Chapter 47: Provocation Before the Stele · The Ten-Day Appointment

The next day, outside Moxiang Academy.

The sky was clear, and the Stele Forest of Literary Heart was crowded; Disciples were whispering.

"Have you heard? After Strength King Xiang Yu, Xiang Qingxuan has arrived!"

"And that martial maniac Zhang Hongfei is here too! The two of them actually arrived early to 'observe the ceremony' in front of the Stele Forest today!"

Lin Chen and Su Xiaoxiao were passing by and were shocked upon hearing this.

When they arrived, they saw Zhang Hongfei in silver armor standing with his hands behind his back. At his feet lay fallen academy Disciples, their literary swords shattered across the ground, the fragments reflecting a desolate light in the sun.

Zhang Hongfei smiled wildly, his white teeth flashing: "Tsk tsk, is this the level of literary cultivation? You couldn't even take three Moves. How disappointing."

"If you are afraid, you can just admit defeat. Besides, this isn't the first time my Zhang family has swept through the Literary Soul Ceremony."

Beside him, Xiang Qingxuan wore black and gold robes. He was handsome, but his gaze was like a hawk's. He looked faintly at the inscriptions on the Stele Forest and pointed a finger:

"These characters lack Aura, the Soul Power is unstable, and the structure is chaotic."

He turned his head, scanned the crowd, and said softly: "If no one else is going to make a Move, then tomorrow—my Xiang family will carve the first stele here."

Silence fell over the four fields. The senior Disciples gritted their teeth, but no one dared to step forward.

Zhang Hongfei suddenly glanced at Su Xiaoxiao and grinned: "You, your name is Su Xiaoxiao, right?"

"I heard you are proficient in Artifact Refining? What a pity, you've come to the wrong place."

"I find you quite interesting. How about you follow me and practice boxing? I, Zhang Hongfei, will protect you."

Su Xiaoxiao's face turned livid, and she clenched her small fists in anger: "Do you have no shame?!"

Zhang Hongfei laughed wildly: "None."

On the other side, Xiang Qingxuan's gaze fell on Lin Chen. He smiled slightly, and at that moment, it felt as if even the wind had stopped:

"You, your name is Lin Chen, right?"

"You possess the 'Natural Literary Bone', which is very rare."

"But you… joined the wrong sect."

He paused and pointed his finger in the air: "If you are willing, come to my Xiang family, and I will teach you how to write true Heavenly Dao stele inscriptions."

Lin Chen was trembling with anger. Before she could speak, Su Xiaoxiao had already rushed over, blocking her, glaring at them and shouting:

"Get lost! You two lunatics, you'd better… die on the road before the ceremony!"

Zhang Hongfei laughed and turned to leave. Xiang Qingxuan left behind a faint sentence:

"Ten days later, I will wait for your 'Literary Soul' in the viewing hall… and personally shatter it."

Su Xiaoxiao's chest heaved violently with anger, her Spiritual Qi surged, and her eyes were round with fury, looking ready to explode. She took a step forward, her palm already raised, a wisp of scorching spiritual power churning in her palm.

Lin Chen hurriedly grabbed her and spoke in a soft, gentle voice.

"It's okay, Xiaoxiao, ignore them. In ten days, make them… kneel at the Literary Soul Ceremony."

"Right, let's make them crawl back crying!"

Moxiang Academy, behind the Literary Garden.

In a secluded valley surrounded by spiritual bamboo, a martial arts stage built from floating Spirit Stones hovered gently, surrounded by a spiritual pattern barrier, specifically designed for combat preparation.

As soon as Lin Chen and Su Xiaoxiao stepped inside, they felt two familiar Auras slowly walking out from the woods.

"Miss Lin, Miss Su, long time no see."

The voice was gentle and soft, carrying the delicacy of the Jiangnan water towns. A woman in a light green flowing cloud dress walked over gracefully, her figure lithe and her face like a hibiscus; it was the gentle and virtuous Da Qiao.

On the other side, accompanied by a series of brisk footsteps, a little girl with delicate features and lively eyes jumped out, hands on her hips, looking at Su Xiaoxiao with a beaming smile:

"Xiaoxiao, we meet again! Hehe~"

"I am the special training officer specifically arranged by Big Sister Shangguan to train you into the number one beautiful girl war god of the Literary Soul Ceremony!"

Su Xiaoxiao's mouth twitched: "You're the war god! I'm just a pure and innocent weak girl!"

Xiao Qiao chuckled: "That excuse of yours might fool Lin Chen, but me? Not a chance!"

Su Xiaoxiao hummed, pouting as she stood aside, but a rare sense of relaxation emerged in her heart. Lin Chen looked at Da Qiao, her eyes curving, her voice soft and sweet:

"Big Sister Da Qiao… you've really worked hard for us."

Da Qiao smiled and gently took Lin Chen's hand:

"Protecting your path is our sisters' honor."

Su Xiaoxiao hummed a tune and looked at Xiao Qiao: "Where does the training start?"

Xiao Qiao raised an eyebrow and pointed at the martial arts stage in the air:

"It starts with dismantling those useless Moves in your body!"

"In these ten days, I will make you reborn and invincible with your fists!"

Da Qiao also spoke softly:

"Lin Chen, we will begin the intensive training of 'Zither Intent Hidden Literature'."

"The Literary Soul bone in your body has not been truly awakened."

"This time, we will make your brush and ink—capable of splitting steles and destroying souls."

Su Xiaoxiao grinned: "Split steles and destroy souls? Sounds awesome!"

Xiao Qiao snapped her fingers: "Of course, we'll beat Zhang Hongfei until he cries for his father and mother!"

Lin Chen curled her lips, looking at the three people beside her, a warmth rising in her heart.

"Let's go, let's start."

"In this battle, we will never lose."

In Moxiang Valley, the sky was clear, and Spiritual Qi was like a tide.

On the martial arts stage, Su Xiaoxiao was dressed in a moon-white skirt, standing amidst the light and shadow, casually swinging a wooden sword, her posture lazy—looking like a "Trash Spiritual Root girl" who had just started learning swordsmanship.

Xiao Qiao hugged her chest, stomping her feet in anxiety:

"Su Xiaoxiao, are you actually practicing or not!"

"Big Sister Shangguan said that even if you have Trash Spiritual Roots, you have to practice some 'Aura', don't let others think the students we teach are… softies!"

Su Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes, yawning while shaking her sleeves:

"Alright, alright, I'll try my best~ Let's do it again."

Her figure moved, and she instantly exploded from her lazy state—the next instant, a fierce punch exploded, the Aura surging like a tide, punching a distant martial arts stone pillar until it—crumbled!

"Boom!"

Xiao Qiao was instantly stunned, her mouth open for five breaths without closing:

"You, you, you… how did you do that!?"

Su Xiaoxiao clapped her hands and smiled lazily: "Shh—it's a secret, don't let anyone know."

Xiao Qiao was petrified for a long while, muttering: "You call this 'Trash Spiritual Root'? You're a 'Trash Heavenly Venerable'…"

On the other side of the martial arts stage, Lin Chen was sitting in the center of the Formation Plate, nine rune pens floating around her, slowly rotating, vaguely forming the momentum of stars turning. Her palms were firmly pressed on the zither case, spiritual music flowing.

Da Qiao explained softly:

"Lin Chen's Spiritual Root is a twin complementary 'Immortal Grade Star Spiritual Root' and 'Immortal Grade Nature Spiritual Root'."

"The stars govern defense, suppressing all phenomena; nature governs harmony, resolving all laws."

"If she truly releases her Spiritual Qi, even the Heavenly Dao would have to give way."

Lin Chen opened her eyes, her slender fingers brushed the strings, and a melody fell leisurely, like stars in the night sky pouring into the human world. Spiritual Qi surged instantly, sparking a "Spiritual Music Star Wheel" from the martial arts stage! Nine stars surrounded, the sound falling like thunder!

"Bang!"

A thousand-pound boulder shattered into dust in the zither sound. Da Qiao's expression revealed a trace of awe:

"If she… doesn't restrain herself, no one can stop her."

—Actually— The true strength of the two "Trash" girls only revealed the tip of the iceberg at this moment.

Lin Chen: The bearing of a Realm Emperor, wielding the pen of the Literary Soul, the Battle Soul suppresses the universe!

Su Xiaoxiao: The body of a Dao Ancestor, fists can shatter the Void Realm, laughing to suppress all men in the world!

At this moment, Xiao Qiao and Da Qiao looked at each other, and only two words remained in their hearts: Monsters.

"To think they were hiding so deep."

A young man in black robes stood on the heights of the valley entrance, his figure hidden in the Void Realm. It was the "Head of the Shadow Guards" secretly arranged by Crown Prince Li Chongjun. He silently put away the detection mirror, his lips curling:

"Lin Chen's fairy root is rare, Su Xiaoxiao's cultivation is unfathomable… If they can be recruited, they will be of great use."

"However—"

His eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze cold:

"If they really dare to defy the master's will, then—"

"Destroy them."