Those who had been denouncing Yan Zhen were all silenced, left utterly speechless. For one thing, they hadn’t been in the right from the beginning. For another, they had nearly forgotten about the incident until Wen Canglan brought it up again. In truth, they didn’t harbor much real resentment toward Yan Zhen. And most importantly, Yan Zhen was too fierce—not only him, but his teammates as well. Even an Inner Academy goddess at the Mystic King Realm had joined his society!
Wen Canglan frowned. He hadn’t expected Yan Zhen to defuse the crowd’s outrage with just a few words. Clearly, he had let the matter drag on too long. The stifled anger in everyone’s hearts had already faded away.
“You—”
He tried to stir up trouble once more, but Yan Zhen cut him off forcefully.
“—Shut your mouth, you Wen! I haven’t settled the score with you yet, and you’re jumping right into the fire? Four months ago, right after I left the Cliffside Small Building, you ambushed me out of nowhere. One palm strike left me gravely wounded. I was only at the Four-Star Mystic Master Realm then and couldn’t withstand your Wen Family’s signature Crystal Transformation Mystic Palm. If Zi Ji hadn’t saved me with her medicine, I might not have survived—or I’d be stuck with permanent hidden injuries. Scheming against a junior fellow disciple like that, suppressing a new student—your actions were even more vicious than those from the Demon Domain! And now you have the nerve to accuse me of misconduct? Who do you think you are?”
His words hung in the air, and the entire venue fell deathly silent. One by one, they turned to stare at Wen Canglan in Mystic shock.
In their eyes, Wen Canglan had always cut a fine figure. Sure, he came from the Wen Family and boasted impressive cultivation, but he never bullied the weak. Members of the Mirror Society weren’t treated any worse than those in other groups, and he enjoyed solid popularity in the Inner Academy.
Would a guy like that really try to take Yan Zhen out in secret? Plenty of people weren’t sure what to believe.
Wen Canglan himself, the one at the center of it all, widened his eyes in disbelief. Yan Zhen’s shamelessness had reached new heights.
Yes, he had injured Yan Zhen back then—but only with half his strength. He simply hadn’t anticipated how fragile Yan Zhen would be. Now it was being twisted into a deliberate murder attempt!
He couldn’t stomach that.
“I didn’t—”
“—Don’t even try to deny it!” Yan Zhen bellowed, interrupting him again. “Long Ying showed up right then, drawing a bunch of mentors and elders. They’re all witnesses. No way every single one of them is from your Wen Family, covering it up for you!”
At those words, the crowd’s gazes shifted.
Yan Zhen laying it out like that? It had to be true.
Even so, Wen Canglan’s obsessed fans and followers couldn’t accept it. Deep down, they hoped for some reasonable explanation, their eyes locked on him.
“I-I…”
Everyone’s attention pinned him down, but Wen Canglan had no explanation to give.
Because the truth was, he had struck. Though only with fifty percent of his power, it was still enough to cripple a One- or Two-Star Mystic General. Yan Zhen had been a mere Four-Star Mystic Master at the time, and yes, Wen Canglan had meant to hurt him.
The No. 2 on the General Star List stood alone on the raised platform, his fists clenched tight. His words rang hollow and feeble.
Silence spoke louder than any defense.
A trace of disgust and fear crept into the way people looked at Wen Canglan.
Sure, young folks squabbling and throwing punches out of jealousy happened all the time—especially in the Outer Academy. Everyone had seen it before. But the No. 2 on the General Star List ambushing a Mystic Master Realm new student over petty envy? Going for the kill? That crossed the line, and it flagrantly broke academy rules.
No one was allowed to maim or murder inside the academy—unless it was an official life-or-death duel.
Who could’ve guessed that the ever-suave Wen Canglan hid such ruthless malice beneath the surface? Elder Yu Yan spoke up right on cue.
“Student Wen, is everything Little Yan Zhen said true?”
Wen Canglan kept his head bowed, saying nothing.
Vice Dean Wen Qingshan narrowed his eyes and spoke flatly.
“The Great Elder asked you a question, Canglan. Tell it straight.”
His grandfather’s voice steadied him at once. The rage boiling in Wen Canglan’s mind cooled. He lifted his head, cupped his hands, and replied.
“Reporting to the Great Elder, I was in the wrong first. But it wasn’t the way Junior Brother Yan Zhen described—like I meant to kill him. I’d heard he took down a Mystic General while still in Mystic Master Realm. It piqued my interest, so I wanted to spar with him.”
“Your Wen Family calls an ambush ‘sparring’? A Nine-Star Mystic General itching to spar with a Four-Star Mystic Master—you must think we’re all fools. Why not pick a fight with a Five-Star Mystic Lord instead?” Yan Zhen, who knew the script inside out, anticipated the “sparring” excuse. “Save your excuses, Wen Canglan. You can lie all you want, but the Wen Family’s Crystal Transformation Mystic Palm doesn’t lie.”
“What are you getting at?”
Wen Canglan’s expression darkened. Yan Zhen pulled a small pouch from his storage ring.
“I’ve kept the mystic power crystals that lingered in my body from back then, preserved carefully. Nearly four months later, and the mystic power hasn’t fully dissipated. Any mentor or elder familiar with the Crystal Transformation Mystic Palm can tell exactly how much power you put into it. Were you sparring? Trying to cripple me? Or straight-up kill me?”
“You!”
“Canglan…”
Vice Dean Wen Qingshan called out. Wen Canglan jolted back to his senses. He gritted his teeth, bowed his head, and admitted.
“Fine, I messed up on that one. Junior Brother Yan Zhen, I apologize sincerely right here. I got hot-headed, lost control for a moment, and hit a little too hard. Please forgive me.”
Before Yan Zhen could respond, Wen Canglan pressed on.
“But I doubt you’ll let it go that easily, right? Tell you what—I’ll give you a shot at challenging me. Words aren’t settling this, so let’s duel it out. You’re stronger now. No more claims of me bullying the weak, yeah?”
Yan Zhen let out a scornful laugh.
“Don’t try to muddy the waters. It’s crystal clear: you tried to harm a new student. Major academy rules violation. Mystic power sealed, fifty strokes of the staff, locked up at least a month—right, Great Elder?”
Elder Yu Yan nodded, smiling.
“I remember it well, Little Yan Zhen.”
Since Yan Zhen hadn’t died and bore no obvious lasting damage, the punishment got dialed back.
Wen Canglan’s face turned iron-gray. Yan Zhen kept going.
“Your challenge? I accept. Wait till you’re out of confinement and back to peak form. Actually, scratch that—let’s make it the year-end Star Plucking Assembly. We can settle who’s better then, life or death on the line. You hit me once and nearly ended me. I’ll hit you ten times—and take your life!”
“Yan Zhen…”
Wen Canglan glared daggers at him. Yan Zhen met his gaze without flinching. He threw his arm up and boomed.
“Enforcement Team, take him down!”
The team waiting outside streamed in. They reached Wen Canglan’s side and snapped mystic power-sealing shackles onto his wrists.
Wen Canglan stayed cool-headed and didn’t resist. With Elder Yu Yan right there, fighting back would’ve been pointless—likely worse for him. Grandpa was watching anyway; he’d be fine. Just procedure.
The clank of iron chains echoed as they led Wen Canglan from the banquet hall. Vice Dean Wen Qingshan vanished without a word.
The General Star List powerhouses in the crowd were still reeling. In all the years of the Will Star Banquet, no one had ever been hauled off by the Enforcement Team mid-event.
Everyone turned to Yan Zhen once more. He carried on like nothing had happened, munching on melon leisurely. From time to time, he fed melon seeds to the Loli Dragon Girl perched on his lap.
Heh, messing with me, punk? I’ve got hacks!
