Chapter 34: This Is Too Much
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Li Xuan returned to Sacred Dao Academy beneath the deepening dusk. Mountain mists hung like gauze over every corner of the academy, while faint streams of origin energy curled out from between the rocks, casting the veil in iridescent colors.
As night descended, the students waited with eager anticipation. They should have been reviewing their cultivation techniques, yet instead they had gathered together, their eyes fixed upon the darkness.
“How do you think Senior Wang Teng will make his grand entrance?”
A blush spread across the girl’s cheeks. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, her larklike voice filled with tenderness. Even as she spoke, her beautiful eyes remained fixed upon the distance, unblinking, as though afraid she might miss so much as a moment.
“Of course he’ll come with a Profound Entry Realm movement technique, clad in the might of thunder and riding auspicious clouds!”
The girl’s imagination ran wild. Wang Teng had awakened his bloodline power at the peak of the God-Slaying Realm. After being trained by his family, he had grown rapidly. It could be said that only Kong Sheng was capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with him.
The world was unpredictable. The Kong family’s intention to form a marriage alliance with the Jiang family was already an indisputable fact, while Wang Teng had ventured in and out of forbidden life zones in order to win Li Chenxi’s heart.
Still, Wang Teng was an incorrigible womanizer. How could he ever devote himself to a single woman? For that reason, many noble young ladies continued to hold on to hope.
After a year of training, Wang Teng had returned once more. He was bound to be dazzling beyond compare.
An early-stage Profound Entry Realm cultivator capable of matching those in the late stage—his talent and strength were indeed astonishing. Combined with the Wang family’s innate thunder bloodline, his progress was swift beyond belief.
“That may be true, but it still means that wretched Li Chenxi gets all the benefit. Even back when she was at the academy, she was already harboring improper intentions!”
The girl’s expression darkened. Though she had yet to see Wang Teng, she could not help thinking of him day and night, and now she was consumed by jealousy.
“Exactly. What has that slut done to deserve Wang Teng’s favor? Just like his good-for-nothing younger brother, she knows nothing but crooked tricks!”
Li Xuan’s brows drew tightly together. He gave a mocking laugh. “Junior Sisters, watch your language. Not everyone considers Wang Teng some priceless treasure…”
He fell silent. Wang Teng’s talent was passable enough, but as for his character—he was nothing but a damned womanizer.
“Who do you think you are? Don’t you know the heavens are high and the earth is vast?”
The girl shot Li Xuan a sidelong glance and turned her back to him. “Everyone knows the Li family has fallen. That womanizer Li Chenxi would do anything for that useless Li Xuan. She’s a complete female philanderer. Someone has been made a cuckold and still doesn’t even know it!”
Li Xuan clenched his fists and roared, “You…”
At that moment, a surge of origin power shot into the sky from a rockery. The mountain mist churned violently, and with a thunderous roar, a mass of celestial mist erupted outward.
The celestial mist gathered and compressed the surrounding air, forming a cloud about a meter across.
The cloud rolled and heaved, its undulations sending ripples of energy outward.
A rumble like heavenly thunder shook the air. The cloud churned violently, containing a vast and terrifying power.
One peal of thunder followed another.
Hearing the sound, the students turned their heads. It was Wang Zifan, urging his family bloodline to awaken the thunder bloodline.
“Wow, look! That’s the Wang family’s unique bloodline—the thunder bloodline! It’s Wang Zifan! He awakened the thunder bloodline at the late God-Slaying Realm. He’s welcoming Wang Teng’s return in his own way!”
“The Wang family truly has profound foundations. Another God-Slaying Realm cultivator has now awakened the thunder bloodline. No wonder they have stood for ten thousand years!”
“First Wang Teng, and now Wang Zifan. Both are peerless talents. The Wang family is destined to rise!”
“The Wang family’s chosen heirs are rising one after another. They truly live up to their reputation as an unparalleled clan…”
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Wang Zifan awakened the thunder bloodline at that moment, instantly becoming the center of attention. As a student of the Four Dao Institute, awakening the thunder bloodline at the late God-Slaying Realm seemed to strain him somewhat.
Yet Wang Teng’s return had placed considerable pressure on him. As a collateral descendant of the Wang family, he could not allow his talent to fall behind anyone else. This display naturally won him a large wave of admirers.
Li Xuan’s pupils contracted, and a mysterious curve appeared at the corners of his mouth. He shook his head.
“Li Xuan, this must be rather irritating to watch.”
Elder Xi Yue had appeared behind him at some unknown point. As a teacher, she naturally did not wish to see deep hatred develop among the students.
Li Xuan pursed his lips, then sidled over with a grin. “Elder Xi Yue, surely you aren’t also…”
A faint blush touched Elder Xi Yue’s cheeks. She gave a soft snort. “Boy, my Dao heart is steadfast and unmoved. I have seen every kind of worldly romance. Your little schemes could never disturb it. And don’t compare me with those innocent young girls!”
Li Xuan blinked his lake-blue eyes. “Elder Xi Yue, everyone knows that the Wang family is born with the thunder bloodline. But Wang Zifan is being overly eager for quick success, and his foundation is unstable. He’s merely imitating a tiger and ending up like a dog. What is there to boast about?”
Li Xuan continued, “The thunder bloodline naturally has different grades of strength. Wang Teng awakened the Orca Thunder Bloodline, whereas Wang Zifan has, at best, the Tiger-Hound Bloodline…”
A strange light flashed through Elder Xi Yue’s clear eyes. She found his claims highly questionable and did not agree with his brazen assertions. Yet before Li Xuan could finish speaking, the phenomenon in the sky suddenly changed.
The thunder vanished in an instant. Fine bolts of lightning burst from Wang Zifan’s body, while the surging origin power collapsed at once. His eyes became scarlet, like those of a wild beast.
Wang Zifan, however, had prepared for this in advance. He quickly swallowed an origin pill, and his origin power surged forth once more, maintaining the thundercloud above his head.
The cloud rolled and transformed in countless ways. Though thunder continued to rumble, it ultimately took the form of a tiger-hound.
Elder Xi Yue gazed deeply at Li Xuan. “Did the academy’s founding patriarch truly transmit his teachings to you in a dream? Can the Nine-Yang Soul-Reclaiming Needles really reveal such details?”
Li Xuan neither confirmed nor denied it. He merely smiled and pointed toward the distant night sky. “The Orca Thunder Bloodline has arrived.”
Elder Xi Yue followed his gaze. Sure enough, in the depths of the night sky, thunderclouds rolled and shifted in endless forms, while brilliant flashes of lightning danced like fireflies.
The thunderclouds seemed to be at the edge of the heavens, yet even from such a distance, the rolling thunder could not be concealed. When it reached their ears, it sounded startlingly real.
The clouds moved swiftly, rolling toward them amid the students’ eager anticipation.
At the same time, a pressure approached from afar. Massive peals of thunder surged alongside the lightning, and a human figure gradually emerged.
“Look! Senior Wang Teng!”
The students shrieked excitedly.
Only moments later, a gigantic orca appeared within the lightning. Its immense body blotted out the sky and the sun.
The orca merely rolled over, and the thunderclouds churned like a rising tide. The tremendous pressure lifted a wave of clouds that came crashing toward them.
Lightning burst in every direction, blazing with a radiance as dazzling as the sun.
Then a figure descended from the heavens. The instant he landed, lightning enveloped his body, making him appear like a god descending into the mortal world.
Wang Teng finally appeared before the students.
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Whistles, shouts, and screams rose like waves, each one higher than the last.
Even Elder Xi Yue’s normally placid face showed a rare trace of amusement. She glanced at Li Xuan and said, “Now that is a true hero of the age. Though you created a miracle, Li Xuan, you are still far behind Wang Teng.”
Li Xuan did not deny it. He simply kept his eyes fixed on Wang Teng.
Wang Teng let out a roar. His Orca Thunder Bloodline boiled, and the vast pressure of the Profound Entry Realm swept outward, drowning out the crowd’s cries.
At that moment, a figure descended from the sky and landed on one knee.
“Cousin, Wang Zifan greets you!”
Wang Teng raised one hand and pulled Wang Zifan to his feet. “Still so useless. You awakened the thunder bloodline, yet your origin power remains this thin. Aunt has been far too lenient with you! By the way, where is that brat Li Xuan?”
Wang Zifan was displeased. When Wang Teng mentioned Li Xuan, he had intended to add fuel to the fire, but a voice rang out before he could speak.
“Senior Wang Teng, why are you looking for me?”
Li Xuan walked out openly beneath everyone’s gaze and met Wang Teng’s eyes without flinching.
Suddenly, a fierce gust swept through the air. Afterimages flickered across the night sky, and Wang Teng seized Li Xuan by the throat. His heavy origin power surged forth, forcing Li Xuan to his knees.
“Your elder sister is your mother by seniority. Your brother-in-law has arrived, and you dare not kneel?”
Li Xuan struggled desperately. After only one exchange, blood had already seeped from his neck. Wang Teng’s palm locked around him like an iron shackle, forcibly pressing his head against the ground three times before finally releasing him. He stood with both hands behind his back and said, “I heard you bullied my little cousin. If anything like that happens again, I’ll cripple you myself!”
Li Xuan’s face flushed with humiliation, his eyes bloodshot. He roared, “Wang Teng, you bastard! Once I grow strong enough, I’ll make the entire Wang family pay for your death!”
Wang Teng was enraged. He struck Li Xuan across the face with the back of his hand, and a fountain of blood burst forth.
“What power do you have to make my Wang family pay? If the family elders were here today, ten of you would already be dead. If Li Chenxi did not still possess a little beauty and amuse me from time to time, I would have killed you long ago. You should take a good look at yourself in the mirror before imagining that you deserve the Azure Orchid. I would sooner feed it to a dog than give it to your Li family. Six months from now, when I return, it will be the day of my wedding. Until then, do not provoke my little cousin!”
Li Xuan bellowed, “Not a chance!”
Wang Teng struck Li Xuan again. With only a few blows, he shattered Li Xuan’s origin power. Had Elder Xi Yue not intervened, Wang Teng would likely have crippled him outright.
“For today, I’ll spare you for Elder Xi Yue’s sake.”
Wang Teng moved his foot from Li Xuan’s face and turned to leave.
At that moment, Li Xuan rolled to his feet, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and roared, “Six months from now will be your death date as well! I swear I’ll bury you with my own hands!”
Wang Teng halted. Lightning surged between his brows as he replied, “Good! I’ll give you six months. Let’s see how far you can grow. Zifan, during these six months, make sure you properly entertain this arrogant brother-in-law of ours!”
With that, Wang Teng transformed into a streak of origin light and vanished. He was already a thousand miles away.
With Wang Teng backing him, Wang Zifan naturally became even more overbearing. He pointed at Li Xuan’s nose. “Watch yourself!”
Li Xuan was about to lose his temper, but Elder Xi Yue stopped him.
“Wang Zifan, as a student of the academy, you would do well to behave yourself. Otherwise, when the Judicial Hall’s Elder Wang Chengxuan hears of this, it will reflect poorly on you.”
Having awakened the Wang family’s exclusive thunder bloodline, Wang Zifan was naturally arrogant to the extreme. He paid no attention to Elder Xi Yue’s warning, merely snorting as he walked away.
“Li Xuan, the Li family may have received financial support from the Imperial Court, but it has gained no backing in terms of influence. You should not speak so recklessly. I can help you today, but who will come to your aid in the future?”
A ruthless glint flashed through Li Xuan’s eyes. “The road ahead is long. Six months will be enough. The foremost student of the Four Dao Institute will receive the academy’s protection. That was the founding patriarch’s dying instruction. No one would dare disregard it. When that time comes, even if I kill the two Wang brothers, no one will dare interfere!”
Elder Xi Yue was visibly moved. Ripples stirred in her normally tranquil heart, and she shook her head helplessly.
“So that is what you have been planning. Killing Wang Teng is not something that can be accomplished merely by shouting about it.”
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