Firmament Sword

”This academy isn’t as great as I imagined. Xu Luo, why did you have to come here? Couldn’t you have learned what you needed to at home?”

The main reason the Seventh Princess, Huangfu Shishi, had come was because of Xu Luo.

She had originally thought the academy would be a simple, pure place. But she hadn’t expected to first run into the disappointing Wei Ziting. Fortunately, as annoying as Wei Ziting was, he at least had some of the dignity and pride befitting a noble scion.

But this Lin Chi, who had jumped out to provoke them, was truly detestable!

He used his status as a ”Lower-class Youth” as a Protective Talisman to attack others wantonly.

He put on the grand posture of ’I may come from a poor background, but I do not fear power and dare to fight against all inequality!’

The problem was, no one had provoked him. He was the one who had jumped out on his own!

Lin Chi probably thought that neither Xu Luo nor the other noble young masters would dare to get serious with him, fearing they would earn a reputation for bullying the lower class. That’s why he was so brazenly arrogant.

But he never expected to be first berated by Xu Luo, then completely demolished by Sun Donghai’s words, which sounded like advice but were actually dripping with sarcasm!

He had been so angry he literally coughed up blood.

’Serves him right! He’s the one who jumped out, but he insists others are using their status to oppress him. Isn’t that what people call asking for trouble?’ the Seventh Princess thought to herself.

”Alright, Qiqi, it’s not worth stooping to his level. He’s just a clown.”

Xu Luo said with a smile, then added, ”The academy still has its merits. I didn’t plan on staying here for long anyway. I just want to learn a few things that interest me.”

”What did you mean by what you said to Wei Ziting just now? Did he send someone to assassinate you?” Huangfu Shishi gave Xu Luo a slightly reproachful look. ”Why didn’t you tell me about something like this sooner?”

”It’s nothing, don’t worry about me,” Xu Luo replied with a smile. ”Without clear evidence, he’ll never admit it. You don’t need to worry about this.”

”Xu Luo, I’ve noticed you’ve changed so much. The old you would never have been this confident.” The Seventh Princess’s gaze was a little hazy as she looked at Xu Luo. ”But… I like the current you even more!”

”Ahem… Qiqi, can we please change the subject?” Xu Luo’s lips twitched, but a doting smile flashed in his eyes.

When they were very young, Qiqi had loved to cling to him like this, having him push her around, playing make-believe when no one was around, shouting and squealing, and then saying: ”Brother Xu Luo, Qiqi likes you…”

”Why change it?” A mischievous glint appeared in Huangfu Shishi’s eyes. She snorted deliberately. ”Don’t think I haven’t heard about that woman from the Fengyue Building…”

”Er…” Xu Luo said, a bit helplessly, ”I have nothing to do with her!”

”How would I know?” Huangfu Shishi shot Xu Luo a look and said wistfully, ”You’ve become so outstanding now. Didn’t you see how many noble young ladies were looking at you on my coming-of-age day? They looked like they wanted to eat you alive.”

”It wasn’t as exaggerated as you make it sound,” Xu Luo said with a laugh. Then he added, ”By the way, Qiqi, I remember you once said that if you ever had the chance to stand up and be like a normal person, you would want to cultivate martial arts too?”

”Yes! Elder Mo once said my talent is actually quite rare. If it weren’t for the problem with my legs, I could definitely become an expert!” Huangfu Shishi also went along with the change of topic, not pressing the matter about Phoenix.

It was just a young girl’s way of acting cute, a side she only showed to Xu Luo. In everyone else’s eyes, the Seventh Princess was always the Royal Princess who embodied both beauty and wisdom!

Only by Xu Luo’s side would Huangfu Shishi become a simple young girl again.

”Well, I have two Cultivation Techniques that should be very suitable for you.” Xu Luo thought for a moment and decided to pass the Shadow Shaking Heart Method and the Shaking Light Step to Qiqi.

”Really? In that case, Qiqi definitely won’t tell anyone!” Huangfu Shishi said with a happy expression.

”The Heart Method is the foundation of all martial arts. The other technique is a movement art, a type of leg skill. You’ve only just recovered, so don’t be too eager for quick results at the beginning. Cultivate slowly. I think it will be beneficial for your legs as well,” Xu Luo said seriously.

”Mhm, Brother Xu Luo is the best!” Huangfu Shishi’s eyes curved into two crescent moons as she spoke with a beaming smile.

「 」

With the arrival of the Seventh Princess, the once-quiet True Martial Academy became much livelier.

In particular, the humiliation of Wei Ziting and Lin Chi forced everyone to re-evaluate Xu Luo, a young man they had previously disregarded.

”I never would have thought the Xu Family’s second young master could change so drastically. The transformation is unbelievable!”

”I heard the reason for his great change is all thanks to his mother, Madam Xu, who returned to her sect to beg for an Elixir for him!”

”To have such a family background, and such a mother… it really makes one envious.”

”We used to look down on him, mocking him along with everyone else without understanding him at all. Looking back now, we were the ones who were a disgrace!”

”He slapped everyone who looked down on him right in the face!”

”Speaking of which, an Elixir that can change his constitution and make him stronger so quickly must be incredibly expensive…”

”Sigh, this reminds me of what Sun Donghai said to Lin Chi. It was harsh, but crude words often hold true. A good family background is indeed something to be envious of!”

The campus was filled with all sorts of voices, but Xu Luo and Huangfu Shishi turned a deaf ear to them all.

Huangfu Shishi’s talent was indeed top-tier. Her cultivation speed with the Shaking Light Step was astonishingly fast, earning even Xu Luo’s admiration.

For Xu Luo, the Shaking Light Step was like it was imprinted in his mind, something he knew instinctively. This wasn’t to say Xu Luo’s talent was exceptional, but rather that he had already fused with the Shaking Light Star Soul. To him, the Cultivation Techniques of the Shaking Light Star Soul were his own!

As his level and strength increased, these techniques would naturally advance. Just like Breaking Army Seven Kills—the higher his strength, the more powerful the moves he could execute.

But Huangfu Shishi was different. Not only had she never practiced any Cultivation Technique before, but at sixteen, she was also just a little younger than Xu Luo.

For someone of her age to start cultivating, if she were from an ordinary family, it would be impossible for her to achieve anything significant.

However, after Xu Luo taught her the Shadow Shaking Heart Method and the Shaking Light Step, the girl broke through to the realm of a Tier Six Sword Disciple in just three days. At the same time, she was already getting the hang of the Shaking Light Step.

When she executed it, she was like a butterfly flitting through flowers—dancing gracefully, elegant and beautiful!

It made Xu Luo lament, ’The Shaking Light Step seems to be more suited for girls to cultivate.’

Huangfu Shishi was also very understanding. Although she was curious about where Xu Luo had obtained such a profound Cultivation Technique, she never asked.

She understood that if Xu Luo could tell her, he would never hide it from her.

Although Huangfu Shishi was a princess, she didn’t move into the academy’s private dormitories. Of course, she didn’t stay in the ordinary dorms with everyone else either.

Instead, a royal carriage would come to pick her up every day and bring her back the next morning.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed quietly. Huangfu Shishi had made great progress with both the Shadow Shaking Heart Method and the Shaking Light Step.

Afterward, Huangfu Shishi also learned some of the Royal Family’s advanced Heart Methods and martial arts. In her own words: ”Learning these, first, enriches my own strength, and second, can help conceal the Shadow Shaking Heart Method and Shaking Light Step.”

After being publicly berated by Xu Luo that day, Wei Ziting became surprisingly quiet. He didn’t even come looking for trouble with Xu Luo again and suddenly became much more low-key.

After being slapped hard by Sun Donghai, Lin Chi changed completely. He threw himself into frantic cultivation, which delighted many of the academy teachers who had originally been optimistic about him.

Only by turning shame into courage could one achieve greater things in the future.

Suffering some setbacks in one’s youth was often a good thing.

For the past few days, Xu Luo had been feeling uneasy. He didn’t know why, but the feeling had started one night five days ago.

At first, Xu Luo thought Wei Ziting had sent someone to assassinate him again and even made some preparations.

But after several days, this feeling of being secretly watched persisted, and Xu Luo became unsure.

Although Wei Ziting was audacious and reckless, as a scion of a top noble family, there was little he wouldn’t dare to do and little he couldn’t do.

But this was, after all, the most prestigious academy in the Cangqiong Kingdom!

No one knew just how many powerhouses were hidden within this academy.

More than half of the experts who fell during the failed Star Festival had come from True Martial Academy!

And before that, no one had even known they existed!

This was the hidden foundation of the Cangqiong Kingdom, and likewise, the hidden foundation of True Martial Academy!

There was no reason for Wei Ziting not to know what Xu Luo knew. Therefore, he shouldn’t be bold enough to send assassins into the academy.

The feeling was very unpleasant, unsettling. Xu Luo finally decided to leave the campus tonight and return home.

’After so many days, I’ve successfully drawn the attention of most people to myself. Lianyi should have been able to use this opportunity to investigate many things,’ he estimated.

With that in mind, after watching Qiqi leave, Xu Luo also left the academy grounds alone. Without notifying his family, he began to casually stroll back home.

Xu Luo had already cultivated the Shaking Light Step to a state of mastery. To improve it further, he would probably have to reach the realm of a Great Sword Master.

With the Shaking Light Step to protect his life, Xu Luo wasn’t overly concerned about his safety.

As he left the academy gates, many students saw Xu Luo, their gazes complex.

Xu Luo’s recent high-profile actions had made everyone start to take the Xu Family’s second young master seriously, but it also earned him mixed reviews.

Many people were dismissive of Xu Luo, feeling that the former weakling had immediately turned into an arrogant and domineering silk-pants after taking a powerful Elixir to change his constitution. In comparison, the old weakling was almost more likable.

Another group, however, believed that Xu Luo was genuine and unpretentious, and not at all arrogant.

”Have you ever seen an arrogant, domineering silk-pants go to the library to study diligently every day?” This was the viewpoint of those who sided with Xu Luo.

”He drags the Seventh Princess to the library with him every day! He’s obviously just trying to pick up girls!” This was the view of the group that still looked down on Xu Luo.

Regardless of which view they held, everyone had to admit one fact: Xu Luo, the second young master of the General’s Mansion who had been ridiculed by the entire Imperial Capital for more than a decade, was no longer the frail young man of the past!

Whether you liked it or not, you had to give him the respect he was due!

This had nothing to do with Xu Luo’s noble title; it was something he had earned with his own real strength!