Chapter 89: Kick him while he's down

The arena buzzed with a mixture of astonishment, confusion, and whispers of admiration for Dao Wei as the dust settled on what had been an unexpected turn of events. The Sword Kings Coronation meant to crown the brightest talents, had taken a sharp detour. Dao Wei, once regarded as a mere average demon, now stood tall as the victor, having defeated both Cheng Fang and Ye Hao. The atmosphere was thick with disbelief, his sudden rise sending ripples across the sect and Jiangling Commandery.

In the battle, the exceptional genius Cheng Fang, who everyone had been expecting to win, had shown remarkable talent. However, to everyone's surprise, he had been completely overshadowed by someone else.

A few moments prior, Dao Wei had been an untalented normal person. But now, only two months later, he had become the victor in the battle. Not only did he defeat Cheng Fang, but he even defeated Cheng Fang's Senior Brother, Ye Hao, who had achieved the Completion of the Foundation Refinement Realm.

"A real genius!"

"More than a Monster."

The whole Sword God Sect and even the whole Jiangling Commandery would be talking about him with great relish.

"Evil Star, you dare walk out of the Elder?" Cheng Fang had regained some of his composure and was now standing beside his master. "You don't dare acce..."

Thud!

Cheng Fang, who moments earlier brimmed with arrogance, was now nursing his severed arm, his face twisted in agony. His voice cut through the murmurs of the crowd, a sharp contrast to the once confident aura he exuded. "You... you dared to... my arm!" His cries echoed throughout the arena as blood streamed from his shoulder, his composure shattered.

Dao Wei remained impassive, his gaze cold and detached, as if the mere thought of acknowledging Cheng Fang's existence was beneath him. "You can't even withstand my gaze," he mocked, his voice carrying across the arena, calm yet dripping with disdain. "What makes you think you're worthy to challenge me?" His words hit harder than the sword intent that had taken Cheng Fang's arm.

The crowd fell silent at Dao Wei's statement. His Sword Avatar remained dormant, but the intent behind it, the murderous aura that seemed to lurk beneath the surface, was palpable. His control over it was unlike anything they had witnessed, especially given the raw anger that seethed within him. Yet, he remained cool, and composed. It was unnatural, as if he was balancing on the edge of an abyss but refused to fall.

"Master, you must..." Cheng Fang, now crumpled on the ground, looked pleadingly toward his master.

Chu Yafei's face was contorted with rage, a far cry from the composed elder he usually presented himself as. "You dare harm my disciple in front of me?" His voice was a low growl, eyes fixed on Dao Wei like a predator hunting its prey. He stepped forward, the air around him distorting with the power of his aura.

But just as Chu Yafei prepared to act, two figures, followed by four others, stood up in unison. The entire arena trembled as the combined auras of the Supreme Elders and the Grand Elders suffocated the space. A dangerous silence fell, as though the heavens themselves had intervened.

"What's going on?" a disciple whispered in the crowd.

"Why are the Supreme Elders and Grand Elders standing up? The Evil Star just cut off Cheng Fang's arm right in front of his master. Shouldn't he be punished?"

"I don't think they're here to stop him… I think…"

Another disciple interjected, "You think what? That they're going to congratulate him?"

The murmurs spread like wildfire, filling the arena. Dao Wei's Sword Avatar was still on the brink of manifestation, but despite the overwhelming rage that should have consumed him, he maintained perfect control. Many disciples stared in disbelief, unable to comprehend the feat they were witnessing.

Lu Shen, watching from his seat, broke the tension with a booming laugh. "Junior Brother Dao Wei didn't disappoint!" He beamed. "It seems that the Sword God Sect finally has its Heir."

"What?!" Wei Jun's eyes widened as he turned toward Lu Shen. "What do you mean by that, Senior Brother?"

Zhang Ruolan scoffed, shaking her head. "You can't be serious, Lu Shen. This 'Evil Star' has potential, sure, but to call him the Heir of the sect? That's outrageous."

Lu Shen merely smiled, his gaze never leaving Dao Wei. "You don't feel it? The sheer presence, the control over his Sword Soul without manifesting it? There's no one in this arena more qualified."

Disbelief rippled through the stands. "What's Lu Shen talking about?" a disciple muttered.

"An Heir? The Evil Star? He's joking, right?"

"Cheng Fang was always favored. But if the Evil Star's really a Sword Childe..."

The murmurs grew louder, uncertainty spreading like a fog. Disciples whispered to each other, some voicing disbelief while others began to consider the possibility.

Amidst the rising tension, Dao Wei remained motionless, his attention focused entirely on the situation before him. He didn't acknowledge the discussions or the chaos brewing among the crowd. The elders had risen, the fate of the sect now shifting with their every move.

In the midst of the swirling conversations, the Second Elder's voice rang out, cutting through the noise. He appeared at the center of the arena, his presence commanding immediate silence. "Cheng Fang has lost his right to represent the Sword God Sect as the Sword King."

A collective gasp echoed across the arena. The shock was palpable.

"And in his place," the elder continued, his voice unwavering, "Huang Ling shall take his position as one of the Sword King candidates."

The reaction was immediate. Cheng Fang's face went pale as his eyes widened in disbelief. His peers looked at him with a mixture of pity and disdain, though some couldn't help but stifle their laughter at his humiliation.

"He's been replaced?" A voice in the crowd rose above the rest.

"Huang Ling? Isn't she almost as talented as Cheng Fang?" another added.

"This is a direct insult to Elder Chu Yafei," a disciple whispered urgently. "First his disciples get maimed, and now this?"

Chu Yafei's face was a thundercloud, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. The tension between him and the Supreme Elders was as sharp as the swords they wielded. It was clear that his schemes to secure Cheng Fang's place had backfired spectacularly.

Lu Shen, observing the unfolding drama, leaned back with a satisfied smirk. "As I said, the Heir of the Sword God Sect has emerged."

Dao Wei remained where he was, seemingly unfazed by the politics and power plays around him. He sheathed his sword in one fluid motion, his gaze never straying from the elders at the center of the arena. The murmurs of the crowd, the whispers of admiration and disbelief, no longer seemed to reach him.

It was undeniable now. The Sword God Sect was on the verge of crowning a new legend. And his name was Dao Wei, the Evil Star who had transcended all expectations.

As the Second Elder finished speaking, the Supreme Elders nodded in unison, their decision final. The air was thick with the weight of what had just transpired, and no one dared challenge their verdict. The sect's future had shifted, and the rivalries that had simmered beneath the surface were about to explode.

Dao Wei's gaze met that of the Supreme Elders, and for a brief moment, there was an unspoken understanding between them.