Two men and one woman, all well past middle age.
They all wore the academy's dean robes... These were the four vice principals, the highest-ranking figures in the academy below the Grand Dean, with Qingyuan Jun included among them. They each oversaw a major division of the academy.
"Qingyuan, what exactly is this?"
"I'm not sure, but the situation is terrible."
Qingyuan Jun's face was grim.
"The Grand Dean..." Several people's expressions changed drastically. They had clearly seen the Grand Dean lying on the ground with a long sword stabbed through his back—and judging from the rust covering it, that long sword was obviously the Grand Dean's own weapon, General Slayer. "Could the Grand Dean already be..."
"Not yet."
Just as the three newly appointed vice principals were left shocked and uncertain, Instructor Song had already risen from beside the Grand Dean. She removed the White Gloves from her hands. "But his injuries are severe. His heart was clearly pierced, and his Dao Foundation is almost completely shattered."
A pierced heart was an extremely serious injury, but as long as the body's Life Force had not been completely severed, there was still a chance of treatment. Damage to the Dao Foundation, however, was far more serious.
"Song Ying, can you tell who did this?" the elderly woman among the vice principals asked in a deep voice.
Instructor Song pondered. "Judging from the current condition, the Grand Dean was injured by his own swordsmanship."
"You mean the Grand Dean stabbed himself in the back?"
Qingyuan Jun found it unbelievable.
"That isn't what I mean."
Instructor Song replied calmly, "I'm merely answering Vice Principal Qingmiao's question objectively."
The old woman—Qingmiao—frowned. "Then is it possible that someone deliberately used the Grand Dean's ultimate technique?"
"That's for you to investigate."
Instructor Song shook her