Xiao Lan’s death

Xiao Lan's death...

A heavy silence draped over the scene, an almost tangible tension in the air. Diyi stood there, his gaze fixed firmly on Xiao Lan.

Xiao Lan returned the stare, but he didn't dare to take that fateful step forward.

With a subtle gesture, an elderly man emerged from the crowd. Instead of approaching Diyi, however, he advanced toward Qin Wentian. The killing intent radiating from him sent shivers through the bystanders.

It was evident that this elderly man possessed a cultivation level of at least the 7th stage of Yuanfu or even higher.

Qin Wentian, unfazed, watched the old man as he closed in. When Fan Le invited him here today, he didn't anticipate it would escalate into a decisive battle between academies, with Xiao Lan representing the Nine Mystical Palace as their formidable force.

Confident in the Emperor Star Academy's preparations for his safety, Qin Wentian remained unruffled.

The elderly man moved with such velocity that it produced a whistle in the air. As he drew near, the oppressive aura he exuded locked onto Qin Wentian. Despite this sudden burst of energy, he remained vigilant, not only against the old man but also against Diyi hovering in the sky.

Diyi's calm demeanor persisted. With a simple wave of his hand, a colossal palm strike descended from the heavens with such incredible speed that the spectators couldn't even track its motion.

Before the old man could react, he was violently thrust toward the ground. The gigantic palm clenched, imprisoning him in its grasp. Despite his struggles, he couldn't free himself from the vice-like grip of those five fingers.

Terror flooded the old man's eyes. In that moment, he wasn't a later-stage Yuanfu powerhouse but a wretched old man ensnared by a golden palm, ready for anyone to execute.

In the sky, Diyi extended his hands, and the enormous hand below mirrored his actions.

"You truly don't know what's good for you," Diyi uttered softly. With a sudden clench of his fists, a blood-curdling scream resounded amidst the sound of shattering bones. The old man's body had been utterly annihilated.

As the golden palm unfurled, only a single drop of blood remained within. The old man's form had been pulverized into fragments, vanishing into the wind.

For the onlookers, this was a stark revelation. Wasn't this the strength of the legendary Heavenly Dipper Realm? Resistance was futile against such overwhelming power, leaving the spectators in awe and fear.

"How formidable," Qin Wentian murmured, his heart trembling. Could that gigantic, golden-colored palm from earlier be a legendary Astral Nova?

Even in his wildest dreams, he would never have imagined that the seemingly ordinary guardian of the Heavenly Star Pavilion possessed such extraordinary might. Moreover, when Yue Hanshan ruled the Emperor Star Academy, Diyi had been discreet, keeping his true prowess hidden. But why had Diyi done so? Qin Wentian had no idea, but little did he know that the reason lay with him.

Xiao Lan was also shaken to his core. He had never fathomed that such an immensely powerful figure lurked within the Emperor Star Academy of Chu.

Struggling to regain his composure, he locked eyes with Diyi. "Did you know he belonged to my Nine Mystical Palace? Do you not fear the consequences of killing him?"

"If you utter one more word," Diyi's voice cut through the tension like a razor, "you will meet your end." Xiao Lan's face contorted, frozen in a mixture of anger and fear.

Earlier, Diyi had forbidden him from taking a step forward, and now, he silenced Xiao Lan with a single threat.

Death loomed over him should he disobey, and Xiao Lan, despite his pride, had no choice but to endure this humiliation.

"The Nine Mystical Palace's reach extends too far. Do you truly believe the Emperor Star Academy is a place for your grandiose displays?" Diyi's hands trembled for a moment, and then his formidable Astral Nova transformed into golden lightning streaks, homing in on another elderly member of the Nine Mystical Palace, one of their stronger Yuanfu cultivators.

The elderly man's face turned ashen as he frantically mustered every ounce of Astral Energy within him, attempting to defend against the lightning. But when the Astral Nova drew near, resistance was futile. Crushed under its pressure, he disintegrated into nothingness, vanishing without a trace.

Diyi, undeterred, continued his onslaught. The golden streaks of lightning darted toward two more Yuanfu experts, obliterating them where they stood.

Silence reigned. No one dared to move, let alone utter a sound.

The members of the Royal Academy, especially, had not foreseen this outcome. Diyi held their lives in the palm of his hand.

The golden palm hung in the air, casting a suffocating stillness over the scene. Even their breaths seemed deafening.

Xiao Lan's heart raced uncontrollably, yet he bit his tongue, refusing to speak.

Bzzz~ The golden palm swept past, seizing Xiao Lan. In that instant, his heart felt as though it might burst. Recalling the ruthless manner in which Diyi had dispatched the formidable Yuanfu cultivators earlier, Xiao Lan was now genuinely terrified as he realized he might be next.

Anxiety gripped everyone's hearts.

The golden palm lifted Xiao Lan into the air. Diyi's expression remained devoid of emotion as he gazed at Xiao Lan. "In this place, devoid of Nine Mystical Palace's support, your death would go unnoticed. All your bravado, it was nothing but empty bluster. If you possessed true strength, why showcase it in such an insignificant place as Chu? Today, I'll spare your life temporarily. But remember this: if you ever provoke me again, I promise you this— the moment you step out of the Nine Mystical Palace, I'll hunt you down and end you."

As Diyi's voice faded into the distance, the golden palm forcefully hurled Xiao Lan through the air.

"Get out of Chu," a voice resounded within Xiao Lan's mind as he somersaulted through the sky. He struggled to regain his composure after the violent throw, his face contorted in a mix of shame and impotent anger. The humiliation he endured was pushing him to the brink of fury, but for now, he had no choice but to swallow it.

"Emperor Star Academy," Xiao Lan muttered through gritted teeth, his eyes seething with hatred and pent-up rage. However, he didn't dare to look back, instead, he swallowed his resentment and flew away.

Diyi's gaze then turned toward the other cultivators from the Royal Academy. They trembled with fear, their hearts filled with terror. As long as Diyi willed it, their lives would be forfeit.

"Get out of here," Diyi calmly ordered, causing the Royal Academy's members to blink in surprise. Without hesitation, they vanished like smoke in an instant.

"In the end, we showed mercy," Mustang sighed, his fists still clenched. He looked at Diyi and asked, "Sir, why didn't you allow us to eliminate them?"

Mustang's voice carried the weight of his suppressed anger and hatred.

"I didn't want anything to happen to any of you," Diyi replied. Mustang froze, then took a deep breath and bowed, admitting his error. "Mustang was wrong."

"It's alright. Some of them are unaware of certain matters. Let's return to the academy," Diyi replied. Perhaps others didn't fully grasp the intricacies of Chu's power structure. Having spent most of his life in the Royal Capital, Diyi was intimately acquainted with its inner workings. He knew about the hidden powerhouses of the Royal Clan, particularly an old figure who had secluded himself for years. If Diyi had chosen to eliminate the Royal Academy's members earlier, he might have escaped unscathed due to his power. But what about the members of the Emperor Star Academy? Could he have protected them all?

The Emperor Star Academy's cultivators retreated, the weaker ones gathering together. They gazed at their headmaster in awe, a legendary figure who had effortlessly dispatched numerous experts with a mere wave of his hand. His imposing presence was undeniable.

Diyi looked down at the crowd with a gentle smile on his face. After guarding the academy for so many years, his attachment and dedication to it ran deep. However, today he had been forced to make a difficult decision.

"The Emperor Star Academy has a history of over 3,000 years. Throughout the ages, we have weathered countless trials and tribulations, standing at the pinnacle of Chu, basking in glorious eras," Diyi spoke calmly, and a profound silence hung in the air as everyone listened intently.

"However, as painful as it is for me, I have no choice but to make this monumental decision. Starting today, the Emperor Star Academy shall be disbanded."

"What?"

"Why?" As Diyi's voice faded, the expressions on everyone's faces underwent a dramatic transformation.

Confusion and bewilderment were etched across their features. Dissolve? But why?

Diyi raised his hands, quelling the commotion among the students. He continued, "I understand your feelings, but we have no other option. The Emperor Star Academy can no longer exist in Chu. This decision of mine... took years of contemplation. Don't be disheartened, each one of you standing here signifies above-average talent. The world out there is vast, filled with powers even mightier than the Emperor Star Academy. There's a much larger sky for you to soar through."

Qin Wentian listened attentively, his thoughts a mystery to those around him. Mustang, Luo Huan, and Fan Le stood by his side.

"Teacher, did you know about the headmaster's decision beforehand?" Qin Wentian inquired in a hushed tone, sighing.

"Headmaster Diyi made this decision to protect our innocent students. If we continued this war of attrition, they would be the ones to suffer. Although the headmaster killed those Yuanfu experts from the Nine Mystical Palace, he had no other choice. By taking those actions, he already determined that this would be the outcome," Mustang explained, sighing once more. Even without Xiao Lan, Diyi had dispatched the Nine Mystical Palace's Yuanfu experts. They had numerous ways to deal with Emperor Star Academy students. As for why Xiao Lan was spared, it was because Diyi knew that if he died, even if the academy dissolved, the Nine Mystical Palace's Xiao Faction would hunt down former academy members with unwavering determination.

As long as Xiao Lan lived, the earlier threats made would keep the Nine Mystical Palace from going too far.

Diyi had made these decisions after carefully considering the situation from various angles. Knowing that many transcendent powers were already eyeing the academy due to the secret of the Azure Emperor, he felt that the dissolution of the Emperor Star Academy was inevitable and ultimately the best choice.

Of course, Diyi's actions today were also motivated by Qin Wentian. He had finally completed his mission in the Emperor Star Academy.

"You will all undoubtedly have brighter futures. Take care, my children," Diyi said with a smile as he turned and walked toward the mountains at the back of the Emperor Star Academy. He left behind the students, many of whom still wore despondent expressions.

Qin Wentian watched Diyi's departing figure. He took a deep breath, a determined glint in his eyes. "I can't bear to see the academy disappear like this."

On the outskirts of the Royal Capital of Chu, Xiao Lan was perched atop a fearsome demonic beast, ready to depart. He no longer wished to linger in this land of humiliation; his pride had been shattered beyond repair.

A heavy sense of reluctance gnawed at his heart, and his fists clenched with simmering anger. A few remaining experts served as his bodyguards, but they dared not utter a word, fearful of provoking Xiao Lan further.

"Who goes there?" Suddenly, one of the bodyguards froze in alarm. Before his words could fully escape his lips, a formidable figure flashed past. A slicing sound echoed, and the bodyguard's head tumbled to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, the other bodyguards summoned their Astral Souls, unleashing their auras. Yet, the mysterious figure moved with lightning speed, swiftly annihilating them all.

Xiao Lan quivered, his gaze fixed on the figure before him. His face turned ashen as he stammered, "Wh-what do you want?"

"To end you," came the chilling reply, plunging Xiao Lan into despair. He tried to retreat, panic seizing him, but his efforts were in vain against this enigmatic assailant.

With unfathomable might, a single palm struck, severing Xiao Lan's head from his body. Even in his final moments, terror still etched across his face. As he succumbed to death, one thought consumed Xiao Lan's mind: his killer would remain unknown, his secret preserved for eternity. It was a futile regret too late to amend.