Fasinuo Province, Nuoding City.
Inside Nuoding Academy, Yu Xiaogang sat in the library, leafing through books and occasionally jotting down notes.
It was summer vacation again. Tang San and Xiao Wu had long since gone home, and most of the academy's other teachers were taking time off as well. Only he remained here.
Learning knew no bounds. To him, even the less-than-profound books in this small city contained a few nuggets worth incorporating into his theories.
Just as he was engrossed in his studies, a voice came from the entrance. "Grandmaster, two officials from Spirit Hall are here to see you."
Yu Xiaogang paused at those words. He had barely ever had any contact with people from Spirit Hall, even those from the Nuoding City Sub-Hall.
He was about to get up and see what was happening when the sound of bones snapping suddenly came from the entrance, along with the doorman's screams. Then the library doors were kicked open, and two burly men in Spirit Hall uniforms strode in with weapons at the ready, their vicious faces making them look like street thugs and local bullies.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
Yu Xiaogang was startled by their entrance, but he still spoke with a stern voice and expression.
Spirit Hall was, at any rate, an upright organization these days. How could it have people who behaved like bandits?
"Yu Xiaogang, your crimes have come to light. By our sovereign's command, we have come to execute you today. Do you have any last words?"
"What?" Before Yu Xiaogang could even process this, the two men gave him no time to react. They raised their guns and fired two shots at him.
Yu Xiaogang was a Soul Grandmaster, after all, and had some knowledge of these weapons. He