*Pfft!~*

The top disciple fell flat on the hard floor as he spat a mouthful of blood again while his mount was blasted away by an enormous force that came out of nowhere.

There was a moment of blankness in his mind before he became mortified, angered, and enraged as he stood back with a flick of his body and looked at the blue-haired man who dared to attack him with a soul force attack that didn't directly attack but launched the wind against them!

It impacted them with an immense momentum that their innards shook, but since his Burning Phoenix took most of the impact and was sent flying far away from him as it hit the hanging gate to the battle arena, he was not that injured.

"Ahahahaha!"

However, he burst out laughing like a madman as he pointed at the woman he craved and deeply desired.

"Shirley, you dared to attack me when all I did was exchange a few words with you! You have dared to defy the rules in the Burning Phoenix Ridge as if you own it! No one can-"

*Paah!~*

A resounding slap suddenly echoed as a head steeply turned to the right!

By the time Shirley realized it, Davis was already near the handsome red-haired top disciple, grasping the collars of his robe as he slapped!

"You!?"

The top disciple became mortified as he returned the gaze when a palm suddenly appeared in his vision again!

'No!' He inwardly screamed, but a resounding slap echoed!

*Paah!~*

"Who taught you to be so crass towards women?"

Davis coldly glared at the man, his stone-cold face not giving a shit about the consequences. His strength was tremendous while the top disciple saw the world spin around him for a few moments. When he came back to himself, he snarled as intense shame overwhelmed him.

"How dare you-"

*Paah!~* *Paah!~*

"Who taught you to act unbridled in front of the person I swore to protect?"

*Paah!~* *Paah!~* *Paah!~*

"Wait...!" He trembled, but a slap had one of his teeth flying towards the distance.

"Stop...!"

The people in the surroundings echoed as they began to close in.

Davis kept slapping as his right hand kept moving without a stop while he coldly stared at this handsome red-haired man's face swell in pain. There was immense anger swelling in the top disciple's eyes, but he could not do anything other than staying suppressed in Davis's hold.

He was unable to retaliate!

"The Sect Master is a woman too, and perhaps when you become a Grand Elder, you'll ask her like this to warm your bed as well?"

"W-What!?"

*Paah!~* *Paah!~*

Davis stopped with two more overwhelming slaps, looking at the battered face become ashen despite the swelling that had completely taken over, making him look resentful and fearful, his lips tightly pursed as if he refused to say anything in regards to the question he was asked.

The other disciples who had gathered and even a few elders who were witnessing this scene were ashen-faced. Some of them were even about to help the top disciple from getting beaten up.

After all, even if that top disciple may have been crass to another top disciple, it was still well within limits, and Shirley could've officially invoked a duel to reclaim her dignity, but the protector instead attacked, which was wrong or flouting the rules in other words.

However, the moment they heard the protector's last sentence, their own faces became pale! They didn't dare to move in support of the top disciple, afraid that this sentence alone might ruin their lives if they helped the top disciple even though it was clearly said by the protector!

Davis shot a glance around and saw how much of a deterrent his words were and couldn't help mockingly chuckling at them before his hand moved again in an arc.

*Paah!~*

A resounding slap echoed as if it was for the last time before Davis pushed him away, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"Watch what you say next time, lest you be sacrificed to someone who couldn't control their anger..."

The top disciple held his swollen face as his body shook. He looked staggered, to say the least, as if he could not believe that his proud face was smacked more than ten times in front of his junior brothers and sisters just like that.

The humiliation increased manifold amidst the silence, making him increasingly tremble before his lips moved as he spat out his hateful words!

"Protector! Kill him...!"

*Whoosh!~*

The sound of a silhouette tearing through the wind suddenly echoed!

Many became taken aback by the rushing red-robed, hooded figure while Davis looked to the side and saw the aggressor. Killing intent brewed like a tide towards him, causing him to frown his brows while he sensed the strange undulations at the peak level of the eighth stage from this person.

He was absolutely sure that this person wouldn't unleash a devastating attack because of the disciples in the vicinity, but looking at the amount of essence energy gathered in his palms, his eyes narrowed while he simultaneously unleashed his immense soul force, casting the Soul Suppression Art!

*Bzzz!~*

It was instant, but the so-called protector of that swollen top disciple had also unleashed his attack from his two palms as a vivid, scintillating burning phoenix wing erupted from him as it shot towards them with a spectral screech.

"Ahhh!!!~~~"

Terrified sounds echoed from the surrounding disciples as they scrambled to escape while the swollen top disciple had already retreated to a safe spot.

Davis narrowed his eyes at the incoming attack that was wider and taller than a two-story building. It was amazingly condensed, capable of leaving utter destruction in its wake!

*Bzzz!~*

His soul force sprung again with a radiant white hue, forming a small oval barrier that covered him and Freya, causing everyone with him to be in his protection in an instant while the majority of the disciples were about to be lit up in flames when the deacons and elders made a move, blocking the attack with their own barriers while the other protector was appearing to be making a killing move again as he maneuvered closer!

*Boom!~*

The burning phoenix wings struck his soul force barrier, but it was unable to make a dent as the barrier just simply shook while the explosion faded away as if it wasn't any more powerful than a first stage attack. The aggressor's eyes went wide as he saw Davis's prowess, looking astonished before he instantly moved back to retreat.

However, Davis didn't look like he was having any of it as the languid suppression he was releasing became ten times stronger abruptly as it completely suppressed the aggressor!

"What!?" A hoarse voice screamed, making it known that the protector with the hood was an old man.

Davis didn't know who he was but didn't care as he flicked his sleeves. A seal suddenly condensed out of his temples and shot towards the suppressed and helpless protector as it pierced into his forehead!

The protector fiercely trembled, looking ashen before his struggle died down, a dumbfounded look appearing on his face as he stared at Davis. He could not believe such a simple technique had actually managed to take over him before he blamed it all on the soul suppression. However, his reddish-black eyes became hopeless as his shoulders drooped.

Davis's eyes were abruptly narrowed as he realized something.

This man, this protector in front of him, was not a human or a magical beast but a fey!

"Who sent you to kill me?" Davis instantly asked.

"Master, I..." The fey found himself talking but hesitated when suddenly an intense, fiery beak pierced through him before he exploded altogether, the pieces of flesh from his body flung in different directions as blood splashed like a fountain!

Davis's corporeal body was stiff, but he managed to crank his head towards the floor and saw one incinerated wing of that fey, that had been hidden inside his robe, still burning along with other parts of his body while his soul didn't even seem to have survived the sudden onslaught.

It happened so quickly that the enslaved fey was unable to even react.

Davis raised his head and looked towards the source of the unexpected, concentrated attack and saw a youth floating in a few hundred meters above mid-air, draped in grand crimson robes of a grand elder while looking towards the dead fey with a calm outlook before he turned his head towards the top disciple.

"Top disciple Lauren Zucker. You dared to use your sect-given protector to commit mass murder and that even within the sect. Do you accept your crimes?"

That Grand Elder's voice echoed far and loud, making the surrounding utterly silent.

"... No..." Top disciple Lauren Zucker's swollen face trembled in disbelief as he shook his head, "I just wanted to kill this protector who flouted the rules and attacked me first..."

"I see... But still, return to your crimson palace and await the verdict. Furthermore, you are removed from your rights to participate in this competition as you made a mess out of this beautiful day. If you do not comply, I will have to take severe action against you for the damages your protector has caused from your command."

Top disciple Lauren Zucker's whole body trembled before he lowered his head.

"Yes..." A meek voice came out of him before his Burning Phoenix landed beside him, looking rather fine other than having a few of its feathers a little incarcerated.

He hopped onto his mount and left without saying a word, yet the atmosphere remained glaringly silent.

Davis suddenly felt an immense pressure descend on him as that Grand Elder turned to look towards him. They both narrowed their eyes, seemingly not taking their eyes off each other as they glaringly sported an intense look before the Grand Elder slightly shifted his look towards Shirley.

"Top disciple Shirley. Your privately hired protector has already caused trouble for us. Still, I have gotten rid of the aggressor for your sake because you are too important to us as a sect because you have the capability of becoming a Sect Master. However, you still need to give a satisfactory explanation. Otherwise, even I would find it difficult to-"

"I thank Grand Elder Valerian..." Shirley interrupted with a frigid smile on her face, "However, my protector did not flout any rules and acted to protect me within the confines of the rules."

Grand Elder Valerian seemingly frowned in the distance.

"What nonsense are you-"

Shirley simply took off her veil, revealing her extremely alluring face that made the crowd slightly gasp and even seemed to have perturbed the Grand Elder. However, they all noticed a few drops of blood coming out of her two ears.

"!!!"

Everyone became stunned as they saw that Shirley was injured!