Chapter 5: A Grave Injustice, Seeking an Audience with the Arcavis Sword Master!

Taylor Yale did not wait long in the grand hall before a middle-aged man appeared. He strolled up to Taylor with a practiced smile. "You're Taylor Yale, yes?" Taylor nodded. "I am. And you are?" "Allow me to introduce myself." The man clasped his hands lightly. "I'm from the Santee family of Austrhold." Austrhold! Taylor had, of course, heard of it. It was the birthplace of the Arcavis Sword Master, a land spoken of in the same breath as Azurehold. As for the Santee family, he knew a little as well. They were a top-tier second-rank aristocratic house in Austrhold, with influence that ran deep and wide. The man's smile never wavered. "Taylor Yale, here's the situation. For certain special reasons, the Santee family would like a special admission quota from Azurehold." Taylor understood instantly. They wanted his special admission quota. "Of course." The man lifted a hand, as if to reassure him. "Don't worry. The Santee family won't take it for free. How about this? If you voluntarily give up the special admission quota, we'll offer ten Lunar Energy Pills. From what I know, the Yale family is an Inferior Family. Ten Lunar Energy Pills would be a huge help to your clan. What do you say?" Taylor studied him in silence. Ten Lunar Energy Pills were valuable, yes. But compared to a special admission quota, they were nothing. Entering Arcavis Academy meant access to cultivation resources, resources that could carry him farther on the path. That kind of value was beyond what a handful of pills could ever match. This was not an "equal exchange." It was an insult dressed up as courtesy, as if he were too stupid to do the math. When Taylor did not respond, the man's smile thinned. "Fifteen. Not a pill more." He said it with a grin, but the tone left no room for negotiation. Taylor considered it and chose not to collide head-on. "The special admission quota was granted by Arcavis Academy. If the Santee family wants it, you can ask the Academy to revoke mine. Can't you?" The man looked at him as if he had heard a childish joke. "We can't deal with the Academy." He leaned in slightly, eyes turning cold. "But we can deal with you." He decided it was time to stop pretending. For an Inferior Family, he could not be bothered to keep up the mask of politeness. In the Santee family's eyes, people like Taylor were no different from ants. Since the cards were on the table, the man spoke plainly. "You can refuse. But I should tell you, that would be very, very stupid. You might not care about yourself, but you should think about your family. Don't you agree?" A naked threat. Taylor stepped forward, closing the distance by a pace. His gaze locked onto the man's face, hard as iron. "I'll screw your mother." Family was his bottom line. The man froze, as if he had misheard. Then the meaning hit, and a terrifying killing intent surged out of him like a blade being drawn. "You filthy bastard," he snarled. "What did you say?" Taylor stared him down, each word hammered out like a nail. "I… will… screw… your… mother." Endure? Yield? No. The more you endured, the more resentment you swallowed. The more you yielded, the more they trampled you. He had already chosen his way out. "Impudent!" the man roared, lunging to strike. At nearly the same moment, Taylor readied his Path Sword. But before either could move, an old man rushed into the hall. It was Malcolm Farrell. Malcolm's eyes blazed as he glared at the middle-aged man. "Felix Santee! This is the Academy. You dare raise your hand here?" Felix jabbed a finger at Taylor, furious. "That lowborn trash insulted me!" Malcolm turned to Taylor. Taylor took a deep breath, forced down the fire in his chest, and bowed deeply. "Sir, my special admission quota was granted by Arcavis Academy. Today, the Santee family used their power to bully me, trying to force-buy my quota with fifteen Lunar Energy Pills. He even threatened me with my clan. May I ask, sir, is this his personal behavior, or does the Academy approve of him acting like this?" Malcolm's face turned a stormy, iron blue. He swung his head back toward Felix and exploded, "I'll screw your mother!" Taylor: "…" Felix: "…" "Guards!" Malcolm bellowed. As his voice fell, several guards appeared in the hall. Malcolm pointed at Felix, rage shaking his arm. "This man broke the rules and openly extorted an Academy student. Seize him. Immediately." "Malcolm!" Felix snapped. "I am of the Santee family-" "The Santee family?" Malcolm cut him off. "I don't give a damn about your mother's Santee family. Seize him." The guards surged forward to take Felix, but a calm voice sounded from the side. "Stop." An elderly man entered. It was Elder Vernell. Elder Vernell's expression was livid. "Stand down." The guards retreated at once. Malcolm looked at Elder Vernell. Elder Vernell fixed him with a cold stare. "Malcolm Farrell. What crime did Felix Santee commit that you would seize him?" "He openly threatened an Academy disciple-" "Evidence?" Elder Vernell interrupted, sharp as a whip. Malcolm faltered. Elder Vernell's gaze did not move. "Without evidence, on what grounds do you arrest him?" "I have evidence!" Taylor stepped out, palm open. A cloud recorder appeared in his hand. "This recorder captured everything just-" Elder Vernell flicked his sleeve. Boom! The cloud recorder in Taylor's hand turned to ash in an instant. Taylor looked at Elder Vernell and said nothing. For once, Malcolm did not erupt. He stared at Elder Vernell, voice icy. "Elder Vernell, we'll settle this in the Arcavis Realm." He turned to Taylor. "Come with me." At this point, arguing here meant nothing. They had already made their stance clear. If this could be resolved at all, it would only be in the Arcavis Realm. And if Taylor stayed here, he would be in mortal danger. Taylor followed Malcolm toward the exit, but Elder Vernell spoke again. "No need to go to the Arcavis Realm." He opened his palm. A strip of yellow paper drifted slowly to Malcolm's face. "This is the latest transfer order. Effective immediately, you are removed from the position of Vice Dean of the Inspectorate at Arcavis Academy. You are reassigned as Vice Dean of the Cultural Division at the Terrhold Arcavis Academy. Report at once." Taylor's face changed. Malcolm had been the Vice Dean of the Inspectorate. That authority was immense. Terrhold Arcavis Academy's Vice Dean might have been the same rank on paper, but the real power was worlds apart. And Terrhold was bottom-tier among the Myriadhold, nowhere close to Azurehold. Azurehold ranked in the top three of the Myriadhold. Taylor's chest tightened with guilt. He had dragged Malcolm into this. Malcolm stared at Elder Vernell and laughed coldly. "Fine methods, Elder Vernell. Fine methods, Santee family. But it doesn't matter. Demote me if you like. Even if you remove me entirely, it doesn't matter." He looked at Taylor, eyes fierce and steady. "Kid, we're going to the Arcavis Realm. I refuse to believe these Aristocratic Family Sects can cover the sky of the Arcavis Universe with one hand." With that, he grabbed Taylor and headed out. "Outrageous!" Elder Vernell thundered. A powerful aura dropped like a mountain, pressing down on Malcolm and Taylor. Malcolm turned back, smiling without warmth. "What? Are you planning to kill us both to silence us?" Elder Vernell's face twisted, ugly and restrained. He wanted to kill that stubborn old man. He truly did. But he could not. And he did not dare. Behind Malcolm stood the Farrell family. They were not what they once were, but if Elder Vernell truly killed Malcolm, it would cause a disaster. Certain people in court would not tolerate it. Or the Farrell family might even go kneel before the young lord and weep their grievances. After all, even the young lord, upon seeing Azrael Farrell, had to address him as "Uncle." Elder Vernell forced down the killing intent and watched Malcolm lead Taylor away. They had not gone far when a youth hurried up to them. Malcolm blinked in surprise. "Onyx Farrell? Why are you here?" Onyx stepped close and whispered a few words. As Malcolm listened, his expression changed violently. He whirled toward Elder Vernell and Felix, anger curdling into laughter. "Good. Very good! Elder Vernell, Santee family, what fine hands you have. Your reach has even wormed its way into my Farrell family's own house." He lifted his chin, voice ringing through the air. "I'm telling you, even if my granddaughter can't enter the Main Academy to cultivate, I'll still go to the Arcavis Realm and file my complaint. If you have the guts, then kill me to shut me up. But listen well. A guilty heart fears the dark. God's eyes are lightning. There are Gods three feet above your head. You dogs will pay for this sooner or later." Felix's face turned the color of liver. "Malcolm, are you out of your damn mind? Taylor Yale has nothing to do with you. Why would you-" Malcolm pointed at the sky and roared, "The Farrell family's ancestral rule: if you enter court as an official, you must not be ashamed before Heaven, nor before the earth. You cannot betray your conscience!" He seized Taylor and continued forward. Killing intent flared in Felix's eyes. The Santee family could not allow Malcolm to storm into the Arcavis Realm and make a public spectacle. Some things could be handled in the shadows, but once dragged into the light, it would be disastrous for them. The Farrell family stood behind Malcolm, yes, but the Santee family did not fear them. The Farrell ancestors had ties to the Arcavis Sword Master. Did the Santee family not have their own ties? With that thought, Felix's right hand slowly clenched. Beside him, Elder Vernell's eyes also brimmed with killing intent. He had long disliked Malcolm. He would not personally kill him, but if someone else did, he would simply look away. He had already quietly ordered every cloud recorder in the area shut down. Just as Felix was about to strike, Taylor, who had already stepped outside the hall, suddenly stopped. He turned back to Malcolm and bowed slightly. "Sir, you're a good official. I can't drag you down with me." Before Malcolm could respond, Taylor spun around and sprinted straight for the Arcavis Path. Elder Vernell's expression changed instantly. "Don't let him charge the Arcavis Path-" He moved personally, driving a fist toward Taylor. A terrifying force tore through the air, rushing to crush him. Immortal Realm! But Taylor had already reached the Arcavis Path. He threw his head back and roared, "Taylor Yale of the Yale family of Azurehold. I have suffered a grave injustice. I force my way onto the Arcavis Path to seek an audience with the Arcavis Sword Master!" Boom! A golden radiance surged from within the Arcavis Path and wrapped around him in an instant. Elder Vernell's power vanished the moment it touched that light, erased completely. The Arcavis Path awakened. Pillars of gold shot skyward, piercing the heavens. All of Azurehold was shaken. No, all of the Myriadhold was shaken… After a hundred years, the Arcavis Path had reopened once more. …