A Real Man

Liu Yue stumbled backward, his face turning pallid as he hysterically pleaded, "Qin Wentian, for Liu Yan's sake, let's put this behind us."

Qin Wentian tilted his head and looked at Liu Yan before responding to Liu Yue with a sarcastic tone, "This misunderstanding was indeed beautiful. We could have still been friends. It's a shame that you wanted to kill me. As for Liu Yan, I don't owe her anything."

Qin Wentian's killing intent surged even higher. Not only did he not owe Liu Yan anything, but he had also saved her life.

Liu Yan gazed at Qin Wentian, tears welling up in her eyes. She understood that Qin Wentian was right; she owed him a debt. It was laughable that she had believed her brother, Liu Yue, when he claimed that Qin Wentian liked her. She had even tried to manipulate their relationship to get her brother to deal with Qin Wentian.

"Die," Qin Wentian declared as he unleashed an imprint that shot towards Liu Yue. Liu Yue raised his hands in defense, but the overwhelming power behind the attack was too much for him to withstand. With a single strike, he fell.

"No..." Liu Yan's legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face. She closed her eyes as if trying to avoid facing the harsh reality before her.

Qin Wentian's gaze held no sympathy as he glanced at Liu Yan. When Liu Yue had wanted to kill him, she hadn't said a word. Perhaps her personality wasn't entirely bad, but her actions had been profoundly disappointing. He had saved her life, after all.

"Excellent," a voice echoed from a distance. All eyes turned to see the 3rd Prince, Chu Tianjiao, and Luo Qianqiu riding towards them on horses. They looked down at Qin Wentian with an air of indifference, as if the recent events had left no impact on them.

"Qin Wentian, for attempting to save the prisoner Qin Chuan, your sentence is death. Even if you're a student of the Emperor Star Academy, the outcome remains the same," Chu Tianjiao declared calmly, sealing Qin Wentian's fate with a single sentence.

As his words faded, soldiers drew their bows and aimed at them. In this dire situation, escape was impossible, even if they had wings.

"My dear Yao'er, Wentian, my foolish children," Qin Chuan felt a deep sense of guilt in his heart. His son and daughter had promising futures, but all of it seemed destined to end here today.

The ground trembled violently, and a surge of demonic energy filled the air, causing everyone's faces to stiffen, including Qin Chuan's, whose eyes darted around in alarm.

Chu Tianjiao, perched atop a warhorse, maintained an unflinching demeanor. His lips even curled into a faint smile as he whispered to himself, "Finally, it's happening. I've been waiting for this moment."

The imposing doors of the Black Stronghold swung open, revealing a regiment of fully-armored troops exuding a daunting presence. As they emerged, Chu Tianjiao ordered, "Detain the three of them. I want them alive."

"Yes, my lord," the troops moved forward, closing in on Qin Wentian.

On the other side, a horde of demonic beasts charged toward them, now visible in the field of view. A glimmer of hope flickered in Qin Chuan's heart as he turned to Qin Wentian and Qin Yao. "Quickly, escape amidst the chaos. Don't worry about me; they wouldn't dare to kill me."

With determination, Qin Chuan stepped forward to confront the advancing troops. He raised his palms, pressing them against his Tianling Acupoint.

"Take one more step forward, and I'll end my own life!" Qin Chuan's voice thundered, echoing imposingly, causing the troops to hesitate in their advance.

His icy gaze locked onto Chu Tianjiao as he continued, "I keep my promises. I will do as I've said."

Qin Chuan was taking a calculated risk.

In the past few days, Chu Tianjiao had been using him as if he were a pawn in some grand scheme. But the exact nature of that scheme eluded even Qin Chuan. It was as if he and Qin Wu were mere pieces on a chessboard.

Qin Chuan was betting that Chu Tianjiao wouldn't dare to let him die.

As expected, the troops halted upon seeing Chu Tianjiao wave his hands. Simultaneously, the rampaging demonic beasts stormed into the Black Stronghold's training grounds.

Armed soldiers with bows immediately began firing arrows at the beasts, igniting a brutal battle.

Qin Chuan whispered to Qin Wentian and Qin Yao, "Prepare yourselves. Seize the opportunity to escape."

"Father," Qin Yao sobbed, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't bear to leave her father behind.

Qin Wentian locked eyes with Qin Chuan. "If you want to leave, we leave together."

"If you don't go, I'll end my life right here, in front of you," Qin Chuan declared, raising his palms, prompting Qin Wentian's expression to contort with anguish, his body trembling uncontrollably.

"Father!" Qin Yao cried out, but Qin Wentian grabbed her hand and bolted to the side.

Mo Qingcheng raised her head, her heart pounding with anxiety. Why hadn't it appeared yet?

"Qianqiu, I need your assistance," Chu Tianjiao murmured to Luo Qianqiu in a hushed tone. Luo Qianqiu nodded slightly, signaling his comprehension. He urged his warhorse forward, galloping toward Qin Wentian and Qin Yao.

Simultaneously, another group of figures under Luo Qianqiu's command joined the pursuit. These individuals appeared youthful but emitted an icy, menacing aura.

Mo Qingcheng stepped forward, but Chu Tianjiao's voice stopped her in her tracks. "Qingcheng, I don't wish to harm you."

Mo Qingcheng slowed her pace, her heart heavy. She knew that if Chu Tianjiao intervened, she would be powerless to aid Qin Wentian.

"Why must the Chu Clan be so ruthless?" Mo Qingcheng sighed, gazing into the distance in the direction Qin Wentian had fled. She was well aware of Luo Qianqiu's status. In the Chu Country, he was a near-taboo existence. Even the Royal Clan had to maintain good relations with him, fearing his wrath. The Emperor Star Academy had admitted him as well.

Furthermore, Luo Qianqiu possessed formidable martial prowess. Mo Qingcheng could only wish Qin Wentian good fortune. Even if she wished to intervene, she lacked the power to do so.

Qin Wentian pulled Qin Yao along as they dashed into the Dark Forest, maximizing his Garuda Movement Technique. He sensed the relentless pursuit, an opponent with incredible strength and speed that matched his own.

"Sister, go on ahead," Qin Wentian urged.

"No," Qin Yao adamantly refused.

"We'll have a better chance if we separate. Your speed is slower and will only slow me down," Qin Wentian insisted, looking at Qin Yao with determination.

Upon hearing Qin Wentian's words, sadness welled up in Qin Yao's heart. She knew that Qin Wentian was deliberately trying to provoke her, but his crude approach couldn't hide the truth in his words.

"Wentian, Father has already been imprisoned. You mustn't let them capture you," Qin Yao pleaded, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Qin Wentian beside her.

"Don't worry, sister. I'll take care of you," Qin Wentian reassured her with a smile. Qin Yao nodded, her voice trembling, "I'll wait for you."

With those words, Qin Wentian released his grip on her and turned to face their pursuers.

"Go quickly," Qin Wentian urged. Qin Yao wiped away her tears and, despite the pain in her heart, continued to sprint forward.

As Qin Yao left, a gentle smile appeared on Qin Wentian's face. However, when he turned his gaze toward his pursuers, the coldness in his eyes reached its peak. In his hand, he held the third-grade Divine Weapon, the Goldem Sword.

When the pursuers arrived and saw that Qin Wentian was alone, they attempted to split up and continue the chase. But Qin Wentian stepped forward, brandishing the Goldem Sword and shouting in rage, "Whoever dares to take a step forward will face the full power of this third-grade Divine Weapon."

His voice echoed through the forest as he channeled his Astral Energy into the Goldem Sword, unleashing a terrifying sword Qi. His pursuers froze in their tracks.

"This is a third-grade Divine Weapon granted to me by an Elder of the Emperor Star Academy. If you want to die, come at me," Qin Wentian taunted with a cold smile. Sensing the overwhelming Sword Qi emanating from the Goldem Sword, his pursuers hesitated. Given Qin Wentian's talent displayed in the academy, his claim was highly likely to be true.

"Yuan Chen, kill him," Luo Qianqiu ordered as he arrived, his voice cold. In an instant, the entire group of pursuers released their auras, creating an overwhelming pressure that pressed down on Qin Wentian, threatening to crush him.

Despite the pressure, Qin Wentian summoned his Astral Energy to form a Revolving Sea Imprint. The fierce energy within the palm imprint clashed with the combined pressure from the pursuers. The resulting backlash sent Qin Wentian stumbling backward, his blood and Qi in turmoil. However, he never wavered in his grip on the Goldem Sword. He had to buy time for Qin Yao to escape.

"Kill him," the group of pursuers advanced, forcing Qin Wentian back step by step. After several moments, he couldn't help but cough up fresh blood, his complexion turning ashen. Yet, his determination only grew stronger. He was one man standing against a multitude.

"Today, I couldn't protect Father. If I let Sister Yao fall into danger as well, I have no right to call myself a man," Qin Wentian muttered, his expression ice-cold. He unleashed a torrent of Revolving Palm Imprints, filling the sky and shattering the combined pressure. However, it could only buy him a brief respite. After some time, Qin Wentian had lost count of how many mouthfuls of blood he had coughed up.

s Qin Wentian continued his relentless battle, his Astral Energy pool was nearly depleted. The group of pursuers couldn't help but silently admire his unwavering determination.

Without wasting any time, the pursuers divided themselves, realizing that they needed a portion of their group to chase after Qin Yao. However, in that critical moment, Qin Wentian let out a furious roar. His body surged forward, the Goldem Sword in hand, channeling the last remnants of his energy into the divine weapon.

The ground quaked as Qin Wentian burst into action, his movements lightning-fast. He closed the gap between himself and the pursuers in an instant, appearing right before them. With a sweeping motion of the Goldem Sword, he triggered an explosive release of monstrous sword lights that turned the sky into a rain of blades.

However, this sudden release of terrifying sword lights also sent Qin Wentian flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground. Another mouthful of blood was expelled from his lips as he grimly watched the rain of swords sever the lives of the pursuers effortlessly.

Just as Ren Qianxing had warned, the Goldem Sword was a one-time use Divine Weapon. Its power was incredible, and its range of destruction was vast. With a single swing, countless lives were extinguished.