Emperor Qian was taken aback and raised an eyebrow at the composed expression on Xiao Yi's face, "What method? Let's hear it!"
Li Shengtian and the others also turned their attention to Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi walked straight up to Chen Shuiwen, who looked up at him with a puzzled expression.
Emperor Qian and the others were also full of confusion.
You want to prove your innocence?
A crisp sound left everyone dumbfounded.
They saw Xiao Yi deliver a clean and swift slap across Chen Shuiwen's face, sending him crashing to the ground, his head striking the floor violently and bursting open.
Li Shengtian and the others were dumbstruck.
Chen Shuiwen saw stars, felt dizzy, and looked at Xiao Yi with a face full of shock and anger, roaring, "You, you dare to hit me?"
Xiao Yi met him with a punch straight to Chen Shuiwen's face.
Chen Shuiwen fell backwards, blood spurting from his mouth and nose.
"In the Emperor's presence, how dare you be so reckless?" Li Shengtian and Tian Xiao's expressions changed rapidly as they angrily rebuked him.
This is the Imperial Study, in the presence of Emperor Qian.
Xiao Yi actually dared to strike without any regard?
However, Xiao Yi seemed not to hear the rebukes of the two and reached out into the air with his palm, his elemental energy forming chains that wrapped around Chen Shuiwen's body, lifting him into the air. Xiao Yi's face was expressionless, but his hands did not stop.
Punch after punch landed on Chen Shuiwen's body.
The strength of each punch was immense, showing no mercy.
The crowd went from initial bewilderment to numbness and shock.
Numb at Xiao Yi's audacity, beating Chen Shuiwen in front of Emperor Qian, and shocked at Xiao Yi's strength, that he could render the Tao Tribulation Realm Peak's Chen Shuiwen powerless to resist?
After a thorough beating,
Chen Shuiwen was left with a bruised and swollen face, four or five broken ribs, damaged internal organs, and a head swollen like a pig's.
Xiao Yi held up Chen Shuiwen as if holding up a dead dog.
Emperor Qian raised an eyebrow, "Xiao Yi, is this your method of proving your innocence?"
Xiao Yi nodded and said, "Your Majesty, if I wanted to deal with Chen Shuiwen, I have a hundred ways to kill him without anyone noticing. Do you think I need to frame him falsely?"
Emperor Qian uttered an "eh" sound, looking at Chen Shuiwen's pitiful state and said with a wry smile, "I suppose... not!"
Xiao Yi looked at Li Shengtian and Tian Xiao, "What do the two lords think?"
Li Shengtian and Tian Xiao looked at each other, at a loss for words.
Before coming, they had anticipated all the methods Xiao Yi might use, but they had never imagined that Xiao Yi would be so bold, so decisive. To beat Chen Shuiwen up in front of Emperor Qian to prove his innocence.
This made all the evidence and tactics they had prepared before completely useless!
In front of absolute power, all schemes and tricks are garbage!
Xiao Yi tossed Chen Shuiwen aside like a dead dog and bowed to Emperor Qian, "Your Majesty, it seems that the two lords also believe that I have been wronged!"
Emperor Qian cleared his throat and looked toward Li Shengtian and another adviser, "My dear subjects, what do you think?"
"With Xiao's strength, he indeed has no need to frame others; there must be other secrets behind this!" Tian Xiao said with a pained expression.
"It seems there is indeed some misunderstanding, however..."
Li Shengtian, unable to resign himself and unwilling to let Xiao Yi off so easily, begrudgingly said through gritted teeth, "Xiao Yi is stubborn and exclusive, making Xiaoshanhe Institute a mess is a fact. Now that the tutors have collectively left Xiaoshanhe Institute, and two-thirds of the disciples have also gone, I think this is all Xiao Yi's fault. He is not suitable to continue as the head of Xiaoshanhe Institute!"
"I see it the same way, he has only been in charge of Xiaoshanhe Institute for less than a month, and has already reduced it to nothing more than a name, I earnestly request Your Majesty to strip him of his position as the head of the institute!" Tian Xiao also said.
Emperor Qian narrowed his eyes, sizing up Xiao Yi, "Xiao Yi, what do you think?"
"May I ask Your Majesty, could Chen Shuiwen and the others possibly compare to two six-star Array Masters?" Xiao Yi inquired.
"Hmm? What do you mean by that?" Emperor Qian asked, puzzled.
"After expelling Chen Shuiwen, I have already recruited four Tao Tribulation Realm Peak powerhouses for Xiaoshanhe Institute, including two six-star Array Masters."
Xiao stood tall and spoke with confidence. After finishing, he turned to look at Li Shengtian, "May I ask Mr. Li, compared to each other, have my merits outweighed my faults? Or have my faults outweighed my merits?"
Li Shengtian's face changed slightly.
The strongest among Chen Shuiwen and his group was only Chen Shuiwen himself at the Tao Tribulation Realm Peak; how could they compare to four great Tao Tribulation Realm Peaks?
There were also two six-star Array Masters!
It's known that even among the Array Masters serving the royal family, the strongest are only at six-star level.
"If that is true, naturally the merits are greater. However, words alone are not proof..."
Li Shengtian said with a cold face, then added with disbelief, "Where are these four great experts you speak of? What are their identities? Six-star Array Masters, huh? There are only so many in the entire Great Qian Dynasty; I wonder who Mr. Xiao is referring to?"
Xiao Yi replied indifferently, "Li Youruo and Hai Wei from Three Seas Mountain, as well as the Purple-robed Monk Chen Ziyi and Li Jinjun from Wendao Villa."
Everyone, including Emperor Qian, felt a buzzing in their heads.
Li Youruo from Three Seas Mountain?
The Purple-robed Monk from Wendao Villa?
Not to mention the two renowned Array Masters, even Hai Wei and Li Jinjun had extraordinary backgrounds, being the representatives of Three Seas Mountain and Wendao Villa in the imperial city! These people were influential figures within their own sects.
How could they possibly betray their sects to join Xiaoshanhe Institute?
"Xiao Yi, the people you mentioned could never join Xiaoshanhe Institute, you're deceiving the Emperor..." Li Shengtian and Tian Xiao declared sternly.
"Deceiving the Emperor? Such a grave accusation!"
Xiao Yi leaned slightly forward, staring at the two, "What if everything I said was true?"
Li Shengtian snorted in derision. If Xiao Yi had mentioned someone else, he might have hesitated, but Li Youruo and the Purple-robed Monk? Renowned Array Masters and the public faces of Three Seas Mountain and Wendao Villa; how could they possibly betray their sects to join Xiaoshanhe Institute?
Li Shengtian defiantly said, "If what you say is true, I, Li, will let you deal with me as you please. However, if it is proven that your words are false, I will have you kneel before me to kowtow and apologize, and you will resign as the head of Xiaoshanhe Institute!"
Tian Xiao voiced his agreement, "I share the same sentiments!"
"Good, I've tolerated the two of you for quite some time now!"
Xiao Yi chortled coldly and casually presented the 'indenture agreements' signed by Chen Ziyi and Li Youruo, which he handed to Emperor Qian, "Please have a look, Your Majesty."
Emperor Qian glanced at the scroll.
His eyes twitched sharply, and with a sympathetic look at Li Shengtian and Tian Xiao, he said with a wry smile, turning to Xiao Yi, "As you wish, I'm going to take a nap!"
"Your Majesty, what do you mean by that?"
Li Shengtian and Tian Xiao were utterly baffled.
"What do I mean? His Majesty's words mean that I can honor our wager and give the two of you a sound beating!"
With a cold laugh, Xiao Yi, like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey, rushed forward, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks on the two men...