Chapter 861: Is He the Dean?

Although the pillar had broken, the hall was shielded by a reinforcing formation, so it wouldn't collapse for the time being.

At most, some dust fell, which didn't matter.

“What’s wrong?”

“How did Master Baiyin get injured?”

“What happened?”

The clash between the two sides lasted only an instant. Master Baiyin was severely wounded, spat blood, and broke the pillar, and with the hall shaking, everyone finally snapped out of their沉醉 in the zither music. They looked at each other in bewilderment, not understanding what was going on.

The music was played beautifully—why was there spitting of blood, retreating, and even breaking a pillar?

Master Baiyin had always been renowned and gentle—what was this act today?

“What’s going on?”

Yu Shenqing was also startled and quickly turned his head to look at Zhang Xuan not far away.

He was in the know, and even if he were foolish, he would realize that Master Baiyin’s unusual behavior must be related to this young man and his tapping of the wine cup and plate.

“It’s a magic music duel!”

His pupils contracted as he recalled something, and his lips couldn’t help trembling.

A magic music duel was a competition between powerful magic musicians, as dangerous as a life-or-death battle between martial artists. If one was not careful, one party could fall.

Wasn’t Master Baiyin supposed to test whether this Zhang Xuan was skilled in the soul?

Why had they started a magic music duel?

Could this Zhang Xuan… also be a magic musician?

Only the work-study students guarding the Magic Music Pavilion and the two deans knew that Zhang Xuan was taking the magic musician exam; not many others were aware. Therefore, even Yu Shenqing, the emperor, was not too clear about it.

But now, seeing him tapping the table and the wine cup, if he still didn’t understand, there would really be a problem.

“Father, Master Zhang is my honored guest. If anything goes wrong, the royal family’s face will be lost…”

Although she didn’t know why Master Baiyin had acted, Yu Fei’er knew it must be related to her father, so she couldn’t help speaking up.

“Hmm!”

Knowing his daughter was right, Yu Shenqing nodded and couldn’t help saying, “Master Bai Xuan, please stop!”

He didn’t know the danger of a magic music duel and still thought Bai Xuan was carrying out his orders.

“I…”

Hearing the emperor’s words, Bai Xuan was about to reply when she immediately felt the tapping sound from the other side come again. The intense pressure forced her to retreat again, and she could only hastily play the zither to counter, unable to speak.

Tap, tap, tap, tap!

She retreated seven or eight steps in a row. Because her true energy was boiling, each step sank half a foot into the ground.

Bang!

Her back hit the hall’s wall again. This time, the reinforcing formation blocked her, and with a flash of light behind her, she immediately stopped.

“Oh?”

Feeling support behind her, Bai Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly remembering something, she swayed, pressed against the wall, smiled lightly, and parted her red lips.

“Green, green your collar; lingering in my heart. Even if I do not go, why do you not send word?”

It was a lovesick song, tender and intoxicating, but Zhang Xuan raised his eyebrows and abruptly stood up.

The other party had been unable to withstand his magic music, but by leaning on the reinforcing formation of the reinforced room, she used the formation’s power to neutralize the attack.

A formation, in simple terms, was a special magical artifact arranged according to specific positions, capable of gathering spiritual energy for attack, illusion, and many other effects.

The reinforcing formation, which could strengthen city walls and keep them from collapsing, did not make them harder but rather neutralized the force applied to them.

It was like a sponge.

Once the force was neutralized, the protected object naturally became sturdy.

Bai Xuan, who had been very passive, saw the reinforcing formation and hid within it. Zhang Xuan’s attacks seemed to hit cotton and dissipated into nothing. With the attack power weakened, the other party naturally came to her senses and launched a counterattack with her song!

Lovesick heartbreak!

She sang a lovesick song. If he couldn’t resist, he would likely have his intestines and stomach torn apart and die a violent death!

In other words, by borrowing the reinforcing formation, the other party had shifted from defense to offense, and he was now the one on the defensive.

“Indeed, every profession should not be underestimated!”

Although on the defensive, Zhang Xuan showed no panic. Instead, he smiled faintly, slapped the table, and the wine cup full of water flew up.

“A good song—I toast Master Baiyin!”

His voice also carried magic music attack, instantly neutralizing her song, and the next moment, the wine cup flew straight forward.

Its direction was not toward Master Baiyin but toward the wall not far away.

Clang!

The wine cup hit the wall and shattered, the fragments scattering and falling. Strangely, before they hit the ground, they stopped in midair.

Hum!

As the fragments stopped, the reinforcing formation that had been stabilizing the hall, as if struck at its core, immediately ceased operation.

Zhang Xuan had used his Insight Eye when he arrived to see the formation’s core. Now, the wine cup contained his true energy. Though the fragments seemed to fly randomly, he had deliberately made them stop the entire reinforcing formation with a single move.

In fact, the principle was exactly the same as when he broke a formation with one kick.

“The formation stopped? Damn…”

Yu Shenqing, who had been speaking and waiting for Master Baiyin to stop, didn’t expect her to sing first, then Master Zhang to stand up and throw the wine cup, and then the formation to stop. Just as he reacted and wanted to continue speaking, he saw Master Baiyin, without the help of the reinforcing formation, could no longer withstand the magic music attack. She spat blood again and flew backward.

Rumble!

Without the formation’s defense, the wall behind her could not withstand her impact. With one hit, a section collapsed.

Creak—

The banquet hall had already had one pillar broken, and now another wall collapsed; it could no longer hold up, and with a roar, it came crashing down.

“Damn it…”

Yu Shenqing felt like he was going mad.

This guy really did cause collapses wherever he went…

He had even had formation masters reinforce the banquet hall, and yet this was the result!

Had he come to attend Yu Fei'er's banquet or to demolish the building?

But at this moment, he knew cursing was useless. With a sudden grab of his palm, a surge of profound true energy spread out, holding the collapsing roof in midair.

As a peak Saint Domain first-level expert, though he could do nothing about the collapsed walls, he could at least stop them from falling.

After all, it was his daughter's birthday banquet. Even if the collapsing house couldn't hurt these young talents, it would still be a loss of face!

“I concede!”

Having sent Bai Yinshi flying with his magic sound, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled faintly, exuding elegance.

If this guy had competed with him in cultivation, he would certainly have been no match, but using magic sound… wasn't that just asking to be tormented?

Having said his concession, he turned to face Yu Shenqing in the center of the hall, speaking with righteous indignation: “Your Majesty, I am a master teacher personally recognized by the Master Teacher Academy. This Bai Yinshi attacked me on sight, clearly with ill intentions. I suspect he may be connected to the alien race! I implore Your Majesty to arrest and interrogate him, and not let any mistake slip by!”

“Alien race?”

Yu Shenqing swayed, nearly fainting.

I had her test you, how did she get involved with the alien race?

Besides, you've turned my daughter's birthday banquet into this, destroyed the banquet hall, and I haven't even had a chance to speak, yet you're spouting righteous indignation?

“If Your Majesty does not believe me, I can notify Hall Master Mo of the Master Teacher Academy right now and have him come to interrogate; perhaps we will obtain results!”

Seeing that the other party neither spoke nor sent anyone, Zhang Xuan knew that since this man had known Bai Yinshi for a long time, he surely wouldn't believe him, so he spoke up.

Seeing that this guy was even going to call the Master Teacher Academy, Yu Shenqing was nearly driven mad.

I had Bai Yinshi test you, which led to this situation. You've beaten someone to a pulp and demolished the building, yet you're still speaking with righteous indignation, as if you're in the right?

“Today is my daughter's birthday banquet. From the moment you arrived, you've turned it into this—a complete mess. Regardless of whether Bai Yinshi attacked you, you are no longer welcome here! Master Zhang, please take your leave!”

Flicking his sleeve, suppressing the fury in his heart, Yu Shenqing snorted.

Though he was so angry he could kill, as an emperor he still had his dignity, and the other party was a master teacher, so he dared not go too far.

“Leave?”

Not expecting that despite someone ambushing him, the other party would not interrogate but instead ask him to leave, Zhang Xuan frowned.

“Indeed, please leave! From today onward, my Hongyuan Imperial Palace will no longer allow you, Zhang Xuan, to enter. You will no longer be a guest of my royal family!”

Yu Shenqing said.

The other party was a master teacher and had good relations with several academy deans; even though he was about to explode with anger, he still couldn't speak too harshly.

“Father…”

Not expecting a birthday banquet to turn out like this, Yu Fei'er hurriedly spoke.

“Say no more. My mind is made up!”

Yu Shenqing waved his hand grandly.

“Didn't you hear? Leave at once!”

Seeing that this guy had actually angered His Majesty, Shen Jun almost laughed out loud. He quickly stood up and shouted loudly.

“Fine.”

Not expecting to attend a banquet only to be driven away, Zhang Xuan was utterly speechless.

But for him, he hadn't planned to stay long anyway. He shook his head, stood up, and turned to walk out.

“Teacher, wait for me!”

Glancing at Yu Fei'er, Luo Qiqi quickly followed.

“Master Zhang…”

Seeing the once joyful birthday banquet reduced to this, Yu Fei'er's face also turned ugly. Gritting her teeth, she swayed her delicate body and chased after him.

“Fei'er!”

Seeing his daughter leave, Yu Shenqing grew even angrier, his face dark enough to drip water.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw the old eunuch Luo Fu on one side flip his wrist, a jade token appearing in his palm. After glancing at it, his face suddenly changed.

“Your Majesty…”

Hurrying two steps forward, the old eunuch's lips trembled.

“What's wrong?”

Yu Shenqing's face was livid.

“The new dean of the Master Teacher Academy has been found out…”

Not daring to speak aloud, the old eunuch quickly transmitted his voice.

“Found out? Who is it? Lu Feng or Zhao Bingxu?”

Yu Shenqing turned his head.

As for the dean of the Master Teacher Academy, he dared not show any temper, whether the man was present or not.

“Neither. It's… it's Zhang Xuan!”

The old eunuch's voice trembled.

“Zhang Xuan? The Zhang Xuan who just walked out…?” Yu Shenqing's vision went dark.

“Yes!”

The old eunuch quickly nodded.

Hurriedly standing up, Yu Shenqing rushed out of the room in two steps: “Master Zhang, don't leave just yet. I think there's been a misunderstanding between us…”

“…” Shen Jun.