Chapter 357: Lu Chong's Great Revenge (Part 2)

It was not much different from a plot out of a play.

Lu Chong's family, the Lu Clan, wasn't considered an influential aristocratic family in Tianwu Royal City, but they were quite wealthy. From a young age, Lu Chong's talent was unremarkable. It was his elder sister who truly shone; at seventeen, she successfully passed the examination to become a formation master apprentice, a feat that became widely acclaimed.

However, this very success became the root of their misfortune. With great talent and stunning beauty, she unfortunately attracted the attention of a notorious scion, leading to disaster. What followed was predictable: love turned to rage, ultimately leading to tragedy.

“Our entire family of one hundred thirty-seven people was massacred overnight. I was out hunting at the time, which is why I survived…”

Recalling the hatred in his heart, his body trembled, and his fists clenched involuntarily.

“Your family is in Tianwu Royal City?” Zhang Xuan asked, looking at him. If his family wasn't located in Tianwu Royal City, he wouldn't need to be so cautious, even fearing to speak.

“Yes!” Lu Chong nodded. “My cultivation is too weak, and knowing I couldn't possibly escape, I joined the academy and kept a low profile, rarely speaking. Of course, it's also possible that they simply didn't consider me important, which is why I've survived until now.”

“The most dangerous place is often the safest. Perhaps your enemies never imagined you'd hide in such a conspicuous place. But… for an entire family of one hundred thirty-seven people to be massacred, it must have caused a huge stir. Did the Master Teacher Pavilion and the Tianwu Kingdom not intervene?” Zhang Xuan found it hard to believe.

The Master Teacher Pavilion maintains order in the region. Besides nurturing master teachers and educating students, their primary role is to uphold stability. While minor disturbances might be overlooked, the complete slaughter of an entire family would undoubtedly cause an uproar and prompt an investigation. Moreover, even if the Master Teacher Pavilion didn't intervene, was the Tianwu Royal Family just sitting by idly? Could people simply be killed at will in the Royal City? Even an entire clan eradicated?

“I don't know the exact details,” Lu Chong said, his face contorted in pain, hatred welling in his eyes. “All I know is that everyone died except me, and I didn't dare to investigate, fearing I'd be discovered.”

After asking a few more questions and realizing Lu Chong was being evasive, Zhang Xuan stopped pressing him. He offered a word of comfort: “Don’t dwell on anything else. Focus on your cultivation. If you persist with the method I taught you yesterday for five more times, you’ll achieve significant progress and easily be able to defeat peak Tongxuan realm cultivators. For today, rest and recuperate. Get enough sleep, and we’ll conduct the second session tonight!”

“Understood!” Lu Chong cupped his fist and turned, walking towards his dormitory.

Lu Chong had simplified the story, but Zhang Xuan knew the truth was far more complex. For an entire clan to be massacred without any reaction from the Tianwu Kingdom implied that Lu Chong's enemies possessed either immense power or incredibly high status. Most importantly, if it were merely a case of love turning to hatred, killing his sister would have been sufficient. Why would an entire clan be eradicated? It seemed the situation was far more intricate than he let on.

It appeared that despite his earnest demeanor, this student was holding back, concealing significant details.

“If he doesn't want to speak, so be it. I'll question him further when he's ready to share.” Zhang Xuan shook his head, dismissing the thoughts. Although he had helped Lu Chong improve his strength, their time together was still brief. It was understandable that Lu Chong felt hesitant to confide in him fully; there was no need to dwell on it. While he could discern the immense hatred Lu Chong harbored and the general circumstances, he couldn't ascertain the identity of his enemies or the exact reason for the animosity. It was similar to Zhao Ya and Mu Xueqing: he could perceive their injuries and even the cause, but not the specific individuals who had harmed them.

As Lu Chong walked out of the classroom, he glanced back at the young Teacher Liu, his eyes slightly red and fists clenched. It wasn't that he didn't want to speak; it was that he didn't dare! He knew very well the identity and status of his enemies, and he didn’t want the only teacher in the world who genuinely cared for him to suffer a cruel fate.

“Teacher Liu, you've helped me immensely by boosting my strength. I already owe you an enormous debt that I can’t repay, and I truly don't want you to get involved. After all, you’re just an ordinary teacher at the academy! If it’s discovered that you took me as a student and imparted such powerful skills, it will surely bring disaster upon you!”

“My revenge… I must handle it myself!”

With a silent resolve, Lu Chong turned and walked away. The sudden surge of power overnight rekindled his hope for vengeance.

Shortly after Lu Chong departed, the other students returned. After explaining some basic knowledge to the other students and offering a bit of cultivation guidance, he then called Mu Xueqing into the room alone to teach her blade techniques.

Initially, upon hearing there was only one move, Mu Xueqing felt a touch of disappointment. However, after practicing for a short while, she uncovered its profound mysteries, and her body trembled with excitement. Though she couldn't discern the rank of this blade technique, she knew it was infinitely more sophisticated than the Falling Flower Fist her father had taught her. They weren't even in the same league. A single blade technique, embodying the profound truths of the heavens and earth, simplified complexity. Once executed, it felt utterly irresistible.

“Many thanks for your generous teaching, Teacher Liu!”

After practicing for a full hour, her true qi surging unimpeded through her body, Mu Xueqing excitedly knelt to the ground, filled with gratitude and admiration for her teacher. He had effortlessly helped her resolve her pill poisoning and then imparted such a formidable martial skill… This kindness was beyond words.

“I must defeat that woman and uphold Teacher Liu’s reputation!” Gritting her teeth, she secretly made a decision. Her teacher had treated her so well, and she felt there was no better way to repay him than to bring him renown. Defeating a student of Master Teacher Zhang Xuan was the most direct path to achieve this.

Unaware that his newly accepted student was already seething with a desire to teach Zhao Ya a lesson, Zhang Xuan instructed his students to continue their cultivation and prepared to leave the classroom. He had finally acquired a Zongshi realm cultivation technique, but its progress was slow due to insufficient spiritual energy. Now that he had some free time, he naturally decided to visit the Alchemist Guild to search for spiritual energy-rich medicinal ingredients.

“You mean this Teacher Liu is truly as incredible as they claim? That he can help people achieve breakthroughs with just a casual pointer?”

Not far from Zhang Xuan’s classroom, two young men stood to the side. One of them spoke up. Any other student present would have immediately recognized them as the academy's most renowned figures: Zhao Wuxing, who had placed first in the grand competition, and Liu Changyan, who had come in second. It was Zhao Wuxing who had spoken.

“If they say so, there must be a reason! You know Mu Xueqing’s temperament; for her to obey so readily, even to the point of antagonizing Master Zhang’s student, this Teacher Liu must possess some extraordinary abilities,” Liu Changyan replied. Having personally witnessed the confrontation between the two girls yesterday, both of them were intensely curious about this legendary Teacher Liu.

“We absolutely must go and see for ourselves today to verify if it’s true. I simply don’t believe anyone in this academy can surpass Teacher Bai in teaching!” Although he knew Liu Changyan’s words were likely accurate, Zhao Wuxing still harbored some skepticism. Living within the academy grounds, they were unaware of the immense stir this Teacher Liu had caused at the Physician Guild; otherwise, they wouldn't have been so merely curious. As for Teacher Bai, he was the academy’s most celebrated instructor, much like Lu Xun had been in the Tianxuan Kingdom.

“Hmm? What’s a royal carriage doing here?”

As they mumbled, Liu Changyan suddenly pointed ahead. Following his gaze, Zhao Wuxing froze in place, unable to believe his eyes. Directly in front of them, a golden carriage slowly advanced along the street. It was clearly a carriage from the Tianwu Royal Family.

“Eight magnificent horses… that suggests it’s a carriage reserved for core members of the royal family. Could it be His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, or… the Third Princess?”

At the mention of the Third Princess, both Zhao Wuxing and Liu Changyan’s eyes lit up with excitement. Princess Mo Yu, the Third Princess, was their ideal goddess: beautiful, highly talented, and she had even successfully passed the Master Teacher examination, her renown echoing throughout the Royal City. Had it not been for Master Teacher Zhang Xuan and Mo Hongyi’s recent rise overshadowing her, she would undoubtedly have been even more brilliant.

The carriage halted, and a graceful figure disembarked.

“It truly is Her Royal Highness the Princess…”

Upon seeing her, both talented youths grew flushed with excitement, barely able to control themselves. However, a moment later, they found themselves puzzled: “What is she doing at the academy?” Princess Mo Yu was already a One-star Master Teacher with exceptional talent and cultivation. It was highly improbable she was here to study or even to teach a class. So, what was her purpose?

As they wondered, they saw her take a few steps toward Teacher Liu’s classroom and gracefully bow.

“I, Mo Yu of the Tianwu Kingdom, have come specifically to pay my respects to Teacher Liu Cheng!”

Her clear, resonant voice echoed throughout the surroundings.

“Paying respects to Teacher Liu?”

“Princess Mo Yu, a dignified One-star Master Teacher, Two-star Alchemist, and One-star Beast Tamer… is actually here to pay respects to this Liu Cheng?”

Zhao Wuxing and Liu Changyan froze, nearly dropping their jaws in disbelief. Princess Mo Yu was a super genius in the Tianwu Kingdom, second only to Mo Hongyi. She was not only a Master Teacher but also a powerful Tongxuan realm cultivator. Was she truly here specifically to pay respects to a mere ordinary teacher at the academy? They hadn't misheard, had they? Hadn't he just joined the academy yesterday? What qualifications could he possibly have to warrant a Master Teacher, a Princess of the kingdom no less, to personally come and pay respects?

However, their shock was far from over. The Teacher Liu they had been so curious about opened the door, stepped out, and merely glanced at Princess Mo Yu.

“What are you doing here… *cough, cough*… What do you want?”

Thump!

Zhao Wuxing and Liu Changyan swayed, feeling as if they were about to cough up blood. What kind of attitude was that? Even if he possessed some skill, shouldn’t he at least bow and salute upon meeting a princess? Even if not a formal bow, he should at least address her as “Princess” and be polite… but instead, he directly asked, “What are you doing here?”… “What do you want?” Who did he think he was? An ordinary teacher at the academy, not even a celebrated one, showing absolutely no respect to a dignified One-star Master Teacher, and with such a questioning tone! He clearly had no regard for others!

The two felt a surge of indignation, already mentally planning how to report him to the academy and warn this arrogant individual to abide by the rules set by the Teacher Guild. Just then, Princess Mo Yu took a step forward. “My father, the King, is waiting outside,” she announced, “and hopes Teacher Liu will grant him an audience…”

“Father King? His Majesty Mo Tianxue, the King?”

“Hopes Teacher Liu will… grant him an audience? What in the world is going on? His Majesty himself has come to pay respects to an ordinary teacher?”

Zhao Wuxing and Liu Changyan, the two prodigies, stared with wide eyes. At that moment, they truly felt like they were losing their minds.