Martial Heaven wore an expression of frustration, as if dealing with an unresponsive student. "I've told you before," he said, "your strength grows too quickly, your advancement too rapid, and your temperament..."
"Enough!" Qin Yang interrupted loudly. "Today I will kill Nangong Ling!"
Martial Heaven narrowed his eyes, studying Qin Yang. "You dare speak with such confidence before me?"
"Old Man Martial," Qin Yang sneered, "have you forgotten that the Yangtze's waves push the old ones ashore? The new generation always overtakes the old!"
He snorted coldly. "You swallow every rumor. Have you ever listened to me?"
"Oh?" Martial Heaven's voice dropped dangerously. "Then enlighten me!"
Never had anyone dared speak to him like this! And from an unregistered student at Celestial Academy!
If this reached the academy, it would set the entire institution ablaze!
"I am the true Qin heir," Qin Yang declared. "All those Qin families in the secret realm are mere servants!"
"Wei Yu wasn't killed by me, but by Nangong Ling..."
Before he could finish, Nangong Ling interjected, "He slanders me! Wei Yu and I were close friends. Why would I kill him?"
Qin Yang stared at Nangong Ling, his voice as cold as glacial ice. "How dare you say that in front of Wei Yu's grave?"
Nangong Ling's eyes darted away, but he clung stubbornly to his story. "Jin Wanshan can vouch for me."
"Jin Wanshan is Qin Yang's friend! Of course he'd take Qin Yang's side!" Martial Heaven frowned. "Enough. We'll settle this at the Celestial Academy."
"Never!" Qin Yang's voice rang out. "Nangong Ling won't leave this secret realm alive!"
With Martial Heaven's backing, Nangong Ling's fear began to fade. If he could just leave with the master, he'd never have to fear Qin Yang again.
"Qin Yang's gone mad!" Nangong Ling shouted. "He slaughtered all my brothers! Even killed several Qin Family elders and dozens of their elites! His hands are stained with blood! Master Martial, you should execute him now to avenge the dead!"
"Enough!" Martial Heaven's temples throbbed. He couldn't linger in this secret realm - none of them could. They all needed to depart immediately!
Martial Heaven said, "I stand by my earlier words. Whatever the issue, we should leave this secret realm and return to Celestial Academy. The academy's headmaster will personally oversee justice!"
The matter involved the Eight Divine Clans. As a single teacher, he had no authority to make decisions beyond the headmaster's purview.
"Furthermore, I've already offered congratulations on the Qin-Lou marriage alliance. The Qin Family insists on holding the wedding here in the secret realm, and the ceremony has already begun. If you cease your interference, you might still participate in the clans' union. As Lou Mengyu's teacher, I must preside over the rites..."
Martial Heaven's anxiety grew. The Qin Family patriarch and Qin Wuyi insisted that marrying within the secret realm held special significance, with plans to hold a second ceremony after leaving. He couldn't argue against such reasoning.
This declaration ignited Qin Yang's fury.
Whoosh! A divine sword pierced toward Martial Heaven.
Martial Heaven's eyes widened as he gripped the true energy sword in his hand. "Shocking Sword Finger?" he gasped in disbelief. His expression darkened instantly. "You dare attack me first?"
"As a teacher, you neglect justice, act on personal whims, and parrot others' opinions. What kind of teacher are you? What right do you have to be a role model?" Qin Yang's voice shook with rage.
Martial Heaven's face darkened, his already pitch-black complexion turning ashen like charred coal.
"You dare... lecture me?" Martial Heaven ground out through clenched teeth.
Nangong Ling's heart swelled with triumph as he and the middle-aged man retreated to a safe distance.
"Tiger! That boy's a real tiger..." the middle-aged man marveled repeatedly.
He hasn't even started classes yet, and he's already making mortal enemies with the teachers. Is this kind of recklessness wise...?
"I wouldn't call it lecturing," Qin Yang said, surveying the scene. "Just stating facts. Martial Heaven, I advise you to step aside immediately. Otherwise, don't blame me for getting... direct."
"Oh? How exactly would you get 'direct'?" Martial Heaven's temper flared. Who did this brat think he was, calling him "Martial Heaven"? No one in the entire Celestial Academy dared address him so!
"Ice-Fire Giant Palm!"
Qin Yang's eyes narrowed to slits as he thrust both palms forward.
He simultaneously channeled the power of frost and flame, summoning both the Frost Giant Palm and Flame Giant Palm. Each massive handprint spanned thirty meters, resembling primordial giants' fists poised to crush the very fabric of space.
Martial Heaven's gaze sharpened. How has this brat grown so formidable in mere days? Advancing realms through serendipity is one thing, but this level of martial skill...
"You're still too inexperienced, boy!" Martial Heaven growled, not even bothering to activate a martial technique. He simply took a light step forward.
Instantly, space shattered into fragments, forming an impassable galaxy-like rift that swallowed both the ice and fire handprints.
"I never expected someone your age, even a teacher, to be so naive!" Qin Yang sneered.
Earlier, he hadn't been able to properly cast a single ice handprint. How could he possibly succeed with the combined ice-fire version now?
Even without Martial Heaven's spatial-shattering step, Qin Yang's technique would have inevitably torn through space and failed.
The ice-fire handprint was nothing but a diversion!
A true qi divine sword suddenly materialized beside Martial Heaven. He raised an eyebrow and scoffed, "Oh? Is this all you've got? You're the one being naive here."
Qin Yang formed a sword seal with his hands and smiled, "If that were truly all I had, I'm afraid you'd be disappointed. But rest assured, you won't be disappointed."
"Boom!" Qin Yang roared.
The true energy divine sword, infused with the true essence of the Explosive Punch martial art, suddenly detonated like a bomb. A spatial black hole erupted, violently tearing at everything in its path.
Martial Heaven's heart skipped a beat as he hastily dodged. He nearly suppressed the effects of his fifth-order Spirit Suppressing Pill!
"You've underestimated me, boy!" Martial Heaven's face hardened. Had this been the middle-aged man, that sword would have killed him outright!
"I didn't expect you to strike with such viciousness." Martial Heaven had already been predisposed against Qin Yang. Not killing him outright was already a show of impartiality. In truth, he had long concluded that Qin Yang was guilty of the crimes he'd committed.
"If you can't even dodge this, what kind of Celestial Academy teacher would you be?" Qin Yang chuckled, though inwardly he felt apprehensive.
He knew Martial Heaven could evade, but not so effortlessly.
Since that's the case, let's add some extra spice!
Qin Yang formed a sword seal with his hand, and five divine swords materialized. These five divine swords blocked most of Martial Heaven's escape routes, making it far more difficult for him to evade.
Unbeknownst to Qin Yang, Martial Heaven's mind was already in turmoil. His perception of space far surpassed that of Zongshi Realm cultivators, and the secret realm constantly exerted immense pressure on him.
Moreover, Qin Yang's attacks could rupture space at any moment, leaving Martial Heaven feeling as if a sharp blade hung above his head.
Under these circumstances, Martial Heaven actually misinterpreted Qin Yang's actions as an attempt to kill him!
"Since you refuse to repent, then let fate decide your fate. If you survive this calamity, you'll return with me to Celestial Academy for judgment. If you don't... then that's your destiny!"
Martial Heaven's eyes flashed with divine light, like a brilliant nebula. He gently clapped his hands forward, as if carving a heavenly chasm through the air.
The spatial rifts formed a chasm that stretched endlessly, seemingly dividing the entire secret realm! Not only that, but Qin Yang's body was gradually being encircled by those terrifying spatial rifts!
"Blade Burst!" Qin Yang roared, refusing to remain passive. Divine blades erupted from his hands, severing the spatial fractures as they spread.
Martial Heaven regretted his intervention the moment he acted - his hypersensitivity had overruled judgment. At least Qin Yang remained unharmed.
"Let Celestial Academy's court decide right and wrong," Martial Heaven said. "I must attend a wedding now. Take time to compose yourself."
The spatial fractures extended rapidly, splitting the realm like a cosmic scissor. He calculated Qin Yang wouldn't pursue immediately, buying time for the Qin Family's escape.
This maneuver also delayed the collapse reaching the Qin Family's location. All threatening fractures had been diverted elsewhere.
"Hahaha! Qin Yang, you wanted me dead? Come get me!" Nangong Ling laughed across the spatial rift, his taunts echoing through the void.
The sound couldn't reach Qin Yang.
Qin Yang's fists clenched as he glared at the trio's departure. "Martial Heaven," he growled, "I'll prove you can't stop me!"
Amidst the crumbling world, Qin Yang's figure blurred and vanished.