Chapter 81

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Chapter 81: Struggling for Breath

Even if it was only a temporary taste of the Foundation Establishment Stage’s strength, Yi Qianmo knew it would be an incredibly powerful trump card.

“Once I reach the Foundation Establishment Stage, I’ll be able to unleash the second level of the Wind Word Sword Technique,” he mused, “and finally access the remaining seven techniques of the Great Yi Sword Technique.”

The Great Yi Sword Technique was divided into eight characters, each representing a unique power. Currently, Yi Qianmo could only wield the first level of the Wind Word Sword Technique, the easiest and least energy-intensive form. But that was enough, given his Chaotic Sword Body’s limitations.

At the fifth level of the Qi Refining Stage, he’d unlock six additional techniques, albeit only at their basic levels. The strongest characters, Qian and Kun, remained elusive and challenging to master.

Determined, Yi Qianmo shifted his focus. First place in the exam no longer mattered. Slaying thirty spirit beasts and unleashing the dormant power of Repel Evil was now his ultimate goal.

Before venturing further into the mountains, he sought refuge in a cave. Activating a crystal ball, he called upon Old Bai, instructing him to establish a connection.

“If I don’t check in, Su Muyu will undoubtedly be worried,” he muttered.

Far above Yan Mountain, aboard the cloud boat, the atmosphere was tense.

“May I ask, Your Highness, where is the person you recommended?”

Minister Professor Yu’s words sliced through the hall. All eyes turned to Su Muyu, who sat near the Mansion Master. The old professor’s tone was calm, yet the intent behind his words was unmistakable.

Tianyuan Academy’s factions were well-known—those loyal to the Mansion Master and those aligned with the royal family. Minister Professor Yu belonged to the former and rarely challenged Su Muyu openly.

But circumstances had changed.

Su Muyu had announced that her husband would participate in the great exam, a claim that now seemed baseless. Yi Qianmo was nowhere to be found. Her silence under the questioning gaze of the assembly only deepened the awkwardness.

“If my husband doesn’t show up, it hardly matters,” Su Muyu finally said, masking her concern. “He’s a delicate man, accustomed to relying on others. It’s natural for him to be a little timid.”

Minister Professor Yu seized the moment.

“Ah, so he’s timid, then? A man who rises only with the aid of women. Am I wrong, Your Highness?”

Su Muyu’s forced smile wavered. Beneath her composed exterior, she seethed. Meanwhile, the royal family members exchanged uneasy glances.

Across the room, Prince Su Yucheng hesitated to intervene. His own failures weighed heavily upon him, and he feared exacerbating the situation.

“I don’t believe he’s cowardly,” Su Muyu finally retorted. “Perhaps something delayed him on his journey.”

“Heh!” Minister Professor Yu smirked. “Could it be, Your Highness, that someone among us deliberately hindered his arrival?”

Su Muyu’s eyes flashed, her voice laced with anger. “You said it. Not I.”

Minister Professor Yu chuckled, unfazed. “With his ties to the Tang family of Qin Land, it’s unlikely anyone here would dare obstruct him. More likely, he simply lacked the courage to come.”

Su Yucheng, unable to contain himself, sprang to his feet. “That’s enough! How dare you insult the man my aunt admires!”

The tension in the hall thickened.

Yi Qianmo, observing through the crystal ball, clenched his fists. The implications of Minister Professor Yu’s words were clear. If he didn’t prove himself, he would forever be branded a man who rose through borrowed power—a disgrace.

Meanwhile, the Mansion Master finally intervened, silencing the growing discord.

“We will address these matters after the exam,” he declared, his voice brooking no argument.

The attention of the assembly shifted to the middle-aged man who had entered the room.

“In this exam, there are six hundred seventy participants,” the man reported. “So far, one hundred seventy have perished, and the number continues to rise.”

Su Muyu’s expression darkened. “Why has there been no intervention?”

“The exam’s parameters were set jointly by His Majesty and the Mansion Master,” the man replied. “Survival depends entirely on the participants’ abilities.”

Yi Qianmo’s expression hardened as he continued to listen.

“The internal power struggles of Tianyuan Academy run deep,” he thought. Minister Professor Yu’s veiled threats and public humiliation left no doubt in his mind—if he didn’t seize this moment, his reputation would be irreparably tarnished.

“I must prove my worth,” Yi Qianmo resolved, “or forever be known as a man who leeches off others to rise.”

And with that, he vanished deeper into the mountains, prepared to fight for his future.