Chapter 44

"Those people fought to the death; if it was just to save a coward like you who fled from the battlefield, their sacrifices would truly be in vain!"

Jiang Changyu sneered as he spoke, his hatred unknown, and he confronted Shang Xia with enmity.

Ji Sheng, seeing his subordinates ignore his words, merely snorted coldly, his face as frosty as if he were too angry to speak, and began to watch from the sidelines.

How could Shang Quan tolerate such slander against his nephew? He loudly rebutted, "Jiang Changyu, you must know that my nephew left at the specific order of Attendant Yuan Zilu, not out of cowardice. This matter has already been settled on Tongyou Peak, and there are survivors who can testify!"

"Are you so willing to spout lies that you no longer respect the rules of Tongyou Academy? Do you want to go to the Merit and Demerit Office?"

Jiang Changyu's expression changed, then he sneered, "Ha! When you can't argue logically, you resort to using power to suppress others? I, Jiang, indeed cannot match the might of your Shang family. Who knows if that Attendant Yuan is one of your Shang family's people! Isn't it more natural for one's own to take care of one's own?"

"Nonsense! Yuan Zilu ordered my nephew Shang Xia to leave first because he had captured a living mutant rain swallow, which is related to..."

Shang Quan loudly rebutted.

"What about that mutant rain swallow?"

Jiang Changyu immediately interrupted Shang Quan, a hint of triumph flashing in his eyes as he glanced at Shang Xia.

"You..."

Shang Quan angrily pointed at Jiang Changyu, but was too angry to speak.

At this moment, Shang Quan suddenly realized that the other party had been deliberately targeting Shang Xia.

How could Jiang Changyu not know that Shang Xia left first because of Yuan Zilu's order? He probably even knew the reason behind that order.

But what could be done?

The fact that Shang Xia left first was undeniable!

Even if he had a valid reason to leave, with rumors already spreading and someone fanning the flames, there would be many onlookers and critics who didn't know the truth.

Moreover, when Shang Xia appeared, he didn't have the mutant rain swallow that the entire Tongyou Peak leadership valued!

Jiang Changyu had seen this opportunity and dared to stand up against Shang Xia, betting on the fact that Shang Xia would have a hard time defending himself!

"Yuan Zilu is an attendant of your Merit and Demerit Office!"

Shang Xia's cold voice suddenly rang out, his gaze cold as he looked at the other party, "I ask this Mr. Jiang, are you prepared to accuse Attendant Yuan Zilu of favoring my Shang family?"

Jiang Changyu's secretly pleased mood was suddenly shocked, realizing he had overlooked a serious issue, and his demeanor changed.

Attendant Yuan Zilu is a capable officer of the Merit and Demerit Office, highly capable, and though his position is not as high as the heads, he is not a lone figure.

If this matter were to spread, the first to confront Jiang Changyu would not be the Shang family, but Yuan Zilu!

Deputy Mountain Master Ji Wenhong, though in charge of the Merit and Demerit Office, does not have absolute control over it!

Jiang Changyu is at most a deputy captain of a patrol squad. Even if he has the support of the Ji family, how could the Ji family possibly offend a powerful attendant for his sake?

Ji Sheng, who had been silent like a statue, now had to speak, "Well, this guy always speaks without thinking. He must have been too hasty. Xia, don't take it to heart."

"Only now do you know to defend your subordinate?"

Shang Xia's tone sounded like a joke, but it actually stung Ji Sheng deeply.

Ji Sheng smiled awkwardly, his face embarrassed.

Shang Xia, however, did not look at his expression but said to Jiang Changyu very seriously, "Rest assured, our Shang family will definitely invite Attendant Yuan to the Merit and Demerit Office to clarify this matter, proving that you, Mr. Jiang, are wrong!"

The Merit and Demerit Office of Tongyou Academy not only evaluates achievements but also punishes mistakes.

Shang Xia was clearly angry and did not intend to let Jiang Changyu off easily.

Jiang Changyu's expression was now uncertain, his gaze frequently shifting to Ji Sheng.

However, under Shang Quan's gaze, Ji Sheng now looked down, as if asleep.

"As for your claim that among the seventeen students of our C House, only I have good luck, I cannot agree!"

Shang Xia said, and under the puzzled gazes of Shang Quan and Ji Sheng, he waved his hand toward the position he had just been in.

Behind the rocks and under the grass, heads began to appear or lift up.

Shang Xia turned back, first smiling at Shang Quan and Ji Sheng, then looking at Jiang Changyu with a serious expression, "In fact, among the seventeen students of our C House, only three have bad luck!"

At this moment, the figures of those dozen or so people were already approaching, and everyone could see that they were indeed the C House students who had been kidnapped and searched for these days!

"They are alive, ha ha, they are alive!"

Shang Quan suddenly burst into laughter, patting Shang Xia's shoulder, "Did you save them? Is that right?"

Shang Xia smiled and said, "Yes! My nephew had good luck and found the valley where the wind swallow tribe was hiding. I killed a few of their guards and brought these classmates out."

At this moment, not only Shang Quan but even Ji Sheng could not hide their shock.

To understand, for the past few days, almost all the patrol riders on Tongyou Peak had been searching for the whereabouts of the wind swallow tribe's martial cultivators, and the battles with the wind swallow tribe's martial cultivators had never stopped.

The wind swallow martial cultivators were extremely cunning, using their agile light body techniques to evade the patrol riders. Though there were occasional casualties, the patrol riders never found the kidnapped students.

In fact, the patrol riders had become somewhat lax recently.

Because, based on the time, the students were likely already out of Tongyou Dao.

This made the entire Tongyou Peak extremely disheartened, as they knew the purpose of the wind swallow tribe.

The kidnapping of a dozen students, especially at this sensitive time, could put Tongyou Peak in a completely passive situation with the wind swallow tribe, and possibly even with the martial cultivators of the entire two-worlds battle zone.

But now, the dozen students who were believed to have been taken to the Cangling Realm were actually alive and standing before everyone.

How could this not make everyone present ecstatic?

Especially Shang Quan and Ji Sheng, who understood the current passive situation of Tongyou Peak, knew what the rescue of these dozen students meant.

In such a major event, even Ji Sheng, who had been harboring some petty thoughts, could not care less about them and his deputy captain. Seeing the dozen students approach, he urged his patrol riders, "Quick, quick, light the seven-colored cloud smoke to call nearby patrol riders for support!"

Three riders left Jiang Changyu, frantically searching the red cloud beasts for the seven-colored cloud smoke to light.

"Ha ha, good, good, good!"

Shang Quan said several "good" words, then said, "Xia, you have done a great deed, a great deed!"

Shang Xia smiled and said modestly, "Uncle Quan, you flatter me. I just couldn't bear to see my classmates suffer and took a risk. Fortunately, I had good luck!"

At this moment, Jiang Changyu's expression was panicked, his face pale.

He wanted to seek help from Ji Sheng, but Ji Sheng had completely ignored him.

If Shang Xia had been maliciously slandered before, even with valid reasons, he would still have been affected by the rumors. But now, with Shang Xia single-handedly rescuing the kidnapped students that the patrol riders had been searching for in vain for days, no one dared to speak ill of him.

Shang Xia looked at Jiang Changyu again, still with that serious expression, and said, "So, you are wrong again!"

Shang Xia's serious and earnest manner made Jiang Changyu feel a chill.

He could sense that this manner and tone were not Shang Xia explaining himself, nor was it Shang Xia proving his innocence, or not just that. It was a deliberate reminder: we will settle accounts step by step, and it's not over yet!

Each explanation and rebuttal seemed to not only erode his will but also increase his hatred toward Shang Xia!

Shang Xia was killing him in spirit!

Jiang Changyu did not want to be overwhelmed by this helpless suffocation. He still wanted to struggle and said loudly, "So what? But you lost the mutant rain swallow!"

Jiang Changyu looked at the cold Ji Sheng and the mocking Shang Quan, and continued, "Do you know what the current situation on Tongyou Peak is? That mutant rain swallow could be the key to breaking the deadlock, but now you have lost it. Ha ha ha..."

"Huh? Mutant rain swallow? Senior Brother Shang, wasn't it just circling above your head? When did you lose it?"

A puzzled voice rang out. Huang Zihua, who had just walked over, looked at the somewhat deranged Jiang Changyu, feeling confused, and casually asked Shang Xia.

Jiang Changyu's sinister smile froze on his face.

Shang Xia smiled and suddenly whistled.

Ji Sheng suddenly remembered the bird that had been circling above his head. When he looked up, he saw a flying shadow swoop down at the whistle and land on Shang Xia's shoulder, looking around at the strangers.

The laughter abruptly stopped, and Jiang Changyu, like a fish out of water, could only gasp and stare at the mutant rain swallow on Shang Xia's shoulder.

"This is the mutant rain swallow?"

Shang Quan was already stunned by the unexpected surprise from his nephew.

Ji Sheng's face had already changed, "You... you tamed this mutant rain swallow?"

The mutant rain swallow had just landed on Shang Xia's shoulder from the sky.

If Shang Xia hadn't tamed it, how could he have let it out of the cage?

At this moment, Shang Quan realized what had happened, and his shock turned into a burst of laughter.

Shang Xia, however, suddenly turned his head and looked at the ashen-faced Jiang Changyu, smiling and softly said, "So, you are still wrong!"