Chapter 124: Rejoice, Commoners! The Truth Is Here!

The cultivator hurled his massive sword. It carved a sweeping arc through the air and landed squarely at the center of the platform.

He jumped down from his position, landing steadily atop the blade. "I didn't expect a pack of gutless cowards to charge all the way to me. I've really underestimated you."

Nantian Yijian grinned slyly at the young man. "Boss, he's already showing off. Should we hunt him? In this world, no one outshines me when it comes to showing off."

"Little Jian, no need for words. Showing off is my specialty," Jun Laoye said firmly, bracing his Earth-Shattering Spear, ready to charge and hunt the horses.

"If showing off is the game, then a slap in the face is what's in order. That's what the storyteller always says," Lu Chen muttered, eyes locked on the young man in the center as he drove the spear formation forward.

A sharp crack split the air, and the fiery dragon spear sent the young man flying.

Blood sprayed in a perfect arc as he stared dumbfounded at Lu Chen and the others. "

Ugh...

how could this happen? How have the disciples of the Serene Void Academy become so strong?!"

"He's still conscious? Then he's a dog begging for death!" Nantian Yijian swung his sword, excitement clear in his voice. "Boss, do it again!"

Lu Chen said, "The spear formation only managed to wound him... Inner sect disciples are indeed formidable. Looks like every gatekeeper from here on will be far stronger than the last."

The young man crashed to the ground, still trying to summon his massive sword, but Lu Chen unleashed another fiery dragon strike, piercing straight through him.

By the time the spear formation reached the seventy-fifth step, he had been stripped down to nothing.

Lu Chen lifted his gaze toward the mountain gate and the steps in front of him. "Of the hundred and eight gatekeepers, only thirty-four remain. Horse-Hunters, let's charge with everything we've got while they're still unprepared."

The two hundred or so disciples of the Serene Void Academy shouted in unison, "Yes! The Horse-Hunters are out of the cave! We hunt, we do not kill!"

It was their first time reclaiming resources from other inner sect disciples, and they were exhilarated.

Their voices reached a burly man resting beneath the nearby trees, with twin hammers lying at his side. Sensing the energy from the spear formation, the man snapped open his eyes. He couldn't recognize it as the Serene Void Academy's and barked, "Who's there? Do you not know this is a restricted gate? Leave while you still can."

"We know," Fei Zhu said casually. "We're here to breach the mountain gate."

He enlarged his rake and swung it directly at the burly man.

The man dodged nimbly, shouting, "Fei Zhu from the Serene Void Academy? So you think numbers alone make you fit to breach the mountain gate?"

"Rely on numbers?

Hmph...

" Lu Chen sneered. "When have you ever not relied on numbers to bully the Serene Void Academy's disciples?"

"You... that's enough talking! If you want to breach the gate, state your name." The man slammed his twin hammers into the ground. "I, Chi Hu, never strike the nameless."

"I am the Lu Chen you've been waiting for."

The moment Chi Hu's hammers struck the ground, Lu Chen drove the spear formation forward. "Too bad for you. You never had any chance to fight to begin with. Those who bully others never deserve respect."

Chi Hu struggled to turn, his eyes locking onto Lu Chen at the rear of the formation. "You... Lu Chen? How did the Serene Void Academy become this strong..."

"Why? Because heaven's law is clear, and retribution is inevitable. From today onward, your retribution has arrived."

Lu Chen dispersed the dragon-shaped sword qi lodged in Chi Hu's body. "Rejoice, commoner. You've learned the truth ahead of time."

"The truth,

huh

?

Heh...

a worthless fool will always stay worthless... You may have ambushed me, but you're no heroes. You're just a pack of gutless cowards preying on the weak."

Chi Hu spat a mouthful of blood and fell to his knees. "I have only just become an inner sect disciple myself... My senior brothers up ahead will surely strike you down."

"Gutless cowards? Preying on the weak?" Lu Chen snorted coldly. "Are you even qualified to speak such words? Open your eyes. Soon, your so-called senior brothers will lie bare on the ground, just like you."

He stripped Chi Hu of his enchanted artifacts and tossed them to Nantian Yijian.

Chi Hu spat a mouthful of blood, staring bitterly at his bare, stripped body. "You can kill a man, but you shouldn't trample on his spirit..."

The burly man rolled across the ground, muttering the same words over and over to the sky, as if trying to carve them into the heavens. "You can kill a man..."

"Trample on the spirit? Weren't you the ones who did exactly that before?"

"It shouldn't be like this... My senior brothers... they will avenge me." Chi Hu's gaze never left the heavens, clinging to the hope that the ones above would strike back for him. "They're watching from up there... They will definitely avenge me."

Lu Chen sneered coldly. "

Heh...

then it's their turn to taste what it's like to have their hearts crushed while their bodies are cut down."

Without looking back, he drove the newly condensed V-shaped spear formation toward the next platform. "Horse-Hunters, charge! Let them feel the humiliation we once endured!"

***.

As Lu Chen led the spear formation onto the seventy-sixth platform, a sudden surge of lightning exploded, scattering in all directions. The blast shattered the formation in an instant.

Lu Chen's group instinctively scattered to avoid the strikes. "This aura... Perfect mastery of the Qi Regulation Realm? How could the gatekeepers' strength have suddenly risen so high? There's some kind of special formation here!"

A sinister-looking man dropped from the trees above, landing squarely in the center of the platform. "So you even managed to defeat that fool Chi Hu. Impressive."

Lu Chen vaguely made out a corpse lying where the man had landed. "Who are you? Judging from your aura, you don't seem to belong to the Discipline Court."

The man followed Lu Chen's eyes and feigned surprise. "

Oh-ho

, so you noticed? I thought the Serene Void Academy was filled with trash."

"Are you also from one of the six academies?" Jun Laoye narrowed his eyes, catching sight of an identity token the man had accidentally revealed. "You’re Xiao Long... a disciple of the six academies, ranked above even the inner sect disciples?"

"

Heh

, sharp eyes." The young man smirked, sweeping his sleeve to hide the identity token at his chest. "Yes, I am Xiao Long of the Lightning Wind Academy, ranked 1040th on the Mountain Ocean List. I'll be taking your life today. Do you consent?"

At the front of the group, Jun Laoye scoffed at his feigned courtesy. "Xiao Long? Such arrogance... Brother Xiaolong, do you know him?"[1]

Xiao Long's true strength wasn't extraordinary, but ever since obtaining a lightning formation in the secret realm, his affinity with lightning arts had soared, securing him a place on the Mountain Ocean List at a young age.

Wang Xiaolong glared at Xiao Long with hatred in his eyes. "He may be ranked at the very bottom of the Mountain Ocean List, but almost every inner sect disciple, aside from those on the Heaven Ocean and Earth Ocean Lists, has been ensnared by his lightning formation and suffered miserably for it."

"

Oh

, if it isn't Wang Xiaolong," Xiao Long sneered, casting him a mocking glance. "Seems the last Heavenly Lightning Formation wasn't strong enough to kill you."

"

Hmph

," Wang Xiaolong snorted, dismissing him with contempt. "That's about all I know of him."

"So he only relies on lightning, huh?" Jun Laoye let out a cold laugh. "And here I thought he was boasting real strength. If it's just some trick with Heavenly Lightning, do you think it could compare to my Heavenly Dao Command?"

"The Heavenly Dao Command is indeed formidable, but before we set out, Lord Jun instructed me to remind you of something."

Leaning close, Wang Xiaolong lowered his voice. "Once you enter the inner sect, avoid using the Heavenly Dao Command unless it is absolutely necessary. In fact, even your clan's techniques should be used sparingly."

Jun Laoye frowned. "Why? Why can't I use my clan's techniques?"

"Your elder brother is still hunting you, and he's planted hidden guards in the Heavenly Mandate Hall. Many may have learned the Jun Clan's lightning arts, but few can wield the Heavenly Dao Command. You know well that the Heavenly Dao Command must never be passed outside the clan. Once you reveal it, your identity will be exposed."

He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "If you limit yourself to the Lightning Shock Command, at least Lord Jun can still explain it as something he taught you himself."

Jun Laoye's face darkened. "I've already pledged loyalty to Second Uncle, so why does my eldest brother still refuse to let me go? I've never even fought for the heir's seat. Why does he insist on killing me?"

"Second Young Master, keep your voice down," Wang Xiaolong urged in a low tone. "Some of the new Serene Void Academy disciples are nearby. They must not learn who you really are."

Jun Laoye's gaze swept over Lu Chen. Seeing that he hadn't noticed, he restrained himself and said quietly, "Very well... But we'll need another plan."

"Boy, are you pretending I'm not here?" Xiao Long roared, hurling a bolt of blue lightning straight at Jun Laoye.

Jun Laoye sneered. "Sending lightning at me?"

Behind him, the colossal lightning giant opened its eyes and bellowed, "

Chì!

"

The roar shattered the sky, dispersing the blue lightning instantly.

"That giant... Why do you also have one?" Xiao Long recoiled in terror, his face draining of color. "Why is it still here? It should have dissipated long ago!"

"

Heh

, boy, today you'll witness what true power is." Jun Laoye turned his head slightly and whispered to Lu Chen, "Little Lu, I have a plan. Assist me."

Lu Chen, flustered while protecting the Serene Void Academy's disciples, responded promptly, "Alright, but how?"

"Release the chains that block spirit qi. Then strike my landing point with everything you've got."

Realization struck Lu Chen. "Understood. You're going to sever the core of the Heavenly Lightning Formation... Brilliant!"

He signaled the Green Sovereign Divine Tree. "Guard the Serene Void Academy's disciples carefully."

With that, he released the Spirit Light Chains and followed Jun Laoye into the assault.

Jun Laoye charged forward with the lightning giant, tearing through the Heavenly Lightning Formation. "So this is all it amounts to? It's nothing more than an upgraded cluster formation, and yet still so fragile."

1. To avoid confusion, Xiaolong(小龙)refers to Wang Xiaolong, while Xiao Long(萧龙) is the opponent they now face. ☜