"Shadow Demon, have you not presented our prepared gift to Principal Chen yet?"
Xiao Yi turned his head to look at the Shadow Demon and said indifferently.
This remark immediately caught everyone's attention, and hundreds of thousands of people looked towards the Shadow Demon en masse.
Curiosity filled every pair of eyes.
This Chen Shuiwen was once the Vice Principal of Xiaoshanhe Institute. Now that he has established his own institute, it is clear that he intends to challenge Xiaoshanhe Institute. Xiao Yi had also brought people to the opening ceremony of the mountain to make Chen Shuiwen lose face.
Under such circumstances, what kind of gift could Xiao Yi possibly send?
Even Chen Shuiwen was bewildered.
Without any delay, the Shadow Demon stood up and walked in front of Chen Shuiwen, announcing loudly, "Principal Chen, my Principal Xiao has learned that your Shanhe Martial Arts Academy is hosting the mountain-opening ceremony today and has specially prepared a grand gift for you!"
Imitating Xiao Yi's manner, the Shadow Demon snapped his fingers twice.
Ten Tao Tribulation Realm powerhouses lined up in a single row and walked to the front gate of Shanhe Martial Arts Academy.
The confusion on everyone's faces intensified.
What kind of gift would require ten Tao Tribulation Realm powerhouses to act together?
All ten Tao Tribulation Realm powerhouses simultaneously raised their right hands and, in unison, gave Chen Shuiwen and the others the middle finger.
Nangong Shengtian: "..."
All the onlookers were dumfounded: "..."
Those ten raised middle fingers stood there provocatively, quite an eyesore!
"What do you mean by this?" Chen Shuiwen's face darkened.
The Shadow Demon laughed, "Don't be hasty, the gift is only now making its appearance!"
All ten of them emitted blinding vital energy glows from their bodies, which merged into the storage rings, and streaks of light flashed before their eyes. In front of each Tao Tribulation Realm powerhouse, a mast now stood.
Ten masts, each over ten meters tall.
All were erected in front of the gate of Shanhe Martial Arts Academy.
On those masts, corpses were hung one by one.
Each person had been impaled by the mast, and the naked bodies of over a hundred corpses hung before all to see.
Upon witnessing this scene, everyone was dumbstruck: "What, what is going on?"
"Xiao Yi actually sent over a hundred corpses to Chen Shuiwen?"
"Wait a minute... Look... Those seem to be people from Three Seas Mountain..."
"That's from Wendao Villa!"
"And that's... Xue Yilou? People from the Nangong & Beitang Families..."
A series of exclaims erupted one after another.
Like a flood breaking its banks, they could no longer be contained and spread among the crowd.
Chen Shuiwen's face turned extremely pale.
Nangong Shengtian, Beitang Feng, the Sword Inquiry Taoist, Yun Ruowang, and others had eyes bloodshot red, struggling to breathe while staring at the corpses hanging from the masts.
Just a moment before.
They had thought Xiao Yi was lucky not to have encountered the likes of Xue Mantian.
They finally understood why there had been no word from Xue Mantian.
They had been killed by Xiao Yi!
The Sword Inquiry Taoist, with eyes burning red, stared intently at Xiao Yi. The fluctuations of the Dharma Manifestation Realm radiated from him. But just as he was about to take action, the Shadow Demon and Fu Yuan stepped forward together. Although their auras were not as strong as that of the Sword Inquiry Taoist, they still caused his momentum to abruptly falter.
Xiao Yi stepped out from the crowd, smiling at Chen Shuiwen and the others, "Ladies and gentlemen, do you like my gift?"
Chen Shuiwen and the others gritted their teeth so hard they wished they could tear Xiao Yi into pieces alive.
Xiao Yi smiled and said, "These people dared to ambush and attempt to kill me in Linhai. Luckily, I have great fortune and barely managed to dodge a calamity. It seems that these few have a close relationship with you, so I have specifically brought back their bodies for you, to lay them to rest properly!"
Nangong Shengtian and the others were either gritting their teeth, clenching their fists, or seething with rage...
Each of them was on the verge of losing control.
Even though they could arrange for people to assassinate Xiao Yi in secret, they absolutely could not admit it publicly. After all, Xiao Yi was the head of the Xiaoshanhe Institute, personally appointed by Emperor Qian. If they dared to openly send people to assassinate Xiao Yi, it would be a slap in the face of the royal family.
Although with their strength, even Emperor Qian wouldn't easily provoke them.
Still, it was a dishonorable act.
If it fell into the hands of Emperor Qian, becoming a handle against them, the loss would outweigh the gain.
The Sword Inquiry Taoist clenched his teeth tightly and said in a deep voice, "Head Xiao is joking, I don't know these people!"
Yun Ruowang also said, "These people dare to impersonate our forces, it must be an attempt to provoke discord. Head Xiao, please don't be fooled!"
"How could we possibly send someone to assassinate you?"
"Head Xiao, there must be a misunderstanding here!"
Everyone spoke in turn.
"A misunderstanding?"
Xiao Yi raised an eyebrow and with a playful look, which glided over the individuals, said with a smile that was not quite a smile, "I was thinking, all of you are reputable individuals in the Great Qian Dynasty. How could you engage in such lowly acts? Since they're not your people, I will have to deal with these bodies myself!"
"Head Xiao, it's also good for us to keep their bodies!" Yun Ruowang and the others said.
Not to mention that these bodies served as evidence.
Just the Martial Dao Divine Fruits from the three Dharma Manifestation Realm and Tao Tribulation Realm powerhouses, like Xue Mantian, were treasures of immeasurable value. If they could recollect the bodies and take their Martial Dao Divine Fruits, they could create many powerhouses.
"There's no need to trouble yourselves, as my Xiaoshanhe Institute is about to hold the Genius Battle, and we're actually in need of some rewards. I hereby announce that the top three winners of the Genius Battle will receive the Martial Dao Divine Fruits from these three Dharma Manifestation Realm powerhouses, and the top twenty will receive this Tao Tribulation Realm Martial Dao Divine Fruit!"
Xiao Yi interrupted Yun Ruowang and the others' wishful thinking with an air of righteousness, then turned to look at the several hundred thousand powerhouses and announced loudly, "As all of you can see, my Xiaoshanhe Institute has four Dharma Manifestation Realm powerhouses, over a hundred Tao Tribulation Realm powerhouses, a Seven-Star Alchemist, and two Six-Star Array Masters. Moreover, my Xiaoshanhe Institute has established cooperation with the Treasure Pavilion. As long as the disciples of my institute have sufficient talent and cultivation, we will not limit the supply of medicinal pills!"
These words, like oil on fire, instantly ignited the crowd.
The sea of people roiled, and shouts resounded to the skies.
"Top three get Dharma Manifestation Realm Martial Dao Divine Fruit, top twenty get Tao Tribulation Realm Martial Dao Divine Fruit... with such rewards, who needs the Shanhe Martial Arts Academy?"
"As long as we have enough talent and strength, they won't limit the supply of medicinal pills, can it be possible?"
"What's impossible? Xiaoshanhe Institute has a cooperation with the Treasure Pavilion, plus that Master Fu Yuan, means Xiaoshanhe Institute has two Seven-Star Alchemists. Medicinal pills are nothing to them!"
"Hurry and go sign up for the Genius Battle!"
"I must join Xiaoshanhe Institute..."
Among the several hundred thousand people present, there was a tumultuous uproar, fluctuating like waves one after another.
Listening to the crowd's shouting and talking.
The faces of Chen Shuiwen's group were as dark as the bottom of a pot, and they watched helplessly as powerhouse after powerhouse left the Shanhe Martial Arts Academy, signifying that the plans they had spent countless resources constructing over these days, had already been defeated.
Xiao Yi looked towards Yu Huaxian in the crowd and said, "What are you still standing around for? Didn't you see that everyone is going to participate in the Genius Battle? Go and get ready!"
Yu Huaxian promptly nodded and led people away into the sky.
The stream of people also turned into a black steel torrent, heading towards Xuanwu Square.
Xiao Yi gave a fist salute to Chen Shuiwen, "Head Chen, I won't disturb your opening ceremony anymore. I wish your Shanhe Martial Arts Academy a thriving influx of students and talent that astonishes the world, ha ha ha!"
"Xiao Yi, I will not share the sky with you..."
Chen Shuiwen's face turned from red to white, anger causing him to spit out a mouthful of fresh blood, and he fainted dead away...