Immortal of the Nine Realms

The streets were swamped with people, all following Fang Chen as he took the lead.

Jue Panshi had already ordered someone to keep an eye on Yu Zhang to prevent him from escaping midway.

Yu Zhang looked a bit pale, but soon he realized that Fang Chen wasn’t headed to his manor.

Yu Zhang was confused, but he felt a glimmer of hope.

As they continued walking, everyone began to feel that something was not quite right.

King Xiang couldn't help but say, "Duke Fang, isn't this the direction of the Southern Mountain Academy?"

Zhao Yan, who was initially excited, gradually calmed down as he fell into contemplation.

Fang Chen smiled without saying a word, simply gesturing for everyone to follow him.

After a short while, they arrived at the front of the academy.

Under the support of his disciples, Master Chen walked to Fang Chen and said in a deep voice, "Duke Fang, is that crucial piece of evidence related to the case in the academy?"

"Did I say that, Master Chen?" asked Fang Chen, surprise seemingly on his face.

Master Chen was startled at first, then shook his head. "Indeed, you haven’t. I was just guessing."

"Duke Fang, please don't keep us in suspense any longer," mouthed King Xiang with a bitter smile. "The crowd is growing, and further delay might cause some unrest."

Fang Chen looked around; indeed, the street was packed with people, including spectators, relatives of victims, vendors with their loads, and well-dressed nobles.

"Should we seal off the Southern Mountain Academy?" asked Jue Panshi quietly.

"We should, but it’s not the Southern Mountain Academy itself we are sealing off.” Fang Chen pointed to an inconspicuous courtyard beside the Southern Mountain Academy. “It's this courtyard next to it."

There were many willow trees around the academy, and this small courtyard, concealed under the willow trees, appeared rather ordinary.

However, the expressions on the faces of King Xiang and others changed dramatically. The surrounding people were also stunned. After a moment, whispers started to spread.

Because the owner of the courtyard was none other than Master Chen, the head of the Southern Mountain Academy!

Master Chen suddenly put his hand over his heart. He was so angry, he started trembling. "Duke Fang, what do you mean by this?"

Master Chen’s students quickly supported him. They glowered at Fang Chen.

Yu Zhang appeared disoriented. If Fang Chen had gone to his own house instead, he might have been able to argue a little. However, Fang Chen came to Master Chen's courtyard specifically.

"This... this is a true eyeopener," muttered Jue Panshi as he looked at Master Chen.

Jue Panshi was not a good person, he himself was well aware of that. As the commander of the Valiant Saber Guards, he employed countless types of ruthless methods. However, he still retained a bottom line. It was because of this bottom line that he could stand unharmed in front of Fang Chen. But he never thought that the head of the Southern Mountain Academy, the erudite Master Chen, would be a criminal of such caliber!

"Master..." muttered Zhao Yan as tears welled up in his eyes and rolled down his face. He was an existence at the pinnacle of the Earth Profound Stage. A deity in the eyes of ordinary people, one that could appear and disappear without a trace, yet here he was, crying.

Over the years, he had searched for clues himself. But he had never thought to visit Master Chen's courtyard.

Was it guilt? Was it remorse? He didn't know. All he knew was that when he was young, he squatted in front of the Southern Mountain Academy's gate. A figure squatted down in front of him, asked if he wanted to study, and he nodded. Then that figure led him into the Southern Mountain Academy. When he shared his food with others who were hungry, that same person who had taken him in would share half of his meal with him.

Fang Chen looked at Master Chen with his grayish-white eyes, calm and unruffled. Under this calmness, however, there seemed to be a storm.

Master Chen's face suddenly turned deathly pale.

"Seal off this courtyard. Not a single fly should be allowed to come out. All the servants and maidservants in this courtyard must be taken away for questioning," ordered Fang Chen calmly.

"Yes!" answered Jue Panshie before loudly declaring, "Break the door and seal off the courtyard!"

"Yes, commander!"

A group of elite guards from the Valiant Saber Guards immediately acted like wolves and tigers. They kicked open the gate of the courtyard and sealed off every corner of the courtyard. In just a short moment, they apprehended all the servants and maidservants in the courtyard.

What surprised everyone was that these servants were either mute, blind, deaf, or had various physical disabilities. An old man with a hunched back trembled and looked at Master Chen. "Master, what happened?"

Master Chen took a deep breath, a faint coldness flashing in his eyes. "It's nothing. Duke Fang suspects I am a criminal and wants to search the courtyard. You all just wait quietly at the side."

The old man with a hunched back nodded slowly. "Yes, Master.”

"Could it really be Master Chen?"

"Could Duke Fang be wrong?"

"Master Chen is known for his benevolence. These disabled people, no one would want them wherever they went. But Master Chen doesn't mind their disabilities and generously takes care of them. Who else in Southern Immortal Prefecture would do that?"

Whispers and discussions arose from the crowd.

As the number of students from the academy increased in the crowd, the fury that spewed out from it, and they began blocking Duke Fang's way in righteous indignation.

"Duke Fang, we respect you, but we respect Master Chen even more. He is the dean of our Southern Mountain Academy. You say he is involved in the Zhao Yan case? This is an insult to our academy!" roared one of the students passionately, his spittle flying everywhere. He clearly practiced martial arts, too, as his words resonated in the air with the help of internal energy, ringing loud and clear!

"Take them down," ordered Fang Chen with a faint smile.

In a few breaths, the group of students was subdued by the fierce Valiant Saber Guards. Fang Chen walked up to the student and gently patted his head. "I’ve just humiliated you, what about it?"

"You!" The student's face turned pale, his eyes filled with anger, but he didn't dare to act rashly. After all, the person in front of him was the top powerhouse of the Grand Xia Empire.

"Bring them in together,” said Fang Chen, gesturing, and walked into the courtyard with Xu Ge. The others quickly followed suit. Seeing that the crowd of commoners also intended to rush in, Governor Ouyang hurriedly consulted with King Xiang. After a moment of contemplation, King Xiang spoke in a deep voice. "Allow some people to enter."

"Yes."

Shortly after, the once serene and ancient courtyard suddenly became bustling with people.

Everyone followed behind Fang Chen.

Suddenly, Fang Chen stopped before an artificial mountain.

The crowd was puzzled.

Fang Chen lightly tapped the artificial mountain, and a gust of wind blew, causing the towering twenty-foot artificial mountain to turn into dust and disperse with the wind instantly.

"Hiss..."

When Wu Changhuan and other martial artists saw this display of power, they immediately sucked in a breath of cold air. They couldn't help but imagine the consequences if such a palm were to strike them. King Xiang and others were also secretly astonished. Many officials who practiced martial arts themselves understood what the power behind Fang Chen's palm entailed. This single strike alone was enough to solidify Fang Chen's title as the top powerhouse of the Grand Xia Empire!

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