Chapter 625: Zhang Xuan's Indignation

"I..."

Hong Shi's face turned ashen.

He hadn't expected the other party to be so ruthless—first sending out gifts, then turning around and springing a trap, leaving him speechless.

The other three had all presented extremely high-level gifts, while he, having no advance preparation, couldn't produce anything even if he wanted to!

Although not presenting a gift wouldn't decisively affect the subsequent quota allocation, if everyone else gave gifts and he alone had nothing prepared, not only would this Wu Zhen be displeased, but the Crown Prince would also lose face!

Moreover, the other party had provoked him with words, pressing him to the point where he couldn't just shrink back and invite ridicule, could he?

"What's the matter? You didn't prepare anything, did you?"

"Really? I told you at noon that Master Wu and the others would also attend the banquet. I thought you came so late today because you were preparing. Was I wrong?"

"Meeting for the first time as the host, and you brought nothing—are you doing this on purpose?"

Luo Zhao, Chen Yue, Feng Yu, and the others, seeing his embarrassed expression, all gloated.

They had indeed told Hong Shi at noon about these four people, but they hadn't mentioned the welcoming banquet, so naturally, he didn't know to prepare gifts.

"Hmm?"

Sure enough, with the three stirring up trouble, Crown Prince Ye Qian also frowned.

Although he didn't care much about the gifts themselves, if everyone else gave one and the Hongfeng Empire didn't, it would still make him lose face.

"I just arrived today, and I haven't..."

Seeing the increasingly intense stares and the sharper questions, Hong Shi's face flushed. He was about to say he hadn't prepared a gift when he heard a calm voice beside him.

"Master Hong's gift has naturally been prepared..."

He quickly looked over—it was Zhang Xuan sitting beside him who had spoken.

"Master Zhang, I haven't prepared anything..."

Seeing him speak and claim it was prepared, Hong Qian's face twitched as he hastily sent a telepathic message.

If he hadn't prepared, at worst he'd be ridiculed; but if he admitted to having a gift and couldn't produce it, that would be even more embarrassing!

Besides, he had plenty of ordinary treasures, but if their value didn't match the others', bringing them out would only be more humiliating!

"Oh? Since it's prepared, bring it out then!"

Seeing this lowest-ranked fellow speak up, Luo Zhao snorted and waved his hand.

"Bring it out?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I'm afraid it can't be brought out right now?"

"Can't bring it out? What do you mean? Do you have nothing and are deliberately toying with the Crown Prince and Master Wu?" Hearing him say it couldn't be produced, Luo Zhao sneered.

Beside him, Hong Shi's body swayed, his vision darkening as he nearly fainted.

Claiming there was a gift, then saying it couldn't be produced—how was this going to end?

If he truly couldn't produce it, not only would Master Wu be offended, but the Crown Prince would certainly be displeased. Even a fool could guess the outcome for the subsequent quota allocation.

The Crown Prince and Master Wu exchanged glances, both frowning.

A young man around twenty becoming one of the top three was already puzzling enough, and now he claimed to have something but couldn't produce it—they were utterly baffled, wondering what he was up to.

Even Bi Jianghai and Luo Xuan were completely confused.

They had been with Hong Shi all afternoon and knew exactly whether he had sought out treasures. If he said he had something but couldn't produce it, wouldn't that be disastrous?

"I'm only a four-star master teacher, from a small place like the Ten Thousand Nations Alliance. Even with ten times the courage, I wouldn't dare toy with the Crown Prince and Master Wu!"

Ignoring the strange looks, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly, raised his eyes to Luo Zhao, and said, "On the contrary, Master Luo, since you've seen and taken the treasure that Master Hong painstakingly prepared, shouldn't you return it?"

"Ah?"

Luo Zhao was stunned, then his face darkened. "What are you talking about? What 'seen and taken'? When did I take anything from Master Hong?"

"Ah, I knew you wouldn't admit it..."

Sighing, Zhang Xuan shook his head, clasped his hands toward the Crown Prince and Master Wu in the center, and stood up. "Since the Crown Prince and Master Wu are here, we defer to you. I humbly request that you uphold justice for our Master Hong. May I?"

"Uphold justice? Fine, as long as it's just, we're happy to oblige!"

The Crown Prince didn't speak, but Master Wu smiled and replied.

"Thank you..."

Zhang Xuan nodded and looked at Luo Zhao nearby. "Master Wu has agreed to uphold justice. So... Master Luo, do you dare to confront me?"

"Confront? Why wouldn't I dare?"

Seeing this man so confident, Luo Zhao was baffled and utterly confused.

Although he knew Hong Shi, each guarded their own domain and had barely interacted, let alone taken anything from him.

This man was so self-assured, and with the Crown Prince and Master Wu as witnesses—what exactly was he trying to do?

To be honest, not just him, but even Hong Shi beside him felt exasperated.

When did I ever have something taken by Luo Zhao? I don't even know—how do you?

"So you dare?"

Zhang Xuan smiled and looked up. "Today, Master Hong went to your residence to find you. Is that true?"

"Yes!"

Luo Zhao nodded.

Hong Shi had gone to find them openly; anyone could find out by asking. Even if he wanted to hide it, he couldn't. Besides, just going to see him didn't involve any treasure!

"Between you, there was a proposal for a master teacher challenge... Is that true?"

While he was puzzled, the questioning continued.

"This... yes!"

After a moment's hesitation, Luo Zhao nodded.

He had seen Hong Shi brutally beat Master Feng and, feeling indignant, had proposed a master teacher challenge.

A master teacher challenge, using blood to activate the badge, would be recorded by headquarters and easily verified, so there was no need to hide it.

"Good that you admit it—that saves me further explanation!"

Zhang Xuan nodded, turned to the Crown Prince and Wu Zhen, and clasped his hands again. "You've both seen it; he has admitted it. There's no need for me to elaborate further, is there?"

"Elaborate on what? Explain yourself clearly..."

Luo Zhao scratched his head, looking frantic.

What was this guy up to? Asking half a question, speaking half a sentence—being deliberately mysterious...

What did I admit? There's nothing to say...

What did I admit to...

Hong Shi was even more confused. Master Zhang's train of thought was too wild—even I can't follow!

"You'd better explain clearly."

Ye Qian and Wu Zhen exchanged glances and couldn't help but cough.

"Fine, since you two ask me to explain, then I won't be accused of overstepping my bounds as a four-star master teacher offending a five-star."

Zhang Xuan's eyes were filled with indignation and anger, his face showing unspeakable grievance and sorrow. "Actually, Master Hong told me not to speak of this, but I am so outraged that I must say it..."

"Ah... hmm?" Hong Shi's eyes went wide.

I told you not to speak?

What did I tell you not to say?

"Master Hong is kind-hearted and not good with words. To save face for the Huanyu Empire, he didn't want to mention it, but as his junior, I really can't stand by..."

Zhang Xuan's voice continued.

Hearing this, Ye Qian and Wu Zhen's faces twitched.

Whether Master Hong was kind-hearted, we don't know, but 'not good with words'—that's clearly a blatant lie. We saw him talk Luo Zhao and Chen Yue into near fainting just now.

"Stop rambling! What exactly happened? Spit it out!"

Seeing him go on and on, Luo Zhao couldn't hold back.

"Alright, I'll say it..."

As if making a decision, Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth, filled with indignation. "At noon today, Master Hong went to discuss matters with the three of them. Instead, the three master teachers joined forces to not only beat Master Hong up but also... snatched the treasure he had prepared!"

"I... damn it! What did you say? Beat Master Hong up?"

Luo Zhao staggered, nearly spitting blood.

I beat your sister! It was Hong Shi who refused to fight me, okay? And when did we gang up on him? Snatch treasure? Snatch my ass!

Even if you're lying through your teeth, at least make it plausible—this is too ridiculous!

Three master teachers, in a courtyard, beating up another master teacher... Since when do we act like thugs?

"You'll deny it now, of course. Let me ask you this: At noon today, not only did you have a master teacher challenge with Master Hong, but Master Feng also had one, didn't he?"

Before he could explain, Zhang Xuan continued.

"This..." Luo Zhao was taken aback. "Yes, there was one, but..."

Master Feng indeed had a master teacher challenge with Hong Shi, but... that was him getting beaten!

"But what? Since there was a challenge, that's fine!"

Zhang Xuan was furious, beyond angry. "Both Master Hong and Master Feng are early-stage five-star master teachers, early-stage Mortal Transcendence Sixth Layer experts, with similar strength... I think everyone agrees on that!"

Everyone nodded.

They were all master teachers of the same level, so their combat strength was naturally similar.

"With similar strength, in a master teacher challenge, Master Feng ended up like this. How well do you think Master Hong fared?"

Zhang Xuan continued.

The Crown Prince and Wu Zhen were both startled.

"Master Luo, let me ask you again: After the challenge between Master Hong and Master Feng ended, did you immediately apply for a master teacher challenge, and did Master Hong say something like 'my vitality is greatly damaged, I can't fight for ten years'?"

Zhang Xuan pressed on.

"He did say that..."

Luo Zhao stiffened again. Just as he was about to explain, he was interrupted once more. "As a five-star master teacher, a Mortal Transcendence Sixth Layer expert, how severely injured must one be to be unable to fight for ten years?"

Zhang Xuan grew more agitated. "Even so, this Master Luo refused to let it go, insisting on a challenge, insisting on fighting him... Think about it, how could Master Hong possibly be a match? Naturally, the treasure he had prepared was snatched away..."

At this point, he was so furious he could barely contain himself; it looked like he might cry if he continued.

"I'll fuck your sister... When did I ever hit him? When did I snatch anything? Explain yourself!"

Luo Zhao swayed, nearly in tears himself.

It was Hong Shi who went and beat up Master Feng—how, in the blink of an eye, did it become a mutual defeat with Master Feng, and I took the opportunity to ambush him?

And not just ambush, but also steal...

Can't you speak properly?

Lying through your teeth like this—are you really a master teacher?

Where's your face?