Chapter 581: "Prep for Slap (4)"
The little black cat grumbled endlessly impatiently.
Jun Wu Xie raised up a hand and patted the little black cat on its rear before raising her eyes to look at Ning Xin whose expression was looking deeply concerned.
"What's true and what's false, we will know for sure tomorrow. You don't have to concern yourself with it." After saying those words, Jun Wu Xie immediately resumed her steps to leave.
Just as the black cat had said, if she continued the conversation with Ning Xin any further, it would only be a further affront to her intelligence!
Ning Xin stared flabbergasted at the departing figure of Jun Xie, never expecting that Jun Xie would still be so cold and aloof under the current circumstances! She was suddenly left feeling highly humiliated and badly snubbed!
"Jun Xie! You dare snub me so! ? You just wait! One fine day, I will have you come crawling, pleading for me to save you!" Ning Xin gritted her teeth as she stared furiously at the back of the disappearing Jun Wu Xie, wishing fervently that she was able to shred that back to pieces.
"Yin Yan!" Ning Xin gave out a loud shout.
Yin Yan who had been hidden in the shadows appeared immediately.
"Senior Ning."
"Relay my orders to all of them! I want the matter about Jun Xie murdering Li Zi Mu to be fully blown up! Within three days, I want to hear of the notice from Fan Qi that Jun Xie has been expelled!"
Yin Yan shivered, and asked hesitatingly: "Senior Ning, wouldn't that be a little too much..... Those highly skilled purple spirits....."
Ning Xin replied with a cold laugh and said: "What are you afraid of? I am not responsible for all these. Didn't I say it earlier? All this started because Gu Li Sheng ordered for an investigation into the matter. I do not believe that anyone in this world would go against Gu Li Sheng, the founder of Spirit Healing, to protect a little brat."
Yin Yan gulped. He was shocked that Ning Xin had even included Gu Li Sheng's name into her plot.
That might be a little too reckless for his taste.
.....
By the time Jun Wu Xie got back to the bamboo grove, Fan Jin was acting like he had hot coals in his pants. He could not sit still and paced endlessly within the little yard.
When he spotted Jun Wu Xie, he shot like an arrow over to her and proceeded to look at Jun Wu Xie from head to toe. And only after he was sure that she was not hurt in any way that he let out a big sigh of relief.
"Where did you go?" Fan Jin asked worriedly.
"To see Gu Li Sheng." Jun Wu Xie glanced at Fan Jin and saw how anxious he was, knowing that he was just concerned about her safety.
Fan Jin's personality wasn't too bad, just that he was a little..... too obvious.
If he had possessed just half of Fan Zhuo's intelligence, Jun Wu Xie would not feel so burdened when communicating with him.
Never ever put a person who was socially impaired together with another person with a one tracked mind to devise any schemes. They would both collapse from the effort before they come up with anything.
"Uncle Gu?" As expected, Fan Jin had not caught on to Jun Wu Xie's line of thought and was still befuddled.
Standing before the bamboo dwelling, Fan Zhuo looked on helplessly at his not exactly bright brother, and could do nothing but only shake his head in resignation.
"When are you making your move?" Fan Zhuo asked without needing Jun Xie to explain, and knew the purpose of his visit to Gu Li Sheng.
"Tomorrow." Just as she thought. It was so much easier to talk to more intelligent people.
"That fast?" Fan Zhuo asked, his eyebrow raised.
"The Rui Lin Army will be arriving the day after tomorrow." At the mention of the Rui Lin Army, Jun Wu Xie's chilly eyes softened a little and she lowered her eyes. The air and demeanor about her seemed to feel less unapproachable as well.
"Rui Lin Army? What is happening here? I had heard you and my brother mention them before, but what does the actions you are going to take have got to do with the Rui Lin Army?" Having noticed the obvious change that had come over Jun Wu Xie, Fan Zhuo was feeling rather intrigued.
Just what powers did the Rui Lin Army possess, that the mere mention of them had been able to change the air around Jun Xie and his demeanor in a moment.
Hearing the name of the Rui Lin Army, Fan Jin's expression froze.
During the period of the Spirit Hunt, Fan Zhuo had remained within the little bamboo grove and did not know a thing about what had happened in the Battle Spirits Forest.
Chapter 582: "Slight Longing"
When they returned, Fan Jin had not wanted all those dirty dealings to pollute his little brother's ears and had not mentioned a word about it.
In regards to Jun Wu Xie's true identity, besides Qiao Chu and his gang, Fan Jin was the only other person who knew, throughout the whole Zephyr Academy.
The Young Miss of the most ferocious strike force! The daughter of the Lin Palace's Jun Family!
About the incident that Ning Xin had attempted to get the men from the Rui Lin Army killed in the Battle Spirits Forest, Fan Zhuo did not have the slightest clue.
"It's linked." Jun Wu Xie said as she nodded slightly.
Fan Zhuo firmly believed, that the three words "Rui Lin Army", held extraordinary meaning for Jun Xie.
"Rui Lin Army..... I have heard of them before. Is it an army from the Qi Kingdom?" Fan Zhuo was suddenly very curious about the Rui Lin Army.
"Yes..... Yes....." Fan Jin replied in a stutter, looking nervously at Fan Zhuo. He did not really want Fan Zhuo to become involved in such matters. He wanted Fan Zhuo to be able to recuperate in peace and get well. He should not hear about all these insidious ploys and crafty schemes and he did not need to know about them.
It was only recently that Fan Zhuo's health had shown some improvements and Fan Jin did not want anything untoward to happen.
Being the intelligent people that they were, when Jun Wu Xie and Fan Zhuo saw Fan Jin's uncomfortable expression, the two of them immediately ceased, and did not mention another word about the Rui Lin Army.
It was only after Fan Jin left, that the gentleness in Fan Zhuo's smile disappeared, and was quickly replaced by an inquisitive one.
"Shouldn't you be telling me what actually happened in the Battle Spirits Forest already? The Rui Lin Army must have some links to you right?" Fan Zhuo asked Jun Xie, his curiosity piqued.
Jun Wu Xie gazed at Fan Zhuo, and she started to frown.
There wasn't too much to tell, but it wasn't that little either, as the explanation would implicate many other things. If she was to explain it.....
Jun Wu Xie felt that it might require quite a bit of effort.
"Another day. Go ask Qiao Chu about it." Jun Wu Xie nonchalantly threw the burden of giving such a long string of explanations to Qiao Chu. That trait of Jun Wu Xie, made Fan Zhuo feel like crying at that moment.
"You must really..... loathe to speak a lot." After having spent such a long time with Jun Xie, Fan Zhuo had already gotten a good grasp of Jun Xie's personality. Instead of saying that he is cold and arrogant, it was more like he lacked the skills in socialising with others.
In their daily chats and usual interactions, Jun Xie would mostly give a reply. But when it called for lengthy rant to explain, she would either zip up and remain silent, or throw the task to someone else.
Jun Wu Xie wrinkled her nose and got up to leave.
She did not know why, but an image of an demonically wild, but perfectly handsome face suddenly appeared in her mind.
That one person who would always appear unpredictably and disappear just as suddenly, who had always somehow forced her to open her mouth to speak, had not been seen for quite a long while.
In the beginning, Jun Wu Xie spoke even less than she did now, but that person had incorrigibly and adamantly continued to harass her, making her slowly learn to become aware of emotions like displeasure, and to give vent to them. That was how she gradually began to speak a little more, bit by bit.
After the last parting in the Phoenix Academy, she had not seen him for rather long.
So many things had happened in the Zephyr Academy and she had not thought of that person much.
But suddenly out of the blue, an image of that person's face had surfaced in her mind.
A sudden urge gripped at her heart which made her say:
"Ye Sha."
A shadow streaked in through the window, falling into a kneeling position neatly before Jun Wu Xie.
"Your subordinate awaits the Missy's orders."
Jun Wu Xie did not raise her head, but her eyes remained staring at her own palm. With a flick of her fingers, silver needles suddenly appeared in her hands.
Back at the Lin Palace, she had used these very needles to stab into that person's death acuppoint. That time, the person's warm blood had flowed down the length of the needles and collected in her palm. That had been so long ago..... She could not explain it, but suddenly, it seemed as though she could still feel the same warmth on the silver needles that she had felt then.
Chapter 583: "Mobbed with Slaps"
Chapter 583: Mobbed by Slaps (1)
"My elder brother..... where is he at the moment?" Jun Wu Xie asked in a voice so soft as to be almost inaudible.
"Your humble subordinate does not know." Ye Sha replied, his voice low and solemn.
Jun Wu Xie bit on her lip and said: "You're dismissed."
Ye Sha stood up, and when he reached the doors, his steps stopped.
"Although your subordinate does not know where Master Wu Yao is, but if your subordinate is correct, he might not be in the Lower Realm at the moment. Things that can heal one's soul, can only be found in the Middle Realm."
Jun Wu Xie raised her head suddenly.
"My brother is from the Middle Realm?"
She had always felt that Jun Wu Yao was exceptionally mysterious. His powers were so strong as to be able to defy the Heavens. Jun Wu Yao's might could easily dominate over anyone Jun Wu Xie had ever seen. Ye Sha had shown that his powers were about on par with those people from the Twelve Palaces in the Cloudy Peaks, and as Ye Sha's Lord, Jun Wu Yao's powers, would naturally not be inferior to Ye Sha's.
Although Jun Wu Xie had had her own guesses about it all this while, it was only at this moment that she confirmed her suspicions.
Ye Sha did not say a word, and just silently left the room.
Jun Wu Xie lay down on her bed, and Lord Meh Meh trotted over and jumped up. It used its rotund body to squeeze the little black cat away from Jun Wu Xie's side, and snuggled up closer to find itself a comfortable position, sticking itself close to Jun Wu Xie as it laid itself down.
"Not in the Lower Realm?" Jun Wu Xie asked herself as she laid the back of her hand on her cool forehead. Even she did not know what was wrong with herself today.
Why did she suddenly think of Jun Wu Yao?
The emotions that filled her heart were strange and unfamiliar to her and it made her feel rather helpless and lost. There was a slight twinge that tugged at her heart and she could not explain or pinpoint the problem properly.
As she laid upon the soft bedding, Jun Wu Xie's eyes slowly closed as she slowly drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
It was brought and early the next morning when all the disciples of the Zephyr Academy were gathered. They were supposed to have gone for training but they were suddenly notified to immediately gather at the Zephyr Academy's assembly square.
The square was packed with youths, as the disciples followed their respective teachers' lead, to stand in neat rows as they filed in.
The Zephyr Academy seldom gathered all the disciples so formally and the square was filled with chatter and debate. Everyone was trying to guess the reason behind the sudden decision for all the disciples and teachers congregate so suddenly.
"This must have something to do with Jun Xie." One of the youths among the crowd whispered loudly, attracting the attention of many other disciples.
"How can that be? You think she is capable of causing every single one of us to be mobilised like this in such a grand fashion?"
"That just shows how ignorant you are. One of my dorm mates is a disciple of the Spirit Healer faculty. He told me Jun Xie had suddenly appeared at the Spirit Healer faculty yesterday. Didn't you hear about that?" Another youth exclaimed proudly.
All the disciples around them suddenly held strange expressions on their faces, their eyes flashing brightly at the piece of juicy gossip they just heard.
"Really? What happened then? Tell us quick!"
Suddenly finding all eyes were focused on him, the youth was feeling extremely flattered and he loved the feeling as he basked proudly under all the undiverted attention showered upon him. He then asked all of the others with his chest puffed up: "Just a few days ago, did you all hear the rumours about Jun Xie having murdered Li Zi Mu? Do you still remember that?"
All the youths around him nodded vehemently. It had caused such a big stir, how could any of them forget that?
"Li Zi Mu was a disciple of the Spirit Healer faculty and he was even personally selected by Gu Li Sheng when he had broken the norm and accepted only one lone disciple this year. Li Zi Mu had been extremely favored in the Spirit Healer faculty as Gu Li Sheng had showered him with utmost care and concern and had even personally instructed him in the art. But this very well favored disciple had very suddenly and mysteriously died in the Battle Spirit Forest. Do you think Gu Li Sheng would be pleased at all? Hence, he had ordered a thorough investigation into the incident a few days ago and it was found out that Jun Xie was linked to Li Zi Mu's death." The youth exclaimed loudly, his spit spraying over his audience listening in rapt attention.
When the other disciples heard the new developments, some of the youths who had been pretending to be uninterested before started to join the group.
Chapter 584: "Mobbed with Slaps (2)"
When the other disciples heard the new developments, some of the youths who had been pretending to be uninterested before started to join the group.
Just recently, two major incidents had occurred in the Zephyr Academy. The first was when Lu Wei Jie had been expelled from the academy together with a large bunch of other disciples and his unrestrained criticism directed at Ning Xin before he left. The other incident was when the largely well believed rumours that were still going around that Jun Xie had killed Li Zi Mu.
With these two incidents happening one after the other with such quick succession, it had greatly stirred up the disciples in the academy. As all the wild accusations and vicious rumours were all saying that the culprits had committed the merciless murder of a fellow disciple in both instances, they had attracted the attention of everyone.
"Gu Li Sheng's prominence in the academy makes him practically untouchable and not even the Headmaster can stop him from doing what he wants to do. And when Gu Li Sheng's beloved disciple gets mysteriously killed, do you think he would spare the culprits that easily? Jun Xie's visit to the Spirit Healer faculty yesterday was to plead for leniency from Gu Li Sheng but when he left, it was said that her face was pale and ashen. Without a doubt, Jun Xie must have been rejected. Think about it. Jun Xie had gone to the Spirit Healer faculty yesterday, and today we have all been gathered here suddenly. What else could this be about? My guess is that that dumb fool must have angered Gu Li Sheng so much that Gu Li Sheng wants to settle the scores today and avenge the death of his beloved disciple!"
"After hearing all that you said, it sounds really plausible. I had heard that Gu Li Sheng was the one who had asked for everyone to gather here today. And based on everything you have told us, it seems everything really fits together." Another disciple added.
The group of youths suddenly broke out into a chorus of evil chuckles.
No one would want to study in the same academy with someone who might stab so in the back anytime without warning.
"Hey! Look over there! Who is that over there?" A sharp eyed youth suddenly hollered, having spotted two figures approaching the square from a distance.
One of them was someone everybody knew and recognised. It was Fan Jin. While the other figure who was standing beside Fan Jin was a small petite sized youth, with delicate features on his face.
"What! ? He still dares to show his face! ? Is he really not afraid of death?"
"Do you even think he would be able to hide from all of that? If Gu Li Sheng wants to revenge for Li Zi Mu, Jun Xie would not be able to escape even if he leaves the Zephyr Academy!"
The square was filled with those who sneered and were anxious to add fuel to the fire, and it also had no lack of people who just wanted to lie low and enjoy the show.
As Jun Wu Xie neared the square with her every single step, all the eyes in the square were turned, fixed onto her.
Ning Xin and Yin Yan stood within the crowd of disciples, their faces twisted in gleeful and evil smiles.
"Looks like we do not need to do anything else to get rid of him since he has already sealed his own doom when he went to seek out Gu Li Sheng. There is no way Gu Li Sheng would spare that brat easily." Ning Xin whispered, her eyes filled with venom, but her mouth was still turned up, maintaining a gentle smile.
"Today's notice to gather all of us here was really issued by my Master?" Yin Yan asked.
Ning Xin nodded.
"Who else could it be but him?"
"Does that mean my Master will be making his move against Jun Xie today?"
"Naturally. Who does Jun Xie think he is? He thinks he can convince Gu Li Sheng to let him off for Li Zi Mu's death just by making a trip to the Spirit Healer faculty to plead? How naive." Ning Xin sang out happily.
Yin Yan brought his voice down to a low whisper and said: "Senior Ning, if Gu Li Sheng is to move against Jun Xie today..... Does not that differ from what we have planned?"
Ning Xin had intended for Jun Xie to finally admit defeat and come crawling to her where she would have a great opportunity to recruit and take Jun Xie under her wings. But if Jun Xie were to be killed here today..... She would find all her plans suddenly crumbling to dust.
Ning Xin was unconcerned as she snorted derisively and crossed her arms under her ample bosom to say: "Gu Li Sheng might be very protective of his disciples, but he is not one that likes to have blood on his hands. That fact that he had expended so much effort to get everyone gathered must be for the purpose of his revenge for Li Zi Mu, but that does not mean Jun Xie will be killed. If he really wanted Jun Xie dead, he could easily have done it using more covert methods. The most he would do to Jun Xie would be to give him a strong and stern reprimand, before throwing him out of the Zephyr Academy. But....."
Chapter 585: "Mobbed with Slaps (3)"
Ning Xin continued with a laugh: "Getting yourself driven out of the Zephyr Academy by Gu Li Sheng will be worse than if you are expelled by the Headmaster himself. The Spirit Healing Technique that Gu Li Sheng possesses has many powers obsessed with it. Once people know that Jun Xie has incurred the wrath of Gu Li Sheng, they will not risk angering Gu Li Sheng and will make life difficult for Jun Xie. Shouldering the burden of being disliked by Gu Li Sheng, Jun Xie's life after leaving the Zephyr Academy would be burdened with severely limited opportunities no matter where she went. If I don't push him that far, how will he stop putting up that cold and arrogant front?"
She wasn't being vicious, but it was Jun Xie who did not know what was good for himself and snubbed the olive branch that she extended to him. Hence, he must suffer the consequences!
Yin Yan remained silent when he saw that Jun Xie had already reached the square, and he shrank back and melded himself to hide within the crowd.
No matter how confident Ning Xin was being, Yin Yan had somehow already developed an innate fear of Jun Xie.
He would never be able to forget the scene he had witnessed in the Battle Spirits Forest.
With the appearance of Jun Xie, a heated chatter erupted as all eyes fixed upon the tiny figure. The piercing gazes could almost be felt by even Fan Jin, who was walking beside Jun Wu Xie, like daggers upon his back, making every step he took a laborious task.
But Jun Wu Xie on the other hand seemed completely unaffected, her face a placid calm, her steps unhurried, as she walked forward under overwhelming number of dagger stares. She seemed to be cut off from the world and was only walking with Fan Jin beside her, alone.
Jun Xie's calm caused all those who were waiting to see him panic stricken feeling endlessly disappointed.
Prickly curses and admonishments were thrown at Jun Xie in an endless stream but Jun Xie did not grace any of them with a response, or even give the slightest reaction to the incessant provocations, his eyes remaining focused forward.
While the clamour of the crowd continued, the Headmaster of the Zephyr Academy Fan Qi suddenly appeared at the front of the square. He cut a tall and striking figure, standing before all the disciples of the academy, his attractive face in a benign smile.
"Having all of you gathered here today, was not my idea, but it is Gu Li Sheng of the Spirit Healer faculty that asked for it. Today, he has some words that he would like to share with all of you here." Fan Qi explained with a smile on his face and stepped back to relinquish the space at the front of the crowd.
Only the Heavens knew, with the multiple incidents that had plagued the Zephyr Academy in succession, he had been a little lost on how he was to handle it. And now that Gu Li Sheng had volunteered to step forward, Fan Qi was only too glad to hand the issue over to him and spare himself the hassle.
Gu Li Sheng ambled slowly under all the expectant stares to come stand before the amassed crowd of disciples. He was dressed in a brocade robe of royal blue with a beautiful piece of jade hanging at his hip, looking every inch a gentleman, suave and graceful. But the air around him made people hesitate to approach him, and to maintain a certain distance away from him.
Gu Li Sheng's appearance caused the crowd to break into another loud clamour after having quietened down with Fan Qi's announcement.
Although many of them had guessed earlier that Gu Li Sheng had wanted to seek revenge for Li Zi Mu's death and that was the reason he had spared no effort to mobilised everyone in the whole academy. But before seeing Gu Li Sheng appear in person, many others had still been secretly doubtful.
But now, Gu Li Sheng was standing before all of them in the flesh, and that had strongly reaffirmed all those guesses!
Many of the disciples subconsciously turned their eyes to look at Jun Xie, and the thoughts that they were thinking in their minds were obvious without needing anyone to say it out loud.
However, Jun Xie once again greatly disappointed the disciples of the Zephyr Academy with his reaction. His eyes were still cold and he did not even bother to cast a single glance at any of them and that tiny face which couldn't exactly be thought as too handsome held a chilly expression but showed no other emotion.
Gu Li Sheng was standing right in front of all the disciples gathered before him as he swept his eyes over all of them before he finally said in a solemn voice: "Quiet."
Immediately, the whispers and mutterings stopped completely.
No one dared defy the creator of the Spirit Healing Technique and cause him any displeasure. That would be a fate worse than being thrown out of the Zephyr Academy.
Chapter 586: "Mobbed with Slaps (4)"
Once satisfied that all the disciples had quietened down, Gu Li Sheng's eyes turned deep. He paused another moment in silence and his clear voice rang out: "All this while, the Spirit Healer faculty always had the least number of disciples. This, I believe, is a fact known to all of you. And all of you think being accepted into the Spirit Healer faculty is an exceptional honour where you will learn the Spirit Healing Technique and you will live a life of luxury without worry after that. Is that right?"
At Gu Li Sheng's question, all the disciples started nodding their head in agreement.
Gu Li Sheng asked again: "Do all of you feel, being able to become a disciple under Gu Li Sheng is a matter that gives you unparalleled honour?"
The disciples of the Zephyr Academy did not dare to make a sound and they all could only nod once again.
"Do all of you think that I, Gu Li Sheng, as the founder of the Spirit Healing Technique, would know the Spirit Healing Technique better than anyone else under the Heavens?" Gu Li Sheng asked of the crowd.
That was without a doubt! And all of them nodded one more time.
Gu Li Sheng cast a satisfied gaze over the sea of Zephyr Academy's disciples before him, who were nodding like chicks pecking at grains as they nodded their heads. He then smiled slightly and said: "Very good."
The audience were baffled by what Gu Li Sheng's line of questions were driving at but they could do nothing but wait patiently.
"So now, if I am to tell all of you that there exists a person under the Heavens, a person whose knowledge on the Spirit Healing Technique exceeds mine, a person that I, Gu Li Sheng, am unable to teach or instruct, would you believe me?"
Immediately, the nods turned into shakes of their heads.
Gu Li Sheng's smile widened.
"Do all of you know why you were not accepted into the Spirit Healer faculty?"
They youths in the crowd shook their heads uniformly.
"It's because all of you do not even understand what the Spirit Healing Technique is, and you all do not even have it in you to even understand it. To be completely honest, even for the current disciples I have in the Spirit Healing faculty now, strictly speaking, none of them qualifies. If my own standards were used to gauge, my Spirit Healing faculty would not have accepted a single disciple that failed to meet my criteria!" Gu Li Sheng's words took a sudden turn, and his tone suddenly became stern!
"The reason that I accepted them, was not because that they were superior to any of you. It was because, as a teacher of the Zephyr Academy, I needed to accept disciples, or I will not be able to answer to the Headmaster." Gu Li Sheng said, not mincing his words.
As Gu Li Sheng spoke, Fan Qi, who had retreated to the back, suddenly had his face turn pale, but not in anger or rage, but from embarrassment.
All of Gu Li Sheng's words greatly surprised the disciples gathered before him, and the disciples of the Spirit Healer faculty among them were suddenly trembling from the rude shock that struck upon them when they heard those words.
All this while, they had thought that they were superior to all the other disciples and that was why they had been accepted into the Spirit Healer faculty. That was why they were given the opportunity to learn the Spirit Healing Technique under Gu Li Sheng's tutelage. However, Gu Li Sheng's words today, had felt like a big hot slap across their faces, in front of everyone else in the academy, shattering and breaking into a crumble, the self perceived sense of elitism that they had been so proud of all this time!
Gu Li Sheng however, was not going to hold back, and he continued to say: "I had been resigned, that I would never ever find a person suited to learn the Spirit Healing Technique. Till one fine day! I met a youth. His appearance made me realise what the word prodigy meant..... No, to put it more accurately, he could no longer be termed as just a prodigy, but more like a freak! His understanding of the Spirit Healer Technique had even quickly surpassed mine!"
Once Gu Li Sheng's words fell into the ears of the crowd, the silence in the square was suddenly broken.
To be able to surpass Gu Li Sheng in the Spirit Healing Technique. That was just utterly unbelievable. Gu Li Sheng had always had a gentle temperament, but he was unbendingly strict when it came to the Spirit Healing Technique. From what he had said about the standards he held in his selection of disciples, it could be seen that he would not compromise when it came to his area of expertise.
Chapter 587: "Mobbed with Slaps (5)"
For someone to have gained recognition from Gu Li Sheng, that person must most definitely be someone who possessed real knowledge on the matter!
Before this, the favouritism that Gu Li Sheng had shown Li Zi Mu was obvious to everyone to see. Almost everyone there was guessing that the only disciple that he said he recognized was none other than Li Zi Mu!
Otherwise, why would Gu Li Sheng accept only one lone disciple this year, who was the late Li Zi Mu? Gu Li Sheng had shown him the utmost care and concern and had treated him exceptionally well over the other disciples in the Spirit Healer faculty.
All the disciples thought that Gu Li Sheng's rage today was all due to Li Zi Mu's death.
The only disciple that Gu Li Sheng personally acknowledged had died under mysterious circumstances, Gu Li Sheng must be greatly infuriated!
Hearing the sternness in Gu Li Sheng's voice, all the disciples of the Zephyr Academy were suddenly fearful. But they were not afraid as they all knew that the one that had been responsible for Li Zi Mu's death had been Jun Xie and it had nothing to do with them. Gu Li Sheng's rage was all directed at Jun Xie!
They would just need to be patient and enjoy the show.
Ning Xin hid within the crowd and smiled secretly to herself, her eyes filled with malice as she stared at Jun Xie from among the sea of disciples.
But Yin Yan, who was standing next to Ning Xin was feeling that something did not seem right.
It was a fact that Gu Li Sheng had shown Li Zi Mu favoured treatment, but if anyone was to say that Li Zi Mu's understanding of the Spirit Healing Technique surpassed Gu Li Sheng, he wouldn't be able to make himself believe it in the slightest.
In the whole time that Li Zi Mu had been in the Spirit Healer faculty, he had not even been able to grasp the most basic of fundamentals. Hence, it was impossible that Li Zi Mu's knowledge of the Spirit Healing Technique would surpass Gu Li Sheng! That would have to be the biggest joke!
Yin Yan could not help but to feel that something was out of place but no matter how much he thought about it, he could not identify what was wrong.
"I had always thought that the Zephyr Academy, being one of the top three institutions of learning, its disciples would surely be logical, quicker of mind and possess a high sense of propriety. But I have found that I was wrong." The stern expression on Gu Li Sheng's face suddenly let out a derisory laugh.
"Today, I would like to introduce someone to all of you here. This person, is the very freakish monster that had far surpassed me with his deep understanding of the Spirit Healing Technique!" Gu Li Sheng was already walking towards the crowd as he spoke.
All the disciples of the Zephyr Academy were all struck dumb as silence fell in the air filled with surprise.
Introduce?
What did that mean?
Isn't Li Zi Mu already dead? Did Gu Li Sheng intend to dig up Li Zi Mu's body? To confer upon Li Zi Mu an official title?
The disciples all stared flummoxed at Gu Li Sheng as he approached the crowd, and he suddenly turned into another direction when he was just about ten meters away!
Under the baleful stares of all the other disciples, Gu Li Sheng came to the two lone figures who had been isolated by the rest.
"Jun Xie, you must have suffered a lot throughout this period." Gu Li Sheng stood right before Jun Xie, his face unreservedly apologetic as the crowd gasped loudly.
Jun Wu Xie nevertheless shook her head.
Gu Li Sheng stretched out a big hand, and led Jun Wu Xie to walk back with him, to come stand right before the whole crowd.
"Jun Xie, is the little monstrous prodigy that I mentioned. The devil youth that had eclipsed me with her unsurpassed understanding of the Spirit Healing Technique!" Gu Li Sheng's chest was puffed up proudly, as he loudly announced the earth shaking news to all the disciples and teachers of the Zephyr Academy gathered before them!
At that moment, the entire square was hushed into a deathly silence. And in a blink, in the next moment, the whole crowd exploded into a clamour so loud that it almost tore the skies apart!
"Jun Xie!?"
"How can it be Jun Xie!?"
Didn't Gu Li Sheng say it was all a misunderstanding at that time? He said that Jun Xie was not the disciple he picked! What is happening here!?"
The shocking news sparked off an inferno as Gu Li Sheng's words sank into the crowd. The inferno was spreading at the speed of light reaching all the way to the ends of the sea of disciples.
Shock, doubt, horror..... Countless complicated emotions flooded the sea of disciples as it dawned upon them what their past actions had done!
Chapter 588: "Mobbed with Slaps (6)"
They would never have dreamed that the lone disciple that was acknowledged by Gu Li Sheng himself would actually be Jun Xie!
The disciple that had been branded a despicable youth the very first day he had been admitted into the Zephyr Academy!
And all the curses that Jun Xie had suffered under had all started from the Spirit Healing faculty itself!
But now, the sudden turn of events had changed everything dramatically and all the disciples could not believe it.
How..... was all of it possible?
"All this time, the disciple that I handpicked personally had only been Jun Xie, and Jun Xie alone. I had thought that I had found myself the most suitable disciple, but never did I expect to find a monstrous prodigy that I could not help but admire. Jun Xie had only needed barely two hours to fully and completely grasp the concepts behind the Spirit Healing Technique and was even able to suggest ways to improve the technique." As Gu Li Sheng spoke, his face was filled with an expression of utmost pride.
"The Spirit Healing Technique is a matter of grave importance. In order to allow Jun Xie the time and space to complete his work on improving the technique, and to prevent anyone with ulterior motives to cause him any harm, I had no other choice at that time but to temporarily release him from the Spirit Healer faculty. To avoid raising any unwanted suspicions, another freshman was randomly picked to fill up the vacancy left by Jun Xie's temporary departure. All these changes were carried out with the Headmaster's prior approval and I had clearly explained it to the newly selected disciple. To avoid exposing Jun Xie, I had always told everyone else that it had all just been a big misunderstanding."
When Gu Li Sheng finished, his brow creased up alarmingly, his tone of voice lost the gentleness that was present just moments before, and his gaze grew sharp as he swept his eyes over the gathered disciples of the Zephyr Academy before he said: "But the one thing that I had not expected, was how foolish the disciples of our Zephyr Academy had shown themselves to be. You were so easily convinced of those malicious and unfounded rumours others spread, and went on to repeatedly accuse and wound Jun Xie, which greatly disappointed me. The truth of the whole matter is known to me and known by the Headmaster as well. Right from the start, Jun Xie had never attempted or intended to steal anyone's position as that position had been his right from the start! Jun Xie was the one that had asked to be released from that position which opened up an otherwise unavailable opportunity to others. All of you did not bother about the truth and without having witnessed it, you believed those vicious rumours as the truth. The curses and admonishments all of you threw at Jun Xie thereafter had truly blemished the prestigious name of the Zephyr Academy!"
Gu Li Sheng's strongly worded speech completely shattered all the various poisonous rumours surrounding Jun Xie all this time! And it had inadvertently given one hard slap to all those disciples who had hurled all those groundless accusations at Jun Xie!
Gu Li Sheng's words, made all the youths before him fall silent, unable to offer a single word of retort.
Fan Qi, who had not said a single word stepped forward at that moment. He gave out a big sigh before he said: "I can bear witness that every single word Gu Li Sheng said today is nothing but the truth. In the beginning, when he spoke to me about the matter, I was completely shocked. I could not believe that a mere fourteen year old youth could surpass Gu Li Sheng's understanding of the Spirit Healing Technique. But I knew that Gu Li Sheng, as the founder of the Spirit Healing Technique, treated everything associated to the technique like his own child and would never joke about it. I trusted in his eye in recognising talent and I trusted in his judgement then. And now, the facts prove that I was not wrong about Gu Li Sheng, and Gu Li Sheng was right about Jun Xie."
When that was mentioned, Gu Li Sheng paused a moment and began to say: "It was just recently, and I do not know who is the person responsible for it, but that person had suddenly wanted to investigate into the cause of Li Zi Mu's death, which suddenly threw up another round of vicious rumours to be spread within the whole academy. And in order to present to all of you the real truth of the matter, I personally initiated an investigation into it. Li Zi Mu was ascertained to have been killed by a Spirit Beast as the mortal wound on his body was seen to have been caused by the claws and fangs of a ferocious beast, and not by human hands. And it is obvious, as right before your eyes now, all of you can see that the target of all your suspicions right here. His beastial ring spirit is only a tiny palm sized little black cat. May I ask all of you here, how could a puny little cat like this break the neck of a full grown youth in his teens with a single bite?"
Chapter 589: "Slapping the Mob (7)"
Both the revered Gu Li Sheng and the respected Fan Qi had stood forward and told everyone the whole truth behind the matter and used their unblemished reputation and fame to vouch for Jun Xie's integrity. Compared to the flimsy reasonings behind those vicious rumours, the proofs and evidences those two produced were found to be much more trustworthy and ultimately more believable!
One was the Head of the Spirit Healing faculty, and the other was the Headmaster of the entire Zephyr Academy. These two entities, with the esteemed positions they held, gave them the highest authority above anyone else in the whole Zephyr Academy, and they did not need to go to such an extent to protect a quiet and inconspicuous freshman for no good reason!
At that moment, all the negative names that Jun Xie had been branded with were completely cleared. No one would still dare to link Jun Xie to all those baseless and unfounded rumours ever again!
What all the disciples felt for Jun Xie now was no longer hatred or disgust, but they found themselves filled with shock and amazement for the youth.
Not even in their wildest dreams, would they have expected that the truth would turn out to be like this!
The very one they had all cursed and sworn at all this while, was in actual fact the biggest victim in this whole episode!
In fact, the one who had in actuality taken over someone else's position in the Spirit Healer faculty was not Jun Xie in the first place, but was Li Zi Mu!
"I can vouch for his character as well! Jun Xie is nothing like what the rumours are saying about him! If not for Jun Xie, I would not have been able to get out of the Battle Spirits Forest alive!" A thin and weak youth had suddenly stepped out of the crowd and loudly proclaimed after bolstering his courage to speak up.
"I can vouch for him too!"
"And me!"
In quick succession, over ten disciples had stepped out from among the gathered mass of disciples. They were all without exception, from the team that had been with Li Zi Mu when they had initially gone into the Battle Spirits Forest.
"I was Li Zi Mu's assigned mentor right from the beginning. Initially, I had been just like all of you and completely believed everything that Li Zi Mu said, and gravely misunderstood Jun Xie. But it wasn't until the Spirit Hunt that I realised I couldn't have been more wrong! The despicable one was never Jun Xie, but Li Zi Mu!" The youth who had mentored Li Zi Mu stood forth unabashed, and told everyone all that had really happened in the Battle Spirits Forest, without leaving out a single detail.
The words he was telling now, was exactly what he had repeated countless times before. When Jun Xie was being mercilessly cursed and sworn at, he had valiantly tried to defend Jun Xie then.
But, being just the ordinary disciple that he was, no one believed a single word he said!
But today, things were completely different!
Those very same words, when spoken aloud before the crowd today, caused an uproar to sweep through the sea of disciples present!
They had never imagined that Li Zi Mu could be so despicable and shameless. Besides having been the one that took Jun Xie's position, he had still gone around and spread false rumours about Jun Xie's duplicity and despicable intentions. Li Zi Mu had even abandoned his teammates during the Spirit Hunt who had gotten themselves injured by saving him. He had at the first instance, shamelessly clung onto the powerful Fan Jin for protection and Jun Xie had magnanimously not taken it against Li Zi Mu and accepted him readily!
The real truth behind all of it threw Li Zi Mu's name into the mud and it completely turned Jun Xie's image in the minds of everyone present!
All those youths who had previously endlessly lambasted Jun Xie before, all those youths who had previously cursed Jun Xie mercilessly in the past, and also all those who had fervently wished that Jun Xie would be expelled from the Zephyr Academy, now all hung their heads low guiltily, filled with regret and shame, not daring to even look at Jun Xie.
At that moment, they all wished the ground would just open up, and swallow them whole, hiding them from the guilt and embarrassment they all felt, as their cheeks burned up, in a bright red glow.
They were unable to face anyone, when they realised just how dumb they had been.
They had been led around by the nose by those false rumours, they had naively believed what their ears heard. Even when the truth of the matter had not been clear, they had blindly followed the crowd and followed those vicious rumours, to time and again, falsely accused and smeared Jun Xie's name.
It was just as Gu Li Sheng had said. Their very actions, had brought great shame to the Zephyr Academy's name!
Gu Li Sheng observed with satisfaction the reactions of all the disciples before him. "Today, before the presence of everyone here, I would like to once again, extend my invitation to Jun Xie, to return to the Spirit Healing faculty. I hope you will accept." Gu Li Sheng asked in humility as he looked at Jun Xie, slightly lowering his head, to demonstrate the guilt he felt, towards the little lad.
Chapter 590: "Slapping the Mob (8)"
Jun Wu Xie nodded.
Gu Li Sheng stared at the crowd and said: "From now onwards, Jun Xie would be a member of the Spirit Healer faculty. But all of you listen up here! He is not my disciple, I am not qualified to teach or guide him, and neither am I qualified enough to be his Teacher! He will henceforth hold half of the power in the Spirit Healing faculty! Even though he is admitted into the Spirit Healing faculty as a disciple, no one must ever treat Jun Xie like a disciple!"
As Gu Li Sheng spoke those words, his gaze fell onto the figure of Qian Yuan He among the crowd but quickly moved to sweep over the entire crowd.
Among all the Teachers in the Zephyr Academy, Qian Yuan He was one who often said he was ashamed of Jun Xie, and had claimed that Jun Xie was not qualified to receive his teachings.
And Gu Li Sheng's words today, had delivered a slap across his face as well.
Qian Yuan He was a nobody in the Zephyr Academy.
He was just an ordinary teacher in the Beast Spirit faculty, and teachers and instructors who excelled over him were a dime a dozen!
Moreover to the eyes of Gu Li Sheng, who held complete authority in the revered Spirit Healing faculty?
Compare to Gu Li Sheng, Qian Yuan He was not even good enough to carry his shoes!
Gu Li Sheng had proclaimed that he himself did not possess the qualification to teach or instruct Jun Xie, that would come to mean that Qian Yuan He was even more unqualified. Qian Yuan He had once accused Jun Xie of not being showing any inclination to learn, had undesirable character traits. All these words were now all thrown back in his face with Gu Li Sheng's words today!
The insignificant Qian Yuan He holding contempt for Jun Xie? It seems now the joke had been turned on him!
With just that brief glance from Gu Li Sheng, Qian Yuan He went deathly pale, and his shoulders started to shake. He subconsciously shrank back into the crowd, wishing he could sink deep into the ground at that moment, and never appear before people again.
From being a despicable cad that everyone cursed and swore at, to suddenly become the genius who had suffered in silence while undertaking such a prodigious task, Jun Xie had successfully reinvented her long ragged tattered image within the Zephyr Academy within just a short hour, and dealt all the disciples and faculty one big slap across all their faces.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone in the whole academy, Gu Li Sheng led Jun Xie away. Jun Xie had no said a single word throughout but just watched on quietly at the side as every single nosy parker got their well deserved slaps.
After Gu Li Sheng and Jun Xie had left, the entire exploded into a deafening chatter of voices. Everyone started talking about today's shocking revelations and those that had previously cursed Jun Xie the most quickly ran away, their tails between their legs, afraid that they might be skinned alive by the suddenly unruly mob.
If Jun Xie was useless trash, what would they be?
Worse than trash.....
Today, everyone in the Zephyr Academy, from the top to the bottom, had been collectively slapped. All the disciples, and even the teachers, were all looking at each other guiltily. The red and hot burning sensation on their faces made they feel as if they had really been physically slapped.
Under the ruckus in the square, the deeply ashamed disciples and the members of the faculty did not want to remain there a moment longer. Every moment they stayed there made their faces burn hotter and they quickly decided to beat a hasty retreat. But the realisation that came with today's events was deeply etched onto their hearts.
The crowd in the square quickly dispersed, but Ning Xin had remained in her spot, completely frozen in place.
"How can it be..... Impossible..... How could Jun Xie be the disciple that Gu Li Sheng had picked....." Ning Xin's eyes were impossibly wide, and she had still not recovered from the shock. No one would be able to comprehend how hard the shock had hit her when she had heard all those words earlier!
Her mind was filled with an endless and incessant buzzing. The plans she had schemed up so confidently all this while had suddenly crumbled to dust, falling apart all around her.
Gu Li Sheng had wanted to avenge Li Zi Mu!?
That now sounded so ridiculous and the joke had most definitely fallen onto her.
Throughout his speech, Gu Li Sheng had not even bothered to mention Li Zi Mu's name and only termed him as a freshman. It was obvious, that Gu Li Sheng was privy to all of Li Zi Mu's undesirable actions. The contempt he held for Li Zi Mu, could very well have exceeded everyone else's!