by Mao Ni
Tianhai Ya'er had also not expected for this opponent that he viewed with contempt to actually be able to block his fist.
He felt somewhat ashamed.
This made him extremely angry.
He crazily let loose a scream, just like a child whose toy had been snatched away.
When the teachers of the Temple Seminary heard this scream, their expressions instantly changed.
The hurricane rose up once more!
Several flashes of lightning could faintly be seen!
Tianhai Ya'er's fist continued forward and with crushing momentum, broke through Xuanyuan Po's powerful defense!
"Block it again!" the boy on the stone platform screamed crazily.
Smoke rose up from Xuanyuan Po's metamorphosed arm, but was instantly blown away by the hurricane.
A terrifying strength was transferred from his wrist to his shoulder.
He found it even harder to endure and vomited blood as he retreated.
Tianhai Ya'er pursued like a ghostly shadow, another fist thundering forward!
Xuanyuan Po grit his teeth and angrily roared, raising up his heavily wounded right arm in an attempt to block it.
"Enough!" From below the stage came Zhuang Huanyu's icy shout.
At almost the same time, the lecturers of the Temple Seminary and the military instructors of Star Seizer Academy stood and anxiously cried, "Quickly stay your hand!"
Only those of sufficient cultivation could tell that Xuanyuan Po had already lost and that this fist of Tianhai Ya'er's was aiming to cripple his arm!
Demi-humans were innately endowed with powerful physiques, especially after they had metamorphosed, but if they were heavily injured while metamorphosed, the injuries would be even harder to recover from!
Tianhai Ya'er actually wanted to turn this demi-human youth into a cripple!
Crack.
Xuanyuan Po vomited blood and was sent flying, crashing down on the stone stage and jolting the dusty ground.
He stubbornly tried to rise, but he already lacked the strength.
The right arm that had been one of his greatest prides, his once incomparably sturdy right arm, now hung down, ruined and already crippled.
It was deathly still.
Tianhai Ya'er stood in front of him, looking down at him from above.
Blood rarely flowed in the Ivy Festival, but this scene was miserable and cruel.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer walked onto stage and shook his head. "Your attack was too harsh."
Tianhai Ya'er slightly creased his brow, saying, "I promised Sir that I would not kill him, but never said that I wouldn't cripple him.
"I hear that all you demi-humans possess a lot of strength?" Tianhai Ya'er looked down at him in disdain as he sneered, "It only turned out to be just this much."
Xuanyuan Po stared at his crippled arm and suddenly began to wail in pain.
He was a sturdy and courageous demi-human youth, but in the end, he was still thirteen.
All the crowd was silent. Even though the people from Star Seizer Academy were all wrathful beyond compare, they could only remain silent.
In the Orthodox Academy's corner, there was also silence.
Luoluo stared at the platform.
She stared at the blood dripping from the youth's right hand.
Her right hand faintly shifted in its sleeve.
She turned to Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng was also staring at the platform.
Chapter 44 – My Name Is Luoluo
Chen Changsheng was staring at the platform.
On the platform, Tianhai Ya'er sensed his gaze and turned to Chen Changsheng, his thin red lips curling slightly, his immature pale face revealing a smile brimming with scorn and contempt. The meaning of this smile was evident without needing to ask.
The heavily injured Xuanyuan Po was carried off the stone platform and hurriedly treated by the teachers of the Heavenly Dao Academy. After that, he was carried away by the students of Star Seizer Academy. Tianhai Ya'er drew back his gaze and turned to the crowd boiling with emotion below him, sneering, "I know that none of you idiots and trash like me, but so what? I don't need your love, I only need all of you to fear me. Who cares how much you hate me? Could it be that any of you would dare attack me?
"The Ivy Festival is truly laughable, a bunch of idiots that think they're fish leaping over the Dragon Gate, but they never thought that only true dragons can leap over that gate in the sea of clouds! You lot of pitiable people from nowhere, do you really think you'll get the chance?" Tianhai Ya'er jeered, "I certainly didn't come to the Ivy Festival to knock you idiots out of your wishful delusions. I came to do two things. After finishing them, I'll naturally leave so as to avoid having all your eyeballs pop out from glaring too long."
Precisely as those important personages silently thought, the Temple Seminary had naturally not dispatched this crazy little monster of theirs to the Ivy Festival so that they could get the right to participate in the first match. There was necessarily a deeper meaning behind it. There was even a chance that this little monster attending the Ivy Festival had nothing to do with the Temple Seminary!
Upon hearing Tianhai Ya'er's words, the crowd grew quiet. They were very interested in knowing just what the two things he wanted to do were.
That match with the demi-human youth from Star Seizer Academy had clearly happened by chance, and was presumably not one of the two tasks he wanted to carry out.
"I came to the Ivy Festival today because Tang Thirty-Six said he was going to cripple me, so I wanted to cripple him."
Tianhai Ya'er turned to the Heavenly Dao Academy's seating area and continued, "He's a student of your Heavenly Dao Academy, but I think that since he was able to make that declaration, none of you can hold me back. But rather amusingly, that rustic fool actually didn't dare to appear."
He turned his gaze to Chen Changsheng in the corner as he disdainfully said, "The second task I came to carry out has to do with this piece of trash here.
"A few days ago, besides hearing that Tang Thirty-Six wanted to cripple me, I also heard about a preposterous matter. The Orthodox Academy…that run-down graveyard in Hundred Flowers Lane…had actually taken in a new student. Hahahahaha…I didn't dare to believe my ears."
Tianhai Ya'er seemed like he had heard the most laughable matter in the world, rubbing his belly while letting loose a shrill laugh, his voice extremely harsh on the ears.
Suddenly, his smile vanished and a roar boomed like thunder through the Heavenly Dao Academy.
"Bold!"
Tianhai Ya'er gave a gloomy and cold look to Chen Changsheng, and then his gaze flitted past the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, as well as the faces of many other people. His voice was very cold and extremely low, completely unlike any voice that could be produced by a twelve-year-old boy. "I don't care who was responsible for this matter, I just want to ask him a question: do you want to die?"
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer glanced at the direction of the seating area for the hosts, and realized that the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education was still as calm as ever.
Logically, even someone like Tianhai Ya'er would not reprimand these powerful figures with such condescension, and this reprimand was practically a threat.
But he had done it, and the crowd was still silent.
Because he might be representing the Pope, or even the Divine Empress, in asking those conservative powers within the Orthodox Academy, in asking those people who wanted to use the Orthodox Academy to stir up storms once more, Just what do all of you plan to do?’
No person could answer this question.
"This piece of trash who hasn't even succeeded at Purification wants to revive the Orthodox Academy? What a joke!"
Tianhai Ya'er stared at Chen Changsheng and said very matter-of-factly, "I know that you know Tang Thirty-Six. Since he doesn't dare appear, you can just come up and let me cripple you. I can kill two birds w
ith one stone and save some time."
A deathly stillness.
The crowd had been laughing a moment ago, an ear-grating laughter. It had been laughter targeted at the Orthodox Academy's decline and wretchedness, and also at the silence of that young man and woman.
But now, no one laughed. This was because of the ferocity Tianhai Ya'er had just displayed, and also because everyone knew that if that new student of the Orthodox Academy really did step onto the stone platform to face his fate, he would face an even more tragic end than the demi-human youth, possibly even death.
"Or…" Tianhai Ya'er smiled at him, "You can announce to everyone present that you're withdrawing from the Orthodox Academy and then bow to me and plead the great me for forgiveness, and perhaps I might let you go."
Chen Changsheng could not withdraw from the Orthodox Academy because this was the only choice the Divine General's estate…or to be more precise, the powerful figure hidden behind the Xu Estate, had given him. If he did not have the qualifications of a student of the Orthodox Academy, he had no means of attending the Grand Examination.
After listening to Tianhai Ya'er's words, he was naturally very angry, but also very confused—he did not understand why a rustic youth from Xining Village had earned the hostility of this young expert of the Temple Seminary. Yes, being hostile to someone needed to be earned, required reasons.
This was because he did not know that when he was calmly cultivating and reading in the Orthodox Academy, ignoring the storms outside his window and not viewing the flowers in the lane, an undercurrent was already running through the capital. Many people began to take note of him; people like the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer, like some people in the Li Palace, like some people in the Imperial Palace.
Nobody knew about the engagement between him and Xu Yourong, and those people naturally did not know this entrance into the Orthodox Academy was completely by accident. Those people believed that in the critical year in which the Orthodox Academy would finally become part of the dust of history, before their eyes it suddenly gained a new student, a representative of some conservative powers within the Orthodox Academy. Those powers still loyal to the Chen Imperial clan were feeling things out, or perhaps those conservative powers were attempting to make a declaration. Crucially, those people had not seen Chen Changsheng's recommendation letter and had not seen the Pope's signature, so the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education's position only confirmed their conclusions.
This sort of feeling out or declaration was something these people could not accept, so they chose without hesitation to suppress it. The moment they chose was the Ivy Festival, and the person chosen to take care of it was naturally this Heavenly Dao Academy overseer in charge of supervising the Ivy Festival. Who had they ultimately chosen to do the deed?
There were still many officials and priests of the Great Zhou Dynasty loyal to the Chen Imperial clan, so those people did not want their actions to be too obvious. Consequently, they determined that the Temple Seminary's little monster was the best choice because he was the Divine Empress's grandnephew and also had backing in the Orthodoxy.
The Divine Empress and the Pope might not even know that there was a new student in the Orthodox Academy, but this possibility could not change the facts of Tianhai Ya'er's surname and teacher. In addition, the best aspect was that Tianhai Ya'er was only a twelve-year-old boy…let alone humiliation and suppression, even if he killed that person on the spot, so what?
'Little children don't understand' had always been the best excuse, hadn't it?
The most important guests presiding over tonight's Ivy Festival, the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education and Divine General of the East Xu Shiji, were well aware of this undercurrent. Xu Shiji knew of Chen Changsheng's origins and identity, but given the existence of that engagement, he naturally wished to maintain his silence. If Chen Changsheng was beaten into the dust or killed on the spot, they were both scenes that he wished to see. As for the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, his silence had even deeper meanings, because he knew of more things.
Such as the identity of that girl next to Chen Changsheng.
Bow or don't bow, leave or be beaten to death; these were the choices Tianhai Ya'er had left for Chen Changsheng. There were not many choices, and it was only for the sake of proving that the Orthodox Academy was already part of history. After all, he was a child, so his methods were crude and straightforward, purely about the word 'humiliation.'
Bow or don't bow, leave or be beaten to death; these were the choices Tianhai Ya'er had left for Chen Changsheng. There were not many choices, and it was only for the sake of proving that the Orthodox Academy was already part of history. After all, he was a child, so his methods were crude and straightforward, purely about the word 'humiliation'.
Luoluo truly was very angry. She had never received such humiliation in her entire life. However, Chen Changsheng had remained silent, so she could only remain passive. Because she did not want anyone to see her brow gradually knit together in anger, she had lowered her head extremely low.
Just then, she heard Chen Changsheng's voice brimming with apology.
"I said before, as a student of the Orthodox Academy, you might have to suffer all sorts of humiliation and suppression."
Luoluo felt that she had heard these words before, and then she recalled that it was during that conversation she had with her teacher on the day she joined the Orthodox Academy. She thought to herself, Could Teacher be testing me? Yes, or else with Teacher's innate ability, how could he tolerate that little monster humiliating the Orthodox Academy so?
She recalled the reply she had given to Chen Changsheng.
"Teacher, no one dares to humiliate me."
Yes, as she grew up, no one dared to humiliate her. They also could not humiliate the teacher that she revered above all and could not humiliate the Orthodox Academy that she was gradually beginning to love and treasure. Any person who dared must pay the appropriate price.
Luoluo stood up, bowed to Chen Changsheng, and then walked to the stone platform.
The school was still and without a sound as countless gazes watched her walk forward.
Only when she stood before Tianhai Ya'er did the crowd finally confirm what they were seeing.
The Orthodox Academy had accepted the challenge from that little monster of the Temple Seminary?
Just who was this girl?
Tianhai Ya'er examined the girl standing before him and asked, "Who are you?"
Luoluo said nothing, only glancing off the platform at Chen Changsheng.
"It turns out that you're also a student of that ghostly place?" Tianhai Ya'er gave two strange laughs and then ceased to smile. In a serious and frightening tone, he said, "Relax, you're so beautiful, how can I kill you? After I'm done playing with you, I'll play that other guy to death and then come back to continue playing with you. What do you think?"
These words were very obscene, and coming from the mouth of a twelve-year-old boy made them even more sinister.
All the attendees of the Ivy Festival were looking up at the platform. Many professors and officials were looking at the girl. They confirmed that she had succeeded at Purification, so at least she was not complete trash like Chen Changsheng, but it was just hard to tell what level her cultivation was at, and it was naturally impossible for her to be a match for Tianhai Ya'er.
To compare this young and beautiful girl with the Temple Seminary's little monster was an unreasonable task.
When they thought of how they might see this girl collapse in a pool of blood, many people felt reluctance and pity.
Zhuang Huanyu suddenly stood and yelled, "Stop!"
He knew that Luoluo's background was unusual, but no matter how unusual her background, how could it be deeper than this little monster's backing? And that little monster's techniques were too horrifying—that demi-human youth that was crippled just now was proof. How could he possibly watch as she was abused by that little
monster?
The bishop of the Temple Seminary slightly creased his brow, extending his hand to stop Tianhai Ya'er, yet the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer had at some point appeared by the stone platform and, intentionally or otherwise, blocked Tianhai Ya'er's vision and then shot a cold glare at Zhuang Huanyu.
The Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education seemed prepared to speak when Xu Shiji suddenly began to chat, intentionally or otherwise stopping him.
He wanted to tell her, You see, look how many people want you to die, but I won't kill you. I'll only cripple you and then cripple that piece of trash.