When Qiao Hongyi was freed from his state of unawareness, he felt like someone who had been saved from drowning, gasping for air in big gulps.

An unbearable burden pressed on his chest, and his breath sounded like an old bellows.

Only then did he discover he was hanging upside down on a huge wooden stake. Surrounding this high platform was a dense crowd of people. Everyone was staring at him.

Having read many classics, he immediately thought of an ancient punishment—owl.

If nothing unexpected happened, his head would be cut off and hung on the tip of the wooden stake to warn the world.

This made him shudder.

Powerless in his body, he frantically moved his eyeballs, trying hard to find someone in the crowd who could make a decision. Finally, on the distant general platform, he saw the man leaning back in the central chair, supporting his forehead with his hand, seemingly resting.

“Wuan Hou!” His voice was extremely hoarse, but he still shouted with that hoarse voice: “There is a misunderstanding here, listen to me explain, don’t damage the friendship between Haoran Academy and Dong Qi!”

Jiang Wang didn’t speak.

Instead, Chen Zhi Bo, who was beside him, spoke up: “Then you explain, why did you bring your junior sister to escape into the sky when the sea beasts surrounded the island?”

Because the cooperation between Taixu Sect and Zhenhai Alliance did exist, Qiao Hongyi came to the Bihai Realm to hunt sea beasts, and did receive the support of the Zhenhai Alliance, which in turn was led by the Fuhai Pagoda. Therefore, Chen Zhi Bo originally didn’t plan to act on Qiao Hongyi’s matter; he also had enough reasons to avoid the battle due to his serious injuries.

But Qiao Hongyi deliberately stopped the great array protecting the island before leaving, clearly using the safety of the floating island cultivators to delay Jiang Wang’s steps.

In such a situation, as the guardian of the island, he had a responsibility and had to act. He also greatly despised Qiao Hongyi’s conduct. “I didn’t escape, I was going to directly attack the sea beasts and cooperate with the Marquis’s attack!” Qiao Hongyi suddenly shouted: “Chen Zhi Bo! You still have the nerve to talk about me! If it weren’t for your useless prohibition technique, would the first floating island have had trouble, and would I, Qiao Hongyi, have abandoned my previous achievements and had such a misunderstanding with Marquis Jiang!?”

Chen Zhi Bo was speechless for a moment. This was indeed a pain he couldn’t avoid, perhaps for his whole life!

Jiang Wang lifted his eyelids at this moment.

“Marquis! Marquis!” Qiao Hongyi called out fawningly: “I was also heartbroken about the matter of the first floating island! But the natural disaster is the sea race, and the man-made disaster is the Fuhai Pagoda, I couldn’t do anything! I guarded the second floating island for the first time, helping you preserve some of the fruits of victory. I don’t ask you to remember my merits, but to think about my hardships!”

Jiang Wang just looked at him quietly.

All the warriors remaining on the second floating island surrounded the execution platform, all looking at him.

The weight of their gazes felt substantial, and Qiao Hongyi felt a little dizzy, probably from too much power loss.

“I… I am carrying out the task of the Taixu Scroll, I have a document signed by the Zhenhai Alliance.” He said in a panic: “I absolutely did not target you. Look, take a look!”

Jiang Wang spoke two words:

Qiao Hongyi suddenly raised his voice: “Haoran Academy spans three countries and is the world’s fifth great academy! Even if I, a true disciple of Haoran Academy, truly have done something wrong, you cannot arbitrarily use punishment against me!”

Qiao Hongyi nervously swallowed saliva: “I am a person from Zheng Country! I have a very high reputation in Zheng Country, and my family has great power in Zheng Country. You are a Marquis of Da Qi, how deep is your consideration? Although Qi Country dominates the east, how can it not care about the feelings of neighboring countries?”

Jiang Wang sat calmly there, calmly repeating:

Qiao Hongyi’s voice began to have a crying tone: “My teacher is the great scholar Tan Yingzhang, I am greatly valued by the old man…”

“The world hero Gu Shiyi also once guided me.”

“Right… Right! I have many yuan stones, I hid them at home! I can take them all out and present them to you, as atonement silver, there is atonement silver, right? Right?!”

“Magical tools! I still have magical tools…”

The entire second floating island, all the warriors, were gathered here, but the scene was eerily quiet.

Only Qiao Hongyi racking his brains to beg for mercy, finally even weeping bitterly. And Jiang Wang repeating that single phrase… “Not enough.”

His voice had no fluctuations, just as this matter had no more room for twists and turns.

Everyone knew Jiang Wang’s intent was already decided, and Qiao Hongyi himself was also very clear. But he was still describing, from the first time he acted chivalrously, how he respected his teacher and valued the path, how he respected the old and cherished the young, how he eliminated the strong and helped the weak…

Everything he said had evidence to check, and the trajectory of his life as he described it was indeed bright and beautiful. Jiang Wang listened, and yet wasn’t listening.

Until a certain moment, he suddenly looked up.

People followed his line of sight and saw Zhu Biqiong carrying a person in her hand, stepping on clouds, her daoist robe fluttering, like a corner cut from the near sea sky curtain.

Fu Yanqing, who had been silent for a long time, almost like a stagnant pool, was also a little astonished at this time. How did this true disciple of Fuhai Pagoda, after going out for a trip, return already as a divine arrival?

Chen Zhi Bo was surprised: “Junior sister, you…”

Zhu Biqiong slowly walked over and said indifferently: “The students of Haoran Academy are not easy to deal with. I had no choice but to take a step forward.”

Qiao Hongyi, who was hanging upside down on the execution platform, struggled to twist his head at this time, wanting to look at his junior sister, but found that he couldn’t twist anymore. He desperately contorted his face, using all his senses, trying hard to hide his ugly appearance of crying and snot flying together… but it was in vain.

Jiang Wang looked at her and slowly said: “Hard work.”

His voice finally had a trace of fluctuation. This slightly broke the feeling of extreme suppression on the general platform, creating some gaps. Even Chen Zhi Bo couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.

“It doesn’t feel hard,” Zhu Biqiong said.

Jiang Wang’s gaze fell on the person Zhu Biqiong was carrying in her hand.

“I just became a divine arrival and didn’t control my strength well. I accidentally killed her.” Zhu Biqiong explained calmly and casually threw the corpse beside Qiao Hongyi.

Now they were reunited.

Qiao Hongyi stared blankly at the corpse in front of his eyes.

From his upside-down perspective, Jiang Cuilin’s round, wide-open eyes seemed to be still staring at him.

He let out a gasping low muffled sound in his throat, so intense that after several times, he seemed to finally react. His hanging body suddenly tensed up, and blue veins bulged on his forehead: “You! I will kill you! I will definitely kill you!!!”

He struggled so intensely that the chains holding him creaked. Between the execution platform and the general platform, a dense tide of people separated them.

Zhu Biqiong paid no attention.

Qiao Hongyi’s near-collapse curses were lonely and without echo.

Jiang Wang calmly invited Zhu Biqiong to sit down, then ordered a military officer to read Qiao Hongyi’s crimes.

According to the procedures, a public trial and public punishment were enough to give Haoran Academy an account. Hopefully, these people who were still alive in the Dingmao Domain could be comforted. And hopefully, the dead Kuang Huiping and the others could rest in peace.

But just at this moment, Jiang Wang suddenly flipped his palm, and from his palm flew out a black and white jade plaque engraved with the characters ‘Taixu’.

The Taixu Jade Plaque, representing the identity of a Taixu Envoy and capable of controlling the Taixu Corner Tower!

Just now, a power from outside the sky had ‘knocked’ several times, frequently communicating with this plaque. Jiang Wang thought for a moment and did not refuse.

So, in the eyes of the crowd, this jade plaque calmly fell. The side engraved with ‘Taixu’ was face down, and the side engraved with the star river was face up.

Only the starlight rippled like flowing water, and between reality and illusion, a youthful male figure stood up, wearing a yin-yang daoist robe, looking like a jade tree facing the wind.

He bowed from a distance towards Jiang Wang on the general platform: “Poor Dao Xu Zeming greets Wuan Hou. Also greets Dao Friend Chen, Dao Friend Fu, and Dao Friend Zhu.”

Chen Zhi Bo, Fu Yan Qing, and Zhu Bi Qiong all stood up and returned the禮.

With the rapid expansion of the Taixu Illusion Realm, Taixu Sect has already changed from a little-known hidden sect to a name that cannot be bypassed when discussing world forces.

Even peddlers and commoners know that there is Taixu in the world.

For Taixu Walkers like Xu Zeming, both Fuhai Pagoda and Yang谷 should show respect. Only Jiang Wang sat still.

He silently looked at Xu Zeming, waiting for an explanation with his gaze.

“Zeming… Brother Zeming!” Qiao Hongyi struggled back a trace of clarity from his collapsed state and cried out painfully: “Cuilin… Cuilin was killed by them! We fought for the human race, not shirked hardship, what crime have we committed to this!?”

Xu Zeming hadn’t spoken yet, when Zhu Biqiong already opened her mouth: “Arbitrarily killing garrison generals, causing a beast disaster on the floating island, abandoning comrades and causing heavy casualties… Did you not listen to any of these just now?”

“All slander!” Qiao Hongyi shouted madly: “If you want to add a crime, you can suffer any words! Why don’t you say I saved people? Why don’t you say I guarded the island? You killed Cuilin, you will definitely pay the price!!”

“Brother Qiao, be quiet.” Xu Zeming turned back to appease him: “Right and wrong have their own justice, I believe Wuan Hou will not kill indiscriminately.”

Qiao Hongyi looked at his illusory eyes and seemed to get great support from them, for a while biting his teeth and calming down a lot.

That Taixu Jade Plaque was suspended in the high air between the general platform and the execution platform. Xu Zeming’s illusion, then on the jade plaque, did not possess any power.

At this moment, he looked at Jiang Wang again and said extremely gently: “First, I want to apologize to the Marquis, because I received Brother Qiao’s distress signal, but was unable to rush to the Bihai Realm in time, so I presumptuously contacted you through the Taixu Jade Plaque. I hope the Marquis will not blame me for this.”

Jiang Wang said faintly: “Say the second point.”

Xu Zeming didn’t mind and continued: “I’ve heard some of the words from the Marquis and Miss Zhu. Regarding this matter, Brother Qiao also simply explained it to me. I think there are some misunderstandings involved.”

Jiang Wang only said: “There are no misunderstandings.”

Xu Zeming had already experienced Jiang Wang’s stubbornness, so he didn’t get entangled in this place and changed his approach: “Even if Brother Qiao and Miss Jiang have some responsibility in this matter, it was not intentional harm. Now Miss Jiang is already dead, which can be considered an account for those unfortunately sacrificed warriors… I feel that the most important thing at the moment is that we should join hands and face the threat brought by the sea race together. Why not keep Brother Qiao’s useful body and make some more contributions to the human race…”

Jiang Wang raised his right palm, stopping Xu Zeming’s persuasion. He was already tired of listening!

Xu Zeming realized that his appeals to reason and righteousness were useless, and Jiang Wang didn’t lack the interests he could offer. He sighed: “Can you… give Taixu Sect some face? Qiao Hongyi is a righteous person. He has put in a lot of effort in promoting the Taixu Scroll, and should not be punished lightly.”

Jiang Wang said: “You don’t represent Taixu Sect.”

Xu Zeming pursed his lips. After the Taixu Scroll was opened and the influence of the Taixu Illusion Realm almost covered the present world, he had not encountered such a person who was so disrespectful for a long time.

This made him think again about the initial time he was on the way to Envoy Mu Country with Jiang Wang. He asked Jiang Wang to help promote the construction of the Taixu Scroll, but was met with very stubborn refusal. Later, the Taixu Scroll still obtained passage. He also once thought about Jiang Wang’s mood, whether he would regret missing out on that share of resources…

He looked at Jiang Wang seriously, showing his solemnity: “Then just consider it giving me face.”

Jiang Wang slowly sat up straight: “What face do you have? Mayfly Island is out of control, the Star Pearl has sunk, you Xu Zeming are hard to escape blame! This is the key reason why you couldn’t rush to the Bihai Realm, right? I advise you to think about how to save your own life, it’s better than wasting time here!”

Xu Zeming looked deeply at Jiang Wang: “Since that’s the case, I won’t disturb you further. Right and wrong have their own public opinion, the Marquis should take care of it.”

Qiao Hongyi, who had already calmed down and quietly waited for rescue, suddenly panicked again! How could it just be “since that’s the case” and “have their own public opinion”? When you damn came to Haoran Academy and found me to introduce the dean and promote the Taixu Illusion Realm, how could you not give up?

“Brother Zeming! Brother Xu!” He struggled again: “How much effort have I put in, how many things have I done for our common ideal! You cannot ignore me!!”

But no matter how he shouted, he could not affect Xu Zeming’s increasingly illusory figure. It was still Jiang Wang who helped him stop Xu Zeming’s steps: “I haven’t finished speaking.” Xu Zeming then quietly waited for Jiang Wang to speak in his semi-transparent state.

“Initially, Mr. Xu Zefu found me and invited me to become a Taixu Envoy and help expand the Taixu Illusion Realm. At that time, he clearly said that the Taixu Jade Plaque was my personal object…” Jiang Wang slowly said this, his voice gradually rising: “And you actually didn’t treat it as private, you presumptuously knocked. You can actually use the Taixu Illusion Realm to find me anytime, anywhere! Is the Taixu Illusion Realm actually your Xu Zeming’s private domain?”

Xu Zeming immediately explained: “Marquis, you misunderstand—”

But Jiang Wang had already continued: “I will no longer keep this jade, and I will no longer accept the name of Taixu Envoy!”

He was still sitting in the large chair, only lifting his finger and drawing. A sharp sword energy instantly cut that piece of Taixu Jade Plaque into two halves!

Xu Zeming’s figure also scattered without saying more. The entire scene was silent.

Neither Chen Zhi Bo nor Fu Yan Qing expected Jiang Wang to be so disrespectful to Xu Zeming. So disrespectful to Taixu Sect.

And Qiao Hongyi was already completely in despair, shouting hysterically: “Jiang Wang! Jiang Wang! If you dare to touch me, if you dare to touch me—”

Jiang Wang was already impatient, only flicking his sleeve: “Fang Yuanyou! Give this Marquis—” His arm stopped in the air.

He didn’t speak anymore. He stood up directly, walked from the general platform to the execution platform, casually pulled out a warrior’s military knife, grabbed Qiao Hongyi’s hair with one hand, stopped his frantic struggle, and wiped horizontally with the knife!

Qiao Hongyi’s curses, threats, and pleas for mercy were all silenced along with the surging fresh blood. Jiang Wang returned the knife with one hand, and hung the head with the other precisely on the sharp stake. This was also “owl”.

The owl head was displayed to the crowd!