Chapter 645: Rules for Quota Distribution

"I... I have nothing to say!" Luo Zhao sighed after a long pause for thought.

He truly couldn't figure out what was going on. The liquid in the gourd was the "Thousand Cups Drunk" that someone had bought from Pufang Studio that morning. He never would have imagined it would turn into a healing elixir!

He was utterly speechless and couldn't explain anything. If he hadn't stolen the item, how would the other party know he had this healing medicinal wine in his storage ring? Admitting to the theft... yet he felt deeply wronged.

As a Master Teacher, he always maintained his dignity; at most, he would verbally provoke someone a couple of times. He had never even laid a hand on Master Hong, let alone stolen anything! And such a precious medicinal wine at that!

"You don't need to feel wronged," Zhang Xuan said calmly, knowing Luo Zhao's thoughts. "If you suspect we're slandering you, there's still a cup of the medicinal wine left after treating Master Hong's injuries today. I can show you now!" He flipped his wrist, and a wine cup appeared in his palm, its rich aroma wafting through the air.

"Who would like to test the effect of this wine?" he asked, looking around. "I will..." Feng Yu stood up, his face resolute. "Oh, Master Bi, how about you?" Zhang Xuan said, lowering his head. Feng Yu was speechless. "Cough, cough!" Bi Jianghai, who was drinking, nearly choked on his wine. He reluctantly stood up, his face full of resignation. "I'll do it myself!"

With that, he formed his fingers into a sword and unleashed a burst of zhenqi, instantly cutting a gash in his arm, from which blood flowed. Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and poured the wine from the cup over the wound. *Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!* A few breaths later, the wound was completely healed, without a trace, just like the effects of the medicinal wine from the bottle on the table earlier.

"Your Royal Highness, Master Wu, you can confirm it now, right?" Zhang Xuan asked, cupping his fists again after completing the demonstration. "We can confirm it!" Ye Qian nodded. Knowing exactly what was in the opponent's storage ring and then producing an item with identical effects constituted undeniable proof.

"As a five-star Master Teacher, to seize another's treasure and claim it as your own is an unforgivable crime!" Ye Qian flicked his sleeve and turned back to Luo Zhao, his eyes filled with anger and disgust. He had previously held a favorable impression of this Master Teacher from a vassal state, but he never expected him to commit such a despicable act.

"Master Hong, Master Zhang, it is my responsibility that such a Master Teacher appeared in the Illusory Feather Empire. How... how would you like to handle this?" He now knew the young man's surname was Zhang, having heard Master Hong address him.

"Although he stole my item, today Your Royal Highness is hosting a welcoming banquet for distinguished guests. At such a joyous time, I do not wish to cause trouble. As long as he returns that gourd of medicinal wine, we will not pursue the matter further!" Master Hong cupped his fists. "I share Master Hong's sentiment!" Zhang Xuan also nodded.

"Not pursue it?" Everyone was stunned. They had expected that, given Luo Zhao's harassment and with the Crown Prince presiding, Master Hong would surely humiliate him, perhaps even stripping him of his Master Teacher qualifications. They never dreamed that simply returning the medicinal wine would suffice to drop the matter. What magnanimity! Look at them: both are five-star Master Teachers from vassal states. One constantly tried to ruin the other and bring disgrace, while the wronged party, despite being in the right, remained neither servile nor overbearing, displaying remarkable generosity! Even the Crown Prince and Master Wu looked at Master Hong and Zhang Xuan with newfound respect.

"Master Luo, did you hear that? Will you return this bottle of medicinal wine, or will you keep it?" The Crown Prince looked over. "I... I'll return it!" Luo Zhao was somewhat dazed. He had expected that if the accusation succeeded, they would press their advantage, aiming to completely ruin his reputation. He never dreamed they had no such intention.

"Since you are returning this bottle of medicinal liquid, Master Wu, consider this a welcoming gift from our Hongfeng Empire!" Master Hong cupped his fists. "This..." Wu Zhen hesitated, then a flicker of excitement appeared in his eyes as he nodded. "I thank Master Hong on behalf of the Sixth Princess!" This was a sacred healing elixir; any superficial wound could be perfectly healed with just a drop. With this, there would be no fear of future injuries!

"It's nothing," Hong Qian said, cupping his fists before sitting down. He then turned to look at the young man not far away, his curiosity growing. Just moments ago, when Luo Zhao, Chen Yue, and Feng Yu had collectively pressured him, he had prepared himself for humiliation. He never dreamed that Master Zhang's intervention would immediately turn the tide. Not only that, but he had also brought Luo Zhao to the brink of collapse. He knew perfectly well whether Luo Zhao had stolen his item or not, so how had the facts suddenly become undeniable, leaving the other party speechless?

"Master Zhang, about what just happened..." Unable to resist, he transmitted his voice. "Oh, it was just a small trick to mislead them, something my teacher taught me. It's nothing worth mentioning!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

What had just transpired was clearly a setup by Luo, Chen, and Feng, intended to entrap Master Hong and humiliate him. If they had succeeded, Master Hong would likely have lost his chance at a spot in the Purifying Pond. That's why he couldn't help but intervene. As for the medicinal wine that could heal injuries, Master Hong had provoked Luo Zhao into displaying his martial skills, allowing Zhang Xuan to deduce Luo Zhao's fondness for alcohol and thus easily infer that he stored fine wine in his storage ring.

In truth, the liquid in the gourd was indeed ordinary wine; it could heal because he had infused several strands of Heavenly Dao zhenqi into it while shaking the flask. Heavenly Dao zhenqi is formless and immaterial, and when mixed into the pungent wine, even a six-star Master Teacher wouldn't detect it, let alone the others present.

Master Hong's subsequent decision to let the matter go was, of course, also Zhang Xuan's idea. Expelling a five-star Master Teacher was a serious matter. If they truly pursued it, it would inevitably attract representatives from the headquarters. The explanation given earlier was sufficient to fool them for now, but a detailed investigation would easily expose the truth. Especially regarding the source of the medicinal liquid—they couldn't possibly bring "Master Yang" out again, could they? It was better not to pursue the matter further and, in doing so, leave a good impression on the Crown Prince and others. When things reach an extreme, they reverse; when prosperity peaks, it declines. They had already gained an advantage, so it was important not to pursue a cornered foe.

Knowing that it was Master Yang's teaching, Master Hong scratched his head and refrained from asking further questions. Matters involving such high-level Master Teachers like Master Yang were beyond his comprehension; instead of dwelling on them, it was better not to think about them at all.

"Thank you all for your gifts. Besides welcoming Master Wu and the others today, there's one more matter that I believe you all understand without me needing to elaborate!" Knowing that pursuing the previous incident further would make him lose face in front of the senior students, Crown Prince Ye Qian looked around and changed the subject. "Understood!" Hearing that the main event was about to begin, everyone sat up straight, their expressions solemn.

Tonight's banquet had two purposes: first, to welcome everyone and allow them to meet the senior students from the Master Teacher Academy; second, to finalize the reallocation of the quotas. The welcoming... only Master Wu had arrived, and so many incidents had occurred that it definitely couldn't proceed as planned. It would be better to directly divide the quotas now, which might still salvage some dignity.

"The Purifying Pond is the foundation upon which our Illusory Feather Empire was built, and it has a significant effect on cultivators at the Spirit Unification realm and above. Having passed through various assessments to reach the Imperial Capital, you are naturally here to cultivate within it and greatly advance your cultivation!" Ye Qian smiled. "However, this year is different from previous years; we need to take three quotas from among you."

"I know these quotas are extremely important to all of you, which is why I've invited you here to discuss and decide on a fair set of rules for selecting them smoothly, without causing discord, and without delaying the opening of the Purifying Pond tomorrow." "We will abide by Your Royal Highness's decision!" everyone responded, cupping their fists in unison.

"Since these quotas concern everyone, I dare not make the decision unilaterally. Let's all think together and propose any good methods for us to discuss collectively!" Ye Qian said.

"Your Royal Highness, for the four vassal states—Hongfeng, Fengyuan, Qianfeng, and Zhuiyue—to share three quotas means some will get one and some won't, which is unfair. I have a suggestion, if I may be so bold!" After a moment of silence, Chen Yue stood up and was the first to speak. "Do tell!" Ye Qian looked at him.

"It's simple. Since each vassal state currently has three quotas, I propose that we hold a competition among the four states. The one that ranks last will... directly lose their qualification!" Chen Yue explained his idea. "As for how to compete, that's simple: the top three from today's Grand Competition are all here. Let them compete against each other in a best-of-three match! That means each vassal state will send their respective top three to compete. Each participant will face one opponent, and the first state to secure two victories will be declared the winner. If a state loses, it simply concedes."

"I agree with Master Chen's method! Since the quotas involve their personal interests, they will naturally strive harder during the competition. Furthermore, if they lose, it's merely a matter of their own skill being inferior, and they cannot blame their respective vassal states!" Feng Yu also spoke up. "I agree as well!" Luo Zhao nodded in agreement. "Contending for quotas through one's own efforts aligns with the Master Teacher Pavilion's spirit of continuous self-improvement!" Wu Zhen nodded.

"Very well then!" After a moment's thought, Ye Qian also nodded in agreement. To be honest, their suggestion was quite good. Competing as vassal states would better inspire cultivators to unite and fight as one, encouraging them to strive harder.

"However, since there will be a competition, there must be a specific content for it. What are your thoughts on the nature of the competition?" Ye Qian continued to ask.

"I've considered that as well!" Chen Yue smiled and continued, "Among Master Teachers, a grand competition is usually most suitable. However, such a competition involves countless aspects and varied content. For a simple quota allocation, there's no need for such complexity. Instead, why not just compete on cultivation level? The Purifying Pond aids in increasing strength, so naturally, the strongest martial power should determine who gets a quota. It's the most direct and simplest approach!"

"Yes, a martial arts competition is best!" "It also saves trouble." Feng Yu and Luo Zhao chimed in casually.

"Hmph!" Hearing this, Master Hong and Zhang Xuan exchanged glances, finally understanding their true objective. The top three from the other three vassal states had all taken Spirit Unification Pills, greatly advancing their cultivation. Even the weakest among them was a full level higher than Luo Xuan and the others. If it came down to a martial arts competition, how could they possibly contend? Even if Zhang Xuan, the anomaly, wasn't afraid, each person could only compete in one match, and with a best-of-three format... if Luo Xuan and Bi Jianghai lost, they'd be helpless. It seemed the other party, knowing they couldn't directly stop them, had devised this scheme. Utterly shameless!