348: The frustration of the great scholar Mingde, breaking through the tenth level of Qiankun, and having extraordinary talent of four stars

Soon, the person sent to retrieve the True Phoenix Blood brought the precious blood.

Whoosh!

Ancient Sword Sage waved his single hand.

Three precious bottles, each containing a drop of True Phoenix Blood, floated before Chu Jiang.

Chu Jiang received the three precious bottles; rather than a single drop, it was more like a small mass, with each drop almost the size of a man's fist.

It seems the people of Jixia Academy aren't all parasites; there are still one or two normal individuals.

"Ancient Sword Sage, this is a Sacred Edict!"

After receiving the True Phoenix Blood, Chu Jiang handed him the white jade Sacred Edict.

He then left Jixia Academy without looking back.

Several Academicians watched Chu Jiang's departing figure, grinding their teeth in frustration.

They all looked towards Ancient Sword Sage, hoping he could provide a reasonable explanation.

"Ancient Sword Sage, is that all?"

Ri Yue Ruzun watched the person who had beaten the Academician leave, unpunished and taking the True Phoenix Blood, his eyes full of longing.

"What, do you really intend to punish him?"

"He was brought back by Zu Cang and has practically been designated as the Lord Shao Si. If you were to send him to the Cliff of Contemplation, Zu Cang would likely come knocking before he even arrived."

Ancient Sword Sage said calmly.

"Just him?"

Mingde Great Confucian held a hint of disdain and contempt in his heart.

He had merely been careless for a moment and was ambushed by that kid. If he had used his Qi of Confucian Dao to defend himself immediately, how could that kid have succeeded?

"The Four Prodigies of the Royal Capital Demon Suppression Division are not to be underestimated, especially Sikong Zhaixing, who is almost comprehensively superior!"

Ri Yue Ruzun said softly. Sikong Zhaixing was hailed as the Demon Suppression Division's most talented individual in five hundred years. While he couldn't compare to Yuan Shouyi, among the young generation in the current world, he surpassed ninety-nine percent of people.

"If the Demon Suppression Division's higher-ups truly intended for him to be Lord Shao Si, why would they delay until today? Instead, with the addition of a new Yun Province Pacification Commissioner, they immediately initiated the assessment?"

Ancient Sword Sage shook his head. The Lord Shao Si might wield great power in the Demon Suppression Division in the future, so his selection would certainly be very cautious.

This suggests that the Demon Suppression Division's higher-ups discovered some flaws in Sikong Zhaixing that made it difficult for him to lead the Demon Suppression Division, which is why they kept delaying.

Everyone didn't expect Ancient Sword Sage to evaluate Chu Jiang so highly.

"Si Tu Hao Yuan, the Academy's rules cannot be abolished. I hope there won't be a next time. The Sage chose you to manage the Academy, not to self-destruct its Foundation, understand?"

Ancient Sword Sage glanced sideways, looking indifferently at Ri Yue Ruzun.

"Yes!"

Ri Yue Ruzun nodded, feeling wronged, but he still believed he was not wrong. Why should Chu Jiang receive the True Phoenix Blood?

He was protecting the Academy's interests.

Bad luck.

Ancient Sword Sage was a conservative among the Twelve Sages, only recognizing rules. As long as the Academy had established rules and made promises, they had to be executed and fulfilled.

Today, if any new-faction Sage had emerged from seclusion, Chu Jiang would not have been able to take half a step out of the Hall of Literary Profundity.

As for the True Phoenix Blood, that would have been a dream.

After all, these drops of True Phoenix Blood involved Sages who had risen in the last thousand years, and they would not concede.

After a warning, Ancient Sword Sage disappeared from the spot.

"Ruzun, I..."

Mingde Great Confucian saw Ancient Sword Sage leave, and with his swollen Face, he finally dared to vent his grievances to Si Tu Hao Yuan.

Si Tu Hao Yuan: "Alright, the Academy will compensate you for your matter. I will issue a gag order, and no one will spread rumors."

Mingde Great Confucian was undoubtedly the most humiliated today, being slapped in public was an absolute disgrace.

Compensation?

Mingde Great Confucian felt indignant. Could they give him True Phoenix Blood?

It would probably just be some Medicinal Pills for healing.

Moreover, was compensation what he wanted?

He wanted his lost dignity!

Furthermore, what happened here would surely spread quickly, at most it could only be kept secret for seven or eight days.

"The Academicians present are all virtuous individuals and will keep your secret. You were... in short, it won't reach outsiders' ears."

Si Tu Hao Yuan counted carefully. There were at least twenty-something Academicians present. Well, the difficulty of keeping this secret was indeed a bit high.

"Mingde, you should go back and rest assured to recover from your injuries. We guarantee that the matter of the Hall of Literary Profundity will not be spread, as this is the Face of the entire Academy, not just yours."

Several Academicians consoled him.

Mingde Great Confucian felt much more at ease hearing their comfort. Thinking about it carefully, it was true, everyone was family.

How could they favor one over another?

Chu Jiang, having obtained the True Phoenix Blood and returning in Perfection, presumably wouldn't go around spreading rumors and offending the Academy.

Everyone then dispersed.

However.

Good news stays home, bad news travels a thousand miles.

Just a few hours later, everything that happened in the Hall of Literary Profundity at Jixia Academy reached the ears of various major powers in the Royal Capital.

Chu Jiang, intending to exchange the Sacred Edict issued by the Academy for True Phoenix Blood, was rejected and even verbally abused. In a fit of rage, he publicly slapped Mingde Great Confucian.

Right Prime Minister's Mansion.

Right Prime Minister Li Fei looked at the news placed on the table and said with a bitter smile, "This Jixia Academy is really getting worse and worse. They don't even recognize the Sacred Edict they issued themselves."

"Denying the Sacred Edict isn't that denying those who made great contributions to the Academy in the past? Did they work for nothing?"

"If it weren't for a few conservative Sages, the Academy would sooner or later be destroyed by those ambitious individuals."

As a Holy Land of Confucianism, no one wished for Jixia Academy to become what it is today. What exactly are those lunatics from the new faction planning? This is dragging Jixia Academy into an bottomless abyss...

Prince Jin's Mansion.

"This Chu Jiang is as arrogant as ever, even in the Royal Capital. He'll be a perfect tool for this Prince!"

Prince Jin laughed heartily. He even dared to hit an Academician from Jixia Academy. He was truly stubborn. Was there anyone Chu Jiang didn't dare to touch?

Striking hard at Prince Yan and Prince Qi would be nothing.

"However, this person still needs to be disciplined further. The invitation has been sent, but he hasn't even replied to this Prince!"

Green Crown Advisor said, "Currently, Chu Jiang is at a critical stage of the Lord Shao Si assessment, so it's not a good time to contact the Supervisor."

"From my observation, this person responds well to gentle persuasion but not to force. Once he becomes Lord Shao Si, he will certainly respond to the Supervisor's invitation!"

Prince Jin nodded slightly, agreeing with the logic, and then ordered:

"Monitor closely!"

"Yes!"

Everyone nodded.

...

Prince Yans Mansion.

Crack!

A teacup was violently smashed to the ground, instantly shattering into pieces.

"The people of Jixia Academy have almost completely lost Face!"

"Being publicly humiliated and then letting the person leave, not even daring to teach him a lesson—they are truly useless!"

Prince Yan roared.

Ever since his Gu and Su Lengyue, as well as the Eight Great Courtesans, lost contact, he knew that Chu Jiang had killed all nine of them.

He had kindly sent a top-tier beauty, but not only was she unappreciated, his good intentions were also killed.

"Your Highness, please calm your anger. The people of Jixia Academy are just a bunch of scholars who have read themselves silly. How can they compare to Your Highness's Aura?"

Liu Rushuang soothed him. Prince Yan's temper had indeed been overly volatile recently. Was it a side effect of Cultivating that Cultivation Technique?

The scene fell into silence for a moment.

...

Jixia Academy.

"I'll f*cking kill you!"

From a certain courtyard, a mournful roar echoed. (-`ェ´- anger)

The Hall of Literary Profundity had promised secrecy, and he had thought the incident wouldn't break for at least a month or two. Yet, it hadn't even been a full day, and the news had already spread throughout the entire Royal Capital.

Beasts.

Damn it.

Mingde Great Confucian being slapped would definitely become the biggest topic in the Royal Capital recently.

Damn Chu Jiang, it was all his fault that he couldn't show his Face to anyone.

"Chu Jiang, you just wait!"

...

Royal Capital Demon Suppression Division, Flowing Cloud Residence.

In the Cultivation room, Chu Jiang took out a drop of True Phoenix Blood. Even through the precious bottle, he could feel the majestic life essence within, the energy as dense as fire.

"True Phoenix Blood is already the top-tier precious blood in this world. I wonder to what grade it can elevate my talent."

This stuff was more than a dozen times more precious than the diluted Ice Phoenix Blood.

Time to refine.

【Year One: You begin refining the True Phoenix Blood.】

【Year Two: Your talent advances.】

【Year Three: Due to refining Advanced fire-attribute energy, your Blazing Sun Physique undergoes evolution.】

【Year Four: Your talent advances again.】

【Year Five: You advance to the Qiankun Tenth Level.】

【Year Six: The True Phoenix Blood is exhausted, and your Blazing Sun Physique undergoes a second evolution.】

...

Chu Jiang opened his eyes, his Aura surging once more. In his eyes, a Phoenix seemed to circle, and the flames on his fingertips could melt through the Void Realm.

【Talent: Transcendent Four-star】

【Physique: Blazing Sun Physique +2, Thunderous Body, Ice Cold Body +1】