24: Chapter 24: After beating the young one, the old one came.

Mu Qingci stopped in his tracks, turned around, and saw a familiar face: Xu Tianyu.

Behind Xu Tianyu followed a middle-aged man. His appearance was somewhat similar to Xu Tianyu, and his entire body exuded a heavy aura; one look was enough to tell his cultivation was not shallow.

"It's you again. If you're here to kneel to me again, there's really no need. Being knelt to by someone like you is nothing to be proud of."

Mu Qingci's casual remark instantly made Xu Tianyu flush with rage.

Just as he was about to lash out, the middle-aged man behind him pressed his shoulder: "Yu'er, let your father handle this."

He stepped forward, a powerful Soul Power pressure bursting from within him, pressing directly toward Mu Qingci.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black—seven spirit rings appeared beneath his feet. He was clearly a Spirit Saint expert.

Behind him appeared a giant cyan eagle—an agility-attack system Spirit, the Cyan Shadow War Eagle.

"Junior, it's useless to just be glib. Today, I'll let you know what happens when a commoner provokes a noble!"

Even though this was the academy, the middle-aged man released his Soul Power pressure without any hesitation. This wasn't arrogance; it was confidence in his backing.

His brother-in-law was none other than His Majesty the Emperor. In terms of backing, who could be tougher than him?

Even a Titled Douluo would have to give him some face.

Facing the Soul Power pressure released by his opponent, Mu Qingci remained completely unmoved, a look of disdain appearing on his lips.

"Beat the small and the old ones come—is this how you royal family members conduct yourselves?"

Although the opponent was a Spirit Saint, Mu Qingci was still not afraid. He was no ordinary Spirit Ancestor; he was the possessor of a dual god-level Spirit.

Moreover, he had the life-saving spirit tool given to him by Kong Deming. Even if the opponent activated their Martial Soul True Body and crazily used their sixth Spirit Ability, they might not necessarily break through the defense of the Silver Moon Guardian.

"Interesting. To be able to remain unmoved in the face of my Soul Power pressure... no wonder you could defeat Yu'er."

While the middle-aged man was making threats, a flash of apprehension also crossed his eyes.

Although it was said that even a Titled Douluo would have to give him some face, this was, after all, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy. He could only teach him a simple lesson; he couldn't be too presumptuous.

He stretched out a hand, carrying Soul Power as he grabbed toward Mu Qingci.

The latter quickly released his Spirit and retreated, gripping the Hades Sword in his hand and slashing a sword aura toward the incoming hand.

The middle-aged man's strike was casual, not using his full strength, so this move was easily blocked by Mu Qingci.

Seeing the four over-limit spirit ring configuration of yellow, purple, purple, black beneath the youth's feet, the apprehension in the middle-aged man's eyes grew even stronger.

But thinking that the opponent had a blank background, he didn't have so many worries anymore.

"Kid, I don't want others to say I'm bullying a junior. If you can withstand three moves from me, this matter will be dropped."

He didn't wait for Mu Qingci to agree and directly made his move.

"First move!"

The third purple spirit ring beneath his feet lit up: "Third Spirit Ability, Cyan Shadow Assault!"

The middle-aged man turned into a cyan stream of light and rushed toward Mu Qingci.

After all, he was an agility-attack system Spirit Saint expert; his speed was something Mu Qingci could not compare to.

Mu Qingci had no choice but to hold his sword with both hands to parry.

"Bang!"

The sound of metal colliding rang out, and Mu Qingci was knocked back several steps by the immense force.

But facing a strong opponent, Mu Qingci did not retreat. Fighting Spirit surged in his eyes as he lit up his fourth spirit ring.

"Fourth Spirit Ability, Netherworld Sword Array!"

While releasing the fourth Spirit Ability, the Underworld Rebirth Domain also quietly unfolded.

Under the dual enhancement, Mu Qingci simultaneously lit up his first and third spirit rings again.

With two more layers of enhancement applied, Mu Qingci's entire aura had reached a new height; even an ordinary Spirit Emperor could not compare to it.

But this was still not enough in front of a Spirit Saint expert.

"Second move!"

The fifth spirit ring beneath the middle-aged man's feet lit up, symbolizing the activation of a ten-thousand-year Spirit Ability.

"Fifth Spirit Ability, Cyan Shadow Wind Strangulation!"

He turned into countless afterimages, surrounding Mu Qingci.

Attacks came from all directions, and Mu Qingci had to struggle to resist, with wounds gradually appearing on his body.

But he did not give up. Sword intent surged wildly around him, pressing outward toward the surroundings like a tide.

This kind of area-of-effect attack was indeed effective; the frequency of those afterimages attacking him dropped significantly.

"How could such an interesting battle be missing me?"

Accompanying the loud voice, a sword aura slashed toward those afterimages, splitting a gap in the encirclement.

Ji Juechen thus arrived at Mu Qingci's side.

"Brother Ji, why are you here?"

While moved, Mu Qingci was also somewhat worried; after all, Ji Juechen was only a Spirit King and would inevitably suffer when facing a Spirit Saint expert.

"With such an interesting battle, I certainly had to come. But you're truly amazing, being able to make someone's parents come to the school to cause trouble for you so shamelessly. What kind of wicked thing did you do?"

"Nothing much, just gave a dog on the side of the road two slaps and got bitten back by the dog."

After the middle-aged man heard their conversation, he was instantly enraged with shame.

"Kid, I will let you know the consequences of insulting the royal family!"

His attacks became even more ferocious; even with Ji Juechen's help, they were still somewhat overwhelmed.

Fine wounds began to appear on their bodies, with blood trickling out.

But Mu Qingci and his companion did not retreat, constantly recovering the long swords in their hands.

"All of you, stop!"

A powerful Soul Power pressure was released, instantly knocking the middle-aged man flying.

"Prince Consort Lin, aren't you being a bit too arrogant? This is the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, not a place for you to be presumptuous!"

Lin Feng scrambled to his feet in a sorry state, just about to retort, when he saw the face of the person who had arrived.

The person who arrived was none other than the Hall Master of Mingde Hall, a Level 9 Soul Engineer, Titled Douluo, Jing Hongchen.

The words of retort reached Lin Feng's lips, only to be forcibly swallowed back down.

Although it was said that even a Titled Douluo had to give him some face, that depended on the person and the occasion.

Who was Jing Hongchen? He was the Hall Master of Mingde Hall, a big shot in the Sun Moon Empire.

Even if Lin Feng wasn't afraid of him, he still had to show appropriate respect.

Furthermore, he was the one who had started the fight in the academy today; he didn't have the moral high ground, so naturally, he couldn't say anything to retort.

"Hall Master Jing, I didn't mean to be presumptuous; I was just helping my child seek justice."

Facing Lin Feng, this Prince Consort, Jing Hongchen didn't give him even a shred of face.

"Heh, justice? How come I don't know that someone with Xu Gongzi's arrogant and domineering nature could be wronged in the academy? I only saw you, Prince Consort Lin, attacking a first-year student in the academy. If this gets out, aren't you afraid of losing face for the royal family? When that happens, your time as Prince Consort will also be over!"

Although Jing Hongchen said this, he knew in his heart that for the Prince Consort Lin to dare to come and cause trouble, it must have been with the permission of that princess.

Jing Hongchen saying these words was merely to scare the other party.

Lin Feng was indeed scared. If someone else had said these things, he might have dismissed them, but if the person saying them was the Hall Master of Mingde Hall, he had to take them seriously.

"It was my recklessness. I apologize to Hall Master Jing!"

Lin Feng offered a casual apology and then dragged Xu Tianyu away.

"Grandfather, are we just going to let him go like this?"

Meng Hongchen was supporting Mu Qingci at this moment, her fair, pretty face filled with anger.

Jing Hongchen shook his head helplessly: "Mengmeng, that guy's backing is His Majesty the Emperor. It's better not to take things too far. Let's take Mu Qingci to treat his injuries first."

Originally, when something like this happened, Jing Hongchen didn't want to get involved in this muddy water, but Mu Qingci's status was truly too extraordinary.

He was the future disciple handpicked by Kong Deming. Offending a brother-in-law of the Emperor for his sake was nothing.

After all, even if the Emperor came, Kong Deming had the qualification not to bow.

"Father, are we just going to let it go like this?"

Xu Tianyu was dragged away by Lin Feng, but his face was still unconvinced.

"Let it go? Of course, we won't just let it go! It's just that the old guy Jing Hongchen was there today. We can only go find your mother; she will definitely have a way. That brat is simply too arrogant; no matter what, we cannot let him off!"

Xu Tianyu had completely inherited Lin Feng's pettiness, and he was already calculating in his heart how to take revenge on Mu Qingci.

After all, as a great noble, he took it for granted in his heart that wanting to toy a commoner to death was as simple as stepping on an ant.