The Hypocritical Mr. Cheng

Zhenghao Wujun and Black Scale Devil Venerable are actually both me.

As soon as these words were spoken, it was nothing short of earth-shattering. Everyone present, including Zhu Ping'an, couldn't help but feel their pupils quake.

What kind of person was Zhenghao Wujun? He was a model figure of righteous martial artists recorded in martial arts textbooks—upright in spirit, with eyes that couldn't tolerate a single grain of sand, acting with openness and integrity, kind and honest, deeply loved by all.

And what kind of person was Black Scale Devil Venerable? A devil who committed every evil imaginable, once slaughtering an entire city alone, causing the Starry Sky Ancient Saint to fall alongside him—a notorious villain whose infamy would last ten thousand years.

These two people... were actually the same person?

This was like being told that Zhang Fei and Diaochan were actually the same person—utterly unacceptable.

Mr. Cheng was so shocked he stood frozen in place, unable to help swallowing a mouthful of saliva.

"Senior Wujun... are you joking with this junior?"

"I am not joking."

A trace of world-weariness appeared on Zhenghao Wujun's face.

"Back then, my strength had reached the pinnacle of the Human Race. I began seeking a realm beyond the peak, searching fruitlessly, yet my lifespan was nearing its end. Even the strongest of the Human Race only had a mere five hundred years to live, while Mutant Beasts and Demons could easily surpass a thousand years."

"Facing the moment of death, I admit, I became a coward. I didn't want to die. I wanted a longer life. So..."

Zhenghao Wujun didn't continue, because everyone could probably guess what happened next.

To keep living, he devoured and fused the bloodlines of Mutant Beasts and Demons. Though he gained a longer lifespan, he also lost himself, forgot who he was, and became Black Scale Devil Venerable.

Zhu Ping'an also understood why the Starry Sky Ancient Saint had said the Humanoid Creature was a human who had strayed down the wrong path.

It seemed that back then, after Zhenghao Wujun devoured the bloodlines of Mutant Beasts and Demons, he grew even stronger. Thus, the Starry Sky Ancient Saint couldn't defeat him and could only create the Secret Realm of Star Gazing to seal him away, perishing in the process himself.

"Ten thousand years drifting by... nothing but a dream of yellow millet..."

Zhenghao Wujun sighed, and his entire form began to slowly dissipate.

Watching such a legendary figure fade away into the river of time, everyone couldn't help but feel a pang of melancholy.

Mr. Cheng solemnly bowed in the direction where Zhenghao Wujun had vanished, then turned his gaze to the examinees.

"Now, who will tell me what happened in the Secret Realm of Star Gazing?"

At this, the examinees couldn't help but focus their gazes on Zhu Ping'an.

Throughout the battle with that Humanoid Creature, they had been nothing but spectators, completely unable to help, and the Humanoid Creature hadn't even bothered with them.

Mr. Cheng also turned his gaze to Zhu Ping'an.

Mr. Cheng looked like a child of seven or eight, yet Zhu Ping'an felt that before his eyes, all the secrets on his body were laid bare.

"It seems this classmate is in the know. Would you mind telling me about it?"

"Zhu Ping'an, just tell Mr. Cheng everything you know. He won't make things difficult for you." Lin Zhao spoke up from the side.

Zhu Ping'an took a deep breath to calm himself, then began to speak slowly.

"It was like this: after I entered the Secret Realm of Star Gazing, I was originally just quietly collecting Star Light, hoping to get a good score in the College Entrance Examination..."

Zhu Ping'an recounted everything he knew, but he concealed the matter of the Star Light and receiving the Starry Sky Ancient Saint's inheritance. He wasn't foolish enough to publicly reveal that he had obtained the Nine Revolutions Starry Sky Technique.

Zhu Ping'an thought his story and expression were flawless, but what he didn't know was that the top ten in the College Entrance Examination would be projected...

"Ahem, well, Zhu Ping'an, we all saw you swallowing the Star Light." Lin Zhao said awkwardly from the side.

Zhu Ping'an: "..."

"It's fine." Mr. Cheng's expression was unreadable. "Mayor Lin Zhao, please send the examinees back. Their parents must be worried. I have some matters to discuss privately with Classmate Ping'an."

"Very well, Mr. Cheng. This student Zhu Ping'an has excellent grades. I hope you won't make things difficult for him." Lin Zhao spoke up.

"Are you suggesting I would make things difficult for a child?" Mr. Cheng's expression turned displeased.

"I wouldn't dare. I'll get to work now, Mr. Cheng." Lin Zhao turned and left, leading Green City's guard forces to escort the examinees out of the Secret Realm of Star Gazing.

After a while, the Secret Realm of Star Gazing was essentially empty, leaving only a few people.

Mr. Cheng looked at Zhu Ping'an and spoke softly.

"Classmate Ping'an, if I'm not mistaken, the Starry Sky Ancient Saint's inheritance should be with you, right?"

Zhu Ping'an's heart tightened. He understood that he couldn't avoid this hurdle. This Mr. Cheng coveted his inheritance.

"I did meet Senior Starry Sky Ancient Saint. He taught me some methods to absorb Star Force, but he did not entrust me with his inheritance."

The moment the words left his mouth, Zhu Ping'an felt a tremendous force strike him, sending him flying backward as he spat out a mouthful of blood.

He hadn't even seen how Mr. Cheng made his move. This man who looked like a child was simply terrifying.

"Classmate Ping'an, lying is not a good habit."

Mr. Cheng smiled faintly, lifting his gaze to look around.

"All the anomalies in the entire Secret Realm of Star Gazing have vanished. The original Star Curtain has gone completely dim, clearly turning it into an ordinary secret realm. And this secret realm was created by the Starry Sky Ancient Saint on his deathbed. There's only one reason the Secret Realm of Star Gazing has become like this: someone has taken the Starry Sky Ancient Saint's inheritance."

"Am I right, Classmate Ping'an?"

Mr. Cheng's face carried a faint smile.

Zhu Ping'an felt a suffocating pressure. Never before had he craved power so desperately.

"If you don't speak, I'll take it as agreement." Mr. Cheng continued on his own. "The Starry Sky Ancient Saint was the most supreme expert ten thousand years ago, and his inheritance is of great importance—not something a mere First-Rank Warrior like you can possess."

"The Starry Sky Ancient Saint's inheritance must be handed over to us, to professionals for handling, so it can fulfill its greatest purpose and benefit the countless people. Only by sacrificing the small self can you achieve the greater self. Do you understand, Student Ping'an?"

Zhu Ping'an's breathing grew rapid, his chest heaving incessantly.

This Mr. Cheng had utterly embodied sanctimonious hypocrisy; it was the first time he had met someone so fake.

"Of course, rest assured, I won't take a First-Rank Warrior's inheritance for nothing. In exchange, I can accept you as my disciple."

Mr. Cheng proudly lifted his chin, clearly waiting for Zhu Ping'an to kneel and kowtow to him as his master.

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