Chapter 323: Nanye Genius, True Fate Realm

Nan Zhuiming clenched his fists, his eyes burning with rage. He was being repeatedly threatened by a mere whelp like Fake Lu Chao.

Lu Chao added, "That was just a volley from the archers. If you insist on protecting Guan Zanyi, the entire army will let their arrows fly next."

At these words, Nan Zhuiming wanted nothing more than to lunge forward and tear Lu Chao to pieces.

But he didn’t dare, not with the masked expert at the Peak of the Peak Realm standing beside Lu Chao.

He gritted his teeth and snarled, "Fine. Just fine. Fake Lu Chao, I will remember this."

With that, he vanished in a flash, reappearing on the back of his Rhino Beast.

Guan Zanyi, still clutching his shoulder, was dumbfounded. His legs trembled violently as he cried out, "Patriarch Nan, save me!"

But... WHOOSH!

Fan Jinhua had already shot forward. He struck Guan Zanyi to the ground and dragged him back toward the Dragon Flame Academy’s side.

Already wounded by an arrow, he was no match for Fan Jinhua.

"Let me go, Fan Jinhua! Damn you, let me go!"

"Save me, Patriarch Nan!"

However, Nan Zhuiming was too ashamed to linger. He couldn’t care less if Guan Zanyi lived or died. He bitterly gave the order to depart.

But just then...

A youthful figure suddenly leaped down from the back of a Rhino Beast.

The young man stared at Lu Chao and said in a measured tone, "Fake Lu Chao, there’s no real skill in borrowing the might of an army and an elder. Why don’t we two young men settle this with a one-on-one duel? We can let that decide Guan Zanyi’s fate."

The moment he spoke, Nan Zhuiming whipped his head around. "Nan Ke, don’t be rash!"

The young man, Nan Ke, replied, "Grandfather, we are both geniuses of the Martial Dao. I will face Fake Lu Chao as one genius to another."

With that, the young man turned his gaze back to Lu Chao.

"Fake Lu Chao, my name is Nan Ke. Do you dare to fight me?"

BOOM! The young man’s True Qi suddenly erupted from his body, revealing the power of a cultivator at the True Fate Realm First Layer.

A cultivator of such a realm made the pupils of those beside Lu Chao constrict. This was particularly true for the likes of Yu Fei and Dean Jiang; they were of the older generation, yet they had not even reached the True Fate Realm.

A True Fate Realm cultivator this young was both chilling and worrisome.

Dean Jiang and the others glanced toward Luo Wendeng and their fellow students. These were the Inner Courtyard students of Dragon Flame Academy, the ones meant to compete in the Three-Academy Tournament. Yet here was the Nanye Dynasty, casually revealing a genius already in the True Fate Realm.

Even Lu Chao was only at the Fourth Layer of the Transformation Realm. How were they supposed to win the Three-Academy Tournament?

Their worries mounted, and all eyes fell upon Lu Chao.

Would he accept the challenge?

"Fake Lu Chao, you’re not scared to fight, are you?"

Into the silence, a mocking female voice called out from the back of another Rhino Beast—clearly another one of the Nanye Dynasty’s geniuses.

Immediately, more Nanye geniuses joined in...

"Fake Lu Chao is just a fraud. He’s a coward who does nothing but hide behind his army and his masked protector."

"It’s pathetic. Young people should fight like young people, but he only dares to cower among his soldiers, timid as a mouse."

"Fake Lu Chao, if you’re too scared, just admit it. No need to put on a brave face."

One after another, the Nanye geniuses relentlessly taunted Lu Chao.

Meanwhile, Nan Zhuiming’s expression gradually calmed.

He shot Nan Ke a look of immense admiration. ’As expected of one of my favorite grandsons,’ he thought. ’This provocation is perfect. If Fake Lu Chao doesn’t dare to accept the challenge, I’ll regain the face I just lost.’

’If Fake Lu Chao accepts, Nan Ke will defeat him, and we’ll take Guan Zanyi back. Either way, my honor will be restored.’

Meanwhile...

Guan Zanyi, who had been on the verge of despair, suddenly lifted his head to look at Lu Chao on his warhorse.

"Fake Lu Chao, you can’t want people to call you a fraud forever. You must want to get rid of that ’Fake’ they’ve attached to your name. Now is your chance!"

"Hurry up and accept the challenge!"

"Go on, prove yourself! Prove you’re even stronger than the real Lu Chao who’s already dead and gone!"

Desperate to save his own skin, Guan Zanyi did everything he could to provoke Lu Chao.

SHING...

Just then, Lu Chao drew his sword.

The pupils of everyone present, both on his side and among the Nanye group, constricted. A sharp glint flashed in Nan Ke’s eyes. ’Fake Lu Chao couldn’t take the taunts after all,’ he thought. ’I’ll defeat him, take Guan Zanyi back, and restore the honor my grandfather just lost.’

To Nan Ke, defeating an opponent who hadn’t even reached the True Fate Realm would be effortless.

Similarly, Nan Zhuiming and the rest of the Nanye Dynasty contingent all believed the same thing: Fake Lu Chao was no match for Nan Ke.

Guan Zanyi, on the other hand, let out a sinister, silent laugh.

’I’m saved! I’m fucking saved!’

’He’s been called ’Fake Lu Chao’ for so long. It might not have mattered when he was weak, but now that his fame is growing, he must be desperate to get rid of that title. My taunts worked... Heh heh heh.’

Just as Guan Zanyi was gloating inwardly...

Nan Ke called out again, "Come on, Fake Lu Chao! Let’s fight as geniuses do and decide Guan Zanyi’s fate!"

In response, Lu Chao just gave a cold smile.

Then, suddenly... SHLICK!

His sword shot out—not toward Nan Ke, but toward Guan Zanyi. The blade pierced straight through his heart. Guan Zanyi, who had just been gloating, stared with wide, disbelieving eyes at Lu Chao on his warhorse.

Blood poured from the corners of his mouth. He raised a trembling finger toward Lu Chao. "You... you, you, you..."

Before he could finish, his head slumped to one side, and he was dead.

In his final moments, he was consumed by regret.

’I’d already escaped. Why did I have to seek refuge with the Nanye Dynasty? Why did I have to provoke Fake Lu Chao?’

Lu Chao, however, merely murmured, "The six great commanders of Sword Tooth City are now all eliminated."

Then he raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Nan Ke and the rest of the Nanye Dynasty delegation. The faces of Nan Ke, Nan Zhuiming, and their followers were livid.

Fake Lu Chao had drawn his sword not to accept the duel, but to execute Guan Zanyi right in front of them.

So much for "fighting as geniuses do." Fake Lu Chao had shattered that idea with a single thrust of his sword.

Then, Lu Chao’s voice boomed across the field.

"This is a battlefield. Dragon Flame Academy is at war with the Six Great Flame Countries. This is not some sparring ground for geniuses to show off."

"The place for duels between Martial Dao geniuses is the Three-Academy Tournament."

"Now, you can get lost. Otherwise, I will consider this an official declaration of war."

As he spoke, Lu Chao raised his hand slightly. In response, all the soldiers drew their bows once more, aiming them directly at Nan Ke.

GRIND...

Nan Ke stumbled back in fear, his teeth grinding audibly.

Nan Zhuiming’s expression was thunderous. Fake Lu Chao had refused to take the bait and had executed Guan Zanyi right in front of them.

It was another vicious slap in the face.

"Fake Lu Chao, are you a coward?"

"Fake Lu Chao, have you got no guts? Are you too scared to even face our Nan Ke one-on-one?"

"Fake Lu Chao, what kind of skill is it to just rely on your army?"

One after another, the Nanye riders on their Rhino Beasts, furious to the breaking point, hurled every insult they could think of at Lu Chao.

But Lu Chao remained completely unmoved, and a sudden countdown echoed from his lips. "Ten... nine..."