Chapter 71

"By the way, how is Kong Renyi doing?"

"He has already made the arrangements. Lord Kong is also very angry about Li Chunyang's reckless actions, disregarding the law, and killing ministers!"

"Hmph, being very angry is of no use! He's just an old man, weak as a chicken, only good for rallying people's hearts and raising the banner of righteousness. In this era of change, when it comes to killing and bloodshed, he's not even as useful as a common soldier!"

"Everyone hasn't completely torn their faces yet, and the weapons haven't been put on the table. Let him use the banner of morality to cause some trouble for Li Chunyang and dampen the Li family's spirit. Perhaps there might be unexpected results. After all, Kong Renyi has great prestige and represents the hearts of scholars across the land. Even Li Chunyang wouldn't dare to defy the world's will!"

"That's right. If we can use this opportunity to make the Li family lose the support of the people, it will greatly help me in fully controlling the central army! As long as the old man Kong stands on our side, the hearts of the people will be on our side!"

Qin Yang's expression finally relaxed a bit. He waved his hand to dismiss Gao Feng and began to pace alone.

The expression in his eyes kept changing, and he finally smiled, muttering to himself, "These are just minor disturbances. As long as that matter succeeds, even if everyone supports you, the throne will ultimately be mine!"

Li Yunxiao followed the old man back. From a distance, he saw a large crowd of people surrounding the Li family's gate.

The old man's face turned cold, and he said with a killing aura, "Who dares to be so bold, surrounding my Li family? Let's go and see!"

Just as the two were about to approach, a figure flashed by from the side. It was Li Xian, who was by Li Bai's side. He hurriedly knelt before the old man and said, "Grandfather, it's bad! The three disciples of National University Director Kong Renyi—Yan Jin, Gong Sunrang, and Yu Zixian—have brought a hundred scholars, including several ministers, to list ten major crimes and come to demand justice!"

"What? That old man Kong Renyi!"

Li Chunyang was surprised, and the killing aura around him gradually subsided as he fell into deep thought. He turned and frowned, "Yunxiao, let's temporarily retreat. Once these poor scholars have had their fill of trouble, they will naturally leave."

Li Yunxiao raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing as he looked into the distance. The hundred or so scholars each held large banners, with various elegant calligraphy listing the crimes, held high. Regardless of the content, the writing was indeed fresh and graceful, exuding a scholarly aura. It must have been written by Kong Renyi himself!

"Grandfather dares to kill ministers and scholars at will. Why be afraid of a hundred or so scholars?"

"Yunxiao, you don't know. Killing a few ministers is of no consequence to the country or the people. But Kong Renyi is different. He is the descendant of the Confucian sage, representing literature and morality, the five cardinal virtues. His every word and action is almost a model for talented scholars. Even the king and the old man Lan Hong would call him 'teacher.' Although he is not an official, he has great prestige. If we kill today, the Li family's reputation will be ruined, and we will be condemned by the world."

"The world is full of mediocre people. What is there to fear? We are not afraid of a million troops, let alone a few words. This Kong Renyi must have been bribed or deceived by the crown prince. He's not a good person. Since he wants to stand in our way, we will eliminate him as well."

As Li Yunxiao spoke, a killing aura rose in his eyes, and his gaze became cold, as if he were looking at a hundred cold, lifeless corpses.

Li Chunyang and Li Xian were both startled by his killing intent and followed him with worry. After all, the Li family is a family of martial generals, and they still have a deep respect for scholars and literati, a respect for the teachings of the sages.

The Li family's gate was tightly closed. Li Baifeng had never seen such a situation and dared not come out, not knowing how Li Xian managed to get out to report.

The hundred or so scholars in white robes were all in mourning, holding up the charges, sitting in silence in front of the Li family's gate. The three leaders had headbands with "Loyalty and Courage," "Righteousness," and "Wisdom and Trust" written on them, the three sages among Kong Renyi's disciples—Yan Jin, Gong Sunrang, and Yu Zixian.

When the crowd saw Li Yunxiao and the others approaching, they immediately began to stir, standing up from the ground, frowning and glaring. The combined momentum of a hundred people created a faint aura of righteousness that hovered in the air, refusing to disperse.

Yan Jin and the others exchanged glances and began to shout, "Deceiving the emperor, harming ministers, usurping military power, indulging subordinates, arrogance, lawlessness, embezzlement, killing and looting, cruelty, and heartlessness! Ten major crimes, unpardonable!"

"Ten major crimes, unpardonable!"

The hundred people shouted in unison, the sound shaking the heavens. Their necks were red, their eyes glaring, and they were all extremely agitated, feeling that they were upholding justice and ready to vanquish evil. Above the Li family, the aura of righteousness condensed and began to take shape.

Li Yunxiao picked his nose with his index finger, quickly digging out a large clump of snot, which he rolled into a ball and flicked away.

A gust of wind cut through the air, heading straight for Yan Jin's face.

These were all scholars, and even those who practiced martial arts did so only for health. They could not withstand Li Yunxiao's force. The snot entered the aura of righteousness, seemingly encountering some resistance, becoming light and floating, and finally sticking to Yan Jin's mouth with a "slap."

"Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh...!"

Yan Jin gagged, vomiting several times, still feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit.

"Li Yunxiao, you dare to defile the sages! It seems you are just as evil as Li Chunyang!" Gong Sunrang roared, immediately putting a big hat on him.

"Evil and wicked!" the crowd echoed.

Li Yunxiao ignored them, looking up at the aura of righteousness in the sky, his arms crossed, his chin resting on his fist, muttering, "This Confucian aura of righteousness is indeed something. I must have been biased before."

He lowered his arms, picked his ears, and his fingers stuck together...

Yan Jin and the others' faces changed, becoming highly alert, and they took a step back. Yu Zixian shouted in shock, "You, you, what are you doing?!"

"Tsk!"

Li Yunxiao sneered, looking at the three mockingly, "Even the sages can't control people's bowel movements. Do the three sages of Kong Renyi's scholars also forbid me from picking my ears?"

Gong Sunrang frowned and said, "Vulgar!"

"Whoosh!"

Li Yunxiao flicked his finger, and a clump of earwax shot into the air, directly hitting Gong Sunrang's mouth.

Gong Sunrang gagged in shock and swallowed it.

"Ugh!"

He bent over, his stomach churning, and vomited a large amount! Yan Jin only had it stuck to his mouth, but Gong Sunrang had actually swallowed it, even vomiting out his bile.

"Ha ha!" Li Chunyang, who had been worried, could not help but burst out laughing.

The Confucian scholars around Gong Sunrang, smelling the vomit, frowned and instinctively moved away from him. Even Yan Jin and Yu Zixian frowned and kept a distance from him. The group became somewhat scattered.

Li Yunxiao looked up at the sky, and the aura of righteousness that had begun to take shape and show the image of a sage started to dissipate.

"This aura of righteousness is indeed formed by the Confucian thoughts of scholars and the elemental energy of heaven and earth. It seems to be a great supplement, and it would be a waste to let it go!"

He suddenly stepped lightly, rising into the air, and rushed into the aura of righteousness, spreading his divine consciousness and activating the "One Qi Creation" technique. Immediately, the righteous energy flooded into Li Yunxiao's entire body.

He felt refreshed and elated, laughing loudly, forming a strange hand seal with both hands, which suddenly enlarged several times, creating an invisible aura that enveloped his entire body.

Li Yunxiao floated in the air above the Li family, his head, palms, and soles of his feet supporting a spherical aura bubble, floating motionless. But with his divine consciousness, the "One Qi Creation" technique was absorbing the aura of righteousness like crazy!

"What, what's happening? He can actually float in the air?"

"Isn't it only the legendary Martial Ancestor who can fly in the air?"

"He's floating there, absorbing our aura of righteousness!"

Yan Jin was also greatly shocked but quickly composed himself, saying, "Don't panic, everyone. This boy indeed uses demonic arts! But the aura of righteousness of our scholars, who have studied the classics, is the most righteous energy in the world. Absorbing it will be his own downfall!"

Yu Zixian, looking enlightened, shouted, "Brother Yan is right. Everyone, don't panic. Calm your minds, recite the teachings of the sages, and strengthen the aura of righteousness to eliminate this evil!"

The hundred or so people immediately sat down calmly, reciting the teachings of the sages. Gradually, a scholarly aura began to emanate from each person, rising into the sky.

Li Xian's mouth dropped open in shock, "Grandfather, is Yunxiao alright?"

Li Chunyang was also greatly shocked. Flying in the air was indeed something only a Martial Ancestor at the Six Directions Realm could do, but Li Yunxiao was clearly using some secret technique. He said solemnly, "This boy knows what he's doing!"

At this moment, Li Yunxiao, floating in the air, felt extremely pleased. The aura of righteousness, once absorbed into his body, not only transformed into true qi and entered his dantian but also nourished his soul, making him feel very comfortable. His cultivation, which had not improved for a long time due to the Thousand Birds Pill, began to advance, moving towards the peak of the Sixth Star Realm.