Chapter 1079: Jiang Yuan

"Heavenly Leaf King? He's supposed to be a man, isn't he?"

"That's right, all Ten Kings are said to be men. I've never heard of a woman among them..." someone expressed doubt.

The Ten Kings of the Foreign Spirit Race have always been male. How could the Heavenly Leaf King be a woman?

"Who says the Heavenly Leaf King can't be a woman?" Jiang Yuan sneered. "The Heavenly Leaf King has always been a mysterious figure; only the name is known, and few have ever seen him. Why couldn't it be a woman? Besides, even if it is a man, he is said to have reached the Out-of-Body realm. With that level of power, it would be effortless for his primordial spirit to possess a human body and infiltrate our ranks!"

Everyone's fists clenched, and they looked at Luo Ruoxi again, each one filled with wariness.

In the Out-of-Body realm, one's primordial spirit can freely traverse the world, possessing extraordinary power. Such an entity can also possess human bodies! Furthermore, unlike the possession by a Witch Soul, there's no inherent decay; at worst, the primordial spirit might not perfectly synchronize with the new body, preventing it from unleashing its full potential.

In other words, if the Heavenly Leaf King had truly taken possession, no one, not even Master Wu, would be able to detect it.

Recalling Luo Ruoxi's actions, they noted that since arriving at the ruins, she hadn't spoken much, yet every word she did utter seemed crucial and played a pivotal role. Could a twenty-year-old girl, no matter how vast her knowledge, truly surpass that of Master Wu or Master Mu?

Could it be that she had truly been possessed, subtly leading them into traps throughout their journey?

"You... you should explain yourself!" Master Wu hesitated, wanting to say something. He then frowned and stared coldly at the girl before him.

It had to be admitted; the other party's analysis was flawless, and the girl before them was indeed suspicious.

Although Luo Ruoxi had a good relationship with Master Mu and had been introduced by him, her exact strength and cultivation level were unknown. Even Master Wu himself couldn't discern them, which he had found odd before.

Facing the collective suspicion, Luo Ruoxi offered no explanation. Instead, she shook her head, surveyed the group, and asked, "Is that what all of you believe?"

"This... you, you're not actually a disguised Foreign Spirit, are you?" Feng Xun's face paled, and he stumbled backward repeatedly.

He had actually fallen for a Foreign Spirit — and quite possibly a male one at that! The thought alone made his hair stand on end and filled him with nausea.

Seeing his reaction, the disappointment in Luo Ruoxi's eyes deepened. This man had constantly professed his affection, yet now he was riddled with suspicion.

She shook her head, about to speak, when a figure appeared before her.

"Enough!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand, glancing at the girl. "I believe she is not a Foreign Spirit, nor has she been possessed by any being!"

"You believe me?" Luo Ruoxi looked at him.

"Yes!" Zhang Xuan smiled gently, his eyes filled with determination. "Don't worry, no matter what anyone else says, I will stand by your side!"

He had interacted with this girl the most, observing her quiet and composed demeanor throughout their journey, seemingly unconcerned with anything. If she truly were the Heavenly Leaf King, with such formidable power, everyone would have been killed long ago; there would have been no need for such an elaborate disguise or wasted effort.

Seeing the clear, unwavering trust in his eyes, Luo Ruoxi felt a warmth spread through her heart. "He's not wrong," she admitted. "After I left, the Foreign Spirits appeared, and I was the one who told you to seek their traces, which led you into a trap... I can't refute any of that. So why do you still believe me...?"

"Do I need a reason?" Gazing intently into her eyes, Zhang Xuan smiled softly. "No matter what you do, I believe you. Don't worry, you don't need to refute anything; I'll handle this for you!"

With that, he turned to face the crowd. "I can guarantee with my life that Master Luo is absolutely not the Heavenly Leaf King, nor is she a Foreign Spirit!"

"Guarantee with your life, Master Zhang... you must think twice. What Battle Master Jiang said isn't entirely without merit..." Master Wu quickly interjected.

"Indeed, Master Zhang, Master Luo does seem a bit strange..." The others also turned their gazes towards him, each face filled with doubt.

They not only trusted Zhang Xuan but also deeply admired him. How could such an accomplished Master Teacher lose his composure when it came to a beautiful woman?

"Our lives were all saved by Master Zhang, and it's thanks to your leadership that we've made it this far. If Master Zhang insists on protecting her, I have nothing further to say. However... if she truly is the Heavenly Leaf King, not only will we face utter annihilation, but, more importantly, our mission to find Zhang Yinqiu and the others will fail completely, and the reputation of the Master Teacher Pavilion could be severely tarnished!" Seeing Zhang Xuan step forward to vehemently defend her, Jiang Yuan frowned and stated.

"How I choose to act is none of your concern!" Zhang Xuan scoffed, flicking his sleeve.

"You..." Unexpectedly, the usually amiable Zhang Xuan gave him no quarter, causing Jiang Yuan's fist to clench.

"There's no 'you' or 'me' in this. Master Luo has no issues. The one with issues, I believe, is you, Jiang Yuan, Battle Master Jiang?" Zhang Xuan looked at him.

"I have issues? What issues could I possibly have?" Jiang Yuan shook his head. He hadn't said anything throughout their journey, nor had he given any incorrect guidance. What problems could he possibly have?

Hearing Zhang Xuan's words, everyone around them was also filled with confusion.

"We've entered so many courtyards, each one equipped with formations, traps, and barriers... Upon entry, they trigger, unleashing various crises. I believe everyone has experienced this firsthand along the way, haven't they...?" Zhang Xuan surveyed the group.

"Indeed!" Everyone nodded.

Since entering this Heavenly Palace, they had faced countless dangers, each time barely escaping with their lives. Some of their companions had even been slain, and they hadn't even been able to retrieve their bodies.

"Every courtyard before this one presented dangers... But have you noticed that we've been in this particular courtyard for quite some time now, and no formations have appeared? Apart from the Red Leaf King speaking a few words and then leaving, there hasn't been anything unusual at all..." Zhang Xuan looked at the group. "Don't you find that strange?"

Silence fell among the group.

As Zhang Xuan pointed out, all previous courtyards had been extremely perilous; a single misstep could lead to death. Yet, they had been in this current courtyard for over twenty minutes now, and absolutely nothing had changed, which was indeed perplexing.

"Perhaps the Red Leaf King simply hasn't activated the formation yet? His aim might be to make us kill each other..." a Battle Master suggested.

"He certainly wants us to turn on each other... but it's not that he hasn't activated the formation!" Zhang Xuan declared.

President Han was taken aback. "Are you suggesting... that we are currently still within some sort of formation?" As the president of the Formation Master Guild and a peak seven-star formation master, he would certainly know if a formation were active.

"Precisely!" Zhang Xuan nodded, his expression grave. "In truth, this courtyard is not without formations, nor are they inactive! To be frank, not only are they present, but we are currently under attack!"

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances.

Even if they lacked President Han's expertise in formations, as Master Teachers and Battle Masters, they possessed keen observation skills and sharp eyesight. The surroundings were utterly silent, with no spiritual energy fluctuations whatsoever. How could there be a formation?

Ignoring their confusion, Zhang Xuan turned to Shen Pingchao, who was standing nearby. "Dean Shen," he began, "what is Elder Gan from your Luoqing Academy usually like?"

The Elder Gan he referred to was the very elder who had earlier exploded in rage, intent on killing the Battle Master.

"Elder Gan is a true Master Teacher, amiable and kind, with an excellent reputation among students..." Unsure why Zhang Xuan would suddenly ask such a question, Shen Pingchao paused to consider before giving a detailed reply.

Elder Gan was known throughout the academy as an easygoing and kind-hearted individual, so much so that he rarely even scolded mischievous students. He was also a good friend of Shen Pingchao's, and it was precisely this nature that led him to openly challenge Feng Xun.

"An amiable and kind teacher, suddenly shouting about wanting to kill someone... Don't you find that strange?" Zhang Xuan smiled, as if he had anticipated this answer.

Everyone was taken aback.

President Han's expression darkened as something dawned on him. "Are you suggesting... that this courtyard contains some special formation that interferes with our thoughts and minds, making us more irritable?"

"Precisely so. The Red Leaf King's sudden appearance and deliberate use of divisive words were intended to create an opening in our minds. He then subtly activated the formation, influencing our thoughts... Haven't you noticed how, in just 20 minutes, all of us have become somewhat irritable?" Zhang Xuan said.

The group fell silent, unable to refute.

It was true. Previously, they would have approached any courtyard with utmost caution. Yet now, their minds were preoccupied with thoughts of killing others or even themselves... anything to secure those fifteen spots!

Evidently, their thinking had fallen into a trap, becoming irrational. This was precisely why several conflicts had erupted, threatening to escalate into full-blown battles at any moment.

Upon hearing this explanation, Feng Xun and Shen Pingchao exchanged glances, cold sweat trickling down their backs. Just moments ago, they had felt exactly that way; had Master Wu and the others not intervened, they would undoubtedly have fought to the death.

"Everyone fell prey to this, and even Battle Master Feng Xun was no exception..." At this point, Zhang Xuan turned to look at Jiang Yuan, who was standing nearby. "I'm just curious," he mused, "how did our great Battle Master Jiang manage to avoid this influence? And how was he able to so logically conclude that Master Luo was problematic, even believing her to be the Heavenly Leaf King?"

"That's right," others chimed in. "Were you not affected by the formation?" Everyone's eyes collectively turned towards him.

"I..." Jiang Yuan's eyebrow twitched, but he quickly scoffed and shook his head. "Master Zhang, there's no need to change the subject! It's true I wasn't affected, but it seems neither were you nor Master Luo! Everyone's strength, opportunities, and mental fortitude vary. Just because I wasn't affected doesn't mean I'm some anomaly or a cause for suspicion!"

"You're absolutely right; not being affected doesn't automatically mean one is special..." Zhang Xuan lifted an eyelid, gazing at him with a faint smile. "...However, you and Feng Xun are both Centurions, and your standing in the Battle Master Hall is comparable, perhaps even slightly higher than his. Yet, throughout this entire journey, you've barely uttered a word... almost as if you weren't even present. Even when your own subordinates were attacked, you remained completely indifferent. Don't you think that's... a little *too* composed and calm?"