Chapter 624: They Fell Down

Amidst the screams, Feng Yu was beside himself with frustration.

Falling over a thousand meters, even a 5-star master teacher and a Transcendent Mortal 6-dan expert like him would lose half his life.

These spirit beasts were well-tamed, each flying very steadily. How could they just fall?

"It's... that kid's roar!"

He paused, then understood. It had to be that guy's roar earlier. Like a dragon's cry from the heavens, it was nothing to humans, but spirit beasts couldn't bear it. It was already a mercy that they merely fainted instead of spitting blood in mid-air.

"Stop immediately! Fly for me..."

Knowing this was no time for contemplation, he roared, urgently trying to communicate with the spirit beast beneath him. To his dismay, he found the spirit beasts were unresponsive, as if dead. Instead, they were all trembling, having lost even the strength to fly.

"Damn it!"

Watching the ground rapidly approach, Feng Yu felt like spitting blood. What a mess! He had meticulously prepared formations and arranged for Chen Mo to ensure the opponent was blocked without fail. He never dreamed the other side also possessed sound wave attacks—and ones far more potent than his! Chen Mo's sounded beautiful and could be performed for money elsewhere, but this guy's sound waves were utterly lethal.

"Hong Qian, I'll be back..."

He roared frantically, but before he could finish, he felt a sudden jolt beneath him and a tremendous impact. *Thud!* He crashed heavily onto the ground, creating a large crater. The violent impact reverberated through him, breaking an unknown number of bones and causing him to spit out large mouthfuls of blood!

He had rushed over to stop Hong Qian and his group from entering the imperial city, but he hadn't stopped them. Instead, he and his own group were left half-dead from the fall. The thought alone drove him mad.

He struggled to his feet and looked around. Chen Mo and the others were in an even worse state, all lying on the ground, barely breathing. If they weren't rescued promptly, they would likely die on the spot.

These individuals were only at Transcendent Mortal 4-dan. While their combat strength wasn't weak at that level, falling from such a height proved fatal. If they hadn't used the spirit beasts beneath them as meat shields to cushion the impact, they would have certainly died on the spot.

"Damn it..."

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He roared again, quickly taking out healing pills and administering them to his companions.

He had rushed over with full confidence, expecting an easy interception. Instead, he hadn't stopped anyone, several spirit beasts had died from the fall, and he himself was severely injured.

"Hong Qian, and that guy, I won't let you get away with this..."

Roaring again, Feng Yu's rage soared.

"They fell?"

Feng Yu below was fuming, almost exploding with anger, while Master Hong and the others above were staring at each other, utterly dumbfounded.

They already knew Master Zhang was formidable and might employ unusual methods, but they never dreamed it would be *this* extraordinary...

A single roar caused a dozen spirit beasts to plummet from the sky, rendering their masters' commands useless... This was simply too powerful!

So, wouldn't this mean anyone daring to pursue him on a spirit beast would face the risk of plummeting?

Master Hong swallowed, unable to suppress the question. "Will they... be killed by the fall?" After all, they were master teachers of his own rank. For such powerful figures to die not by defeat, but by plummeting from the sky, would become a lifelong stain and a source of mockery for centuries if word got out.

"From that height, they probably won't die," Zhang Xuan said with a wave of his hand, "but they'll be in considerable pain. Let's not worry about them; we should hurry to the imperial city. They're trying to stop us like this, so something must have happened!"

There was no other way. Although he could fly, he couldn't defeat a Transcendent Mortal 6-dan expert like Feng Yu.

After much thought, this was his only move. As for whether they would die from the fall, that was no longer his concern. If they wanted to cause trouble, they had to consider the consequences... Honestly, this was already a mild outcome.

"You're right, let's go!"

As a 5-star master teacher, Master Hong was naturally not soft-hearted. He nodded, signaled the spirit beast beneath him, and continued flying towards the Myriad Feather Imperial City.

Without Chen Mo's zither attacks, all the spirit beasts recovered. They flew at an extremely fast pace, and within a few minutes, a majestic building appeared before their eyes.

It was grand and imposing, exuding an air of nobility.

"This is the Myriad Feather Imperial Palace," Master Hong pointed forward, "Flying spirit beasts aren't allowed to approach. I think we should land in the plaza ahead!" The spirit beast beneath him immediately circled towards the plaza outside the palace, slowly descending.

As soon as they dismounted from the spirit beasts, several master teachers in long robes approached them.

"Master Hong, you've arrived..."

The speaker, a 4-star master teacher, had four stars shimmering on his chest.

Master Hong's brows furrowed. "Zhuang Qin, didn't I ask you to inform the teachers? How is it... not only was there no one to greet us, but Master Feng and his group arrived instead?"

This Zhuang Qin was not from the Myriad Feather Empire, but from the Master Teacher Pavilion of the Grand Abundance Empire. He had been sent ahead to make arrangements for their arrival.

When he previously mentioned contacting someone from the Myriad Feather Empire, he was referring to Zhuang Qin.

"You encountered Master Feng?" Zhuang Qin's expression changed, and he looked at them with concern. "He... didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"No!" Master Hong shook his head, looking at him with confusion. "What exactly happened?"

Zhuang Qin explained, his face grim. "I reported your arrival today to Master Wei, and he sent flying spirit beasts for us to greet you. But who knew... before we even took off, Master Feng and his group stopped us. As you know, he's a 5-star master teacher, so I couldn't do anything..."

He was supposed to go pick them up, but the flying spirit beasts were taken, so he could only wait here anxiously.

Fortunately, they seemed fine.

Knowing that Zhuang Qin wasn't to blame and that their group had suffered no losses, Master Hong didn't dwell on the issue and continued to ask, "Feng Yu mentioned that three spots were missing. Is that true?"

"Yes!" Zhuang Qin nodded. "For cultivating in the Transmogrification Pond, each of the four vassal states gets three spots, totaling 12. The Myriad Feather Imperial Family also gets three, making a grand total of 15."

Master Hong and the others nodded. They were aware that the Transmogrification Pond opened once every ten years, with only 15 spots available, so this was no secret.

"These fifteen spots were a rule established by the founding ancestor, Emperor Myriad Feather, and everyone knows it; it has never changed. However... this time is different!"

Zhuang Qin hesitated. "Princess Feier of the Grand Vast Empire learned about the Transmogrification Pond opening and came specifically to request... four spots! The imperial family gave up one, and it was decided that the remaining three would come from the four vassal states..."

"Princess Feier?" Master Hong was taken aback.

The Grand Vast Empire was a first-tier empire; what resources did it lack? Why would it come to a second-tier empire to snatch spots, and four at that? Moreover... who was this Princess Feier? He had never heard of her!

"Princess Feier... is a student at the Grand Vast Master Teacher Academy," Zhuang Qin said, a little awkwardly. "I heard she's... Crown Prince Ye Qian's senior fellow student..."

Although Zhuang Qin's explanation was vague and a bit hesitant, after listening for a while, everyone understood. Crown Prince Ye Qian was also a talented master teacher, recommended by the Myriad Feather Empire's Master Teacher Pavilion to study at the Grand Vast Master Teacher Academy three years ago. Princess Feier was also a student there, reportedly quite famous, and even Ye Qian's senior. It seemed the Crown Prince, perhaps out of admiration or for other motives, deliberately spoke of the Transmogrification Pond's mystique, invited her, and used the opportunity to curry favor, which led to this current situation.

To be so renowned in a Master Teacher Academy, she must be at least a Half-5-star Master Teacher. Combined with her status as a princess of a first-tier empire, she was certainly worth the Crown Prince's efforts to befriend.

No wonder Master Feng said earlier that the Crown Prince had claimed three spots; in that sense, it was indeed as if he had given them away.

"For a second-tier empire to befriend a first-tier empire by offering up spots is not unusual," Master Hong looked over. "However... did the Emperor say how these spots would be distributed?"

As a lower-tier empire, offering spots to befriend higher-ranking master teachers and more powerful empires was understandable and acceptable. However... with three spots to be contributed by four vassal states, there had to be a clear process for distribution, otherwise, no one would agree.

"His Majesty told us to resolve it among ourselves," Zhuang Qin explained. "This evening, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will host a banquet at the Eastern Palace specifically to set the rules and resolve this matter..."

He had reported Master Hong and his group's arrival today, so Crown Prince Ye Qian had scheduled the banquet for this evening to address the issue.

This was why Feng Yu had intercepted them. If Master Hong and his group were stuck in mid-air all day and missed the banquet, it was clear that the three spots would undoubtedly come from the Grand Abundance Empire. After all, with only three spots available, no one wanted to lose one. If someone could be made a scapegoat for not showing up, why not? Besides, who told them to be late?

Understanding the situation, Master Hong snorted. "This wasn't just Feng Yu's idea. Those old fellows from the Hidden Wind and Chasing Moon Master Teacher Pavilions were probably involved too!" Blocking his group would also benefit the other two forces, so it couldn't have been solely the Grand Abundance Empire's idea. Rather, those few individuals must have conspired, with Feng Yu merely acting as their frontman.

Fortunately, Master Zhang had disrupted their plan; otherwise, the three spots would certainly have come from their side! In that case, their trip would have been entirely in vain.

Master Hong flicked his sleeve. "Since it's a banquet, and it's still early, let's head back to our accommodations. I'll take the opportunity to pay a visit to those old scoundrels!"

As a 5-star master teacher, he possessed his own dignity and pride. To be ambushed and schemed against before even arriving was an insult he couldn't possibly swallow. He naturally had to get even!

"I've already prepared your accommodations; they're not far. I'll lead you there!" Knowing this was a conflict between 5-star master teachers where he couldn't interject, Zhuang Qin shifted the topic and led the way. After a few steps, he suddenly remembered something and looked back with confusion. "Master Hong, Master Feng seemed fully prepared to cause trouble for you. How did you... manage to get away?"

"Well..."

Master Hong hesitated. "We met in mid-air, and then... they fell."

"Fell?"

Zhuang Qin stood frozen, utterly stunned.