Chapter 993: Wu Shi's Shame

"This..." Master Wu's eyebrows twitched as he witnessed the scene. A Saint-level master defeating a Saint Realm 2-dan Fighter bare-handed... this was truly terrifying. The most crucial point was that he had just declared the other person's strength inadequate, and now, Zhang Xuan had immediately defeated Fighter Zhuo on the spot. It was a blatant humiliation.

"Based on what we know, this ruin contains many powerful members of the Spirit Tribe. If captured, even You Xu, a peak six-star master teacher, cannot resist them! What gives you the confidence to believe you can withstand them?" With his hands clasped behind his back, Master Wu looked at Zhang Xuan coldly, his tone accusatory as he continued, "Have you ever seen the Spirit Tribe? Have you ever dealt with them? Do you know how terrifying they are?" "I..." Zhang Xuan was about to reply when the seven-star master opposite him waved his hand, signaling him to stop.

"To be frank, I've fought them myself and personally killed 52. They are not only powerful and capable of fighting above their level, but more critically, the aura of slaughter they emit is irresistible!" He continued, "Facing such beings isn't just about your combat strength; it's about your state of mind and willpower. If you lack these, it's better not to go." He wasn't intentionally singling out Zhang Xuan. It was simply that this mission was too perilous; even the slightest misstep could lead to their complete annihilation. Even with impressive combat skills and a formidable teacher, Zhang Xuan was still only a young man in his twenties. Wu Shi had encountered many such geniuses, and he knew that terrifying members of the Spirit Tribe could easily shatter one's psychological defenses, leading to unpredictable outcomes.

"Regarding the Spirit Tribe..." Zhang Xuan understood that Master Wu's intentions weren't malicious; he was just accustomed to leadership and had become a bit opinionated. Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan was about to explain when an elder rushed in from outside. "Dean..." The elder quickly clasped his fists as he approached. Noticing the elder's unsettled expression, Zhang Xuan frowned, "What's wrong?" The elder hesitated before speaking, "Reporting, Dean, Master Lu Feng... Master Lu requests an audience!" Lu Feng and Dean Zhang had previously had a major falling out, with Lu Feng nearly losing his master teacher qualifications. Although this incident was only known in a small circle, the elder was aware of it. He inferred that their relationship was strained, and Lu Feng's sudden request to see the Dean made him feel awkward and unsure how to relay the message.

"Lu Feng?" Unaware of the elder's apprehension, Zhang Xuan paused, then a smile spread across his face. He had left the seal and specifically searched for this group, but couldn't find them. Now, it seemed they had indeed emerged from the underground cavern. "Show him in!" He waved his hand. "Yes..." Relieved that the Dean wasn't upset, the elder quickly turned and exited. Soon after, an old man entered, following the elder—it was indeed Lu Feng. Lu Feng no longer carried his former sharp, imposing aura. His eyes appeared humble and sincere, conveying a sense of increased calmness and stability. It seemed that the previous incident had profoundly changed his entire mindset.

"Dean, you're truly unharmed? That's wonderful..." Lu Feng exhaled in relief, seeing the young man seated safely in the center of the hall. Although he had surmised that Zhang Xuan was fine and had left the underground cavern, witnessing it firsthand brought a deep sense of relief. If not for Zhang Xuan, they would undoubtedly be dead. He had risked his life to save them and slain so many members of the Spirit Tribe; his kindness was as profound as granting them a new life. "Of course, I'm fine. What about all of you? Have your injuries healed?" Zhang Xuan smiled. "Our injuries have fully recovered. It was your selfless intervention, Dean, that saved our lives and prevented a terrible disaster. Please accept Lu Feng's bow..." As he spoke, he began to kneel. "Master Lu, there's no need for such formality..." Zhang Xuan swayed, instantly appearing before him and helping him to his feet. Seeing the two individuals, who were previously at odds, now interacting with such courtesy, Elder Mi, Elder Zhao, and the others exchanged bewildered glances.

"What is happening?" Dean Jiang Qingqin, unable to contain her curiosity, finally blurted out. "Oh, it's like this!" Lu Feng nodded at the inquiry. "Five days ago, Dean Zhang personally descended into the underground cavern. He saved us, forty six-star master teachers, and single-handedly slew over two hundred Saint Realm Spirit Tribe members, including two Saint Realm 4-dan kings... I've already submitted a detailed report of the entire incident to headquarters and just received their response. I had initially planned to ensure Dean Zhang's contributions weren't overlooked, but I didn't realize he had already emerged from the cavern..."

"Personally descended into the underground cavern?" "Saved over forty master teachers?" "Slew over two hundred Saint Realm Spirit Tribe members, *and* kings?" Upon hearing Lu Feng's account, everyone present was dumbfounded. Master Wu, who moments before had been so imperious, widened his eyes, nearly collapsing on the spot. He had just claimed that Zhang Xuan had never encountered the Spirit Tribe, and now Lu Feng was reporting that Zhang Xuan had killed over two hundred of them... Could this possibly be true? Even he, a dignified Saint Realm 4-dan expert, had never slain so many! And, most astonishingly, two kings! The sheer terror of Spirit Tribe kings was common knowledge; even Wu Shi would face certain death if he encountered one. Yet, according to Lu Feng, Dean Zhang was not only unharmed but had killed two in one go... Wu Shi felt a sudden shortness of breath, his mind struggling to comprehend.

"Is what you're saying true?" Wu Shi couldn't help but ask, staring intently. "Absolutely, I can guarantee it with my life!" Lu Feng nodded. "Furthermore, we've already transmitted the detailed account to headquarters, who have acknowledged it and converted it into merit points as a reward... I've come today specifically to present these merit points to the Dean." With that, Lu Feng flicked his wrist, retrieving a pale yellow jade tablet, and handed it over. "Dean, you devoted immense effort to slay so many Spirit Tribe members and rescue us. We cannot allow your contributions to go unrecognized... Headquarters assessed the situation and awarded a total of 1211 merit points."

"Over a thousand... points?" Master Wu reeled, nearly spitting blood. Since the age of sixteen, when he had slain his first Spirit Tribe member, up to his current status as a seven-star high-grade master teacher—all his accumulated merits over several centuries totaled only twenty-two points. This was already a source of immense pride, astonishing countless individuals. He had just scoffed at Dean Zhang for lacking contributions, and now Zhang Xuan was revealing over a thousand points... Was this not incredibly exaggerated? Even if he had indeed slain over two hundred Saint Realm Spirit Tribe members and two kings, it shouldn't amount to this much! This question lingered not just in his mind, but in the minds of others as well.

Sensing their unspoken questions, Lu Feng continued, "These Spirit Tribe members breached the underground cavern's seal with a special, clearly malicious mission. Had they escaped, the entire Hongyuan Empire could have suffered a catastrophic blow. Dean Zhang's actions in killing them effectively thwarted a major conspiracy. His contributions are immeasurable; even a thousand-plus points are an understatement..." "Ah..." Only then did everyone fully grasp the situation. Indeed, merely killing a few Spirit Tribe members might not earn significant merit, but preventing a vast conspiracy and saving countless lives constituted an enormous contribution.

"There's also another matter that headquarters hasn't confirmed yet," Lu Feng continued, ignoring the crowd's astonishment, "but they've dispatched people to verify it. Once confirmed, it might not just be over a thousand merit points, but possibly tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of points..." "Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of points? What kind of immense contribution could that be?" Master Mu, standing to one side, urgently inquired. Slaying even a single Saint Realm Spirit Tribe member wouldn't earn a full point, illustrating the difficulty of accruing merit. Reaching over a thousand points at once was already astonishing, but for there to be tens or hundreds of thousands of unverified points... what could it possibly be? Not only was Master Mu perplexed, but Master Wu and Elder Mi also looked utterly bewildered, unable to comprehend it.

"Well, here's the thing: I just made another trip down to the underground cavern and discovered that the seal blocking the outer battlefield has been completely repaired... That must have been your work, Dean, correct?" Lu Feng looked up expectantly. "If the seal wasn't repaired, the Spirit Tribe would continue to invade, so I spent a few days mending it according to the method my teacher once taught me," Zhang Xuan nodded. "Just as I thought..." Lu Feng's eyes brightened. Having spent over three months in the underground cavern, he was well aware of the seal's deterioration. He had initially believed that this Spirit Tribe invasion was not an anomaly and that they would continue to pour through. Yet, upon his recent inspection, the seal was perfectly intact. Since all of their group had been together, the Spirit Tribe certainly wouldn't have sealed themselves off. The only plausible explanation was Dean Zhang, the man known for countless miracles. While he wouldn't believe anyone else capable of such a feat, Dean Zhang had performed too many wonders for him to doubt. It was for this very reason that he sought verbal confirmation, which he indeed received. Repairing the seal, thus permanently averting further Spirit Tribe invasions, constituted an immense and immeasurable contribution. Tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of points, would hardly suffice. As for its precise evaluation, that would require headquarters personnel to conduct a thorough investigation.

"Doesn't that seal involve spatial laws? Can it truly be repaired?" "If this is true, it's an enormous contribution that benefits all humanity..." "How was it even accomplished?" Everyone present was utterly stunned by their conversation. Master Wu, who had just been so self-important, looked as though he'd been struck by lightning. "Oh, by the way, Dean," Lu Feng couldn't help but add, remembering something, "when I visited the seal before, I noticed some damage, but this time it was perfectly intact... If I'm not mistaken, you must have just emerged from the underground cavern, right?" He had visited the seal previously while searching for Zhang Xuan and was aware of its condition. Its current perfect state indicated a recent repair. "Yes, I came out less than half an hour ago!" Zhang Xuan said with a wry smile, "You see, I didn't even have time to change my clothes..."

"He just saved the entire Hongyuan Empire, slew hundreds of Spirit Tribe members, survived a near-death ordeal, and emerged from the perilous underground cavern. Hearing the assembly bell, he came directly without even resting or changing his clothes... And I actually blamed him for being late? Thought he was acting conceited?" Upon hearing this, Master Wu's face flushed crimson instantly; he wished he could disappear into the ground.