Divine Wilderness Dragon Emperor

"Kill him! Kill Ling Fei and avenge the Dongyang Crown Prince!"

"If we kill Ling Fei, we'll rise straight to the top and enjoy endless glory and wealth in the Empire!"

A group of Innate Realm students surged down, and an uproar erupted when they saw the body on the ground.

Then, killing intent filled their eyes as they all stared at Ling Fei. But mixed in with the murderous glares was a fiery look of greed.

If they killed Ling Fei, they might win the favor of the Marquis of Eatern and even gain the attention of the Empress. Then, their entire Clans would reap the rewards.

There were many of them—one hundred and nineteen in all.

Following Wang Dongyang's group, they had encountered little danger. With their large numbers, they were naturally better equipped to handle any threats.

Ling Fei, however, appeared perfectly calm as he watched the murderous crowd.

But at his side, Shangguan Yurou and Huang Xiaoman frowned.

With so many people gathered here, all of them brimming with killing intent, the situation had clearly escalated beyond control. There was no hiding it now.

"What should we do?" Mu Xue asked, looking at Ling Fei.

At this point, they knew that words were useless.

It didn't matter if Wang Dongyang and his group were at fault. The fact was, Wang Dongyang was dead.

Killing Ling Fei meant a chance to rise to power.

Why would any of these people care who was right or wrong?

"You all need to leave. Don't worry about me," Ling Fei said, his expression calm.

"Leave?" Shangguan Yurou frowned. "How could I possibly leave you at a time like this?"

"Exactly. How could we just stand by and watch you get surrounded and killed while we run away?" Huang Xiaoman said, her expression solemn and her eyes filled with resolve.

"There are over a hundred people here, and the huge commotion from our fight is bound to attract even more. What difference can the three of you make? If you're here, you'll just hold me back. I won't be able to get away from them. Listen to me and leave now. Miss Yurou, you're from the Shangguan Clan. They won't dare harm you because of your status. Take Xiaoman and Mu Xue and go, quickly," Ling Fei said, his expression grave.

"But... if we leave, what about you?" Shangguan Yurou looked at Ling Fei, her face wrought with anxiety as she glanced at the murderous crowd.

She felt utterly helpless. Her bright eyes welled with moisture, and she looked as if she was about to cry.

She never could have imagined that this training expedition would turn out like this.

Even she felt powerless in the face of this situation.

"Don't worry. I'll lose them and disappear deep into the mountains. I should be safe there," Ling Fei said.

"And what about after that?" Shangguan Yurou asked, her face full of worry as tears streamed from her eyes.

Even in her naivete, she could imagine what a miserable future awaited Ling Fei.

'Is he just going to hide in these ancient ruins forever?'

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Ling Fei shook his head. At this point, he could only take things one step at a time. Then, his gaze hardened, and he said solemnly, "Miss Yurou, after you leave these ruins, please send a message to my adoptive father immediately. Tell him to take Xue Xi and get far away from the Empire."

Right now, the only people he couldn't stop worrying about were his adoptive father and Xue Xi.

"Your adoptive father?" Shangguan Yurou was taken aback. A tear fell from the corner of her eye, her heart aching for him. Even now, he was still thinking about his adoptive father.

Shangguan Yurou was moved by Ling Fei's devotion.

In that instant, the image of the young man before her was seared into her mind, an image she would not forget even decades later.

"When you see him, tell my adoptive father that I was useless. That I failed to repay him for raising me. I've fallen into this predicament before I could even heal his injuries... It's all my fault. I've been a terrible son." Ling Fei's eyes shimmered as he stared into the Void, tears welling within them.

His voice was thick with regret and guilt.

He had always dreamed of healing his adoptive father. For this reason, Ling Fei had dedicated himself completely to the path of Martial Arts. He ignored the countless beautiful women at the academy who showed interest in him, focusing single-mindedly on his cultivation. He did it all in the hopes of becoming strong enough to find a Miracle Elixir to cure his father. But now, it all seemed like an impossible dream, a flower's reflection in a mirror. He sighed, lamenting the unpredictable nature of fate.

Hearing Ling Fei's words, the three young women at his side couldn't help the tears that welled in their eyes.

The sight of him in this state was heartbreaking.

He was supposed to be a peerless genius, destined to make a name for himself in the Empire and be showered with endless glory.

Who could have imagined that this would be his fate?

"But... but..." Tears streamed down Huang Xiaoman's face. She couldn't bear to leave him like this.

"Miss Yurou, I'm begging you. Please, take Xiaoman and Mu Xue and leave!" Ling Fei pleaded, seeing their hesitation.

He was growing anxious now, as the students from the Three Great Academies were closing in. Any more delay and it would be too late!

Shangguan Yurou looked up, her gaze fixed on Ling Fei. She bit her lip, her expression stubborn, unwilling to leave.

Instead, she turned to face the approaching Cultivators.

"I am Shangguan Yurou! What do you think you're doing?" she yelled at the approaching group.

"Shangguan Yurou!" Her words made the newcomers pause for a moment before one of them spoke. "This Ling Fei killed the Dongyang Crown Prince. We're going to apprehend him and turn him over to the Marquis of Eatern for judgment! Please step aside, Miss Shangguan. It would be a shame if you were accidentally injured."

"This wasn't Ling Fei's fault! You can't just attack him. This entire matter should be reported to the Celestial Emperor after we leave this place. Let him pass judgment," Shangguan Yurou argued.

The reigning Celestial Emperor was wise and discerning. If he learned the truth, he might not punish Ling Fei.

This was the only hope Shangguan Yurou could cling to.

An ordinary person would never be able to get an audience with the Celestial Emperor.

But her elder sister had earned the Celestial Emperor's admiration. For her, securing an audience was not out of the question.

That was why Shangguan Yurou refused to let Ling Fei die unjustly at the hands of this mob. She was making one last, desperate attempt.

"Let the Celestial Emperor decide?" The young man leading the group frowned.

"I heard Liu Ming and Ling Fei have a history. The Crown Prince came here with Liu Ming's group, so maybe they really were hunting Ling Fei. That would mean the Crown Prince was in the wrong. The Celestial Emperor is wise; if he finds out, he might actually spare Ling Fei. If that happens, the Marquis of Eatern will be furious, and he'll surely take his anger out on us," said a young man from the Wang Clan.

"Brother Wang has a point. The Empress doted on the Dongyang Crown Prince. If we botch this, we'll surely be punished later."

"But this is Shangguan Yurou, Shangguan Wan'Er's little sister! And Shangguan Wan'Er is a genius favored by the Celestial Emperor himself. If we make a move on her sister, we'll get dragged into it too!" The leaders of the group burst into discussion, the situation giving them a major headache. Still, it was clear that none of them were willing to give up on killing Ling Fei.

After all, for them, there was everything to gain and nothing to lose by killing Ling Fei.

"What's the dilemma?" someone said amidst the group's troubled murmuring. "We just need to send a few people to keep Shangguan Yurou busy while we take down Ling Fei. Once he's captured and the Marquis of Eatern executes him, the Celestial Emperor probably won't bother pursuing the matter, even if he finds out."

"After all, the Dongyang Crown Prince was the Empress's nephew."

"Yes, that's the plan." The group quickly reached a consensus.