The events at Cliffside Academy were of such magnitude that a thorough investigation was unavoidable. The trouble originated with Zhao Shi, who had been invited to lecture by a vice-chancellor of the academy. Therefore, Mao Xiaodong engaged in a tense discussion with the vice-chancellor, a descendant of a prominent Sui dynasty family. The vice-chancellor felt that Mao Xiaodong was trying to eliminate dissidents and tarnish his reputation. In a fit of pique, he resigned from his position, vowing to remain in his study. He declared that he would endure whatever came, whether it was the academy resorting to torture or Mao Xiaodong orchestrating the Sui court to destroy his clan. Finally, he shouted, “Mao Xiaodong, stop spewing nonsense!”

Mao Xiaodong was thoroughly exasperated by the stubborn old relic and decided to “sic the dog” on him, sending Cui Dongshan.

Cui Dongshan was delighted. He went to “chat” with the vice-chancellor with a skip in his step. Less than half an hour later, he returned to Mao Xiaodong’s study, eager to take credit, saying that the vice-chancellor was innocent and that Zhao Shi was also without fault. It had truly been an unforeseen disaster. Mao Xiaodong remained unconvinced, sensing that Cui Dongshan looked like a weasel that had just stolen a plump hen. He couldn’t help but warn him that the safety of Li Bao Ping and the others was at stake. “Cui Dongshan, if you dare to abuse your authority and resort to trickery…” Before Mao Xiaodong could finish, Cui Dongshan thumped his chest and guaranteed that he would act with absolute impartiality.

Mao Xiaodong was skeptical.

Soon after, Cui Dongshan sauntered out of the academy, wearing the face he had just peeled from the Yuan Ying stage sword cultivator, coupled with an extraordinary illusion technique. He brazenly entered a newly established relay station in the capital of Da Li, a place where the Da Li envoys resided.

Mao Xiaodong hesitated before deciding not to follow Cui Dongshan down the mountain.

Chen Ping An still needed to find a way to acquire the final two materials for refining his golden literary courage. He would have to rely on personal connections.

He also had to visit the Confucian Temple in the Sui capital.

But first, he needed to see how the Sui emperor would respond. Would he deal with Cai Feng and Miao Ren and their accomplices who participated in the assassination with swift and decisive action, giving Cliffside Academy an explanation? Or would he try to gloss over the matter, hoping to diminish the significance of the event? Mao Xiaodong had a simple stance on this. If the Sui court was evasive, then while the Cliffside Academy had already been built on the Eastern Flower Mountain, and teaching would continue, Mao Xiaodong would never threaten the Gao clan of Geyang with the academy’s future. However, Mao Xiaodong was not a clay Buddha without temper. To be besieged by five assassins and to have a Yuan Ying sword cultivator intrude into the academy to kill right under the emperor’s nose? Was this capital a dilapidated shack with holes on all sides?

Where brigands and bandits could enter and leave as they pleased?

If that was the case, Mao Xiaodong wouldn’t mind thoroughly plundering the Confucian Temple and other places where literary fortune converged, by any means necessary. As for whether Mao Xiaodong would leave a message saying “Mao Xiaodong was here,” it would depend on his mood. After all, the Gao clan of Geyang had acted shamelessly first.

Cui Dongshan didn’t linger at the relay station for long and soon returned to the academy.

Chen Ping An was discussing the matter of refining his natal treasure with Mao Xiaodong, especially the matter of “borrowing” literary fortune from the Great Sui, which needed to be replanned. Lin Shouyi went to the Great Confucian Dong Jing to seek guidance on cultivation difficulties. Li Bao Ping, Li Huai, and the other children resumed their classes. Pei Qian was dragged by Li Bao Ping to attend the lessons, saying that the instructor had agreed to let Pei Qian audit. Pei Qian thanked her Bao Ping-jie on the surface, but inwardly felt miserable.

Zhu Lian continued to wander around the academy alone.

Therefore, only Xie Xie and Shi Rou remained in the courtyard.

When Cui Dongshan returned to the courtyard with a smile, Xie Xie and Shi Rou both knew that something was amiss, sensing that they were in for trouble.

The Li Fire Flying Sword within Shi Rou’s belly had already been extracted from the immortal remains by Cui Dongshan using a secret method. Shi Rou had felt as though she were giving birth to a child, which was quite arduous, and she suspected that Cui Dongshan had done it on purpose, but she dared not question him in the slightest.

Cui Dongshan kicked off his boots, walked up the steps, and lay down in the corridor, complaining, “The capable are always made to work harder, your young master is truly suffering.”

Xie Xie and Shi Rou sat not far from the corridor, not daring to breathe loudly.

Cui Dongshan sat up. “Go and fetch my two jars of Rainbow Clouds and the chessboard.”

Xie Xie’s heart tightened, and his face turned pale. He and Shi Rou brought over the chessboard and two celadon chess jars.

After opening the chess jar, Cui Dongshan picked up a piece, breathed on it, and carefully wiped it clean. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he pinched the Rainbow Cloud piece, which had been refined from the “dripping water” of the White Emperor City Glazed Pavilion, between two fingers. He held it high, shining it in the sunlight, causing it to sparkle and gleam. His fingers gently twirled it, and for some unknown reason, around the Rainbow Cloud piece in Cui Dongshan’s fingertips, clouds and mist swirled, like a veritable rainbow cloud of White Emperor City.

Cui Dongshan turned his head and stared at Xie Xie.

Xie Xie was terrified. Had Li Huai and Pei Qian somehow chipped or damaged this Rainbow Cloud piece?

Cui Dongshan suddenly burst out laughing. “You did a good job with this, which has enhanced young master’s reputation a great deal. Otherwise, based on your terrible performance in the formation’s core this time, I really would have had to kick you out. After raising you for so long, what rare genius of the Lu Dynasty, a talent destined for the upper five realms, better than Lin Shouyi? I see that they are all just ordinary so-called geniuses.”

Xie Xie tentatively said, “Young master isn’t angry that I allowed Pei Qian and Li Huai to ruin the Rainbow Cloud pieces like that?”

Cui Dongshan slapped his forehead. “You are truly stupid! It’s just that fools are blessed.”

If Xie Xie had acted stingy, wouldn’t it have meant that Cui Dongshan’s family education was not strict and that his teaching was inadequate? Who would his teacher blame in the end?

Could two jars of Rainbow Cloud pieces be more important than a single strand of hair of Li Bao Ping, Pei Qian, and Li Huai in the teacher’s heart?

Cui Dongshan was in a great mood. He casually tossed the Rainbow Cloud piece back into the chess jar. With a crisp sound, it seemed to have triggered some kind of secret technique or restriction. The chess jar actually produced a mirage, with rainbow clouds floating above it, faintly revealing the outline of a miniature White Emperor City. Even rainbows hung in the sky, and snow-white cranes, the size of rice grains, chirped in the sky.

Shi Rou was captivated. How many secrets did this Cui Dongshan hide?

For the first time, Cui Dongshan showed Xie Xie a sincere smile, saying, “In any case, you did a good job with this matter. Young master has always had clear rewards and punishments. Speak, what reward do you want? Just say it.”

Xie Xie looked at the white-clad great demon, who felt so unfamiliar, and was filled with mixed feelings.

Cui Dongshan sighed, stood up, pointed at Xie Xie, and lectured, “A simple word of concern from a great figure can make many people grateful and remember it. Is that really a good thing?”
Thank you, as if plunged into an ice cave.

Cui Dongshan walked to Xie Xie’s side, the latter stiff-limbed. Cui Dongshan reached out and patted her cheek, not too hard, “It’s alright. Compared to the beginning, you’ve improved a lot, and that’s enough.”

Cui Dongshan raised his hand, his palm open. A Lihuo flying sword of considerable grade slowly rotated above his palm, the entire sword crimson red, surrounded by strands of clear, shimmering, refined flames.

Cui Dongshan smiled, “This unowned Natal Flying Sword, I’ll give it to you. Cultivate diligently. I don’t expect you to refine it into your own Natal Object, that’s too difficult. You only need to secretly nurture it in one of your Qi Apertures. You can use it as a trump card. When you fight with others, even if you aren’t a sword cultivator, you’ll have a better chance of winning. Don’t embarrass your young master. Don’t look down on Lin Shouyi’s current low realm, that’s because Dong Jing is deliberately suppressing it. If you don’t pay more attention, you’ll be caught up by Lin Shouyi sooner or later.”

Seeing that Cui Dongshan didn’t seem to be joking, Xie Xie cautiously mobilized her spiritual energy and guided the Lihuo flying sword to her palm.

A Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator’s Natal Flying Sword.

What did that mean? It meant that all of a Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator’s assets and lifelong efforts were almost all in this little thing.

If it had to be converted into immortal money, it would be at least a hundred Valley Rain Coins and upwards!

In the heyday of the Lu Dynasty before its destruction, how much was a nation’s annual tax?

Cui Dongshan looked at the tearful Xie Xie, his face covered, an ugly black face.

Cui Dongshan brought his feet together and jumped backward, cursing, “You’re already so demon-repelling looking, and you’re still crying! Are you trying to scare your young master to death?!”

Xie Xie was embarrassed and quickly turned her head to wipe away her tears.

Cui Dongshan tilted his body and beckoned to Shi Rou, “Old sister, come over here, let’s have a heart-to-heart. You’ve been protecting my master all this way. If you don’t have merit, you at least have some hard work. This time, you helped me catch a Lihuo flying sword, I need to reward you.”

Shi Rou felt her hair stand on end and shook her head vigorously.

Her intuition told her that going over there would be a fate worse than death.

Cui Dongshan grinned, his wrist suddenly turned over. A blood flower bloomed from Xie Xie’s abdomen. A Dragon-Trapping Nail was pulled out of her acupoint by his brute force. He then grabbed Shi Rou to his front and slapped her forehead, driving the Dragon-Trapping Nail into the ghost light between Du Mao’s brows and Shi Rou’s soul.

Xie Xie collapsed to the ground, sitting and covering her abdomen. Although it was heart-wrenching, it was ultimately a great thing. Her expression was listless, but she was also filled with joy.

Cui Dongshan gripped Shi Rou’s head with his five fingers, looked down at Shi Rou, whose soul was wailing but uttering no sound, and smiled, “How does it taste?”

Affected by Shi Rou’s soul, even Du Mao’s immortal remains began to tremble violently.

Cui Dongshan stared at Shi Rou’s pleading eyes and asked softly, “Do you need me to tell you what to do?”

Shi Rou’s mind was becoming fragmented. If Cui Dongshan continued, her soul might dissipate, and Shi Rou would no longer exist in the world. The last bit of spiritual light of the golden seed of her Dao Meridian would probably wither and dry up completely along with the withering of Shi Rou’s “heart field”.

Cui Dongshan snorted coldly, pressed down lightly, and threw Shi Rou onto the green bamboo corridor, “If you dare to say it, your future end will be ten thousand times worse than this.”

Shi Rou’s body twitched and convulsed on the corridor.

Xie Xie, on the side, was ignorant.

She simply dared not investigate.

Cui Dongshan kicked Shi Rou, sending her flying in an arc into the main room, then turned to Xie Xie and said, “Prepare to receive guests.”

Soon after, Li Huai and an old scholar appeared at the courtyard gate, followed by the white deer.

It was indeed the great scholar Zhao Shi, but the one before them was the real head of the private academy, a disciple of the Goose Lake Academy of the Lu Dasheng lineage of the Southern Saha Continent.

Cui Dongshan stood barefoot on the steps, gloating, “Zhao Shi, you didn’t check the almanac before you went out this time, did you? Not only were you knocked out and put in a sack, but even the treasure you used to cultivate reputation and seek fame was lost.”

Zhao Shi, whose forehead was still a little swollen, smiled and said, “Gaining it is my fortune, losing it is my fate.”

Cui Dongshan pretended to be surprised, “What, are you really willing to give this white deer to Li Huai?”

Zhao Shi nodded, “In any case, this time someone used me as a prelude to an assassination attempt, which was my dereliction of duty. I should have apologized. Since the white deer took a liking to Li Huai, I have no reason to keep it.”

Cui Dongshan drew out his voice and said, “I’m very curious, where were you knocked out and left? How did the Great Sui government find you?”

Don’t hit people in the face, don’t expose their shortcomings when scolding.

Although Zhao Shi had excellent self-cultivation skills, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to become the head of the private academy highly respected by the Zhu Ying Dynasty, Cui Dongshan, however, picked at old wounds, and his expression was somewhat unnatural after all.

Cui Dongshan laughed, “A great disaster is sure to be followed by great fortune, Zhao Shi, you deserve to be a fortunate person.”

Li Huai couldn’t listen anymore and glared, “Cui Dongshan, how are you talking to Headmaster Zhao?! How can you call him by his given name? Believe it or not, I’ll complain to Chen Pingan when I get back?”

Cui Dongshan laughed in anger, “Li Huai, did you feed your conscience to the dogs? Who helped you find this good fortune? Besides, who are you closer to, turning your elbow outward? Believe it or not, I’ll have Li Baoping remove you from the rolls?”

Li Huai secretly winked at Cui Dongshan, indicating that he was afraid the old scholar would change his mind and take the white deer away, so Cui Dongshan should cooperate a little.

“Then please have a cup of tea, Headmaster Zhao.” Cui Dongshan walked down the steps, and Xie Xie immediately moved the tea set to the stone table.

Cui Dongshan looked up at the sky.

Xu Ruo should have met the mastermind behind the scenes by now.

If they talked well, everything would be easy to say. If they didn’t talk well, it would be a blessing if the Great Sui capital could keep half of it, all thanks to the ancestors of the Ge Yang Gao family.

It’s just that good or bad had little to do with the Cliff Academy.

Cui Dongshan was no longer Cui Chan.

He wanted a pure land, a Shangri-La in his heart.

While Cui Dongshan was drinking tea with the old scholar Zhao Shi,

A tall old man finished talking with someone and went to Mr. Fan’s side to leave the city together.

Looking at the young Mr. Fan, he smiled and asked, “Is it settled?”

The old man nodded, “It’s mostly settled, it’s just that private matters were a bit unpleasant.”

Mr. Fan asked curiously, “How so?”
The old man chuckled, “It’s just a muddled, ancient debt, not worth dirtying Master Fan’s ears.”

Master Fan smiled, remaining silent.

Dirty words?

He had been cursed at for so many years, and by no less than Confucian sages and other ancestral figures of the Hundred Schools of Thought. Any ordinary person would have long been cursed to death!

The old man, perhaps realizing this, stopped being evasive and said with a smile, “Master Fan, you must know that that brat Xu Ruo has always had private dealings with that fellow, right?”

Master Fan nodded, “I’ve heard, Xu Ruo holds him in high regard.”

The old man burst into laughter, “I just want to say in front of Xu Ruo that A Liang is nothing special, not as exaggerated as the rumors say!”

Master Fan asked, puzzled, “Why would you say such a thing?”

The old man seemed to recall the most boast-worthy feat of his life, radiating vigor and triumphantly chuckled, “Back then, ten of us set up a trap to kill him, and didn’t he still slip away from me alone?!”

Master Fan was stunned for a moment, then said helplessly, “I have no words.”

At the foot of Mountain Cliff Academy, just outside the entrance gates.

A young man and woman, seemingly master and servant, appeared to be hesitating whether to enter.

He wanted to go in and see if it was better than the Azure Cloud Mountain’s Deer Forest Academy back home. She was reluctant, saying that she disliked academies even more than village schools.

In the end, he went up the mountain to enter the academy alone.

She stayed at the entrance by herself.

The gatekeeper of the academy, surnamed Liang, remained dozing, deliberately ignoring the two from beginning to end.

Such heavy dragon aura.

And even heavier on the woman.

First, set a small goal, like 1 second: