Chapter 968: Who Called Me?

During their conversation, many members of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe had already completely taken control of Lu Feng and the others, and followed close behind. Having been besieged by so many Otherworldly Demonic Tribe members, they were already at their limit. If the Tribe hadn't needed blood for a sacrifice, they would surely have died long ago. It was only natural that they couldn't resist for much longer.

As the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe members besieged them, Zhang Xuan remained silent, not even sparing them a glance. Since the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe mistook him for the Golden Leaf King, they surely wouldn't dare to kill the group. As long as they were alive, there was still a chance to save them.

Continuing their journey, it wasn't long before a massive complex of buildings appeared before them. Built against the mountain, it stretched for several miles, hidden beneath the dark sky. Cold and sinister, it gave off an eerie vibe.

"So vast?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows twitched.

The underground cavern served as a passage connecting humanity and the outer battlefield. Under normal circumstances, despite the danger, there shouldn't be many Otherworldly Demonic Tribe members present. Yet this complex of buildings could accommodate hundreds of thousands of people. Could it be that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe had already broken through the seal and settled here?

If that were truly the case, the Hongyuan Empire might genuinely be in peril. With just over two hundred Otherworldly Demonic Tribe members, the empire might not even be able to defend itself. If hundreds of thousands of them were to appear, even the Qingyuan Conferred Empire would likely be horrified.

Following behind the other party, he quietly activated his Eye of Insight and looked into the buildings. It was very spacious inside, but there were no signs of life.

"Your Highness," Tong Yue said, smiling in a bid for recognition, "this is the base we've constructed over the past two months. Stationing tens of thousands of people here will be no problem at all! If the main army arrives, their accommodation can be fully guaranteed."

"Hmm!" Concealing his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan nodded, secretly letting out a sigh of relief. So it was built in advance. He had thought it was already full of Otherworldly Demonic Tribe members. It seemed there had been a change in the seal, but it hadn't reached the point where these creatures could enter at will.

Based on the other party's words, two points could be deduced. First, for that so-called Green Leaf King to arrive, a Master Teacher sacrifice was required; it wasn't as simple as just appearing. Second, they were likely the vanguard, here to build a base and find a way to establish a connection with the other side of the seal. Once successful, a full-scale invasion by the main army was highly probable. If that were the case, it would be a huge problem.

Pondering this, he closely followed Tong Yue into the complex of buildings. These buildings were distinctly different from human architecture. They were designed to better gather the surrounding aura of slaughter, meaning that cultivating Slaughter True Qi here would yield twice the results with half the effort. It seemed the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe also had its share of elites, no less capable than human formation masters. It was no wonder. If they weren't this powerful, they wouldn't have been able to oppress humanity to the point of utter helplessness before the appearance of Master Kong.

"I've long heard that Your Highness is highly proficient in architecture and formations," Tong Yue said, looking over. "If there are any unsuitable aspects, I can immediately send people to modify them..."

"No..." Just as he was about to say there was no need for changes, Zhang Xuan's heart stirred. It seemed this fellow still hadn't confirmed his identity and wanted to test him. He didn't know whether the Golden Leaf King was truly proficient in architecture and formations. If he suggested a correct modification, but the actual Golden Leaf King wasn't proficient in it, he would expose himself immediately. And if the Golden Leaf King was proficient, but he said something incorrect, it would also certainly lead to trouble. It seemed this fellow wasn't foolish; he had dug a trap for him in an instant. In this situation, speaking wasn't the right choice, and neither was remaining silent.

"Do you speak to your own King like that?" Zhang Xuan asked, raising an eyebrow, his face darkening.

Since answering might not be right, and not answering might not be right either, he decided not to dwell on the question at all.

"I..." Tong Yue stiffened, realizing his previous question had been somewhat presumptuous, and his face turned pale with fright. A dignified King could speak or not speak as he pleased; how could it be something a mere subordinate should question?

"Enough, I don't have time for your nonsense," Zhang Xuan said. "Take those humans to a secret chamber by themselves, and ensure no one comes within thirty meters!"

"Yes!" Seeing that he wasn't being pursued, Tong Yue nodded, relieved. He turned and walked out to make arrangements. A short while later, he returned and said, "Your Highness, I have arranged for those people to be in the palace up ahead..."

"Hmm!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Your Highness, be careful," Tong Yue advised. "Humans are cunning, and their methods are strange. I fear they might harm you..."

"Just a bunch of chickens and dogs!" Zhang Xuan scoffed, his hands clasped behind his back. "Even if I stood still and let them attack, what could they do to me?" A powerful aura surged from within him.

"Yes!" Feeling this power, Tong Yue's eyebrows twitched. With the other party's strength, he wouldn't even need a single finger to kill him.

"Don't let anyone go over there. I'll be back soon!" With a cold snort, Zhang Xuan clasped his hands behind his back and walked forward, vanishing from sight in an instant as he entered the palace ahead.

"Yes!" Tong Yue nodded. Only after Zhang Xuan disappeared did his brow furrow, and he turned to command, "Someone!"

"Captain..." A moment later, an Otherworldly Demonic Tribe member hurried over.

"Go to the seal now and investigate," Tong Yue instructed. "See if anyone has crossed over today..."

"Yes!" The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe member nodded and swiftly dashed outside. Although he was ninety percent convinced, he still needed to confirm. This matter was extremely significant, and there could be no oversights whatsoever.

Inside the palace.

Dean Lu Feng and the others were trapped inside, shackled and with their cultivation suppressed by special means. They lay sprawled on the ground, utterly weak.

"It seems we can't escape this calamity..." sighed a Master Teacher, with a bitter smile.

"Indeed," an elder said, shaking his head, "but it's a pity we couldn't kill a few more Otherworldly Demonic Tribe members..."

"The enemy isn't killing us; I wonder what they want to interrogate us about," another Master Teacher said, gritting his teeth. "But even if I die, I won't say another word..."

The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and Master Teachers were mortal enemies, so the fact that the Tribe wasn't killing them clearly indicated a problem. Even if they died, they would not become traitors to humanity.

"By the way, Lu Feng," an elder couldn't help but ask, "we are all nearing the end of our lifespans. You're still young, and even the dean of the Pill Refinement Academy at the Master Teacher Academy. What are you doing here?"

Hearing the question, everyone else also looked over in unison. They had been chased for days, with no time to ask many questions. Now that they couldn't escape and could die at any moment, everyone wanted to know the reason. Most who came here had dim prospects and no hope left. Yet this Lu Feng was not only the dean of the Master Teacher Academy's first department but also a Half-Spirit Cultivation realm expert. Why was he here too?

"It's... a long story!" Lu Feng shook his head. "It's my own fault..." If he hadn't provoked Zhang Xuan, he wouldn't have ended up in this situation. Being a dean was to contribute to humanity, and the same was true here. It was just that here, even if he died, he would do so anonymously.

"What exactly happened? Were you framed?" a Master Teacher couldn't help but ask.

"I offended someone I shouldn't have," Lu Feng said, "and volunteered to come here!" Although it was a near-certain death here, he had no regrets.

"Offended someone?" Everyone became even more curious. What kind of person could a dignified acting dean of the Master Teacher Academy, a Half-Spirit Cultivation realm super-expert, have possibly offended to be banished to this place of certain death?

"Yes," Lu Feng nodded, "I offended a student!"

"A student?" Everyone was stunned. "You're a teacher, and even a dean, and offending a student leads to this... This student must be incredibly formidable!"

"Is it... a descendant of a Sage Clan?" an elder asked, remembering something.

"No, just an ordinary student from the Illusion Feather Empire!" Lu Feng replied.

"From the Illusion Feather Empire?" Everyone exchanged glances, even more perplexed. Someone from a second-tier empire managed to get a dignified acting dean like you banished here. What exactly happened?

"I know you won't believe it," Lu Feng said, observing their expressions. "To be honest, I've been reflecting these past few days, and it still feels like a dream!" Shaking his head, Lu Feng recounted everything he knew about Zhang Xuan's time in the Master Teacher Academy. He didn't elaborate on Master Yang, as it involved Master Teachers of a higher level.

"A twenty-year-old youth challenged Vice Dean You Xu's medical skills and won?"

"His lectures drew crowds so vast that the streets were empty, stirring excitement among all teachers and students?"

"At such a young age, he tamed a Saint 2-realm sacred beast?"

"The Master Teacher Academy's Golden Origin Cauldron recognized him as its master just by being touched once?"

Listening to Zhang Xuan's many exploits, everyone was utterly stunned. Someone who had only been in the academy for a few months had caused such a huge stir... Was it true or false?

"With such a genius, how could you possibly have had a conflict with him?" a Master Teacher couldn't help but ask. Don't teachers all like talented students? This person was so incredibly gifted, he should have been liked. Why the falling out?

"Precisely because he was too extraordinary," Lu Feng replied, "I suspected... he was an Otherworldly Demonic Tribe King who had infiltrated the academy. Otherwise, how could he possess such strength and understanding of supporting occupations at such a young age?" Lu Feng gave a bitter smile, then shook his head: "Later... later I realized how absurd that idea was!" He had always thought the other party was an Otherworldly Demonic Tribe King, but only after meeting Master Yang did he realize how ridiculous his idea was. A student taught by a Master Teacher recognized by the heavens could be an Otherworldly Demonic Tribe member? What a joke!

"Absurd? Why absurd?" one Master Teacher questioned. "If it were me, I'd think the same. Even a genius has limits. To understand so much at twenty, anyone would find it hard to believe!"

"That's right! I have the same suspicion!"

"Just because you suspected him, you were banished here?" Many Master Teachers frowned. If it was just such a minor matter to receive such a huge punishment, it seemed like a drastic overreaction.

"You still don't quite understand," Lu Feng said. "Let me properly introduce you now to Master Zhang Xuan..."

Seeing their thoughts, Lu Feng shook his head, just about to explain, when he heard the palace door creak open and a head poked through the gap. Its eyes gleamed as it looked over.

"Who called me?" The enormous face grinned, appearing exceptionally ferocious.