Chapter 721 : Eighth Slap (2)
Nangong Xu then asked, filled with rage: "Does the Headmaster then know what that place is! ?"
Ning Rui threw Nangong Xu a glance, but his eyes were looking past Nangong Xu, at the space behind him, and a his lips curled up in a chilling laugh before he asked: "So, what is that place?"
"It is called Heaven's End Cliff! A place filled with unbelievable dangers! Needless to even talk about our entire horde of half grown ups just in their teens, even a powerful indigo spirit exponent would not stand a chance of surviving in there! I do not know for what reason the Headmaster would choose such a place for a training trial, but that is a place that we must not go to!" The map had just been delivered into Nangong Xu's hands some hours ago and he was informed that that would be the path their convoy would be taking tomorrow. He had not really wanted to bother about it but when he took a closer look, he realised the dangers that would be involved and he had come running over to Ning Rui.
"Heaven's End Cliff? Senior Nangong has got to be kidding. How can that place be Heaven's End Cliff?" Ning Rui said nonchalantly, his eyes still looking past Nangong Xu.
Seemingly not having noticed, Nangong Xu continued to say huffily: "To tell you the truth, I have gone there once when I was younger. It was with a bunch of extraordinarily powerful group of seniors. They went down to the bottom of the cliff while I remained on the clifftop with a few companions to await the seniors' return. But they did not come back. We waited for an entire month and we still saw no sign of them! Even after so many years have passed, there has been no news that a single one of them had survived! The Heaven's End Cliff's notorious fame, as a place of insurmountable dangers, is now widely known, far and wide. The Headmaster must not allow our academy's disciples to go there, or the results will be disastrous!"
The Heaven's End Cliff had subsequently become a place of nightmares and he had been just a teen then. His father and uncles had been some of the highly regarded exponents in their time and they had heard many things said about the Heaven's End Cliff for a long time. They had once chanced upon the Heaven's End Cliff's location and they invited some other equally powerful exponents to go together. Nangong Xu had tagged along then to join in the fun but not a single person among the group of highly skilled exponents had come back alive. And after such a long period had passed, Nangong Xu was convinced, that all those people who had gone down to the bottom of the cliff, had all lost their lives down there.
He did not know how Ning Rui had suddenly come to have conceived such a preposterous idea of sending the Zephyr Academy's disciples to the Heaven's End Cliff for a training trial, but he knew he must most definitely stop it from happening!
Ning Rui pretended to be perplexed as he looked at Nangong Xu and he stood up and said: "That place is truly the Heaven's End Cliff?"
Nangong Xu saw that he was finally getting a reaction out of Ning Rui and he heaved a sigh of relief and quickly nodded. "I am most certain that I am correct."
Ning Rui continued to ask: "Has Senior Nangong mentioned anything about this matter regarding the Heaven's End Cliff to anyone?"
Although Ning Rui's line of questioning was going slightly askew, the straightforward and candid Nangong Xu had however not noticed anything strange. He only assumed that Ning Rui had realised the severity of the situation and was going to call off the training expedition. With that thought, Nangong Xu went on to say: "The moment I realised the map's destination, I rushed here immediately. I did not have time to tell anyone else about it."
The moment Nangong Xu finished his statement, Ning Rui suddenly broke out in a bout of sinister laughter.
"Since you did not not bring it up to anyone, then everything's fine."
Nangong Xu was just beginning to find it strange why Ning Rui was saying such things when he suddenly detected a strong and intense wave of murderous aura from behind him. Nangong Xu immediately wanted to turn around to face the threat, but before he had even moved, he saw that a long slender arm had pierced through his chest from his back!
A bright red flower seemed to have bloomed out from Nangong Xu's chest as he stared through his eyes, wide open with shock, looking at the still laughing Ning Rui.
"Nangong Xu, why must you be so meddlesome?" The smile on Ning Rui's face twisted up grotesquely as he lifted his head to look at the person who had stealthily attacked Nangong Xu from behind.
The corners of Gu Ying's mouth were curled up, his face filled with glee. He retrieved the hand that had pierced through Nangong Xu's body and the warm blood droplets flowed down his arm, dripping into a small scarlet pool that formed on the floor!
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Chapter 722 : Eighth Slap (3)
Nangong Xu fell suddenly to the floor and blood was gushing out from his mouth as his eyes stared at Gu Ying who was smiling brilliantly at him.
"People who know too much would always not get to live long. Don't you agree? Senior Nangong?" Gu Ying asked, smiling at Nangong Xu, watching him breathe his last. Gu Ying then lifted his head and looked at his blood covered arm, the corners of his mouth curling up higher. He turned to face Ning Rui.
"I had not thought that anyone in the Zephyr Academy would be able to recognise the way to the Heaven's End Cliff. Looks like the matter cannot be delayed any longer."
Ning Rui nodded his head. The fact that Nangong Xu had known of the Heaven's End Cliff greatly surprised Ning Rui and to prevent anyone else from discovering it, Ning Rui had no other choice but to reply: "I will make an announcement immediately. That all the disciples of the Zephyr Academy are to move out right away."
Gu Ying nodded his head, satisfied with the answer.
"They should be arriving soon. They should be able to make it here before we move out."
Using the disciples of the Zephyr Academy was just one of the avenues they were taking to explore the bottom of the Heaven's End Cliff. Gu Ying knew it clearly, with just a bunch of young immature kids, it would be sorely inadequate to fully grasp the terrain down there and he had arranged for more people from his side to go with him, but the task of scouting the way out first would be wholly taken up by the Zephyr Academy's disciples.
Gu Ying's intention for this expedition, was to use the lives of the many disciples in the Zephyr Academy at his disposal, to slowly find his way through the bottom of the Heaven's End Cliff!
Ning Rui nodded and immediately summoned Gongcheng Lei who was standing guard outside to relay the message. Nangong Xu's eyes were still wide open, probably shocked even till his moment of death, not expecting that he would be killed under the hands of a youth just in his teens.
The set off time had suddenly been brought forward and many of the Zephyr Academy's disciples started complaining in hushed tones. In the face of Ning Rui's current authoritarian ways, not a single one among them dared to voice out their displeasure. In about four hours' time, all the disciples of the Zephyr Academy were all packed and gathered in the square before the Zephyr Academy's gates. As they stared at the row upon row of horse carriages, the youths saw that their journey towards a grueling training expedition was about to begin.
Ning Rui had already arranged his men to wait by the main gates, and they were just waiting for the teachers from the respective faculties to complete their roll call and they would move out immediately after that.
However, just as the teachers were reporting their numbers to Ning Rui, the sound of clattering hooves could be heard, reaching everyone's ears sounding from a distance away.
It was already dusk and the disciples shielded their eyes as they looked into the glare, the warm orange rosy glow spilling over the land. A lone horse carriage clattered in approach under the pink dusk sky, and under everyone's watchful eyes, it rolled to a stop right before the Zephyr Academy's majestic gates.
The horse carriage was a very common type, and the tall built driver was unfamiliar to all of them. The disciples gathered before the Zephyr Academy's gates could not help themselves but stretch their necks out to peer and peek, deeply curious why a horse carriage would suddenly appear at their gates at a time like this.
The horse carriage did not look like it belonged to the Zephyr Academy. Its bulky carriage was one size bigger than those from the Zephyr Academy, and it did not carry their academy's emblem upon its doors.
Ning Rui turned his head to look. They were just about to move out for the Heaven's End Cliff and he did not want any other unexpected incidents to crop up.
With all eyes upon that one single carriage, a tall and graceful figure swept out slowly, stepping out from the carriage. When that figure's face was seen by all the people present there, the entire student body of the Zephyr Academy all suddenly gasped in shock at the same time!
Stepping off from the horse carriage, wasn't anyone else but the one who had gone missing for a period, Fan Zhuo! ! !
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Chapter 723 : Eighth Slap (4)
The sudden appearance of Fan Zhuo caused a furore to spread through the crowd!
Everyone's eyes turned wide as they stared, mouths all agape at the elegance of Fan Zhuo, as he arrived stepping forth from within the setting sun.
A crack appeared on the mask that was Ning Rui's face. He had sent a large number of people to seek out Fan Zhuo for a long time but it was to no avail, and the last thing he would have expected was for Fan Zhuo to suddenly appear at this most critical moment!
If he had only shown up just a few moments later, the disciples of the Zephyr Academy would have all gotten into the carriages and left the academy altogether!
With Fan Zhuo standing right before the eyes of the disciples of the Zephyr Academy now, many voices among the crowd suddenly broke into debate and dissent. Everyone knew that the rules in the Zephyr Academy stated that if the Headmaster dies, the position of the academy's highest authority would be succeeded by his children. Fan Jin as just an adopted child and by his crime of being the "murderer" who killed Fan Qi, would naturally no longer be eligible. And at that very same time, Fan Qi's biological son Fan Zhuo had also coincidentally gone missing and could not be located which allowed Ning Rui to snatch up the position as the acting Headmaster of the Zephyr Academy, taking charge and gaining control over all affairs, big and small, in the Zephyr Academy.
But now..... Fan Zhuo had returned.....
Countless pairs of eyes turned and they all looked in askance at Ning Rui, before swinging back to Fan Zhuo, their gazes switching between the two people before them!
Ning Rui's expression had turned dark. If only he had managed to locate Fan Zhuo before this, he would have sent assassins to get rid of him before anything like this could happen. And if he had returned at any other time, he would still have had time to discreetly get rid of him through other undetectable means. But Fan Zhuo had chosen this very moment to make such a blatant show of his return right before all the disciples making it impossible for him to kill him there and then!
"Little Zhuo? You finally came back! When I didn't see you for such a long period, I began to get very anxious." Realising that he would not be able to make any moves against Fan Zhuo at that moment, Ning Rui immediately put on an expression of deep concern and tried to portray himself as a worried elder as he spoke to Fan Zhuo.
Fan Zhuo's face was one of gentleness and smiles, just like the look of obedience and respect he had always shown to Ning Rui all this time.
"Uncle Ning, we haven't met for quite a time, I trust that you are fine?"
Ning Rui saw that Fan Zhuo's smiling face was still just like before and he had just addressed him as "Uncle Ning" just as cordially. That made him assume that Fan Zhuo did not know the real truth behind Fan Qi's death and his heart was secretly relieved.
Fan Zhuo was unlike Fan Jin, being softer and weaker in character. Having stayed in isolation within the tiny bamboo grove, he was perceived that he would surely be more naive than Fan Jin was. Ning Rui had been able to even manipulate Fan Jin and looking at Fan Zhuo, he was feeling completely confident.
"Good, good. Everything's fine. Only that your father and elder brother....." Ning Rui said hesitatingly to Fan Zhuo, his face greatly aggrieved.
Fan Zhuo looked to be taken aback, his face creased up in worry.
"What happened to my father and brother?"
Ning Rui laughed inwardly but outwardly he did not display any change in emotion as he said: "Sigh, your father was killed about half a month ago and the person who killed your father is your brother! Who would have thought!? I've watched Fan Jin grow up from when he was just a little boy and I would never have thought that he would grow to be so ambitious. He saw that your health was gradually improving and was afraid that the position of Headmaster would be denied him, so he devised a scheme while you were not here to force your father to pass the position of Headmaster to him! But your father refused to submit himself to such devilry! Nobody had thought that Fan Jin's humiliation would turn into rage and he had had the audacity to actually kill your father!"
Ning Rui narrated it all with a tearful voice to Fan Zhuo, his face filled with sadness. But hidden deep within his eyes, was a vicious glint of mockery and ridicule.
[With Fan Zhuo's weak health and frail constitution, upon hearing such mortifying news, the shock would surely deal him a devastating blow, or at least cause him to fall unconscious!]
[And once Fan Zhuo succumbed, he would then be able send him away for "treatment" and cook up a most convenient excuse that Fan Zhuo had suffered from a relapse of his condition and send him on his way to reunite with Fan Qi!]
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Chapter 724 : Eighth Slap (5)
Ning Rui was secretly elated. Fan Zhuo had sent himself in for slaughter and you can't blame him for taking up the offer!
After hearing Ning Rui words, Fan Zhuo's body swayed in his spot.
Ning Rui was waiting gleefully for his body to collapse from the utter shock when Fan Zhuo suddenly steadied himself and the same respectful smile appeared once more on his face.
"What is Uncle Ning saying? How is it possible that my brother will kill my father?"
Ning Rui frowned slightly as he looked at Fan Zhuo curiously, not expecting him to be able to remain standing. "Little Zhuo, I know that you have always been close to your brother, but you can never be certain how a man's heart can change anytime. You are afterall not real brothers tied by blood and Fan Jin is not your father's biological son. You have been bedridden for so many years which made Fan Jin assume that you did not have long to live, and the position of Headmaster will eventually be his. But unexpectedly, your ill health took a turn for the better and that had made him show his true malicious nature."
Ning Rui even sigh sadly as he continued to say: "Sigh, a pity that your father doted on him so much and even treated him like he would his own son, not knowing that he was keeping a viper so close to his side."
Ning Rui portrayed his image as a amiable uncle very well and to those that didn't know the truth, they would immediately be taken in by him.
The smile on Fan Zhuo's face gradually faded and his attractive brow creased up slightly. "Uncle Ning is right about one thing. Fan Jin and me are not real biological brothers related by blood."
Ning Rui's heart fluttered with delight. But what Fan Zhuo said next struck him like a massive lightning bolt!
"But Uncle Ning got the other parts wrong though. The one who is not my father's biological son isn't my elder brother, but me. I am the adopted son that my father picked up, and my elder brother is my father's biological and legitimate son." Fan Zhuo said it with a face filled with confusion, his clear eyes looking earnestly at Ning Rui.
A great shock tore into Ning Rui's heart, as he stared in flabbergasted disbelief at Fan Zhuo, unable to accept what he was hearing from Fan Zhuo's mouth!
Fan Zhuo's words made even all the disciples and teachers of the Zephyr Academy widen their eyes in astonishment!
[What is going on here?]
[Did Fan Zhuo just say he isn't Fan Qi's biological son? And Fan Jin is in actual fact the real deal?]
Fan Zhuo's words dropped like a bombshell and exploded among everyone present. The somber and quiet scene before the gates of the academy's gates broke out into another wave of heated debate.
"What is happening here right now? How did Fan Jin turn out to be the biological son of the Headmaster! ?"
"That isn't true, I have always been told Fan Zhuo was the Headmaster's biological son! Why is he saying such things now?"
In a moment, everyone had jumped onto Fan Zhuo's shocking revelation and fiery debates quickly ensued.
Fan Zhuo listened to the clamour around him as he looked at the hypocritical pity that had congealed on Ning Rui's face, and a tinge of satisfaction flashed across Fan Zhuo's eyes.
"Little Zhuo..... Wh..... What are you saying? How could you not be your father's biological son? I can still remember it very clearly when your father brought both of you back here. He had distinctly said you are his biological son and Fan Jin was a child he picked up along the way." A visible twitch was tugging at the corner of Ning Rui's mouth as he fought to retain his composure.
If what Fan Zhuo was saying was really the truth, then the reason he had claimed that made Fan Jin murder Fan Qi would turn out to be one big joke!
As that would mean that Fan Jin would irrefutably be next in line to succeed the position of the Zephyr Academy's Headmaster and even if Fan Zhuo was in the pink of health, the succession of the Headmaster's position would not be linked to Fan Zhuo at all.
And Fan Jin would have absolutely no reason to kill Fan Qi at all!
A feeling of dread grew in Ning Rui's heart. He did not want to believe Fan Zhuo's words, but he did not dare doubt them even more.
If he believed them to be true, then the reason he had claimed that had made Fan Jin kill Fan Qi would not stand!
Fan Qi's death would suddenly be cast in a suspicious light!
Fan Zhuo sighed lightly and looked at Ning Rui and said: "Uncle Ning, didn't you notice that there are no common traits between my father and me? Whereas for my brother, no matter whether in terms of looks or temperament, they are almost exactly alike?"
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Chapter 725 : Eighth Slap (6)
What Fan Zhuo said made Ning Rui gasp loudly!
It was true. The Fan father and son had looks that were considered attractive, but though Fan Qi's and Fan Zhuo's looks leaned towards being handsome, Fan Zhuo was nevertheless noticeably one notch higher above them but his features differed from them. It was Fan Jin who looked very much like Fan Qi when he was younger.
In regards to that, although Ning Rui had once been curious about it, Fan Qi had just made a joke about it and brushed it off carelessly.
Ning Rui understood Fan Qi very well and knew that he was not a man prone to lying. Added to the fact was that he believed no one would be so ridiculously stupid as to take someone else's son to call his own while declaring his own biological son to be adopted instead.
Ning Rui had felt that no sane person would do something like that and hence, he had never once doubted Fan Qi's words.
But he had forgotten one thing. His senior, in a certain sense of the word, was someone who could be overly righteous. In certain exceptional circumstances, he might not be incapable of something so extreme.
Fan Zhuo's reminder, had enlightened all the people of the Zephyr Academy. They had suddenly realised the Fan Jin did actually closely resemble Fan Qi, while Fan Zhuo did not share any similarities in their features with Fan Qi.
Fan Zhuo continued to say: "At that time, my family was mired in trouble where they were killed and I was extremely fortunate to have met my adoptive father who picked me up and raised me. I was frail and always in ill health. Father had pitied me for I was younger and very weak. If I was to be branded to be an adopted child on top of that, Father feared that I would be bullied. Father then compromised his own biological son and declared Fan Jin to be the adopted one, while the boy who shared no blood ties whatsoever with him was the dove in the magpie's nest and I became his biological son. All these years, Father really treated me like his own, and my elder brother knew all this time that I had taken his rightful position. But he did not utter a single word of complaint and even looked out for me at every turn. So, that is why I really cannot understand why Big Brother would want to kill my father for a position that belonged to him in the first place. Uncle Ning, can you tell me the reason?"
Fan Zhuo's explanation caused Ning Rui to be completely stumped for words. Ning Rui wanted so much to rebut, to reaffirm everyone of his words.
But when Fan Zhuo revealed his and Fan Jin's identity right before everyone here, Ning Rui found that the crime he had forcibly pinned on Fan Jin's head suddenly became one big joke!
If Fan Jin knew that he was Fan Qi's biological son, then Fan Zhuo's health no matter ill and sickly or fit as a fiddle would have no absolutely effect on whether he would be able to take up the reins as the Headmaster of the Zephyr Academy! That would also mean Fan Jin had no reason to take such a big risk to kill Fan Qi!
Ning Rui stood frozen in his spot. All the disciples and teachers started gathering together to whisper in groups. Their hushed whispers were accompanied by questioning eyes all gazing upon Ning Rui.
It was the first time that NIng Rui was feeling so uncomfortable to be watched by so many pairs of eyes with their piercing gazes. It felt as if those gazes were boring burning fiery holes into his body, bringing him agonising pain!
"Do you need a reason to kill? Even for a pair of father and son, a single angry word, in a moment's rage, killing someone unintentionally would not be something totally impossible, or would it?" Gu Ying who had remained at the side in silence suddenly spoke. His arms were crossed upon his chest as he slightly lifted up his chin, seemingly completely unruffled as he looked at Fan Zhuo, not affected in the least by Fan Zhuo's words.
Fan Zhuo turned to look calmly at Gu Ying. Under the calm and unperturbed expression on his face, a torrential murderous wave of rage lay hidden.
This was the man, who killed his father!
"Whether it was unintentional or whether he was framed, I do not think you are in a position to decide or are you?" Fan Zhuo countered derisively.
"We do have a witness here who saw with his own eyes, your brother still holding the murder weapon that killed your father. There were only your brother and Fan Qi in the office at that time. If it is not him, who else could it be?" Gu Ying replied smilingly.
Ning Rui suddenly snapped back to his senses and immediately pulled Gongcheng Lei who had been standing at the side, to come right before Fan Zhuo.
"And all of that was witnessed by your own Uncle Gongcheng!"