Attitude!

It had all sounded like it took a while, but from Jiang Wang's dash toward the inner courtyard to Dong A's decisive strike, everything had happened in the blink of an eye.

Just before the Vine Snakes closed their circle in midair, a pale figure spotted a gap and shot upward at incredible speed, on the verge of escaping.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Countless Wood Spikes burst forth, piercing straight through him in an instant!

His body jerked in midair again and again. Only when the frenzied Wood Spikes stopped did he crumple from the sky. From his head to his calves, he was riddled with bloodied holes. He could not have been more dead.

The entire Dao Academy fell silent. Outer Academy and inner courtyard disciples alike were deeply shaken by the scene.

Jiang Wang's eyelid twitched. "That bizarre Heterodox Path fiend just died like that?"

Dong A did not even glance at him. "And the other one? Still hiding?"

"How laughable!" He strolled through the air, one step at a time. "Everything inside the Jade Cage is under my control, brimming with life. Only your stench makes me sick!"

He reached out with his right hand and gave a gentle squeeze!

A huge hand grew from a door, snatching up a nearby figure dressed as an Outer Academy disciple. Its wooden fingers spread and swept over the person's entire body, locking him firmly in place.

At the same time, the wooden arm rapidly lengthened, lifting the man before Dong A, who stood suspended in the air.

"Speak. Who sent you? How dare you commit murder in the Dao Academy?" With his back to the starry sky, Dong A looked down at the audacious assassin.

Even the wind seemed to have stilled, quietly waiting for the man's answer.

The ordinary-looking assassin suddenly grinned. His entire head exploded without warning!

Dong A clenched his fist. A layer of water instantly enveloped the red and white remains, forming a swollen water ball.

He glanced at the corpse from earlier. A seed broke through the soil and grew at astonishing speed. Its flower bud opened, turning into a huge mouth that swallowed the corpse whole. Dong A casually tossed the water ball inside as well. The flower's mouth closed, then shrank back into the earth.

The two corpses were disposed of just like that, but the anger on Dong A's face only grew more apparent.

"A Zhuang Kingdom cultivation seed was murdered inside the Dao Academy! These Heterodox Path fiends are outrageously bold! This matter must be thoroughly investigated! The City Lord's Mansion must give this academy an explanation. Whoever was behind this must be executed!"

The fifth-grade expert let his full power loose. His voice rolled like thunder, shaking the entire city.

Many people throughout Maple Forest City paled when they heard it.

Then another booming voice rang across the city. It belonged to Wei Quji, City Lord of Maple Forest City. "Dean Dong, the City Lord's Mansion will certainly give you an explanation! No matter who or what is involved, once they're found, they'll be shown no mercy!"

Jiang Wang watched it all unfold, sensing vaguely that he had brushed against a violent whirlpool beneath the surface.

The Dao Academy was where the country cultivated talent, the very foundation of its national fortune. Committing murder there had crossed Dong A's bottom line.

Powerful Qin had borrowed their territory to ambush an enemy, already tearing away a layer of Zhuang's dignity. Now, Heterodox Path fiends had struck inside the Dao Academy. Though their purpose was unknown, it was hard to believe they had not meant to test the government's response.

Before today, everyone knew that Dong A and Wei Quji were at odds. The former belonged to State Chancellor Du Ruhui's faction, while the latter was a former subordinate of Great General Huangfu Duanming.

With Dong A's strength, he had no need to make such a grand display to catch the fiends. His use of Daoist Arts to cover the entire academy, followed by his exchange with Wei Quji from afar, seemed more like a show of strength and a clear statement of his position—a warning to those lurking in the shadows, ready to make trouble.

Zhuang Kingdom was far from peaceful.

"Everyone, disperse." Dong A's face was expressionless as he turned and descended from the sky.

The door panel sprang back into place, and the Vine Snakes slithered back onto the walls... In an instant, the entire Dao Academy returned to normal.

The night seemed as quiet as it had always been.

It was as if everything had been a dream.

But the wounds that had yet to heal told Jiang Wang it was real.

This was the strength of a fifth-grade expert.

And it was the view he would one day climb toward!

By the time Zhao Rucheng hurried to the Dao Academy after hearing the news, everything had settled down. Only Outer Academy disciples remained gathered in small groups, still excited by the dean's might.

He found Jiang Wang in their dormitory. At the time, that fellow was carefully polishing his sword with a handkerchief embroidered with gold thread.

The handkerchief naturally belonged to Zhao Rucheng. There wasn't another person in the entire dorm who would use such a thing.

Zhao Rucheng first noticed the neatly rebandaged top of Jiang Wang's foot and mocked him. "Well, well, injured again? Is there some water in your claim to being the best outer-sect swordsman?"

"Not bad." Jiang Wang kept polishing the blade. "Squeeze out all the water, and I can still teach you a lesson."

Only then did he look up and grin at Zhao Rucheng. "Little brother."

"I'm only a year younger than you. You've just had one more year of sword practice." Zhao Rucheng pursed his lips.

"Even one day older is still older. Little brother."

Zhao Rucheng clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Could you stop polishing it? Do you have any idea how many swords like that piece of junk in your hand my handkerchief could buy?"

Jiang Wang laughed smugly. "Then do you know how many of your handkerchiefs a sword I've used will be worth one day?"

But as soon as he said it, he and Zhao Rucheng fell silent at the same time.

That sort of thing had always been Fang Pengju's style. Using Zhao Rucheng's gold-embroidered handkerchief to polish a sword was another "bad habit" he had started. As he put it, "Our brothers' swords will be passed down for a thousand generations. How can we not take good care of them? A handkerchief this nice would be wasted on wiping your face! Rucheng may be handsome, but do you think that face of his will be remembered for a thousand generations?"

Some people were gone, but the traces they left behind would remain for a long time...

Zhao Rucheng was the first to speak again, changing the subject. "Third Brother, what do you think those fiends wanted when they attacked the Dao Academy? Could it be that what happened to you... wasn't an accident?"

"The Fang Family probably wouldn't dare do something like that." Jiang Wang shook his head. "But you never know. By the way, have you seen the eldest?"

Ling He had gone to the Fang Family at noon to return the corpse, but still had not come back. Jiang Wang could not help worrying.

Zhao Rucheng raised an eyebrow. "I heard the Fang Mansion kicked him out. I don't know where he went after that."

Jiang Wang fell silent for a moment. "Come on. Let's go look for him."

"Go ahead if you want. I'm not going along with a bleeding-heart to do some bleeding-heart nonsense." Zhao Rucheng pursed his lips.

"Hey, it wasn't me who slammed the door in his face. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jiang Wang simply stared at him without saying a word.

He had to give in. "All right, all right. But it's so late. Where are we supposed to look?"

"First," Jiang Wang reasoned, "he definitely wouldn't dump him in a mass grave."

"But he doesn't have any money," Zhao Rucheng put in.

"And he's a sentimental sort..." Jiang Wang stood and headed for the door. "I know where he went."

"I know what he's doing, too!" Zhao Rucheng followed behind, wrinkling his handsome nose. "He's probably bawling his eyes out."