138

Cui'er's face flushed with anger, her eyes almost spitting fire. When she heard that Young Master Xie had arrived, she became extremely excited, even fantasizing about being the favored servant girl for the night.

But it turned out someone was impersonating Young Master Xie!

Unforgivable!

Although this person appeared young and handsome, he fell short of Young Master Xie in many ways, especially in demeanor, which was beyond compare.

Who gave him the audacity to come here and impersonate Young Master Xie?

Cui'er jumped up in anger, shouting, "Shameless scoundrel, daring to impersonate Young Master Xie! Quick, someone, come and kill him! Grandmaster, hurry!"

Xie Lingfeng was bewildered, hastily trying to explain, "Please listen to me, I am truly Xie Lingfeng of the Sword Master Cliff. I came here to..."

"You audacious villain, daring to impersonate Young Master Xie, you deserve death!"

Before he could finish speaking, a furious roar echoed.

A grandmaster's aura surged, and a hand came down fiercely from above.

Yan Kuan!

Hearing Cui'er's scream, especially about someone impersonating Young Master Xie, he was shocked and immediately came out.

At the sight, he was enraged. How dare someone come to impersonate Xie Lingfeng! They deserved death!

Without another word, he immediately took action!

Boom!

Xie Lingfeng struck with a palm, sending Yan Kuan flying.

"You third-rate grandmaster, how dare you act so insolently in front of our young master?"

Hu Shan glared angrily at Yan Kuan.

Yan Kuan exploded with rage. How dare he be despised again!

"Guards!"

He roared for assistance.

This was the residence of Duke Du, not just his alone. There were grandmasters and peak grandmasters present!

"With your meager strength, you dare impersonate Young Master Xie? With his power, a single palm could crush me!"

Yan Kuan spoke coldly.

"I am truly Xie Lingfeng of the Sword Master Cliff. I came here to find a friend..."

Xie Lingfeng was at a loss. What was wrong with these people? They wouldn't even give him a chance to explain.

Boom!

"Die!"

But a flash of swordlight struck, a grandmaster warrior taking action.

"Hmph!"

Hu Shan snorted, drawing his sword and unleashing the Gale Sword Technique. He engaged the opponent, quickly gaining the upper hand.

"How dare you!"

Within Duke Du's residence, a powerful aura emerged, a grandmaster!

Xie Lingfeng's expression changed. He thrust his sword out, using the River Torrent Sword Technique!

In an instant, sword energy surged, forcing the opponent back.

However, another grandmaster took action, the two of them attacking together.

Xie Lingfeng snorted. He employed the River Torrent Sword Technique, waves of sword qi overwhelming the opponent. He single-handedly fought a grandmaster, not giving an inch.

At this moment, Yan Kuan sneered, "You arrogant fool, how would you know Young Master Xie's strength? In his eyes, a grandmaster is nothing but a slap. With your meager strength, you dare to impersonate him?"

Drawing his weapon, he attacked Hu Shan, joining forces with the grandmaster.

Boom!

The battle intensified. Hu Shan and Xie Lingfeng stood side by side.

"Young Master, let's retreat. Duke Du's residence has grandmasters. If this misunderstanding isn't cleared up, it'll end badly for us!"

Hu Shan wore a grave expression.

"Fine!"

Xie Lingfeng was also troubled. The situation was beyond explanation.

He had become an impersonator and was being despised!

Damn it!

I'm just a novice grandmaster. Fighting two grandmaster warriors single-handedly and not losing ground—how many novice grandmasters in the Inner Domain could do that?

Yet, I'm still being despised. It's ridiculous!

Boom!

The River Torrent Sword Technique intensified suddenly, swordlight flying amidst surging sword qi.

Rainbow Sword Technique!

In an instant, the two grandmasters were forced to retreat, hastily defending themselves.

And Xie Lingfeng, with another thrust of his sword, forced back the other grandmaster, stabbing Yan Kuan's shoulder on the way!

"With your meager skills, you're not even worthy to speak!"

After driving away the grandmasters of Duke Du's residence, Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan hastily left.

Yan Kuan was furious. A third-rate grandmaster?

This was too much. If Young Master Xie were here, I'd definitely demand two strains of Grade 7 spirit herbs and take your life!

Meanwhile, in the Waterside Pavilion, Du Yuying was preparing to entertain guests when Cui'er returned, filled with indignation.

"Miss, it's terrible! Someone is impersonating Young Master Xie!"

"What?"

Du Yuying's expression immediately turned angry.

"Where is he?"

"The grandmasters are currently in pursuit, but I'm not sure how it turned out."

"Let's go, see who these villains are!" 

Du Yuying stormed out of the mansion.

The battle had already ended.

"Where are they? Were they captured?"

Yan Kuan was bandaging his wounds. "They escaped. They're quite formidable!"

"Escaped? We must not let them leave Duke Du's jurisdiction!"

Du Yuying hurried off. "I'll go find my father and have him send peak grandmasters to hunt them down!"

"Duke Du's mansion has gone too far. Young Master, let's return to the Sword Master Cliff. I'll ask my father to come and teach Duke Du a lesson!"

Hu Shan was indignant, grumbling.

"Don't trouble Uncle Hai anymore. Let's go."

Xie Lingfeng sighed.

They hurriedly fled Duke Du's jurisdiction. The next step was to track down Xu Yan. After all, the Sword Master Cliff was a top-tier force. It would be easy to gather information from the martial world.

"Qianxing Lake's Peerless Pavilion?"

Hu Shan exclaimed, "I didn't expect Xu Yan to enjoy such luxuries!"

Xie Lingfeng confirmed that Xu Yan had entered the Inner Domain and had gone to the Peerless Pavilion under his name.

"It seems Xu brother went there to temper his state of mind."

Xie Lingfeng's eyes lit up. "Why didn't I think of going to the Peerless Pavilion to temper my state of mind?"

"Let's go to the Peerless Pavilion!"

Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan set off for the Peerless Pavilion.

Back at Duke Du's mansion, Cui'er was packing her belongings. "Miss, the villain escaped. It's despicable. Who knows what he might do to tarnish Young Master Xie's reputation."

"Recently, there's been rumors in the martial world that Young Master Xie went to the Peerless Pavilion and didn't spend a single coin. It must be that villain impersonating him, tarnishing Young Master Xie's name."

"How could Young Master Xie possibly go to the Peerless Pavilion?"

"Isn't it obvious? Young and handsome, where else could he be? Besides, didn't they say he went there to temper his state of mind?"

Du Yuying smiled.

"Hurry up and pack. It's time to return to the Seven Star Academy. The teacher must have found a solution to the problems on my body by now."

"Miss, does this mean you'll soon break through to become a grandmaster?"

Cui'er was overjoyed.

"I hope so."

Du Yuying sighed inwardly. Becoming a grandmaster is not that easy, after all.

...

The Seven Star Academy is almost like the holy land of martial arts in the Inner Domain, attracting martial arts students from all over the world and producing one grandmaster after another, even grandmaster warriors.

Throughout the Inner Domain, many forces and sect founders were once students of the Seven Star Academy, where they learned and established their own sects.

The Heavenly Treasure Pavilion in the Inner Domain is the largest commercial force, with profound heritage, and can be considered the number one transcendent force in the Inner Domain. Looking at the entire Inner Domain, the only force that can rival it in influence is the Seven Star Academy.

The Seven Star Academy has always stayed out of the martial world's disputes, focusing on spreading martial arts knowledge and research. It accepts talents from all backgrounds.

In terms of martial arts prosperity, the Seven Star Academy is unparalleled, and its influence in the martial world is also the greatest.

From the founders of the three major nations to the current emperors, they were all students of the Seven Star Academy in their youth.

There were also many poor boys who came here to seek martial arts, entered the Seven Star Academy, practiced diligently, and soared to become grandmasters, even grandmaster warriors.

In the long years of the martial world in the Inner Domain, there were top forces that collapsed and perished in the flow of time; there were also top forces that declined and lost their prestige.

"Only the Seven Star Academy, regardless of how the Inner Domain changes, always stands tall, always carries on its legacy, always remains at the peak.

In history, there have been martial arts techniques and secrets that may have been lost to the outside world, but they can be found in the Seven Star Academy. If even the Seven Star Academy doesn't have them, it means they are truly lost.

Throughout its long history, the Seven Star Academy has faced threats, but none have been able to shake it. Instead, those who dared to provoke the Seven Star Academy were suppressed and extinguished.

Like the dynasties that once unified the Inner Domain, how many powerful forces did they destroy? How many long-standing legacies bowed their heads? How many sects surrendered?

Wanting to control the Seven Star Academy, integrate it into the dynasty's rule, and make it a part of the dynasty, ultimately led to the collapse of the dynasty!

It was that battle that revealed a glimpse of the terrifying heritage of the Seven Star Academy.

One grandmaster after another emerged.

Long-lost peerless martial arts, unheard-of secrets... were all displayed by these grandmasters, overwhelming the strongmen of the dynasty with absolute superiority.

Forcing the dynasty to admit the transcendent status of the Seven Star Academy, not subject to the dynasty's jurisdiction.

It was also that battle that weakened the dynasty's strength, leading to its eventual collapse and fragmentation into the three major nations.

After this event, people learned that there has always been a group of martial arts scholars obsessed with martial arts in the Seven Star Academy, studying and inheriting martial arts.

In terms of martial arts essence, the strength of mastered techniques, and the profound understanding of martial arts, there is no force in the world that can compare.

And this group of martial arts scholars is the true foundation of the Seven Star Academy. No one knows how many martial arts scholars there are in the Seven Star Academy. Even some renowned grandmasters outside could possibly be members of the Seven Star Academy's martial arts scholars.

The current master of the Seven Star Academy is reputed to be the number one grandmaster in the world. Elusive and mysterious, few know whether they are male or female.

Only those top grandmasters might know their true identity.

The three vice-masters are also renowned grandmaster experts.

In the Seven Star Academy, the highest level one can interact with is the supervisors, chief instructors, and instructors. As for the rumored martial arts scholars, one can only rely on chance encounters.

Usually, there may also be martial arts scholars among the supervisors and instructors.

The strength of instructors ranges from grandmaster to not lower than third-rank martial warriors, responsible for teaching martial arts to novice students.

Chief instructors range from grandmasters to masters. There are no chief instructors lower than grandmasters.

Chief instructors are responsible for teaching students above the third-rank or exceptionally talented students.

Supervisors are the backbone of the Seven Star Academy, overseeing its rules and punishing instructors who violate them, among other duties.

Every supervisor is definitely a grandmaster expert.

Students who have supervisors as teachers are all outstanding talents.

The Seven Star City is surrounded by seven cities, forming the outer city of the Seven Star Academy. Many martial artists come here seeking opportunities, making martial arts friends, or seeking refuge from enemies.

The Seven Star Academy is built on a mountain, with pavilions and buildings scattered throughout. Every so often, a martial arts platform is built for students to exchange and spar.

It is also a place for outsiders to challenge and spar.

The Seven Star Academy has always welcomed external challengers to exchange and spar in martial arts, and many talents and geniuses come here every year to challenge and gain fame.

To gain access to the Seven Star Academy's collections, one must go through layers of challenges and sparring. Winning one match grants the privilege to browse one layer of collections, and so on.

Since its founding, the strongest challenger from outside who passed seven layers of challenges entered the seventh layer of collections.

Xu Yan left Qianxing Lake, looted the things in the island courtyard, and suddenly became rich. He had over three hundred thousand spirit crystals and over twenty spirit medicines.

With so much money, he could spend some properly.

On the way to the Seven Star Academy, Xu Yan stored his spirit medicines and other items in a Tianbao Pavilion.

After a long journey, he finally arrived at the Seven Star Academy. He came here for the academy's collections, to truly understand the martial arts of the Inner Domain.

To take their essence and incorporate it into his own path.

Bang!

On the first level of the Seven Star Academy's martial arts platform, a figure was sent flying and crashed to the ground.

On the martial arts platform, a Seven Star Academy student clasped his fists and said, "I concede!"

The young man who fell to the ground got up, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, looking somewhat discouraged. He couldn't even pass the first level.

"Another failure."

"The Seven Star Academy's martial arts platform is not easy to pass, even on the first level."

"Yes, it's too difficult. I'm also one of the top talents in my county, but I can't even pass the first level!"

The martial artists watching sighed and discussed.

The challengers who came to the martial arts platform were all young, top talents in their respective places. Before they came to challenge, they were full of fighting spirit and confidence.

But in the end, most of them failed on the first level.

"Another challenger has come."

"This person looks very young, even younger than me by a few years. I wonder if he can pass the first level."

"I doubt it. With his age, he's probably only a third-rank martial warrior at most, lacking in martial arts. I'm afraid he won't even last ten moves on the first level!"

Watching Xu Yan step onto the platform, the young martial artists discussed, all expressing doubt about Xu Yan's chances.

On the first level of the martial arts platform, a Seven Star Academy student stood proudly, waiting for Xu Yan's arrival.

Xu Yan looked around and was surprised, "Why are there no grandmaster warriors? The strongest here is only a first-rank martial warrior."

He had killed many grandmasters, so he thought grandmasters were everywhere. But now he discovered that there were no grandmaster warriors on the first level of the Seven Star Academy's martial arts platform.

"It seems that grandmasters aren't as common as I thought."

Xu Yan sighed inwardly. After killing so many, he thought grandmasters were everywhere.

But it turns out that grandmasters are rare.

He had no interest in challenging the first level. With only third-rank martial arts, he was too weak, to put it bluntly, he could be killed with a single breath.

So he directly bypassed the first level of the martial arts platform and continued upward.

(End of this chapter)