"Go on, get out of here."
Zhao Wuji crossed his arms over his chest, sweeping a disdainful glance over them.
"Getting beaten up by an old turtle like that? How embarrassing! Don't you dare tell anyone you're my students out there!"
"Got it! We won't tell a soul!"
Ma Hongjun quickly agreed, pulling Dai Mubai, Tang San, and Oscar along as they slipped away like grease lightning. Before leaving, he even turned back to make a face at Ye Zhiqiu.
Ye Zhiqiu stared at Zhao Wuji's mountain-like figure, recalling how he'd been sent flying earlier. How could he dare cause more trouble?
He could only watch helplessly as the group ran off, his face turning green with frustration.
Only after Dai Mubai and the others disappeared beyond the inn's entrance did Zhao Wuji slowly turn around.
His eyes slanting toward Ye Zhiqiu, he spoke as if discussing something trivial:
"Bullying a few juniors? What kind of skill is that? Get lost, you're an eyesore here."
Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu's anger instantly flared. He gritted his teeth inwardly:
"The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree! Someone who teaches such disrespectful brats can't be much better himself!"
His fists unconsciously clenched, knuckles turning white, veins bulging on his forehead, his eyes filled with rage and resentment.
"You're their teacher, right?" Ye Zhiqiu took a deep breath, suppressing his anger as he spoke in a low voice.
"Your students publicly insulted our academy earlier. Shouldn't you give us an explanation for this?"
Zhao Wuji looked him up and down as if examining some rare specimen, his tone dripping with undisguised contempt:
"Explanation? What explanation? Your academy is nothing but a trash academy in my eyes!"
He took a step forward, his Soul Power faintly stirring around him, carrying the pressure of a Soul Saint:
"My kids were just telling the truth. What? Did it hit a nerve? Can't take it?"
What kind of person was Zhao Wuji?
Back in the Soul Master World, he was famously known as the King of Chaos, someone who responded better to soft approaches than hard ones.
For Ye Zhiqiu to put on airs and demand an explanation in front of him was simply asking for trouble.
"You..."
Ye Zhiqiu was left speechless, his anger no longer containable. He couldn't be bothered to argue further.
Striding toward Zhao Wuji, his Black Tortoise Spirit manifested again, the patterns on the Dark Tortoise Shell glowing with an eerie light.
His aggressive posture made it clear he intended to fight.
Seeing this, Zhao Wuji wasn't afraid but instead snorted with laughter. Suddenly turning around, he shouted toward the figures secretly peeking from behind the inn door nearby:
"You bunch of useless brats! Can't even handle one old turtle? Just wait until we get back to the academy - I'll teach you a lesson then!"
Caught red-handed, Dai Mubai and the others ducked their heads, not daring to make a sound, but they didn't run far either, obviously wanting to watch the spectacle.
Seeing that Zhao Wuji still had the leisure to scold his students, Ye Zhiqiu flew into an even greater rage. The Soul Rings at his feet suddenly lit up:
"Don't push me too far! Today I'll see for myself how capable this teacher of yours really is!"
Before the words finished, he was already charging fiercely toward Zhao Wuji with his Dark Tortoise Shell, activating his Fourth Soul Skill - Dark Tortoise Charge once again!
This time, he pushed his Soul Power to the limit, determined to settle the score with the man before him.
Zhao Wuji slowly turned around, the mockery on his face fading, replaced by a cold sharpness:
"Since you insist on seeking death, I'll grant your wish!"
Before his words faded, seven Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black—simultaneously rose around him!
A terrifying surge of Soul Power spread out, its mere pressure causing Ye Zhiqiu's charging momentum to falter.
Ye Zhiqiu's gaze fixed intently on the seven Soul Rings encircling Zhao Wuji.
His breath hitched for a moment; he never expected this man to be a Soul Saint!
A chill shot from his feet to the crown of his head, and intense regret surged in Ye Zhiqiu's heart.
He never imagined the teacher of these brats would be such a fearsome existence.
Had he known, he wouldn't have dared to provoke them even with borrowed courage.
"Damn it!"
Ye Zhiqiu cursed inwardly. With no way to retreat now, he had no choice but to press on stubbornly.
Zhao Wuji watched the approaching "tortoise shell" with an unruffled expression, even feeling somewhat amused!
"Thud!"
A dull thud echoed through the air as Zhao Wuji's palm struck the Dark Tortoise Shell squarely.
Ye Zhiqiu felt an overwhelming force transmit through the shell, jolting his internal organs as if they'd been displaced. A sweet taste rose in his throat, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.
He was sent flying back like a kite with a severed string, tracing a perfect arc through the air before crashing into a distant thicket with a "boom."
Zhao Wuji withdrew his hand, casually brushing off nonexistent dust, his tone utterly calm:
"Too arrogant for your own good, fond of bullying the weak? Well, I, Old Zhao, happen to enjoy bullying the weak too—especially dealing with the likes of you!"
Meanwhile, rustling sounds came from the thicket as Ye Zhiqiu struggled to crawl out.
Covered in grass and dirt, he looked up at Zhao Wuji, all his earlier arrogance gone, replaced by sheer terror. His voice trembled:
"May... may I ask who you are?"
"Zhao Wuji."
The three words left Zhao Wuji's lips.
"Zhao... Zhao Wuji?!"
Ye Zhiqiu's pupils contracted sharply, his face draining of color as he muttered under his breath:
"Could it be... Zhao Wuji, the 'Immovable King'?!"
He never imagined this burly man was the legendary Immovable King!
No wonder that palm held such terrifying power; he was lucky to have survived with his life.
Zhao Wuji glanced at him sidelong, said nothing more, retracted his Soul Rings, and headed toward the nearby inn.
Only after Zhao Wuji had completely entered the inn did Ye Zhiqiu slump onto the grass in relief, looking up at the night sky with a bitter laugh:
"So that's it! So that's how it is..."
He finally understood why those brats had been so fearless—standing behind them was Zhao Wuji, the Immovable King!
As a level fifty-three Soul King, he realized Zhao Wuji had clearly held back during that strike; otherwise, he wouldn't still be breathing here.
Just then, the Azure Radiance Academy students who had been hiding in the shadows mustered their courage and gathered around. One of them grumbled indignantly:
"Teacher, that group is too arrogant! They insulted our academy and attacked us. Are we just going to let it slide?"
Ye Zhiqiu abruptly stood up from the ground, his face dark but devoid of his earlier rage, filled only with deep apprehension.
He glared at the student and said sternly, "Go! Back to the academy!"
"But teacher..."
"No buts!" Ye ZhiQiu interrupted him, his tone carrying unquestionable authority.
"This matter ends here, and no one is to mention it again! If the dean finds out, you'll be in for a good flogging!"