Chapter 17

Chapter 17: The Family Tree Gets Its Own Page!

 

Who would have thought that the matter of Qingzhou Guanxuan Academy would end just like that.

Yes, it’s completely over.

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

Everything is calm and peaceful.

This is absolute power!

Without a doubt, the Xiao family had the last laugh, and after this incident, the Xiao family’s prestige in the Guanxuan universe increased significantly, because no one expected that the Xiao family could resolve this matter so effortlessly.

In the Xiao family’s main hall.

The Xiao family’s powerful members were all beaming with satisfaction, as if they had won a great victory.

Suddenly, an elder said: “We must eliminate that bastard.”

“Right!”

Another elder immediately agreed, “We must eliminate that bastard, we can’t leave future troubles.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. How could they allow someone who had passed through the Guanxuan Path, a genius who now had a deadly feud with the Xiao family, to grow stronger?

“Fools.”

The clan leader Xiao Feng suddenly shouted angrily.

The Xiao family members looked at Xiao Feng in confusion.

Xiao Feng’s face darkened, “We can use our ancestor’s favor once, but not necessarily a second time, do you understand?”

All the elders fell silent.

Xiao Feng said gravely: “If our Xiao family goes to kill that bastard now, it would be too blatant.”

He saw the situation clearly. The reason the Xiao family remained unscathed this time was entirely due to their ancestor’s reputation. Therefore, the Xiao family must act with extreme caution going forward.

An elder said discontentedly: “Are we just going to let that bastard go?”

Xiao Feng’s expression remained neutral, “There are many ways to kill someone. We don’t necessarily have to do it ourselves. For example, we can borrow someone else’s knife…”

Borrow someone else’s knife to kill!

Hearing this, the elders exchanged glances and began to smile.

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

When Ye Tianming arrived at the academy again, Qi Shi, the principal of Qingzhou Guanxuan Academy, appeared before the two.

Qi Shi looked at Ye Tianming, “Your special admission quota has been canceled by our Qingzhou Academy. From now on, you are no longer a student of our Qingzhou Academy.”

Ye Tianming wasn’t surprised. He looked at Qi Shi, “Will Master Fang Xiao ever return here?”

He returned here not to rejoin Qingzhou Guanxuan Academy, but to see Fang Xiao one last time.

Qi Shi calmly said: “Fang Xiao has resigned. He now holds no official position and will never return here.”

Ye Tianming fell silent, feeling deeply guilty.

Qi Shi said: “You could have made another choice, but you insisted on confrontation. Are you satisfied now?”

Ye Tianming looked at Qi Shi, “The mistake is not mine, Ye Tianming’s, but this world’s.”

With that, he turned and left.

Qi Shi watched Ye Tianming and his companion leave without saying anything.

At this moment, an old man appeared beside him. It was Elder Ling. Elder Ling said gravely: “This person cannot be allowed to live.”

Qi Shi’s expression remained unchanged, “The Xiao family wants him dead even more than we do.”

After saying this, he turned and left.

As Ye Tianming and Nan Ling Zhao were about to descend the mountain, a young man was watching him from the side. It was Zhao Yu from the Zhao family, and beside Zhao Yu stood another young man.

The young man stared at Ye Tianming in the distance and snarled: “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 swelled up immediately.

The young man looked at Zhao Yu in bewilderment, “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 afford to provoke?”

As he spoke, he slowly closed his eyes, “Go back immediately and tell the family head to return all the land seized from the Ye family, then have our Zhao family leave Qingzhou at once. Go as far away as possible, and never return to Qingzhou…”

The man was stunned, “Second brother, this this…”

Zhao Yu snarled, “Go now!”

The man trembled, “If the clan leader doesn’t agree…”

Zhao Yu’s expression remained unchanged, “Then I, Zhao Yu, will leave the Zhao family and start my own branch in the clan records.”

With that, he turned and left.

The man: “…”

Ye Tianming walked down the mountain when suddenly, heavy rain began to fall.

Ye Tianming gripped the Xingdao sword tightly in his left hand as he continued downward, watching the raindrops hit the ground. He suddenly felt lost.

In this vast world, there was no place for him, Ye Tianming.

At this moment, an umbrella suddenly covered him.

Ye Tianming turned to look. It was Nan Ling Zhao. She looked at him and said, “Let’s go to Yongzhou.”

Ye Tianming was puzzled.

Nan Ling Zhao said: “If you want to participate in the Ten Thousand States Competition, you must join a state. Otherwise, you won’t be qualified to participate.”

Ye Tianming shook his head, “Lady Zhao, I’ve already implicated Master Fang Xiao. I can’t implicate you too.”

Nan Ling Zhao stared at Ye Tianming, “As an inspector, this is my duty. I should…”

Ye Tianming interrupted her, “You’ve done enough, really, Lady Zhao. Let me walk the rest of the path alone.”

With that, he turned and walked away into the distance.

Nan Ling Zhao stood holding the umbrella, watching him slowly disappear into the rain.

Ye Tianming did not choose to return to the Ye family. How could he face his clan members by returning now?

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

Ye Tianming turned to look. Not far away, Nan Ling Zhao was standing with an umbrella, looking at him. She smiled, “I’m not deliberately following you, I’m just going the same way.”

As Ye Tianming was about to speak, Nan Ling Zhao walked up to him and placed the umbrella between them, sheltering them both.

Nan Ling Zhao stared at Ye Tianming, “I want to help you, but I know you feel you already owe me too many favors, so you’re reluctant to accept my help. I also know that you’re now completely disappointed with the Guanxuan Academy, have no good feelings toward it, and even resent it. I know even more that your heart is now filled with discontent and anger, wondering why the world is so dark. I also know…”

She shook her head slightly and continued, “What I want to say is that I understand all these emotions of yours, truly understand. I won’t self-righteously ask you to let it go or accept all this injustice, because I sincerely believe you should be disappointed, you should be angry, you should resent…”

Ye Tianming looked at her without speaking. His eyes were very moist, though it was hard to tell if it was tears or rain.

Many times, you may understand certain things, but when those things actually happen to you, understanding doesn’t necessarily mean acceptance.

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

Nan Ling Zhao said: “You should participate in the Ten Thousand States Competition. You should meet the Guanxuan Sword Master and ask him what has happened to this world. Your thinking is not wrong, and you should do just that, but before that, you should join a state.”

Ye Tianming looked at Nan Ling Zhao, “Lady Zhao, please help me one more time.”

Nan Ling Zhao smiled, “I don’t help for free. Of course, I know you’re very poor, so let’s say you owe me a favor. In the future, when I ask you to do something, you cannot refuse, anything at all.”

How could Ye Tianming not understand her intention? His heart was complex, but he nodded, “Certainly.”

Nan Ling Zhao smiled brightly, “Let’s go to Yongzhou.”

The two shared an umbrella as they walked away.

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

After Nan Ling Zhao and Ye Tianming entered the Treasure Pavilion, Nan Ling Zhao paid the spirit crystals, but soon, a manager ran out. He glanced at Ye Tianming, then respectfully said: “This subordinate Huo Yan greets Lady Zhao. Lady Zhao, you may use the teleportation array, but this Young Master Ye cannot.”

Nan Ling Zhao frowned slightly, “Why?”

Manager Huo Yan cautiously said: “In response to my lady, this Young Master Ye has been placed on our Treasure Pavilion’s blacklist. From this moment on, he cannot enjoy any of our services.”

Blacklist!

Nan Ling Zhao’s gaze immediately turned cold.

Ye Tianming was also quite surprised.

Nan Ling Zhao stared at Huo Yan, “Who did this?”

Huo Yan smiled bitterly, “My lady, I truly don’t know.”

Nan Ling Zhao fell silent. She naturally knew who had done it. Without a doubt, it was either the Xiao family or the Qingzhou Guanxuan Academy, or perhaps they had worked together.

Huo Yan bowed, feeling very anxious.

Nan Ling Zhao suddenly said: “Let us through. Just say I forced you. When they find out, they won’t blame you.”

Huo Yan quickly nodded, “Very well, please, both of you.”

Nan Ling Zhao and Ye Tianming walked toward the teleportation array in the distance, and soon, they disappeared within it.

At this moment, a little boy walked over, “Grandpa, just letting that Ye Tianming go like this, we’ve broken the rules…”

Huo Yan rubbed the little boy’s head and smiled, “Rules can be flexible.”

As he spoke, he looked toward the teleportation array in the distance and said softly: “We let them go, and if those above question us, we’ll say we were forced by Lady Zhao. They know her identity, so they probably won’t blame us. But if we hadn’t let them go, we would have deeply offended Lady Zhao, and she’s an inspector. If she came to investigate us… we would be finished.”

The little boy didn’t understand, “Why would we be finished?”

Huo Yan sighed softly, “The Treasure Pavilion has so many departments, which one doesn’t have corrupt accounts? Just in our section, there are over forty ghost employees, not to mention other messy affairs… If these things were exposed, your grandpa would have to commit suicide immediately.”

The little boy still didn’t understand, “Why would grandpa have to commit suicide? It’s not like you’re the one who embezzled.”

Huo Yan rubbed the little boy’s head again, “When certain things are exposed, someone has to take the fall for those big shots. As for why it would be me, you’ll understand when you’re older.”