The sudden assassination of the Jun clan elders and the Gong clan spread like wildfire through the Soaring Cloud Region.

These were not the only assassinations that took place, but the Jun and Gong clans were the most famous powers in the region.

Every move they made could stir wind and rain across the land. And now, the elders of the two most powerful clans had been assassinated in broad daylight.

How could the people not be stunned?

Inside the Mystic Path Academy, the two deans sat on a wooden bench, sipping precious tea.

"Who do you think is behind the attack?" The Frostwind Dean asked after setting down her teacup.

The old Dean savored the tea for a moment before swallowing with a look of relief.

"I don't know…" He shook his head, then added, "If I'm to guess who's behind it, I'd think it's the Jun clan."

"The Jun clan?" She creased her brow in confusion.

"Yes. But not the entire clan," he continued, his thoughts slow and deliberate, as if trying to unravel the deepest scheme.

"My guess is that the kid's father is helping him."

"You mean Jun Wu's father?"

"Yes. Think about it. The assassinations began a few weeks ago, after Jun Wu and the girl returned from their travels."

"I believed they must have met the father, who provided them with a team of strong men to assassinate their enemies."

"Hm… You're right… but still, I don't think he would dare attack an elder of his own clan." She shook her head, not entirely convinced.

"Why can't he kill an elder of his own clan?" The old Dean scuffed. "Have you forgotten the Jun clan customs? As long as the killing is done by their fellow clansmen, it is accepted."

To them, they believed in the survival of the fittest. Why do you think everyone fears them?

"Besides, have you forgotten the Jun clan is not unified? They split into three factions, and Jun Wu's father's faction has been under suppression for many decades."

"With Jun Wu providing such a clear opening for them to retaliate, do you think they wouldn't act?"

He clicked his tongue, thinking of how crazy the Jun aristocratic clan could be.

"To me, I strongly believe his father is behind everything," he concluded.

The Frostwind Academy could not refute his logical reasoning. "Then this is good news for us, isn't it?"

"Of course, it's good news." The old Dean nodded with a pleasant smile. "With the Jun clan stepping into the fray, the burden on us would lessen."

"Indeed, then we can allow the Master Teachers to proceed with their plan." A faint anticipatory smile crept onto her face.

"That's right." He nodded, unable to hide his joy. "The earlier they begin to spread their teachings, the easier the changes will spread."

"Very well. I'll speak to that girl before she departs. She is a talent I can't permit to be harmed."

"Nothing bad will happen to her. Heaven will protect her." The old Dean assured. "Let's talk about the recent ruin and destruction. What do you think?"

"I feel there is more to it." She pondered for a moment.

In recent days, all the empty ruins around Mystic City had been razed to the ground.

Under the heavy destruction, most ruins vanished from the world. Some ruins lost their ruin-ability and temporarily appeared anew in the world.

Their presence was no different from an abandoned mansion burnt to crisp.

Yet the most shocking thing of all was the rapid effect that followed.

Around the destroyed ruins, vitality seemed to increase quickly.

Additionally, they felt the spiritual energy around the area brightening, if only a little.

From all these, the two deans knew there must be a deep secret behind the ruins' destruction.

The old Dean nodded. "I think we should support the plan of those destroying the ruins. It's not as if they are any good any longer."

"You're right." She agreed with a nod. "Besides, we don't know if they even pose a threat to us with their mere presence."

"But with them gone, we can breathe a sigh of relief."

"Very well. Let our students join in the fun."

The two deans looked at each other and smiled. Each had an inkling that things were about to turn for the better for their region.

…

Jun Clan

Inside Jun Qiqang's private courtyard, the air was filled with unspeakable tension and grim resolve.

"What happened? Who dared kill our elders?" His voice rang with anger and dissatisfaction.

This was supposed to be a quiet operation, a chance to have a powerful puppet do their bidding and perhaps take control of the entire clan. But now…

Watching the clan leader burn with fury, the elders were quiet for a moment before one spoke.

"I can't think of anyone who would dare kill our elders."

With one elder taking the lead, the others began to speak. The attack on the clan's elders was something that had never happened in many years.

To them, no one in the Soaring Cloud Region had the audacity to attack them, let alone kill their elders.

The Gong clan, who had posed themselves as archrivals, seemed little more than a joke to them.

They allowed the Gong clan to prosper only to entertain the younger generation with a fighting competition.

Without that, the Gong clan would have long since been eradicated.

Yet… an unknown entity had killed two of their clan's elders. One of the oldest among the elders couldn't help but speak up.

"What is puzzling is the enemy's strength. How powerful are they that our elders did not stand a fighting chance?"

Huh!

All the elders inhaled a sharp breath. This was the most puzzling thing about the assassination.

The two elders were Peak Master realm cultivators. Thus, they could only think of one possibility: the assassin came from an Expert Realm.

Jun Qiqang, having recovered from his fury, realized that things were not as simple as they had seemed. For a force to deploy an Expert Realm Warrior to assassinate a mere Master Realm Warrior would be overkill. Unless, perhaps, they considered an Expert Realm nothing important.

Still, Jun Qiqang's eyes blazed with fury. "I don't care who they are. We must find them and make them pay."

"Send our men to lock down the city and find them," he commanded.

The elders nodded, but one of them couldn't help but ask, "What if we don't find them?"

"Then find someone to pay for the crime." He retorted sharply. He would not allow the elders of his clan to die a meaningless death without someone paying for it.

They all nodded in understanding. If they did not find someone to pay for the crime, others might see this as a sign of weakness which must not be allowed.

"Who should we hold responsible?" one asked.

"Do you need to ask? Of course, it is the Gong clan," the elder answered matter-of-factly.

Just then, a guard arrived at the entrance of the courtyard. The guard was clad in metal armor, his presence imposing.

"Clan Leader, the ancestors have summoned you." He declared in a cold, emotionless voice.

Jun Qiqang gritted his teeth. He knew this was inevitable. His scheme had backfired, and he needed a genuine excuse to escape the ancestral wrath.

"Very well. Lead the way." He said, taking a deep breath.

He looked at the other elders with a knowing glance before he left the courtyard.

…

Gong Clan

"How did it happen?" The Matriarch asked in a cold, irritated voice.

She was truly furious. Every time their plan was close to succeeding, something would disrupt it.

She wanted to curse out loud but restrained the impulse.

This time, she would not rest until they found the person sabotaging their perfectly curated plans.

Below, the elders lowered their heads. The situation had gone beyond their expectations.

They'd questioned everyone around the scene, but no one saw anything. It was as if their elders were killed by an invisible entity.

"Don't you think their deaths resemble the killings that happened in Mystic City?" an elder suggested in a low voice.

Hmm?

Instantly, all the elders widened their eyes in realization.

"True! Their deaths are the same."

"So, we can say it is the same killer." The Matriarch said, tapping her armrest in a slow, perfect rhythm.

"Since the killings started in Mystic City, the two deans must know something we don't know." Her voice was dangerously filled with killing intent.

"I think it is time we let these two useless deans know their place."

All the elders nodded.

Now that they had found a link to the assassinations, they would let the Mystic City pay for their crimes.

They did not care whether they were innocent or not; they simply wanted a scapegoat to vent their anger on.

Like the Jun clan, they were merely looking for someone to blame, and the Mystic City fell into that category.

Unknown to them, they too had become scapegoats for the Jun clan.

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