Chapter 0712: Battle at Southwind

Chapter 0712: Battle at Southwind

When the fiendish blade light arced across the sky, countless people in House Luolan's convoy were completely taken aback. The road before them had been split into half, and the blade scar left in the wake of the strike stretched endlessly before them. 

Shen Jinxiao's figure was similarly split into two, but when his bisected body collapsed, it turned into a wisp of black gas that dissipated into the air.

Ox Biaobiao then walked out of the last carriage, wielding his pig-butchering knife. His ferocious gaze was focused upon where Shen Jinxiao's body had disappeared. At the same time, he reminded Li Luo, "Be careful, this person is crafty and extremely difficult to deal with."

When he launched his previous attack, he could distinctly feel a massive and subtle fluctuation stemming from Shen Jinxiao's body. Clearly, the ex-Violet Vibrance mentor from the Astral Sage College was not a simple individual.

"Keke. So you're the mysterious Duke hiding within House Luolan? You actually managed to retain your strength despite leaving the headquarters?" At this point, Shen Jinxiao's raucous laughter echoed throughout the sky. Then he reappeared floating in the air, his gaze focused upon Ox Biaobiao with a look of confusion. 

Ox Biaobiao, on the other hand, was staring fiendishly at him, clearly uninterested in further banter.

Shen Jinxiao sized Ox Biaobiao up before throwing out a guess. "From the news I've heard, your body has suffered from severe injuries and all of your Duke Bergfrieds have been shattered. Currently, you have the strength of a fourth-grade Duke, but the source of it should not be coming from you... Could it be that you borrowed the power of House Luolan's Divine Matter? Well, it doesn't matter." He then turned to look at Li Luo as he grinned. "Li Luo, I know you're waiting for reinforcements, but do you really think I came without preparations? During the Housemeet, I used Pei Hao as a puppet, but this time I've come in the flesh... I won't lose this opportunity again." He then raised a palm, and gray-white substance suddenly started to descend from the skies like falling snow, covering the entire area.

In a way, it reminded one of bone ash falling from the skies and Li Luo could feel that the area they were in was suddenly isolated from the rest of the world.

...

At the same time.

On another road just a hundred meters away from House Luolan's convoy.

Countless students were grouped up and moving forward with dull expressions on their faces amidst a gloomy atmosphere. Their blank emotions represented the despondence deep in their hearts as they all understood that the Astral Sage College was no more.

The prized Tree of Resonant Power was a symbolic representation of the students’ belief in the college. With that destroyed, they had naturally lost all vigor as well. 

The gray and overcast weather only accentuated feelings of moroseness.

Vice Principal Su Xin was flying in the air, constantly scanning in every direction. She could sense the downcast feelings of the students. However, she was helpless to solve it. These students were the best and the brightest youths of the younger generation, and yet despite their young age, they had experienced numerous setbacks. Even she felt dismayed despite having weathered through numerous situations over the years, much less these youths. The destruction of the Astral Sage College had significantly affected them all. 

Their attempts to reassure them did not seem to work, and thus they had to rely on the passing of time to eventually heal these wounds.

When the college was rebuilt, they would gradually regain their motivation and fighting spirit. 

"Hmm?" 

At this point, Vice Principal Su Xin's eyes froze and she turned towards the southwest. She could feel that the signaling jade talisman she had provided to Li Luo had activated.

"Shen Jinxiao!" A murderous, cold glint surfaced within the depths of her eyes as she gritted her teeth and spat out this hated name. Although the college's situation was mostly a result of the hidden machinations caused by the Origin Reversion Institute, it would have been difficult to breach the defenses of the school and burn down the Tree of Resonant Power without Shen Jinxiao's involvement and insidiously causing issues from within the school! 

The fact that she had been unable to detect Shen Jinxiao's ulterior motives in advance was something she greatly blamed herself over, and this only brought greater feelings of hatred towards that man.

"You actually dared to show yourself?!" Vice Principal Su Xin surged with killing intent as her figure flashed forward towards the direction of House Luolan's convoy.

Uuuuu!

At this point in time, the entire sky reverberated with a humming sound, and something in the downcast sky started to release endless amounts of corruption like a tide. 

The thing then rushed towards the college's squads.

When Vice Principal Su Xin saw this, her expression changed as it was clearly an innumerable horde of Others rushing towards them!

"Fend off the enemy!" she quickly yelled.

The Violet Vibrance and Gold Gleam mentors who were guarding the students quickly formed a perimeter, and their resonant power surged into the skies.

Vice Principal Su Xin retracted her gaze after she glanced coldly at a location not too far away. There was a small lake there that was permeated with gray fog. Suddenly, the fog rippled and a male with dual pupils of gold and silver stood atop the surface, smiling right back at her.

"A ploy of the Origin Reversion Institute!" Vice Principal Su Xin's gaze turned frigid as she taunted, "You still dare to show yourself after being grievously injured by the Principal?" 

The youth grinned. "Don't you think my appearance was out of your expectations? Weren't you waiting for me anyway?"

"Indeed! We were waiting for you!" Vice Principal Su Xin's killing intent seemed to have materialized tangibly as it soared into the air. Shen Jinxiao was in cahoots with this person, Xuan Chen, and now that Shen Jinxiao had taken action, there was no way Xuan Chen would merely observe from the side. He would definitely take part and target the Astral Sage College!

Thus, Vice Principal Su Xin had been awaiting Xuan Chen's appearance.

She knew that Xuan Chen had been injured severely during the last battle, and this was the best chance for her to take revenge.

As she spoke, beams of light near the college's squads shot into the sky, causing the sky to tremble. Duke Bergfried manifested one after another, like stars hanging in the sky, radiating an immense sense of oppression. 

Vice Principal Su Xin coldly locked onto Xuan Chen.

"Evil thief who destroyed my college, today I will execute you as penance!"

Vice Principal Su Xin took a step forward as she ascended into the air, and four Duke Bergfrieds appeared behind her. They began to swallow boundless amounts of worldly natural energy, and she then executed a hand seal. The four Bergfrieds were engraved with countless golden light runes that began to float into the air, shining resplendently and illuminating everything within a hundred meters.

"Duke's Spirit Insignia, Golden Deer's Abstruse Mark!"

The four golden lights converged and condensed into the shape of a gigantic, godly, golden deer. This creature could tread through the air, and ice condensed beneath each hoof, freezing the void. 

All of a sudden, the icy golden deer then smashed through the void, rushing at Xuan Chen.

"Wow! You've even activated your spirit insignia. It looks like you REALLY hate me, huh?" Xuan Chen smirked. The Duke's Spirit Insignia was a unique power fourth-grade Dukes were able to utilize, similar to the Worldspace Domain which high-grade Dukes had.

Vice Principal Su Xin was at the fourth-grade, and she had mustered up her Duke's Spirit Insignia for the very first attack, demonstrating her desire to kill.

Xuan Chen shook his head. Still, when faced with the college's countless Dukes, he did not dare to be lax. He clasped his hands together, directly mobilizing his Worldspace Domain. At the same time, the entire sky seemed to be covered by his mystical domain. 

...

At the same time.

The Golden Dragon Bank's convoy was even larger with a long line of carriages. 

Yu Hongxi rushed into the air, and her eyes shrunk when she glanced towards the north. She gave a quick command. "All of you remain and guard the carriages. I will go and check things out."

Some of the higher level executives of the Golden Dragon Bank glanced at each other and could already guess what Yu Hongxi was about to do. Strictly speaking, as a neutral party, they should not be involving themselves in such matters. However, she was the president and had tightly controlled the bank for countless years, her majesty already deeply imprinted in all of their hearts.

Thus, no one dared to question her actions, only nodding in agreement.

Her figure turned into a stream of light as she zoomed tens of kilometers in an instant. 

FWOOM!

However, right at this point in time, the sky seemed to have been lit ablaze. Fire lotuses began to form one after another, directly blocking off Yu Hongxi's path as the temperature in the area began to ascend rapidly, causing even the air to warp and distort.

Yu Hongxi was forced to a halt, and a frosty countenance formed on her beautiful face.

She stared into one particular part of the void as her indifferent voice rang out. 

"Zhu Qinghuo, Shen Jinxiao is the nemesis of the Xia Kingdom. Since you've taken the initiative to restrain me, do I have reason to suspect that House Jiyan is in cahoots with the Origin Reversion Institute?"