Chapter 77: Playing Dirty?

“How is this possible?”

Everyone’s faces changed dramatically, their gazes fixed on Jun Wushuang in utter disbelief.

Ji Qingchen was not only a Xuan-level student of the Imperial Martial Academy but also a ninth-level powerhouse of the Myriad Phenomena Realm, and he possessed the Dragon Sparrow Sovereign Body.

From every perspective, Ji Qingchen was stronger than Jun Wushuang.

Yet, the result was Ji Qingchen’s sea of consciousness shattered, leaving him unconscious on the ground.

Jun Wushuang, on the other hand, was completely unscathed and even broke through to the Divine Sea Realm.

This left everyone shaken to the core.

Defeated!

Dongfang Li’s meticulous scheme had failed.

And with his defeat, not only did he lose a Spirit-Nurturing Jade, but the Imperial Martial Academy once again suffered public humiliation.

This only fueled the crowd’s anger, igniting a deep sense of shame and hatred.

“A wager is a wager. Where is my Spirit-Nurturing Jade?” Jun Wushuang ignored the burning fury around him and extended his hand, asking for his spoils.

“Spirit-Nurturing Jade? What Spirit-Nurturing Jade? I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Dongfang Li wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, feigning confusion.

Jun Wushuang narrowed his eyes.

“So you intend to renege on the bet?”

The Spirit-Nurturing Jade was worth a fortune; with his breakthrough to the Divine Sea Realm, it would further enhance Jun Wushuang’s spiritual power.

The life-and-death duel was imminent. If they handed over the jade to Jun Wushuang, it would be tantamount to aiding the enemy.

“I am reneging. What can you do to me?” Dongfang Li suddenly laughed, his arrogance unrestrained.

“This is the Imperial Martial Academy, not your refuse pile of a Qingyun Martial Academy. Here, we make the rules. You can only obey, not resist.”

“You may have the Command of the Southern Guardian, but I simply refuse to give you the Spirit-Nurturing Jade. What can you do?”

“Boy, did you really think possessing the Command of the Southern Guardian means you can act with impunity? From the very start, I had you in the palm of my hand.”

Arrogant.

Lawless.

Brazen.

Dongfang Li had torn off his mask and revealed his true face.

He had never intended to relinquish the Spirit-Nurturing Jade.

“Have you no shame?” Jun Wushuang spoke again.

Dongfang Li’s status was illustrious; should this scandal spread, it would be a heavy blow to his reputation.

“Do you think the world would rather believe you—or me?” Dongfang Li bared his teeth in a confident, predatory grin.

Though tens of thousands of onlookers surrounded them, all were students of the Imperial Martial Academy—his own people.

The only true outsider was Jun Wushuang. Their resentment toward him was palpable; who among them would seek justice for him?

The silence of the tens of thousands, their icy stares, made their stance abundantly clear.

“What a fine Imperial Martial Academy!” Jun Wushuang laughed.

This institution, where right and wrong were inverted, once again shattered his perception of the world.

“Enough talk. Consider yourself lucky today. But next time, I won’t give you any chance at all.” Dongfang Li’s eyes were cold as a serpent’s, venomous and unblinking.

He’d orchestrated everything, yet still failed. Next time, he would be even more thorough, allowing Jun Wushuang no room to struggle.

“Next time?” Jun Wushuang’s smile grew colder, sharper.

“There won’t be a next time for you.”

With that, Jun Wushuang unleashed the Violet Demonic Eye.

A purple radiance enveloped his gaze, turning his eyes into a demonic violet, chilling to behold.

“So you dare challenge me in spiritual power? How foolish.”

“Since you seek death, I’ll oblige you.”

Seeing Jun Wushuang make his move, Dongfang Li was pleased rather than alarmed.

He was a Celestial Being Realm powerhouse, far stronger than Jun Wushuang.

Jun Wushuang’s initiative was only giving him an opportunity.

With that thought, Dongfang Li didn’t hesitate to activate his spiritual sigil.

In an instant, a vast ocean of spiritual force surged forth, the void trembling as waves of mental power crashed toward Jun Wushuang.

“Spiritual Illusion: The Thousand Serpents Devouring the Heart!”

The Dongfang family specialized in illusions; as the scion, Dongfang Li’s mastery was formidable.

Now, with boundless spiritual power, he cast a formidable illusion, seeking to torment Jun Wushuang’s mind.

“That country bumpkin is courting death, daring to provoke Senior Dongfang. Doesn’t he know Senior Dongfang’s spiritual strength surpasses all his peers?”

“He’s just an arrogant frog at the bottom of a well. He thinks that beating Ji Qingchen means he can challenge Senior Dongfang? He’ll have his sea of consciousness shattered, maybe even go mad.”

“This time he’s the one provoking, so if he ends up crippled, not even the Southern Guardian Duke can complain. He’s digging his own grave!”

The crowd sneered, mocking Jun Wushuang’s overconfidence.

Compete with Dongfang Li in spiritual power?

That was like striking a stone with an egg.

Even Dongfang Ming and Dongfang Lan wore faint smiles.

If Jun Wushuang sought his own death, they could hardly be blamed.

Hiss, hiss!

By now, Dongfang Li’s illusion was in full effect.

His spiritual power condensed into a thousand venomous snakes, each several meters long and as thick as an arm, their skins resplendent with deadly patterns. The illusion was chillingly lifelike.

His vast spiritual force had conjured thousands of these serpents.

Slippery.

Cold.

Lethal.

That was the feeling they evoked.

The thousand venomous serpents coiled tightly around Jun Wushuang, encircling him like a pit of vipers.

“Innate Divine Power: Spiritual Venom!”

Dongfang Li showed no mercy, striking to kill.

He possessed the Sovereign Body of a Thousand Illusions, and now unleashed his innate divine power.

Spiritual Venom was far more terrifying than ordinary toxins. Intangible and elusive, once it infected the soul, there was no cure.

With this innate power, Dongfang Li had once slain a ninth-level Celestial Being in a higher realm.

The venomous serpents, already deadly with their fangs, were now coated with spiritual venom—a mortal danger.

“Country bumpkin, you’ll always be a lowly ant. You want to play with me? I’ll play you to death!”

Dongfang Li was triumphant, certain of victory.

Boom!

A thousand venomous snakes, brimming with lethal spiritual venom, lunged at Jun Wushuang’s spirit.

“Violet Demonic Ray!”

Jun Wushuang’s expression remained unchanged as he unleashed the Violet Demonic Eye’s finishing move.

Whoosh!

A ray of violet demonic light shot forth like a bloodthirsty sword, slicing through the serpents wherever it passed.

In the blink of an eye, the thousand venomous snakes were all cut down.

“Devourer’s Demonic Art!”

The next moment, Jun Wushuang activated the Devourer’s Demonic Art, unleashing a terrifying spiritual devouring force.

The slain serpents, now helpless, were directly absorbed and refined.

“Dongfang Li’s spiritual power is draining rapidly!”

Sensing this sudden change, Dongfang Ming and Dongfang Lan turned ashen.

And now the demonic violet eyes of Jun Wushuang shone, locking onto Dongfang Li.

“Kneel!”

A thunderous command resounded, like a divine edict, impossible to defy.

Thud!

To the shock of the crowd, Dongfang Li fell to his knees before Jun Wushuang!