Chapter 9: Attitude!

All of this sounds slow, but from the moment Jiang Wang rushed toward the inner courtyard to the moment Dong A struck with overwhelming force, everything happened in an incredibly short span of time.

Just before the rattan snakes could fully enclose the space in mid-air, a pale figure caught a gap and soared upward at high speed, looking as if he were about to escape.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Countless wooden spikes shot out, piercing through his body in an instant!

His body jerked repeatedly in the air until the violent wooden spikes ceased, at which point he fell limply to the ground. From his head to his calves, he was riddled with dense, bloody holes—dead as could be.

The entire Dao Academy fell into a deathly silence. Whether they were outer sect disciples or inner sect disciples, everyone was deeply shocked by this scene.

Jiang Wang’s eyelids twitched. "That strange heretic... he just died like that?"

Dong A didn't even glance at the corpse, saying indifferently, "The one remaining, are you still hiding?"

"Ridiculous!" He walked through the air as if strolling in a courtyard, step by step. "Everything within the Jade Cage is under my control, and everything is full of vitality—only your scent is nauseating!"

He reached out his right hand and gently clenched it!

A wooden door sprouted a large hand, grabbing a person dressed as an outer sect disciple. The wooden fingers spread wide, instantly crawling over the person's entire body and locking him down tight.

At the same time, the wooden arm rapidly elongated, lifting the man into the air until he was face-to-face with Dong A.

"Speak. Who sent you? How dare you commit murder in the Dao Academy?" With his back to the starry sky, Dong A looked down from above, peering at the audacious assassin.

Even the wind seemed to still, waiting quietly for the man's answer.

The assassin, who had a plain face, suddenly grinned, and his entire head exploded!

Dong A tightened his fist, and a film of water instantly enveloped the red and white gore, forming a bloated sphere of water.

He glanced at the previous corpse again. A seed broke through the soil, grew rapidly, and bloomed into a large mouth that swallowed the body whole. Dong A casually tossed the water sphere in as well. The flower’s mouth closed and retracted back into the earth.

The two corpses were disposed of just like that, yet the anger on Dong A’s face grew more apparent.

"The cultivation seeds of my Zhuang State have been harmed within the Dao Academy! These heretics are truly bold! This matter must be investigated to the end! The City Lord’s Mansion must give this academy an explanation. No matter who is behind this, they must be executed!"

The full cultivation of a Fifth-Grade expert erupted, his voice like rolling thunder, shaking the entire city.

Many people in Maple City turned pale upon hearing this.

Shortly after, a resonant voice echoed throughout the city as well—it was the City Lord of Maple City, Wei Quji. "Rest assured, Dean Dong. This office will certainly provide an explanation! No matter who or what is involved, once they are unearthed, they will be shown no mercy!"

Jiang Wang watched this unfold, vaguely feeling that he had touched upon a fierce whirlpool hidden beneath the surface.

The Dao Academy was where the nation cultivated talent; it was the seat of the nation's destiny. Committing murder in the Dao Academy had already crossed Dong A’s bottom line.

The powerful Qin had already torn away a layer of Zhuang State’s dignity by using the "borrowed realm" to ambush enemies. Now, for heretics to commit murder in the Dao Academy—though their purpose was unknown—it was hard to say they weren't testing the official response.

And before today, it was common knowledge that Dong A and Wei Quji did not get along. The former belonged to the faction of the Prime Minister, Du Ruhui, while the latter was a former subordinate of the Great General, Huangfu Duanming.

Given Dong A’s strength, he didn't need to make such a grand display to root out the heretics. His act of using Daoist arts to cover the entire academy, followed by his remote dialogue with Wei Quji, seemed more like a show of power and a declaration of stance to intimidate those lurking in the shadows.

Zhuang State was not at peace.

"Everyone, disperse." Dong A’s expression was blank as he turned and walked down from the sky.

The door panels jumped back into place, the rattan snakes slithered back into the walls... the entire Dao Academy instantly returned to its original state.

The night seemed as quiet as it had always been.

Everything felt like a dream.

But the wounds that had yet to heal told Jiang Wang that this was real.

This was the strength of a Fifth-Grade expert.

And it was the scenery he would one day climb to reach!

When Zhao Rucheng arrived at the Dao Academy upon hearing the news, the situation had already calmed. Only the outer sect disciples remained gathered in small groups, still excited by the Dean’s might.

He found Jiang Wang in their dormitory, where the latter was meticulously wiping his sword with a handkerchief embroidered with gold thread.

The handkerchief was naturally Zhao Rucheng’s; no one else in the dormitory would use such a thing.

Zhao Rucheng first noticed the foot that Jiang Wang had carefully re-bandaged and mocked, "Yo, how did you get injured again? Is your title as the number one swordsman of the outer sect just for show?"

"It's fine." Jiang Wang continued wiping the blade. "Once I squeeze out the 'show,' I can still teach you a lesson."

Having said that, he looked up and smiled at Zhao Rucheng. "Little brother."

"It’s only one year, and you’ve only practiced sword for one year longer than me," Zhao Rucheng pouted.

"One day older is still older. Little brother."

Zhao Rucheng gnashed his teeth in annoyance. "Can you stop wiping? Do you have any idea how many of those broken swords you have there this handkerchief could buy?"

Jiang Wang laughed arrogantly. "Then do you have any idea how many of your handkerchiefs the sword used by Jiang Wang will be worth in the future?"

But once those words were out, both he and Zhao Rucheng fell silent.

Because this kind of talk was always Fang Pengju’s style. Using Zhao Rucheng’s gold-embroidered handkerchief to wipe a sword was also a "bad habit" he had started. In his words, 'The swords of us brothers are destined to be passed down for a thousand years; how can we not maintain them properly? Such a fine handkerchief, what a waste to use it on a face! Rucheng might be pretty, but can his face be passed down for a thousand years?'

Some people had already vanished, but the traces they left behind would linger for a long time...

It was Zhao Rucheng who spoke first, changing the subject. "Third Brother. Why do you think the heretics attacked the Dao Academy this time? Could it be... that you being caught in it wasn't an accident?"

"The Fang family shouldn't have the guts for that." Jiang Wang shook his head. "But it's hard to say. By the way, have you seen the eldest?"

Ling He had gone to the Fang residence at noon to return the body, but he hadn't returned yet, which couldn't help but worry him.

Zhao Rucheng raised an eyebrow. "I heard he was kicked out of the Fang residence. Where he went after that, I don't know."

Jiang Wang was silent for a moment. "Let's go. We'll go look for him."

"You go look if you want. I'm not going to accompany a bleeding heart to do good deeds." Zhao Rucheng pouted.

"Hey, I wasn't the one who got him the cold shoulder. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jiang Wang just stared at him without speaking.

He had no choice but to surrender. "Fine, fine. But it's so late, where are we going to look?"

"First," Jiang Wang analyzed, "he definitely wouldn't have dumped him in the mass grave."

"But he doesn't have any money," Zhao Rucheng added.

"And since he's a sentimental person..." Jiang Wang stood up and walked out. "I know where he went."

"I even know what he's doing!" Zhao Rucheng followed behind, wrinkling his handsome nose. "He's definitely crying his eyes out."