Chapter 20

No one would have thought that the matter at the Qingzhou Guanxuan Academy would end like this.

Yes, it was completely over.

Not only in Qingzhou, but no one in the entire Guanxuan world dared to investigate or even inquire about this matter.

Everything was calm and peaceful.

This was the power of absolute authority!

Without a doubt, the Xiao family had the last laugh, and after this incident, their prestige in the Guanxuan universe had greatly increased, as no one had expected the Xiao family to resolve the matter so easily.

Inside the main hall of the Xiao family.

At this moment, all the strong members of the Xiao family were like they had just won a great victory, each one beaming with pride and satisfaction.

An elder suddenly said, "We must get rid of that bastard."

"Right!"

Another elder immediately agreed, "We must get rid of that bastard; we cannot leave any lingering threats."

Everyone nodded in agreement. A genius who could pass through the Guanxuan Path and who was now a mortal enemy of the Xiao family—how could they let him grow?

"Idiots."

The clan leader, Xiao Feng, suddenly shouted in anger.

The strong members of the Xiao family were puzzled and looked at Xiao Feng.

Xiao Feng's face was dark, "We can use this favor from our ancestor once, but we may not be able to use it a second time. Do you understand?"

The elders were all silent.

Xiao Feng said in a deep voice, "If we go to kill that bastard now, it would be too blatant."

He saw very clearly that the reason the Xiao family was unscathed this time was entirely due to the face of their ancestor. Therefore, the Xiao family must be extremely cautious in their actions going forward.

An elder said unhappily, "Are we just going to let that bastard go?"

Xiao Feng's face was expressionless, "There are many ways to kill someone; it doesn't necessarily have to be done by our own hands. For example, we can use others to do the job for us..."

Use others to do the job!

Hearing this, the elders exchanged glances and all laughed.

...

Ye Tianming returned to Qingzhou again because he was now technically a student of the Qingzhou Academy, and Nanling Zhao had not left, following him all the way.

When Ye Tianming returned to the academy, the head of the Qingzhou Guanxuan Academy, Jishi, appeared before the two of them.

Jishi looked at Ye Tianming, "Your special admission has been revoked by our Qingzhou Academy. From now on, you are no longer a student of our Qingzhou Academy."

Ye Tianming was not surprised. He looked at Jishi, "Will Lord Fang Xiao return here?"

He had returned here not to join the Qingzhou Guanxuan Academy but to see Fang Xiao one last time.

Jishi said calmly, "Fang Xiao has resigned. He now holds no official position and will never return here."

Ye Tianming was silent, feeling immense guilt.

Jishi said, "You had another choice, but you chose to stand firm. Are you satisfied now?"

Ye Tianming looked at Jishi, "The one who is wrong is not me, Ye Tianming, but this world."

With that, he turned and left.

Jishi watched Ye Tianming and Nanling Zhao leave without saying a word.

At this moment, an old man appeared beside him, it was Elder Ling. Elder Ling said in a deep voice, "This person cannot be allowed to live."

Jishi's face was expressionless, "The Xiao family wants him dead even more than we do."

With that, he turned and left.

Just as Ye Tianming and Nanling Zhao were about to leave the mountain, a young man was watching them from the side. It was Zhao Yu from the Zhao family, and there was another young man beside him.

The young man stared at Ye Tianming in the distance and said fiercely, "Second Brother, this person cannot be allowed to live..."

Zhao Yu turned and slapped him.

Slap!

With a crisp sound, the young man's right cheek immediately swelled up.

The young man looked at Zhao Yu in confusion, "Second Brother..."

Zhao Yu turned to look at Ye Tianming in the distance, "A person who can pass through the Guanxuan Path... is someone our Zhao family can provoke?"

As he spoke, his eyes slowly closed, "Go back and tell the family head to return all the land we took from the Ye family, and then immediately move the Zhao family away from Qingzhou, as far as possible, and never return to Qingzhou..."

The young man was stunned, "Second Brother, this..."

Zhao Yu said fiercely, "Go quickly!"

The young man said in a trembling voice, "If the clan leaders disagree..."

Zhao Yu's face was expressionless, "Then I, Zhao Yu, will leave the Zhao family and have a separate page in the family register."

With that, he turned and left.

The young man: "..."

...

Ye Tianming walked down the mountain, and suddenly, it started raining heavily.

Ye Tianming tightly gripped the Dao Sword in his left hand and walked down the mountain, looking at the raindrops falling on the ground, he suddenly felt a bit lost.

The world was vast, but there was no place for Ye Tianming to stay.

At this moment, an umbrella suddenly covered him.

Ye Tianming turned to see Nanling Zhao, who looked at him, "We are going to Yongzhou."

Ye Tianming was a bit puzzled.

Nanling Zhao said, "If you want to participate in the Wanzhou Competition, you must join a state. Otherwise, you do not have the qualifications to participate in the Wanzhou Competition."

Ye Tianming shook his head, "Lord Zhao, I have already involved Lord Fang Xiao, I cannot involve you anymore."

Nanling Zhao stared at Ye Tianming, "As an inspector, it is my duty, I should..."

Ye Tianming interrupted her, "You have done enough, really, Lord Zhao, from now on, let me walk the path myself."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Nanling Zhao held the umbrella and watched him slowly walk into the rain.

In the pouring rain, Ye Tianming slowly disappeared at the foot of the Qingzhou Academy mountain.

Ye Tianming did not choose to return to the Ye family. How could he face the clan members if he returned now?

Just as he reached the foot of the mountain, a voice came from the side, "Hey."

Ye Tianming turned to see Nanling Zhao holding an umbrella and looking at him. She smiled, "I'm not intentionally following you, it's just a coincidence."

Ye Tianming was about to speak when Nanling Zhao walked up to him and handed the umbrella to the middle, so that both were under the umbrella.

Nanling Zhao stared at Ye Tianming, "I want to help you, but I know you feel you owe me a lot, so you are very hesitant to accept my help. I also know that you are now completely disappointed with the Guanxuan Academy, have no good feelings towards it, and even hate the Guanxuan Academy. I know that you are now filled with frustration and anger, wondering why the world is so dark. I also know..."

As she spoke, she shook her head slightly and continued, "What I want to say is, I understand all these emotions, I understand them very well. I will not preach to you to be magnanimous and accept all the injustices, because I genuinely believe that you should be disappointed, you should be angry, you should hate..."

Ye Tianming looked at her, not saying a word. His eyes were moist, not sure if it was tears or rain.

Many times, you understand certain things, but when they happen to you, you understand them, but you may not be able to let them go.

Only a sage can forgive those who have deeply hurt him.

Nanling Zhao said, "You should participate in the Wanzhou Competition, you should meet the Guanxuan Sword Master, and then ask him what is wrong with this world. Your thoughts are not wrong, you should do this, but before that, you should join a state."

Ye Tianming looked at Nanling Zhao, "Lord Zhao, please help me one more time."

Nanling Zhao smiled, "I can't help you for free, of course, I know you are poor, so consider it a favor you owe me. When I ask you to do something in the future, you cannot refuse, anything."

How could Ye Tianming not understand her intentions? His heart was complex, and he nodded, "Certainly."

Nanling Zhao smiled, "Let's go to Yongzhou."

The two walked together under the umbrella into the distance.

An hour later, the two arrived at the Immortal Treasure Pavilion. To go to another state, they naturally had to use the teleportation array.

After Nanling Zhao and Ye Tianming entered the Immortal Treasure Pavilion, Nanling Zhao paid the spirit crystals, but soon, a manager ran out, glanced at Ye Tianming, and respectfully said, "This subordinate, Huo Yan, greets Lord Zhao. Lord Zhao, you can use the teleportation array, but this young Master Ye cannot."

Nanling Zhao frowned, "Why?"

Manager Huo Yan said cautiously, "My lord, this young Master Ye has been added to our Immortal Treasure Pavilion's blacklist. From now on, he cannot enjoy any of our services."

Blacklist!

Nanling Zhao's gaze instantly turned cold.

Ye Tianming was also quite surprised.

Nanling Zhao stared at Huo Yan, "Who did this?"

Huo Yan smiled bitterly, "My lord, I truly do not know."

Nanling Zhao was silent. She naturally knew who did it—undoubtedly, it was either the Xiao family or the Qingzhou Guanxuan Academy, or perhaps both.

Manager Huo Yan bowed, very uneasy.

Nanling Zhao suddenly said, "Let us go, say that I forced you. They will not blame you when they know."

Huo Yan nodded quickly, "Yes, yes, my lords, please."

Nanling Zhao and Ye Tianming walked towards the teleportation array, and soon, the two disappeared in the array.

At this moment, a little boy walked over, "Grandpa, letting Ye Tianming go like this, we are breaking the rules..."

Huo Yan rubbed the little boy's head and smiled, "Rules can be flexible."

As he spoke, he looked at the teleportation array in the distance and said softly, "We let them go, and if the higher-ups ask, we will say that we were forced by Lord Zhao. They know her identity, so they will likely not blame us. But if we do not let them go, we will offend Lord Zhao to the point of death. She is an inspector, and if she investigates us... we will be finished."

The little boy was confused, "Why will we be finished?"

Huo Yan sighed softly, "There are so many departments in the Immortal Treasure Pavilion, and which one does not have some dirty accounts? Just in our department, there are over forty people on the payroll who do nothing, not to mention other messy things... If these things come to light, I will have to commit suicide immediately."

The little boy still did not understand, "Why does Grandpa have to commit suicide? It's not Grandpa who is corrupt."

Huo Yan rubbed the little boy's head, "Some things, when exposed, require someone to take the blame and bear the consequences. As for why it is me, you will understand in the future."

...