Pu!Song s.h.i.+ spurted a mouthful of blood after hearing Zhang Xuan"s words before fainting from sheer rage and indignation.
As a quasi 8-star master teacher coming to the weaker Qingyuan Empire, he should have been in a position of absolute prestige and authority with none daring to oppose him…
But things didn"t seem to go as he antic.i.p.ated. Firstly, all the master teachers that should have been under his command ended up turning against him. As if that was not enough, a cauldron even crippled him. What further intensified his wrath was that Zhang Xuan was even putting on a look of innocence, as if he had nothing to do with it at all.
You might have given pointers to your cauldron very discreetly, but as a quasi 8-star master teacher, did you really think that I wouldn"t be able to notice it?
In secret, you gave pointers to your artifact to teach it how to cripple me, but publicly, you put on an innocent front, as if everything that happened had nothing to do with you…
Can you get any more shameless than that?
Furthermore… sever?
Sever your head!
Crippled as it may be, it still beats having nothing at all!
Seeing that Song s.h.i.+ had really fainted, Zhang Xuan shook his head and sheathed his dagger. He placed his finger on the latter"s renzhong to help him regain consciousness. After which, he turned to the Golden Origin Cauldron and bellowed furiously, "What are you standing around there for? Come over and apologize!"
"Yes, Master!" The Golden Origin Cauldron walked over awkwardly with its stubby legs, reminiscent of the movements of a duck. Standing before Song s.h.i.+, it apologized earnestly. "Song s.h.i.+, I shouldn"t have kicked your crotch. To make up for the damage you have incurred… why don"t I allow you to kick me twice?"
After saying those words, the Golden Origin Cauldron spread open its legs, as if inviting Song s.h.i.+ over.
Pu!
Song s.h.i.+ spurted yet another mouthful of blood.
The heck! Is you kicking my crotch the same thing as me kicking your crotch? Do you even have anything there for me to kick?
Besides, I am a quasi 8-star master teacher! If I need someone else to spread his legs for me to kick him back… what would become of my honor?
Song s.h.i.+ struggled free out of Zhang Xuan"s support as he bellowed, "Zhang Xuan, you forcefully freed the prisoners on death row, disrespected your senior, and ordered your artifact to make a move against me. It"s clear that you have no eyes for the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion at all! Have no doubt that I"ll have this matter reported to the headquarters!"
"You will report this matter to the headquarters?"
"That"s right!" Song s.h.i.+ roared with gritted teeth.
"Very well. Golden Origin Cauldron, I"ll leave our Song s.h.i.+ over here in your care. Make sure to give him plenty of love…" Zhang Xuan waved his hand nonchalantly.
"Sure thing!" Excited, the Golden Origin Cauldron lifted its short and stubby legs, and it looked as if it would shoot up toward a certain location once more.
"You!" Alarmed, Song s.h.i.+ hurriedly staggered backward weakly. He swiftly drove his zhenqi, thinking that he would at least make Zhang Xuan pay the price for his actions even if he died there. However, at that moment, the sharp call of a saint beast suddenly echoed across the sky.
A moment later, something reminiscent of an inferno appeared by the horizon.
"It"s the Saint 6-dan saint beast, Inferno Cloud Phoenix!" Song s.h.i.+ narrowed his eyes in astonishment. Following which, a thought came to his mind, and he began trembling in agitation. "It"s… the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion"s Yao s.h.i.+, Yao Mantian!"
"Yao Mantian?" Zhang Xuan frowned.
Activating his Eye of Insight, he began examining the inferno closely.
There indeed a figure standing on the back of the Inferno Cloud Phoenix. It was a lady who appeared to be in her forties. Dressed in plain clothes, her external appearance could not be said to be beautiful. However, the graceful disposition that she commanded set her apart from the crowd, giving the impression that she was a n.o.ble G.o.ddess from the heavens.
Pinned on her chest was a master teacher emblem, and the eight stars on it gleamed conspicuously beneath the brilliant rays of the sun.
8-star master teacher?
To think that the other party was a real 8-star master teacher!
In other words, at the very least, she was a Saint 6-dan Grand Dominion realm expert!
Amid shocked gazes, the Inferno Cloud Phoenix halted right above the execution platform. Following which, Yao s.h.i.+ slowly took walked down from the back of the aerial saint beast.
Before she reached the platform, a graceful voice filled the area. "I am 8-star low-tier Master Teacher Yao Mantian from the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion. I have come under the orders of the headquarters to investigate the death of Pavilion Master Gou. May I know if Vice Pavilion Master Wu of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion is here at the moment?"
"Investigate the death of Pavilion Master Gou?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback for a moment before coming to a realization.
Back when Zhang Xuan crashed the pavilion and Tian Qing escaped, Pavilion Master Gou had applied for the help of the headquarters in order to track the latter down, so the headquarters had sent Song s.h.i.+ over. After which, Pavilion Master Gou died along with seven other 7-star master teachers, and in view of the ma.s.sive threat that the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion was in at that moment, Wu s.h.i.+ also sent another application for help.
The second matter was too huge for Song s.h.i.+, whom they had dispatched previously from the Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Pavilion to deal with Tian Qing, so the headquarters had decided to send an 8-star master teacher over as well.
Due to the lag in between the two matters, Song s.h.i.+ and Yao s.h.i.+ had not been informed that the other would be going to the Qingyuan Empire as well.
"Qianchong Empire 7-star Master Teacher Song Xuan pays respect to Yao s.h.i.+!" Song s.h.i.+ stepped forward and greeted.
Quasi 8-star master teacher was an informal t.i.tle created by the master teachers themselves in view of the vast disparity in strength inherent among the 7-star master teachers. This t.i.tle was never officially recognized by the Master Teacher Pavilion, so in front of a higher ranking master teacher, Song s.h.i.+ did not dare to address himself as a quasi 8-star master teacher for fear that he might appear impudent.
"Un. I remember meeting you once when I visited the Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Pavilion to conduct a lecture a few years back." Yao Mantian nodded before a hint of intrigue crept into her voice. "What are you doing here? Also, your injuries…"
With her eye of discernment, she could immediately tell that Song s.h.i.+"s crotch had been injured.
For a Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle expert to be injured in such a location, could he have been facing a formidable opponent prior to her arrival?
"Reporting to Yao s.h.i.+, I came here at the orders of the headquarters to investigate the matter concerning Zhang s.h.i.+"s pavilion cras.h.i.+ng and the disappearance of Vice Pavilion Master Tian.
"However, when I arrived, I learned that Emperor Chu Tianxing had been a.s.sa.s.sinated. I was unable to find the murderer, but I did manage to uncover his accomplices. By the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion, those criminals should be publicly executed to serve as a strict warning to others against doing the same.
"Yet, who could have known that Zhang s.h.i.+ over here would disregard the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion and willfully rescue those criminals, even going to the extent of disrespecting and a.s.saulting me?" Song s.h.i.+ swiftly explained the matter to Yao s.h.i.+.
"Yao s.h.i.+, I ask of you to redress my grievances!"
"You are saying that Zhang s.h.i.+ rescued the criminals and injured you?" Yao Mantian frowned as she turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, "Are you Zhang Xuan? Is what Song s.h.i.+ said true?"
"It"s true that I did free those men who were to be executed, and it was indeed my artifact, the Golden Origin Cauldron, that injured him." Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and answered the question, not denying the matter.
With so many people beneath the execution platform witnessing the incident, there was no way he could deny the matter. Since that was the case, he might as well admit to it candidly.
"Song s.h.i.+ has come to Qingyuan Empire as an envoy of the headquarters, so his words represent the very will of the headquarters. Yet, to disregard his judgement, raid the execution platform, and even injure him… Do you understand how heavy a crime that is?" Yao Mantian asked imposingly.
Given how huge an affair a pavilion cras.h.i.+ng was, she had also heard of Zhang Xuan.
For a person as young as him to successfully crash an entire Master Teacher Pavilion, the talent that he wielded was truly inconceivable.
As long as he did not die prematurely, he was bound to achieve great things in the future. Since that was the case, why would he suddenly do something so reckless and foolish at this moment, giving up the bright future ahead of him?
"Reporting to Yao s.h.i.+, there"s more to the story than Song s.h.i.+ reported. As a 7-star master teacher, I am aware of the implications of my actions, but I had no choice but to resort to such actions. I did not wish to see the Master Teacher Pavilion being mocked over a foolish course of action!" Zhang Xuan bowed deeply.
"Foolish course of action?" Yao Mantian asked doubtfully.
"Yes." Zhang Xuan nodded before he began explaining. "Vice Pavilion Master Tian was a spy of the Otherworldly Demon. He was an incarnation of the will of the Qingtian Emperor of the Qingtian Lineage, which means that his roots can be traced back to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. He was colluding with King Zhongqing and Emperor Chu Tianxing, and they sought to bring disorder and chaos upon mankind…" Zhang Xuan swiftly explained the matter concerning Tian Qing and the Qingtian Lineage to Yao s.h.i.+.
Of course, he made sure to neglect the portion concerning Vicious.
"This…" By the time Yao s.h.i.+ had heard the full story, her eyes were already widened in shock. Staring at Zhang Xuan intently, she asked grimly, "This is a huge matter. Do you have any evidence?"
This matter concerned the vice head of a Master Teacher Pavilion and the emperor of a Conferred Empire. If they were to fail to deal with this matter promptly, the reputation of the Master Teacher Pavilion could possibly be sent into the gutters, and its credibility would take a huge blow.
"Wu s.h.i.+ and the others should have already reported the incident to the headquarters. If Yao s.h.i.+ doubts my word, you can try to establish contact with the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion to ask about the matter. They should have the corpse of the Qingtian Emperor there as evidence," Zhang Xuan said.
It was true that the Qingtian Emperor and Tian Qing were already dead, but their bodies remained. As difficult as it might be, the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters should still have its ways to find out whether Tian Qing was truly the incarnation of the Qingtian Emperor or not.
This matter could easily be verified by the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, and knowing this, it was not likely for Zhang Xuan to make up such an easily exposable lie. Thus, Yao Mantian nodded. "I"ll contact the headquarters later to look into the matter.
"However, even if there was something wrong with Chu Tianxing, Zhang s.h.i.+, you should also know that there is a set of formal procedures to deal with the matter. The matter should have been reported to the headquarters, and the headquarters would then have placed Chu Tianxing on a trial before sentencing him. The actions of your butler and the poison masters of barging into the royal palace, poisoning all of the guards, and killing Chu Tianxing are inappropriate and unacceptable.
"Since Chu Tianxing was a traitor of humanity, I understand why you might think that it"s unjustified for Song s.h.i.+ to sentence them to death. However, you must also consider the huge implications that would arise from the a.s.sa.s.sination of the emperor of a Conferred Empire.
"In order to calm the hearts of the people, this is a course of action that Song s.h.i.+ has no choice but to take for the sake of the greater good. On the other hand, your act of barging into the execution platform and ordering your artifact to injure him is impudent and unacceptable!"
The goal of the Master Teacher Pavilion was to maintain the order of mankind and lead them to greater heights.
The very act that Sun Qiang and the poison masters had done, poisoning the entire royal palace and killing the emperor, was against the rules, even if Chu Tianxing really was a traitor of mankind.
There were proper avenues to deal with such matters, and it was important for others to utilize these avenues. Otherwise, if self-justified individuals started taking matters into their own hands, it would not have been long before society devolved into chaos.
This was similar to how the law worked in the world where Zhang Xuan had come from. No matter how much a person hated a certain murderer, they could only leave it to the law to judge and punish the murderer instead of taking matters into their own hands, or else they could be charged for the same crime.
This was the same situation that Sun Qiang and the other poison masters were facing.
No matter what, even if Chu Tianxing was a traitor of mankind, he was still the emperor of a Conferred Empire. His abrupt a.s.sa.s.sination was bound to cause unrest among the populace, and that was why it was even more important to go through the formal procedures and put him through a trial. However, what was done was done, so Song s.h.i.+ could only find a way to appease the populace for the time being, even if the method utilized was disheartening.
Since Song s.h.i.+"s actions were justified, Zhang Xuan"s act of forcefully barging into the execution platform and pummeling Song s.h.i.+ were unjustified, and the crime of insubordination was truly not light.
Hearing that Yao s.h.i.+ was speaking on his behalf, Song s.h.i.+ quickly jumped forward to further fuel the flames. "Yao s.h.i.+, Zhang s.h.i.+ has grown complacent due to the talent he possesses. Not only is he disrespectful to his seniors, he also has no regard for the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion! Such a person must be punished severely, or else we will be setting a bad example for others…"
For his manhood to be crippled like that, there was no way he could take this matter lying down!
But before he could finish his words, Zhang Xuan roared, "Shut up!"
"You…" Song s.h.i.+ nearly exploded on the spot.
"Yao s.h.i.+ didn"t give you permission to speak, do you think that it is appropriate for you to be prattling off over there? To casually interject in the words of an 8-star master teacher, are these the formalities you have been speaking about all along?" Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back as he spoke deeply.
"I…" Song s.h.i.+"s face paled.
Considering that Yao s.h.i.+ was currently judging the case, it was indeed disrespectful of him to abruptly interject without permission.
Seeing that Song s.h.i.+ had fallen silent, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and reported, "There"s more to this matter than what Yao s.h.i.+ has reported. Song s.h.i.+ mentioned earlier that Sun Qiang was conspiring with the poison masters of the Poison Hall to a.s.sault the royal palace, but the truth is that Elder Xu and the others are no longer poison masters of the Poison Hall. They have already become combat masters of the Combat Master Hall!"
"Combat masters?"
"Indeed. It"s true that Elder Xu and the others used to be poison masters, but their kindness has touched the hearts of the combat masters, so the Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall took them in. This matter has already been reported to the Combat Master Hall headquarters, and the newly-inaugurated Progeny of Combat has given his consent to this matter. If you harbor any doubts to my words, you can investigate the issue!" Zhang Xuan reported righteously.
The matter of Elder Xu and the others joining the Combat Master Hall had already been reported up to the headquarters, and it had received their approval.
Thus, they were effectively no longer poison masters but combat masters of the Combat Master Hall, albeit not full-fledged ones yet.
"Oh?" Yao s.h.i.+ glanced at Song s.h.i.+ and asked, "Song s.h.i.+, are you aware of this matter?"
"I-I am aware that they have joined the Combat Master Hall, but…" Song s.h.i.+ face reddened as he anxiously replied, "A leopard doesn"t change its spots! The fact that they are still concocting poison secretly is more than sufficient evidence to prove that!"
He had heard that the poison masters had been accepted into the Combat Master Hall, but he did not think much about it back then.
"A leopard doesn"t change its spots? To think that a day would come where I would hear such words coming out of the mouth of a master teacher!" Zhang Xuan flung his sleeves furiously. "Song s.h.i.+, you used to suckle milk in the past as an infant. If I apply your own logic, can I say that you are still suckling milk even at your age?"Renzhong is a traditional Chinese medicine term, referring to the curved area in between one"s nose and above one"s lips.