Neither Defeat nor Victory! A Core Disciple at Last!

He knew Zhou Huoyun still stood on the side of righteousness. Compared with Flame Peak's reputation and Songhe Gate's rules, his personal reputation truly amounted to very little.

He had not lost this round, but he had not won it either. Zhou Huoyun had failed to bring him down, yet he had succeeded in shifting the question from "Did Li Bufan bribe anyone?" to "Does Flame Peak's examination system need reform?"

Whether the images in the Sea-Change Mirror were real or false, whether Li Bufan had been wronged—none of it mattered now. What mattered was that Flame Peak owed Songhe Gate an explanation.

Li Bufan took a deep breath and cupped his fists. "You're right, Senior Brother. My personal gains and losses mean little beside Songhe Gate. But this matter has also given us a warning—we cannot hear the wind and call it rain, especially when conducting an examination."

"Please investigate what follows thoroughly, Senior Brothers, and give Songhe Gate's Inner Disciples a clear blue sky."

He bowed deeply, respectful in bearing and earnest in speech, leaving no fault to find.

Zhou Huoyun's face was cold as ice. He said nothing. Turning to Pang Xingyun and Gu Moxie, he cupped his fists. "I leave the rest entirely to you, Brother Pang and Brother Gu."

"If you need anything, I'll cooperate fully. Since this happened within the Zhou Family, I must notify my lineage and see that it's handled properly. I'll take my leave."

The three exchanged fist salutes. Zhou Huoyun turned and walked out of Alchemy Hall. As he passed Li Bufan, his steps did not pause, nor did his gaze shift in the slightest.

His figure soon vanished through Alchemy Hall's doors, fading into Flame Peak's crimson sunset.

Gu Moxie and Pang Xingyun directed the Enforcement Disciples to take