Chapter Nine, The Family of Zixue

Sitting in class, my mind wandered to the opponent I would face that evening—the Duke, a powerful minister of the Dragon God Empire who could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Prince. Suddenly, Mars nudged me, and I turned to look at him. Mars whispered, "Lei Xiang, focus a bit; Teacher Zhuang has called on you several times."

Zi Xue proudly said: "Of course, do you think it is so easy for my father, the duke, to achieve this? Although he is a civil servant, having reached his current position, he naturally must possess skills for self-defense. While he may not compare to the three great marshals, he is still a renowned expert in the imperial capital"

Feng Yun said: "Take a look for yourself, it's almost dark. Hurry up, Zixue asked me to come and call you; she seems to be in a hurry."

Zixue wrinkled her cute little nose and said, "The food at home is indeed better than here, but more importantly, we don't want to draw too much attention to ourselves. Once we come here, many people will be watching us, so naturally, we can't enjoy our meal properly"

Hearing her say this, my expression finally eased, and I asked, "By the way, what about that headstrong girl who keeps following you?"

Indeed, the sky outside has darkened, with only a faint light lingering on the distant horizon, indicating that it is already evening. I nodded and said, "Thank you." Changing into what I considered my best outfit, I rushed out of the dormitory, and as soon as I stepped outside, I saw Zixue, who looked anxious.

After class, Feng came to find me. He said to me, "Lei Xiang, why do I feel like you have changed a lot since you returned from confinement?"

I smiled faintly and said, "You are older than me anyway, so why are you trying to appease me? That Jin is inherently willful and spoiled, isn't it permissible to speak of it? It's all due to being indulged since childhood. Why do you all keep going home for meals? Is the food here not to your liking? I think it's quite good."

I frowned and said, "How can I compare myself to him? I am merely at the level of a swordsman." Although I have great confidence in myself, I am not foolish enough to think that I can contend with a paladin.

As we walked along the road, Zixue said to me, "When you see Dad later, you must be a bit more polite."

The duke was immediately enraged and said, "Who do you think you are? Do you think you are worthy of my daughter?"

I gazed at him in astonishment; truly, he was worthy of possessing the same level of strength as I. He had actually noticed the enhancement of my abilities. I replied nonchalantly, "Oh? What changes? I didn't notice anything."

Teacher Zhuang's words immediately sparked the interest of all the students, and everyone eagerly expressed their determination to work hard

When I saw the girl sitting at the lower right, I couldn't help but be taken aback; she was so beautiful. A lady in a light blue long dress sat there, likely around the same age as me. She resembled Zixue to some extent, but was even more stunning than her. She was probably a bit taller than Zixue. Upon seeing Zixue and me enter, she smiled at Zixue without even glancing my way. Truly, she was the most beautiful girl in the academy, exuding an air of arrogance. What caught my attention the most was the sacred aura surrounding her, undoubtedly the result of years of practicing light magic. She must be Ziyan.

The duke nodded in satisfaction and said, "I am only temporarily acknowledging you; do not be too pleased too soon. Your future development will depend on yourself. If you cannot meet my requirements, I will have Zixue sever all ties with you at any time."

The duke unleashed his fighting spirit, easily countering the magic I cast. Noticing that I did not meet his attack, he seemed genuinely concerned about potentially harming me, causing his imposing aura to weaken slightly, and the force in his palm diminished by a third. At that moment, the floor before him suddenly erupted, a powerful surge of fighting spirit accompanied by debris shooting skyward, colliding directly with his palm. It was not that I did not want to explode beneath him, nor did I wish to attack from behind; however, given his strength, such actions might not injure him and could instead provoke the duke. By directly attacking his hand, I not only alleviated the immediate crisis but also left a favorable impression on the duke, who would surely understand that I intended to compete with him openly and honorably.

Zi Xue smiled and said, "Do you think being an official is that easy? Your father has put in countless efforts to reach his current position. If he were to play tricks on you, you would have no means to fight back. However, do not be angry; after you left yesterday, my father expressed that he still holds you in high regard."

The fighting spirit surged wildly from my right fist, forming a pale yellow column of fighting spirit that clashed against the duke's right palm

Feng Juan stood up and said proudly, "Teacher, rest assured, as long as you send me to battle, I will definitely bring back the championship for the entire grade." Seeing her chubby and proud demeanor, I couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing; this chubby girl is indeed quite strong-willed

In the afternoon, with no classes, I returned to my dormitory to practice my "Frenzied God Technique." Since breaking through the first level, my cultivation speed has been quite rapid. Although there is still some distance to the second level, I am confident that I can complete it before the competition. What delights me the most is the progress of the "Heavenly Demon Technique." Compared to before, it can only be described as astonishingly fast. The third level should be much more difficult to cultivate than the second, yet my current cultivation speed surpasses that of when I was practicing the second level before. If this continues, I will soon be able to achieve the transformation into a Fallen Angel. As for the "Riva," I am not afraid at all. (Unfortunately, it cannot be used easily)

This time, due to the unexpected turn of events, the Duke was also forced to take a step back. The violent airflow and debris successfully broke through the barrier set by Ziyan, and the entire living room was instantly shrouded in a haze.

I smiled indifferently and said, "Is your sister very famous? It seems that she is not the top expert in the academy."

I will run the Mad God Decision for a week, take a deep breath, retract my fighting energy back to my dantian, open my eyes and say: "What time is it now?"

It was only then that I came to my senses. Indeed, when I looked at Teacher Zhuang, she shot me a reproachful glance, and I quickly responded with an apologetic smile.

I walked to the cafeteria, and Zixue was already waiting for me under the tree outside the cafeteria. She stood beside the tree like a pure lily set against the green leaves. I hurried over and said apologetically, "A classmate held me up for a while, so I made you wait."

Zixuesong lowered her head and said, "Our matter has been discovered by my father."

I exclaimed in anger: "You, weren't you just testing me?"

I remain fully alert to prevent him from launching another attack. If he comes again, I fear I will have to resort to the Heavenly Demon Technique; otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to withstand. This is a situation I do not wish to see.

Zixue's little face turned bright red, truly adorable. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her deeply on the lips. Zixue struggled in dissatisfaction, but was overwhelmed by my intense passion.

Feng suddenly realized and said: "Ah, right, you are the first person in the entire academy to pursue a girl so openly. I truly admire you. If you have the chance, introduce me to a top-notch girl as well. Hehe, I won't disturb you any longer; I'm off to have a meal with that kid Fengyun." It's all Fengyun's big mouth; I can't let him know anything in the future.

Early the next morning, as I was about to take the black dragon out of the academy for a run, I encountered Zixue. I exclaimed with surprise, "How wonderful! You came to find me so early in the morning. Come, let's take the black dragon out together."

I said: "Thank you for your compliment. Can you now entrust Zixue to me?"

I changed my expression and said, "What do you take me, Lei Xiang, for?"

Zixue glanced at me and said, "It should be the Midway Paladin, right? I haven't seen him make a move in a long time."

I pondered, Zixue, how could you understand your father's mindset? If I were to grovel, it would only invite his contempt. Although my current approach is somewhat risky, there are still some opportunities.

Returning to the dormitory with a heavy heart, I began practicing the Tianmo Jue as usual to ease my mind. The chilling and penetrating sensation immediately calmed my heart.

I was taken aback and said, "Then your father must have the level of a typical dragon knight"

I looked up and realized that I had already arrived at the Duke's residence. After steadying my mind, I followed Zixue inside.

Zixue's little face flushed, and she said, "How annoying."

Zi Xue replied, "I understand, you go ahead with your work. Lei Xiang, Dad is waiting for us." I sensed her small hand was damp with cold sweat, clearly indicating her intense nervousness

Zixue widened her eyes and looked at me, saying, "Isn't this serious?"

The Duke laughed and said, "When did I ever say I would entrust Zixue to you? You are thinking too simply."

I stood there in a daze and foolishly asked, "What are your requirements?"

I let out a cold snort and said, "You should know that I am not exactly of a good temper."

Zixue seemed to look at me as if I were some strange object, and after a long pause, she said: "You don't even know my sister's full name? How ignorant you must be."

I asked in surprise: "What is your father's rank"

... ...

I glanced at the duke and replied, "I am sorry, I cannot do it." A chilling aura emanated from me, compelling me to leave Zixue. Even if you are his father, it is not permissible. My transformation immediately drew the attention of everyone, while Zixue persistently tugged at my clothes from behind.

Zixue glanced around and whispered, "Keep your voice down. She went home for dinner. If she finds out you said that about her, she will blow up again. I had such a hard time comforting her yesterday. Also, why are you acting like a child, needing me to coax you? Hehe."

I bowed and said, "Thank you. I will not get too close to Zixue in the future."

The duke stood in place, emanating a thick aura of fighting spirit that formed a protective barrier isolating him from the surrounding dust and smoke

Zi Xue suddenly threw herself into my arms, crying bitterly. I held her soft, delicate body and asked, "Quickly tell me, what happened? Did someone bully you? I will tear him to pieces." As I spoke, a chilling aura of killing intent radiated from my entire being

Zixueqi almost fainted; it was her first time getting angry. Like a little lion, she roared, "Is this your attitude towards my parents? It’s simply a challenge to a duel. Over there is my father; do you think you can fight him? With this attitude of yours, can I feel at ease?"

I let out a cold snort and said, "Whoever dares to look at you, I will tear him apart"

I smiled faintly and said, "As for whether I am worthy or not, I believe it is up to Zixue to evaluate. Since you are a duke, I assume you would not look down on me because of my status. If we were to go back thirty years, and you had fallen for a daughter of the nobility, what would you have done? Would you have given up just because of a few words from her father? Status can change with a person's circumstances; perhaps in 10 or 20 years, my position will not be any lower than yours." My tone was neither servile nor arrogant, and everyone present was astonished. No one expected that I would dare to confront the duke.

At this moment, Ziyan displayed an unusual calmness, softly uttering a command to create a light-based barrier, enveloping both me and the duke within it. Although the scattered fighting energy caused the barrier to tremble precariously, not a single trace escaped.

I asked in confusion: "Sister? Which sister?"

Feng Wen said: "You, this fellow, with your arrogant demeanor, have returned again. Let’s go, let’s have a meal together"

When the duke noticed something was amiss as the ground erupted, he immediately changed his forward strike to a downward one, facing the raging storm.

Zi Xue exclaimed, "Lei Xiang, you promised me."

Zixue tightly grasped my clothes and shook her head, saying: "It's not that someone is bullying me."

Duke Teng stood up and said with a hint of anger, "Since you know, I hope you will not entangle my daughter any further."

I subconsciously touched my face. Indeed, why do I love to smile so much now? Zixue has truly had a significant impact on me. I patted his shoulder and said, "Work hard on your training. I hope to meet you in the finals of the grade competition (students from the same class are placed in two separate brackets, and can only meet in the finals)."

The next day at noon, I saw Zixue in the cafeteria and complained to her: "Your father is really too cunning. Yesterday, he clearly tested me, so why did he add so many conditions?"

Zixue walked over, gently stroking the large head of the black dragon, her face bearing an unmistakable heaviness. I immediately sensed something was amiss and hurriedly asked, "What’s wrong? What happened?"

Zi Xue smiled and said, "You also have times when you are afraid, don't worry, my father will at most just test you, he won't really fight with you. We've arrived, let's hurry inside."

I focused my energy, channeling the fierce spirit of battle into my right fist. I took a small step to the left with my left leg, lowered my waist, and assumed a stance, letting out a loud shout: "Hey." I met the opponent with a powerful punch.

After being escorted out of the duke's residence by the servant, I pondered the words the duke had just spoken. It took me a long time to realize that I had been deceived by him

I pedaled continuously, retreating seven steps in succession, until I came to a halt upon colliding with the barrier emitted by Ziyan.

I suddenly realized: "No wonder he was so polite to you yesterday; it turns out it is related to your sister. By the way, what is your sister's name on hetushu.com?"

I changed my expression and said, "Do you not wish to go with me?"

Zixue said: "Moreover, Dad might test your skills, so you need to be prepared"

Fengwen looked at my smile and said in a daze: "You still say there hasn't been any change; did you used to smile before?"

Zixue held my hand tightly and said anxiously, "What are you doing? You're getting all worked up again. You can't control everyone's gaze. Originally, my sister asked me to go home with her for lunch, but you invited me instead."

Zi Xue gave me a light tap and said with a chuckle: "There are only the two of us left, me and my sister. There are many suitors for my sister, and quite a few are not afraid of the academy's rules. They are actively pursuing her within the academy, especially that Li Wa, who is the most aggressive in his pursuit."

The servant respectfully said: "The Duke is in the living room. He instructed you to see him immediately upon your return"

After finishing lunch, I returned to my dormitory to continue practicing my Frenzied God Technique. Cultivation is of utmost importance to me, as everything must be built upon a foundation of formidable strength

I laughed and said, "Rest assured, I will be careful to restrain myself."

I smiled faintly and said, "Perhaps you are just too sensitive; I don't feel that I have changed at all"

Hearing Zixue's words, I smiled and said, "Don't worry, nothing will happen. With my conditions, would your father still disagree? I didn't expect to meet the parents so soon."

Teacher Zhuang smiled slightly and said, "Of course there will be rewards. The top three students in the grade will each receive a good piece of equipment from the college. The higher the rank, the better the equipment. At the same time, if any of you wins the championship, I will also commend you in class. Only the champion will receive a class reward. As for what the reward will be, that is currently a secret, but it will definitely be worthwhile. I have high expectations for you all, so please do not let your teacher down"

I tightened my grip on her hand and said, "Rest assured, I will definitely make him recognize me"

I nodded and said, "Yes"

Zixue said proudly, "Isn't my family's yard nice? It was arranged entirely by my sister." Upon hearing Zixue's words, I couldn't help but feel a hint of anticipation for the first beauty of the academy whom I had never met. After all, it is rare to find a woman who possesses both wisdom and beauty.

Teacher Zhuang stood on the podium and addressed the entire class: "In one month, the annual inter-college competition will take place. During this final month, I hope everyone can work diligently to elevate their skills to the next level. I will select the two strongest students from our class to represent us in the competition"

These were just a momentary glimpse I caught, as Zixue had already rushed forward and said to the middle-aged man: "Dad, I am back, this is Lei Xiang"

The cafeteria was as lively as ever, and I had now become a celebrity in the academy (after daring to accept the challenge from the top expert, it would be strange not to gain fame, especially with my connection to Zixue). As soon as I entered the cafeteria, many people turned their gazes toward me. I was unfazed and went straight to get my meal. I bought the best dishes for Zixue and got two medium portions for myself.

To the left of the middle-aged man sits a beautiful woman, whose age is indiscernible at first glance. If someone were to tell me that she is Zixue's sister, I might very well believe it. I discern her status as a woman from her headdress. Could it be that she is Zixue's mother? If that is the case, it would explain why both Zixue and her sister occupy the top two spots among the eight beauties of the academy.

Very good, today I did not encounter any trouble in the cafeteria and smoothly finished a sweet meal with Zixue

The duke nodded slightly, his expression revealing no joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness. He said淡淡地: "Lift your head."

Watching Zixue eat little by little, I frowned and said, "You are eating too little; eat more. How can you have a good body otherwise? Look at me, one meal is almost enough for you to eat for a week." As I spoke, I pointed to the mountain of food in front of me.

The duke chuckled and said, "Becoming my son-in-law is not so easy. Although your talent is commendable and your foundation is solid, there is still a significant gap in strength. Your future will depend on your own efforts. Furthermore, you wouldn't want me to marry my daughter off to a commoner, would you? Well, I won't keep you any longer. Someone, see him out."

I shook my head and said, "No, I have made plans with someone else"

Damn, it's that little brat from Rivana again. Why compare me to him

Hearing him say that I barely passed, I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief; at least he no longer opposes it.

I was taken aback; the most beautiful woman in the academy, isn't that a bit exaggerated? This duke certainly knows how to produce offspring, both daughters are beauties. I asked, "How many children do you have in total? Don't tell me there's another beauty ranked somewhere."

I stood upright, my eyes fixed on the duke. The duke's eyes emitted two piercing beams of light as he scrutinized me from head to toe. Zixue subtly exchanged a glance with her mother, and the duchess said, "My lord, look at this child's physique; it is rare to see someone as tall and robust as he is."

Zixue said, "Let's hurry up, my father dislikes people who are late the most." She grabbed my hand and ran outside

As our fists and palms met, I sensed something was amiss; the duke's fighting spirit was not outwardly expressed but rather contained within. My fighting spirit, upon making contact with his palm, was unable to inflict any harm on him. As our fists connected, I felt the duke's fighting spirit surge forth, calm yet powerful, transmitting seven waves from his palm, each stronger than the last. With a thunderous roar, the air around us violently swirled outward from our center.

Zi Xue shook her head sadly and said, "It is likely that there are informants in the academy, and you made such a big scene... You don't know, my father is very stubborn. If he thinks you are not good, it doesn't matter what you say or do. Last night when I returned home, he had a gloomy face and told me to bring you to my house tonight."

I was taken aback; the light magic sounded so awkward, probably related to my practice of dark magic. After all, it is a natural conflict.

Zixue covered her mouth with a smile and said, "If I ate as much as you, it would be a problem. You are tall, so of course you need to eat more. But I am a girl; if I eat too much, I will gain weight, and then you might not like me anymore"

Mars Inquiry: "Teacher, is there any reward for achieving a ranking?"

Zixue saw that I was unhappy and quickly said: "Let me take back what I said; is it alright if I eat a little more?"

Zixue lay on my chest and said, "You must make it happen, as it concerns our future."

I nodded and said, "Rest assured, I will ensure the task is completed"

It is indeed a place befitting a duke, where one cannot discern the true size of the entire courtyard. The walls are over twelve feet high. Upon entering the main gate, one encounters numerous patrolling guards. The arrangement of the courtyard is not overly extravagant, yet it exudes elegance, clearly indicating that the designer is no ordinary person

I reached out my hand to pull Zixue, who blushed and dodged, softly saying: "There are so many people here, can we not do this? Moreover, the academy does not allow..."

The powerful recoil left me in excruciating pain all over my body; had it not been for my extraordinary physical defenses, I would have surely been spewing blood.

The duke raised a hand to stop Zixue from continuing. It seemed as if I had hit upon his innermost thoughts; he lowered his head, lost in contemplation. After a while, the duke lifted his head and said: "Alright, you have spoken well. Since you are so ambitious, I shall see what strength you possess to speak in such a manner. Prepare yourself."

I let out a cold snort and said, "I don't care whether he appreciates me or not, as long as you do. If he disagrees with our matters later on, I will elope with you."

The duke said: "That was merely to test your abilities. If you wish to pursue a relationship with my daughter, you must first pass this challenge I just set. For now, I will consider that you have barely passed. However, my daughter is still quite young, and the heavens do not permit her to have a boyfriend. Therefore, you are not allowed to get too close to my daughter in the future. Do you understand?"

Zixue returned a sweet smile to me and said, "It's alright, let's go."

Feng Wen said: "Yes, there is definitely something, although I cannot articulate it, I feel that you seem to be less cold than before. In its place is a profound aura, and now I fear I am no longer your match."

Zixue grabbed a servant and asked, "Where is my father?"

I nodded slightly and said, "I understand"

Zi Xue proudly said: "Of course my sister is very famous; although she is not the number one expert, she is indeed the number one beauty."

Feng Wen said: "Lei Xiang, are you so confident that you can make it to the finals? You should know that our Magic Warriors class has always been at the bottom in every competition. Students who specialize in martial arts and magic tend to improve at a faster rate due to their focused efforts"

He first waved his sleeve, sending Zixue away from my side, then lightly struck out a palm towards me, a powerful fighting aura enveloping a radius of 1 zhang. He was forcing me into a hard fight. Instead of being startled, I felt a surge of joy in my heart; I had long known he would definitely test me. As a duke, he certainly could not engage in a full-blown brawl with me. With the duke attacking, my opportunity had arrived.

He X, what kind of duke is this? He is simply an old hand at this. Saying he temporarily recognizes me is hardly different from not recognizing me at all. He wants me to improve my strength and also to take on an official position. It's dizzying; who knows what his standards are? He wouldn't expect me to become a Dragon Knight, would he?

Ziyan quickly cast a defensive spell, enveloping herself and Zixue within it. I noticed a glimmer of something unusual in her gaze. The Duchess used her fighting spirit, surrounding herself with a faint blue aura of energy.

I shot him a glance and said, "Confidence is the best weapon; you'll understand that when you step onto the competition stage." These three months of confinement have qualitatively enhanced my strength and further bolstered my confidence. In my heart, there is only one opponent, and that is Riva from the fifth grade. Only he can truly ignite my fighting spirit. Perhaps I am not his match, but I must see just how great the gap is between us.

The duke nodded at me and said, "Not bad, being able to withstand two strikes from my 50% strength makes you stand out among the younger generation. You should be one grade lower than Zixue, right? I estimate that your potential in the future should not be inferior to Liva."

It seems that the Duchess has little status at home. The Duke merely responded noncommittally with a sound and said to me: "Leixiang, I have heard that you claim to pursue my daughter at Tiandu Academy, is that so?"

Zixue smiled and said, "Let's go in and have a meal."

I truly saw Mars through the eyes of Mars, however, what he does not know is that Teacher Zhuang had already predetermined the candidate, making his chances of obtaining the equipment nearly zero

The duke frowned and said, "Then you should know that the Tiandu Academy prohibits students from developing romantic relationships."

Zixue said: "Aren't you at all worried? My father's temper is notoriously violent"

Zixue said: "My sister is Ziyan, a third-grade student who practices light magic and is the proud student of the vice president"

I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was something serious. I said, "Is that all it is, miss? You nearly scared me to death."

I do not know how long it has been, when Fengyun ran back and called out to me: "Leixiang, hurry up, Zixue is looking for you."

I furrowed my brows as I looked at her, sighed helplessly, and said, "Alright, I respect your choice"

Upon entering the living room, the first thing that catches the eye is the spacious hall, which I estimate to be around 300 square meters. At the front of the hall, there is a prominent figure seated in the main position, appearing to be in his forties, with a dignified appearance that suggests he must have been quite handsome in his youth. Behind him, on the wall, hangs a large painting of nine dragons. He is likely the father of Zixue.

After a long while, I finally released the blushing Zixue and gently said to her: "I promise not to conflict with your father; this should be acceptable, right? Please do not be angry anymore"

Soon, school will be over for lunch. In the morning, Zixue told me that she would not have lunch with me; she needs to go home first to arrange a few things. I wonder what she needs to arrange. I guess she is probably going to form a united front.

I casually said, "What does it matter? Sooner or later, your parents will find out anyway. How did your father find out?"

I hurriedly stepped forward, bowed, and said: "Greetings, Your Excellency the Duke, I am the commoner Lei Xiang"

A hint of surprise flashed in the duke's eyes as he let out a long laugh and swiftly moved closer, striking out with another palm. Truly, the strength of a paladin is formidable. While rapidly casting first-level attack spells from various schools of magic—due to their low level, they can be cast quickly—I attempted to disrupt the duke. At the same time, I gathered my energy for the first form of the Berserker Fist and shouted, "Tempest." This time, instead of directing it at the duke, I struck heavily downwards towards the ground. In this moment of danger, I could no longer concern myself with causing damage. Finally, I unleashed the first form of the Berserker Fist—Tempest, which was the only technique I could use.

I said in surprise: "Then why would you do that?"