Xia Ziheng looked at the records of Hao Yu's whereabouts. "He went to the Blue Moon District these past few days?"
A man answered, "Yes, he clashed with Xia Ru from the Blue Moon District, and he even made Xia Ru kneel in front of everyone."
"When?"
Xia Ziheng asked.
The man replied, "Three days ago. According to the traces, it should be around the same time as the sect master's death."
Xia Ziheng looked in the direction of the Blue Moon District's Xia Confucian and did some calculations. "Tell Xia Ru to come over. No," he looked at the man. "Go to Xia Confucian personally as fast as you can. When you return, tell me the time and bring Xia Ru to me."
"Yes, sir." The man then vanished.
Xia Ziheng's eyes flashed, and he looked up. The sect master was missing, and he didn't know if he was dead or alive. Who could have done this?
The Realmless only cared about money, so if they were the ones who had taken action, someone would have definitely bribed them. The price for them to assassinate the Divine Martial Sect's sect master was definitely not small, and the person who had bribed them had to have a powerful background. Yu Hao alone was unlikely, unless there was someone else behind him.
Who else could it be besides Divine Master Gu Yan?
Xia Ziheng suddenly realized that Yu Hao's appearance was too sudden and troublesome.
Not only did they have to think of a way to rope in Heavenly Teacher Gu Yan, but they also had to involve the Frigid Immortal Sect and Yixian Academy. Although it didn't seem like Heavenly Teacher Gu Yan had anything to do with it, and all he wanted to do was take revenge on Xia Zhitong and the others, it didn't seem that simple.
He did not believe that Xia Xing's death was a coincidence.
Lu Yin, who was far away in Yi Xian Academy, did not know that Shenwu Plane had begun investigating Xia Xing's disappearance. Shenwu Plane was the first to learn of this matter, and it would spread throughout the Four Continents before finally reaching him.
Once he knew, it meant that the entire Cosmic Tree knew as well.
Lu Yin continued to attend classes as usual and lockbreak for his students as if nothing had happened.
At the border of the Huaiyuan River, the man returned with Xia Ru. Xia Ziheng also knew when the man had returned.
Xia Ru stood there respectfully. Xia Ziheng was the Patriarch of the Xia Clan's first major branch. Not only that, he was also a Half-Martial Ancestor. Not even the Xia Clan Patriarch would dare to slight him. The difference between them was like the difference between heaven and earth. Xia Ru had never dreamed that he would one day be able to talk to such a person.
Xia Ziheng looked at Xia Ru. This person was a standard branch of the Xia Family. He trembled with fear in the face of superiors. This was the Xia Family's motto. A branch could never go against the main branch. The more remote a branch was, the lower its status. This was the only way to ensure that the main branch of the Xia Family was absolutely orthodox.
"Don't be nervous, you're Xia Ru, right?" Xia Ziheng said indifferently, trying to speak slowly.
Xia Ru took a deep breath. "Xia Ru greets Patriarch Ziheng."
Xia Ziheng replied, "I called you here to ask you something. Don't be too nervous."
Xia Ru replied respectfully, "Please speak, Ancestor. I will tell you everything I know."
Xia Ziheng nodded. "Let me ask you, did Yuhao go to your place?"
Xia Ru's face turned pale. He looked at Xia Ziheng nervously. "Patriarch Ziheng, he, he did go to my place."
"Tell me the details, especially the time. Tell me everything you said to him," Xia Ziheng said slowly.
Xia Ru gulped. How did this matter reach Half-Martial Ancestor Ziheng's ears? He was a Half-Martial Ancestor. Why would he care about such things?
Could it be that he knew about the matter between him and Xia Zhitong?
That shouldn't be the case. How could he and Xia Zhitong enter the eyes of a Half-Martial Ancestor?
"Hmm?"
Xia Ziheng glared at him. "What, you're not willing?"
Xia Ru hurriedly replied, "I'm willing, of course I'm willing. It's just that I'm thinking of how to be more specific. I don't dare to say anything wrong."
Xia Ziheng was satisfied. This was the attitude of a remote branch of the Xia Family. They were so respectful that they wouldn't dare to disobey even if they had to die.
Xia Ru seriously recalled what had happened that day. He didn't miss a single word, not even a single action. He spoke clearly.
Following his description, the scene of Yu Hao causing trouble for them appeared clearly in Xia Ziheng's mind. The time was about the same as when Xia Xing had battled with someone at Shenwu Heaven. Based on the time taken to travel between the two places, it couldn't have been Yu Hao. He didn't have the time to travel back and forth. Unless he arrived instantly, only a Half-Martial Ancestor could do that.
Xia Ru confirmed that the person who had caused trouble for them was definitely Yu Hao.
Yu Hao was just an Envoy, so there was no way he could have done that.
Although it wasn't Yu Hao who had done it, he couldn't rule out the possibility that he had spread the news that Xia Xing was coming to the Middle Realm.
One day later, Xia Ziheng arrived at Yixian Academy to look for Lu Yin, which naturally attracted Dean Wen's attention.
"Half-Martial Ancestor Ziheng, I've already said what I wanted to say last time. Unless Sect Master Xia Xing guarantees it, I won't believe you," Lu Yin said in front of Dean Wen.
Xia Ziheng stared at Lu Yin. "The sect master will definitely guarantee it, but there's something I need to ask you."
"Xia Ziheng, what do you mean?
Mister Hao Yu has already made himself clear. Why don't you just ask Xia Xing to come here? "Dean Wen was getting impatient.
Xia Ziheng looked at Lu Yin. "Did Mister Hao Yu go to the Xia family in the Green Moon District and have a conflict with them?"
Dean Wen looked at Lu Yin in astonishment.
Lu Yin didn't avoid the topic. "That's right."
"Tell me the details," Xia Ziheng said.
Dean Wen frowned. "Xia Ziheng, is there a need for a Half-Martial Ancestor like you to come here?
Since when did your Xia family value the branch families so much? "
Xia Ziheng replied, "Regardless of whether it's the main branch or the branch families, they're all members of my Xia family. There's nothing to value."
Dean Wen laughed as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the universe. Xia Ziheng was in a bad mood because of what had happened to Xia Xing. "Wen, what do you mean?
Are you looking down on my Xia family? "
Dean Wen laughed so hard that he almost couldn't breathe. "This is really the biggest joke in the history of the Astral Tree. No, this is the biggest joke in human history.
Hahahaha. "
Lu Yin also wanted to laugh. If the Xia family claimed to be second in terms of oppressing the branch families, then no one would dare claim to be first. No, there was one: the Daynight clan. They had used the Cage Technique to enslave the Nightking bloodline, but strictly speaking, the Nightking bloodline wasn't considered a branch family.
Xia Ziheng smashed the stone table in anger. "Wen Lai, are you mocking my Xia family?"
Dean Wen let out a long breath with a smile on his face. "If your Xia family really valued the branch families, then it wouldn't have been suppressed by the Frigid Immortal Sect. Your Xia family's history would have another name: Xia Shang."
Xia Ziheng's eyes narrowed. Xia Shang was a taboo name in the Xia family, and no one dared to mention it.
"No, no, I remember now. Xia Shang's name is in your Xia family's genealogy. Speaking of which, you guys are really ruthless. Back then, you removed his name from the genealogy and tried your best to kill him. When he became a Progenitor and even became one of the Nine Mountains and Eight Seas, you guys approached him and added him to the genealogy without even waiting for his consent.
What's even more laughable is that after Progenitor Nan's incident, you guys actually tried to remove his name. If not for the Lu family not being able to tolerate it, you guys would have done so. What a joke, what a joke. "Dean Wen laughed.
Lu Yin was bewildered. Something like that had happened?
Xia Ziheng's face flushed red. This matter was truly shameful for the Xia family. It was precisely because of this that Xia Shang's name was taboo in the Xia family.
"Back then, it was because of the Lu family's protection that you guys had no choice but to keep Xia Shang's name. In order to protect his reputation, you guys risked your lives in the battle against the Sixth Mainland. In order to prevent the younger generation from knowing about this matter, you guys did everything you could to cover it up. You never mentioned the grudges between you and Progenitor Chen. Even now, the younger generation of the Xia family still believes that Progenitor Chen is their ancestor and that he's the greatest Progenitor that your Xia family has ever produced."
"Shut up!" Xia Ziheng angrily attacked. Dean Wen's gaze turned cold, and he waved his hand, causing countless words to trap Xia Ziheng. "Xia Ziheng, this is Yi Xian Academy, not your Shenwu Plane."
Xia Ziheng's eyes were filled with intense killing intent. "You're insulting the Shenwu Plane."
Dean Wen laughed. "I'm just speaking the truth. You guys did it before, so why are you afraid of others talking about it?"
Xia Ziheng clenched his fists, but he did not attack again. He glared at Dean Wen as if he wanted to carve this image into his mind.
Dean Wen waved his hand, causing the Words Prison to disappear. "Forget it. I can't be bothered to talk about the past. However, Mister Haoyu is a member of Yi Xian Academy, so I have to be present if there's anything."
Xia Ziheng released his grip, but there was a chill in the depths of his eyes. He turned to look at Lu Yin and softened his tone. "Tell me why you're causing trouble for Xia Ru."
Lu Yin suppressed the strange feeling that he had just heard and asked curiously, "Is a mere Xia Ru worth Half-Ancestor Ziheng coming here to denounce him?"
Xia Ziheng grew impatient. "The Divine Martial Sect's Sect Master will come and give you a guarantee, but before that, you have to cooperate with me. Xia Ru is related to Lu Xiaoxuan, a vile spawn of the Lu family. If you cause trouble for him, it'll easily arouse suspicion."
Lu Yin was puzzled. "Lu Xiaoxuan?
The one who caused a ruckus in Dragon Mountain decades ago? "
Xia Ziheng replied, "If you know, then it's best if you explain."
Lu Yin found it funny that Xia Ru was using such an excuse to interrogate him. However, Xia Ru had indeed interacted with him before. "Alright, I'll tell you."
Lu Yin then explained why he was causing trouble for Xia Ru and everything that had happened. To a cultivator, forget about something that had happened a few days ago, even if it had happened a few years ago, or even hundreds or thousands of years ago, as long as they recalled it, they would be able to recount it.
Xia Ziheng continuously verified Xia Ru's words with Lu Yin's, but the final result was that there was no discrepancy.
The two had said the exact same thing, and their words, actions, and timing all matched up.
"Half-Ancestor Ziheng, do you think I should cause trouble for him?"
Lu Yin countered.
Xia Ziheng did not care about Xia Ru's life or death. "Since he has such a dispute with you, then do as you please."
Lu Yin raised a brow. "I'll kill him."
Xia Ziheng frowned. "Not for now. I've already said that he's related to Lu Xiaoxuan, and it's not just us; the Four Cardinal Scales are also watching him. You can't kill him, but I promise you that as long as he has no value, you can do whatever you want with him."
President Wen sneered disdainfully.
Xia Ziheng stared at him coldly, knowing what President Wen was laughing at. It was none other than his indifference towards Xia Ru. However, the Xia family had never cared about what others thought of them. They could do whatever they wanted, but others could not. This was the Xia family.