Chapter 105: Jun Wu Taking The Podium
Jun Wu stepped out from the underground passage dressed in a plain white robe.
The robe was simple, yet on him it carried a quiet nobility, as though the fabric itself bent to his bearing.
He climbed the podium with ease and grace, every step measured, steady, and dignified.
For many in the audience, this was the first time they had ever laid eyes on him.
His handsome appearance and calm demeanor left them breathless.
The noise that had filled the stadium only moments before vanished.
Tens of thousands of people held their breath, as if afraid the slightest sound might break the moment.
On the stage, Elder Shen and Elder Kang exchanged a knowing glance.
Without a word, they stepped down from the podium, leaving the space entirely to him.
The stage was set.
The air was thick with expectation.
Now, everything was left for Jun Wu to take the bull by the horns.
Under the gaze of tens of thousands, his expression did not falter. He stood tall, his calm composure unshaken, and met the sea of eyes with steady confidence.
His posture, his presence, his quiet authority—these things spoke louder than any words.
Among the Jun clansmen seated in the audience, teeth ground with suppressed envy and hatred.
Jun Zhenya’s face twisted into an unsightly grimace.
Beneath her long sleeves, her fist clenched tightly, the nails digging into her palm.
The Gong clan members, for their part, kept their expressions controlled.
Still, their eyes betrayed them.
The cold glint in their glares spoke volumes, screaming their desire to strike him down where he stood.
The students of Mystic Path Academy shifted uneasily.
They had long been told of Jun Wu’s arrogance, of his unfounded pride, of how unworthy he was.
Yet what they saw now contradicted those claims.
His noble bearing was not something that could be feigned.
Nobility was written into his body without such a background, no one could fake it.
His appearance alone had won half of them over.
Among the students, Jiang Yawen drew in a sharp breath.
Her eyes sparkled with sudden realization.
She had seen Jun Wu before, yet somehow she had never noticed his presence in this way.
Today, under the grand light of the coliseum, it struck her like lightning.
Jun Wu was breathtakingly handsome.
At the Frostwind Academy’s seating area, the reaction was different.
Many of the male students scowled in jealousy at his looks and aura, while the females were unable to hide the stars that glittered in their eyes.
Whispers passed like waves, excitement barely suppressed.
The Xie clan members, however, sat stiff and pale. The mere sight of him made their hearts tremble.
The memory of what had happened the previous night gnawed at them like a relentless vice.
There was no response, only silence, and the silence was more terrifying than any answer.
To see him standing there so calm, so untouchable, was unbearable.
Mei Ling, hidden beneath her hood, watched with unwavering eyes.
On the surface, her expression remained cold, unyielding, as if carved from ice.
Yet anyone close enough to catch the faint gleam in her gaze would have realized the truth—beneath that mask, she was fascinated.
With his appearance alone, Jun Wu had already swayed countless hearts.
Those who had mocked him, those who had spoken venomously against him, now held their tongues.
Their earlier words suddenly seemed hollow.
And yet, not everyone in the audience was convinced. Hidden agendas still lurked, concealed behind polite masks and forced smiles.
All of this, however, meant little to Jun Wu.
His heart was steady.
His purpose was clear.
Today, he would leave a mark on the Soaring Cloud Region that no one could erase.
He stepped forward and spoke. "Hello, everyone."
His voice was soft, almost casual, yet it carried clearly across the coliseum.
It was as though the wind itself carried his words, laying them gently in every ear.
The audience fell into perfect silence, the world reduced to nothing but the sound of his voice and the faint whisper of the breeze.
"You all know my name," he continued calmly. "I won’t waste your time with introductions. Instead, let us move straight to the lecture."
The crowd leaned forward, anticipation swelling.
But just as Jun Wu began, a voice cut through the silence like a blade.
"Who gave you the right to lecture us?"
The words came from Bo Qiang, who had stood up abruptly. Every gaze in the coliseum snapped toward him.
He raised a finger and pointed it directly at Jun Wu.
"Everyone claims you created the Array Plate," he sneered, his voice loud and mocking.
"But has anyone actually seen you do it? For all we know, it could be the work of others, while you bask shamelessly in their glory."
He paused, his lips curling in disdain.
"With your age, do you even comprehend the vastness of array formation? I’ll give you a piece of advice: step down from that podium and stop dragging the names of array masters into the mud!"
Hiss!
A chorus of sharp intakes of breath echoed throughout the stadium.
Gasps of shock spread like wildfire, leaving wide eyes and murmured disbelief in their wake.
In the Gong clan’s section, smiles tugged at the corners of their lips. They had known this was coming.
Bo Qiang was nothing more than a pawn, a sacrificial lamb meant to strike the first blow.
They did not expect him to stop the lecture, but if he could plant seeds of doubt and tarnish Jun Wu’s name even slightly, then his purpose would be fulfilled.
In the stands, voices began to rise.
"Right! Has anyone ever actually seen him make an Array Plate?"
"I knew it—it’s impossible for a boy his age to craft such a complex design."
"That’s right. No matter how talented he is, that invention is too advanced for a mere child."
The tide began to turn. Many who had been impressed moments ago now faltered, leaning toward suspicion.
Yet on the podium, Jun Wu’s expression did not change.
He simply stood there, calm and immovable, his gaze locked on Bo Qiang. He gave no sign of anger, no flustered defense.
He merely waited, watching with eyes that seemed to pierce through the man’s charade.
In the VIP section, the Frostwind Academy’s Vice Dean’s face darkened with fury.
She had warned that fool not to cause trouble, yet he dared defy her. Her grip on the armrest tightened until her knuckles turned white.
’Good. Very good,’ she thought coldly. ’You actually believe the Gong clan will protect you after this? We will see about that.’
The room’s atmosphere thickened. Everyone could sense her rage, but no one dared speak.
Bo Qiang, meanwhile, mistook Jun Wu’s silence for weakness.
He thought he was winning.
His plan was simple.
Provoke Jun Wu into an argument, then force him into a contest of array knowledge where he could pry out the secret of the array plates.
But Jun Wu remained still, serene, unshaken.
And then... he spoke.
"Are you speaking for yourself," Jun Wu asked slowly, his voice soft yet carrying to every corner of the stadium, "or for the Frostwind Academy?"
The words were not loud, but the weight behind them fell like thunder.
The entire coliseum froze, stunned by the sharpness of his response and the implication laced within it.