Volume One, Chapter Seventeen: Witnessing a Miracle!

“Little brat! Such a terrifying punch must have drained all your strength. Your death is now certain!”

Although blood spurted wildly from Han Xiaofeng’s mouth after being struck by Mu Yi’s sovereign tyrant fist, he still had the strength to fight on.

Enduring the pain, he let out a piercing cry from his throat, a series of long howls.

“Shadow Blade!”

His right arm condensed with a blade’s aura, suddenly striking out. A three-zhang-long blade, swift as the wind and fleeting as a shadow, aimed to cleave Mu Yi in two.

Within the Great Qian Dynasty, there are five major realms. Among them, the Qi Refining Realm and the Heavenly Gang Realm cannot project their true energy externally; attacks are limited to punches and moves at close range. This is commonly known as close combat.

However, upon reaching the Divine Transformation Realm, everything changes. True energy can be projected outward, condensed into weapons, allowing long-range attacks to harm enemies.

Of course, Mu Yi’s sovereign tyrant fist is an exception. Though only in the Heavenly Gang Realm, once unleashed, it can still strike enemies from afar with devastating force.

“Flying Dragon Step!”

Mu Yi was indeed fatigued now.

But that did not mean he could no longer fight.

With a step, the Divine Dragon’s tail swung!

He narrowly evaded Han Xiaofeng’s Shadow Blade.

The ground where he had stood was already split by a massive chasm.

Even though the arena was forged of incredibly resilient diamond, it could not withstand Han Xiaofeng’s destructive power.

“Little brat! Let’s see how many more blades you can dodge!”

Han Xiaofeng’s eyes were bloodshot with rage as he leapt high, his right arm slashing out the Shadow Blade once again.

“You have one more chance to strike, no more.”

Mu Yi’s footsteps flickered.

At the same time, the power within him condensed to its peak once more.

The sovereign tyrant fist was no ordinary technique. Each time Mu Yi unleashed it, he mobilized all his strength, putting everything into one decisive blow.

Previously, when he had slain Mu Ling and Han Wuji, it was a single, fatal strike.

At that time, he had not yet realized the toll the sovereign tyrant fist exacted on his body.

Now, if the first punch failed to kill, he needed time before a second could be unleashed.

Crack!

The Shadow Blade transformed into a three-zhang-long blade of light, sharp as lightning and sinuous as a serpent, descending once more toward Mu Yi’s head.

Mu Yi felt the strain.

But with footsteps like the wind, winding and twisting, he moved like a dragon traversing the world.

Once again, he narrowly evaded the attack.

“Enough. Your doom is upon you.”

Mu Yi had said Han Xiaofeng had one more strike left.

He had already used it.

When Mu Yi spoke, it was always with unshakable certainty—no empty words.

“Sovereign Tyrant Fist! Return!”

A gleam flashed in Mu Yi’s eyes, fierce as a tiger swallowing the vast plains.

Golden light blazed behind him as three heads and six arms appeared once more.

Six massive arms launched fists simultaneously.

“No...”

Han Xiaofeng wanted to strike a third blade, but his eyes already saw death.

He never expected Mu Yi to have the strength left for a second sovereign tyrant fist.

He was unprepared.

His entire body was blasted apart by the sovereign tyrant fist in an instant, shattered and mangled into a bloody mess.

Such was the terrifying, destructive power of the sovereign tyrant fist!

It defied all differences in realm!

A martial art beyond this world!

“Is this... Elder Han really dead?”

“He’s truly dead! Killed alive by Mu Yi!”

“This must be a lie! Han Xiaofeng is a recruiting elder of the Hidden Spirit Academy—how could he be killed by a student?”

For a moment, everyone was stunned, dumbstruck.

Earlier, Mu Yi had declared that those present would witness a miracle.

At the time, everyone sneered, thinking Mu Yi mad.

No one believed his words.

But now, they had no choice but to believe.

For Han Xiaofeng had just been slain visibly before all eyes by Mu Yi.

“Dean Shen, please come forth. This is the token from Ren Yanyu that authorizes my entry into the Hidden Spirit Academy.”

While everyone was still in shock, unable to recover, Mu Yi stood motionless on the arena like an invincible war god.

Then suddenly, he raised his hand, and a jade token appeared.

The token radiated light, projecting a holographic image of a woman ten zhang tall in midair.

Her every frown and smile stirred the soul.

She was ethereally beautiful, untouchable by mortal dust, like an immortal descended from the heavens.

She was the unparalleled national treasure of the Great Qian Dynasty’s history!

Ren Yanyu!

Many recognized the origin of the hologram woman.

“Ren Yanyu’s Yanyu Token was given to you?”

At that moment, from the mist-shrouded mountain, a woman’s voice full of surprise came swiftly near.

Clad in a blue gown, imposing and untouchable, a beautiful woman of about thirty appeared.

“Dean Shen!”

All disciples and elders of the Hidden Spirit Academy present saluted respectfully.

Indeed, the middle-aged beauty was Shen Yushu, current dean of the Hidden Spirit Academy.

Upon her arrival, she raised her jade hand, and the Yanyu Token in Mu Yi’s hand instantly appeared in hers.

“Indeed, this is Ren Yanyu’s token. She only possessed this one. Why would she give it to you? What is your relationship with her?”

Shen Yushu’s beautiful eyes fixed intently on Mu Yi, clearly astonished.

She knew all too well that no man in the Great Qian Dynasty had ever caught Ren Yanyu’s eye.

The sole Yanyu Token represented her noble status; holding it was akin to her personal presence.

Shen Yushu found it hard to imagine why Mu Yi possessed the token.

“Actually, there’s not much of a relationship. We met by chance, fought a great battle, and developed mutual respect.”

Mu Yi spoke honestly.

He truly had little connection to Ren Yanyu.

“What? You actually fought her?”

Shen Yushu’s eyes widened in shock again. “Among the younger generation of the Great Qian Dynasty, there is truly someone worthy of her attention?”

“You must have lost, right?”

Shen Yushu seemed certain.

“If she hadn’t suppressed her cultivation to match mine at Heavenly Gang Realm, first level, she definitely would have won.”

Mu Yi smiled lightly. “It’s a pity, but I never lose to anyone at the same realm. So in that battle, we each struck three times—it was a draw.”

“What? You drew with her? Impossible!”

The dean of the Hidden Spirit Academy, one of the true titans of the Great Qian Dynasty, showed a rare loss of composure.

She found it unimaginable that Mu Yi could hold his own against Ren Yanyu, even with her cultivation suppressed to his level.

“Dean Shen, the outcome between her and me is not important. What matters is that Ren Yanyu entrusted me with her token to join the Hidden Spirit Academy.”

“I am here now, and the events just witnessed surely did not escape your notice, Dean. So whether to accept me into the Hidden Spirit Academy now rests on your decision.”

Mu Yi’s tone was gentle yet resolute; he was always clear-cut about favors and grievances.

Before, when he had regarded all heroes as mere grass before him, it was because Han Xiaofeng had harbored personal grudges and targeted him at every turn.

In such circumstances, Mu Yi showed no mercy, crushing all with overwhelming force.

But now, facing others, he was courteous.

“Indeed, I have noticed your performance. Though only at the first level of Heavenly Gang Realm, you managed to kill Han Xiaofeng, who was at the second level of Divine Transformation Realm. It is truly astonishing.”

“Even without Ren Yanyu’s recommendation, you would still be worthy of entry into the Hidden Spirit Academy. Moreover, I am willing to make an exception and promote you directly to an inner disciple.”

Shen Yushu’s gaze toward Mu Yi changed, now filled with deep admiration.

Among the four great academies of the Great Qian Dynasty, outer disciples are at Qi Refining Realm.

Inner disciples are at Heavenly Gang Realm.

Core disciples reach Divine Transformation Realm.

The highest rank, Sacred Sons, are limited to thirty-two per academy, each a peerless prodigy destined to compete for the next dean position.

Though Mu Yi’s cultivation was now at the second level of Heavenly Gang Realm, under the traditional promotion system, after joining the Hidden Spirit Academy, he would still start as an outer disciple and need to pass the inner disciple examination to advance.

But now Shen Yushu was opening a backdoor for him.

Such is the privilege of overwhelming strength.

“Impossible! This little brat has not even officially become a student of the Hidden Spirit Academy. To kill a recruiting elder openly before tens of thousands is sheer treachery!”

At that moment, a stern voice echoed from the misty mountain.

A white-robed elder swiftly flew over, landing beside Shen Yushu.

“That is... Mo Jinghong, Head of the Penal Code Hall!”

The disciples of the Hidden Spirit Academy quickly recognized the elder and were shocked.

For the man before them was no ordinary figure; within the Hidden Spirit Academy, he ranked just below Dean Shen Yushu.