Chapter 1197 - Conflict

No one expected Liu Wuxie to strike first. His palm cracked across Yan Bei's face, sending three bloody teeth spinning into the air as blood sprayed across the sky.

With a heavy rumble, Yan Bei's body crashed to the ground. Dizzy and battered, he groaned while the entire martial field sank into deathly silence.

Several breaths later, the disciples finally exhaled in shock. Gasps filled the air, even drawing the attention of the elders, who turned their gazes toward the disturbance.

"This Liu Wuxie is too audacious! To slap Yan Bei—he courts death!" disciples of the Dharma Institute shouted furiously. Many of them moved to surround Liu Wuxie, ready to strike.

Strangely, none of the Heavenly Martial Institute's disciples stood up for Liu Wuxie. Instead, they watched with faint, gloating smiles.

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Liu Wuxie, I'll kill you!" Yan Bei roared as he staggered upright. His hair was disheveled, his face twisted with rage, and his broken teeth gave his words a sharp whistle. He lunged forward, releasing his aura at the pinnacle of the Transcendent Realm.

"Looks like you need a lesson today," Liu Wuxie said coldly. Seizing the chance to establish his authority, he struck before Yan Bei could close the distance.

With a thunderous bang, his fist hammered into Yan Bei's chest. A crisp

crack

rang out as Yan Bei's ribs shattered.

"

ARGH!

" Yan Bei screamed in agony, clutching his chest. Breathing became painful, and he knew that if the punch had been heavier, his life would already be forfeit.

The onlookers quickly retreated, clearing a wide circle. None dared step into the crossfire.

Yan Bei's companions drew their weapons in rage.

"Finish him off!" they shouted, charging at Liu Wuxie together. Their combined strength rivaled the Origin Conversion Realm, and to withstand them, Liu Wuxie would have to unleash the Nine Heavenly Dragon Forms.

"Stand down!" A thunderous voice cut across the field. The elders strode forward, halting the fight.

This year's wilderness training was already unusual. The elders had been in a heated debate over its rules, unable to reach a consensus. Now, with this disruption, the tension only grew.

"Explain what happened here," a Dharma Institute elder demanded grimly as he stepped forward. His gaze fell on Yan Bei, who writhed on the ground in agony.

Though the disciples all wore the same outer-sect robes, their embroidery marked their affiliations—Heavenly Martial, Dharma, or War Dragon—making it easy for anyone to distinguish them.

The Dharma Institute elders felt humiliated. Someone from the Heavenly Martial Institute had beaten one of their disciples senseless in public.

"Elder Huang, the Heavenly Martial Institute's disciples are too arrogant! They ganged up on our Dharma Institute's disciple and injured him!" Yan Bei's three companions cried out, twisting the story to paint Liu Wuxie as the villain.

The Dharma Institute's elders turned cold eyes on Liu Wuxie, their intent sharp enough to kill. The rivalry between the three institutes was fierce. Resources, prestige, and power were all at stake—and now the Dharma Institute had lost face before everyone.

"Liu Wuxie! Why did you injure him?" Elder Huang thundered. His voice rumbled across the martial field like a storm, his aura pressing toward Liu Wuxie.

However, Elder Ding of the Heavenly Martial Institute had already learned the truth from his disciples. He knew full well that Yan Bei and his companions had provoked Liu Wuxie first.

"Calm yourself, Elder Huang," Elder Ding said, stepping forward. He released his Primal Origin Realm aura, colliding with Elder Huang's and dispersing it. "Don't jump to conclusions before everything is clear."

The two elders faced off, tension sparking between them. Open confrontations such as this one were rare but not unheard of. Many elders carried old grudges from their disciple years, and the feud between the Dharma and Martial Institutes was no exception.

"Ding Yi, you want to protect him?" Elder Huang snapped, his fury deepening as his eyes locked on Liu Wuxie.

"Everyone here saw what happened," Elder Ding replied firmly. "Your disciples provoked him first. If they hadn't, none of this would have occurred."

The surrounding disciples exchanged uneasy glances. They had indeed witnessed everything. If the Dharma Institute insisted on condemning Liu Wuxie, then the elders of the Heavenly Martial Institute would not remain silent.

"Your Heavenly Martial Institute has no say in Dharma Institute matters! This brat injured one of ours—we will not let this go," Elder Huang barked, murderous intent flashing in his eyes. It was clear that the Dharma Institute, along with the War Dragon Institute, intended to utilize wilderness training to eliminate Liu Wuxie.

After all, Liu Wuxie's talent was too monstrous. With his cultivation still at the Heaven Profound Realm, he had already suppressed countless prodigies at the Transcendent Realm. His brilliance left others in his shadow. Worse still, many of the new disciples were juniors of the elders themselves. Had Liu Wuxie not appeared, their kin might have claimed higher rankings and greater rewards.

"And how exactly does Elder Huang intend to resolve this?" Liu Wuxie asked with a mocking smile. His tone was calm, but his eyes were sharp. He had already discerned Huang Shan's murderous intent.

"Simple," Huang Shan sneered. "Take a strike from Yan Bei in return, and apologize to him in public."

"And if I refuse?" Liu Wuxie asked lightly, his smile unchanging, his expression unreadable.

Silence fell across the martial field. The disciples' gazes darted back and forth between Liu Wuxie and the elder, their breath held in anticipation.

"Then you won't leave this place alive," Huang Shan said coldly. Murderous intent rolled from him like thunder, leaving no doubt of his meaning.

"Huang Shan, how dare you threaten a disciple of my Heavenly Martial Institute!" Elder Ding's fury finally erupted. The Dharma Institute had started this conflict—yet now they demanded Liu Wuxie apologize? Outrageous!

Liu Wuxie cast Elder Ding a glance of gratitude. At least this elder stood up for him, unlike the other Heavenly Martial Institute elders, who stood silent.

"Ding Yi, you truly mean to protect him?" Huang Shan pressed coldly. With Ding Yi shielding Liu Wuxie, he could not openly act. The sect forbids elders to duel each other, and drawing blood among themselves means punishment.

The sect tolerates disputes among elders but rejects life-and-death battles, since those threaten the Heavenly Dragon Sect's prestige. Even outer elders are considered part of the sect's upper echelon.

"Disciples should resolve their own disputes," Ding Yi said firmly. "Once they reach the Avatar Star, they can settle it themselves."

Whether they chose a duel to the death or reconciliation, the disciples would decide.

Huang Shan's lips curved into a thin smile. "So be it. We will allow life and death in this year's wilderness training."

Gasps rippled through the disciples. In past years, wilderness training forbade killing. However, the War Dragon and Dharma Institutes had recently petitioned to lift the restriction, and the sect's upper echelons agreed. The sect needed blood-forged prodigies, not sheltered disciples afraid of danger.

Elder Ding bitterly opposed the decision—the sect nurtured each disciple with immense resources, and each death would be a significant loss. However, his words carried little weight. The Heavenly Martial Institute was the weakest of the three, so the others ignored its opposition.

The reason Huang Shan spoke for so long was to force Ding Yi to yield. If Ding Yi opposed the change, they would still waste time, and the dispute could even escalate into a conflict.

"Elder Ding, may I ask one thing?" Liu Wuxie said quietly. He felt ashamed to trouble the elder further, knowing he had already intervened on his behalf.

"I know what you want," Elder Ding said, patting his shoulder. "Leave it to me. If he comes back alive from the Avatar Star, He Yingwu will transfer to the Heavenly Martial Institute."

"Thank you, Elder Ding," Liu Wuxie said, bowing deeply.

The Dharma Institute was no longer a place for He Yingwu. Staying there meant torment and death. Only in the Heavenly Martial Institute could they protect each other's backs.

"This year's wilderness training will be harsher than ever," Elder Ding warned gravely. "Especially for you. Many will target you—protect yourself."

"Be assured, Elder Ding," Liu Wuxie said, his eyes flashing with determination. "I will give it my all to secure the best result."

"Good." Elder Ding's gaze softened slightly. "With the change in rules, the rewards will also change. Whoever secures first place will gain entry to the Book Collection Pavilion to study the sect's martial techniques."

Liu Wuxie's eyes shone with anticipation.