Under the moonlit night, the lanterns shone brightly once more.
With an expressionless face, Wang Zhan stepped out of the Royal Martial Arts Academy, akin to emerging from a heavy ambush. His passage was unobstructed. Not only was that madwoman nowhere to be seen, but not a single student from the Royal Martial Arts Academy was in sight either.
Can’t kill, can’t die... Hmph. Wang Zhan sneered.
Humanity had survived to this day; countless Martial Artists had perished. Why was it that when it came to the Royal Martial Arts Academy, its people couldn’t die?
Of course, he understood Edward’s intentions. The people of the Royal Martial Arts Academy could die, but they should die on the battlefield, not at the hands of their own.
But Edward had forgotten one thing: Wang Zhan was human, and so was Edward himself.
Humans are inherently selfish and have weaknesses. So why couldn’t the people of the Royal Martial Arts Academy die? Why should Wang Zhan have to die with them if they perished? It was because they operated under the grand banner of the Royal Martial Arts Academy.
In that case, just let them die in their sickbeds!
Wang Zhan cherished his life, but that didn’t mean he would always submit. If he couldn’t kill them, or wasn’t permitted to, he would cripple this worthless trash. They were utterly unworthy of stepping onto the battlefield.
Since his rise, in less than a single year, Wang Zhan’s time had been consumed by internal strife. Only his days in Oceania, slaughtering beasts to his heart’s content, had felt truly fulfilling.
It was simply absurd.
From the shadows, countless pairs of eyes stared intently at Wang Zhan, like pythons ready to devour their prey.
This battle could not involve Martial Generals or Grandmasters. But the same limitation applied to Wang Zhan: he couldn’t use any power beyond the Martial Master Realm, which effectively tied his hands.
This was precisely why Edward hadn’t even mentioned Wang Zhan’s bloodline talent. While powerful, it wasn’t something a Warrior could even glimpse, at least not until reaching the Martial King realm.
"Kill him! Make him accompany our mentor in death!" someone hissed sinisterly, a sharp, cold glint of light wavering in the darkness, chilling one to the bone.
"He deserves to die! So what if he’s a genius? The Federation has endless talents in our Academy. Do we really need to rely on this Wang Zhan? He’s just a cheap rat from the slums! Dying in a sewer is his true destiny!"
Jing State’s sewer system was exceptionally developed, buried deep underground due to the rise and prosperity of martial arts. Never mind one body; even if tens of thousands were left there to putrefy, no one would ever discover them.
Some were preparing, some were observing, and some were waiting.
Yet, just as Wang Zhan stepped out of the Royal Martial Arts Academy, someone appeared by his side. His attitude was respectful, as if Wang Zhan were truly a great figure from his own family.
"Yang Qi, greets Young Master Wang!"
A hearty young man with a wide grin revealing a mouthful of white teeth stood before Wang Zhan, offering a greeting.
Wang Zhan paused slightly and glanced at him.
He was rather short, not even reaching Wang Zhan’s shoulder, but his limbs were very thick and strong. He looked harmless, but the killing intent on his body was palpable. Evidently, he was also someone who had been on the battlefield.
Wang Zhan’s expression shifted subtly.
"From the Yang family?"
"Yes! My Young Master anticipated that Young Master Wang would be intercepted today and might need a helper, so he specially sent me to lend you a hand."
Wang Zhan found Yang Qi’s somewhat bookish words a bit jarring but still nodded.
Wang Zhan remarked meaningfully, Yang Zecheng said he’d invest in me; I thought it would be that Uncle He by his side. I didn’t expect him to send a young man. It looks like Uncle He isn’t his only support. Yang Zecheng probably didn’t lie to me, so this Yang Qi must be from the Yang family, right? Those old foxes are certainly good at concealing their people.
He didn’t need to think to know that if Yang Qi were an overt member of the Yang family, the many students of the Royal Martial Arts Academy, who had made thorough preparations to kill him, would never have so generously allowed him to approach. Are they tired of living?
Yang Qi scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"This humble one is dull-witted and can’t think of much. However, this humble one does have some strength. Young Master Wang, feel free to give your orders."
Wang Zhan ignored him further. His grudge with the Royal Martial Arts Academy was known to all, but his agreement with Edward didn’t need explaining to anyone. Besides, Yang Qi’s appearance was a good thing. If the other side didn’t follow the rules, he could just let this guy, who looked like he swung a hammer, take over.
"If a Martial General or Grandmaster appears, you’ll be responsible for them. Otherwise, you don’t need to act."
The reply was quite crisp. Wang Zhan thought, He does have some backbone. Not just Yang Zecheng, but the Yang family as a whole.
A figure suddenly flew out from Wang Zhan’s fist, continuously vomiting crimson blood. His face turned deathly pale, the qi in his body dissipated, and he could only look with hatred and misery at Wang Zhan’s still proudly upright back.
"You’ve crippled my Essence Energy!!"
Low-level Warriors didn’t have Wang Zhan’s good fortune. To be able to develop abundant Essence Energy was already a great blessing for them, let alone mental energy.
It could be said that Wang Zhan had cut off his Martial Arts Path, directly sending him to his death. But what did this have to do with Wang Zhan? Anyway, no one had died at his hands.
Thus, Wang Zhan slightly raised an eyebrow and said indifferently, "Trash like you had best not waste the Federation’s resources any longer. Otherwise, I’ll kill every one I see!"
Wang Zhan had encountered many Federation geniuses, as well as ordinary warriors. Geniuses like Yuan Mengru, Lin Xiaoyin, Song Dongming, and Huang Pufeng; ordinary ones like Sun Kelan and other superhuman individuals. All of them held firm beliefs; even if they entered the battlefield now, they would be first-class warriors.
But these people before me? They’re just fishing for fame and wasting the Federation’s food. Do they even realize that everything the Federation has was bought with the blood and sweat of those who came before?
Yang Qi followed closely behind Wang Zhan, not too far, not too near, just right to step in—a single stride away. He conscientiously fulfilled his role as Wang Zhan’s bodyguard, only a hint of peculiarity flashed in his eyes.
Three level 9 Warriors and four level one or two Martial Masters couldn’t even block one of his punches? It seems he has some ability...
But how could he know Wang Zhan’s helplessness? Wang Zhan paused, looked up at the round moon, and sighed.
Sigh, I want to kill people! If I can’t kill, my realm stagnates, and my extreme attribute points have nowhere to come from. The ancient tree tea from the Federal Martial Arts Academy has hit a bottleneck now, its usefulness isn’t that great. It’s hard. When can I truly reach Martial General, or Grandmaster?
He craved power, but these people from the Royal Martial Arts Academy were truly too hidebound, lacking any will of their own.
Edward said only Martial Masters could be sent, so they only send Martial Masters? Utterly foolish. If it were me, and I had the ability, even if it were a Grandmaster, as long as I could recoup my investment, I’d do it. Thıs content belongs to 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵※𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮※𝓷𝓮𝓽
Thinking of this, his brow furrowed slightly. He then shouted loudly, his voice lingering in the air.
"Tonight, I have already crippled four Martial Masters and three Warriors! Are you out of people? I advise you, if you don’t want to bring ruin upon yourselves, don’t send any more of these people to their deaths. Otherwise, I will definitely make you lie in bed, able only to wait for death.
Now, send a few high-level Martial Masters to liven things up for me! If you have Martial Generals, it’s best to send them out too; Grandmasters would be even better! I have someone by my side who is invincible among Grandmasters of the same rank. You all better not send more people to die."
Behind Wang Zhan, Yang Qi’s face turned bitter, and his heart tightened.
Damn it, this kid is not quite like what Young Master Yang said. What Grandmasterly demeanor? He’s clearly a shameless little hooligan...
"Outrageous! A cheap kind from the slums dares to be so arrogant!"
From the hidden corners of buildings all around, countless pairs of eyes were staring at Wang Zhan, their faces twitching. Wang Zhan was clearly issuing a challenge. He was just short of pointing at their noses and saying the Royal Martial Arts Academy had no one left, allowing him to act so ferociously.
But the Dean had already given instructions: in today’s battle, those at the Martial Master realm, regardless of their strength, could make a move, but those above Martial General could not.
Who would have thought this kid, Wang Zhan, regardless of your realm, if you were a Warrior, it was one punch. If a Martial Master, then two or three punches; it barely took any effort.
And he struck viciously. Each time he attacked, he was determined to cut off the attacker’s Martial Arts Path.
Just then, a gloomy man with somewhat messy hair walked out. A ferocious scar on his handsome face made him look somewhat bloodthirsty.
The others were all somewhat apprehensive but quickly nodded.
"Good! You go test him! Use whatever resources you need. Since the Tang Family is stepping forward, they will bear the burden for us."
This was a level 4 Martial Master, a character who had survived the Star War Battlefield. Although it was only the peripheral zone, who didn’t know that just being able to survive on the Star War Battlefield was an ability in itself?
But after he left this place, a hint of incongruous ruthlessness flashed in the eyes of a gentle-looking young man.
"Wang Zhan had previously killed a Grandmaster. Although he no longer has that capital now, to prevent a starved camel from being bigger than a horse, you go find the Tang Family immediately. Tell them to get me someone who dares to fight to the death—at least a Martial General!"
In fact, it wasn’t really their fault that Wang Zhan had swept through everything.
Although the Royal Martial Arts Academy was one of the Federation’s four great institutions, the ones currently remaining at the academy were at most at the Martial Master Realm. Moreover, many of them hadn’t been to the Star War Battlefield, only cultivating in seclusion. Some were afraid of death. Now that Wang Zhan’s momentum was at its peak, who would dare to easily provoke him?
Let that kid Bo Tao go and test him. A level 4 Martial Master should be able to probe Wang Zhan’s true quality. Once it was confirmed, they would immediately attack like crazed, hungry wolves.
Edward looked at the distant scenery with a somber face. The aura of the Royal Martial Arts Academy was there, as was the momentum emanating from Wang Zhan.
At this moment, the mentor who had previously received Wang Zhan, as well as seven or eight other figures who currently held authority in the Royal Martial Arts Academy, were all present.
Edward said, somewhat tiredly, "The Royal Martial Arts Academy is truly becoming worse with each passing year. Aside from arrogance and domineering behavior, there is only endless scheming. They don’t even have the determination for a fight to the death. Is this also your contribution?"
When had the Royal Martial Arts Academy ever degenerated to this state?