Divine Wilderness Dragon Emperor

At this point, Ling Fei's only choice was to take a gamble.

If Prince Long truly kept his word, winning three consecutive matches would undoubtedly be a way out.

This would buy him time to grow. Once he became a true expert, who in this Empire could ever push him, Ling Fei, into a corner like this again?

No one!

"Are you confident?" Vice Dean Zhou asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Even if I'm not confident, what other choice do I have right now?" Ling Fei gave a bitter smile, which then hardened into a determined expression. "Even without confidence, I must still fight with all my might. If I don't even try, how will I ever know if I can succeed?" No matter how powerful his opponents were, he had to fight for this sliver of a chance to survive.

No matter how slim that chance might be.

"Alright!" Seeing his resolve, Vice Dean Zhou didn't know how to comfort the young man, so he could only manage that single word.

Afterward, Ling Fei and Vice Dean Zhou walked out of the Sword Tomb together and boarded a Profound Eagle, flying toward the main academy area.

As the Profound Eagle soared through the Void, it immediately drew countless gazes.

"It's Ling Fei! Ling Fei has come out!" Upon seeing him, an uproar erupted from all corners of the academy.

"Did he accept the condition?" With Ling Fei's appearance, many people began to worry for him.

The Profound Eagle flew in and landed on the open ground in front of the council hall.

Ling Fei and Vice Dean Zhou then leaped down and walked toward the hall.

Seeing Ling Fei arrive, the Elders in the hall also wore bitter expressions.

Celestial River Academy had finally produced such a stunningly brilliant student, yet now they had to send him to his death. The thought was truly tragic.

For an academy to fall to such a state, they all felt deeply ashamed.

'It's all because we aren't strong enough!' several Elders sighed in their hearts.

"Ling Fei greets the Elders." Ling Fei entered the hall and bowed to the Elders present.

"Ling Fei, you must be clear on the current situation. We have already done all we can," Han Beihai said. "What are your thoughts?"

"I, Ling Fei, am endlessly grateful for the Elders' protection." Ling Fei first bowed deeply to the Elder Dean to express his gratitude before continuing, "Given the circumstances, I dare not ask for more. Since Prince Long wants me to fight three geniuses, then I will naturally fight with all my might."

"You're going to fight?" Han Beihai was stunned. He clearly hadn't expected the young man to agree to the battle so readily.

He had to know that these were three geniuses, and two of them were experts at the Celestial Spirit Realm!

The others also stared at Ling Fei in disbelief.

From their perspective, Ling Fei should have been trying to stall for more time, to get the academy to protect him for a few more days.

Yet he had agreed so calmly, which was astonishing.

"Yes." Ling Fei nodded.

"Are you confident?" Han Beihai asked.

"I can only fight with all my might," Ling Fei said.

"Good!" Han Beihai said. "In that case, I will go arrange it. Wan'Er might have already reached the Imperial Capital by now. If she successfully obtains an audience with His Majesty, you will still have a sliver of hope even if you lose these battles." In the end, he couldn't help but offer Ling Fei this piece of comfort, not wanting the young man to fall into complete despair.

Ling Fei nodded without saying anything more.

At this point, all he could do was his best and leave the rest to fate.

As someone weak, this was his only option.

This was the tragedy of the weak.

Ling Fei sighed deeply in his heart but said nothing out loud.

He now understood, more deeply than ever, the importance of strength.

'If I can survive this crisis, I will train like a madman and become an unrivaled expert, strong enough to control my own destiny.'

Han Beihai sighed, then mounted a Profound Eagle and flew toward the academy gates.

"Elder Han, have you made a decision?" Prince Long asked from his Flying Chariot outside.

"Since Prince Long himself is acting as guarantor, we are willing to accept the condition. However, if Ling Fei wins, I wonder if Your Highness can truly be the one to make the final decision?" Han Beihai said in a low voice. Although he felt the chances were slim, the terms had to be clarified. What if Ling Fei won and they went back on their word?

"Hehe, this Prince can naturally make the decision," Prince Long said.

"Marquis of Eastern, and you?" Han Beihai didn't waste words, his gaze shifting to the Marquis of Eastern. "And you, Fellow Daoist Liu!"

"We will naturally abide by Prince Long's arrangements," the Marquis of Eastern said, his eyelid twitching.

After all, he had to give Prince Long face.

Besides, they were sending one Half-step Celestial Spirit Realm and two Celestial Spirit Realm geniuses to fight Ling Fei. Was it even possible for them to not win a single match?

In their opinion, no matter how astoundingly talented Ling Fei was, it was absolutely impossible for him to achieve such a feat.

One must understand that there was an insurmountable gulf between the Celestial Spirit Realm and the Innate Realm!

Therefore, if Celestial River Academy agreed to let Ling Fei fight, what hope of survival did he have?

And so, they all tacitly agreed to the arrangement.

"Good. In that case, everyone, please enter!" Seeing that the Marquis of Eastern, Liu Changyang, and the others had all agreed, Han Beihai finally nodded.

He then activated the Array and welcomed them into Celestial River Academy.

When the Dukes entered Celestial River Academy, an uproar immediately followed.

"Prince Long has entered!"

"It seems Elder Dean Han really has compromised!" Voices filled with disappointment rang out, tinged with a sense of tragedy.

"Has my sister reached the Imperial Capital yet?" Shangguan Yurou seemed lost, her eyes vacant as she murmured to herself.

At this point, her only hope was that her sister could successfully get an audience with the Emperor.

...

Prince Long and the others were led to a Martial Arts Arena within Celestial River Academy.

Behind these Dukes stood several young men.

After so many days, many people from the various clans had rushed to this place.

At Celestial River Academy, Han Beihai, three other Elders, and Prince Long were seated on a viewing platform.

The Marquis of Eastern and the others were seated beside them.

The spectator stands surrounding the Martial Arts Arena were packed with people.

The nearby pavilions, halls, and even the trees were all filled with people.

Throughout Celestial River Academy, nearly thirty thousand people were watching this event.

Shangguan Yurou, Wu Dapang, Huang Xiaoman, and the others were on the closest viewing platform.

They all looked extremely nervous, their hearts filled with helplessness and sorrow.

"Now then, shouldn't it be time for that Ling Fei to make his appearance?" Prince Long said with a smile, turning to Elder Dean Han beside him.

"Very well!" Han Beihai nodded and then gestured to someone beside him.

SCREECH!

In the Void not far away, a Profound Eagle flew over.

It was Vice Dean Zhou, bringing Ling Fei with him.

"Ling Fei!" Shangguan Yurou cried out in anguish upon seeing Ling Fei arriving on the eagle.

The next moment, Ling Fei landed and followed Vice Dean Zhou, walking step by step toward the viewing platform.

At that moment, on the platform, the Dukes all stared at him like ravenous beasts.

"So this is the Ling Fei who killed hundreds in the Xiling Ruins?" Prince Long murmured.

In truth, he was quite curious about Ling Fei.

How many figures like him existed in the Empire's younger generation?

If he hadn't made such a grave mistake, Prince Long would have actually been willing to support this junior.

"You spawn of evil!" The Marquis of Eastern's eyes radiated killing intent, looking as if he wanted to devour Ling Fei whole.

Prince Long gave a slight signal from the side, and only then did the Marquis retract his killing intent.

Ling Fei walked up step by step, his face impassive, showing no emotional fluctuation whatsoever.

"What a pity!" The people of the academy shook their heads repeatedly as they watched Ling Fei walk toward the platform.

Their eyes were filled with regret.

It was as if every step Ling Fei took was a step toward the gates of hell. The sight evoked a deep sense of pity in all who watched.

For such an astonishingly brilliant genius to be reduced to this, who could help but sigh?

"Brother Fei!" Tears streamed from Wu Dapang's eyes.

He could vaguely remember how this young man had transformed, step by step, from a sickly boy into a genius who captured everyone's attention.

He had been overjoyed when Ling Fei began to rise.

Because only he understood how much Ling Fei had suffered over the years.

But just when he thought his brother's suffering was finally over, this had to happen.

This made Wu Dapang lament how unfair the heavens were.

"Why must the heavens be so jealous of talent?"

'Hasn't he suffered enough already?' The more he thought, the more tears welled in Wu Dapang's eyes.

"What a tragedy!" Even Huang Liang and Zhao Fa felt grief for Ling Fei at this moment.

They too knew how arduous Ling Fei's journey had been.

...

「Meanwhile, in the distant Longtan Town.」

"It's Elder Ling!" Atop a tower in Longtan Town, Shangguan Hong's eyes lit up. He had just spotted an old man walking slowly with a young girl.