With a single movement, the ‘trash of the qi refining stage’ had transformed into an imperial commissioner wielding a symbolic Imperial Sword, using the guise of seeking guidance to conduct an interrogation.
The deafening waves of oaths from moments ago vanished without a trace.
Everyone’s gaze was pinned to that academy token—the four characters for **[Heavenly Way Academy]** glinted with a calm, metallic luster in the morning light, feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds.
No one would question the authenticity of this token, because the pure spiritual qi contained within it was impossible to forge.
The color drained from Master Fang’s face at a rate visible to the naked eye.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he tried to speak, but only a faint wheeze escaped his throat. The hand holding the ruler squeezed until his knuckles turned white, and blue veins pulsed beneath his skin.
“The… Heavenly Way Academy?”
He finally squeezed out those four words, his voice as dry as sandpaper.
Yun Heng maintained that gentle and humble smile as he slowly tucked the academy token back into his storage bag. His movements were calm and unhurried, as if he were merely putting away an ordinary trinket.
“This junior is traveling the world under the academy’s orders to inspect the teaching practices and academic integrity of various local institutions.”
Even though the words were phrased in official jargon, Yun Heng’s tone was as relaxed as if he were discussing the weather with a friend.
“Yesterday, while passing through Mochou Village, I heard that the academic spirit here was flourishing and inspired by the legacy of the ancient sage, the ‘Mochou Groom.’ I came specifically to observe and learn. It is just that—”
His gaze swept over the students, who were holding their breath in tension, before finally landing back on Master Fang’s face.
“It is just that while I was quietly observing by the lake last night, I accidentally discovered that the array at Mochou Lake seemed to have been tampered with.”
“The flow of the array lines is sluggish, and the spiritual nodes have shifted. If it hadn’t been discovered and repaired in time, it would likely have failed completely within three to five years.”
This was, of course, nonsense.
The array at Mochou Lake could last for another 3,000 to 5,000 years. In his past life, it wasn’t noticed until 3,000 years later, and it wasn’t until 5,000 years later that the Mochou Village scandal was exposed.
By then, the Kingdom of Zhao had expanded its territory several times over, and after that… there was no more Kingdom of Zhao.
“Fellow Daoist, you said just now that the lake array was not repaired by you. But my ‘Drip Tracing’ technique tracked the last seal of array repair, and it clearly points to you.”
Yun Heng raised his hand, dispelling the stealth array on the water droplet. He controlled it to hover back into his palm, its interior faintly shimmering with the flowing light of array patterns.
“This technique was personally taught by Elder Lan of the academy. It is specifically used to verify an array master’s handiwork. The margin of error is no more than three breaths.”
Yun Heng smiled. “So, Fellow Daoist Fang, either Elder Lan’s technique is subpar, or…”
He did not finish his sentence.
But by placing such a massive burden on the man, he ensured everyone understood the implication.
Fine beads of cold sweat broke out on Master Fang’s forehead.
“Do you feel unwell, Fellow Daoist Fang?”
Yun Heng asked with concern. “Could it be that you caught a chill this morning? Indeed, the mountain mist in Mochou Village is heavy, and you have worked hard preaching and teaching here for years.”
“It just so happens that I had the pleasure of tasting several jars of fine wine at a place called Cuiming Pavilion yesterday. If you have time, I can have someone bring some over later.”
These words sounded like genuine concern, but to Master Fang, every word felt like a dagger to the heart.
Especially “Cuiming Pavilion.”
‘Does he know about my relationship with Wan’er?’
Master Fang looked at Yun Heng with uncertainty, alarm bells ringing in his mind.
‘Is this a test? Or a coincidence?’
He could see it now; this man named Yun Heng was definitely the fellow who had been frantically digging for information at Wan’er’s place yesterday.
But Wan’er was extremely cautious. She had come over under the cover of night, ensuring no one followed her before opening a soundproofing barrier to speak with him.
There was no reason—no logic—for someone at the qi refining stage to be able to eavesdrop…
Wait.
‘If he really is a student from the main branch of the Heavenly Way Academy, and has a deep relationship with that mysterious Elder Lan, then anything is possible.’
As soon as this thought emerged, it felt like a bucket of ice water being poured over his head, leaving him chilled to the bone.
“Fellow Daoist Yun, you must be joking.”
Master Fang forced a smile, though it looked as stiff as if it were pasted onto his face. “That lake array… truly has nothing to do with me. Perhaps it was from a few days ago when I was strolling by the lake with some friends…”
Pausing for a moment, Master Fang seemed to catch onto a key point, and his eyes brightened slightly. “Of course, I am not saying that your or Elder Lan’s array expertise is flawed.”
“It’s just that you are young, Fellow Daoist Yun, and combined with the influence of alcohol last night… perhaps that is where the problem lies.”
Those in the qi refining stage could not practice inedia, nor could they easily expel impurities like alcohol from their bodies like those in the foundation establishment stage. His choice to make an issue of this was understandable.
Yun Heng laughed, his tone light. “Speaking of which, aren’t you supposed to be ‘preaching and teaching’ today, Fellow Daoist Fang?”
“I happen to have hit a bottleneck recently and hope to listen and learn from the side. If your lecture is brilliant, I will surely report it truthfully when the academy elders arrive in three days—that the Jiutian Academy of Mochou Village has a rigorous academic spirit and responsible teachers.”
Master Fang’s face went completely white.
He understood the threat: cooperate, and there might still be room to maneuver; refuse, and today’s events would be reported “truthfully” to the academy headquarters. And once the academy intervened to investigate the lake array…
“Fellow Daoist Yun…”
He spoke with difficulty. “Today’s lesson might not be suitable for an observer… It’s all basic array theory, quite shallow. I fear it would offend your ears…”
“No matter.”
Yun Heng interrupted him and walked straight toward the Lecture Hall. “I enjoy reviewing the old to learn the new. If the foundation isn’t solid, the mountains will shake, after all.”
As he spoke, he had already stepped inside the hall.
Jiang Keke hurried to catch up. When she passed by Master Fang, she purposefully tilted her small face up and gave him an innocent smile, whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear, “Teacher Fang, my young master has a very good temper. Don’t be afraid.”
Master Fang: “…”
He stood frozen, watching the figure in green robes leisurely enter the Lecture Hall. He felt a chill rush from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
‘Should I kill him?’
‘I have to, right?’
‘But if I kill him, how will I deal with the Immortal Seeking Grand Exam in three days?’
‘Should I not kill him?’
‘Maybe I shouldn’t?’
‘But if I don’t, how do I deal with the current situation?’
Master Fang fell into the greatest dilemma of his life.
Inside the Lecture Hall, dozens of prayer mats were arranged neatly. The students who had entered earlier were already seated, but no one was opening their books; everyone was staring nervously at the door.
Yun Heng found an empty seat in the back row. Jiang Keke sat next to him, pulled a bag of melon seeds from her storage bag, and began cracking them.
“When did you buy melon seeds?” Yun Heng asked helplessly.
“I bought them yesterday while you were listening to the storyteller,” Jiang Keke said, nodding her head. “Listening to a lecture without snacks is just too boring. Don’t you think so, Young Master?”
“You, of all people.”
Yun Heng chuckled and shook his head, letting her be.
Finally, unable to endure the burning gazes of the students, Master Fang walked to the podium and used his ruler to call for silence.
“Today, we will discuss… the ‘Essentials of Basic Array Pattern Connection’.”
He cleared his throat, trying to keep his voice steady. “The way of array patterns lies in the smooth flow of spiritual energy and the resonance of nodes… If one area is sluggish, the entire array will—”
Halfway through, Master Fang several times thought about secretly using a transmission talisman to call for reinforcements from the branch, but he held back.
Putting everything else aside, the fact that he hadn’t noticed that “water droplet” until Yun Heng revealed it proved that Yun Heng’s strength was not as weak as it appeared.
Taking a step back, what if Yun Heng wasn’t the only one who came to inspect? What if behind him, there were countless “main branch members” hiding in the shadows? If he were caught making a move, he would be caught red-handed.
Now, aside from praying in his heart that Wan’er at Cuiming Pavilion would notice the disturbance here and send help, Master Fang had no other options.
Yun Heng listened very intently, even taking out paper and a brush from his storage bag to jot things down from time to time.
However, the things he recorded had nothing to do with Master Fang’s lecture. When Jiang Keke curiously leaned over to look, all she saw were simple sketches of chickens, ducks, fish, and rabbits.
“…Are you hungry? Are you thinking about what to eat for dinner?” Jiang Keke whispered sarcastically.
“Incorrect,” Yun Heng countered. “I am thinking about what to eat for lunch.”
Jiang Keke: “…”
“…Therefore, when repairing an ancient array, the most important thing is to avoid recklessly changing the original core. One must trace the source and understand the intent, only then can the effort of the ancient sages be preserved…”
“Fellow Daoist Fang.”
As the man reached a crucial point, Yun Heng suddenly spoke, startling everyone in the hall.
Master Fang’s hand shook, and his ruler nearly fell to the floor.
“Do you have some guidance, Fellow Daoist?” he asked with a forced smile.
“I wouldn’t dare offer guidance.”
Yun Heng stood up and walked slowly toward the podium. “It’s just that when I heard you mention ‘tracing the source and understanding the intent,’ I had a sudden realization and wanted to ask for your advice.”
He stopped in front of the podium and looked up at the **[Drawing of Mo Chou Lang’s Sacrifice]** hanging on the wall.
In the painting, a youth in white leaped into the heart of a pool with a calm expression. Behind him were villagers kneeling in prayer and a lake where clear and murky waters merged.
“According to the legend, the Mochou Groom used himself as the eye of the array, merging his flesh, blood, and soul into the great array to transform malice into purity.”
Yun Heng spoke slowly. “An array for ‘purifying spirit and transforming malice’ has the highest intent. It lies in ‘inclusion’ and ‘transformation,’ rather than ‘suppression’ and ‘sealing’.”
He turned around to face all the students in the hall.
Their young faces held eyes that were clear yet deep.
“So, here is the question—”
Yun Heng’s voice was exceptionally clear in the silent hall. “Why would an array whose intent is ‘inclusion and transformation’ need subsequent ‘repairs’? And why would it be tampered with, even to the point of ‘gradually failing’?”
Dead silence.
Even the sound of breathing seemed to have vanished.
The color left Master Fang’s face entirely. His lips trembled, but he could not make a sound.
Yun Heng took the brush and wrote the word “Source” on the chalkboard. Then he turned back and held up two fingers. “Regarding this question, I believe there are two possible explanations.”
His tone remained calm, yet every word hit like a hammer. “Either it was wrong from the very beginning, and the energy in the lake was never malice, making the array useless; or, the intent of this array is not as noble as we believe.”
“Instead, it was deliberately modified by someone with ulterior motives, necessitating layers upon layers of extra ‘lie’ arrays to wrap around it like an onion.”
A few students seemed to understand Yun Heng’s meaning, but they all lowered their heads. Most of them found his words confusing, their eyes filled with bewilderment.
Facing this scene, Yun Heng could only sigh in his heart; there was nothing else he could do.
A thousand years of indoctrination was simply too long.
By his power alone, there was no way to bring about an instantaneous revolution.
The good news was that in three days, various factions like the Heavenly Way Academy and officials of the Zhao dynasty would gather. At that time, he could use their momentum to end this “sorrow” once and for all in front of everyone.
As for now…
Yun Heng turned his head and looked at Master Fang. His gaze was cold to the extreme.
It even startled Jiang Keke, who forgot to crack her melon seeds.
“Fellow Daoist Fang,” Yun Heng said softly, his voice betraying no emotion. “You were right just now. The way of array patterns lies in the smooth flow of spiritual energy and the resonance of nodes.”
“Is the way of the human heart any different?”
He raised his hand, and the water droplet rose from his palm, hovering in front of Master Fang.
Within the droplet, the face of a woman was faintly reflected—it was the manager of the tavern, Wan’er. She was speaking urgently to someone: “…If it really doesn’t work, let’s just kill him during these few days, alright?”
The image flashed and vanished.
Master Fang collapsed completely onto the floor.
At this stage, even a fool could see that Yun Heng and Master Fang were on absolute opposing sides.
“Today’s lesson ends here. Everyone, please go back. The grand exam is in three days; do not let this distract you.”
Yun Heng pulled a bundle of rope from his storage bag and tossed it casually onto the lecture table.
Though it appeared to be made of cotton, it let out a heavy metallic thud the moment it touched the table.
The students left in a hurry, as if granted a grand reprieve. However, every person’s face was deathly pale as they walked out of the Lecture Hall.
Jiang Keke tactfully stood up and went to the door to keep watch.
In the hall, only Yun Heng and the collapsed Master Fang remained.
Outside the window, the morning light was pleasant.
A mountain breeze blew through the courtyard, swirling a few fallen leaves.
But inside the Lecture Hall, it was as cold as midwinter.
“I give you two choices,” Yun Heng said.
“One: In the name of the academy, I will personally escort you back to the Punishment Hall of the Upper Three Provinces for trial.”
His voice was light, but it carried the weight of a mountain. “I assume you have heard of the Punishment Hall’s methods.”
“Two: Tie yourself up and serve as my witness in three days. I can grant you a reduced sentence.”
Silence.
A long, heavy silence.
***
Fifteen minutes later, Master Fang reached out with a trembling hand and spoke hoarsely, “I choose…”
Soon, under Yun Heng’s gaze, he took the initiative to tie himself up tightly.
Master Fang could tell that this rope was a high-grade magical artifact. Even if he resisted, Yun Heng could easily bind him, and he would be unable to break free.
However, Yun Heng’s next sentence was like a massive boulder, completely casting him into a bottomless abyss.
“…You know, sometimes I really agree with the comments of a certain old friend from the demon race. You mediocre people are worse than demon beasts.”
“At least they know to fight back before they die. Even if their souls are scattered, they will exhaust their strength to bite off a piece of the enemy’s flesh.”
“Cowards without a shred of backbone… do you even deserve to call yourselves ‘cultivators’? Even if I hadn’t come, how much longer could you have survived on your dwindling resources?”