The person sitting in front of Fang Jie seemed unfamiliar to him.
When he awoke from his dazed state, Fang Jie found himself in an unfamiliar place. This wasn't the shop he rented, nor the Sanjin Marquis's residence, nor his dormitory at the Martial Arts Academy. The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was a stranger with a gloomy face. Then he noticed the brightly colored flying fish robe the man was wearing. He tried to raise his hand to rub his throbbing forehead, but found he couldn't lift his arm at all.
He looked down and saw the thick iron chains binding him.
Fang Jie subconsciously bit his tongue, then confirmed that he wasn't dreaming.
The pain in his right arm was still there, as was the pain in his chest, but his Martial Arts Academy uniform had been stripped off at some point, leaving him only in a white outfit. The chains were thick and sturdy, secured to the stone bed at both ends. Although they weren't very tight, Fang Jie had no chance of breaking free.
Fang Jie hadn't seen the person sitting before him before, though he was familiar with the flying fish robe. He had seen Luo Weiran and Hou Wenji, the one-armed, cold-faced fellow. Fang Jie vaguely felt a sense of familiarity, but couldn't pinpoint where it came from.
It was a stone chamber, dimly lit. If it weren't for the oil lamp, it would be pitch black. The chamber was also empty; besides the stone bed and the chair beside it, the only decorations were the various torture instruments hanging on the walls.
Fang Jie couldn't sit up; he was chained to the stone bed and could only lie down. So, to see the person beside him, he had to turn his head to one side. Maintaining this position for too long would make his neck ache.
"Surprised?"
The one-armed man sitting beside Fang Jie, seeing he was awake, waited for Fang Jie to adjust before asking.
Fang Jie recalled what had happened before he lost consciousness and found it somewhat laughable. Professor Mo Wanwu took him to Half-Moon Mountain, initially thinking it was just a routine competition. He figured it would be a relaxing escape from the heat, and he could also try the delicious six-gilled fish Mo Wanwu had described. He treated it like an outing, something he often did in his school days.
He ate the six-gilled fish, and it was indeed delicious.
Half-Moon Mountain was indeed cool, without a trace of summer heat.
Shortly after eating the fish, Fang Jie realized the competition was anything but easy. Approaching the encampment of Yuan Chengshi and his men, he discovered ten students were missing. He quietly slipped away and soon found Liu Shuang and Marilyn. But when he arrived, Liu Shuang was already dead.
When Fang Jie saw the young Buddhist monk, he realized the competition was a conspiracy. At that moment, Fang Jie's anger was uncontrollable. It wasn't just anger at Mo Wanwu, nor just anger at the innocent deaths of his students, nor just anger at seeing Chen Ya.
This anger was almost unbearable for him.
This was the first time in his life he had chosen to trust anyone other than Mu Xiaoyao and the others, and he felt that those he trusted were truly trustworthy. Even he had never fully trusted Daquan, Mu Xiaoyao, and Shen Qingshan, because he was certain they were hiding something from him. That's why his anger was so intense; perhaps he was simply hating himself for being so foolish as to choose to trust people he barely knew.
He fainted in Marilyn's arms, and when he awoke, he was in this stone chamber. Although Fang Jie's head was throbbing and he was still somewhat dazed, he could guess where he was. Hearing the man ask him a question, he didn't look at the flying fish robe anymore, but instead focused intently on the torture instruments on the wall he was leaning against. Although the light was dim, Fang Jie could see even the smallest parts of the instruments.
After a long while, Fang Jie shook his head: "Nothing surprising."
He paused, then looked directly upwards and asked, "Could I have some water? Of course, I wouldn't refuse any food if you could give me some."
"No problem."
The one-armed man in the flying fish robe stood up, smiling at Fang Jie, and said, "You're not yet ready to die, so you'll have water and food. If you'd like, I can even help you unlock your chains."
"Don't be shy."
Fang Jie smiled slightly: "This is good, at least it lets me..." "Calm down."
"I must say... you command my respect."
The one-armed man sighed softly. "If it were me, one moment I'd be the second-best genius in the Sui Dynasty in a hundred years, a young talent praised and admired by His Majesty, the top student in the Martial Arts Academy. The next moment, half-dead and chained up, locked in some unknown stone chamber. I would go crazy, completely out of control."
Fang Jie smiled and said, "Could you please move the chain on my chest a little inch to the left?"
The one-armed man hesitated for a moment, then didn't refuse. He moved the chain and asked, "Why?"
"It's pressing on my wound, it's a bit uncomfortable."
Fang Jie said, "Thank you, goodbye."
The one-armed man stood there for a long time, then turned and walked out of the stone chamber without saying another word to Fang Jie, without looking back. After leaving the room, he pushed open a thick iron gate, walked through a dark corridor several meters long, and emerged into another stone chamber, but this one was large and bright. Sunlight streamed through the window, a stark contrast to the hellish darkness of the stone chamber.
"How is he? He's awake?"
"Awake?"
"No crying, no fussing, no struggling?"
"No."
"He's a smart man."
The man who had spoken to the one-armed man nodded slightly, then ordered in a very serious tone: "No one is allowed to torture him without my order. If I find out anyone has touched him, don't blame me for being ruthless. Also, if Mr. Zhuo comes… tell him it's His Majesty's will, and I can't stop him. And if anyone from the Martial Arts Academy comes, don't stop them from seeing Fang Jie."
"Don't touch Fang Jie's companions yet. Set up guards outside the Marquis of Sanjin's residence. Don't disturb them as long as they don't leave Chang'an."
"What about Commander Mu?"
The one-armed man asked. "I'll transfer her on official business. Once she returns, this matter should be settled."
The person who gave the order was also dressed in a flying fish robe and a Liang crown, but his robe was slightly different from the one-armed man's. Only two people in the Imperial Guard were qualified to wear this attire: Luo Weiran and him… Hou Wenji.
"The Garrison Commander…"
The one-armed man hesitated for a moment before asking, "I don't understand. Since this is His Majesty's and Dean Zhou's decision, why be so polite to Fang Jie? With the methods our Intelligence Bureau uses in investigations, few can keep any secrets."
"Nothing is absolute."
Hou Wenji smiled, turned, and walked out. "Do as I say. If Fang Jie is doomed, make sure he lives as comfortably as possible before he dies."
"I understand."
The one-armed man nodded, his attitude humble.
…
…
Bang!
A loud crash followed, and the precious golden nanmu table shattered into pieces. Splinters and items on the table flew everywhere, some even landing on the old man opposite. A teacup flew through the air, spilling its slightly hot tea, which also splattered onto the old man. But he seemed neither angry nor reacted.
He was one of the most distinguished people in the Great Sui Dynasty; he was the dean of the Great Sui Martial Arts Academy. Since he became dean, no one had dared to smash his table or point a finger at him to question him.
But today, he endured not only splinters and tea, but also boundless rage.
"Give me a reason!"
The one who smashed Dean Zhou's table with her fist was Professor Qiu Yu. Her eyes seemed to bulge out in her agitation and anger, making her appear particularly eerie. Her expression was incredibly ferocious; no one could be sure if she would kill someone at any moment. The people standing outside Dean Zhou's room, including Professor Yan Qing and the heavily injured Mo Wanwu being supported, dared not push open the door to intervene.
They exchanged glances and could only manage bitter smiles.
"This table is very expensive. If sold, it would be enough to support an average family for three years."
Dean Zhou brushed his belongings off his clothes, shook his head, and said, "Can't you change your temper? It hasn't changed at all in all these years."
"Answer me!"
Qiu Yu rolled his eyes, staring directly into Dean Zhou's eyes, his anger overflowing uncontrollably. "Actually, you understand it yourself."
Dean Zhou looked at her, remained silent for a moment, and then said to Qiu Yu, "When I first met that little guy, I told him this. His miracle is a miracle that His Majesty has nurtured. His Majesty will not allow anyone to easily destroy this miracle. Especially now, with the war about to begin in the Northwest, this miracle has many uses. But if he cannot satisfy His Majesty, then His Majesty will definitely destroy him personally. And if this miracle itself poses a threat to His Majesty, then it must be eliminated as soon as it is confirmed."
"Why!"
Qiu Yu roared, "What I need to know now is why! He's only been in the Martial Arts Academy for ten days, what did he do wrong?! Why were you certain ten days ago that he might become a master like Luo Yao, and today you've sent him to the secret prison of the Imperial Guard?! Why were you agreeing ten days ago to help him understand his body, and ten days later you've become the executioner who ruined his future and even his life!"
"Give me an answer!"
She slammed her fist against the wall beside her. She smashed through the wall with a single punch, but it didn't end there. A hurricane swept through the next room, destroying everything inside. Then, another wall, unable to withstand the pressure, crumbled and collapsed instantly, as if hit by a bomb.
"I told you, you're not an idiot. You already have the answer in your heart."
Dean Zhou frowned slightly, but didn't seem angry.
"All I know is that a student who trusted me has been sent to death row."
Qiu Yu said in a chilling tone, "And those who sent him there were the people he trusted most, the people he respected most. The dean of the Martial Arts Academy, whom he had worked so hard to get into, and his mentor. Such a shameless act coming from the Martial Arts Academy makes me feel unworthy of being called a teacher."
"Three students died."
Dean Zhou said, "This is something I didn't expect."
"What the hell did you expect!"
Qiu Yu took a step forward, glaring fiercely at Dean Zhou.
"That young monk's finger strike was so powerful that even Mo Wanwu couldn't withstand it, right? But his finger strike only pierced Fang Jie's chest skin, unable to penetrate further. Fang Jie's arm was twisted into a pretzel, but it almost automatically healed overnight. You know all this… You're the person who understands his physique best, even better than I do."
Dean Zhou said, word by word, "So you understand even better what this means."
"That's just a fucking legend! What right do you have to ruin a person because of a rumor? Do you have that right? Just because you're the dean of the Martial Arts Academy?!"
Qiu Yu was on the verge of exploding, like a bloodthirsty prehistoric beast. "I do."
Dean Zhou stood up and looked at Qiu Yu earnestly, saying, "Even if this is just a rumor, you should know that it's not entirely unfounded. In this world… besides the Buddhist sect, even besides the most secretive members, who else could possess such a physique? Actually, you yourself understand very well; from the beginning, you knew that Fang Jie's physique was the legendary innate indestructible body of a Buddhist disciple. A Buddhist disciple who appeared in the Sui Dynasty, and His Majesty, after learning of him… hasn't killed him yet—that's already his luck."
"Each generation of Great Wheel Kings changes hands, selecting the most suitable person from among several Buddhist disciples. This person is then taken to a secret chamber in the Golden Hall by the previous Great Wheel King. Seven days later, the new Great Wheel King emerges from the chamber, and the old King disappears from sight. No one knows how the Great Wheel King completes the succession in seven days, but there's no doubt that these Buddhist disciples possess extraordinary strength and physique. And the first thing the new King does upon ascending the lotus throne is to kill the other Buddhist disciples. From this, we can see that those Buddhist disciples..." It might even threaten King Ming! "
"The new King Maharaja is still afraid of other Buddhist disciples, but what about Your Majesty?"
"Fang Jie... has such a physique. Moreover, his origins are indeed unknown. If he is really just an ordinary frontier army scout, why are there experts protecting him? Even the Ouchi Guards Office can't find out his origins, is there any problem? You should know that several people around him are considered experts. Even a governor in the Sui Dynasty may not be able to spend money to hire people like Shen Qingshan as bodyguards!"
Qiu Yu took a few deep breaths, and then asked: "If he is really a disciple of the Buddha Sect, then why did he come to Chang'an? If he really wanted to plot something against the Sui Dynasty, why did he enter the Yanwu Academy? He didn't want to hide his identity when he entered the Yanwu Academy, so why did he agree to study his physique? Why!"
"So he's not dead yet."
Dean Zhou said seriously: "There is no conclusion on this matter. Your Majesty is waiting for the answer from the Ouchi Guards."
"You suspected him from the beginning, right?"
Qiu Yu asked.
Dean Zhou was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. "I am the dean of the Martial Arts Academy. Anything detrimental to the Great Sui Dynasty must be taken seriously. You asked me before why I do this… I can only say that if you were in my position, you would do the same."
"No!"
Qiu Yu shook her head firmly. "I will never become like you, sir!"
She turned abruptly, kicking the door open. As she stepped outside, she saw Mo Wanwu's apologetic face. Before he could say anything, Qiu Yu cursed two words, then punched him, sending him flying a considerable distance before landing.
"Bastard!"