In the distance, Yi Lantian also turned around, preparing to watch the battle.
Under his guidance, Yuan Chen had been cultivating steadily and solidly, achieving a balanced growth in all aspects, and was most skilled in defense, without any obvious weaknesses.
But Chen Yu had been away for four and a half years, and his cultivation level had greatly changed. How strong he really was still unknown.
Compared to Yuan Chen, he was more optimistic about Chen Yu.
Meow!
The Dark Night Mountain Cat rubbed its eyes and also looked over.
"Junior brother, I wonât hold back," Yuan Chen said without underestimating Chen Yu, since they had both participated in the last major competition. He himself had placed fourth, while Chen Yu had secured the first place.
Whoosh!
Yuan Chen launched the attack first, arriving at Chen Yuâs right side. He stretched out his palm, where the cold light condensed into an ice palm.
As Yuan Chen slapped down, a burst of ice mist formed around, directing the powerful palm strength towards Chen Yu.
Chen Yu stimulated the Secret Pattern Demon Body, and his bodyâs surface instantly turned black, covered in dense patterns and demon light shining in all directions, causing the surroundings to darken.
Bang!
Yuan Chenâs palm struck Chen Yu in the chest, turning most of his body into ice.
Crack!
Chen Yuâs figure slightly shifted, shattering the ice, and he was not injured in the slightest.
"Youâre indeed worthy of the âHeavenly Demon Secret Pattern Record.â Such defensive power, even I, your senior brother, canât compare," Yuan Chen said with a smile.
Yi Lantian nodded. Chen Yuâs cultivation of the "Heavenly Demon Secret Pattern Record" was good.
On the other side, Yu Bu Yuâs eyes widened. She had long heard that her third senior brother was practicing one of the ancient top ten marvelous cultivation techniques, the "Heavenly Demon Secret Pattern Record," so she wanted to witness it.
At this moment, the third senior brother, at the peak of the early Guiyuan Realm, had endured a palm from the second senior brother without a scratch. The renowned first defensive cultivation technique of ancient and modern times indeed lived up to its reputation.
But who would win this battle?
Perhaps it would be the third senior brother, since he had previously won the first place in the competition, and the cultivation technique he practiced was even stronger.
However, with the guidance from their master, the third senior brotherâs cultivation level was higher than the second senior brotherâs, which might give him an even greater advantage.
"Mystic Ice Palm."
Cold power erupted from Yuan Chenâs palm, drastically dropping the surrounding temperature.
In the void, a huge ice palm rapidly condensed, larger than Chen Yuâs entire person, and charged out.
Chen Yu noticed the extraordinary nature of his senior brother Yuan Chenâs attack and stimulated the Demon Rune Battle Technique, a layer of Demon Scale Armor emerging on his body.
Bang!
The ice palm struck Chen Yuâs body, unable to shake him, exploded into numerous ice crystals, covering Chen Yu.
"Junior brother, even if you have strong defensive power, if I make you immobile, I would consider it my victory," Yuan Chen declared his combat intention openly.
After all, their fight was primarily a sparring match, not a battle to win at all costs.
At the very least, both Chen Yu and Yuan Chen did not use any weapons.
"Converge!"
Yuan Chen clapped his hands together, and the cold Xuanbing True Essence surged out, resonating with the ice crystals around Chen Yu.
Suddenly, the force of the cold ice around Chen Yu surged, rapidly forming a layer of ice around him. Then came a second layer, a third, and a fourth layer of ice.
In the blink of an eye, Chen Yu was encased in a huge block of ice, completely immobile.
"Second senior brother is so impressive," Yu Bu Yu said with wide eyes, amazed.
Yuan Chen was better at defense and binding rather than attacking.
Hum!
Yuan Chenâs palms were tightly pressed together, not yet releasing them.
He could feel that inside the ice, Chen Yu was unleashing a tremendous force in an attempt to break free.
Chen Yu had to admit that his senior brother Yuan Chen was also a genius with strong methods. With sheer strength alone, he would not be able to break free, unless he used ultimate effort or other techniques.
Hum!
On Chen Yuâs right arm, a demon pattern surged, spreading over the entire limb, with Demon Pattern True Essence bursting forth from it.
Outside the blackened arm, a black True Essence demon claw faintly formed, which was the Demolishing Claw.
Crack!
The ice layer around Chen Yuâs arm split, and the Demolishing Claw grew larger.
Bang!
Chen Yu poured more True Essence into it, the Demolishing Claw swelled, and with a fierce swing, the claw ravaged forth, shattering the ice block.
The dark, ancient, and domineering claw rushed towards Yuan Chen.
"Cold Ice Shield!"
Yuan Chen released a layer of cold ice luminescence from his palms, waving them up to form a thick and solid Cold Ice Shield.
Bang!
The Demolishing Claw arrived, blasting a hole in the Cold Ice Shield and continuing its attack inside.
Yuan Chen waved his palms to increase the defensive power of the location being attacked by the Demolishing Claw.
"Junior brother has strong defensive power, strength, and attacking methods, but I, your senior brother, am also good at defense. If you canât injure me, I wonât consider it a loss, weâll be at a stalemate at most," Yuan Chen said with a smile from within the shield.
Chen Yuâs claw had weakened somewhat from destroying the ice block before, so Yuan Chen comfortably blocked it.
Boom!
Chen Yu charged out, stirring up a pitch-black gale.
He arrived in front of the ice shield, channeling his power and rotating his True Essence, punching down fiercely.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Then, a second, a third, a fourth punch landed continuously.
Compared to the instantaneous burst of the Demolishing Claw, the continuous bombardment of Chen Yuâs fists caused even larger damage.
Yuan Chen was continuously repairing the spot that Chen Yu was bombarding, but his pace seemed to be lagging behind.
"Enough, stop here," Master Yi Lantian spoke up.
Chen Yu and Yuan Chen immediately ceased their actions.
Yu Bu Yu pouted, seemingly not having had enough, or perhaps she wanted to know who would be more powerful if the battle continued, the second senior brother or the third.
"Junior brother, your strength hasnât declined at all. Just now, I was about to not hold on, but fortunately, our master intervened," Yuan Chen maintained his calm smile.
"It was just a sparring match, and the victory was not decided."
Chen Yu also smiled.
Between him and his senior fellow disciple, Yuan Chen, there wasnât really a question of victory or defeat.
Yuan Chen took the initiative to challenge, probably because he and the Master just wanted to see Chen Yuâs strength, and once they determined that it was about what they expected, they could stop.
"Junior brother, you have the âBlood Crystal Flameâ, a True Fire Spirit Flame that restrains my Xuanbing True Essence. If we really came to blows, then your senior brother here would undoubtedly suffer."
Yuan Chen spoke the truth.
He was somewhat wary of the âBlood Crystal Flameâ.
Moreover, with Chen Yu practicing the âHeavenly Demon Secret Pattern Record,â it was impossible for him to injure Chen Yu.
So, he had no chance of defeating Chen Yu.
"Blood Crystal Flame?"
Yu Bu Yu stared at Chen Yu with wide eyes, showing a look of surprise.
"Your junior sister is a Fire Spirit Body genius, so she practices the Fire Dao, hence she is so amazed by such magical and powerful True Fire Spirit Flames."
Yuan Chen explained.
"Fire Spirit Body genius."
Chen Yu hadnât expected his junior sister to have such high talent. No wonder she reached the Late Innate stage at such a young age.
Hum!
Chen Yu stretched out his hand, and the blood flame in his palm bloomed, expanding continuously.
The flame kept churning until it finally formed a dazzling, glaze-like flower made of blood flame.
"Is this the âBlood Crystal Flameâ? Itâs so pretty!"
Yu Bu Yu approached Chen Yu, her blue eyes fixated on the blood lotus, filled with amazement and admiration.
Facing the powerful Blood Path flame like the âBlood Crystal Flame,â even a strong figure like Yi Lantian felt tempted, but the magic he practiced wasnât compatible with the âBlood Crystal Flameâ, besides, as a Master stealing something from his disciple, it might deter others from joining the academy in the future.
After a while, Chen Yu withdrew the âBlood Crystal Flameâ.
"If the Master has no other instructions, I will take my leave now."
Chen Yu said.
"We shall also take our leave."
Yuan Chen spoke on behalf of Yu Bu Yu.
He had brought his junior sister here, anticipating that Chen Yu would come to see the Master as soon as he returned to the academy.
"Alright, you all may go. Prepare yourselves for the Talent Tea Party in half a year,"
Yi Lantian reminded them again.
Subsequently, the three left the mountain peak.
"Junior sister, did you make it into the top fifty in this academy competition?"
On the way, Chen Yu asked.
He had this guess because the Master had said to let them all prepare.
"Yes."
Yu Bu Yu revealed a small smile.
"The competition in this academy contest was even fiercer. Bu Yu did great, she made it into the top fifty, ranking forty-eighth."
Yuan Chen said with a smile.
Being praised by Yuan Chen made Yu Bu Yu somewhat embarrassed.
Yu Bu Yu was lucky, after being accepted into the school, the Master took her in as a disciple, and she made it into the top fifty in the academy contest, earning the opportunity to participate in the Talent Tea Party.
If nothing unexpected happened, she would definitely shine in the next academy contest.
Before long, the three senior and junior fellow disciples parted ways.
Chen Yu immediately returned to his own courtyard. As a disciple of the vice dean, his courtyard was in an excellent location, providing far superior conditions for cultivation than the other students.
"Comfortable."
Chen Yu couldnât help but sigh with relief; the cultivation environment here was so much better than in Chu Country.
Next, Chen Yu began to cultivate.
...
Elsewhere, in the south of Yun Zhao Country.
A continuous stretch of misty gorges exuded chilling cold, and at the bottom lay a vast and gloomy ancient temple.
Within a certain great hall, a middle-aged man with a stern face and sinister eyes sat at the top.
"Hasnât there been any news from those from Unlawful Temple?"
The middle-aged manâs voice was cold and deep.
"Elder Ren, it has been three days since their last message, and there is still no news. I fear they may have failed..."
Below, a monk bowed low, speaking softly.
He also found it hard to imagine how the elders Buyi and Bu Ren could have failed with their capabilities.
Besides, even if they had failed, they should have sent a message to lay the groundwork, so Elder Ren could brace himself and avoid a severe reprimand upon their return.
"Hmph, once they fail, Chen Yu would surely be on guard. Just a bunch of incompetent fools."
"Once Chen Yu returns to No Demon Academy, it will be even harder to kill him."
Ren Bingâs face was clouded with gloom.
Initially, he had taken action himself only to be stopped by Yi Lantian.
However, a vendetta for the murder of a son must be avenged!
Whatâs more, Ren Han had successfully infiltrated No Demon Academy, gaining the trust of the high-ranking officials, causing many leaders of the Black Prison Alliance to regard Chen Yu with enmity. At the time, Chen Yuâs bounty had jumped to the top three.
Furthermore, could Yi Lantian possibly protect Chen Yu at all times?
Whoosh!
Ren Bing suddenly stood up, his long hair and cloak flying wildly.
"I will take his life!"
Ren Bingâs voice, filled with resolve to kill, turned into a black shadow and flew out.
The next moment, a red-haired, bizarre Blood Robed Woman approached the entrance.
"Whatâs happened to Elder Ren?"
The Blood Robed Woman asked.
"Chen Yu has appeared. Those sent to assassinate him have failed, so Elder Ren has decided to take matters into his own hands."
The monk replied respectfully.
The person before him belonged to the mysterious "Blood Moon Organization".
"Is this all true?"
The Blood Robed Womanâs eyes shimmered with a strange light.
The monk nodded his head.
"Chen Yu has appeared. I must report this news to the Holy Daughter."
The Blood Robed Woman turned and swiftly left.