Almighty Sword Domain

Book 8 — Defiance

Actually, he didn’t intend to continue his closed door cultivation even if the Ocean of Clouds Academy hadn’t invited him to be an instructor for them. After all, his strength had arrived at a certain level, and it was especially so for his sword techniques and sword intent. So, it was impossible for them to be improved further even if he continued his cultivation.

Only live combat could improve his strength now!

Of course, the reason he’d agreed was mainly because the enmity between him and the academy had made life difficult for the disciples of the Ancient Sword School who were at the academy. He was the cause of it, so he had to resolve the conflict between himself and the academy.

Besides that, the academy had information related to the Central Divine Prefecture and the entire Radiance Dimension. He definitely had to head to the Central Divine Prefecture in the future, so he had to obtain information about it in advance. It would be best if he could find out about the clans related to Elder Mu and Zhuge Shenmo!

He’d never forgotten what Elder Mu had entrusted him with!

Yang Ye had to head to Ocean of Clouds City if he wanted to get to the academy because the academy was situated in the sky above the city.

Ocean of Clouds City was very famous in Pine Prefecture because it was the largest city in the prefecture. Besides that, it was the territory of the most mysterious power in the prefecture, the Ocean of Clouds Academy.

While the Ocean of Clouds Academy wasn’t the strongest Platinum Rank sect in the prefecture, there was no doubt that its status was the most aloof, and it was the existence which powers didn’t want or dare to offend the most.

The academy never participated in the battles throughout the prefecture, and it allowed the disciples of all powers to join the academy and learn there. However, they had to obey the rules of the academy while they studied in the academy. Once they graduated, they could choose to stay in the academy or leave. They weren’t forced to do anything, and it all depended on themselves!

It could be said that the students of the academy were extremely free. So, countless powers were willing to allow their disciples to join the academy!

However, the academy’s standards of acceptance were quite high. The test eligibility requirement was to attain the Exalt Realm before the age of 20, and only after one fulfilled that requirement could one attempt to pass through a string of tests prepared by the academy. The only way to become a student of the academy was to pass those tests!

There were towering mountains all around Ocean of Clouds City. The mountain range was called Welkin Wolf Mountain Range, and a well known demon king resided in the mountain range, the Welkin Wolf Demon King.

Amongst the experts of the prefecture, the Welkin Wolf Demon King’s strength could definitely be ranked in the top 5. While Welkin Wolf Mountain Range surrounded Ocean of Clouds City, it wasn’t enemies with the academy, but it wasn’t friendly with the academy either. It should be said that both sides were using each other. The academy used the demon beasts in the mountain range to temper its students while the demon beasts of the mountain range similarly utilized the students of the academy to temper themselves.

Both sides had an unspoken understanding!

Yang Ye stopped when he arrived at Welkin Wolf Mountain Range because the sky above the entire mountain range had a mysterious formation covering it. Of course, his strength was sufficient to force his way through, but he’d stopped in the end. Because it was a spot on the map that was labeled with a red dot. In other words, it was a dangerous place to him right now!

He could have utilized the teleportation formation in the Ancient Sword School to arrive immediately at Ocean of Clouds City. However, he hadn’t because he wanted to see the prefecture. After all, he’d been constantly cultivating throughout his life, and it was especially so once he arrived at the Radiant Dimension. Cultivating for too long was naturally quite boring.

So, his current plan was to observe the scenery and enjoy a few days of calmness.

As soon as he descended to the ground, Yang Ye swept the surroundings with his gaze, and he noticed that it was covered in endless mountains and huge trees which blotted out the sky.

Yang Ye stood silently on the spot for a while, and then he turned his head to glance at the violet mink who was meditating on his shoulder. He grinned, and then his figure flashed into the forest.

Yang Ye dashed swiftly all along the way while ceaselessly sensing the auras of the demon beasts in the surroundings. So long as there was a demon beast ahead, then he would choose to go around it because he wasn’t here to kill and collect inner cores. Moreover, because of the little fellow, he’d never taken the initiative to kill demon beasts, and he only killed them if they attacked him!

“Hmm? There are people here?” Suddenly, Yang Ye hurriedly stopped himself. Unfortunately, it was too late because a man and a woman had appeared not too far away within his field of vision.

Of course, it was naturally not a problem if they were in a normal state. But the problem was that they weren’t! Both of them were completely down their birthday suits, and they were engaging in the most primitive form of exercise….

“Mmm…. Oh…. Faster! Faster!” A wave of delicate gasps resounded incessantly.

“Ah…” Suddenly, a soft exclaim resounded while both their bodies twitched as if they’d been shocked by lightning.

Yang Ye withdrew his gaze and was about to leave. Meanwhile, the woman suddenly said, “Bai Feng, he can’t be allowed to leave alive!”

Only now did Yang Ye recall that he’d actually forgotten to conceal his aura. Meanwhile, a strand of sword energy had arrived behind him. Yang Ye moved to the side and dodged it, and then he gazed at the pair who’d worn their clothes now. The man wore a white robe and held a jade white paper fan in his hand. He seemed quite carefree and handsome.

While the woman couldn’t compare to Fan Li and the others, she wasn’t bad either. She wore a green dress, had a slender figure, and a pretty appearance. Especially now that there was a trace of rosiness after the act lingering on her forehead, it made her seem quite attractive.

Both of them were low rank Exalt Realm cultivators!

That was exactly why they dared to attack him even when they couldn’t see through his cultivation!

Yang Ye said, “I’m just passing by!”

The woman spoke gloomily, “You saw something you shouldn’t, so you deserve death!”

The man nodded and was about to attack. However, they suddenly frowned while a robust man and a woman flashed over from afar.

“Xiaorou, Brother Li, I thought something happened to the both of you!” The robust man walked over to the woman, and then he stretched out his hand and took hers while concern filled his eyes.

The woman by the robust man’s side glanced at the woman in a green dress and the white robed man, but she didn’t say a word.

“Brother Man Li, we encountered a few Spirit Realm demon beasts, and that was why we were delayed!” While the white robed man was speaking to the robust man, his gaze was locked on Yang Ye instead, and the intent to warn Yang Ye to not say anything was absolutely obvious.

The woman in a green dress glanced at Yang Ye in the same way, and then she pulled her hand away from the robust man’s grasp and spoke flatly, “Both Brother Bai and I are at the Exalt Realm, so we would be fine even if we encounter Exalt Realm demon beasts. What are you worried about!?”

Man Li smiled embarrassedly and said, “So long as you’re fine. That’s all that matters!” As soon as he finished speaking, he turned to look at Yang Ye and said, “Brother, are you participating in the academy’s test as well?”

Yang Ye who was about to leave had suddenly stopped moving, and he asked, “The academy’s test?”

Man Li nodded and smiled, “We’re in the middle of the academy’s recruitment test. Brother, aren’t you doing the same?”

Yang Ye pondered deeply for a moment because he hadn’t expected the recruitment tests to have begun. In other words, if all of them were to pass the test, then wouldn’t they be considered his students!?

When he thought up to this point, Yang Ye said, “I’m participating in the test as well!”

Man Li smiled when he heard that, “Since it’s like that, then why don’t you join our group? Staying united is better than being all alone. After all, the Exalt Realm demon beasts in the mountain range are really powerful!”

The woman in a green dress and the white robed man revealed slightly gloomy expressions when they heard him, and their gazes towards Yang Ye carried a trace of ghastly killing intent.

Yang Ye disregarded them and nodded. He was quite curious about the academy’s test, so he intended to join them and watch.

Just like that, Yang Ye became a member of their group. He found out from Man Li that the woman in a green dress was called Tang Xiaorou, and she was his fiancée. The white robed man was Tang Xiaorou’s cousin brother, Bai Feng. As for the other woman, her name was Chu Yue, and she was childhood friends with Man Li!

Actually, Yang Ye felt that their relationship was quite complicated.

However, he didn’t want to interfere in their private life, so he just followed them in silence. But even then, Tang Xiaorou and Baifeng’s killing intent towards him grew stronger and stronger!

Their assignment was to hunt and kill 10 Exalt Realm demon beasts and collect the inner cores. Demon beasts were much stronger than humans at the same realm of cultivation, so it was quite difficult for each of them to hunt and kill 10.

Besides the 4 of them, there were around 200 others that were taking the test as well. All of them had the same assignment.

As for their grades in the test, it was naturally determined by the number of inner cores they returned with. 10 could only be considered as barely passing, and they would only be sent to the D Class even if they could enter the outer court!

So, all of them wanted to kill more demon beasts. However, they were aware of the limits of their strengths, so they could only hunt and kill Exalt Realm demon beasts that were alone. As for those that were in groups of 2 or more, they ran as far as they could from such groups of demon beasts!

Bia Feng suddenly asked Yang Ye, “Ye Yang, how many Exalt Realm demon beasts have you killed?”

Yang Ye hadn’t told them his real name. He hadn’t done so because he wanted to make them underestimate him and take them by surprise, it was because he wanted to avoid trouble. After all, his name was quite well known throughout the prefecture.

Yang Ye glanced indifferently at Bai Feng when he heard this and said, “Not many, but it shouldn’t be a problem for me to pass!”

“Is that so?” Bai Feng laughed coldly and said, “I’m quite a kind person, so I wanted to remind Brother Ye that since it isn’t a problem for you to pass, then it’s best to be careful. After all, people are dying in this mountain range at all times!”

“You’re very right!” Yang Ye nodded and spoke with agreement, “One really should be cautious, or you wouldn’t even know how you died!”

“Man Li, why don’t we split up and look for demon beasts?” Tang Xiaorou spoke abruptly, “We can contact each other if we locate any demon beasts that are alone!”

Man Li hesitated for a moment and said, “Xiaorou, I’m afraid that you would be in danger!”

“What are you afraid of? We’re all at the Exalt Realm. Even if we lose in battle, we can still escape!” Tang Xiaorou continued, “Moreover, I’ll have my cousin brother with me. What are you afraid of!?”

Man Li glanced at Bai Feng and hesitated for a moment before he said, “Alright, be careful. A’Yue and I will go towards the left with Brother Ye, both of you can head towards the right. Remember not to attack if you encounter any Exalt Realm demon beasts!”

Tang Xiaorou spoke abruptly, “Brother Ye will come with us instead!”

Man Li glanced at Yang Ye and said, “Alright!”

After that, he withdrew a transmission talisman and passed it to Yang Ye, “Brother Ye, please activate this talisman if there’s an emergency. I’ll definitely get there in less than 3 breaths of time!”

Yang Ye glanced at the transmission talisman and smiled, “Thank you!”

Man Li nodded, and then it didn’t take long for him and Chu Yue to vanish from their fields of vision. However, Chu Yue took a deep and long glance at Yang Ye, Bai Feng, and Tang Xiaorou before they left.

As soon as Man Li and Chu Yue vanished from their fields of vision, Tang Xiaorou’s figure suddenly flashed over to Yang Ye, and then her fair hand clamped down onto his throat while she spoke ferociously, “Do you want to die?”