Chapter 9

All of this sounds slow, but from Jiang Wang rushing to the inner courtyard to Dong A's sudden attack, everything happened in an extremely short period of time.

Just as the vine snakes were about to completely encircle in mid-air, a pale figure found a gap and rose into the air at an incredible speed, about to escape to safety.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Countless wooden spikes shot out, piercing him in an instant!

His body jolted in the air, and only when the violent wooden spikes stopped did he fall to the ground, his head to his calves riddled with blood holes, dead as could be.

The entire academy fell silent, both outer and inner courtyard disciples deeply shocked by the scene.

Jiang Wang's eyelids twitched, "That strange left-path demon, is he really dead?"

Dong A didn't even glance, saying coolly, "Is the other one still hiding?"

"Ridiculous!" He walked leisurely into the air, step by step, "Everything in the Jade Cage is under my control, everything is vibrant, except for your stench!"

He extended his right hand and gently clenched it!

A door grew a large hand, grabbing a nearby outer courtyard disciple. The wooden hand's fingers spread, instantly covering the entire body, locking it tightly.

At the same time, the wooden arm rapidly extended, lifting the person to Dong A's face in the air.

"Speak, who sent you? How dare you commit murder in the academy?" Dong A, back to the starry sky, looked down from above at the bold and reckless assassin.

The wind seemed to still, quietly waiting for the person's answer.

The ordinary-looking assassin suddenly grinned, his head exploding instantly!

Dong A clenched his fist, a layer of water film instantly enveloping the red and white matter, forming a full water ball.

He glanced at the previous corpse, a seed sprouted, rapidly growing, the flower bud opening into a large mouth, swallowing the corpse. Dong A casually threw the water ball in as well. The flower's large mouth closed and retracted back into the soil.

The two corpses were thus cleaned up, but the anger on Dong A's face became even more evident.

"The cultivation seed of our Zhuang Kingdom has been killed in the academy! The audacity of the left-path demons! This matter must be thoroughly investigated! The City Lord's residence must give our academy an explanation, and whoever the mastermind is, they must be punished!"

The power of a Fifth Rank expert was fully displayed, his voice like rolling thunder, shaking the entire city.

Many people in Maple Forest City were shaken by this.

Then a loud voice echoed throughout the city, that of Maple Forest City's City Lord Wei Qiju, "Rest assured, City Lord's residence will give an explanation! No matter who is involved, once found, they will be punished without mercy!"

Jiang Wang watched this unfold, vaguely sensing that he had touched upon some intense undercurrent beneath the surface.

The academy is the place where the state cultivates talent, the foundation of the nation. Committing murder in the academy has already crossed Dong A's line.

Qin's strong borrowing of territory to ambush enemies has long torn off a layer of Zhuang Kingdom's face. Now, the left-path demons committing murder in the academy, though the purpose is unknown, it is hard to say that they are not testing the official reaction.

Before today, it was well known that Dong A and Wei Qiju did not get along. The former belonged to the Prime Minister Du Ruhai's faction, the latter was a former subordinate of General Huangpu Duanming.

With Dong A's strength, he didn't need to make such a big show to find the demons. His use of Daoist techniques to cover the entire academy, and his subsequent dialogue with Wei Qiju, seemed more like a display of power, a clear stance, to intimidate those lurking in the shadows.

Zhuang Kingdom is not at peace.

"Everyone, disperse." Dong A, expressionless, turned and walked down from the high air.

The door panels returned to their original positions, the vine snakes slithered back to the walls... the entire academy instantly returned to its original state.

The night seemed as quiet as ever.

Everything seemed like a dream.

But the still unhealed wounds told Jiang Wang that this was real.

This is the power of a Fifth Rank expert.

And it is the landscape he will climb.

When Zhao Rucheng arrived at the academy upon hearing the news, everything had already calmed down, only the outer courtyard disciples were still gathered in groups, excited by the Dean's might.

He met Jiang Wang in the dormitory, where the guy was using a handkerchief with gold embroidery to carefully wipe his sword.

The handkerchief was naturally Zhao Rucheng's, and no one else in the dormitory would use such a thing.

Zhao Rucheng first noticed his newly re-bandaged foot, sneering, "Hey, how did you get injured again? Is your title as the best outer courtyard swordsman just a facade?"

"Still okay." Jiang Wang continued to wipe the sword blade, "Once the facade is stripped away, I can still teach you a lesson."

At this point, he looked up and smiled at Zhao Rucheng, "Brother."

"Not just a year older, more practice with the sword." Zhao Rucheng pouted.

"Even a day older is older. Brother."

Zhao Rucheng clicked his teeth, annoyed, "Can you stop wiping? Do you know how many of your broken swords this handkerchief can buy?"

Jiang Wang laughed arrogantly, "Do you know how many of your handkerchiefs my sword will be worth in the future?"

But as soon as these words were spoken, both he and Zhao Rucheng fell silent.

Because this was always Fang Pengju's style. Using Zhao Rucheng's gold-embroidered handkerchief to wipe the sword was also a "bad habit" he started. As he put it, "Our brothers' swords will be passed down for generations, how can we not take good care of them? Such a good handkerchief, what a waste to use it on the face! Rucheng may look good, but can his face be passed down for generations?"

Some people have already disappeared, but the traces they left behind will remain for a long time...

It was Zhao Rucheng who spoke first, changing the subject, "Third Brother. What do you think the demons are after this time? Could it be... not an accident that it involved you?"

"The Fang family wouldn't have the nerve." Jiang Wang shook his head, "But who knows. By the way, have you seen the Big Brother?"

Ling He went to the Fang family to return the corpse at noon but hasn't returned yet, which can't help but worry him.

Zhao Rucheng's eyebrows slightly raised, "I heard he was kicked out of the Fang residence, I don't know where he went next."

Jiang Wang was silent for a moment, "Let's go find him."

"You go if you want, I'm not going to accompany a good-for-nothing doing good-for-nothing deeds." Zhao Rucheng pouted.

"Hey, it wasn't me who got him turned away, why are you looking at me like that?"

Jiang Wang just stared at him without speaking.

He had to give in, "Alright, alright. But it's so late, where are we going to look?"

"First." Jiang Wang analyzed, "He definitely won't leave the body in a mass grave."

"But he has no money." Zhao Rucheng added.

"Then, he is a sentimental person..." Jiang Wang got 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 probably crying."