Chapter One Hundred: Killing Intent Aroused

Liu Qing chased after them with all his strength, but still came up empty-handed. He could only shake his head in helplessness and fly back to the academy.

At dawn the next day, Liu Qing and the others gathered in the conference room. Liu Qing remained silent, and the atmosphere was especially heavy and tense. The air itself seemed filled with a stifling sense of oppression.

"Xiao Qing, how did it go?" Elder Fu asked.

At the question, Liu Qing gave a dull grunt, and his expression turned even more grim.

"Yao Ye's demon core has been ruined, and he has been reduced to a cripple. Last night, he was secretly transferred away by the fiend race. I fell for a diversionary trick and lost him."

When Elder Fu heard that Yao Ye had been crippled, he shot to his feet with a start. His fury surged like a tidal wave, and he slammed both hands hard onto the table.

"Yao Ye has been crippled! Ah!"

The others, hearing that Yao Ye had been ruined, merely felt their hearts sink. But Elder Fu's reaction made them look at one another in bewilderment.

"Senior Yao Yan! I have failed you! I could not even protect your last surviving clansman! I have shamed you!"

Tears filled Elder Fu's eyes, and a wave of sorrow spread through the room. Everyone stared at him in astonishment.

Liu Qing raised his hand and gently dispelled the invisible pressure emanating from Elder Fu before standing up.

"From this moment on, I give the orders. Teacher Su Fei, the academy's teachers are under your command. Secretly organize all of them to protect the students' safety. In addition, any student leaving the academy must carry the identity token of his or her class. No one may be away for more than a day, and you must record every student who goes out. Protect them covertly."

Su Fei rose to her feet and clasped her fists in reply. "Yes!"

"Tang Ze! Assemble a group of inner-academy disciples and follow me to the front lines for tempering. Cancel all outside trials for academy disciples. From this day on, every student must go to the front lines for training and tempering!"

Tang Ze nodded solemnly and said nothing.

Liu Qing glanced at the grief-stricken Elder Fu, then spoke again.

"The entire Divine Wind Academy is to be placed under strict lockdown. Suspend all external recruitment of students. The date for resumption will be announced later."

Liu Qing slowly sat back down and waved everyone away. The teachers rose and left one after another. Tang Ze got to his feet as well, intending to depart, when Liu Qing called out to stop him.

"Tang Ze, Uncle Fu, I have something even more important for the two of you."

Elder Fu was lost in memory, his head lowered and his face full of self-reproach. Seeing this, Liu Qing offered words of comfort.

"Uncle Fu, you need not grieve. Yao Ye is not in any danger for the time being. As long as we can rescue him, his injuries can be healed. Do not forget, he is the master recognized by the Creation Cauldron!"

At those words, Elder Fu's eyes lit up. He seized Liu Qing's arm, his emotions surging.

"Is that true? That is right! That boy Yao Ye has always been skilled at creating miracles! Hahaha!"

Liu Qing shook his head helplessly and patted Elder Fu's hand.

"Uncle Fu, listen to me. So long as you do exactly as I say, you will be able to save Yao Ye."

"Good, good! Speak! Speak!"

Tang Ze also looked over with curiosity. Liu Qing clenched his fist, his eyes blazing with hatred.

"I want the two of you to gather every disciple who has returned from the front-line trials and organize them into an underground force. When the time comes, we will unify the Northern War Zone!"

Tang Ze and Elder Fu exchanged a glance, both shaking their heads in confusion. Then they both looked back at Liu Qing.

"Every time we hold the line on the front, the other two houses start making trouble. And now they even want to wipe out our Divine Wind Academy. This is intolerable!"

Tang Ze nodded in deep sympathy. "Dean, what do you plan to do?"

"Elder Fu, student training will be in your hands. But loyalty must be guaranteed. Tang Ze, select a group of people to handle intelligence gathering and processing. I want to know every move made by the other two academies, and I also want our people to secretly keep watch on every action of the demon clan."

"Dean, what about Peng Lei and the others?" Tang Ze asked.

Liu Qing rubbed his forehead lightly. "Peng Lei and the others will be your responsibility. You handle their ideological work. I still have other matters to attend to."

"Very well. We can discuss the rest later."

Seeing that Liu Qing was deep in thought, Tang Ze did not disturb him further. He and Elder Fu soon left in succession.

At that moment, laughter rang out from within the demon clan's great hall.

"Hahaha! The elders are truly remarkable. That Liu Qing has been made to dance in our palm!"

Chi Lian patted Xuan Tiangang on the shoulder. "Tiangang, I have seen your performance with my own eyes. You have rendered great service this time. I will have the leader reward you!"

Xuan Tiangang clasped his fists and bowed low. "To be able to serve the elders is my honor. I never expected any reward."

"Ah, Tiangang, you are too modest. You deserve praise for this. Come, let us go take a look at Yao Ye!"

After saying this, Mang Huang led Chi Lian and the others toward Xiong Batian's residence.