Volume One, Chapter 14: Escape?
But the next moment, his laughter froze.
Because Mu Yi’s fist struck like a cannonball.
The speed, the power—both were unlike anything he had ever seen.
Bang!
His entire body was pierced through the chest by Mu Yi’s fist, leaving a massive hole that shocked everyone behind the Han family.
“Young master!”
The Han family members behind him were terrified, their faces pale with fear, some even letting out sharp screams.
“How could this be… Han Meng was killed with a single punch…”
Han Feng and Han Jing, the siblings, were stunned by the scene.
“Brother Mu, we must escape quickly! Han Meng’s father must be nearby!”
Han Feng snapped back to reality and immediately grabbed Mu Yi’s arm, attempting to flee.
“Brother Han, why flee? I told you, I’m here to avenge your blood feud. The main culprit hasn’t even appeared yet—how can the revenge be complete without him?”
Mu Yi stood motionless, like a steadfast anchor in the sea, unyielding no matter how hard Han Feng pulled.
“Who killed my son?”
At that moment, outside the broken temple, from the dark forest, an explosive sound rang out.
A middle-aged man in black robes descended like a great roc spreading its wings.
He looked at Han Meng’s corpse before him, his eyes blazing with rage.
“It was me.”
Mu Yi clasped his hands behind his back, a cold smile playing on his lips. “If you want to avenge your son, then come and try.”
He immediately recognized this man—the father of Han Meng—as a cultivator of the first realm of Divine Transformation, the same level as Mu Ling, the head of the Mu family whom he had slain earlier.
At this level, he posed no threat to Mu Yi.
“Why do you do this?”
Han Wuji stared at Mu Yi with unwavering eyes.
“Simple. It’s just to avenge Han Feng.”
Mu Yi’s answer was brief and sharp.
“What is your name?”
“Mu Yi.”
“Mu Yi? What! Could you be that infamous Mu Yi from Lieshan City—the one who killed the clan leader and committed such a heinous act?”
Han Wuji’s pupils contracted sharply. He never imagined that this young man in blue standing before him was the very Mu Yi, recently renowned across several cities around the Qingling Mountains!
“Hahaha! Killed the clan leader? Heinous act?”
Mu Yi suddenly threw his head back and laughed wildly.
---
“Just from what you said, you might as well die right now.”
A roaring dragon and echoing elephant cries erupted from Mu Yi’s body.
The earth trembled beneath them.
For a moment, everyone's blood surged, as if their hearts would leap from their chests.
“Die! Human path, heavenly path, royal path, tyrant’s path!”
Mu Yi chanted as golden light radiated from his body. In the eyes of the onlookers, he appeared with three heads and six arms.
Six arms delivered six simultaneous punches.
“No…”
Han Wuji’s pupils dilated with the sight of death. He shouted and fiercely pushed both hands forward, unleashing a stormy gale, sending dust and smoke swirling through the broken temple.
This was the Han family’s strongest lost technique—the Furious Wind and Raging Wave Palm!
Unfortunately, it faced Mu Yi’s self-created strongest fist.
Even Mu Ling, the Divine Transformation first realm cultivator, had failed to withstand it.
Likewise, the current Han family head could not endure it.
Boom!
A massive explosion echoed through the broken temple.
Outside, the Han family members witnessed their new clan head being pulverized by Mu Yi’s punch, his body torn apart and exploded!
This was the terrifying power of the Kingly Path Tyrant Fist.
“Ah! How could this be! Help me…”
The Han family scattered like frightened birds, all fleeing.
“This…”
Han Feng and Han Jing stared in disbelief, feeling as if it were all a dream.
Their mortal enemies—Han Wuji and his son Han Meng—had been slain by Mu Yi’s hand.
Everything had happened so fast, like lightning and thunder, leaving no time to react.
“Alright, Brother Han, your great vengeance is fulfilled. What are your plans now?”
Mu Yi turned around calmly, as if nothing had happened.
“My brother and I still intend to proceed to the Spring and Autumn Academy. Now that our father’s revenge is settled, we have no more attachments.”
Han Feng looked at Mu Yi. “Brother Mu, with your strength, why not come with me to the Spring and Autumn Academy?”
“A dear friend asked me to go to the Hidden Spirit Academy. I trust her choice.”
Mu Yi smiled faintly.
“Brother Mu, there’s something you must know. You have avenged us by killing Han Wuji and his son, but this matter isn’t fully settled. Han Wuji’s elder brother, Han Xiaofeng, is the admissions elder of the Hidden Spirit Academy. Wherever you go next, it will be…”
Han Feng’s expression grew troubled.
“So this is the next challenge awaiting me.”
Mu Yi smiled. “Don’t worry. If Han Xiaofeng wants to avenge his brother openly, I will treat him like a true man and let him die with dignity. But if he tries to settle personal scores during the admissions exam, I’ll make sure he knows what it means to hit a brick wall.”
A cold smile curled at the corner of Mu Yi’s lips.
In truth, he possessed a token given by Ren Yuwei. If he handed this token directly to Shen Yushu, the headmaster of the Hidden Spirit Academy, he could join immediately as an inner disciple without needing to attend the entrance exam.
But despite having such a backdoor, Mu Yi was unwilling to use it.
With his current strength, he preferred to attend the entrance exam and make a stunning impression first. Only after that would he seek out Shen Yushu to explain his intentions.
Backdoors are available, but unnecessary for now.
---
Three days later.
Mu Yi drove his carriage to the foot of a vast mountain.
In the distance, verdant mountains stretched like dark ink, lush and green. Amidst swirling mists, pavilions and towers emerged faintly, resembling a fairyland.
This was the Hidden Spirit Academy—one of the four great academies of the Great Qian Dynasty.
At the foot of the Hidden Spirit Mountains, the place was packed with people—at least ten thousand.
Their eyes burned with fervor as they gazed toward the center of the plaza, where a huge elevated platform stood.
The entire platform was crafted from white jade stone, exuding an ethereal aura.
“They have arrived.”
At that moment, Mu Yi suddenly looked up.
Three celestial cranes swooped down from the Hidden Spirit Mountains, landing atop three massive platforms.
Three middle-aged men in white robes stepped down from the cranes and stood on the platforms, surveying the crowd.
“I am Fang Lan, the chief examiner for today’s admissions test. The Hidden Spirit Academy’s entrance exam consists of three stages: talent assessment, perseverance test, and practical combat evaluation.”
“Remember, only those who meet the minimum standard in all three stages can become outer disciples of the Hidden Spirit Academy. Good luck to everyone.”
After speaking, Fang Lan waved his hand.
“The first test begins now. The Talent Spirit Pillar is activated. Those who wish to participate, step forward and strike the pillar to trigger its light.”
“The light from the Spirit Pillar has four levels—red, orange, yellow, and green. To pass the minimum standard, you must at least trigger the red light. Orange indicates excellence, yellow means super genius, and green… is almost unheard of in our academy’s decades-long history.”
“Enough talk. Let us begin.”
Fang Lan clasped his hands behind his back and ceased speaking.