Chapter 626: Luo Zhao on the Verge of Insanity
Chapter 626: Luo Zhao on the Verge of Insanity
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Chen Yue and Feng Yu's lips were also twitching uncontrollably.
Only the four of them were present and knew what had happened. Even before the duel between Feng shi and Hong shi, Feng shi was already incapacitated to the point that he was on the verge of death. How could he possibly be capable of fighting?
How in the world did it turn into a match between equals?
As for Luo shi beating Hong shi up, after Hong shi said that he was grievously injured, Luo shi didn't make a move at all…
On the other hand, seeing how indignant Zhang Xuan was as he depicted the situation back then, he suddenly fell into a daze… Was I really beaten up by Luo shi? Could I have suffered a concussion and forgotten about it?
"Stop spouting nonsense! The rest of us can testify that was not what happened then. Feng shi was already injured then…"
Unable hold himself back any longer, Chen Yue intervened.
As though knowing that the other party would retaliate through such words, Zhang Xuan flung his sleeves and refuted, "Feng shi was already injured then? Since you claim that to be the case, I would like to ask about how Feng shi was injured, who was the one who beat him up? After all, it's a major affair for a 5-star master teacher to be so severely injured. Surely there must be a report on the matter?"
"This…" Cold sweat began dripping down Chen Yue's head. "Perhaps I might have remembered wrongly…"
Feng shi's action in stopping Hong shi's passageway was contrary to the master teacher moral code in the first place, not to mention, he failed shamefully and crashed to the ground, nearly dying in the process… No matter what, this matter mustn't be made known.
Otherwise, Feng shi would be a goner.
But if they didn't reveal this matter, what else could they say?
After all, earlier this morning, when they met with the crown prince, Feng shi was still perfectly fine. Yet, a few hours later, he was turned into a mummy… There was no other explanation they could offer that would be more logical than Zhang Xuan's!
"Are you trying to back on your words now that you can't find any other excuse?"
Zhang Xuan ranted furiously, as though he would only be content if he burned the surroundings down. "Nevertheless, Wu shi can testify that the three of you banded together to work against Hong shi. As such, surely it won't be too shocking for you to be speaking up for your ally now? This really brings the authenticity of your words into question!"
"This…"
Chen Yue's cheeks trembled in anger.
Even though Wu shi was drinking then, there was no doubt that he had seen how the three of them banded against Hong shi earlier. It was too late for them to refute it now…
"Since that's the case, I'll have to ask Feng shi and Chen shi to remain silent on this matter!" Zhang Xuan waved his hands.
Furious, Chen Yue was just about to speak up to refute Zhang Xuan's words when the crown prince suddenly interjected, "Enough, the two of you should back down for now. Allow this young man to finish his piece first!"
Even from the gift presentation just a moment ago, the trio was clearly working together to corner Hong shi. A person of the crown prince's caliber couldn't possibly have neglected this.
Since it was established that the three of them were working together, their words had lost credibility.
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Zhang Xuan nodded. "Hong shi arrived in the banquet hall slightly later because he was in the midst of recuperating from his injuries from the previous fight. Yet, the other three pavilion masters ganged up against him and accused him for a breach of etiquette. Wu shi can testify to my words!"
"He isn't lying!" Wu shi nodded.
"Wu shi, I thank you for speaking up for us."
After which, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze back to the crown prince and clasped his fist. "After beating Hong shi up and stealing his gift, they intentionally caused a scene here so as to make Hongfeng Empire lose their slots. Now that the facts are in place, I ask of Your Highness to bring justice to the matter!"
The crown prince looked at Zhang Xuan and said, "Your argument is rational, and I am more than willing to redress your grievances… However, I'll need to verify the matter first. For this, I would like to confirm what kind of gift you have brought."
As the crown prince of an empire and a half 5-star master teacher, he was no fool. While there was no logical flaw in the argument of the young man before him, and Luo Zhao had admitted to many of the affairs personally, he still found it hard to believe that three 5-star master teachers would actually resort to stealing the gift of a peer of theirs.
"Indeed! You said that I took Hong Qian's gift, but what exactly did I take? If you can't say it, that would be equivalent to falsely accusing a higher ranked master teacher. If proven guilty, you would be stripped of your master teacher license or even sentenced to death…"
Hearing those words, Luo Zhao's eyes immediately lit up.
As the saying goes, 'catch an adultery in a pair, catch a thief by his loot'. Since you claimed that I took Hong shi's item, why don't you tell me what I took? Once your words are proven false… let's see how you'll deal with that!
Just the sentence of a 4-star master teacher slandering a 5-star master teacher is sufficient to seal your doom!
"I've seen plenty of shameless people before, but I've never seen one as shameless as you! It's one thing for you to not admit to taking the item of another, but to spout such righteous words on top of that… Since that's the case, I'll make sure you concede willingly!"
Harrumphing coldly, Zhang Xuan turned to Hong shi and said, "Hong shi, I'll have to trouble you on this matter!"
"Trouble me?"
Hong shi suddenly jolted upon hearing Zhang Xuan calling him. "Zhang shi, feel free to speak…"
At this moment, he was completely awed by the fellow before him.
The mouth of this fellow could probably turn even a corpse into a living being, a living being into a deity… They came late due to waiting for this fellow, but through the other party's words, it somehow turned into him recuperating from his injuries…
The fellow even managed to incorporate it into the nonsense he rambled earlier on. What was even more amazing was that he even managed to form a complete story without the slightest disharmony!
Even he, the person in question, couldn't help but admit that there were no flaws to the story.
To be able to craft such a thorough story, could this fellow have already thought so far when he advised him on the matter regarding how he should deal with Luo shi and the others?
If that was really the case… then the other party would be an extremely fearsome figure!
"What you have to do is simple, you just have to…"
This time, Zhang Xuan was speaking to Hong shi telepathically.
"You want me to…"
Hearing the other party's words, Hong shi widened his eyes in shock.
"Un, go on. Whether we'll be able to tear off their masks or not will depend on Hong shi!"
Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly.
"Go? Go your head…"
Recalling the words, the other party sent to him telepathically, Hong shi's body staggered, and he nearly burst into tears.
Are you sure you aren't trying to have me killed instead…
Seeing the dilemma on the other party's face, Zhang Xuan consoled him.
"Don't worry. Try recalling the duel between Ruohuan gongzi and Qin Lei, and you'll understand what I'm up to!"
"Ruohuan gongzi and Qin Lei?"
Hong shi suddenly froze.
Under normal circumstances, it was impossible for Ruohuan gongzi to advance to the top eight. Given that his opponent was Qin Lei, even Hong shi thought that he had no chance at victory.
Yet… After Ruohuan gongzi threw a bowl of meat soup on Qin Lei, he suddenly made a complete turnaround…
He couldn't help but be mystified whenever he recalled the matter. But from the looks of it, there was no doubt that this fellow was involved in it.
But nevertheless, what he was going to do now was indeed similar to what Ruohuan gongzi did back then.
"Alright!"
Knowing that this was for their group, after a moment of hesitation, Hong shi gritted his teeth, stood up, and started walking over to Luo shi.
"What are you up to now?"
Luo Zhao was perplexed. Instead of revealing what he took from Hong shi, why was he sending Hong shi up to him instead?
"There is something I need to trouble Luo shi on, so I seek for your cooperation!"
Hong shi clasped his fist earnestly and replied. On the other hand, Zhang Xuan lifted up a wine glass and sipped on it nonchalantly, paying no heed to the happenings around him.
"Cooperate? Why should I cooperate with you?" Luo Zhao gritted his teeth.
You accused me of doing something I haven't done, and now you want me to cooperate with you? Why should I? Should I just allow you to hurl more mud at me?
"If you don't cooperate, it can only mean that you have a guilty conscience. Rest assured, if you're truly innocent, we can't possibly frame you for something you haven't done!" Hong shi replied.
Hearing the other party's words, Luo shi knew that he would only look even more doubtful if he refused to cooperate. Thus, gritting his teeth, he conceded.
"Fine, I'll cooperate then. What do you want me to do?"
You want me to cooperate? Fine! Let's see what you can do then.
In any case, as long as you can't reveal what item I've taken from you, you're doomed. My victory is already assured.
"Stand up and place your hands behind your back!" Hong shi said.
"Humph!" Even though Luo Zhao was on the verge of exploding with anger, he still stood up and placed his hands behind his back.
"Right, this is the correct position. Maintain it and don't move…"
Hong shi adjusted the other party's position for a little bit before walking up to the other party's face. Then, he suddenly raised his palm and slapped the other party.
Pah!
A crisp sound echoed loudly in across the banquet hall.
"What?"
The crown prince was stunned.
Wu shi was stupefied.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
This… is the cooperation you spoke of?
Maintaining his position just so you can slap his face?
"Screw you! Hong Qian, I'll kill you…" Luo Zhao was stunned momentarily before immense rage gushed through his entire body.
This slap had left him light-headed and knocked out three of his teeth. He would really be a pushover if he didn't retaliate now.
I was thinking why you wanted me to stand in position, but in the end, it turned out that it was just so that you could better slap me…
Hong Qian, I, Luo Zhao, swear that I'll kill you…
Luo Zhao was completely clouded with rage. Ignoring the crown prince and Wu shi, he immediately raised his palm and struck it down toward Hong Qian.
Hu la!
Furious wind gushed into the surroundings, and the sheer force of the palm distorted even space itself.
As a Transcendent Mortal 6-dan master teacher, his eye of discernment and fighting prowess had already reached an astounding level. If he were to move with his full might, even a mountain could be crushed to smithereens easily, needless to say, a man.
Hu!
However, his attack landed on thin air. Looking around, he realized that unknowingly, Hong shi, who had just slapped him, had already returned to his seat and was currently holding onto a glass of wine with a leisurely expression, as if nothing had happened at all.
"You're dead…" Luo Zhao bellowed with crimson eyes.
When had he suffered such immense humiliation ever since he became a master teacher? To actually be positioned well before being slapped…
Could there be anything more darned than this?
He was about to charge forward to destroy the man who had just insulted him when the young man from before suddenly roared righteously, "Enough, Luo shi! This is the palace of the crown prince, not your own home. What do you mean by displaying your aggression here?"
Luo Zhao nearly burst into tears.
You are only recalling that this is the crown prince's palace now?
And yet you still allowed Hong Qian that rascal to knock out my teeth?
The one who had suffered injustice was me, what rights do you have to be uttering such self-righteous words… you aren't the one who got hit…
In the midst of exploding with anger, Luo Zhao turned to Wu shi and the crown prince and bowed. "I cannot tolerate the insult from Hong Qian any longer. I beseech you to allow me to challenge him to a Life-and-Death Duel…"
But once again, before he could finish his words, he was interrupted.
"Your Highness and Wu shi, didn't you ask me what item he had stolen from Hong shi? I'll write it down now so that no one can accuse me of lying!"
Following which, Zhang Xuan immediately took out a brush, ink slab, and paper, and began writing on it.