Chapter 357: Chapter 356: Backer
Sun Bumie’s face looked extremely unpleasant.
Xu Lingjun’s words were undoubtedly rubbing their cherished Supreme Martial Skill into the ground, humiliating it.
However, although his words were harsh, in some aspects, they were indeed the undeniable truth...
After a long while.
Sun Bumie let out a long sigh and said, "’Reversing Heaven and Earth’ is the Ultimate Level Martial Skill of our Cuowu Sect. It allows one to use a chaotic method to perform martial skills after just a single glance, unleashing even greater power, making it impossible for enemies to defend against... Yet, you just reversed the True Qi I released, and in terms of both realm and power, you surpassed ’Reversing Heaven and Earth’ by more than just a bit. Pavilion Master Liu is a scholar of extraordinary talent, far beyond my reach. This time, it was indeed my recklessness!"
He disregarded his own Grandmaster status, bowing deeply to Xu Lingjun, and said, "This matter was indeed our rashness. You have Pavilion Master Liu as such an exemplary Master, and you possess Supreme Level Martial Skill similar to that of Cuowu Sect. Our mere ’Reversing Heaven and Earth’ must surely not catch your eye. It seems that, indeed, someone has framed and planted evidence against you. However, they have outsmarted themselves, trying to drag our Cuowu Sect into the mud entirely, only to leave a flaw instead."
Zhu Zhengdao’s expression was extremely unpleasant.
He didn’t expect Xu Lingjun could actually prove that he didn’t steal Cuowu Sect’s ’Reversing Heaven and Earth’.
The biggest point of this case is Cuowu Sect’s ’Reversing Heaven and Earth’. It is clearly the core. However, if Xu Lingjun had no motivation to steal ’Reversing Heaven and Earth’, especially with Ji Roufeng’s testimony.
His suspicion would instantly drop to less than ten percent.
Especially when even the aggrieved Sun Bumie personally apologized.
Pressing on any further would only appear too deliberate.
Thinking of this, Zhu Zhengdao glanced secretly at Han Qingxue. To have been in the position of Grand Commander of the Divine Soldier Guard for such a long time, he was naturally not foolish and vaguely guessed something.
Han Qingxue, however, just kept a calm expression and smiled, "It seems someone hated Xu Qing so much that they took many twists and turns to make Xu Qing wronged and voiceless. Xu Qing, in the future, you must pay more attention not to carelessly lose your private belongings. If someone takes advantage, you might not be able to explain yourself clearly even if you have mouths all over your body."
"Yes, I will definitely not waste them again in the future."
Xu Lingjun said seriously, "But this matter is not merely about the other party framing me. In fact, there might be a bigger conspiracy."
He continued, "Just like I said before, if it was merely to frame me, they had plenty of opportunities, and killing me directly had a high possibility of success. Why did they go to such great lengths, not killing this one or that one, but specifically targeting the vice sect leader of Cuowu Sect, Wu Hongzhou, and even tried to obtain their martial skills?"
Seeing everyone’s attention focused on him, Xu Lingjun said with a faint smile, "It’s clear their true aim was not me, but the Bei Xuanwu Martial Mansion behind me, or even broader, the Four Great Martial Mansions and the Five Great Sects behind me!"
As he looked at the grave expressions of the others, Xu Lingjun poured more fuel on the fire earnestly and said, "The true intention of this person is to foment discord between the Martial Mansions and the Sect, plunging our Great Xia Kingdom into chaos... Therefore, I suspect that the person who ambushed Wu Hongzhou is very likely someone who has already defected to the mysterious races of the heavens, sent to our Great Xia Empire to sow discord so that we cannot fully commit to the Polar Star Battlefield."
"Makes sense."
Han Xu Yang’s eyes flared with anger as he said, "The motives behind this matter are not small. Zhu Qing, I give you one month, with the highest authority, to capture the culprit. This person not only framed Xu Qing but also intended to split the territory of our Great Xia Empire. The crime is heinous. Once caught, I will have him drawn and quartered in public, and his family and clan will all be demoted to the Suicide Squad on the Polar Star Battlefield. Let those with ulterior motives see what betraying Great Xia Empire brings!"
"Yes!"
Zhu Zhengdao replied respectfully.
And just then.
A voice called out from outside the door, "Your Majesty, Pavilion Master Zhang Zhiheng from the Zhanzheng Academy requests an audience!"
"What request? I’m here to cause a scene. Move, don’t block me!"
From a distance, an angry roar rang out as an elder with white hair and white beard stomped over with a powerful stride as if to demand justice.
Faced with the furious Zhang Zhiheng, Han Xu Yang did not seem surprised.
Or more accurately, for him, Zhang Zhiheng had been stationed in the Imperial Capital for years, and they often interacted. Each time the budget of the Zhanzheng Academy was reduced, this scene would play out.
Except back then, he was somewhat courteous, still waiting outside the hall to be summoned... Breaking in without being asked, as he did now, was indeed unprecedented.
Han Xu Yang smiled and asked, "Why is Zhang Qing so angry, perhaps someone has deducted your academy’s budget again?"
"Budget? This is more than just a budget issue."
Zhang Zhiheng stepped into the hall, glanced at Xu Lingjun, and after confirming there was no trouble, he felt a bit relieved and said, "I heard someone framed Xu Lingjun. He is a distinguished guest invited by my Zhanzheng Academy. Naturally, I must come to seek justice for him."
Sun Bumie said earnestly, "Pavilion Master Zhang, you’re overthinking. In fact, we have already..."
Zhang Zhiheng glared at Sun Bumie and said, "Was it you who framed Xu Lingjun?"
Sun Bumie’s words were immediately cut off, leaving him speechless, opening and closing his mouth to explain...
Zhang Zhiheng waved his hand and said, "I’m not interested in hearing all your excuses. The Zhanzheng Academy is a place focused on science and technology, without all your bribery and scheming. We judge people based on character, not actions... A person of selfless nature cannot engage in such petty schemes, and one with a narrow heart will never act with righteous intent. Like Xu Lingjun, who is kind, helpful, and sincere. That cannot be faked. This has nothing to do with him. He was framed."
"Well..."
"Do you know how important Xu Lingjun is to the Zhanzheng Academy and the entire Great Xia Empire?"
Zhang Zhiheng said angrily, "Let me be frank, just Xu Lingjun alone is more important in my eyes than the entire Bei Xuanwu Martial Mansion. He is a true talent... With him, our most crucial research at the academy can be completed ten years earlier. Do you know how many lives on the Polar Star Battlefield his selfless contributions can save? Yet, here you are arguing over so-called evidence. Don’t you realize that anyone capable of taking down Wu Hongzhou can frame whoever they want?"
As he spoke, his anger grew, hair and beard bristling, and he shouted loudly, "Release Xu Lingjun at once. We can’t continue our research without him. Delaying research costs tens of thousands of lives at stake every minute. Can any of you bear that responsibility? Forget a mere sect leader, even His Majesty cannot."
Feeling speechless, Xu Lingjun thought to himself, according to your words, I’ve become the main talent for capsule research?
If it hadn’t been for him knowing his role was merely for display, he might have actually believed it... He knew Zhang Zhiheng was defending him, feeling quite touched.
Be it for gain or something to be desired.
To charge in without hesitation at such a sensitive time.
Zhang Zhiheng indeed harbored sincere loyalty towards him.
He smiled and said, "Pavilion Master, you needn’t be so agitated. My suspicions have already been cleared."
"Exactly."
Sun Bumie, having been kept silent for so long, finally got a chance to speak and said, "The enemy outsmarted themselves, trying to use our Cuowu Sect’s martial skill to frame Xu Lingjun, only to find Xu Lingjun had long been learning Supreme Level Martial Skill from Liu Zhiyuan, surpassing even our Cuowu Sect!"
He praised, "Thanks to Pavilion Master Liu’s unparalleled wisdom and mastery of Martial Tao, otherwise, we truly would have wronged an innocent."
"What?"
Zhang Zhiheng’s angry demeanor instantly faltered, his face showing a speechless expression. Though he wasn’t versed in Martial Tao, he knew what a Supreme Level Martial Skill stood for.
He exclaimed in surprise, "Since when did that old fellow become so formidable?"