Chapter 346: The Wrath of Celestis Academy
The Wrath of Celestis Academy
"My Celestis Academy has always followed one unwritten rule."
Maya’s clear voice echoed across the sky, calm and gentle at first, yet every syllable carried a terrifying weight that pressed upon the hearts of everyone present.
"If others respect us..."
She paused for a brief moment. Her azure robes fluttered softly in the wind as streams of water Mana circled around her like silent rivers. Her beautiful face remained serene, but the coldness within her eyes made even seasoned cultivators instinctively lower their heads.
"...we will return that respect."
The surrounding space seemed to fall into complete silence.
No one dared interrupt.
No one even breathed too loudly.
Her gaze slowly swept across the experts of Sky Breaker Academy before stopping on the corpse of the elder who had attempted to seize Selena’s Martial Emperor sword.
Her voice became colder.
"But if anyone dares offend us..."
The temperature seemed to plummet.
Even the breeze stopped.
"...I will kill them."
The final words rang like heavenly judgment.
"Anyone from your Sky Breaker Academy who is unconvinced can come forward."
Silence.
Complete silence.
The countless cultivators surrounding the Martial Emperor Tomb stared at Maya with disbelief.
They had always known the Left Division Master of Holy Water Division as an elegant, intelligent, graceful woman.
She rarely lost her temper.
She rarely fought without reason.
Yet the woman standing before them now resembled an icy queen standing above the clouds, protecting her people with absolute resolve.
No one found her words unreasonable.
Instead...
They understood.
Every elder of Celestis Academy possessed the same trait.
They protected their own.
Whether it was Leon of the Amethyst Summit Division...
Headmaster Mike of the Emerald Crest Division... the respected leader of Celestis Academy...
Or Maya herself...
If anyone dared bully one of their students...
They would answer with blood.
Selena quietly stood behind Maya, gripping the hilt of the Red Abyss Sword.
Her silver-white hair danced gently in the breeze.
Watching her Teacher’s senior sister stand before everyone without the slightest hesitation, warmth slowly filled her heart.
So...
This was Celestis Academy.
No matter where its students went...
Someone would always stand behind them.
No one would ever fight alone.
A faint smile appeared on Selena’s face before disappearing just as quickly.
Not far away, Magnus’ expression darkened.
The corpse of their elder still lay upon the shattered earth.
His death had happened so quickly that almost nobody had reacted in time.
The pressure hanging over the battlefield became heavier with every passing second.
Then—
"Haha... what arrogance!"
A disdainful laugh suddenly echoed across the heavens.
Boom!
Dark clouds rolled overhead as an overwhelming pressure descended from the horizon.
Everyone instinctively looked upward.
A black-robed old man stepped through the void.
Every step distorted space beneath his feet.
His eyes were as sharp as blades, carrying decades of accumulated authority.
The moment he appeared, countless cultivators recognized him.
"It’s him..."
"The Second Elder of Sky Breaker Academy..."
"What is he doing here?"
The old man slowly descended until he stood opposite Maya.
Maya calmly raised her eyes.
Her expression changed slightly.
"Vargos?"
The newcomer was none other than Dario’s junior brother.
Within Sky Breaker Academy, he was known as the Second Elder.
Although he rarely appeared before the public, everyone knew of his terrifying reputation.
His cultivation had long reached the peak of the Sage Realm.
Apart from Dario himself, very few people inside Sky Breaker Academy possessed the confidence to challenge him.
His authority was immense.
The instant Vargos appeared, Magnus and the remaining elders felt as though they had found their backbone.
Relief flashed across their faces.
"Second Elder!"
"You’re finally here!"
The disciples of Sky Breaker Academy immediately straightened their backs.
The oppressive atmosphere instantly shifted.
Vargos ignored everyone else.
His cold eyes locked directly onto Maya.
"Heh."
"So this is Celestis Academy."
"You killed an elder of my Sky Breaker Academy before the eyes of the world."
His voice grew colder with every word.
"Are you trying to say that my Sky Breaker Academy has no one left?"
The question struck like thunder.
Everyone waited for Maya’s response.
Would she explain?
Would she compromise?
Would she soften her stance now that someone stronger had arrived?
She did none of those things.
Instead...
Maya stretched lazily as though she were merely loosening her shoulders after a short journey.
The movement was graceful beyond words.
She looked at Vargos with complete composure.
"So what if I am?"
The simple sentence landed like a mountain crashing into the sea.
"Hiss..."
A wave of cold breaths echoed throughout the crowd.
No one had expected such an answer.
She hadn’t denied it.
She hadn’t explained herself.
She had openly admitted it.
The spectators stared at one another in disbelief.
"Oh my god..."
"Has Celestis Academy officially declared war on Sky Breaker Academy?"
"This..."
"They’re actually confronting each other in public!"
Someone swallowed nervously.
Others looked at Maya with newfound admiration.
Her beauty was undeniable.
But today...
Everyone witnessed something even more unforgettable.
Her unwavering resolve.
Her willingness to stand before an entire Powerful Sect for the sake of one student.
Many young cultivators silently clenched their fists.
No wonder Celestis Academy’s students possessed such unity.
With elders like these...
Who wouldn’t willingly fight for the academy?
Even Selena’s blue eyes shimmered slightly.
She quietly lowered her head.
A warm feeling spread through her chest.
Teacher...
Senior Sister Maya...
Thank you.
Not far away, Vargos’ face turned completely dark.
"Arrogant!"
His furious roar shook the heavens.
Maya’s words had not merely insulted him.
They had trampled upon the dignity of Sky Breaker Academy itself.
If he allowed such humiliation to pass unanswered...
How could they continue calling themselves a Powerful Sect?
Without another word—
Boom!
His aura exploded.
Boundless Mana erupted around him like a violent storm.
The clouds overhead spun wildly.
The ground trembled beneath the pressure.
Countless weaker cultivators retreated dozens of steps, their faces turning pale.
With a single step, Vargos crossed the distance between them.
His sleeve fluttered violently.
A gigantic palm condensed from pure Mana descended from the sky, carrying enough force to flatten mountains.
It crashed toward Maya without mercy.
Yet Maya remained astonishingly calm.
Her expression never changed.
She merely took a graceful step sideways.
Like flowing water slipping between rocks...
The terrifying attack passed harmlessly beside her.
The enormous palm smashed into the distant mountains instead.
Boom!
The explosion echoed for dozens of miles.
Stone shattered.
Dust billowed into the sky.
Only after avoiding the attack did Maya finally allow her own aura to bloom.
A soft blue radiance rose around her body.
The surrounding water Mana answered her call, swirling elegantly like countless rivers embracing their queen.
The pressure continued climbing...
Higher...
Higher still...
Until every expert present widened their eyes in disbelief.
The crowd froze.
Magnus’ pupils contracted.
Even Vargos narrowed his eyes.
Selena looked at Maya with surprise.
"This..."
One elder gasped.
"Teacher... actually broke through to the peak of the Sage Realm?"