"Dean Erlong, I consider myself someone who keeps his promises, follows principles, and respects his own bottom line. That's why I was willing to make a deal with you."
Bai Mu spoke calmly, almost as if he were talking to himself.
"But… the reason I make deals isn't simply to pass your test."
He slowly turned his gaze toward Liu Erlong, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"It's to pass the test in my own heart."
His voice remained steady.
"And once I've passed my own test… does your judgment still matter?"
"What do you mean by that…?"
Liu Erlong's expression shifted, shock and anger intertwining.
"My test is already passed," Bai Mu continued evenly. "As for yours—"
"Whether you approve or not, it doesn't change the outcome."
"From this moment on, everything within Blue Tyrant Academy belongs to me."
His tone hardened.
"The land is mine. The academy is mine. The resources are mine. The teachers and students are mine."
His eyes sharpened as his fist slowly clenched.
"And Dean Liu—your authority here is over."
"What nonsense are you spouting?!"
Liu Erlong's pupils contracted violently as she snapped back.
"I only agreed to transfer the academy and the land! I don't control everything else!"
"And I certainly don't belong to anyone!"
"You're just a brat—how dare you speak so arrogantly!"
"Then I don't care."
The pressure in Bai Mu's gaze intensified.
"In my eyes, you already made your choice when you signed that agreement."
He took a step forward.
"If you resist, I'll end it right here."
"You're courting death!"
Liu Erlong erupted in fury. Her blazing spirit power surged outward as her martial soul manifested, seven spirit rings flaring into existence beneath her feet.
With a powerful push of her legs, she charged forward like a cannonball, her punch carrying enough force to shatter stone.
But—
"Glare."
Bai Mu's eyes flashed.
An invisible force struck Liu Erlong instantly.
Her body stiffened, her movements slowing drastically, as if she had fallen into thick mud.
"Detect."
Bai Mu shifted slightly, evading her strike with ease.
In the next instant—
"Extreme Speed!"
His figure blurred.
Before Liu Erlong could react, Bai Mu had already closed the distance and drove a heavy blow into her abdomen.
"Ugh—!"
She was sent flying backward, blood spilling from the corner of her mouth as she crashed to the ground.
Without pause, Bai Mu raised his hand.
The Eight Spider Lances unfurled behind him, their color faintly glowing as they snapped into position.
A flash—
He vanished.
"Where did he go?!"
Liu Erlong struggled to rise, her vision shaking.
A calm voice sounded behind her.
"Here."
A powerful force seized her shoulder, halting her movements completely.
Before she could activate her seventh spirit ring, the pressure around her intensified once more.
"Eye of Time Distortion."
To Liu Erlong, the world seemed to slow.
To Bai Mu, everything accelerated.
In a blur of motion, the Eight Spider Lances struck in rapid succession, their attacks precise and controlled, forcibly interrupting her attempt to unleash her Martial Soul True Body.
The assault ended as suddenly as it began.
Liu Erlong collapsed to the ground, unable to stand.
"For someone with your temper," Bai Mu said flatly, "you rely too much on brute force."
He stepped back, dispelling his abilities.
A moment later, dark chains materialized from the void, binding Liu Erlong in place and sealing her spirit power.
"You… how can you be this strong…"
Her voice was hoarse, disbelief filling her eyes.
She was a Spirit Saint.
Rank seventy-three.
One corner of the Golden Triangle.
And yet—she had been completely overwhelmed.
"What's so surprising?"
Bai Mu crouched before her, his tone casual.
"I'm Rank seventy-three as well."
"At the same rank," he added indifferently, "I don't lose."
Liu Erlong's eyes widened.
"Rank… seventy-three?"
She struggled to process it.
"I don't need you to believe it."
Bai Mu straightened and waved his hand.
A gentle green light descended, restoring her injuries enough to stabilize her condition.
"I'm not here to kill you," he said calmly. "The academy still needs order."
He turned away, his voice carrying finality.
"From today onward, Blue Tyrant Academy answers to me."
Behind him, Liu Erlong lay silent, her mind in turmoil.
She had lost.
Completely.