Chapter 1236: Talked into Spitting Blood

The figure was tall and slender, with brows like swords. There was no earth-shattering aura or awe-inspiring cultivation, yet he exuded a suffocating pressure, as if a single rebuttal would invite utter disaster.

His appearance seemed ordinary, but his eyes held a brightness like the sun, moon, and stars. To oppose him was to defy heaven and earth, to scorn all living beings.

"It's Master Zhang..."

"The Dean is here..."

"They are saved..."

Song Chao and the others clenched their fists in excitement, their eyes reddening.

The pressure they had endured these past few days was immense, enough to drive them to collapse.

Fortunately, the Dean had come...

With him here, it was as if they instantly had a backbone, a direction.

"So you are Zhang Xuan?"

Frowning, Master Song looked displeased and snorted: "It's best that you came; it saves a lot of trouble."

"As a master teacher, you failed to discipline your students, allowing them to commit murder and evil. The severity of your crime need not be stated by me; you should understand. Considering you are a genius, unaware of these matters as you were not in Qingyuan City, I will be lenient. If you personally execute these people, placing righteousness above family loyalty, I will apply to the headquarters for leniency on your behalf."

Originally, the public execution was meant to lure Liu Yang. Now that this Zhang Xuan had come instead, so much the better.

To raise without teaching is the father's fault; to teach without strictness is the teacher's negligence!

A disciple committing murder, and killing an emperor of a titled empire—this single crime could strip him of his Seven-Star Master Teacher qualification, let alone the uproar he caused in Qingyuan City!

However, the other party was also a rare genius. As long as he awakened in time and stopped before the precipice, distancing himself from these poison masters and the troublemaking steward, there was still room for redemption.

"Place righteousness above family loyalty? What lofty words!"

Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed immediately.

"What? Do you intend to storm the execution ground like them?"

Hearing his tone, Master Song's face darkened: "You are a master teacher; mind your status and conduct! I give you this opportunity because you are not lacking in talent and have contributed to the Master Teacher Pavilion. Do not waste it!"

"Keep this opportunity for yourself!"

Seeing the other party act as if ordering him to kill Sun Qiang was a great favor, Zhang Xuan could no longer be bothered with nonsense. He raised his eyelids, and a surging aura burst forth, shooting into the sky.

"I give you face; don't be ungrateful!"

Master Song waved his hand, anger in his brows.

Just a Seven-Star Master Teacher, lucky to have some talent—he was helping him like this, yet the other party was ungrateful. How arrogant!

"Give face? No need. I, Zhang Xuan, have never needed others to give me face!"

His face ashen, Zhang Xuan walked step by step toward the high platform.

He was very angry!

As a quasi-Eight-Star Master Teacher, knowing that Hall Master Gou was dead, Vice Hall Master Tian Qing was dead, and many master teachers had died, he should have immediately investigated!

With so many incidents, instead of getting to the bottom of things, he was fixated on his own people...

Could Elder Xu and Sun Qiang have killed so many master teachers?

How could the headquarters send such a person who couldn't distinguish right from wrong or understand priorities?

"How dare you! Zhang Xuan, don't think that just because you stormed the Qingyuan Master Teacher Pavilion branch and have some talent, you can do as you please! I, Song Xuan, am a quasi-Eight-Star Master Teacher, sent by headquarters to handle matters in the Qingyuan branch. You, a Seven-Star Master Teacher, speak rudely and behave frivolously—where are your manners?"

Master Song shouted loudly.

He had heard about the other party storming the pavilion; he was a super genius. For that reason, he had given special treatment and leniency.

Not only did he not appreciate it, but he also showed no manners and spoke such words—he simply didn't take him seriously!

"Manners? I don't know about that. I only know that they should not die!"

Continuing forward, he had already reached the vicinity of the high platform.

"Whether they should die or not is not for you to decide. Killing an emperor of a nation, causing turmoil—this one crime alone warrants death several times over! As a master teacher, you should know this. Don't break the rules and ruin your own future!"

With a cold laugh, Master Song grabbed again with his hand. The previously fallen executioner's blade floated up again. Just as it was about to fall on Sun Qiang and the others, a series of crisp sounds rang out.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Over a hundred long blades exploded simultaneously, shattering into powder and falling from the air.

"What audacity! Now I understand—the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion was always stable, with no incidents at all. The moment you arrived, you caused such a big problem. One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel. You have no regard for rules, lawless and defiant..."

Master Song was about to explode with rage.

This was clearly opposing him, truly coming to storm the execution ground!

"Shut up!"

Like a clap of thunder, Zhang Xuan came within ten meters of him, his eyes like lightning, carrying an irrefutable aura and power.

"You..."

Told to shut up, Master Song trembled and was about to speak when he heard the other's voice ring out like firecrackers.

"You talk to me about rules? About etiquette? Fine. I, Zhang Xuan, investigated the true culprit, stopped the conspiracy of the Otherworldly Tribe, and killed Emperor Qingtian—where were you?"

"I, Zhang Xuan, ventured into desolate lands, fell into crisis, and saved many master teachers—where were you?"

"I, Zhang Xuan, imparted knowledge, helped many master teachers heal their injuries and break through in cultivation—where were you?"

"As a quasi-Eight-Star Master Teacher, instead of finding ways to track down the real culprit, instead of investigating the truth behind the deaths of so many master teachers in the pavilion, you are here throwing your weight around, bullying others by virtue of your connections—who gave you the guts and the right?"

"And who do you think you are to point fingers at me, Zhang Xuan?"

Boom!

His voice exploded like thunder, carrying a deafening, electrifying sound that seemed to resonate with heaven and earth.

It was as if a righteous spirit soared straight to the heavens, carrying a mighty force that brooked no offense.

"You..."

Choked speechless, Master Song's face flushed red, on the verge of exploding.

Zhang Xuan continued to look at him: "Chu Tianxing defected to the Otherworldly Tribe—you didn't investigate! Tian Qing was a clone of an Otherworldly Tribe emperor—you didn't investigate! Gou Tianze, as hall master, neglected his duties, trusted the wicked, and turned the entire Master Teacher Pavilion into a mess—you didn't investigate! Yet here you are, hounding an ignorant steward and clinging to a few poison masters. I just want to ask: is this the authority the Master Teacher Pavilion has given you?"

"Is this the responsibility a quasi-Eight-Star Master Teacher should have?"

"I..."

Master Song tried to speak again but was interrupted.

"Confucius taught the world and established the profession of master teacher to enlighten people and make them see clearly and reason wisely! He taught by precept and example, imparting knowledge to all, and was thus revered as the Teacher of Ten Thousand Generations. The purpose of the master teacher profession is to emulate Confucius, to awaken the spiritual seas of the world and open the wisdom of the people! My disciple Liu Yang hasn't even reached the Saint Domain—do you think he could kill a half-step Nascent Soul realm expert?"

"If an emperor of a nation like Chu Tianxing could be killed so easily, does the Qingyuan Empire still have a reason to exist?"

"Don't tell me it was poison masters using poison... If my information is correct, they used Qingfeng Powder! Twenty years ago, when the Otherworldly Tribe attacked, the entire Qingyuan Empire nearly fell, using this same substance... Having failed once in twenty years, did the imperial family have no preparations?"

"If they truly had no preparations... did they defect to the Otherworldly Tribe, or is there some other problem? How can such a titled empire defend the human domain?"

Zhang Xuan's voice grew increasingly stern.

"This..." Master Song's body trembled.

Flicking his sleeve, Zhang Xuan continued: "Unable to see clearly, not knowing what to handle or what to do, yet clinging to trivial matters—that is ignorance! Listening to the instigation of nobles and ministers, acting according to their wishes, unable to distinguish loyalty from treachery, right from wrong—that is folly! As a quasi-Eight-Star Master Teacher, not dealing with the problems of the Master Teacher Pavilion, disregarding the lives of many colleagues, causing widespread panic—that is losing sight of priorities! Ignoring the objections of the War Master Hall, trapping the hall master and war masters, wielding power arbitrarily, issuing orders recklessly, damaging the reputation of the Master Teacher Pavilion and the dignity of master teachers—that is abuse of power!"

"Ignorant, foolish, losing sight of priorities, abusing power..." Raising his brows, Zhang Xuan clasped his hands behind his back: "Song Xuan, I ask you, what face do you have to call yourself a quasi-Eight-Star Master Teacher?"

"I... Pfft!"

His face reddened, and Master Song spat out a mouthful of blood. His body swayed, nearly falling from the air.

"This..."

"Without moving a single move, just a few words made Master Song spit blood and nearly fall?"

Swallowing saliva, Song Chao and the others looked at each other, faces pale.

Before the planned storming of the execution ground, they had deliberated various scenarios, but ultimately realized that even all of them combined were no match for Master Song. If they actually fought, they would surely never return!

They had expected a bloody battle, but Master Zhang appeared... without making a single move, a few words made the other party spit blood...

"Young master... his mouth skills are too good!"

Sun Qiang, who was imprisoned, stared wide-eyed and muttered.

"Mouth skills? Ahem!" Elder Xu choked on his saliva: "Benefactor, what do we do now?"

"No need to worry. Didn't I say before? Young master will definitely act. Even if he doesn't, the old master will... They won't stand by and watch me get into trouble. With them here, we are definitely safe!"

Pursing his lips, Sun Qiang yawned.

During these days of imprisonment, not only had he not been injured, but he seemed to have... gained another layer of fat.

It was as if, tired from training, he had gone to the Master Teacher Pavilion prison... to rest for a few days, like a vacation...

"Benefactor has such a good attitude..."

Hearing him speak and seeing his behavior, Elder Xu was speechless and couldn't help but wonder... this benefactor seemed different from the one he had met before?

The previous benefactor was brave and decisive, exceptionally intelligent, calm and dignified in the face of major events. But this one...

In the Master Teacher Pavilion, he ate five people's portions per meal and slept until dawn the next day... Somehow, they didn't seem alike.

However, the other's temperament and behavior were indeed unparalleled.

Facing conviction by the Master Teacher Pavilion and imminent execution, he showed no fear, remaining calm and composed... This ability was beyond even his reach.

Perhaps this was the extraordinary quality for which the benefactor was favored by the Ancestral Master.