Sword Aura to the Heavens
Chapter 127 - 123: Sense of Superiority

Chapter 127: Chapter 123: Sense of Superiority

In the courtyard, Li Fan was meditating with his eyes closed.

"Brother Yang," a frantic voice echoed. Li Fan opened his eyes and saw Xiao Kui approaching. He asked, "What’s the matter?"

"Brother Huang went to Bai Lu Academy. I couldn’t stop him," Xiao Kui said urgently.

"He went to Bai Lu Academy?" Li Fan’s mind raced as he instantly understood the situation. Huang Xiong, being a man of righteous character, likely saw Lu Yuan and Ji Xue visiting, heard Ji Xue’s words, and believed Bai Lu Academy intended to confront him. So, he took the initiative to go to Bai Lu Academy himself.

"That fool!" Li Fan smiled ruefully. He had already told Huang Xiong to leave the matter to him.

*On the day he and Ji Xue entered the city, a teacher from Bai Lu Academy approached them after leaving the academy. That person should know the recent stir caused by the array on White Deer Street was linked to him.*

*Thus, if Li Fan sought out that teacher, they would likely give him some deference, and the matter could be resolved without going to such lengths.*

*But now that things had escalated to this point, he had no choice but to make a trip to Bai Lu Academy.*

*Huang Xiong acted in good faith, but it only complicated matters.*

"Don’t worry, I’ll go with you," Li Fan said softly, noticing Xiao Kui’s anxious expression. She nodded and followed him.

The two quickly left the courtyard and headed toward Bai Lu Academy.

By now, a large crowd had gathered outside Bai Lu Academy, chatter filling the air. Today, someone had stormed into Bai Lu Academy, causing a commotion at its gates—something truly out of the ordinary.

At the gate, a towering figure glared at the crowd ahead, shouting loudly, "I’ve said it many times before—Dai Long from your academy tried to kill my Demon Hunting Team to steal treasures. I killed him in self-defense. How many times do I have to explain for you to believe me?"

The onlookers quickly pieced together the situation: a Bai Lu Academy student had been killed in what appeared to be a dispute involving murder and stolen treasures.

The man staunchly insisted that the student from Bai Lu Academy tried to steal treasures by killing, forcing him to retaliate.

"Insolence." A cold voice rang out, fixing its gaze on Huang Xiong. "Now that the man you killed is dead, there’s no way to verify your claim. Naturally, whatever you say is just that—words. However, you not only killed but dared to create an uproar here. Do you think Bai Lu Academy tolerates blatant disrespect?"

Ji Xue stood among the crowd from Bai Lu Academy. Even she hadn’t expected the man to barge into the academy—it was practically suicide.

*This situation was already impossible to clarify. Now that Huang Xiong openly broadcasted it, everyone knew. Bai Lu Academy would never admit, without reason, that one of their students was at fault.*

"From what I understand, it was a swordsman who killed Senior Brother Dai—not merely you," Yun Zhiqiu said as he scrutinized Huang Xiong.

"Does Bai Lu Academy have nowhere to argue reason?" Huang Xiong yelled toward the academy’s interior. "I want to ask your teachers—what kind of principles are they teaching here?"

With that, he strode forward, intending to storm into the academy.

"Audacious!" A figure soared through the air, unleashing a palm attack toward Huang Xiong. A massive yellow palm imprint formed mid-air.

Huang Xiong raised his arm and smashed forward.

"Boom."

A deafening explosion erupted, shattering the palm imprint instantly. A terrifying fist slammed into the opponent’s hand, cracking sounds emanating from the arm as the person was sent flying.

Thud...

The ground trembled. Huang Xiong charged into Bai Lu Academy like a human beast, roaring, "Is there a teacher in Bai Lu Academy?"

"Insolence!" Yun Zhiqiu shouted coldly as several figures simultaneously attacked to block Huang Xiong.

Huang Xiong let out a ferocious roar, swinging his arms to strike. The two figures advancing were thrown aside, while Yun Zhiqiu’s sword slashed down only to be blocked by Huang Xiong’s arm, leaving a bloody wound. Huang Xiong retaliated by hitting the sword, his formidable strength forcing Yun Zhiqiu backward.

"He’s gotten stronger?"

*Yun Zhiqiu staggered as he landed, his astute perception noting that Huang Xiong had grown stronger compared to their last encounter in the Yun Meng Swamp.*

*That power felt beast-like. Even as someone at the Foundation Establishment Realm, Yun Zhiqiu couldn’t risk directly clashing with his strength—it would be humiliating.*

"Who is this man?"

The crowd outside buzzed. A member of the Demon Hunting Team, without noticeable mana fluctuations, was wreaking havoc—forcing Bai Lu Academy’s talented cultivators to retreat.

Although Yun Zhiqiu’s sword managed to injure Huang Xiong, the result remained underwhelming. Yun Zhiqiu—at the Foundation Establishment Realm—had been repelled, a sight far from impressive.

*Yun Zhiqiu himself felt the sting of embarrassment, his aura growing stronger, Sword Intent swirling around him.*

*His thoughts moved. His flying sword shot out—he no longer wanted to get close to Huang Xiong.*

"You’ve pushed me too far!" Huang Xiong roared, charging forward without fear. He refused to believe the academy’s teachers wouldn’t intervene today.

The crowd around the academy grew larger, comprising students from within and spectators from outside. All were curious about what was unfolding.

By the time Li Fan arrived, the area was packed tightly. Squeezing through the throng, Li Fan saw Huang Xiong hunched over, panting heavily, his clothes torn and bloodied, resembling a man drenched in his own blood.

However, several individuals from the academy lay injured on the ground, victims of his raw might.

Some of the academy’s more formidable cultivators had arrived but chose only to observe. After all, surrounding and attacking someone from the Innate Realm wouldn’t bring glory to Bai Lu Academy’s disciples.

"Brother Huang!" Xiao Kui rushed forward to shield Huang Xiong, her gaze filled with sadness as she surveyed his injuries. She lifted her head, glaring angrily at those ahead.

"Is Bai Lu Academy not a place for learning and propriety? Why are you just as unreasonable?" Xiao Kui reprimanded softly, her fiery gaze unwavering.

"This man trespassed into the academy and injured its members. We’ve already shown him mercy," someone countered coldly.

"Are you okay?" Li Fan approached Huang Xiong, inspecting his injuries. Though bathed in blood, Huang Xiong’s wounds were mostly superficial—easy enough to heal.

"I’m fine," Huang Xiong responded, his tone tinged with guilt. He hadn’t spoken with the academy’s teachers; now that Li Fan had arrived, trouble was certain to follow.

"Let’s go back to treat your wounds," Li Fan said softly, helping Huang Xiong as they began to leave.

The academy’s crowd frowned. Was it so simple for them to walk away?

"It was you who killed Senior Brother Dai, wasn’t it?" Yun Zhiqiu asked, his gaze fixed on Li Fan’s retreating figure.

*Ji Xue naturally noticed Li Fan and sighed inwardly. She had already urged him to leave Yun Meng City, doing her part for him.*

*But Li Fan didn’t take her advice and ended up here.*

*Now, there was little she could do.*

"Brother Yang," Ji Feng muttered within the crowd. Ji Xue had told him about the situation, and he inwardly thought it disastrous.

*This wasn’t going to end well.*

Li Fan acted as if he hadn’t heard Yun Zhiqiu, focusing on assisting Huang Xiong as they walked away, backs turned to Bai Lu Academy. Some members from the academy frowned at this gesture.

"You think you can leave without explaining Senior Brother Dai’s death?" A cold voice pierced the air. A figure raced forward from the crowd, Sword Aura surging around them. Their leap ended in a sword strike aimed straight at Li Fan.

Li Fan halted and whirled around. In an instant, a brilliant sword light flared, so dazzling that many in the crowd involuntarily closed their eyes for a moment. That radiant light slashed forth swiftly.

The Bai Lu Academy cultivator froze in place, unmoving, as their sword was sent flying. A cold blade hovered inches from their neck; strands of hair fell lazily with the wind, and a fine line of blood appeared on their neck. The air resonated with the lingering hum of a sword.

"A Sword Cultivator."

Bai Lu Academy’s students were visibly stunned, especially Ji Xue, who fixed her gaze on Li Fan. The academy member who had attacked wasn’t weak—they were a mid-stage Soul Emergence Realm cultivator.

Li Fan, with a single strike, had sealed their fate. If his blade moved downward, the person would have been dead.

"Brother Yang..." Ji Feng, too, was momentarily stunned. It was the first time he had seen Li Fan act.

*He seemed... strong?*

*At the very least, much stronger than him.*

Li Fan’s eyes swept over Bai Lu Academy’s disciples. It seemed resolving this quietly was no longer an option.

The piercing sound of his sword rang out as he swung sharply, striking the academy member on the head and knocking them back.

Li Fan strode forward toward Bai Lu Academy, addressing the crowd: "I killed Dai Long."

With his words spoken, the crowd erupted into commotion, shocked by his outright admission.

Bai Lu Academy’s members stared at Li Fan. Such arrogance?

To stand outside Bai Lu Academy and openly confess to killing Dai Long?

*Earlier, Huang Xiong had made his declarations. Now, Li Fan did the same.*

"As a Bai Lu Academy student, Dai Long posed as someone from the Demon Hunting Team to kill human cultivators. I informed Bai Lu Academy about this in Yun Meng Swamp, but they didn’t believe me. So, I took it upon myself to act—clearing the academy’s ranks to prevent him from continuing to harm others and tarnish its reputation," Li Fan explained.

"Arrogant."

"So, you clear Bai Lu Academy’s ranks, huh?"

Students from Bai Lu Academy seethed with fury at Li Fan’s words.

This man not only confessed to killing Dai Long but dared to openly proclaim he was acting on the academy’s behalf to cleanse its ranks.

"You killed someone and then slandered Senior Brother Dai, leaving no one to refute your claims. Is that your plan?" Yun Zhiqiu challenged, fixing his gaze on Li Fan.

"Before I killed anyone, I met you and informed you of the circumstances. Yet, without investigating, you tried to apprehend us. Were we supposed to meekly surrender?" Li Fan shot back, his eyes locked on Yun Zhiqiu. "I suppose it makes sense. Bai Lu Academy’s disciples are naturally a cut above the rest. Of course, they wouldn’t stoop to murder for stolen treasures. So by default, we’re guilty, aren’t we?"

Yun Zhiqiu quietly stared at Li Fan, waiting for his rebuttal. No matter what was said, the man was dead. With no witnesses, it naturally pointed to Li Fan and his group.

Li Fan couldn’t explain it.

*Li Fan knew he couldn’t clear this up, which was why he made no attempt to.*

"I’m curious, though. Against Brother Huang, you need to gang up, yet when faced with a demon, you escape faster than anyone—abandoning your companions to save yourselves. Where exactly does your sense of superiority come from?"

Li Fan’s words were a sharp question that made Yun Zhiqiu’s face turn pale instantly.

"Bai Lu Academy wouldn’t murder for stolen treasures, so it must be us?"

Li Fan chuckled, raising his sword as he addressed the crowd, "Come on, show me your superiority."