The Sword God of the Universe

"This is against the rules!"

Cang Long, with a flick of his sleeve, loudly protested.

"Any martial artist wanting to participate in the examinations of the Three Major Academies must go through the selection stage. City Lord Huo Chunyang, you are violating the rules!"

Cang Long, glared at Huo Chunyang.

Divine Wind Academy had sent him to Donglin City to co-preside over the selection process with the Donglin City Lord's Mansion.

Now, however, City Lord Huo Chunyang wanted to directly allow a martial artist—who had killed his disciple Suo Wen—to bypass the selection stage and head to Lanqu County City to participate in the examination of the Three Major Academies. Understandably, he was unwilling.

Furthermore, Huo Chunyang didn't even notify the personnel of the Three Major Academies in Donglin City before unilaterally deciding to let Jing Yan directly qualify for the examination, which was also a form of disrespect towards them.

Hearing Cang Long's words, Huo Chunyang laughed.

Cang Long really thought highly of himself, not realizing where he was—this was the City Lord's Mansion of Donglin City!

The entire Donglin City was under Huo Chunyang's control.

The personnel from the Three Major Academies coming to Donglin City to jointly preside over the selection was not an essential procedure.

The reason various cities had this tradition was essentially to maintain good relations with the Three Major Academies and give them face, allowing more martial artists from their city to enter the Three Major Academies.

Ultimately, the master of Lanqu County was not the Three Major Academies but the Commandery Prince from the Prince Manor.

All the city lord mansions in various cities were directly controlled by the Prince Manor. Who was an insider and who was an outsider, was that even a question?

Donglin City had ten examination spots, meaning ten martial artists could go to Lanqu County City for the examination. To put it bluntly, even if City Lord Huo Chunyang were to arbitrarily choose ten individuals to go to Lanqu County City, it was permissible.

The Three Major Academies could decide who could enter their academies, but they could not decide who could take part in their examinations!

Now, Huo Chunyang had merely chosen Jing Yan, and here Cang Long was, pointing fingers and acting as if he were in charge.

How could Huo Chunyang be pleased with him? Not even understanding his own position, utterly ignorant!

"Cang Long, it seems you want to make decisions for my City Lord's Mansion too?" Huo Chunyang, with a cold smile, looked at Cang Long.

To me, if I give you face, you're an honored guest. If I don't, you're nothing. Outer Court Deacon of the Three Major Academies, think you're that great?

"Of course I'm not here to make decisions for the City Lord's Mansion, but this does not comply with tradition." Seeing Huo Chunyang's firm attitude, Cang Long immediately softened.

Standing before him, no matter how you looked at it, was a powerful Dao Spirit Realm master.

Annoying the other party could lead to him being killed outright; he would regret it too late. Although he didn't believe Huo Chunyang would dare to attack him, there were always exceptions in the world.

Just like when he wanted to kill Jing Yan, he thought the city lord wouldn't obstruct that. But unexpectedly, the city lord did exactly that and very forcefully so, appearing as if anyone who targeted Jing Yan was his enemy!

Such are the unpredictable affairs of the world.

"That's settled then. Jing Yan will take up one examination spot, and the remaining nine spots will be filled through selection, choosing the nine strongest martial artists." Huo Chunyang gave Cang Long another look and spoke.

The more he looked at Cang Long, the more he couldn't stand him. Thinking you're important because you have some backing, this type of person was the most detestable.

"City Lord, I can't oppose your decision. But here, I must say, even if Jing Yan passes the examination, Divine Wind Academy will not accept him!" Cang Long fiercely glanced at Jing Yan.

"Oh?"

"Deacon Cang Long, you really have a lot of power! Divine Wind Academy admits martial artists, and you can fully decide on that?" Huo Chunyang was indeed annoyed.

He was beginning to think—might he just kill this old fool once Cang Long left Donglin City and returned to Lanqu County City? As long as he did it secretly, Divine Wind Academy couldn't trouble him. But, it was still somewhat risky. If the news leaked, he'd be in trouble.

"City Lord!"

At this moment, Jing Yan spoke.

"If Divine Wind Academy wanted me to join, I wouldn't go. Deacon Cang Long, you needn't bother anymore." Jing Yan said with a cold snicker.

Having been expelled from Divine Wind Academy once, Jing Yan had no intention of rejoining it. Inside Lanqu County, it wasn't just Divine Wind Academy as an option.

Jing Yan could also join Red Lotus Academy or Dao Yi Academy.

"Jing Yan, Dao Yi Academy welcomes you to join," Qing Mo, the deacon of Dao Yi Academy, immediately spoke.

In Qing Mo's view, with Jing Yan's ability, passing the Three Major Academies' examination would be more than sufficient. For a genius like Jing Yan, Dao Yi Academy naturally welcomed him eagerly.

"Thank you, Mr. Qing Mo," Jing Yan respectfully thanked Qing Mo with a bow.

Qing Mo smiled and nodded at Jing Yan.

"Alright, everyone, disperse!" Huo Chunyang gestured to everyone present.

"Goodbye!" said Zhao Dangyuan, with an icy tone.

Today, he was extremely dissatisfied with the City Lord's actions and couldn't bother with pleasantries anymore!

"Let's go!" Zhao Dangyuan turned around, shouted, and was ready to leave.

"Zhao Zhenyan, stop right there!" Jing Yan's gaze hardened as he stared at Zhao Zhenyan's figure and yelled loudly.

"Hmm?" Zhao Zhenyan's footsteps suddenly halted, and he turned his body to also look towards Jing Yan.

Before City Lord Huo Chunyang returned, he had almost crippled Jing Yan, and he had always been uncomfortable about it. However, in the presence of the City Lord, it clearly wasn't his place to speak. Even his father had no choice but to bow his head and endure.

Now, Jing Yan was actually calling him out again.

"Boy, what do you want to do?" Zhao Zhenyan's eyes narrowed, and he asked darkly.

"Zhao Zhenyan, do you dare to fight me?" Jing Yan's aura fluctuated, and Primordial Energy circulated. A faint fog of Primordial Energy wrapped around his body.

He activated his Primordial Energy intentionally, allowing the powerful individuals present to sense that Jing Yan was truly at the Early Innate Realm.

Jing Yan did this purposefully; he wanted these people to know he was at the Early Innate Realm.

Zhao Zhenyan had already stepped into the Late Innate stage, and he could accurately sense Jing Yan's cultivation.

Hearing Jing Yan's words, Zhao Zhenyan burst out laughing.

"Boy, you want to fight me?" Zhao Zhenyan truly hadn't expected Jing Yan to have the courage to challenge him directly.

Was this kid tired of living? With the City Lord protecting him, he should have been laying low instead of boldly seeking his own death. Did he have water in his brain?

"Zhao Zhenyan, didn't you just say that in front of you, I, Jing Yan, am nothing but trash? You're clearly very confident in your own strength, so do you dare to fight me? A fight to the death!" Jing Yan said emotionlessly, his gaze fixed on Zhao Zhenyan.

A fight to the death!

One would be responsible for their own life or death, and if they died, they could only blame their own lack of strength, which had nothing to do with others.

Jing Yan harbored a deep hatred for the Zhao family. Therefore, he planned to kill Zhao Zhenyan, who had the greatest potential in the Zhao family.

Not long ago, the Zhao family had even hired a Dark Night Assassin to assassinate Jing Yan. The death of Jing Yan's grandfather, Jing Tian, was also highly likely connected to the Zhao family. Just now, the Clan Leader of the Zhao family, Zhao Dangyuan, even attacked and injured Fourth Elder Jing Tianying.

New grudges and old resentment kept the fury in Jing Yan's heart constantly burning.

Facing Dao Spirit Realm powerhouse Zhao Dangyuan, Jing Yan couldn't do much, but he was somewhat confident he could kill Zhao Zhenyan.

After all, the Zhao family already hated him to the core, constantly wanting him dead, so Jing Yan needn't hesitate thinking about whether the Zhao family would hate him even more after he killed Zhao Zhenyan.

As for the Jing Family, given the current stance of the City Lord, Jing Yan believed that even if the Zhao family was furious, they wouldn't dare take action against the Jing family. Without getting past the City Lord's Mansion, they wouldn't dare to openly confront the Jing family; at most, they would engage in some underhanded dealings.

Even if Jing Yan didn't kill Zhao Zhenyan, the Zhao family would certainly continue to scheme in the shadows.

"Ha ha..."

"Alright, alright! You little beast, if you want to die, I'll grant you that wish," said Zhao Zhenyan, as he laughed furiously.

He had wanted to kill Jing Yan anyway, and now that Jing Yan was practically delivering himself to the doorstep, how could he miss this opportunity?

Moreover, Jing Yan was challenging him in front of so many people. Could he refuse the challenge? Where would he put his face then?

City Lord Huo Chunyang, however, frowned.

Jing Yan had activated his Primordial Energy, and Huo Chunyang was clearly aware that Jing Yan was at the Early Innate Realm, an assessment that was most certainly not wrong.

But why would Jing Yan challenge Zhao Zhenyan to a fight to the death? What exactly was he thinking?

"Jing Yan, don't be reckless!" Huo Chunyang said sternly.

Others might force to kill Jing Yan, and he could intervene to stop them. But if Jing Yan himself chose to challenge someone, Huo Chunyang had no ground to intervene. He felt that Jing Yan was being reckless, overly impetuous due to his youth.

Jing Chengye and Jing Tianying also spoke up, anxiously advising Jing Yan.

Only Jing Chunyu, with a sneer on his lips, secretly wished for Jing Yan's death. Today, he had completely lost face, he had expressed a desire to leave the Jing family, only to get scolded by the City Lord, and had to endure silently. He couldn't blame the City Lord, but in his heart, he blamed Jing Yan for all the humiliation he had suffered.

In his view, if it wasn't for Jing Yan stirring up trouble, he wouldn't have made a fool of himself in front of so many people.

"City Lord, my strength isn't so weak. Zhao Zhenyan can't kill me!" Jing Yan couldn't explicitly reveal that he had once killed a martial artist at the Late Innate Realm.

If he did, Zhao Zhenyan might back down, and Zhao Dangyuan might also disagree with Zhao Zhenyan fighting him.

So, he could only vaguely hint at it.

"Jing Yan, have you thought this through?" Huo Chunyang was also slightly angry.

Although he was entrusted by the Bai Xue City Lord to look after Jing Yan, he, the lofty Donglin City Lord, wasn't Jing Yan's nanny, was he? If Jing Yan ignored his advice and insisted on fighting Zhao Zhenyan, what else could he say?