Chapter 348: Attack
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Once they were near the Ice Feather Institute, Xu Ning and Xu Siqi left their horses outside.
The two of them then carried one or two assassins in each hand through a detour from the main gates and brought the five assassins into the Ice Feather Institute.
According to their previous agreement, they returned back to Jiang Xu's courtyard.
"Four rank four arcanists and one rank five arcanists. They are all the assassins."
Xu Ning and Xu Siqi brought these five assassins to Jiang Xu.
"Good."
After seeing that the assassins were brought back and that Xu Ning and Xu Siqi were not injured, Jiang Xu was relieved.
"We have to interrogate them quickly and get some conclusive statements and evidence!"
Xu Siqi said, "Otherwise, if it takes too long, the Wind Sea Institute and Yin Qingleng will definitely be suspicious."
"That's right."
Jiang Xu nodded and agreed with Xu Ning's idea.
"Throw them into the underground sealed room in the backyard, I will interrogate them personally."
A cold glint appeared in Jiang Xu's eyes.
When he followed the Old Institute Head, Jiang Xu was the Old Institute Head's right-hand man.
Whether it was on the surface or in the dark, Jiang Xu could perfectly handle the chores that the Old Institute Head needed to deal with.
Interrogating enemies was Jiang Xu's specialty.
Afterwards, the three of them escorted the five assassins into the underground sealed room.
Because the servants in the courtyard had been dismissed in advance, the three of them were not exposed.
After entering the underground sealed room, Jiang Xu showed off his interrogation skills.
He tortured the five assassins mentally and physically, and in less than two hours, he extracted all the information they had.
This included most of the details of Yin Qingleng's collusion with the Wind Sea Institute, and even the fact that Yin Qingleng had plotted against the Old Institute Head.
"I have gathered all the useful information they had in their brains. There is no point in continuing the interrogation."
Jiang Xu washed his blood-stained hands with some clean water as he said that.
"Alright, let's quickly gather everyone and hold a meeting to unveil Yin Qingleng's facade."
Xu Siqi couldn't wait any longer.
"The evidence of Yin Qingleng colluding with the Wind Sea Institute to assassinate his own institute head is irrefutable, but there is no direct evidence of him plotting against the Old Institute Head."
Jiang Xu felt a little regretful.
Although colluding with outsiders and assassinating his own people was enough to beat Yin Qingleng to death, Jiang Xu still wanted to make his sins public.
"Didn't those people say that when Yin Qingleng colluded with the Wind Sea Institute, he used a letter to communicate with them. Maybe we can find it at his residence."
Xu Ning thought for a moment and said.
"That will be difficult…"
Jiang Xu shook his head. "How could he leave such evidence in his hands? The letter they wrote has probably been destroyed by Yin Qingleng."
"Not necessarily…"
Xu Ning said, "For Yin Qingleng, that letter is not only evidence of his crime, but also a leverage. Once the assassination of the Old Institute Head is exposed, not only will it have a fatal impact on Yin Qingleng, but it will also be extremely detrimental to the Wind Sea Institute. As long as that letter is in his hands, the Wind Sea Institute will be a little wary of him."
Jiang Xu's eyes lit up when Xu Ning pointed that out.
He felt that what Xu Ning said was very logical.
"What we should do now is to hold a meeting to force Yin Qingleng to come out. Then, I will sneak into his courtyard and search for the letter."
Xu Ning said, "It's best if we can find more evidence. If we can't, then just the fact that he colluded with the Wind Sea Institute to harm his own people is enough to completely lose his authority in the Ice Feather Institute."
"Good!"
Jiang Xu
Institute Head, Jiang Xu suddenly wants to hold a meeting with all the instructors present. He said that something big has happened in the institute!"
Gu Chixing brought news to Yin Qingleng.
"Oh?"
Yin Qingleng frowned. "Does he already know that Xu Ning and Xu Siqi are killed?"
"No, if that is the case, we should have received the news first…"
Yin Qingleng seemed a little puzzled.
He vaguely felt that something was wrong.
But after thinking about it carefully, he couldn't find anything wrong.
"Let's go to the assembly hall."
Yin Qingleng thought for a moment and said, "Let's see what Jiang Xu wants to do."
In Yin Qingleng's opinion, he still held the advantage in their contest to gain the position of institute head.
Yin Qingleng took Gu Chixing and rushed to the assembly hall.
Soon after they left, Xu Ning sneaked into the courtyard.
'I have to move faster…'
Xu Ning began to search Yin Qingleng's study.
It was impossible for Yin Qingleng to carry the letter with him. Thus, the study and the bedroom were the most likely places he had hid a letter in.
…
In the assembly hall.
"Brother Jiang, why did you gather us?"
When Yin Qingleng arrived at the assembly hall, the others had already arrived in advance.
Except for Xu Ning and Xu Siqi, everyone else was already seated.
After Yin Qingleng asked the question, the other instructors also looked at Jiang Xu.
They were also confused about Jiang Xu's sudden request for a meeting.
Faced with Yin Qingleng, Jiang Xu sneered, stood up, and looked at him. "Institute Head, I have a question."
"Go ahead."
Yin Qingleng felt that Jiang Xu was a little aggressive today.
"Colluding with outsiders and secretly harming our own instructors, how should we punish this crime?"
Jiang Xu's voice was loud and clear.
'Huh?!'
After Jiang Xu asked that, Yin Qingleng and Gu Chixing's pupils shrank at the same time.
They were almost certain that the collusion with the Wind Sea Institute to assassinate Xu Ning and Xu Siqi had been exposed.
The both of them were immediately flustered.
"Institute Head, why aren't you answering?"
Jiang Xu took two steps forward.
At this moment, the other instructors looked at Yin Qingleng with strange and shocked expressions.
They also vaguely sensed that Yin Qingleng seemed to have done something he shouldn't have.
"Of course they ought to be executed."
Yin Qingleng's expression was a little unnatural.
"Good!"
Jiang Xu clapped his hands. "Bring him here!"
After Jiang Xu finished speaking, they saw Xu Siqi dragging a man who had lost all his mobility in.
This person was the rank five arcanist who tried to assassinate Xu Ning and Xu Siqi.
'Xu Siqi!'
Yin Qingleng and Gu Chixing were shocked.
Xu Siqi was not dead, and the person he brought seemed to be from the Wind Sea Institute.
"Yin Qingleng!"
Jiang Xu shouted sternly, "The evidence of you colluding with the people of the Wind Sea Institute to assassinate Instructor Xu Ning and Instructor Xu Siqi is irrefutable. How are you going to explain this!"
Whoosh!
As soon as Jiang Xu finished speaking, there was an uproar in the assembly hall.
Whether they were on Yin Qingleng's side or not, they all looked at him with surprise in their eyes..
You're slandering him!"
Gu Chixing was completely thrown into confusion. Before Yin Qingleng could respond, he quickly refuted.
"Slander?"
Jiang Xu sneered and kicked the assassin on the ground. "He is the leader of the assassins. Now that he has been captured alive, how are you going to refute?"
"Are you saying that I randomly found someone to frame Yin Qingleng?"
Jiang Xu smiled sarcastically. "As long as we want to investigate, we can easily confirm his identity. He has already told the truth, so there is no point in denying it."
Gu Chixing opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.
He knew that what Jiang Xu said was the truth.
As long as they verified the identity of the assassin, they could easily verify the authenticity of the claim.
Until now, Gu Chixing still couldn't understand why the assassination failed and how the assassins were captured alive.
Gu Chixing looked at Yin Qingleng.
Yin Qingleng's face was pale, and his brain was spinning furiously.
He had already noticed that all the instructors, whether they supported him or not, looked at him with strong hostility.
Using outsiders to hurt their own people was a matter of principle. It was unacceptable.
"Gu Chixing!"
Suddenly, Yin Qingleng shouted at Gu Chixing.
"How dare you use my name to secretly collude with the Wind Sea Institute!"
Yin Qingleng was distorting the facts and placing all the blame on Gu Chixing.
Gu Chixing was mind blown and felt his entire body go numb.
He didn't expect that in order to get rid of his suspicions, Yin Qingleng betrayed him without hesitation.
"Everyone!"
Yin Qingleng ignored Gu Chixing and looked at the other instructors.
"As the head of the Ice Feather Institute, I would never do such a thing."
Yin Qingleng said, "Prior to this, I noticed that Gu Chixing had a close relationship with the Wind Sea Institute. I even warned him about this. But he told me that it was just a normal interaction, so I didn't take it to heart."
"Now it seems that I did not teach my subordinates well, so I should take on some of the blame."
When Yin Qingleng said this, his tone was firm. It was as he was telling the truth.
"Institute Head, you, how could you…"
Gu Chixing pointed at Yin Qingleng, his whole body trembling.
"Gu Chixing, you violated the rules of the Ice Feather Institute, so you are sentenced to death!"
Under everyone's shocked eyes, Yin Qingleng activated a wind blade and cut off Gu Chixing's head.
Gu Chixing fell and died on the spot.
After killing Gu Chixing, Yin Qingleng's expression was calm.
"Yin Qingleng, you are ruthless!"
Jiang Xu didn't expect Yin Qingleng to do this.
"We should be more decisive when dealing with traitors."
After Yin Qingleng killed Gu Chixing, he was more confident.
Gu Chixing was the only one who showed himself when he colluded with the Wind Sea Institute. Thus, he pushed the blame to him first, then he would slowly find a way to get rid of the suspicions.
"Acting Institute Head, you're quite good at taking a step back to clear yourself of your crimes!"
Another figure walked in from outside the assembly hall.
Xu Ning slowly walked in front of everyone with a small stack of letters in his hand.
"Do you really think that by killing Gu Chixing, you can get rid of all your suspicions?"
Xu Ning waved the letters in his hand. "The evidence of your collusion with the Wind Sea Institute has not been destroyed yet, right?"
'That is…'
Yin Qingleng was shocked.
He recognized that the letters in Xu Ning's hand were evidences of his collusion with the Wind Sea Institute.
These letters even included his plan to assassinate the Old Institute Head.
"Yin Qingleng!"
Xu Ning took a step forward. "In order to become the head of the Ice Feather Institute, not only did you collude with the Wind Sea Institute to assassinate the Old Institute Head, but you also betrayed the interest of the Ice Feather Institute and attempted to assassinate the instructors! Tell me, are you a sinner of the
Ice Feather Institute!"
Assassinated the Old Institute Head!?
Everyone looked at Yin Qingleng in horror.
This news was too shocking for them.
"The letters in my hand are evidence of your collusion with them!"
Xu Ning showed the letters in his hand to everyone present.
Yin Qingleng felt like he had fallen into an icehouse.
"Nonsense!"
After a while, Yin Qingleng woke up from his daze.
His eyes were full of murderous intent as he looked at Xu Ning.
"You forged those letters to frame me, you deserve to be executed as well!"
Yin Qingleng ignored the other instructors and attacked Xu Ning.
He knew very well that he had to kill Xu Ning and take the letters from him.
Otherwise, if the evidence were taken seriously, he would really have no chance to turn the tables.
Several large wind blades appeared out of thin air and slashed towards Xu Ning.
Seeing this, Xu Ning smirked.
"Storm Barrier!"
A wind wall condensed around him.
Several wind blades bounced back from the wind wall.
Pfft Pfft!
Yin Qingleng couldn't dodge in time and was slashed by two wind blades.
'Rank five arcanist?!'
Yin Qingleng also realized Xu Ning's true strength.
He finally understood why the assassination attempt of the Wind Sea Institute failed.
Rank five arcanist!
The other instructors had also just discovered Xu Ning's true strength.
'Run!'
Yin Qingleng realized that he was at the end of his rope.
After today, he would no longer have a foothold in the southern part of the Barren Wind Region.
He was about to lose everything he had, so he just wanted to stay alive.
"Trying to escape?"
Yin Qingleng was about to escape from the assembly hall, but Xu Ning activated several Gravitational Spirals and seriously injured Yin Qingleng again.
Even though they were both rank five arcanists, Xu Ning was at the peak of rank five, while Yin Qingleng was only in the middle of rank five.
Moreover, Xu Ning's arcane techniques were more advanced. Yin Qingleng was not his opponent at all.
Bang!
Yin Qingleng was injured and fell to the ground. Xu Ning stepped on him and captured him alive.
At this moment, Yin Qingleng was deeply injured twice, and he fainted from his fury.
"Everyone, these are the letters, please read them one by one."
After subduing Yin Qingleng, Xu Ning distributed the evidence in his hand to the instructors present.
Everyone exchanged the letters. After browsing through it, their faces were all pale.
Some of them even wanted to kill Yin Qingleng themselves.
The Old Institute Head held a lot of prestige in the hearts of these instructors. Everyone respected him.
But that Old Institute Head was killed by Yin Qingleng's scheme.
Among these instructors, there were a few who supported Yin Qingleng. But now that they knew the truth, they were all ashamed and full of hatred.
"Everyone, don't blame yourself."
Jiang Xu quickly comforted. "You were all fooled by Yin Qingleng. His mistakes have nothing to do with you."
Jiang Xu knew that after the chaos, he had to stabilize the people's hearts.
"Now that Yin Qingleng has become a sinner of the Ice Feather Institute, it is time for Young Institute Head to inherit the position of the institute head!"
Xu Siqi took the opportunity to speak..
That's right, Yin Qingleng is dead, Young Institute Head should inherit the position of the institute head!"
An instructor from Yin Qingleng's camp quickly said.
Everyone agreed.
The instructors who previously stood on Yin Qingleng's side all used actions to cut ties with him.
"Since everyone agrees, from now on, Lu Wang will be the new head of the Ice Feather Institute!"
Jiang Xu saw the situation and quickly announced.
The situation was clear. Lu Wang becoming the new institute head was the natural course of action.
A relieved smile finally appeared on Lu Wang's face.
Yin Qingleng was dead. For him, he had completed half of his grandfather's revenge. Now that he had obtained the position of the institute head, he had also fulfilled his grandfather's wish.
"Today, I became the head of the Ice Feather Institute all because of the support of my seniors. Thank you!"
Lu Wang cupped his fists and said to everyone.
However, his gaze mainly swept across Xu Ning, Jiang Xu, and Xu Siqi.
"I am only a rank three arcanist. My strength is shallow, and I am young. It is impossible for me to manage the overall situation of the Ice Feather Institute alone. I hope that in the future, all the seniors here can support me. I will definitely learn from you."
Lu Wang's words were sincere.
He knew very well that it was impossible for him to control the Ice Feather Institute alone.
If he wanted the Ice Feather Institute to maintain its current strength, Xu Ning, Jiang Xu, and Xu Siqi had to chip in.
After speaking, the others also expressed their support for Lu Wang.
Jiang Xu and Xu Siqi began to clean up the mess.
What happened today would have a huge impact on the Icy Feather Institute. Jiang Xu had to join forces with other instructors to ensure the stability of the Icy Feather Institute.
As for Xu Ning, he did not intervene in these specific matters.
In fact, ever since Xu Ning came to the Ice Feather Institute, he had been focused on cultivation and did not deal with any of those annoying chores.
Although this made him seemed a little lazy, in fact, it was also a way to make Jiang Xu, Xu Siqi, and Lu Wang feel at ease.
After all, Xu Ning was an outsider with extremely strong combat power. If he wanted to take over the Ice Feather Institute and spent all his efforts on the institute, he would definitely be suspected.
Moreover, Xu Ning was not interested in dealing with such chores.
He only wanted resources.
Time flew by, and several days went by in the blink of an eye.
Over the past few days, besides going to find Guan Yue and giving her some pointers, Xu Ning just stayed in his courtyard and did not go out.
On this day, Jiang Xu came to find Xu Ning.
Jiang Xu looked a little tired after days of not resting.
In the Arcanist World, unless one was a rank seven arcanist, their physical state was only the limit of a mortal.
Unless one had the power of arcanism to support their body, they could not even defeat some mortal masters with just their physical body.
"Brother Xu."
Jiang Xu was very welcoming.
He had a good impression of Xu Ning.
Jiang Xu had some concerns when he brought Xu Ning to the Ice Feather Institute. Xu Ning was an outsider after all, and he was extremely strong. If he had any strange intentions, it would bring great trouble.
But the situation was too precarious at that time, so he had no better choice.
Luckily, after Xu Ning really came to the Ice Feather Institute, Jiang Xu discovered that Xu Ning was not interested in managing the Ice Feather Institute at all.
His only requirement was to have a lot of resources, which made Jiang Xu heave a sigh of relief. Feeling relieved, he also tried his best to find a way to help Xu Ning to gather resources.
This time, Xu Ning played the greatest role in their plan to get rid of Yin Qingleng and helping Lu Wang obtain the position of the institute head, but just like before, he did not have the intention to get involved with the power structure of the Ice
Feather Institute. This made Jiang Xu feel extremely satisfied.
"Brother Jiang, you look tired. You should rest more."
Xu Ning said in a relaxed tone.
Jiang Xu laughed when he heard this. "Brother Xu, the institute has been stabilized. The Ice Feather Institute will soon be on the right track."
"That's good."
Xu Ning also smiled.
This way, his supply of resources would increase again.
"Moreover, we have reached a temporary agreement with the Wind Sea Institute."
Jiang Xu lowered his voice and stopped smiling.
"Oh?"
Xu Ning raised his eyebrows.
The Wind Sea Institute's collusion with Yin Qingleng had caused a lot of damage to the Ice Feather Institute.
Not only were their resources secretly given to them, but they also plotted to assassinate the Old Institute Head. This kind of hatred was very difficult to completely eliminate.
"Although there is a deep hatred between us and the Wind Sea Institute, we have no way to retaliate and take revenge as of now."
There was a hint of helplessness in Jiang Xu's tone.
The Wind Sea Institute had two rank six arcanists. Even when the Old Institute Head was still alive, the Ice Feather Institute was already weaker than the Wind Sea Institute.
Now that the Old Institute Head was dead and the Ice Feather Institute had experienced turbulence, its overall level had fallen by two levels. It was impossible for them to fight head-on against the Wind Sea Institute.
"The Wind Sea Institute obviously doesn't want to expose their collusion with Yin Qingleng and their encroachment on the Ice Feather Institute. After all, this will affect their reputation in the southern part of the Barren Wind Region. Therefore, the two sides made a compromise."
Jiang Xu said, "If we hand over the evidence of their collusion with Yin Qingleng, they will also give us a large amount of resources."
"Is that so…"
Xu Ning nodded.
He could understand Jiang Xu's pain.
The other party was involved in the assassination of the Old Institute Head, but Jiang Xu could only hold back.
This was because they were no match for the Wind Sea Institute.
"We still have a chance for revenge."
Xu Ning patted Jiang Xu's shoulder. "As long as the Ice Feather Institute becomes strong enough, the Wind Sea Institute will sooner or later pay the price."
"Mmn."
Jiang Xu nodded heavily.
"Brother Xu."
Jiang Xu continued, "The institute has decided to provide you with a lot of resources. I hope you can cultivate in peace and improve further. This way, the high-level combat power of the Ice Feather Institute will be guaranteed."
"I will do my best."
Xu Ning responded.
After the two talked for a while, Jiang Xu left Xu Ning's residence.
Over the next few days, just like Jiang Xu said, a large amount of resources were distributed to Xu Ning.
Xu Ning absorbed it all to improve his realm.
It was just that the energy needed to advance to rank six was a little too much. He obviously couldn't save the amount needed in such a short time.
However, Xu Ning was not in a hurry.
Thus, Xu Ning began to live a relatively idle life.
In addition to absorbing resources, he would be guiding Guan Yue and Lu Wang's cultivation.
Among them, Lu Wang's advancement was not obvious, but Guan Yue's improvement was great. She directly broke through to a rank three arcanist.
This made Guan Yue very happy.
As for Xu Ning, he was slowly accumulating energy during this idle period..