Chapter 1203: How Did You Open the Barrier?

“Several elders were present at the time, so I believe that they saw what happened clearly. Chu Yue was just trying to get the weapon back and not let it fall into Jin Lei’s hands; he didn’t mean to keep it for himself. This wouldn’t have happened if Jin Lei didn’t launch a counter-attack and Chu Yue didn’t accidentally b.u.mp into him,” explained Rong Xiu in a calm and relatively objective manner.

A few elders expressed their agreement as well. “He’s right. That was indeed what happened back then.”

“I can vouch that Chu Yue didn’t do it on purpose…”

Elder Guan He frowned and retorted, “You can’t just look at the surface of the matter! That’s a supreme Yuan instrument after all! The Golden Wings Sect’s people went out of their way to chase us all the way to Fangzhou City. Who’s to know if he would take advantage of the situation to get the weapon?”

Elder Wan Zheng couldn’t hold himself back anymore. “What do you mean by that, Guan He?”

“Everyone knows what I mean. Chu Yue, don’t you know best why the matter ended up like this?” Elder Guan He wasn’t convinced by Rong Xiu’s explanation. “Although this matter was strictly kept as a secret at first, many people in the academy found out about it when the chase ended up in Fangzhou. I’m sure Elder Bo Yan can testify to this, right?”

Elder Bo Yan paused. “Some people might’ve inadvertently gotten wind of the matter… But this can’t be considered proof against Chu Yue.”

“Hmph! Why would he take such a risk if he wasn’t driven by interest? In my opinion, he had it all planned out from the start; otherwise, how did he suddenly appear at Rong Xiu’s side? Also, how could it be so coincidental that the supreme Yuan instrument didn’t have a weapon soul and that his sword soul just so happened to take advantage of this opportunity to occupy it?!”

The crowd fell silent once more. Even Elder Wan Zheng was unable to say anything in Chu Yue’s defense, for it was indeed too much of a coincidence that one couldn’t help but feel suspicious.

All of a sudden, Rong Xiu asked, “Elder Guan He, do you know what cultivation level Jin Lei had reached?”

Elder Guan He was stumped by the question. Although he wasn’t outside at the time and didn’t spar with any of those people, he had more or less heard a thing or two. “True G.o.d.”

Rong Xiu nodded. “That’s right—he was indeed a true G.o.d. In fact, he had also managed to form half of his Holy Body.”

The elders weren’t surprised by that. It was only normal that one would try to form their Holy Body as soon as possible after breaking through to become a true G.o.d.

“Then, do you know what Chu Yue’s current cultivation level is?”

Surprise appeared on Guan He’s face for a moment before he said in irritation, “He’s just a freshman, and it’s not like he’s my disciple. How would I know that?”

Rong Xiu glanced at Elder Wan Zheng. “Elder Wan Zheng, I believe you—Chu Yue’s master—should know best, right?”

Elder Wan Zheng hesitated for a moment before saying, “Intermediate stage-seven.”

“That’s impossible!” Elder Guan He refuted immediately. “He unleashed a holy force! How could he only be an intermediate stage-seven warrior?!” I heard this from several elders, so it can’t be false!

“It’s true,” said Elder Wen Xi. With a rare solemn expression, he said, “It was I who conducted the entrance a.s.sessment on him. He was only a beginner stage-seven warrior at the time, so I believe that he reached the intermediate stage just recently. I can guarantee this with my name.”

Elder Guan He was rendered speechless since it must be true if Elder Wen Xi said so. “T-then, what was that holy force about?!”

The elders looked at Chu Liuyue in unison.

Chu Liuyue—who finally had the chance to speak—sighed internally before explaining, “I got that holy force from… an elder some time ago.”

Of course, she couldn’t say that she had s.n.a.t.c.hed it over.

It was quiet in the hall once more, with the elders looking at each other. This reason seems to make sense… After all, Wen Xi and Wan Zheng have no need to lie about this for the sake of a student.

“Well, n.o.body foresaw that the supreme Yuan instrument had no weapon soul,” said Elder Shu Feng out of nowhere. “We saw it emerge with our own two eyes and even tried to bring it back, but we never discovered anything amiss with it. If we didn’t know about it, then all the more Chu Yue—who had been in the academy—was clueless about it. I doubt that he had planned for this. Besides, I saw the sword he owned—it was an advanced Yuan instrument. By right, the sword soul hidden in it shouldn’t be able to occupy a supreme Yuan instrument, but it still did. I think… Chu Yue probably has an affinity with the supreme Yuan instrument in the first place!”

Elder Shu Feng was very open-minded about it. “Honestly speaking, the reason why we tried so hard on this mission was just so that we could bring it back to the academy and not let it go to someone else. Although the sword now belongs to Chu Yue, he’s a student of the academy. In a way, the sword is still back in the academy. It’s also not a bad thing that someone managed to inherit the legacy, don’t you think so?”

Many elders nodded their heads in agreement as what Elder Shu Feng said made sense. Besides, now that the weapon had acknowledged Chu Yue as its owner, it would only regain its freedom if Chu Yue was dead.

They couldn’t possibly kill Chu Yue, could they? He was a student of the academy after all, a very promising one at that. Most importantly, he wasn’t entirely at fault for what happened. At the very least, he had helped Rong Xiu, which was an incredible feat itself.

Elder Guan He’s expression changed, but he didn’t say any more about the matter and merely just let out a snort.

Elder Bo Yan, on the other hand, appeared a lot gentler than before when he looked over. “Don’t worry, Chu Yue. Let’s just accept the reality since it has already happened! However, you have to work hard in your cultivation from now on. Don’t destroy the reputations of the school and that elder.”

Does that mean… he’s not going to pursue the matter? Chu Liuyue gleefully answered, “Thank you, Elder Bo Yan! I’ll bear that in mind!”

She thought that this matter was quite tricky at first, but it ended up getting resolved rather smoothly, although this was perhaps due to the help of Rong Xiu, Elder Wan Zheng, and a few other elders.

When the elders didn’t ask why Rong Xiu had carried her back and spent so long in the room with her, she figured that this matter was nothing in comparison to the supreme Yuan instrument. Thus, not many people paid attention to it.

But just as she heaved a sigh of relief, she heard somebody calling her name from the side, making her heart leap to her mouth again.

“Chu Yue.” The person calling her name was Elder Hua Feng. He had been silently watching her ever since she entered the hall, and it was only now that he addressed her.

Elder Hua Feng sat straight up and looked into her eyes as if he wanted to see through all her thoughts. In a clear manner, he asked, “How did you manage to get past the academy’s barrier?”