Aftermath

To get the research institute up and running quickly, Su Yu began recruiting personnel. He also obtained information from Hu Xiansheng on several veteran researchers Hu intended to recommend. The institute still needed staff. While Su Yu could use source blood himself to open apertures and deduce cultivation methods backward, doing so made certain things too difficult to conceal. A suitable cover remained necessary. In truth, he had already exposed a great deal, even prompting others to connect his feats to ancestral ruin inheritances. But at least so far, no one knew that an illustrated tome rested in his mind. A truly wondrous tome! …… While Su Yu enjoyed this rare peace and began preparing his institute, Great Xia Prefecture remained swept by swirling undercurrents. The storm over the Single Divine Character Faction’s ambush on Su Yu was gradually subsiding. At the cost of slaying multiple Shanhai experts, Great Xia Prefecture had quelled the uproar. Yet certain things could not be erased merely by killing a few people. The outbreak, exposure, and public revelation of the feud between the Single and Multiple factions had been seared into the minds of the people of Great Xia Prefecture. Su Yu’s flight was held quietly in their hearts, but if he were ever to make massive waves one day, people would quickly remember this fled prodigy. Great Xia Civilization Academy. This semester, the civilization academy grew ever quieter, bleak, and almost dead. Multiple elders had died! Numerous Lingyun researchers had perished as well, dealing a severe blow to the Single Divine Character Faction's strength. As for the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, devoid of Su Yu, Bai Feng, and Hong Tan, it was likewise lifeless. Even Wu Jia rarely stepped outside, let alone Chen Yong, who had always preferred to sequester himself in the Library Pavilion. January 16th. While Su Yu was busy preparing to recruit personnel, a commander of the Guards called out loudly beneath the Library Pavilion: “Elder Chen, an Elder Council meeting has been convened. Please attend, Elder Chen!” “Not going. Not interested,” Chen Yong's indifferent response drifted down from upstairs. The commander hurriedly said, “Elder, the new deputy head has arrived. Head Wan’s instructions were that all elders not in secluded cultivation should attend to meet and get acquainted with him.” “Just say I'm in seclusion.” “Elder...” The commander grew anxious. “Deputy Head Yuan’s intention was to get to know everyone as well. Furthermore, he may also wish to discuss Su Yu’s matter.” A moment later, Chen Yong walked downstairs. Looking at the commander, he asked indifferently, “Deputy Head Yuan wants to discuss Su Yu? What is there to discuss? The person has already left. What else is there to talk about?” The commander lowered his head. Ever since this Pavilion Master Chen broke through to the Shanhai Realm, he had maintained an astonishingly low profile, yet seeing him again today brought an instinctive sense of dread. He whispered, “Elder, I do not know the specifics of what will be discussed. You will only know once you go.” “Pointless.” Chen Yong frowned slightly and walked forward, asking as he walked, “Did Head Wan say anything?” “No.” “What about Deputy Head Xia Changqing and Deputy Head Su Ziming?” “They said nothing either.” Chen Yong asked no further. His face resumed its calm as he strode toward Xiuxin Pavilion. …… A moment later, in the Xiuxin Pavilion elder meeting room. Elders arrived one after another. Of the thirty-six Shanhai elders, three had died. With Chen Yong’s advancement, there were currently thirty-four Shanhai experts, but many were not in the academy or were in secluded cultivation. Only about twenty elders could still be seen within the academy. When Chen Yong arrived, none of the deputy heads had appeared yet. Seeing Chen Yong enter, the meeting room fell silent. Elder Fang of the Single Divine Character Faction was also present, sitting in absolute silence. In the past, the Single Divine Character Faction possessed eight elders. Now, Zheng and Ma were in the Vanguard Camp, Zhao and Zhou were in seclusion, and three had died, leaving only him to support the Single Divine Character Faction at Great Xia Civilization Academy. In the blink of an eye, the Single Divine Character Faction showed signs of decline. And all of this was because of a single Su Yu. Chen Yong did not greet anyone. He took a seat by himself, sitting in the very back without uttering a word. A moment later, the door opened, and Wan Tiansheng and several others arrived. Besides Wan Tiansheng, Xia Changqing, and Su Ziming, there was an extremely young-looking man. Slender and youthful, a gentle smile consistently graced his features. His aura, however, faintly suppressed even Wan Tiansheng’s. A Sun Moon Realm expert! The group took their respective seats. This Sun Moon expert sat in the upper seat on the left, ranking above Su Ziming, while the first seat on the right was occupied by Xia Changqing, who represented the Xia family. Everyone remained quiet. Even with the heads of the academy arriving, no one spoke up. After a brief moment, someone entered through the door: Ji Hong! Ji Hong entered briskly and, without any pleasantries, directly held up an official order and declared swiftly, “By decree of the Quest Realm, Yuan Qingdong is hereby appointed as First Deputy Head of Great Xia Civilization Academy...” In the past, the first deputy head had been Zhou Mingren. Zhou Mingren was currently in secluded cultivation, and following the previous incident involving Zhai Feng and the others, he had also been stripped of the position. Having delivered the decree, Ji Hong did not linger. Arriving in haste and departing just as swiftly, he stated, “You may discuss the division of duties among yourselves. Thank you for your trouble, Head Wan. Farewell!” Ji Hong left as quickly as he had arrived. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from Xiuxin Pavilion. Yuan Qingdong seemed somewhat surprised. “Director Ji... is truly a busy man.” Chuckling, Yuan Qingdong smiled and said, “Everyone, it is an honor to come to Great Xia Prefecture and to the civilization academy. Taking on such a heavy responsibility leaves me quite flattered!” Dead silence! Only after a moment did Elder Fang of the Single Divine Character Faction smile and say, “Deputy Head Yuan’s arrival is our honor.” Yuan Qingdong raised an eyebrow slightly, smiled, and said no more. The people of Great Xia Prefecture... were truly arrogant. Were they ostracizing him? Back when Wan Tiansheng arrived to take over as head, no one had heard of him being ostracized like this. Wan Tiansheng, who had not spoken until now, said indifferently, “Enough idle chatter. Deputy Head Yuan Qingdong is a Sun Moon Realm expert. In the past, Great Xia Civilization Academy ranked among the top three academies. Now, while we have plenty of Shanhai experts, we had not a single Sun Moon...” “Ahem, ahem!” Many elders coughed lightly. Wan Tiansheng paid it no mind, continuing, “Now, a Sun Moon Realm expert has finally arrived, which can be considered upholding the prestige of Great Xia Civilization Academy! “As for what Deputy Head Yuan will oversee... let it be the duties Zhou Mingren originally handled. He will primarily oversee the Divine Character College!” Wan Tiansheng gave a brief instruction, then smiled faintly. “Deputy Head Yuan, I leave the remaining time to you. As a newcomer, speak more so everyone can get to know and understand you.” Yuan Qingdong smiled. “Thank you, Head Wan. In truth, many present already know me and have interacted with me before. Some elders have even pursued advanced studies at the Quest Realm, making us quite familiar. “Arriving today for the first time, I will not say much. The greatest upheaval at Great Xia Civilization Academy recently was Su Yu’s defection...” The moment these words fell, Chen Yong looked at him without speaking. Among the crowd, several elders frowned slightly. One elder with a short temper directly spoke up: “Deputy Head Yuan, you would do well to take back the word ‘defection’! Things finally quieted down, yet the moment you arrive, you insist on stirring up trouble?” This elder had a bad temper and spoke bluntly, frowning as he said, “It was already a humiliation, and even a Sun Moon died over it, yet you still bring it up! Did you come to do actual work, or did you come to pick a fight? If you're looking for a fight, have the Xia family talk to you!” Yuan Qingdong frowned slightly. Before he could speak, Old Huang coughed lightly from below and smiled. “Deputy Head Yuan is probably tired from his journey and hasn't fully woken up yet. Let us suspend the Elder Council meeting for now, and resume once Deputy Head Yuan has had adequate rest...” Yuan Qingdong frowned again. “Everyone, I know you dislike hearing this, but... certain matters are better stated clearly! When I say defection, I am not creating trouble out of nothing, nor am I deliberately picking a fight. I believe certain people understand, yet pretend ignorance...” He looked toward Chen Yong. Chen Yong remained silent. Yuan Qingdong said indifferently, “This time, regarding Su Yu’s departure, if we view it purely from cause and effect, it was certain members of the Single Divine Character Faction who were blinded by greed. They deserved to be killed, and they deserved to die!” The crowd was slightly surprised and refrained from speaking. Yuan Qingdong continued, “Yet as everyone knows, certain matters were premeditated! Mansion Master Zhu’s intervention was premeditated; this is beyond doubt. Of course, this was not Su Yu’s sin, nor do I have grounds to claim Su Yu defected over this. His ability to contact the Great Ming mansion master was his own capability... “However, has anyone noticed something?” He looked at everyone. “The footage Su Yu broadcasted had parts edited out. I can no longer obtain some of the original recordings, but I inspected certain remnants. I also visited Starfall Mountain, where I made some minor discoveries...” With a wave of his hand, an image of a figure appeared before the crowd. “Everyone, do you recognize who this is?” At these words, many looked toward the image. Their expressions immediately grew strange. Yuan Qingdong smiled. “I imagine quite a few recognize him! A former genius of Great Xia Civilization Academy, Feng Qi!” “Didn't he die?” someone asked in surprise. Yuan Qingdong narrowed his eyes, smiling. “He merely faked his death! In truth, the Quest Realm had long been monitoring him. After faking his death, he concealed his identity and secretly defected to the All-Races Cult, joining the Six-Winged God Cult!” Hearing this, peculiar looks appeared in several elders' eyes. Yuan Qingdong said with a chuckle, “This man is a high-ranking chieftain in the All-Races Cult, holding a considerable position, possessing Shanhai Realm strength. Back then, he was a genius of Great Xia Civilization Academy, boasting extraordinary combat prowess; an ordinary fourth- or fifth-stage Shanhai might not even defeat him... “Yet this time, we actually discovered traces of him at Starfall Mountain! Not only that, evidence suggests Feng Qi was a helper summoned by Su Yu, who ambushed the defecting Elder Li...” Yuan Qingdong smiled and looked toward Chen Yong, speaking with a profound tone: “I believe Elder Chen recognizes this man. Feng Qi should not be unfamiliar to you, correct? And the fact that Feng Qi belongs to the Six-Winged God Cult is supported by ironclad evidence! Feng Qi intervened this time to protect Su Yu. I have every reason to suspect there is something fishy behind this! Why did Su Yu orchestrate the ambush of Jin Yuhui and the others, the leader and deputy leader of the Bloodfire Cult, and the figures of the Divine Dragon Cult and Demonic Scorpion Cult? “Could it be to clear out rivals for the Six-Winged God Cult? “Was Mansion Master Zhu used? “What exactly is Su Yu’s allegiance? Whom is he truly serving? “Where did the cultivation methods he passed down come from? Were they from an ancestral ruin, or given to him by the Six-Winged God Clan? “Is his reputation as a prodigy genuine, or did the Six-Winged God Cult need this prodigy mantle? “If inherited from a ruin... no one covets that; what belongs to him is his. Still, I hope he can make it public. Rest assured, I do not covet his ruin. I would even recommend Great Xia Prefecture and the Quest Realm arrange protection for him so Su Yu can smoothly inherit the ruin... But if it did not come from a ruin, then where did it come from?” Yuan Qingdong smiled. “Elder Chen, this is precisely the first matter I intend to tackle upon arriving at Great Xia Civilization Academy! This is no small matter. Su Yu has caused tremendous upheaval, even dragging Great Ming Prefecture and Great Xia Prefecture into it, along with Great Zhou Prefecture and Great Shang Prefecture! “We must pursue this to the end and investigate thoroughly. Facts cannot be disputed!” Yuan Qingdong’s expression turned cold. “A fellow who might well be a sleeper genius of the Six-Winged God Cult has now even gained the favor of Great Ming Prefecture. This cannot simply be brushed aside or glossed over!” The other elders could say nothing now, their expressions turning rather unsightly. Old Huang could not help but ask, “Feng Qi is a member of the Six-Winged God Cult? Where is the evidence?” “Evidence?” Yuan Qingdong smiled. “Of course there is. Look, everyone...” Soon, he played a recording showing Feng Qi moving alongside members of the Six-Winged God Cult. However, the Feng Qi in the footage did not reveal his face. Old Huang frowned. “How does this prove it is Feng Qi? The build looks somewhat similar...” Yuan Qingdong cut him off: “Internal intelligence verified by the Quest Realm. Let us put it this way: if Feng Qi dares to come forward to prove he is not part of the Six-Winged God Cult, then it is merely a misunderstanding, giving everyone an explanation. But if he dares not, then his faking death back then is a massive issue!” Faking death! That was indeed a serious offense! How Feng Qi had returned to the Human Realm was also an issue. Aside from anything else, a prodigy faking his death—after Great Xia Prefecture had invested heavily in nurturing someone like Feng Qi, including sending him to the Star Pavilion—amounted to treason. And Feng Qi had stepped in to help Su Yu this time. Chen Yong asked calmly, “Then is Deputy Head Yuan implying we should arrest Su Yu and bring him to justice?” “It is too early to speak of arrest!” Yuan Qingdong smiled. “However, I need Su Yu to come to Great Xia Prefecture to prove his innocence! Is that asking too much? If he is unwilling to come, I can go there myself. As long as Su Yu clarifies his relationship with Feng Qi, nothing will be an issue.” Chen Yong said coldly, “What is there to clarify? It has nothing to do with Su Yu. I was the one who sent Feng Qi!” The meeting room fell silent at once. Chen Yong said impassively, “Feng Qi is my close friend. Joining the Six-Winged God Cult and even faking his death was all arranged by me! Years ago, I was attacked by the Six-Winged God Cult. To investigate the truth and find the culprits, I had Feng Qi disguise his identity and infiltrate them. Is there a problem with that?” “Yes!” Yuan Qingdong said darkly. “Even you lack the authority to plant an undercover operative in the All-Races Cult. To whom did you report it? Undercover operations must be reported! Otherwise, who knows whether you truly defected or were merely pretending to be undercover!” “He reported it to me.” Wan Tiansheng smiled. “All right, Old Yuan. When you brought up Feng Qi, I was about to speak. Really, you people certainly investigated thoroughly. Feng Qi’s matter was approved by me. Back then, he was injured in the Star Pavilion. When Chen Yong mentioned it, I thought it would be a good opportunity to have him infiltrate the Six-Winged God Cult, so it was arranged.” Yuan Qingdong’s expression shifted slightly, and he chuckled. “So that’s how it is! Then it seems I was mistaken!” Yuan Qingdong smiled. “Since it was a misunderstanding, let us leave it at that. It turns out Feng Qi is one of our own... However... Feng Qi might be in some trouble now. The fact that he assisted Su Yu has likely spread. Once the Six-Winged God Cult receives the news, Feng Qi’s identity will probably be exposed. I had assumed it was ordered by the Six-Winged God Cult.” Chen Yong’s expression flickered. “Deputy Head Yuan, isn’t this information known only to you? How could it leak?” Yuan Qingdong sighed in apparent self-reproach. “You didn't inform us earlier, nor did you report it to the Quest Realm. Previously, when we traced Feng Qi’s whereabouts, we attempted to capture him. The capture failed, but the fact that he assisted Su Yu leaked out and was likely discovered by others... Sigh, a misunderstanding. Such things are often unavoidable. “Had you told us earlier, there would have been no such misunderstanding! Then Su Yu’s defection is also a misunderstanding. Fortunately, it was not rashly made public, or that would have been troublesome too. Next time, everyone must be sure to explain such things clearly to me!” Chen Yong nodded slightly. “We will. As for Brother Feng, one can only say he must fend for himself. No one knows where he is right now.” With a sigh, Chen Yong added, “I was careless. I thought no one would discover Brother Feng’s tracks!” Yuan Qingdong also expressed regret, quickly offering comforting words: “Heaven protects the worthy. Shanhai experts dare not clash rashly within the Human Realm; the commotion is too great. Unless Sun Moon experts intervene to capture him, they won't be able to suppress the disturbance! “The Six-Winged God Cult is not weak. Their cult master is a Sun Moon expert, right?” Yuan Qingdong sighed. “I hope the Six-Winged God Cult Master will not personally intervene!” No one spoke! This Yuan Qingdong had delivered a show of strength right from the start! None of them had known about Feng Qi’s identity, yet in the blink of an eye, Yuan Qingdong had exposed it. If Chen Yong had not acknowledged it, even Su Yu would have faced trouble. Colluding with the All-Races Cult meant fleeing to Great Ming Prefecture would not save him. And now, Feng Qi being hunted down was also a headache. Chen Yong took a deep breath and said slowly, “I hope so! Since matters have reached this point, I hope Great Xia Prefecture can issue a statement of support, declaring that Feng Qi is an agent of Great Xia Prefecture. The All-Races Cult would have to weigh the consequences before acting!” Yuan Qingdong said cryptically, “Right now, the Six-Winged God Cult might not have confirmed Feng Qi’s identity. If you issue a statement, his identity will be confirmed instead. If Feng Qi happens to explain himself and slip through right now, Elder Chen, Great Xia Prefecture’s statement would become his death warrant!” Chen Yong smiled faintly. “Then that is fate! Head Wan, I must trouble you to step forward, explain the situation, and issue a statement on behalf of Great Xia Prefecture. Even if it may not accomplish much, it will serve as some deterrent, at least intimidating smaller cults so they dare not meddle rashly.” “Very well!” Wan Tiansheng nodded. “That can easily be done. We do not know Feng Qi’s exact location, so let us hope he escapes this tribulation!” Turning to Yuan Qingdong, Wan Tiansheng asked with a smile, “Deputy Head Yuan, is there anything else you wish to address?” “One more thing...” Yuan Qingdong smiled. “It is like this: certain matters are best spoken plainly. Pavilion Master Chen has now reached the Shanhai Realm and become an elder. According to the rules, the position of Pavilion Master of the Library Pavilion... is no longer suitable for Elder Chen. Coincidentally, the Divine Character College lost several elders this time. Now that Elder Chen has advanced to Shanhai, those with ability should bear more burdens. I propose transferring Yu Hong’s former responsibilities to Elder Chen, placing him in charge of resource allocation for the Divine Character College.” This had once been a lucrative post! Of course, it was hard to say now. Previously, it certainly was! Yet now, in its fury, Great Xia Prefecture had drastically slashed resource subsidies, leaving the college filled with grievances! Managing resource allocation at this point meant catching all the blame without enjoying any benefits! Allocate too little, and everyone would curse him. Allocate more... forget it, there was nothing extra to allocate; resources were already scarce! Moreover, he would have to relinquish the crucial position at the Library Pavilion! Chen Yong smiled and nodded. “Very well, we shall follow the rules in all things!” Yuan Qingdong smiled as well, adding swiftly, “According to the rules, the Multiple Divine Characters Faction was banned long ago. The divine character battle technique stele, which originally belonged in the Library Pavilion, should now be handed over to the academy by Elder Chen...” Chen Yong laughed. “The divine character battle technique stele? That thing... my grandmaster took it with him to the All-Heavens Battlefield back then and lost it!” His grandmaster was the Fifth Generation! At these words, several elders gritted their teeth, their jaws aching! Nonsense! Su Yu had just received the inheritance of divine character battle techniques, yet you claim this... Aren't you lying through your teeth? Yuan Qingdong was stunned for a moment as well! He had expected Chen Yong to refuse, resist, or make excuses, but... he had not anticipated Chen Yong fobbing him off so blatantly! “Then Su Yu...” “Su Yu’s divine character battle technique came from his extraordinary innate talent; he figured it out on his own! As did I, and my junior brother Bai Feng...” Chen Yong laughed. “And my disciple Wu Jia too. We are all self-taught geniuses! If Deputy Head Yuan does not believe it, I can recruit several hundred geniuses to test it out. I guarantee at least a few will become self-taught geniuses. Just give me a little time...” “...” Bullshit! He was truly lying through his teeth, treating everyone like idiots! Self-taught geniuses? Who are you fooling! Chen Yong chuckled. “If Deputy Head Yuan does not believe it, go ask my grandmaster. Perhaps grandmaster will tell you!” Yuan Qingdong narrowed his eyes and smiled. “Then forget it. If it is lost, it is lost!” He then said, “Su Yu has already left and enrolled in Great Ming Civilization Academy. His student status at Great Xia Civilization Academy should be revoked. One student holding registration in two academies violates the rules!” Chen Yong smiled. “As you wish, I have no objection! Severing that connection suits us fine!” At this moment, Wan Tiansheng said faintly, “Forget it, let us keep it! He is, after all, a genius who emerged from Great Xia Civilization Academy. Deputy Head Yuan, you have just arrived today and must be tired. Take some rest. There is no need to expend so much effort over a single Su Yu; it is no major matter.” “Head Wan...” Yuan Qingdong wanted to say more, but Wan Tiansheng coughed and said, “Sitting for so long, my old age is catching up to me; I can hardly endure it! Meeting adjourned. As for Deputy Head Yuan’s welcoming banquet, Old Qi, you folks arrange it as you see fit. I won't attend. Sigh, we have held several Elder Council meetings over a single student. In the future, there is no need to convene separate council meetings for Su Yu. It wastes too much of everyone’s time.” With that, he rose to leave. Yuan Qingdong frowned. “Head Wan, I still have matters to address, including the three great demons that previously helped Su Yu. They cannot be easily sent to Su Yu. Those great demons committed numerous atrocities in the past. People previously thought they were dead, but they turned out to be alive. These demons once slaughtered humans on the All-Heavens Battlefield... “Even the Lingyun and Tengkong realm demons he carries have human lives on their hands...” Wan Tiansheng coughed and laughed. “As long as they turn over a new leaf, that suffices. They are mounts. Once punished for their past deeds, so long as they are willing to serve the human race, that is enough! Even among the mounts subdued by several Invincibles today, Deputy Head Yuan, do you dare claim none of those mounts ever killed humans? Back then, each served their own master. Since you subdued them and made them your mounts, and they caused no trouble during their service, that constitutes a break from the past. Serving as mounts for the human race is their atonement!” He then chuckled, “Not to mention, that fellow Hong Tan has a black heart. He harvested flesh and blood for years. Only now does everyone realize some of the source blood was supplied by them. I used to wonder how his Wen Tan Research Center kept running... Let us not mention this further. If they truly offend again, not only will the mounts be punished, but their master will be punished as well!” Yuan Qingdong frowned and said no more. He had not expected Wan Tiansheng to bring up the mounts of the Invincibles. Bluntly put, which powerful great demon did not have human lives on its hands? In the past, each fought for their own master. Great demons were powerful, and precisely because of their power and the trouble they caused on the All-Heavens Battlefield, they drew the attention of the Invincibles, who killed some and subdued others... Those mounts were hardly benevolent either. Pursuing this further would mean questioning the Invincibles. Wan Tiansheng departed on his own, and Chen Yong stood up as well, smiling. “Deputy Head Yuan, then I shall take my leave as well! Ah, right, since I am now in charge of the resource department, I will check the ledgers shortly. I hope everything tallies. If not... Dean Zhou will have to make up the difference. If he cannot, there will be nothing I can do.” Yuan Qingdong ignored him. The other elders stood up and dispersed as well. Old Huang sighed as he left, saying nothing further, though he was visibly displeased. Things had just quieted down, yet this Deputy Head Yuan had arrived to stir things up again. Utterly exasperating. It was good that Su Yu had left! Had he stayed, another chaotic brawl would inevitably have erupted. That brat didn't have Chen Yong’s patience; if that fellow were an elder, he would have flipped the table in the meeting room today. As the elders dispersed, Yuan Qingdong frowned in silence. Just as he was about to leave, a voice sounded in his ears. “Deputy Head Yuan, do not wield yourself as a blade so carelessly. Your blade isn't sharp enough. The Multiple Divine Characters Faction has nothing left to lose. To put it bluntly, a barefoot man doesn't fear one wearing shoes. It isn't as if Sun Moon Realm experts have never died... Once my master emerges from seclusion, he will be a Sun Moon expert—a Multiple Divine Characters Sun Moon. I hope Deputy Head Yuan will not regret this when the time comes...” Yuan Qingdong’s gaze turned sharp as he looked out the door. Outside, Chen Yong looked back with a faint smile, transmitting his voice: “Feng Qi had better live, and live a long time. Otherwise... Deputy Head Yuan, you had better watch me constantly, watching me until you die. Otherwise, the young and old of your Yuan clan... hehe...” Smiling, Chen Yong turned and walked away. Yuan Qingdong transmitted his voice coldly: “Chen Yong, you have fallen into demonic obsession! Are you threatening me with my family?” “Fallen into obsession? No, it is Deputy Head Yuan who has fallen into obsession. What did I say? I merely said I would look after Deputy Head Yuan’s family. What was wrong with that?” Chen Yong did not look back, his voice transmission laced with laughter: “I seek nothing anymore. My junior brother is on the All-Heavens Battlefield, my martial nephew was forced away, and I have only one disciple left... It matters not; Marquis Xia once promised her parents a place in the Shrine of Martyrs! If you are bold enough, go ahead and strike! As for me... Deputy Head Yuan need not worry about me! As a blade, you are not sharp enough. You cannot disregard the rules. You can try killing me inside the academy, or test your luck within Great Xia Prefecture. If you were an Invincible, I would fear you somewhat... Unfortunately, you are not.” “Chen Yong! I see you truly have succumbed to demons!” Yuan Qingdong said coldly, “Everything I said today accords with the rules. Whether Feng Qi or Su Yu, both carried suspicions that could not be cleared. You failed to explain yourselves, so my suspicions were thoroughly justified. Yet you dare threaten me!” “Deputy Head Yuan misunderstands. I said nothing of the sort!” Chen Yong’s laughter echoed, and after a moment, his figure had completely vanished into the distance. Once everyone had departed, Elder Fang whispered, “Deputy Head Yuan, what do we do now?” Yuan Qingdong glanced at him and said indifferently, “What else? Clean up the Single Divine Character Faction! Weed out the trash, retain the elite, and channel our limited resources toward those elites! Focus on cultivating the ninth-stage Lingyun experts and strive for breakthroughs to Shanhai! Take over the Library Pavilion and search for the whereabouts of the divine character battle technique stele. Chen Yong gave up the Library Pavilion so easily; the stele... may have been taken away by Su Yu!” With a cold tone, he added, “Keep your eyes on Chen Yong for me! Right now, only he remains in Great Xia Prefecture’s Multiple Divine Characters Faction. Hong Tan is in secluded cultivation, and his student can be ignored; a mediocre talent reaching Tengkong or Lingyun cannot change anything! It is a good thing Su Yu left. Otherwise, if he continued stirring trouble in Great Xia Prefecture, the Multiple Divine Characters Faction would inevitably rise from the ashes!” Su Yu’s departure was not necessarily a bad thing. That brat was too talented and possessed too great an aptitude for making trouble. If he hadn't left, he would have whipped up storms sooner or later. “Understood!” Yuan Qingdong continued, “For now, do not fuss over trivial matters. I originally wanted to cut off Su Yu’s path of return, but Wan Tiansheng spoke up...” Narrowing his eyes, he quickly said, “Pay him no mind. If he wants to stay hidden, let him! In the end, he will just be a dead tiger! At the end of this year, the Star Pavilion candidate selection will begin. Whatever else happens, of the twenty slots allocated to Great Xia Prefecture, the Single Divine Character Faction must secure at least five!” Elder Fang nodded. “That shouldn't be difficult. Liu Hong and Hu Wensheng are both geniuses, and both have entered Lingyun. In addition, several Tengkong experts stand a high chance, along with geniuses from Jiutian and Wendao academies. Five slots is the minimum!” “Let us hope so!” Yuan Qingdong smiled faintly. “Furthermore, the Divine Character College will soon recruit another teaching assistant!” “Teaching assistant?” “Shan Xiong!” Elder Fang’s expression changed slightly. “He... he is joining Great Xia Civilization Academy?” “Why not?” Yuan Qingdong chuckled. “Fascinating, isn't it? Perhaps he will bring us a few pleasant surprises!” Elder Fang was momentarily dazed. “Then the Xia family...” “The Xia family just carried out a purge. Would they strike again without cause?” Yuan Qingdong glanced at him. “Do you still expect the Xia family to hold you in high regard? Even now, can you not see clearly? The Xia family has supported Liu Wenyan’s group from the beginning. They refrained from dealing with you previously only for lack of an excuse. Do not give the Xia family any excuse to act against you, fool. Do you understand?” Despite the insult, Elder Fang did not retort, merely nodding. He had seen it as well: the Xia family indeed stood behind the Multiple Divine Characters Faction. Given the opportunity and pretext, they would strike without mercy! Multiple elders executed along with their clans—the horror of that scene remained fresh in his memory.