Ten Directions Sword Master

There are still more than two months before the opening of the Crimson Fire Secret Realm, but some people in the academy are clearly already restless.

As the vice dean with the best chance of making it onto the Earth Ranking, Yu Ziqi insisted on vying for a spot in the Secret Realm and revealed an unyielding determination, which gradually caused some students to waver.

Although he couldn't become the dean, among the core members of Bailu Academy, there was no one else who could hold his own.

Compared to the double-digit number of Refinement Realm experts at Yuelu Academy, and the presence of senior experts ranked in the middle of the Earth Ranking at Shigu Academy, Bailu Academy seems to have a gap in its talent pool.

It is Bailu Academy that needs Yu Ziqi, not the other way around.

Many scholars inevitably wonder if Yu Ziqi, who rarely speaks out, was hurt when his opinion was rejected for the first time.

If, in a fit of anger, he were to return to Louguantai, Bailu Academy would suffer a great loss.

Several students have privately expressed their willingness to give Dean Yu face and submit Lu Li's name first.

In any case, the final result still needs the dean's approval.

Watching the Rain at Jian Pavilion.

With Fatty Luo gone, Lu Li's life became much less joyful and more monotonous.

He wasn't used to going out for drinks alone, so he preferred to sit back and slowly study a sword manual.

The White Deer Academy has many books for leisure reading, especially when he accompanied Gu Jingyu to sort through the books, he discovered many interesting but useless sword techniques.

Those ambitious but incompetent eccentrics wrote down one after another unrestrained sword moves and created one after another sword principles that they regarded as the golden rules.

It would be quite interesting to refute them one by one and expose them all from an outsider's perspective.

It also indirectly honed swordsmanship and judgment, enabling one to identify errors and discern truths.

These days, practicing swordsmanship is just a habit, to maintain my feel for the sword, and I haven't deliberately practiced the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique.

When he was appreciating the seventy-two pentads of the lunar calendar every day, he would empty his mind, spread out the scrolls, and not control which area his gaze should linger on.

He decided to let nature take its course and wait for a solar term that would automatically trigger a response.

While practicing swordsmanship, the door to the sword hall behind him was pushed open, and a man and a woman walked in side by side.

Lu Li's expression shifted slightly, but he remained silent and continued practicing his swordsmanship.

They even added another paragraph, and after fifteen minutes, they showed no sign of stopping.

"Junior Brother Lu, could you please stop for a moment? I have something to say."

The man couldn't wait any longer and spoke first.

"Entering the sword hall that is in use without permission is already a violation, and causing someone to stop practicing swordsmanship is even more wrong... Senior Brother Luo is a role model in the academy, so I don't need to remind him of such trivial matters."

The sword light remained steady and composed, Lu Li's aura was stable, and he was still able to respond in his spare time.

"Your swordsmanship is so bad, even if you practice for another ten years, it won't be any better! Yun Qi came to advise you to take the initiative to talk to Dean Yu and tell him that you realize your abilities are limited and leave the secret realm."

Shen Qing's face was as cold as ice, her expression full of disdain.

"The spots for the secret realm are chosen by the dean; there's no reason for them to be given out privately. Senior Sister Shen, please watch your words!"

Lu Li sneered inwardly. So it was all because of this person. It seems the gossip at the academy was true.

Rumor has it that Shen Qing and Luo Yunqi, two of the Four Prodigies, have a close relationship and are often seen together, suggesting they are a couple.

"This is simply to make it clear to some people that going to the secret realm without sufficient strength will only bring shame and waste the academy's once-in-thirty-years opportunity!"

Shen Qing was eager to see what methods Lu Li, who was low-key and had no notable achievements in the academy, had used to impress Dean Yu, and what made him think he could secure a spot.

As long as someone has any temper left, they should be able to retaliate against such sarcastic and barbed remarks.

But she was disappointed; the sword light was leisurely and unhurried, showing no sign of agitation.

"Junior Brother Lu, no matter how many bad things my cousin says about me, don't believe him... He's incorrigible, has developed a narrow-minded and self-destructive personality, and hates seeing me achieve anything..."

The sword light abruptly stopped, frozen in mid-air.

"First of all, aside from calling you 'dead fish face,' Luo Liben has never said anything bad about you, so I'm not targeting you for that reason."

Lu Li slowly sheathed his sword, his eyes cold, as if he were examining an object.

"Secondly, he is neither unruly nor narrow-minded... On the contrary, it is you who slandered your eldest cousin, spread malicious rumors, and acted with malice, which speaks volumes!"

"You're talking nonsense! Luo Liben's actions are plain for all to see, why would I need to slander him?"

Luo Yunqi has dark skin, almond-shaped eyes, and thick lips. The combination of these features doesn't make her ugly; what really makes her stand out is her commanding presence.

"I thought you were a promising talent, but it seems that spending all your time with Luo Liben has made you a scoundrel... You have no concern for the nation or the academy!"

"Okay, okay, okay!"

Lu Li chuckled a few times, thinking how he had once considered the Four Great Prodigies as his role models.

Looking back now, one was driven by personal impulse, and the other was a hypocrite.

It would be better to be frank and say that I am determined to obtain the Crimson Fire Secret Realm, and that I believe my strength surpasses yours, so I am unwilling to give in. Perhaps that would earn me some respect from Lu Li.

"So, Senior Brother Luo, who cares deeply about the nation and the fate of the academy, what do you intend to do?"

"Junior Brother Lu can defeat top students from Yuelu Academy, yet he doesn't participate in the Four Academies Competition, deliberately hiding his strength to make a name for himself? Then I'll give you that chance!"

As more and more disciples gathered outside the Sword Hall, Luo Yunqi deliberately raised his voice, speaking with righteous indignation.

"Let's have a match. The loser doesn't need to talk about any secret realm spots... Let me, as your senior, tell you that while you might gain some temporary advantage through shortcuts, in the end, it's all about strength!"

"Seven days from now, at 3 PM sharp, Sword Hall No. 1, Class B, see you there."

Lu Li gave Luo Yunqi a deep look, as if he wanted to remember him forever.

I pressed hard on my right forearm, and it still ached a little. It should be mostly fine in seven days.

Not only for myself, but also for Fatty Luo, I need to teach that dead-faced second brother a good lesson.

"Yunqi, it's good that he accepted the challenge... That day I invited more instructors to come, and he was defeated so miserably, what face does he have to compete with you for a spot in the secret realm?"

Shen Qing's mood was unaffected; she felt that the purpose of her trip had been achieved and that it was a great success.

"I heard that Lu Li learned the Autumn section of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Manual. Could you ask one of the instructors who is skilled in this sword technique? I'd like to ask him to spar with me for a few days."

Despite Lu Li exposing his dark thoughts, Luo Yunqi remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was filled with intense hatred.

There was still some doubt that Lu Li would dare to accept the challenge, as the huge gap in their cultivation levels could not be bridged by external forces.

Normally, Lu Li would be holding back if he could withstand ten moves from him.

Despite such a huge advantage, Luo Yunqi did not relax and tried his best to make up for any possible oversights.

He watched the blazing fire, realizing that if he truly wanted to climb to the position of Luo family heir, he couldn't afford to make a single mistake.

Only someone ten or a hundred times better than Luo Liben would make those old-fashioned elders think that they should replace him.

Why should I have to work so hard to have everything he was born with!

Luo Yunqi lowered his eyes, which burned with ambition, and a twisted roar rose in his heart.