Jiang Chen's sword light was just a breath away from piercing Lin Yu's head, moving so fast that it seemed nothing could stop it.
"No!"
Lin Yu's voice trembled with despair as he stared at the oncoming sword, his fate seemingly sealed.
---
But just as Jiang Chen's strike was about to land, a fiery red figure suddenly descended from the sky.
With a mere wave of his palm, the terrifying sword light vanished as if it had never existed.
At the same time, a calm but authoritative voice echoed in the air:
"Sigh… Little one, can you give me some face? Let's leave it at this for today."
---
Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked up at the red-robed elder who had intervened. His expression remained composed, but his aura bristled with sharpness.
"Who are you, Senior?" Jiang Chen asked coldly.
The red-robed elder smiled warmly, as though pacifying a rebellious child. "I am Yan Cangming, an elder of the Inner Academy of Lingyun Academy."
---
Jiang Chen's gaze flickered faintly before he responded, his tone still distant. "So it's Elder Yan. This is a life-and-death duel that Lin Yu himself proposed. Elder Yan, your interference… is this not against the academy's rules?"
Yan Cangming sighed softly. "The rules of the academy dictate that all life-and-death battles must take place on the Life-and-Death Platform. Fighting like this in private is already a violation."
He continued with a faint smile, his tone soft yet firm. "Our Lingyun Academy has long ranked at the bottom among the Nine Great Academies of the Great Xia Kingdom. Now that we finally have two geniuses who have comprehended Sword Intent, I do not wish to see either of you perish unnecessarily."
---
With that, Yan Cangming raised his hand, and a radiant long sword appeared out of thin air.
The sword gleamed with fiery red brilliance, and the powerful energy emanating from it instantly caused the surrounding air to ripple.
"This Yanlong Sword is a rare Second-Grade Spirit Weapon. I offer it as compensation for interrupting your battle," Yan Cangming said kindly. "I hope you can give me this face and leave the matter here."
---
The crowd gasped in awe as their eyes locked onto the Yanlong Sword.
"A Second-Grade Spirit Weapon!"
"Spirit weapons are incredibly rare and priceless treasures! Even a First-Grade Spirit Weapon is a dream for most martial artists!"
"That sword… it's worth more than a fortune. Elder Yan is really pulling out all the stops here!"
The students couldn't hide their envy, staring at the Yanlong Sword as if it were the ultimate treasure.
---
Jiang Chen's sharp gaze lingered on Yan Cangming for a moment before he gave a faint smile.
"Since Elder Yan has spoken, I will let him live today."
Jiang Chen extended his hand and accepted the Yanlong Sword. He inspected the fiery blade for a moment before storing it in his ring without another glance at Lin Yu.
Lin Yu, pale and shaken, looked as though he had been given a new lease on life. But Jiang Chen ignored him completely.
"Let's go, Qingxue."
With that, Jiang Chen turned and left the Sword Mark Hall with Meng Qingxue.
---
Later…
When Jiang Chen and Meng Qingxue returned to their residence, they were greeted by a chaotic scene at the entrance.
A crowd had gathered around, and in the center of it all stood the Fire Beast—Jiang Chen's loyal companion.
The Fire Beast was roaring furiously, blood dripping from its wounds. It stood in a defensive posture, staring down a massive black python that was nearly ten meters long.
The python's scales glistened darkly, and its eyes were filled with malice as it hissed threateningly at the Fire Beast.
---
Jiang Chen's face darkened instantly.
With a single step, his figure soared into the sky before landing directly in the center of the crowd with a loud thud.
The sheer force of his presence sent shockwaves through the air, and the commotion immediately fell silent.
The onlookers instinctively backed away, stunned by his sudden appearance and the icy killing intent that rolled off him like a storm.
---
Jiang Chen's cold, piercing gaze swept across the crowd. His voice, filled with terrifying dominance, echoed through the area like thunder:
"Who caused this reptile to injure my Fire Beast? Get out here and prepare to die!"