Chapter 91

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Chapter 91: The Killer Move

The news from the canyon reached the Cloud Boat swiftly.

Su Muyu frowned as she considered Minister Professor Yu’s directive to establish a checkpoint in the canyon. It was a shameless move, yet it adhered to the rules set by King Yan and the Mansion Master for this significant exam. As such, she could not oppose it outright.

What troubled her more was the emergence of someone who had disrupted this plan—someone who killed a ninth-level Qi Refining Stage cultivator while only at the sixth level.

She soon learned the name of this individual: Su Muzhi.

The name startled her. It bore a striking similarity to her own, but she dismissed the coincidence. Shared names were common in this vast world, especially when only two characters were involved.

Her attention shifted to Minister Professor Yu, who was frowning in thought. As their eyes met, Su Muyu instantly understood his intentions.

They both wanted Su Muzhi.

A sixth-level Qi Refining Stage cultivator who could kill a ninth-level counterpart was a rare genius, one worthy of any of the Four Great Sects.

Without hesitation, Su Muyu left the hall to confer with Prince Su Yucheng.

“Who is Su Muzhi, really?” Su Muyu asked. “Why have we heard nothing about him before? Could he be one of Minister Professor Yu’s people?”

Prince Su Yucheng, holding a list, replied, “According to this, Su Muzhi hails from a minor family in Yu Prefecture. I checked—it exists, and there’s some tenuous connection to our royal lineage.”

“Hmm,” Su Muyu murmured. “Dig deeper. Whether or not he was arranged by Minister Professor Yu, we must bring him to our side.”

“But what if Minister Professor Yu tries to recruit him as well?” Su Yucheng hesitated. “Though his agents clashed with Su Muzhi, if he decides to extend an olive branch, we might—”

“I’ll do whatever it takes.” Su Muyu’s tone was firm. “Even if it means using the Tianyuan Decree.”

Yucheng’s eyes widened in surprise. The Tianyuan Decree was a rare privilege, granting direct access to the inner mansion of Tianyuan Academy. It was reserved for extraordinary talents, and each faction could only use it three times a year.

Meanwhile, Minister Professor Yu was having a similar discussion with his advisors.

“Who is Su Muzhi?” he demanded. “And why have we not noticed him before? Could he be one of the Mansion Master’s agents?”

The answers he received were no different from Su Muyu’s.

“No matter what,” Minister Professor Yu declared, “this Su Muzhi killed Xiao Xiao with a single strike—a feat no ordinary cultivator could achieve. He must not slip through our fingers.”

“But, sir,” one advisor hesitated, “he embarrassed us by killing Xiao Xiao and causing the other seven to fail. If we attempt to recruit him, wouldn’t that be humiliating?”

“On the contrary,” Yu replied confidently, “our willingness to approach him despite the embarrassment will demonstrate sincerity. It may even work in our favor.”

As night fell, the big exam concluded. The students returned to the Cloud Boat, where the examiner began assessing their materials.

Of the nearly one thousand participants, fewer than two hundred had survived.

Innate Martial Artists suffered the heaviest losses, with only a little over one hundred making it back. The cultivators fared better, though less than forty returned. Those who perished had their pass tokens shattered.

On the deck, the tension was palpable as students lined up for their materials to be evaluated.

The Innate Martial Artists were assessed first.

Despite their high casualties, several strong contenders emerged. The top scorer had slain over a hundred strange beasts, earning a place in Tianyuan Academy’s outer mansion.

Next came the cultivators.

Among them was Wu Qing, an unassuming figure who stunned everyone by presenting materials from thirty spirit beasts, most of which were third- to fifth-grade.

When the examiner confirmed their validity, Wu Qing’s score was announced: 1,100 points.

The second-place score, by comparison, was a mere 500 points.

“Cheating! He must be cheating!”

Doubt filled the air as eyes turned toward Wu Qing.

Unfazed, Wu Qing stood calmly.

The examiner’s thorough inspection confirmed that all the materials were legitimate, collected within the allotted time and area.

Silence fell as respect replaced suspicion.

Wu Qing bowed respectfully to Minister Professor Yu, who responded with a warm smile.

At that moment, Su Muyu realized that Wu Qing had been Minister Professor Yu’s true trump card—not the eight cultivators sent to the canyon.

Her frustration grew. The ace she had prepared for this moment was nowhere to be seen.

The evaluation continued.

“Xu Zhou of Lianshan Sect, step forward!”

Xu Zhou’s materials earned him 790 points, placing him in second. He cast a smug glance at Yi Qianmo.

“Not bad,” Su Yucheng remarked to Su Muyu.

She nodded but remained silent, her thoughts elsewhere.

“Dongshan Prefecture Guan Shanqing, step forward!”

The examiner’s voice rang out, and Guan Shanqing, visibly anxious, stepped forward.