“You’d best think this through!”

Even in his shock and anger, the Dean maintained utmost restraint. “Killing an old man like me is one thing. But if you slaughter the entire Wangjiang City Dao Academy, you make an enemy of the entire Zhuang Kingdom! Perhaps even the entire Daoist community!”

“Sounds serious,” Jiang Wang said, fully embracing his role, his voice utterly ruthless. “Which is why I advise you to quickly agree to my exchange. Don’t force Zhang to face such dire consequences.”

“You!” The Dean of Wangjiang City Dao Academy raged. “Shameless beyond compare! Arrogant and ignorant! Committing such heinous acts, do you think you can escape? No matter how strong you are, can you outrun Chancellor Du’s ‘Horizon Within Reach’?”

“Even if ‘Horizon Within Reach’ is powerful, it can’t possibly foresee my location! Zhang Linchuan considers the four seas his home. Let Du Ruhui use ‘Horizon Within Reach’ all he likes.”

Jiang Wang remained unmoved. “Five breaths remain!”

The Dean painfully closed his eyes, a battle raging within his heart. On one side lay his life’s work; on the other, the entire city’s Dao Academy disciples.

And Jiang Wang continued his countdown. “Three breaths!”

The Dean gritted his teeth, about to speak.

Just then, a voice rang out not far away. “Which esteemed expert graces my Wangjiang City Dao Academy?”

The voice was stubborn, solid, like an unyielding stone, leaving a deep impression.

Jiang Wang pondered for a moment, and catching the Dean’s anxious gaze, he instantly understood.

It was Fu Baosong!

Fu Baosong, who should have been studying at the Prefectural Dao Academy or even the National Dao Academy, was actually in the City Dao Academy! And he had sensed the spread of the Phantasmal Bloom.

This made things even more certain. The Dean of Wangjiang City Dao Academy might not choose the other disciples in the City Dao Academy, but he definitely wouldn’t ignore Fu Baosong. Because he had only imparted his unique secret art to Fu Baosong, clearly regarding him as his successor.

Their relationship was akin to father and son.

Jiang Wang deliberately exposed his aura, and as expected, Fu Baosong charged over.

Three days ago, Fu Baosong had opened the Gate of Heaven and Earth, officially entering the Tenglong Realm, making him eligible to study at the National Dao Academy.

After completing all the handover procedures, he had immediately chosen to return to Wangjiang City to share the good news.

He had been raised by his father alone, and had been stubborn since childhood. After growing up, his relationship with his uncles and brothers had deteriorated, and after his father passed away a few years ago, he had simply cut off contact.

The only person he cared about in the entire Wangjiang City was the Dean of the City Dao Academy.

Ever since joining the outer sect of the Dao Academy, the Dean had taken great care of him. After entering the inner sect, the Dean had imparted all his knowledge, regarding him as his heir.

To Fu Baosong, the old Dean was both a teacher and a father.

Returning to Wangjiang City, he naturally stayed in the City Dao Academy.

He was doing his evening lesson tonight when he suddenly felt something was amiss, sensing the presence of the Phantasmal Bloom.

He had immediately stepped forward, both as a deterrent and a warning.

In his opinion, as one of only two Tenglong Realm cultivators in the entire Wangjiang City Dao Academy at this time, he had an unavoidable duty to face the City Dao Academy’s troubles.

Then, discovering that the fluctuations of the unfamiliar aura came from the Dean’s meditation room, he was even more anxious, and flew over with all his Dao essence.

He lived not far from the Dean’s meditation room, and arrived in an instant.

He arrived at the door, having already completed the hand seals and prepared himself. He was about to kick the door open when the door suddenly opened.

Fu Baosong instinctively wanted to release his Daoist art, but his hand suddenly tightened, and then his Dao essence was scattered. Then he was pulled into the meditation room by a powerful force.

The door slammed shut!

The entire process lasted less than two breaths.

It was just the opening and closing of the door.

Fu Baosong had already had his Dao essence scattered and was thrown next to the Dean of Wangjiang City Dao Academy.

And Jiang Wang, wearing a mountain ghost mask, sat upright in front of them.

Fu Baosong, having been subdued without any resistance, looked at the old Dean the moment he fell to the ground. “Teacher, are you alright? How are you?”

The Dean silently looked at him, then turned to Jiang Wang, gritting his teeth. “Your Excellency is ruthless and merciless. I admire you!”

“You flatter me,” Jiang Wang said, aware of his villainous role, and laughed lightly. “So, choose to continue?”

“What choice?” Fu Baosong asked from the ground.

“I’m playing a game with your teacher, a game of killing people,” Jiang Wang explained patiently. “I want him to give me the ‘Withered Wood Art.’ Otherwise, every thirty breaths, I’ll kill someone, until the entire City Dao Academy is wiped out.”

Fu Baosong was silent for a while, then got up and said, “I’ll go get paper and ink.”

Jiang Wang knew that Fu Baosong knew the ‘Withered Wood Art.’ He had originally planned that if he couldn’t get it from the Dean of Wangjiang City Dao Academy, he would try to find Fu Baosong. However, he had witnessed this person’s stubborn temperament at the Three Cities Dao Discussion and wasn’t very confident, so he had only considered him as a backup option.

But now he was compromising so decisively, which surprised Jiang Wang.

For a moment, his gaze moved back and forth between Fu Baosong and the Dean of Wangjiang City Dao Academy.

The Dean only said in a hoarse voice, “Baosong’s decision is my decision.”

This was the Dean’s meditation room, and Fu Baosong was naturally familiar with the layout. He quickly found paper and ink, and began to carefully grind the ink.

Jiang Wang couldn’t help but ask, “This is your teacher’s unique secret art, his life’s work. It has always been your trump card. Are you just handing it over so easily?”

Fu Baosong’s hands were steady. As he ground the ink, he said, “Human lives are more important than Daoist arts.”

Jiang Wang was silent.

Fu Baosong quickly prepared the ink, took the brush, and began to record the ‘Withered Wood Art.’

For a moment, the meditation room was silent. The Dean and Jiang Wang remained motionless, with only the tip of the brush moving across the paper.

“Done.”

Fu Baosong finished writing, blew on the ink to dry it, and handed the paper recording the ‘Withered Wood Art’ to Jiang Wang. “You can check it.”

Jiang Wang glanced over it, and knew it was correct.

The ‘Withered Wood Art’ was certainly a unique Daoist art, a sudden inspiration from the Dean. But with Jiang Wang’s strength far exceeding theirs, it was impossible for Fu Baosong to do anything to the Daoist art.

Jiang Wang put away the paper, thought for a moment, and finally said, “Actually, even if you didn’t give it to me, I wouldn’t have killed anyone.”

Fu Baosong didn’t say he didn’t believe it, nor did he say he believed it. He only said, “I can’t gamble with their lives.”

Jiang Wang suddenly felt a little ashamed.

In this cultivator who had barely broken through to the Tenglong Realm, he saw a kind of morality and adherence to principle, a true upright gentleman.

Jiang Wang stood up and looked at the Dean. “My initial conditions are still valid.”

As he spoke, he took out two small booklets that he had prepared long ago, one recording the ‘Sea of Flowers’ and the other recording the ‘Crown of Thorns.’

He gently placed them on the chair he had just been sitting on. “Both you and your disciple can learn them.”

The Dean said nothing.

Only Fu Baosong said, “Your Excellency has achieved your goal. Can you leave now?”

Jiang Wang didn’t take offense, and only said, “There aren’t many people like you anymore. I hope you can live well and go further in the future.”

As the words fell, his figure had disappeared.