What was hatred?
Perhaps the myriad of living beings in the world had various different understandings of it, but to Chen Xi, hatred had practically always accompanied him since he’d started cultivating until now.
There were too many burdens on his shoulder, and if it was any other person, that person would have probably been suffocated by such heavy burdens to the point of collapse.
But Chen Xi didn’t, he’d always persisted forward in silence. From Darchu Dynasty to the Dark Reverie, from the Dark Reverie to the Immortal Dimension, his path was covered in brambles and storms, b.u.mps and difficulties, and only he himself was able to understand it.
All of this was given to him by hatred.
So he had a deep understanding of hatred that exceeded that of an ordinary person.
His eyes had never been blinded by hatred.
If it wasn’t for that, how could he have possibly accomplished so much?
Chen Xi wasn’t one that indiscriminately killed the innocent. Conversely, he was happy to help his companions and friends, and he wouldn’t stand by idly if he saw injustice, whereas he wouldn’t show any mercy when dealing with his enemies.
He’d always been comprehending the Heaven Dao and staying true to his heart!
…
In the subsequent period of time, Chen Xi was like an experienced interstellar hunter that moved through every single star on Nightmare Battlefield while searching for enemies and hunting them down.
He’d seen various different types of Xeno-race experts and found a variety of immortal materials, precious treasures, and ores that were only abundant in the Outerealm…
Similarly, he encountered numerous dangers and ambushes as well, but it wasn’t life threatening to him now.
After all, the Nightmare Battlefield was a medium-sized battlefield, and the Xeno-race experts distributed on it were mostly at the Golden Immortal Realm or below, so they were naturally unable to threaten Chen Xi at all.
In short, compared to what he’d encountered within the tomb and the unexpected events on Blood.i.n.k Star, this sort of experience seemed to be flat and smooth instead.
Two months later.
Moonspirit Star.
At the peak of a lone mountain that could hold up the sky, the clear silver radiance of moonlight flowed down like water while clear wind blew by slowly and made the trees rustle, and waves of low and heavy roars of beasts resounded from afar, causing this place to seem even more quiet and still.
Chen Xi sat casually at the side of a precipice, and he held up a wine gourd while looking up into the dazzling starry sky.
The mountain breeze caused his green clothes to flutter, and his jet black long hair swayed along with it. The full moon above him emanated a clear radiance that bathed his entire body beneath a gentle radiance.
Starry lay lazily by his side while licking a bone.
Just wait. Once I’ve dealt with everything, I’ll definitely go see exactly where the end of the Grand Dao lies… As he gazed silently at the stars that filled the sky, Chen Xi seemed to have thought of something, causing a wisp of a smile to appear on the corners of his mouth, and he suddenly laughed lightheartedly before drinking the wine in his gourd.
After that, he stood up and howled towards the sky —
“The earth isn’t as vast as my aspirations. The heavens aren’t as wide as my vision. If I’m asked where my heart lies, then it’s definitely the Grand Dao. At that time, wind will be beneath my feet as I travel the extent of the worlds. The Grand Dao invited me to raise my cup, yet I laugh at the Grand Dao for being too sentimental!”
His voice was clear and melodious the ring of a bell, and every single word he spoke resounded in the nine heavens like thunderclaps. It instantly spread throughout Moonspirit Star and slowly reverberated through the boundless starry sky…
At this moment, all the living beings that resided on Moonspirit Star stopped what they were doing and listening silently. There was no horror on their faces, and they revealed a wisp of intoxication instead as if they were listening to the tune of the Grand Dao.
Every single one of those words seemed as if they were filled with the tune of the Grand Dao, yet when one savored it carefully, one would notice that it was only some simple words. However, the voice that spoke these words caused it to carry strands of the tune of the Grand Dao.
The Dao was without name, yet the strong named it the Dao.
His words were without charm, yet they transformed into a tune that conformed to the Dao.
…
A long howl allowed the wicked aura that had acc.u.mulated in Chen Xi’s heart through these two months to be completely wiped away, and his Dao Heart became even more firm and pure.
Since he entered into the Immortal Dimension until now, he’d encountered practically endlessly pursuits with the intention to kill him. After he entered Dao Emperor Academy, he experienced various struggles and repressions, and even after he entered Nightmare Battlefield, he’d experienced the tempering of various fortuitous encounters and b.l.o.o.d.y battles. He’d experienced great happiness, fury, sorrow, and hatred.
All of this was acc.u.mulated in his heart and transformed into a sort of experience that was deposited there. At this moment, after this long howl, all these experiences that were acc.u.mulated and deposited in his heart had finally been transformed!
His aspirations weren’t restrained by the past any longer.
His field of vision was focused on the peak of the Grand Dao!
…
Dreamcloud City.
The atmosphere before the central square was silent and oppressive, and the air seemed as if it had frozen.
It was already time for the curtains to the inner court exam to be drawn, and many students of the seven great academies had completed the exam and returned successively to the city.
Logically speaking, it was supposed to be a moment of happiness and celebration. However, because of some reasons, many seniors present here had extremely unsightly expressions.
Especially the instructors of Bitter Silence, Grand Desolation, and Vastsky Academies. Their expressions were extraordinarily gloomy, and even if it was the instructors of Cloudmist, Dao Secret, and Windstream Academies, their expressions were slightly surprised and bewildered.
Only the instructors of Dao Emperor Academy like Zhou Zhili and the others had slightly strange expressions, and they seemed like they wanted to laugh yet didn’t have the heart to laugh at this moment so as to avoid stabbing at the nerves of the others.
The various reactions of the instructors from the seven academies was reflected on their students as well, and they either had gloomy, surprised and bewildered, or strange expressions.
All of this was because of a single person — Chen Xi!
“He went too far! He truly went too far! This is the Outerealm Battlefield of the three dimensions, and they should have been bound by common hatred and annihilated the Xeno-race. Yet now, that kid called Chen Xi slaughtered numerous students of ours. Such despicable and cruel actions are simple infuriating!” Suddenly, an instructor from Vastsky Academy couldn’t restrain the flames of rage in his heart any longer, and he roared with a grim voice. He was called Chi Ling’zi, and his temper was extremely explosive.
He couldn’t be blamed for being infuriated. Amongst all the partic.i.p.ants of the exam in Nightmare Battlefield, his Vastsky Academy suffered the greatest losses, and only a little over twenty out of fifty students had returned.
“In my opinion, this kid is no different from the Xeno-race. He’s ruthless and acts willfully. This time, we’ll absolutely not forgive him!” An instructed from Bitter Silence Academy grunted coldly, and his voice was practically squeezed out from the cracks between his teeth.
“What? Your Dao Emperor Academy still doesn’t intend to make its att.i.tude clear even until now? Could it be that you intend to protect this little devil that kills without batting an eye?” When he saw that Zhou Zhili and the others still seemed as if nothing had happened and remained silent, Chi Ling’zi was even more infuriated, and he criticized them endlessly with a grim voice.
The instructors and students of the other academies glared angrily towards the members of Dao Emperor Academy as well.
“Everyone, calm your rage. Since it’s an exam, then fighting and death can’t be avoided. Not to mention that this is Nightmare Battlefield, so…mmm, mishaps can’t be avoided.” The great figure from the Immortal Court that resided in Dreamcloud City, Dong Junhou, immediately stood out and mediated. However, all his words faintly sided towards Dao Emperor Academy.
This caused the instructors and students of the other academies to be even more dissatisfied and furious.
“Fine! We’ll stop discussing that for now. But not only did this kid kill our students, he even seized the precious treasure of my academy, the Skyearth Gourd. You ought to give me an explanation about this, right?” Chi Ling’zi’s expression was gloomy as he spoke while gnas.h.i.+ng his teeth.
“My Bitter Silence Academy’s Heaven Hatred Seal as well!”
“My Grand Desolation Academy’s Greensilk Palace Lantern as well!”
As soon as Chi Ling’zi spoke these words, it instantly caused the two other academies to share the same feelings with him. Especially when these two precious treasures were mentioned, those instructors were almost on the verge of going berserk from hatred and were bristling with anger.
At this moment, even Dong Junhou could only laugh bitterly, and he sighed in his heart. I never expected that when even though I thought Yun Fusheng was the greatest madman in the world during my time in Dao Emperor Academy, I never expected that this Chen Xi would be an even greater madman than Yun Fusheng and committed acts of killing and seizing treasures against the three academies…
At this moment, Zhou Zhili finally ceased his silence and coughed dryly before he shrugged helplessly. “We understand Fellow Daoists’ feelings, but this is an exam, and there were no rules that prohibited this.”
“What an excuse!” Chi Ling’zi cursed, and his saliva almost hit Zhou Zhili’s face. “Since there’re are no rules, then one can casually kill and seize treasures that belong to others? This is simply absurd!”
“Hmph! I don’t care about the rules. If you don’t hand Chen Xi over this time, then we’ll make you!” The instructors of the other academies spoke in succession.
At this moment, Zhou Zhili was infuriated as well, and his face sank as he glanced coldly at the instructors of the other academies and said, “According to my knowledge, if the students of your academies didn’t offend him, then with Chen Xi’s disposition, such a matter would have absolutely not occurred.”
“Brother Zhou, there’s no need to explain. Their ability was inferior, yet they still come looking for trouble with us. They deserved to die!” The nearby w.a.n.g Daolu interrupted coldly, and he spoke with words that were filled with disdain.
These words instantly stabbed at the hearts of many students from the other academies, and it caused their eyes to burn with flames of rage.
“So in this way, all of you don’t intend to hand him over?” Chi Ling’zi took a deep breath and spoke word by word, and the s.p.a.ce between his brows were filled with a resolute and murderous expression. This was equivalent to the final notice.
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere here was filled with the aura of confrontation.
Dong Junhou frowned, yet he was stopped by Zhou Zhili with a wave of the hand. Zhou Zhili stretched himself for a moment before his reserved face suddenly revealed a smile, and he said slowly, “How many years has it been since I’ve last had a spar with a fellow Daoist? If I’m able to have a battle today, then I’ll be able to settle a regret in my heart.”
The meaning behind his words was that they can choose to fight or shut up, and at any case, they weren’t going to hand Chen Xi over. His words seemed to be mild, yet they were actually extremely domineering.
At this moment, the atmosphere here was murderous and tense to the limit, and the battle would break out at any moment.
“Seniors, wait a moment!” However, right at this moment, an indifferent voice resounded. Accompanying this voice was a handsome figure with deep black eyes that were like the starry sky, and he appeared out of thin air. He was exactly Chen Xi.
Everyone present here instantly became restless when they saw Chen Xi. Especially the instructors and students from Bitter Silence, Grand Desolation, and Vastsky Academies. They didn’t conceal their hatred and killing intent at all, and they seemed eager to take action.
Zhou Zhili and the others frowned instead, yet they didn’t say anything. They were confident that they were able to control the situation. Thus, they were naturally able to keep Chen Xi safe as well.
Chen Xi seemed as if all of this didn’t concern him at all. He directly arrived before Zhou Zhili and pa.s.sed a jade slip over. “Senior, the course of the events is recorded on the jade slip. Let’s allow everyone to see exactly who is right and wrong. It wasn’t I, Chen Xi, who was merciless, but it was them who…came looking for a beating.”