Chapter 1203: Trouble at the Master Teacher Hall

The Master Teacher Hall of Qingyuan Empire.

Straw mats were laid side by side on the ground, with eight corpses lying on top.

Each corpse wore a master teacher robe, with seven stars shining on the chest, revealing their status.

Zhang Xuan was very familiar with the old man in the center; it was because of his unfair treatment that he had challenged the hall and even fought a battle with him... He had thought that this man would wait for headquarters to interrogate him and eventually be stripped of his position as hall master, but unexpectedly, he had died here.

"What happened?" Zhang Xuan frowned, looking at Teacher Wu.

"It happened this morning... According to the list you gave me, I had only interrogated eight people, and then... eight master teachers died in the hall!"

Teacher Wu's face was ashen.

After learning the list from Qingtian Emperor, Zhang Xuan had passed it to him. To avoid alarming the enemy, he conducted the interrogations quietly. He had just summoned the eighth person when he heard a subordinate report that eight seven-star master teachers had died in the hall.

Including... Hall Master Gou!

Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

Interrogating eight people, eight master teachers died, all seven-star. Clearly, the other side was giving them a warning.

"Moreover, their manner of death is the same as Chen Zhe's—soul leaving the body, leaving only the corpse..."

Teacher Wu continued.

Zhang Xuan was silent.

As soon as he entered, he noticed that everyone, including Hall Master Gou, had been killed by a soul-capturing technique that took away their three souls and seven spirits, turning them into corpses.

"It's... the ruthless one!"

He clenched his fists.

To be able to do this, even Hall Master Gou could not escape—only the ruthless one could have done it.

But... according to Qingtian Emperor's confession, the ruthless one was in the Jibei Swamp, bound by some seal that prevented him from leaving... How could he use such a secret technique to kill so many master teachers?

"Where were they found?" Zhang Xuan asked, turning his head.

"All in their own residences. Their families thought they were resting, but when they couldn't wake them at dawn, they discovered they had stopped breathing."

After saying this, Teacher Wu couldn't help but look at him: "Is it related to Qingtian Emperor? But... wasn't Qingtian Emperor killed?"

As a soul shaman, Qingtian Emperor possessed such a secret technique. Zhang Xuan had already told him about Chen Zhe's death... Since he was dead, who used this move, so sinister?

Deaths for no reason, without any warning, had already thrown the entire Master Teacher Hall into panic and fear.

People always fear the unknown and the incomprehensible, and this was exactly that.

Hall Master Gou could be said to be the strongest existence in Qingyuan City. Even he couldn't withstand being killed silently. No matter who it was, they would feel a chill down their neck.

"Qingtian Emperor is dead, but... the person behind him is not dead yet!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"The person behind him?" Teacher Wu was puzzled.

The matter of the ruthless one was too big; Zhang Xuan had not revealed it, so even he was unaware.

"Yes. Although Qingtian Emperor was a sovereign of the Alien Spirit Tribe, the lineage of soul shamans was broken. He could learn it... because someone behind him taught him! The one who did this should be that person."

Zhang Xuan nodded.

"The person who taught Qingtian Emperor soul shamanism? What... strength does this person have? If it exceeds the level of a titled empire, I can immediately report to headquarters and have them send someone!"

Teacher Wu's pupils contracted, and he hurriedly said.

The Master Teacher Hall has its rules. Normally, if a branch can handle a matter, they only submit a written report and do not let higher-ups come down.

First, headquarters is busy and has no time to clean up after subordinates; second, it is a good training for branch personnel.

If everything required headquarters... the truly high-level master teachers would be worked to death!

However... once the strength exceeds the level of a titled empire, it becomes different. It could involve countless casualties, and it is entirely appropriate to request headquarters to send higher-level master teachers to handle the matter.

"How long would it take to send someone?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"The nearest Qianchong Titled Empire has a half-step eight-star master teacher... It would take about ten days for them to send someone... As for the empire alliance with eight-star master teachers, even if notified now, the fastest would be twenty days to arrive!"

After calculating, Teacher Wu said.

"Ten days, twenty days? Too late..." Zhang Xuan shook his head, his expression grave: "By the time these people arrive, I'm afraid more master teachers in the hall will have died!"

"Then what do we do?"

Teacher Wu was anxious.

Ten or twenty days was indeed too late. The other side killed without a trace, and in one night, eight had died... If they really acted, by that time, almost all seven-star master teachers in Qingyuan Empire would be killed.

"I'm not sure of the strength of the person behind Qingtian Emperor, but... it should not exceed the Out-of-Body realm. Otherwise, the Master Teacher Hall headquarters would have detected it long ago..."

Without answering his question, Zhang Xuan analyzed.

Although the Master Teacher Hall headquarters delegates power and lets branches handle difficulties, they also regularly patrol the world. Once they discover a life form exceeding the allowed level, they personally intervene.

The peak existence in a titled empire is the Out-of-Body realm... This ruthless one's eye could stay here without being discovered, meaning... it probably hasn't broken this limit.

"Even if it doesn't exceed the Out-of-Body realm... but within the Out-of-Body realm, each level has a huge gap... As long as it's above the initial stage, we cannot contend with it!"

Teacher Wu said.

In the Out-of-Body realm, the primordial spirit leaves the body, can harness natural forces, and control the surrounding environment. Each minor level increase requires undergoing a lightning tribulation. The more tribulations experienced, the stronger the strength. Each minor level is incomparable, even as different as clouds and mud.

Take the initial and middle stages of Out-of-Body as an example. Although only one minor level apart, combat strength differs several times.

Ten of the former, even arranged in a formation, might not be a match for the latter.

Therefore, even if the other party is still in the Out-of-Body realm, reaching the peak... the gap with the initial stage is too great to overcome.

"I know, but the specific level is unclear... However, now is not the time to dwell on this. Aren't you... curious about how this guy killed these people?"

Frowning, Zhang Xuan knew that such speculation alone could not reveal the opponent's strength. Instead, he walked around the corpses and spoke.

"How did he kill them?"

"Right. That day I was ambushed by Qingtian Emperor, I learned their methods. Using altars, or even souls, they can invade others' consciousness and take away their souls... That is, no matter how powerful the soul-summoning secret technique, it requires a medium to be performed... What was the medium used to kill these eight people? Has it been carefully investigated?"

Zhang Xuan asked.

The ruthless one used the method of soul capture. At close range, he could do it directly, but over tens of thousands of kilometers, he could only use various objects.

For example... an altar!

But Teacher Wu had taken the altar away, awaiting headquarters review. How did these people die?

"This... I didn't notice that..."

Stunned, Teacher Wu didn't know how to answer.

"Investigate carefully; maybe we can find something..."

After instructing, Zhang Xuan said no more. He activated his Eye of Insight and looked again at the corpses lying before him.

Hall Master Gou's expression before death was one of terror, as if he had encountered something he couldn't believe.

Lines flowed in his eyes. After watching for a while, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Hall Master Gou's cause of death was exactly the same as Chen Zhe's—soul taken, becoming a corpse.

Even the Eye of Insight could not discern anything.

"By the way, what about that Loyal King Qing? Where is he imprisoned?"

Seeing nothing, Zhang Xuan remembered someone and asked urgently.

"He was recaptured and locked in the Master Teacher Hall's dungeon. There's no way to send messages... Last night, Emperor Chutianxing sought an audience... but I refused."

After thinking, Teacher Wu said.

"Chutianxing sought an audience?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

That guy was just a prince, not the emperor's own son. Why did he come as soon as something happened, sparing no expense?

"Yes, but the two didn't meet... Shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Teacher Wu said.

"It's unclear, but... Chutianxing might also have issues!" Zhang Xuan's expression was grave.

Through Qingtian Emperor's memories, it was already confirmed that Loyal King Qing had issues... And the emperor was so close to him; if he said there was no problem, he wouldn't believe it.

"Should we arrest him for interrogation?"

"Not yet. Once we interrogate him, the commotion will immediately escalate, causing more chaos... The urgent task now is to find the medium used to kill these people... Then find a way to eliminate the mastermind behind it."

After pondering for a moment, Zhang Xuan analyzed: "Only when the mastermind is dead will everyone be truly safe."

"That's true!"

Teacher Wu nodded.

What Teacher Zhang said was correct. Moving against an empire's emperor could easily cause panic.

Not only would it cause unrest, but more importantly, without evidence, it would affect the Master Teacher Hall's credibility.

For a Master Teacher Hall that governs a region to act against an empire, it must have irrefutable evidence. Otherwise, what would other empires think?

Wouldn't everyone feel insecure?

Mere suspicion is far from enough.

"I'll send people to investigate immediately..."

Realizing this, Teacher Wu said.

"Not only investigate, but also prepare some people, and then go to the Jibei Swamp together."

"Jibei Swamp?" Teacher Wu was puzzled.

"I suspect the mastermind is hiding there..." Zhang Xuan explained.

"Alright, I will select the most elite forces from the Master Teacher Hall, along with experts from the War Teacher Hall." Teacher Wu said.

"Yes, prepare in advance. I also need to prepare..."

After arranging, Zhang Xuan nodded.

To go to the Jibei Swamp to find the ruthless one, two things needed to be done: first, further enhance the strength of the Jinyuan Cauldron, striving to reach the Out-of-Body realm; second, as soon as possible, let the ruthless one, who had devoured Qingtian Emperor, undergo the lightning tribulation!

Only then would his strength truly reach the Out-of-Body realm. Otherwise... with his current cultivation, and the ruthless one not strong enough... going rashly might turn him into the other's nourishment, and then there would be no way.