Too many people wanted to go underground, but not just anyone qualified. Finally, Han Yunxi and Departnt Head Ouyang talked it over before selecting six people to descend. These were: dicine City’s Wang Clan head, Tang Clan’s Tang Li, Western Zhou’s crown prince Duanmu Baiye, Tianning’s military officer Ye Lǜzheng,[1] Tianan’s young General Mu Qingwu, and Northern Li’s imperial physician Nazha Delin.
These six represented the main power factions of the present Cloud Realm Continent. Although the Tang Clan was a hidden force in the world instead of a mainstream power, he was counted amongst them thanks to being a son-in-law of Cloud Realm Trade Consortium. For the sake of staying objective, neither Han Yunxi nor any mbers of the dical academy descended into the room.
Departnt Head Ouyang had said that Chu Xifeng and Xu Donglin had brought out poison manuals from who knows where, so those couldn’t count as proof. If they wanted to verify Gu Qishao’s words as fact, then they’d have to look for evidence within the chamber. Once everything was settled, Departnt Head Ouyang opened the entrance to the chambers under everyone’s eyes and allowed the six people to enter. As their figures disappeared past the door, the scene grew silent.
Ti passed slowly. At first, everyone waited patiently, but soon many of them grew impatient and began whispering amongst themselves. Departnt Head Ouyang and the other upper ranks of the dical academy were all standing on one side of the door, lost in their own uneasy thoughts. Han Yunxi and Gu Qishao were on a rock, she standing and staring unmoving at the door while Gu Qishao sat easily with a stalk of grass in his mouth. He wasn’t very interested in the chamber, finding the ashen faces of the dical academy leaders much more interesting. Perhaps he had finally started to feel the joys of having his revenge. Between pain and happiness, of course he’d prefer to forget the forr and enjoy the latter.
He couldn’t resist laughing out loud as he tugged at Han Yunxi’s sleeve until she knelt down. “Hm?”
“You’re that tense? Afraid that Qi gege sold you off?” Gu Qishao asked with a grin.
Han Yunxi rolled her eyes at him. She really couldn’t figure out if this fellow was just heartless. While she was still aching over his past, he seed to feel as if nothing had happened at all. She scooted closer and looked carefully into his eyes. “Little Qi, I’d rather you did sell off today.”
She really would prefer Gu Qishao to betray her rather than relive his old injuries and expose them to the world. Gu Qishao couldn’t resist rubbing her nose with a warm smile. “Qi gege couldn’t bear that. I never would.”vo l
Gu Beiyue was still wearing his disguise as he stood by the rock. His focus wasn’t on the secret chamber either, but towards the upper echelons of the dical academy as he knitted his brows in thought.
Finally, Tang Li flew out of the entrance with a huge load of bottles and jars. After him ca old Wang and Mu Qingwu, their arms full of books and their expressions extrely cold and serious. The Northern Li imperial physician, Duanmu Baiye, and Tianning’s military officer had nothing in their hands, but their expressions were bad as well. Departnt Head Ouyang and the rest felt their legs go weak at the collection of items. They had no strength left to even interrogate the group.
Old Wang tossed two thick stacks of books on the ground with a hmph and no further comnt. Mu Qingwu stuffed his books into Departnt Head Ouyang’s arms with another cold snort while keeping silent. Tang Li wasn’t so subtle. He dropped his armful of bottles onto the ground with a cold smile.
“All of these are poisons we found in the underground chamber! Heheh, Departnt Head Ouyang, I know you’re going to say that Gu Qishao might have found people to slip these inside and fra you guys, right?”
Even if Departnt Head Ouyang didn’t want to claim such things, it was his only choice. Still, he didn’t open his mouth before Tang Li picked up one of the discarded volus and flipped it open.
“Everyone take a look, these are authentic works of past dical academy heads! Their research into Poison Gu humans are all written here.”
Mu Qingwu’s face was full of fury as he blurted out, “Ladies and gentlen, Gu Qishao wasn’t lying! The dical academy eliminated the Poison Sect purely because they held different views! But they still kept all of the sect’s books and records! These accounts are all research notes from previous academy heads regarding Poison Gu humans. The Poison Sect only presented the theory, but the dical academy wanted to turn that into reality! The real culprit who wanted to hurt the world was the dical academy! The Poison Sect is innocent! Han Yunxi even more so!”
Those last two sentences were probably Mu Qingwu’s true feelings on the subject. His father would definitely punish him for being so impulsive and outspoken today, but he didn’t want to consider so much anymore. No one could understand his current, secret rejoicing. He was so happy that he didn’t have to treat Han Yunxi as an enemy, and that he could claim justice on her behalf! Could this count as repaying his life-saving debt to her? Although he was unable to repay it in full, at least he paid part of it, right? He had dread and hoped for the chance to return the favor and not owe her a life.
Han Yunxi, will I have the right to like you after I clear my debts?
The crowd passed around the books. Even Departnt Head Ouyang and the rest had a careful, unable to accept the heavy truth in their hands.
“Looks like the dical academy owes my Poison Sect its innocence!” Han Yunxi said coldly, drawing everyone’s attention in an instant.
Now that things had been cleared up, it was ti to collect on old debts. Everyone was filled with their own thoughts in the ensuing silence. The Northern Li imperial physician never took his eyes off Han Yunxi, his lips curved up in a faint smile. He seed both amused, admiring, and anticipatory. Duanmu Baiye’s face was gloomy. He thought that the alliance could serve as revenge for his little sister against Han Yunxi, but now dical City was hard-pressed to even protect itself. I ca for nothing this ti.
The military officer from Tianning had the worst expression of all. He quietly told his retainer to report to Ning Cheng. What happened here today would affect all of Cloud Realm Continent, so it was best that his general received updates as soon as possible. Without the dical academy’s sanctions, Ning Cheng would have less chance of victory invading the south even if he used his red coat cannons.
Tang Li only smiled at Han Yunxi like a fool. More and more, he worshipped this sister-in-law of his. Of course, he was more happy for Long Feiye’s sake. To restore the Poison Sect’s na ant that Long Feiye could have its power in his hands as well. In the future, he’ll have another chip in his fight for dominance over the continent. However, he didn’t notice Ning Jing had suddenly started staring at him as well..
As a hush settled over the scene, tension mounted between dical City, Han Yunxi, and Gu Qishao. Seeing that no one spoke, Han Yunxi asked, “Ladies and gentlen, now that the truth’s been revealed, are you going to destroy the Poison Sect or dical City?”
Her words stirred the waves. Departnt Head Ouyang’s eyes widened before he coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood and fainted away. So this is the dical academy I’ve been protecting with all my heart? How can I accept this?
Since the academy head was in trouble, it was up to the Vice Council to oversee matters. Departnt Head Lin dreaded Gu Qishao too much to try anything. He seized this chance to help hold up Departnt Head Ouyang instead of speaking out. Since there were only three departnt heads in the academy, that only left the ever-silent Departnt Head Huo.
For soone in a high position to remain silent all this ti ant that he wasn’t a simple character. Departnt Head Huo’s full na was Huo Qiujun,[2] whose dical arts was evenly matched with Departnt Head Ouyang. However, his backing and support far surpassed the other man as he hailed from the Huo Clan, the second largest family in dical City after the Gu.
mbers of the Huo Clan held important posts all throughout the academy and had plenty of their own pupils and followers. More importantly, Departnt Head Huo had direct jurisdiction over the examination to test doctors for appropriate ranks. If anyone wanted to leave dical City and practice dicine on their own, they had to pass Departnt Head Huo’s exams.
When he finally stepped out of the crowd, he had none of Departnt Head Lin’s snobbishness nor Departnt Head Ouyang’s aggression. He was more like a doctor, refined and gentle while filled with courtesy. Even as countless stares shifted his way, he still bowed with hands clasped towards Han Yunxi. “Yes, the dical academy must return the Poison Sect’s innocence.”
Is the dical academy going to compromise just like that? Many in the crowd were bewildered.
Before Han Yunxi could ask, Departnt Head Huo spoke again. “However, before that happens, this old man hopes that Gu Yuntian can give the academy an explanation! This way, we can give an account to the tens of thousands of doctors and people in Cloud Realm Continent!”
What...did he an by that?
Han Yunxi began to grow uneasy while Gu Qishao narrowed his eyes.
“The Poison Sect was a faction of poisons doctors that branched off from the dical academy. Later on, they established their own independent schools of thought and matched the academy in strength. I expect everyone already knows this point,” Departnt Head Huo said. “It’s been centuries since the dical academy destroyed the Poison Sect. Just then, Gu Qishao told us that it was the academy head of the past who slandered and frad the Poison Sect in order to get rid of dissidents to his views. All these years, the secret has been passed on to generation after generation of academy heads, including the existence of these poison manuals. Aside from the academy head, no one else in the dical academy ever knew of such a thing, much less the poison arts.”
Departnt Head Huo looked towards Han Yunxi next. “Han Yunxi, this old man can support you if you want to seek justice for the Poison Sect and regain its innocence. The dical academy will support you as well! We too, want to seek Gu Yuntian and the previous academy heads for justice!”
At his words, the Northern Li imperial physician broke into imdiate applause. “Departnt Head Huo is truly the fair and impartial one!”
“I was just saying, how could everyone be as low and hypocritical as Gu Yuntian?” Duanmu Baiye silently exhaled. Neither of them wanted dical City to topple just like that.
Han Yunxi was rather taken aback. This Departnt Head Huo was too formidable! He not only pushed all the bla to the academy head to absolve the academy of its cris, but even placed the dical academy on the sa tier as the Poison Sect---innocent. She hesitated over whether to refute the man and demand the academy take responsibility. But the man’s words weren’t wrong--this wasn’t wholly their fault. To claim justice for the Poison Sect without knocking down dical City was, in so ways, a defeat for their side.
Unless they broke dical City’s monopoly and its rules, they’d still be controlled by it one day!
What now?
Gu Qishao clenched his fists and prepared to speak when Gu Beiyue abruptly pulled him by the hand.
“Little Qi, there’s no rush,” he said in a low voice. “Leave the rest to .”
Long Feiye had already left Celestial Mountain, so Cloud Realm Continent was about to get busy very soon. He couldn’t lose for their side at dical City...
1. Ye Lǜzheng (耶律铮) - Ye is a transliteration of a similar sound in a foreign language, also used for more ethnic nas, Lǜ is “law/statute, pitch-pipes” and a style of poetry, Zheng is the tallic sound of “clang” or “clank.”
2. Huo Qiujun (霍秋君) - Huo is a surna that ans “suddenly, quickly,” Qiu is “autumn,” Jun is “sir, monarch, sovereign.”
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