152: Chapter 152 Qinglan's Wrath

Zhang Wen followed Principal Gongsun toward the main building, still clutching the half of the Poison-Breaking Needle in his pocket, his fingertips clearly feeling the faint spiritual energy remaining on the needle's body.

Li Feiyuan's Sword Intent was mixed with his Lightning Radiance, like two twisted strands of rope, tightly gripping his heartbeat.

The stone steps of the main building were still stained with morning dew, and Principal Gongsun's black robe swept across the ground, bringing up a crisp scent of grass and trees, completely different from the bloody stench of the battlefield just moments ago.

Entering the office, the principal closed the heavy wooden door behind him, and the room instantly fell silent, with only the ticking of the wall clock echoing.

"Sit."

Principal Gongsun pointed to the rattan chair beside the coffee table, while he walked to the bookshelf, his fingertips tracing rows of yellowed ancient books.

"The Soul-Tethering Pendant is a token used by the Shadow Department to mark their 'pawns'. This one belonging to Chen Mingda is engraved with the character 'Li', corresponding to the Shadow Department's 'Li Group'—back during the Battle of Wangyue Terrace, it was the Li Group that led the raid on our rear camp."

Zhang Wen looked up sharply: "Are you saying that the Shadow Department's Li Group has been lurking in the academy all this time?"

"Not lurking, but infiltrating."

Principal Gongsun pulled out a blue cloth notebook with a worn cover and flipped to a yellowed page inside. "Twenty years ago, after the Shadow Department was defeated, the leader of the Li Group disappeared without a trace. I originally thought they had long since dispersed, but it seems I was careless."

He pointed to a sketch in the notebook. "Look, this is the Li Group's communication talisman array, and it perfectly matches the fluctuations of the curse energy inside Chen Mingda."

The talisman array in the diagram consisted of seven twisted symbols, with the one in the center resembling an eye without a pupil. Zhang Wen suddenly remembered the black lines on Teacher Chen's neck—when those patterns were magnified, they were exactly the same as the curves on the edge of the talisman array.

"Then Li Feiyuan..." Zhang Wen gripped the Poison-Breaking Needle in his palm, "Why was her Poison-Breaking Needle inside Teacher Chen?"

Principal Gongsun closed the notebook, his gaze falling on him with a hint of complexity: "Feiyuan's Master was a member of the Li Group back then."

"What?!" Zhang Wen almost sprang up from the rattan chair, "But Teacher Li..."

"Her Master was coerced by the Shadow Department."

The principal interrupted him, his voice deepening, "During the Battle of Wangyue Terrace, in order to protect Feiyuan, her Master used his own spiritual energy to detonate the Li Group's talisman array and passed away on the spot."

"Feiyuan has spent these years at the academy partly for cultivation, and partly to investigate the events of that year—she understands the Shadow Department's background better than you imagine."

Zhang Wen was stunned. No wonder Li Feiyuan always liked to flip through old case files in the Scripture Pavilion, and no wonder her sword was engraved with the two characters 'Gui Li'. He had always thought it meant 'returning to one's hometown', but it turned out...

"That silver light," Zhang Wen suddenly spoke, his voice tight.

Principal Gongsun picked up the teapot and poured boiling hot water into the teacup, the swirling steam blurring his expression.

"Feiyuan's sword, 'Shattered Shadow', has meteorite iron mixed into its blade, which glows when it encounters strong power. Although the spiritual energy impact of that Malevolent Thunder Array was strong, a Transformation Realm expert is not that weak; it's still hard to die from that."

He pushed a cup of hot tea across. "Besides, the Lightning Radiance on the Poison-Breaking Needle was something you attached in your desperation, right?"

Zhang Wen nodded—when he threw the silver needle just now, he had indeed subconsciously injected a trace of Nine Heavens Tribulation Thunder, originally intending to interfere with the Black-Robed Figure, but he hadn't expected...

"That was not a coincidence."

Principal Gongsun's fingertips tapped the teacup. "Feiyuan's Poison-Breaking Needle can trigger different people's spiritual energy. If she left the needle in Chen Mingda's body, it was because she had calculated that someone would use Lightning Radiance to purify the curse energy—this needle was a signpost for you."

Zhang Wen's heart jumped, and he looked down at the needle in his palm.

In the sunlight, the edge of the silver needle was indeed glowing with a very faint golden light, as if it had been gilded by his Lightning Radiance.

"I have already sent people to take Wang Wude for treatment, and Zhao Yingming has also had a physician arranged for him."

Principal Gongsun's gaze fell on the lightning mark on his arm. "Your Realm is still low, so be careful when you encounter people from the Soul Devouring Hall and the Shadow Department."

Zhang Wen clenched his fist, and the lightning mark on his fingertips suddenly grew hot, as if echoing his heartbeat.

He recalled what Teacher Lin Mo said: "Talent isn't about strength or weakness, it's about intention."

After Zhang Wen left, the warmth in Gongsun Hongyi's eyes suddenly faded, replaced by a coldness as biting as frost.

"Soul Devouring Hall... to dare to touch my people from Azure Mist, you must pay the price!"

His Soul energy surged outward, and a moment later, the two vice principals, and the deans and vice deans of each college had all gathered in the main building.

"Except for Vice Dean Meng who is guarding the Level 5 area and hasn't arrived, has everyone else arrived?"

Gongsun Hongyi's voice echoed in the hall, each word sounding like ice striking jade, cold and bone-chilling.

Inside the hall, the air was so heavy it felt as if it were about to drip water. The deans and vice deans stood solemnly, their eyes fixed on Gongsun Hongyi, waiting for his orders.

An invisible rage permeated the air, burning for the fellow Disciples and students who were injured or killed today.

Gongsun Hongyi's gaze was like lightning as he swept across every senior member of the academy present. His voice was not loud, but it carried undeniable majesty and killing intent:

"You all know about today's events. The Shadow Department has infiltrated, and the Soul Devouring Hall has openly committed violence on Azure Mist territory, injuring my teachers and slaughtering my students. If this vengeance is not taken, how can Azure Mist stand in the world? Where would our dignity be?"

He paused, his fingertips tapping gently on the tabletop, making a dull sound that nevertheless struck everyone's heart like a war drum.

"The Soul Devouring Hall has coveted our academy's heritage and tested Azure Mist's bottom line for a long time. Today, let them thoroughly understand that Azure Mist's blade has never dulled!"

"Pass on my orders!"

"First, the combat readiness order takes effect immediately! All elite teachers and Core Disciples currently out on training or executing missions, except for those necessary to remain behind or those with urgent duties,"

"must be recalled within three days! All college resources will be tilted toward combat sequences and given priority allocation."

"Second, the intelligence network will operate at full capacity! Led by Vice Principal Zhou Wentao, in coordination with the information channels under each dean."

"I want to know the locations of all Soul Devouring Hall branches, their current possible hiding spots, and all their active strongholds from recent times within twelve hours!"

"Third, launch the 'Purge' operation. Objective: Once the specific locations of the Soul Devouring Hall branches are known, Vice Principal Li Ji will personally lead a team, drawing elites from each college to form a temporary battle group, and with the force of thunder, sweep them away! I don't want prisoners, I only want them to pay the price in blood!"

"Fourth, issue the 'Azure Mist Execution Order' externally. Proclaim to the world that the actions of the Soul Devouring Hall have touched my reverse scale. From this day forward, all members of the Soul Devouring Hall and their affiliated forces are considered enemies of Azure Mist."

"Those who provide effective intelligence will be rewarded; those who assist in the extermination will be heavily rewarded! I want to make it impossible for the people of the Soul Devouring Hall to take a single step on this land!"

Order after order was clear and explicit, carrying the scent of iron and blood, and was quickly passed down.

The entire Azure Mist Academy, this massive machine, instantly switched from its usual state of teaching and cultivation to war mode.

An invisible aura of solemn killing spread throughout the academy, with the main building as the center.

The deans accepted the orders, none had any objections, and their eyes held only the same rage and determination. They left quickly to arrange the specific matters.

Very quickly, streaks of light shot up into the sky from Azure Mist Academy; these were spiritual talismans transmitting information and orders rushing to various places.

Inside the academy, alarm bells rang continuously, and all Disciples were required to return to their respective areas, but the tension surging in the air and the faintly felt power fluctuations made everyone understand—Azure Mist was getting serious.

On the other side, Dongmo University.

"Principal, Azure Mist is waging war against the Soul Devouring Hall this time, should we help?"

"Don't panic. The Old Marshal hasn't made any moves, which means there's no problem, so let's not join in the excitement," said Gu Wangshu.

"I reckon the Old Marshal has already reached an agreement with the Soul Devouring Hall to let Azure Mist vent their anger, and their core forces have probably already withdrawn."

The old man beside her also agreed, while also feeling ashamed. "If it weren't for the fact that we only have one Old Marshal, otherwise the Soul Devouring Hall would have long since..."