain, Rou narrowed her eyes, her voice icy. "Tell me everything."
Senior Zhao recounted everything to Princess Rou: how Ye Feng's Blood Dragon Fang had cracked while blocking the strike of the Mace Saint weapon wielder; how the men accompanying him had intercepted the lethal blow aimed at Ye Feng; and how the academy headmaster had arrived in time to shatter the bold middle-aged man's saint weapon. He concluded by informing the princess that the headmaster had expelled the five Zhang family followers—along with Zhang Da and Zhang Wei—from the academy.
Rou smiled at the news, her eyes narrowing slightly as she began to ponder her next move. After a few minutes of silence, she spoke calmly,
"Well, I think I will use Ye Feng as bait to expel all the Zhang clan followers from the Azure Dragon Academy."
Senior Zhao was taken aback. "How do you plan to accomplish that, if I may ask?"
Rou smiled knowingly. "By using their own greed against them."
Rou giggled softly. "Yes. All cultivators are greedy, Senior Zhao—no one can deny that. You just said that the Zhang family Patriarch has placed a massive bounty on Ye Feng's head. Those Zhang family followers won't be able to resist claiming the bounty. Sooner or later, they will make another move against him."
Senior Zhao's eyes widened as he finally understood her plan.
Rou continued, her voice turning cold and resolute. "You and your men will protect Ye Feng from the shadows. When the Zhang clan followers attack, make sure the fight causes a huge commotion—enough to draw the headmaster's attention. Once he arrives and witnesses everything with his own eyes, he will have no choice but to expel them from the academy."
She paused, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.
"It's time to cleanse the Azure Dragon Academy of all Zhang clan followers."
Senior Zhao nodded with a respectful smile. "Your wish is my command, Princess. I will deliver your orders to our men at once. Please excuse me."
Rou inclined her head gracefully. "You may go."
Senior Zhao stood up, cupped his fist respectfully, and left Rou's dwelling.
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With Ye Feng
Ye Feng entered his dwelling and settled into the lotus position. His mind churned with the events of the day—how he had narrowly escaped death at the hands of the Zhang family followers. He also recalled every word the headmaster had said. The deeper he thought about the Zhang family, the more his eyes narrowed.
'I need to increase my cultivation and strength as quickly as possible,' he murmured to himself. 'I have plenty of rank-two monster cores that I collected from the Dragon Forest. They can help me improve my cultivation rapidly, and with the Pure Cleansing Pills I possess, I won't need to worry about an unstable foundation.' He nodded, his resolve firm.
With that decision, he retrieved all the monster cores stored in one of his space belts. One by one, he began absorbing them, letting the energy surge through his body as his cultivation steadily increased.
It didn't take long for Ye Feng to break through to the sixth layer of the Saint Realm.
After Ye Feng's breakthrough to the sixth layer, he made his way to the academy dining hall to grab a bite. The moment he entered, countless eyes turned toward him—some filled with curiosity, others with unmistakable envy. Whispers spread quickly among the students, all directed at him. They knew of his triumph in the Monster Core Hunting Competition, and the massive haul of monster cores he had claimed only fueled their jealousy.
After finishing his meal in the dining hall, Ye Feng made his way to the library, where he immersed himself in books on cultivation comprehension.
After leaving the library, he returned to his dwelling. He first swallowed a Pure Cleansing Pill, expelling the impurities from his body and stabilizing his foundation.
After taking a bath, he sat cross-legged on the ground and resumed absorbing the monster cores. Time passed unnoticed until night fell, and only then did he retire to rest.
Ye Feng continued visiting the library, studying cultivation comprehension, and absorbing his monster cores. After three weeks, he broke through to the peak of the Saint Realm.