Firmament Sword

”I wasn’t going to bother with you, but your attitude is really starting to disgust me...”

Xu Luo said, looking at Lin Chi, ”First, if my memory serves me right, I was disciplining Wei Ziting *outside* the True Martial Academy. That area is not part of the academy grounds. Therefore, as a Marquis personally ennobled by the Emperor, what business is it of yours if I discipline some disrespectful punk?”

”Second, which of your eyes saw me harassing the Princess? What my relationship is with the Princess has nothing to do with you—not even a single copper plate’s worth. And what, does a marriage involving a daughter of the Royal Family need your approval? Who the hell do you think you are!”

”Third, I was giving the Princess a tour of the campus, yet a despicable person like you twists it into ’parading around.’ What are your motives? Are you trying to tarnish the Royal Family’s image? Heh, you’ve got some nerve!”

Xu Luo gradually raised his voice, pointing a finger at Lin Chi as he said harshly, ”Even I am not qualified to speak lightly of the Royal Family’s image. Do you think someone like you has the right to talk so recklessly about it?”

”And a fourth point... what fourth point? You should focus that scheming mind of yours on changing your own destiny! Being born poor isn’t your fault. No one is born noble, and that includes my Xu Family. The status the Xu Family has today was earned by generations of our ancestors with their blood and battlefield merits! Who... would dare deny that?”

The surroundings fell deathly silent. Everyone was stunned by Xu Luo’s words. They could look down on Xu Luo, they could say his title as Marquis was just a stroke of dumb luck, but not a single one of them dared to say the Xu Family was without merit!

Xu Luo stared coldly at the slightly pale Lin Chi and continued, ”A hundred generations of prosperity is the reward for a hundred generations of hard work and sacrifice! It’s not something that can be obtained with a few empty, boastful words from someone like you!

”If you had any ambition, you’d be thinking about your family back in poverty! You’d be thinking about the parents and relatives who toil away just so you can make something of yourself! Providing them with a good life, lifting them out of poverty, and becoming a pillar of the state to serve the country—*that* is what you should be doing!

”Not acting like you are now, fanning yourself to appear cultured, and certainly not using your humble origins as an opportunistic gimmick to grab attention and win sympathy!

”Hoping to climb up by stepping on me? Do you... even have what it takes?”

Xu Luo’s speech left Lin Chi speechless and the crowd in stunned silence. Everyone stared at the handsome young man beside the Seventh Princess. Many who had previously looked down on Xu Luo now looked at him with utter shock in their eyes.

’Is this the waste they all thought he was? Could a waste say something like that? And look at the peerlessly beautiful young woman standing quietly beside him…’

’She’s a princess of the Royal Family, of noble, imperial blood. Is she really someone that people like them could even dream of pursuing?’

Lin Chi’s face was pale from the verbal lashing, and the blood roiled in his chest. His opponent’s words were like a series of heavy hammers, slamming violently into his heart and making him feel like he was about to vomit blood.

’How could... how could this waste, once the laughingstock of the entire Imperial Capital, possess such sharp eloquence?’

’This... this isn’t right!’

’That kind of eloquence should be coming from my mouth—from me, Lin Chi!’

”Fine, Xu Luo. Here... on campus, everyone’s status is equal! You have no right to lecture me on how I, Lin Chi, should act!”

Lin Chi gritted his teeth and said slowly, ”Furthermore, I *am* pursuing Her Highness the Princess, so what? I, Lin Chi, believe my literary and martial talents far surpass yours, Xu Luo! Since we’ve brought things to this point, then... I, Lin Chi, hereby challenge you! Do... you dare to accept?”

The surrounding crowd looked at Lin Chi with shocked expressions, finding it hard to believe. This Lower-class Youth, who was normally an outstanding student on campus—modest and polite—was actually saying something so shameless.

’You, a Tier Two Sword Master and an outstanding student at True Martial Academy, are challenging a new student who just entered the academy and only recently shed his ’waste’ constitution?’

’How could he be so shameless?’

But there was also a portion of the crowd who thought Lin Chi’s courage was commendable. Even though he had been verbally torn to shreds by Xu Luo’s sharp words, he was still fighting back so tenaciously...

The Seventh Princess stood by Xu Luo’s side, a blush of shame and anger rising on her cheeks. If she had merely disliked Lin Chi before, that feeling had now escalated from dislike to disgust.

Xu Luo, however, looked at Lin Chi as if he were an idiot and said flatly, ”Challenge me? Why should I accept your challenge? There’s really something wrong with you!”

”HAHAHAHA, Xu Luo, I knew you wouldn’t have the courage to accept my challenge!” Lin Chi roared with laughter. ”In that case, my pursuit of the Princess is none of your business, and you have no right to interfere!”

”Interfere? Heh, why would I interfere?”

Xu Luo looked at Lin Chi with pity and said, ”I was just reminding you to put aside those despicable little schemes of yours and keep them hidden in your heart.

”To think more about how to change your family’s life and your own destiny. So this is how you plan to change it... by hoping to latch onto the Princess, climb the social ladder, and become a Phoenix?

”Someone like you? Just save it! Go home, take a good long look in the mirror, and seriously ask yourself: are you even worthy?”

”And why wouldn’t I be worthy! Xu Luo, this is the True Martial Academy, where everyone is equal! If you don’t make yourself clear today, I’m not done with you!” Lin Chi roared in fury.

PFFT...

Sun Donghai, who had been standing to the side watching the show, suddenly couldn’t hold it in and let out a snort of laughter. He saw everyone’s gaze turn toward him.

Sun Donghai waved his hands. ”Carry on, don’t mind me. I’m just watching the show. Heh heh, I just think it’s hilarious, that’s all. Haha, hahaha... Continue, please continue!”