Volume One, Chapter 33: The Four Kings—Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, and Crane

"I am concerned for him! So what?"

Zhao Ziyue's willow brows arched in anger, her almond-shaped eyes flashing with menace. "Zhao Fenghua, I have told you many times already: I have no interest in you. Why must you persist in this harassment?"

"No interest in me? And yet you have interest in this ant-like creature? Is he even worthy of you?"

A destructive force surged within Zhao Fenghua, ready to erupt at any moment, as if to annihilate heaven and earth.

"Does that have anything to do with you?"

Zhao Ziyue was also losing her temper; her voice was cold, her aura unyielding. "Leave at once! Do not make me despise you!"

"Fine..."

Zhao Fenghua gradually calmed down.

He turned his gaze toward Mu Yi. "Kid, you've got guts! This time, because Ziyue is standing in front of you, I cannot strike."

"But do not let me catch you alone."

Zhao Fenghua issued a grave threat. "Otherwise, no matter where you hide, I will claim your life!"

Having delivered his harsh ultimatum, he turned to leave.

"Wait!"

But at that very moment, Mu Yi stepped forward, placing himself in front of Xiao Ziyue.

"Zhao Fenghua! You are indeed stronger than me right now; I am no match for you!"

A sharp, murderous intent erupted in Mu Yi's eyes. "But that is only for now."

"Three months from now, I will surely slay you!"

Mu Yi made this astonishing declaration.

"Hahahaha! A madman."

Zhao Fenghua laughed heartily and, without looking back, vanished from Mu Yi's sight.

"I'm sorry, Mu Yi, this is all because of me..."

"Senior Sister Xiao, this has nothing to do with you."

Mu Yi cut her off directly.

"In this world, if you are kind, people will ride you; if you are weak, you will be bullied. Without strength, one is destined only to suffer humiliation."

Mu Yi looked up at the vast sky. "As for this Zhao Fenghua, with his petty skills, he dares to speak so boldly before me. He will eventually meet a death with no grave to hold him!"

This was Mu Yi's arrogance!

Ever since he awakened the Dragon-Elephant God-Demon Pagoda and cultivated the Dragon-Elephant God-Demon Battle Body, the pride and nobility of an overlord of the heavens had gradually seeped into his very bloodline.

Zhao Fenghua was but a flickering spark; how dare he try to outshine the sun and the moon?

Mu Yi would soon make him realize just how grandstanding he had been today. He would soon make him understand what kind of humiliation he would suffer at his hands in the days to come.

"By the way, Senior Sister Xiao, are you here to see me off today?"

Mu Yi knew that today was the day they were to gather at the plaza before departing for the Dragon Gate Battlefield. In the blink of an eye, three months had already passed since he arrived at the Divine Hidden Academy.

"Of course. Let's go; Master is also waiting for you at the plaza."

Xiao Ziyue smiled, though her beautiful eyes were still clouded with deep concern.

"Mu Yi, I must tell you something. You have been in deep meditation for the past two months, so you may not know the situation in the outside world."

Xiao Ziyue frowned and continued, "A month and a half ago, the Great Qian Academy officially issued the 'Great Qian Bounty' for you, ordering everyone in the entire dynasty to hunt you down. The reward they promised is so tempting that even giants of the Qian-Yuan Realm would be deeply moved."

"However, you do not need to worry about these older-generation experts within the Dragon Gate Battlefield. Still, this will inevitably make you the target of the other three major academies and other factions."

"Rest assured, I had already anticipated this. Do not worry."

Mu Yi smiled. "The Dragon Gate Battlefield restricts the participation of the Holy Children of the four major academies, so the strongest participants will only be core disciples at the peak of the tenth level of the Divine Transformation Realm. In my eyes, these people are not worth mentioning; they pose no threat to me."

"But I have recently heard that, in order to kill you, the Great Qian Academy has dispatched the 'Four Kings'—Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, and Crane. It is said that for the past year, these four have been in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Yuan-Fu Realm, ignoring all worldly affairs. But they have emerged this time solely to kill you."

Xiao Ziyue knitted her willow brows. "The Great Qian Academy has realized how formidable you are, and for them to send these four, they are clearly prepared."

"By my estimation, although the Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, and Crane Kings have not yet entered the Yuan-Fu Realm, their strength is likely very close to it. You must be extremely careful."

Xiao Ziyue naturally knew that Mu Yi had no rivals in the Divine Transformation Realm. But the Great Qian Academy had not sent these four trump cards to be Mu Yi's prey; they certainly possessed the strength to contend with him.

"Don't worry, I know what I am doing."

As Mu Yi spoke, he walked side-by-side with Xiao Ziyue, and soon they arrived at the plaza.

The Inner Court Central Plaza.

At this moment, more than three hundred people had gathered. These were all core disciples of the Divine Hidden Academy, ranging from the first level to the peak of the tenth level of the Divine Transformation Realm.

Only disciples below the Yuan-Fu Realm could participate in the Dragon Gate Battlefield. The Inner Court disciples of the Heaven-Sturdy Realm had no reason to go there and seek death. Therefore, in every previous Dragon Gate Battlefield, whether from the four major academies or other factions of the Great Qian Dynasty, the participants were all of the Divine Transformation Realm—that is, the level of core disciples of the major sects.

"Hmm? A sharp gaze."

Upon arriving, Mu Yi noticed a gaze like a blade or a sword fixed upon him from within the crowd. It was a tall man in white.

"You must be Mu Yi? I have finally met you."

The man in white strode over. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Qi Chao, the owner of the stone monument you destroyed back in the Divine Hidden Martial Realm."

"Heh, so it is you. I have been waiting for you to come for revenge, but you never appeared."

Mu Yi smiled faintly and took a few extra looks at Qi Chao.

"It is never too late for a good thing." Qi Chao grinned, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "Once we reach the Dragon Gate Battlefield, we will have plenty of opportunities."

"I shall be waiting anytime."

Mu Yi said nothing more and turned to walk away.

Qi Chao was one of the four great geniuses of the Inner Court, at the peak of the tenth level of the Divine Transformation Realm. Yet to Mu Yi, such a being could be handled with ease, not worth a second glance.

"Qi Chao, it seems this Mu Yi is indeed as arrogant and overbearing as the rumors say. He didn't even acknowledge you at all, did he?"

Behind Qi Chao, a man in gray walked out. This person's status was also extraordinary; he was another of the four core disciples of the Inner Court, Mo Feng, who was on par with Qi Chao.

Qi Chao, Mo Feng, Li Wan, and Gu Yunfei. These four represented the pinnacle combat power of the core disciples. Among them, Qi Chao and Mo Feng were close allies.

"Hmph, this guy won't be arrogant for long. Once we enter the Dragon Gate Battlefield, just watch how I finish him off!"

Qi Chao’s eyes were filled with killing intent.

"Then you had better be quick. I heard that to kill Mu Yi, the Great Qian Academy has deployed their ultimate trump cards—the Four Kings of Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, and Crane, who normally would not participate. With any one of these four taking action, Mu Yi is bound to die."

Mo Feng revealed a startling piece of news.

"What? The Four Kings of Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, and Crane from the Great Qian Academy are participating?"

Qi Chao’s expression changed drastically, and deep fear appeared in his pupils.

"These four have been in seclusion for the past year, trying to break through to the Yuan-Fu Realm, ignoring all worldly affairs. There were rumors long ago that they had no interest in this year's Dragon Gate Battle and would not participate."

"Once they participate this time, it will be like the coming of the apocalypse for the other academies' disciples..."

"All of this is because of Mu Yi!"

Mo Feng’s eyes filled with deep resentment. "If he hadn't made such a spectacle here two months ago, forcing over a dozen core disciples of the Great Qian Academy to kneel in humiliation, these Four Kings would not have emerged."

"I only hope that once the Dragon Gate Battlefield begins, this Mu Yi is killed quickly to appease the fury of the Great Qian Academy."

Mo Feng’s eyes were filled with hatred for Mu Yi.

"This Mu Yi is a complete disaster. If he does not die, he will bring destruction upon our Divine Hidden Academy!"

Qi Chao’s hatred for Mu Yi deepened even further.