Chapter 186: The Heart of the Matter  

The treasures that He Tian and Qian Zhen would have received ultimately ended up in Chu Feng and Yun Bing's hands. He Tian and Qian Zhen were escorted away by soldiers just as the respective clan heads walked in.

"Commander Yan, I heard there was a thief, and that the national treasury's defense system was hacked! Is my son alright?" He Liancheng, the head of the He clan, inquired. He had noticed that his son and Qian Zhen seemed to be the only two hunters who were missing. His words didn't seem particularly threatening, but his tone wasn't friendly, either. He glanced menacingly at Zhang Lie as he spoke.

"Right! Haven't you heard the rumors? I was told that the thief was the champion of the nationwide tournament, Zhang Lie! Commander Yan, this matter must be investigated carefully—the reputation of the military is at stake!" After He Liancheng spoke, so did Qian Zhenbei. Just like their sons, they too worked in tandem to place the blame of the entire affair on Zhang Lie.

However, Zhang Lie only smiled as he glanced at the two clan heads.

Yan Long's face grew darker as the two clan heads continued to speak. magic

"Clan Head He, Clan Head Qian, are the two of you really here just to check up on your sons?" Yan Long questioned them.

He Liancheng and Qian Zhenbei blanched, but before they could defend themselves, Yan Long continued, "Don't you know just what your sons did?"

"What? Commander Yan, surely you wouldn't accuse our sons without any proof? Just what could they have done?" He Liancheng replied.

"Right, Commander Yan, what do you mean? Where are our sons? Surely you wouldn't let them be the scapegoats just to shield someone else of blame, would you?" Qian Zhenbei glared at Zhang Lie.

"Scapegoat? I think not, clan heads. He Tian and Qian Zhen were caught with the stolen goods in their hands!" Zhang Lie finally spoke up, all but cackling in glee.

"How dare you interrupt our conversation with Commander Yan!" He Liancheng retorted.

"As a victim of the crime, don't you think I have a right to speak? Just who do you think?you?are? Are all the major clan heads of the capital so petty?" He Liancheng was used to dominating others with his authority, but Zhang Lie didn't care for his tricks.

"Insolence!" Qian Zhenbei called out, genetic energy exploding from his body.

"And just what do you think you're doing, Clan Head Qian?!" Yan Long slammed a fist on the table. They were at military headquarters—just what made the He and Qian clan heads so bold as to ignore his authority here? Of course, He Liancheng and Qian Zhenbei's goal was solely to terrify Zhang Lie, but their actions had completely backfired.

"I apologize, Official Yan. It's true that we've been a bit too rash, but we're simply concerned about the sanctity of our nation's treasury!"

"Indeed! The military and the world federation must maintain its trust in the public eye," the two of them replied, adapting another tactic against Zhang Lie.

"Don't you think I can see through your manipulative ploys? Do you really want me to imprison every member of both your clans?!" Yan Long spat out, activating his own genetic energy. Caught by shock, even Zhang Lie began finding it hard to breathe, let alone the other hunters around him.

He Liancheng and Qian Zhenbei, who suffered the brunt of Yan Long's aura, fared even more poorly. The two of them were forced onto one knee as they paled.

"Official Yan, please calm down! We never intended to be disrespectful to you!"

"We—"

"Enough! Within the day, hand over all hunters who participated in hacking the treasury's defenses. Otherwise, not even your ancestors will be able to save you! He Tian and Qian Zhen will be disqualified from participating in the worldwide tournament. I expect the two of you to end any grudges you have against Zhang Lie and behave the way major clans should. Do you understand?"

As one of the three heads of the Chinese branch of the world federation's military, Yan Long had encountered more than his fair share of intrigue and plotting. After he went over the day's events in his head, he had more or less figured out just what was going on.

He Liancheng and Qin Zhenbei couldn't have expected that Official Yan, who had always been on good terms with them, would end their relationship so brusquely just for Zhang Lie alone. If Yan Long wanted to take their clans both down, all he needed to do was send out a message. Even more frightening were his piercing eyes, which seemed to see through all their deceit,

"Yes, Official Yan!" Against an infuriated Yan Long, the two clan heads had no choice but to grit their teeth and suffer the loss.

Yan Long then turned to Zhang Lie. Before he could speak, Zhang Lie had already begun to pledge, "I won't provoke anyone unless they do so first, Official Yan. From today onwards, I won't bear the He or Qian clans any grudges. As long as they don't attack me, I won't attack them either."

Yan Long smiled at Zhang Lie. ?"In that case, let's settle matters with this. You'll announce to the media that there was a malfunction in the treasury's defense system. Because of the injuries that they suffered, He Tian and Qian Zhen will have no choice but to drop out of the Void Cup. I'm sure your clans are also responsible for spreading these malicious rumors around—you don't need me to tell you what to do, do you?"

"Yes, Official Yan, we understand!" Yan Long sent for his subordinates to hand over He Tian and Qian Zhen, ending the fiasco that had riveted the capital for one entire afternoon. The He and Qian clans swore never to provoke Zhang Lie in the future, and Team Zenith returned from the capital to Ning.

After the nationwide tournament, there would be a month-long break before the worldwide tournament, giving Zhang Lie plenty of time for his own affairs.

There were quite a few more disciples who had broken through, but still a fair number who hadn't. Xu Xiu and Ding Qiang were concerned about the disciples who persistently failed every trial, but they didn't know how to tackle the problem. After they notified Zhang Lie, he personally went to observe the disciples' training.

His gaze finally landed on Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen. His two apprentices' expressions were calm as they repeated a few moves over and over again, infrequently incorporating some genetic energy into their attacks.

Unlike the other disciples, they focused not merely on their framework, but also on honing every part of their body, likewise some knowledge they had obtained over the course of their struggles in the dimensional world.

As time passed, a number of disciples were unable to bear the high-intensity training. They walked out of the chamber and began to cool down, but Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen remained, gritting their teeth as they forced their bodies to higher and higher heights.

"Xu Xiu, Ding Qiang, how are my two apprentices doing?"

"Very well, Dojo Leader Zhang! They're the two best students of this entire cohort." Indeed, both of them had given the two youths quite a few pointers while Zhang Lie wasn't around.

"It looks like their trial in the dimensional world was worth it, after all." Zhang Lie inclined his head. Once the two of them developed further, they would both be forces to be reckoned with. "Have them come find me after the training," he told the two instructors, then moved on.

Moments later, as Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen walked out of the training chamber, Xu Xiu and Ding Qiang passed on the message to them. Their eyes both lit up: this was the moment they had been waiting for! They raced toward Zhang Lie's office in the dojo. Xu Xiu, looking at their backs, seemed a little perplexed.

"What's the matter? Were you hoping that Jiuxiao would become your apprentice?" Ding Qiang teased.

"No... no, no, forget it—it had to be a figment of my imagination!" Xu Xiu sighed.

Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen rushed to the dojo leader's office, but they didn't dare knock.

"Come in." Just as they hesitated and looked toward each other, Zhang Lie's voice came through the closed door. They gulped and headed in to see Zhang Lie glancing calmly at them.

"Dojo Leader!" they called out nervously.

"You're still calling me Dojo Leader? Both of you have passed my trial, and you're my apprentices now. Isn't it time to change your mode of address?" Zhang Lie replied, smiling. Jun Jiuxiao and Ye Xianchen's faces brightened up.

"Yes, Master!"

"Now that you're my apprentices, I'll have to be more invested in your growth and future development. Do you know what you're striving to accomplish in the future?" Zhang Lie was certain that, after they experienced the cruelty of the dimensional world for themselves, they would quickly mature and strive toward new goals.

"I want to become strong," Ye Xianchen replied without any hesitation. On the other hand, beside her, Jun Jiuxiao hesitated for a long moment before he finally said, "I want to become the strongest!"