Baili Feng howled for half a day, yet no one responded. Following him, Master Ni, still in his gray Confucian robe, rolled his eyes and spoke with his arms crossed:
"I say, isn't Anfeng the keeper of books?"
"Why have we come here instead of Wind Character Tower?"
The young man from the Military Family was slightly startled, scratched his head, and said:
The Confucian Scholar gave him an annoyed whack on the head, but Baili Feng didn't get angry. He just scratched his head and chuckled, then said, "Then let's go... After all, I've eaten his meals many times."
"It's only right to reciprocate..."
The Confucian Scholar glanced at him and couldn't be bothered to speak.
The two went to the Wind Character Tower to find Wang Anfeng. The three of them left Fufeng Academy together. Once the Confucian Scholar stepped outside the Academy, it seemed as if he had been stifling himself. His eyes wandered everywhere with an ecstatic expression, as if one step made all the difference between heaven and earth.
Along the way, he acted almost like a child who had never seen the outside world, exclaiming loudly from time to time, to the point where Baili Feng covered his face with his hand, sighing in exasperation.
"This is terribly embarrassing..."
Wang Anfeng laughed lightly. By now, they were nearly at Zhao's residence. The Confucian Scholar had already taken a few steps toward a small stall, and, looking at the pastries on display, his eyes lit up. After thinking for a moment, he simply took out a silver coin and said:
His gaze shifted slightly and noticed a little boy beside him, looking eagerly at the stall. He paused, then extended another finger, saying:
"Alright, here you go."
The vendor quickly used long wooden tongs to pick out two items, wrapped them deftly in lotus leaves, and handed them over.
The Confucian Scholar took them, bent down, and casually handed one to the little boy, his smile gentle as he said:
The child looked at the man before him in disbelief. Only after the latter pushed it forward again did he carefully accept it, bit off a small piece, and the sweetness spread in his mouth. Master Ni watched him and chuckled:
"Tastes good, doesn't it?"
"I'll tell you, just from the smell, I knew it would taste good."
Hearing the Confucian Scholar's boastful voice, Baili Feng's mouth twitched slightly.
Had he forgotten there were two more mouths here?
After the Confucian Scholar returned with his pastry, Baili Feng naturally did not stop complaining along the way. But the former's thick skin was seemingly tougher than the walls of Great Qin's Fufeng, completely unaffected. As they walked a few hundred meters further, they saw at a distance the banquet laid out by Zhao's residence, filling an entire street.
The big red round tables were lined up tightly packed. Anyone who came by, no matter who they were, just needed to say a lucky phrase to the steward and they could take a seat, have their fill of food and drink, and receive a lucky money gift. Thus, it attracted many people to come.
This display of grandeur left Baili Feng tongue-tied, while Wang Anfeng found himself inexplicably reminiscing about the Phoenix Feast from years ago, feeling contemplative. Suddenly, he perceived something amiss, turned his gaze to look, but discovered nothing. Only a hem of moon-white garment flickered at the corner of his eye, not understanding where that odd flutter in his heart came from.
Baili Feng had already slapped him on the shoulder and said,
"What are you still doing here?"
The young warrior from the Military Family gestured with his mouth toward the front and chuckled,
"Let's go... Didn't expect that guy to actually have some skills..."
Wang Anfeng paused momentarily, then saw a Confucian Scholar stride forward, showing the emblem that represented a master from Fufeng Academy to the steward. The middle-aged steward's expression grew even more respectful, he stepped back, raised his hand in a guiding gesture and, elevating his voice, announced,
"Fufeng Academy, Master Ni, here to celebrate the host's birthday!"
"Please come inside."
The Confucian Scholar retrieved the emblem, gave a slight nod, and despite his lack of concern for appearance, his features were actually handsome. Standing with his hands behind his back, he exuded an unrestrained elegance of a distinguished scholar. Glancing over, he winked at Wang Anfeng and the others.
The latter chuckled, the three of them quite familiar with each other and naturally knowing what he meant, and followed him side by side into the hall.
As they stepped inside, Baili Feng hesitated, adjusting the Mo Blade behind him, and said,
"Should I leave my weapon behind?"
The steward clasped his hands and smiled,
"There's no need for concern, young hero, please enter directly."
His voice paused, then he added with a touch of pride,
"Our master has perfected his Horizontal Training Divine Skill to the utmost degree, not even a real Mo Blade squad could harm him. There is no need for you to worry."
With those words, Baili Feng finally nodded and entered with his Mo Blade on his back.
The opulence outside was already impressive, but the atmosphere inside was even more potent, almost tangible. Everyone in sight was of distinguished appearance, evidently of high status. Some were armed with swords, their eyes sparkling with intensity. A mere glance from them could stir a heart.
Among them, Baili Feng spotted several reputable rangers, his heart flaring with unease, as if he'd entered a den of wolves, his scalp tingling slightly.
Having been through battles, Wang Anfeng could look squarely at so-called nobles and officials, whereas the Confucian Scholar was serenely indifferent, only concerned with moving forward. Approaching the main hall, they saw an enormous character for "longevity" hanging at the seat of honor, written splendidly and majestically, beneath which sat a dignified elder.
His hair and beard were snow-white, yet his face remained stern and upright, his eyes bright as he sipped tea. A servant at his side proclaimed,
"Fufeng Academy, Master Ni, congratulates the host on his eightieth birthday!"
The volume of his voice raised slightly but remained unobtrusive, just enough to inform the guests of the presence of someone of status without disturbing the refined atmosphere.
The elder set down his tea cup and nodded slightly, his voice neutral as he said,
"Thank you, Master. Have a seat, please, Master, and rest."
As a servant stepped forward to guide him, a hospitable smile yet to form on his face, the Confucian Scholar had already vanished from sight. Momentarily taken aback, they saw the Scholar had appeared behind them, continuing his steady pace. The crowd saw a Scholar in grey, the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth, pushing through.
The austere elder's brow furrowed slightly, his tone revealing a hint of displeasure,
"Might this Master be..."
Before he could finish, he caught sight of those familiar brows and eyes. His expression froze in shock and in less than a breath, the cup in his hand shattered violently, his voice rang out with surprise and anger,
The crowd was baffled, while Qi Force around the elder erupted instantly, like a tiger's fierce roar resounding, his hair and beard bristling with fury. Nine fearsome tiger phantoms surged from his body, their claws bared, heads raised in a mighty roar. Those familiar with him drew their weapons, swords clanging sharply, and in a blink, an oppressive air filled the entire hall.
At this moment, the Confucian Scholar's figure had already appeared in front of the old man. With his left hand behind his back and his right hand transformed into a claw, he thrust directly into the man's chest.
The refined Horizontal Training Divine Skill that the old man had practiced for decades, known as almost invincible beneath the Grandmaster level, disappeared in an instant like shadows without a trace.
The Confucian Scholar's slender palm easily penetrated the old man's chest, his expression deep and meaningful, his demeanor casual.
The Fourth Rank peak expert had his vital spot pierced in one strike.
Originally drawing their swords, the onlookers froze as if doused with a bucket of ice water, too scared to move, as the nine vibrant, fierce tigers that represented the old man's profound cultivation crumbled with agonizing cries, reverting to their original form as an old man, now pale and disbelieving as he stared at the Confucian Scholar before him.
His mouth quivered as he spat out large mouthfuls of blood froth.
"Rebel, Heaven's, course..."
The Confucian Scholar's eyes flickered with a profound light as he softly spoke:
"Twenty years ago, you wiped out the Giant Whale Gang."
"There was a cripple amongst them, who gave me half a rotten steamed bun thirty-five years ago."
"To be honest, that bun didn't taste good at all."
"It was also incredibly delicious..."
The old man couldn't help but cough up fresh blood, glaring at him:
"The Giant Whale Gang murdered and looted, they were not worthy of mercy, I was executing Heaven's will on their behalf!"
Anfeng nodded, but casually said:
"That's why I must exterminate your whole family to repay his kindness."
On hearing this, the old man was both shocked and enraged and shouted:
"You, can't differentiate good from evil!"
The Confucian Scholar glanced at him and indifferently said:
"Who determines what is good and evil?"
At this terrifying turn of events, everyone present was extremely frightened, and yet Wang Anfeng and Baili Feng only felt at a loss, the normally easy-going, shameless Confucian Scholar they played with now seemed like a completely different person, his every word and deed chilling to the bone.
It was only at this moment that Wang Anfeng realized an issue he had inadvertently overlooked.
Someone with the ability and the qualifications to imprison an expert in the Fufeng Academy for twenty years must have the approval of the head of Fufeng Academy.
And that Master from the Confucian Sect in Fufeng Academy, with his widespread reputation, is a rare talent of the Confucian Sect.
Could it be that he would permit the imprisonment of a righteous ranger?
Master Ni... Ni, rebel.
Master Ni, Rebel Master.
As the thought reached this point, a chill seemed to rise in his heart, and the Confucian Scholar spoke again. With one hand still stabbed into Zhao Zheng's chest, he stood with the other behind his back and said leisurely:
"A man who does not keep his word cannot stand firm, when Anfeng says he will exterminate your lineage, not a single one will be spared..."
"Within a hundred miles of Fufeng territory, any with the blood of Zhao Zheng shall not be touched."
As his voice lightly fell, many men and women around suddenly stiffened, as if transforming from living beings into inanimate puppets. Though they were unable to move, their eyes revealed the despair of facing imminent death, seemingly aware of their fate to come.
Wang Anfeng's expression changed drastically as he suddenly exclaimed:
Anfeng's voice paused slightly, then calmly continued.
"Those with the blood of Zhao Zheng shall die on the spot."
Those who had been stiff suddenly lost the spark of life in their eyes, whether they were spirited youths, beautiful young girls, composed middle-aged men, or dignified women, they all became corpses in that instant, falling dead silently on the spot.
Wang Anfeng's pupils contracted sharply, while Zhao Zheng's face showed even more terror and astonishment. The old warrior, who had fought his way through life's battles, seemed overwhelmed by such a heavy blow, his voice hoarse and choked as he said:
The Confucian Scholar chuckled lightly, his demeanor deep and carefree:
"A Confucian Grandmaster's words are as the laws of Heaven and Earth."
"That old man gave me a second request many years ago, to read and understand all the books of the Confucian Sect."
"I have read them, understood them, so, I have come out."
His eyes opened slightly, revealing those unfathomably deep eyes:
"Come out, to kill you."
The old man's expression went through rapid changes, finally looking defeated, and with his profound martial power, he could not die immediately and simply scoffed:
"Confucian gentlemen's virtue is greater than Heaven and Earth, with such evil deeds, you will not preserve your cultivation!"
"I will be waiting for you below!"
Anfeng nodded and said:
"The Confucian School is indeed one grand path that reaches to Heaven, deviating from it is not permissible, the higher you climb, the harder you fall."
With those few words, he summarized the entire path of Confucian cultivation clearly and penetratingly. Zhao Zheng was shocked, yet he scoffed again because the deeper one understood these principles, the more severe the collapse of one's cultivation, and the more devastating the backlash. But the Confucian Scholar only gave him a glance and said indifferently:
"But I'm beginning to forget..."
The old man's expression drastically changed as the Confucian Scholar with a calm and gentle demeanor said:
"If I hadn't forgotten these principles and rules, how would I kill you?"
"And how else would I be able to exterminate your entire clan?"
PS: Presenting a long chapter... seeking support