Chapter 297: Chapter 297: Giving You an Array
Within the Imperial City, inside the Academy.
The aged Dean let out a soft sigh, filled with helplessness. "Once gone, why return?"
In the past, to block the powerhouse emerging from the depths of the palace, he nearly died in the imperial court... Although he emerged alive, his entire cultivation was destroyed.
The Emperor was furious. "For the sake of an outsider, you sacrificed yourself. Is this truly worth it?"
The Dean responded with a bitter laugh, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your blessing."
It was for this reason that after Lan Xiuzhi returned to the Imperial Dynasty, when everyone learned that the God within the Phoenix Cauldron had vanished, no one came to trouble him.
Because no one pays attention to a ruined man.
But he hadn’t expected that the Imperial Dynasty would be engulfed in internal turmoil due to this, that Lan Xiuzhi would become a pawn, and that Chen Pingping would return here once again.
If Chen Pingping were to fall here, wouldn’t all his previous efforts and his own sacrifice have been in vain?
CRASH!
A group of soldiers rushed in. "Take him away!"
"You? What do you want?" the Dean bellowed angrily.
Having lost his cultivation, he no longer possessed his past splendor. His eyes hid weariness and murkiness, his face had become considerably more sallow, and his vitality was dimming within him.
If nothing unexpected happened, it might not be long before he...
Currently, there was an impeachment happening within the Academy against him, and he too had been preparing to leave this place in search of a tranquil spot to live out his old age.
The Dean was quickly taken away.
Many of the Academy’s teachers and young Disciples watched from the side, silent.
Because he had betrayed the Academy, betrayed the Heavenly Phoenix Imperial Dynasty. From that day on, he no longer belonged here.
The Dean noticed they were heading towards the South Gate. Thinking of Chen Pingping’s appearance, his expression stiffened.
Lan Wuji is actually going to use me to suppress Chen Pingping.
「Not much later.」
He was led up onto the city wall.
Lan Wuji laughed heartily. "Chen Pingping... The world says you’re silver-tongued, a smooth talker, able to twist life and death, turn black into white, and invert right and wrong. Thus, you fooled three great imperial dynasties and tricked the Purple Gold Divine Clan to their deaths. This Prince doesn’t believe it..."
He glanced at the trembling old Dean beside him, then lifted him up and said with a cold smile, "Say something for This Prince to hear. If it’s pleasing, This Prince will let him go. If not, then... This Prince will throw him down."
Hmm?
Chen Pingping, who was walking forward, had noticed the Dean from the start. He furrowed his brows, thinking, How did this old man fall into Lan Wuji’s hands? That’s not right! What about his cultivation level?
"You bastard kid, why have you come back?" the Dean shouted angrily. "Get lost!"
HAHAHA!
Lan Wuji laughed loudly. "Are you curious? How did he lose his cultivation level?"
"Lan Wuji..." the Dean shouted furiously, teeth clenched. "Just kill me!" He glanced down from the city wall, intending to jump when the few soldiers weren’t paying attention.
But Lan Wuji held him up with one hand, sneering, "Want to die? Have you asked This Prince?"
"Don’t listen to his nonsense! Leave quickly, it’s a conspiracy!" the Dean gasped out.
Outside the city walls, Chen Pingping remained unmoved, his dark eyes fixed on the scene.
"The loss of this old man’s cultivation level is all because of you, do you realize that?" Lan Wuji’s smile was wild as he went on to reveal all the truths.
His purpose was simple.
He wanted to make Chen Pingping regret.
The Dean had sacrificed for him, and in the end, Chen Pingping couldn’t save him, only watch helplessly as the Dean died.
TSK TSK!
What a thrilling scene!
Lan Wuji’s smile was grim. "It’s all your fault, all because of you! Lan Xiuzhi was imprisoned for a month because of your stupidity, and now she is This Prince’s captive."
No sooner had the words left his lips than he casually drew the large knife from a nearby soldier’s waist and chopped off the Dean’s arm.
A horrifyingly shrill scream rang out.
Because he no longer had any cultivation, just an ordinary old man, losing an arm was akin to walking through hell for him.
The sensation of death grew clearer and clearer.
The Dean was in excruciating pain, almost fainting.
But would Lan Wuji allow him to lose consciousness?
He fed him a Spirit Pill, temporarily suppressing his wounds, and said, "Are you strong? Are you formidable? Come on! Hit This Prince! If you take one step forward, This Prince will chop off one of his arms. After his arms, This Prince will go for his legs, his feet..." His tone was chilling, his smile almost maniacal.
Lan Wuji thought, The man who made three great imperial dynasties, as well as the Purple Gold Divine Clan, so fearful, wasn’t he still groveling obediently at my feet?
"Kneel here, beg This Prince for mercy, and perhaps This Prince will leave you a whole corpse," Lan Wuji said, his demeanor cold.
Oh?
Chen Pingping spoke up, "What did you just say?"
"Kneel here..."
"The sentence before that."
"Chop off his hands and feet."
"Not that one."
"Come hit This Prince..." No sooner had the words left Lan Wuji’s lips than another Chen Pingping emerged from the Void behind him. This newcomer slapped Lan Wuji across the face and then caught the Dean.
This Chen Pingping said leisurely, "Really, I have never heard of such a request in my life, for someone to actually ask me to hit them."
Huh?
The soldiers present were dumbfounded. They looked at Chen Pingping below the city walls, then at the Chen Pingping who had suddenly appeared behind Lan Wuji. For a moment, they were utterly frozen.
Lan Wuji, sent flying by the slap, flew into a rage. He was about to bark orders when... another slap came flying his way.
A third Chen Pingping appeared. "Given your request, I can’t very well charge you. I can only say I’ll do my best to satisfy you! Ah, well, what can I say? I’m just too kind-hearted!"
"You!" Lan Wuji, frustrated and enraged, steadied himself and roared, "Damn it! What are you imbeciles waiting for? Attack! Kill him!" By now, he couldn’t concern himself with much else.
BANG!
Chen Pingping released fluctuations of royal power, and a Sword of Vegetation took shape behind him, eager to act, still coalescing, its killing intention so potent it was astounding.
He said with a half-smile, "Are you sure you want to make your move?"
The soldiers froze.
The royal power experts within the army were also suppressed by the aura Chen Pingping released. They trembled, cold sweat streaming down their backs, with only one thought in their minds: This guy is no ordinary royal power wielder!
Lan Wuji roared, "What are you waiting for? Attack! Kill him!"
The Dean’s face turned ashen. He spoke weakly, "Divine Clan, you must leave quickly! They’ve already set a death trap, just waiting for you to appear."
Chen Pingping shook his head. "It’s nothing." He took out several Spirit Pills to stabilize the Dean’s wounds, then led him away.
Of course, the experts lurking in the shadows had already begun to activate the Array.
Jinyao Pool manifested from the Void, murmuring, "Our first meeting, and I have nothing much to offer, so I’ll present you with an Array!"
"The Array is nice, and its level isn’t low either. This Young Master will accept it," Chen Pingping said with a smile. "But... are you sure you can activate it?"
While his avatar had been chatting with Lan Wuji, he had been carrying the Earth Chicken around, scouting the area. He had long since discovered this Array and ordered the Earth Chicken to break it.
Just as Chen Pingping finished speaking, the operating Array suddenly exploded with a thunderous ROAR.
Jinyao Pool’s expression changed slightly.