"Kid, you made everyone worry" The old dean said.

Seated across Jun Wu were the two academy deans. Compared to before, their expressions were not as vibrant as they had been.

They looked exhausted, even though they tried to hide it with an air of indifference.

The Frostwind Academy dean, dressed in a loose blue robe, had various more wrinkles on her face. Her hair seemed to have more white strands than before.

For the Mystic Path Academy dean, his gray-grayed hair had turned white and his long beard was a bit shorter.

All of these signs meant one thing: the pressure on their shoulders was increasing with each passing day.

Who would have thought the two neutral academies would be the only force that would stand their ground and fight against evil?

The darkness that had been eating away at their world for thousands of years seemed to be growing slowly.

Jun Wu smiled. "I'm sorry for making you worry. That journey was too important for us to ignore."

"It's nothing. So, how was your journey? I hope you achieved whatever you set out for." The Frostwind dean asked casually.

"Yes. It was successful, and we learned a lot." Jun Wu nodded. "Seniors, how are you holding up the cities? The situation has grown worse than I ever thought."

He sighed.

The two deans let out a deep sigh.

Who would have thought the city they had protected for many decades and nurtured many outstanding warriors would turn against them?

At first, it was only the Mystic Path Academy that was under attack, but now the Frostwind Academy had been drawn in.

In Frostwind City, many clans had turned against them both covertly and openly.

For ordinary clans, they could handle them easily, but the threat from the Gong clan and many hidden clans with Expert Realm cultivators made the situation more complicated.

"Kid, you don't have to worry about that," the old dean said, shaking his head. "We came to understand your plan for the master teacher."

"I've spoken with Miss Mei. She said she would hold her open lecture in three days," Jun Wu announced.

Hmm.

The two deans were stunned for a moment, and the Frostwind Academy dean couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Her domain is history, and I don't believe anyone has more knowledge than she in that aspect. I believe her lecture will shake the region."

Listening to his confident words, the two deans exchanged knowing glances. A sigh of relief escaped their lips, and their eyes shone with determination and hope.

What is a little trouble if their plans are going to succeed?

"Tell me, what do you need?" the Old Dean asked.

Jun Wu looked at the two deans and shook his head. "It is not what I need at this juncture; it is what you need." He paused, allowing them to comprehend his words.

"I know you're trying to bear the pressure alone, but with how things are going, you can't, and it's only a matter of time before they kill a Master Teacher."

The two did not know what to say. They knew his words were spot on. The pressure was just too much for two experts to bear.

Apart from the increasing number of Expert Realm Cultivators, the number of spies sneaking into the cities was too high.

They did not know whom to trust any longer.

"Why don't we secure the Mystic City? Turn it into an impenetrable fortress," Jun Wu said seriously.

"How?" the Old Dean asked.

"Through array formations." He responded directly.

The two deans were quite shocked. Could an array formation truly turn the city into an impenetrable fortress? How would they achieve that if it were possible?

"Seniors, you don't have to worry. Since I brought up the suggestion, I surely must have a way." He smiled, his tone filled with confidence.

"Very well. Let's hear it." The Old Dean agreed.

Although his expression did not change, inwardly he was pleased. Perhaps they could turn their situation around.

"First, I'll increase the city's protective formation to Grade-2. It wouldn't be only a defensive formation but also an attacking formation."

Hiss!

The Frostwind Academy dean sucked in a sharp breath. Although she found it hard to believe what she was hearing, she did not doubt the kid before her.

"Second, I'll create a suppression array. This array would suppress any Master Realm Cultivator to a Peak Stage First Rated Martial Artist. Not only that, the array would also suppress an Expert Realm Cultivator's attack to a Master Realm attack." Jun Wu explained.

"Is that even possible?" the Old Dean asked with wide eyes.

Everything Jun Wu said was already beyond his understanding. How could mere array formation have such power?

Jun Wu only smiled and asked, "Why don't you try to attack me?"

Hmm?

"Attack you?"

"Yes."

The two deans were confused, but the old dean did not think too much before he summoned his spiritual energy. Then something happened.

An invincible pressure descended on his body, and the circulation of his spiritual energy slowed to half. To speed up the circulation would require more power.

Realizing this, the old dean widened his eyes in disbelief.

"T-This…"

"W-What… H-How…" He stuttered.

Jun Wu chuckled. "This is the power of an array formation."

Instantly, the Frostwind Academy dean understood what was going on, but to be sure, she tried to attack Jun Wu, and the same feeling descended on her.

She widened her eyes, and her jaw dropped slightly.

For a moment, the two deans stared at him, unsure of what to say or how to react.

Sighed!

The old dean recovered from his shock and said, "I guess everyone—including me—has looked down on array formations."

Jun Wu nodded. "This is just a tiny bit of what array formations can achieve. So, what do you think?"

"Think? This is overkill. We must have it in the city immediately," the old dean said impatiently.

"That's right; we can't delay it. With such an array, we don't have to worry about the various Expert Realm Cultivators both inside and outside the city," the Frostwind Academy dean added, her face brightening.

It was as if all the mental exhaustion had vanished into thin air. Now both the deans were brimming with renewed vigor.

"Kid, there is something I don't understand. If everyone is suppressed, how would that help us?" the Old Dean asked, realizing the problem in the suppressing array.

"That's simple. Each of our trusted people would carry a badge that would exclude them from the suppression."

"Hahaha. That's good. That's very good. I very much like your plan." The old dean laughed, relaxing his worried heart.

"Ask us anything you need, and we will provide it for you immediately."

...

Night.

The Mystic City was shrouded in darkness. The streets were quieter than usual. The usual bustle of night activities was almost non-existent.

Taverns, tea houses, and brothels closed their doors early.

Although there was no battle in the city, everyone could feel the rising tension in the air with each passing moment.

Since the Gong clan's announcement declaring the academies an evil force, their city had never been the same.

Everyone was on edge.

Who knew when war would break out?

In a secluded part of the city, five people—four men and a woman—sat around a wooden table with a dimly lit lantern on it.

"Are you sure about the news?" a burly man asked in a deep voice.

"Boss, I'm sure. My men saw the two deans leave his mansion today," the only woman among them reported seriously.

"Good… We must act swiftly and—" The burly man did not finish his statement when his head exploded into shards of blood and brain tissue.

Hmm!

Everyone inside the room froze on the spot.

What happened?!

Why did their boss's head explode?

Bang!

The woman's head exploded as well, her brain shards scattering across the faces of the three frozen men.

Thud!

She crashed to the ground, blood gushing from her exploded head.

"We're under attack!" one of the men screamed, recovering from his shock.

Bang!

Unfortunately, he was next on the list. Like his predecessor, his head exploded like an overripe tomato.

Fear and panic gripped the remaining two men.

Quickly, one of them turned and rushed toward the door to escape. He took only two steps when he fell to the ground, his head lighting up like fireworks.

The last man stood frozen, yellow liquid seeping from his trousers. All the hair on his body stood on end.

The silence stretched on forever, pushing him toward the edge. Just when he thought he was safe, his world descended into silence.

Thud!

His headless body fell to the ground, joining his predecessors. The room was quiet, leaving only a gentle breeze carrying the metallic scent of blood and the dim lantern's glow.

Two hundred meters away, two men lay on the rooftop of a five-story building, one of them wielding a strange weapon.

"Target neutralized," the shooter said with a tone of quiet pride.

"Well done," his colleague replied.

Quickly, they packed the strange weapon into a prepared metal box and vanished into the night.

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