<h4>Chapter 159: Zheng Qian, Who Can Protect Himself</h4>


    "Then why did you destroy the protective formation around the Isle of Nn?" Nn Feng asked coldly.


    He suddenly realized that Mr. Qin had fallen for Xiao Nanfeng''s trap, but there was nothing he could do now. To continue arguing this point would only make matters worse.


    "Mr. Qin attacked me from within the protective formation, forming spiritual cranes with his guqin. If not for my own spiritual treasures, I may well have died to him. I was acting in self-defense to prevent his continued assault," Xiao Nanfeng replied easily.


    "Self-defense? You were trying to kill me!" Nn Feng asserted coldly.


    "Nn Feng, we''re both disciples of the Taiqing sect. I hope you won''t malign me like this—the elders and division leader are all present; there''s no need to air our grievances in front of outsiders," Xiao Nanfeng replied, shaking his head.


    The cultivators goggled at Xiao Nanfeng. To Nn Feng, Xiao Nanfeng was the outsider!


    "Mr. Qin is my subordinate, not an outsider," Nn Feng replied coldly.


    "Then did he secretly kidnap my friends and even my fellow Taiqing disciples on your orders?!" Xiao Nanfeng countered.


    "Mr. Qin abducted Taiqing disciples?" The elders all shot sharp nces at him.


    "To contextualize matters, the reason I requested to meet with Nn Feng tonight was in order to ask why his subordinate had kidnapped my friends and fellow Taiqing disciples. Was Nn Feng responsible, or was it an independent ploy by Mr. Qin? In the end, Mr. Qin struck at me out of guilt before I was able to meet with Nn Feng. I had no choice but to counterattack in self-defense," Xiao Nanfeng exined.


    "Is that true?" The elders looked toward Nn Feng.


    "Of course not! It''s all nonsense. I''ve never kidnapped Taiqing disciples, nor his friends!" Mr. Qin denied the im categorically.


    Nn Feng didn''t speak. He felt difited by the events that had transpired. Everything seemed to be going ording to Xiao Nanfeng''s n...


    "We can find out whether it''s true or not with a cursory check," Zhao Yuanjiao suggested, continuing to support Xiao Nanfeng.


    "This is the Isle of Nn, property of Emperor Tianshu! Who dares infringe on his domain?!" Mr. Qin yelled out.


    Everyone turned to Nn Feng.


    Nn Feng could clearly sense that something was amiss. Although he had the ability to invoke his father''s authority and prevent this investigation, he might very well fall into Xiao Nanfeng''s trap again as a result.


    "Investigate, then," Nn Feng replied coldly.


    "Your Highness? How could you..." Mr. Qin was momentarily flustered.


    "Zhao Yuanjiao, you''d better search the ind thoroughly," Nn Feng continued.


    He didn''t prohibit Zhao Yuanjiao from carrying out his search because he had carefully hidden away Ye Dafu, Zheng Qian, and the other Taiqing disciples. He was certain that no one would find any trace of anything in the short term, and he had no intention of letting Zhao Yuanjiao search the ind for too long.


    "If you can''t find anything, I''ll make sure to report this incident to Emperor Tianshu, iming that elders of the Taiqing sect have been deliberately making things difficult for the third prince," Mr. Qin replied coldly.


    Despite the momentary surprise, he wasn''t scared, either. He too was confident that Zhao Yuanjiao wouldn''t be able to uncover where Ye Dafu and the others were located.


    Zhao Yuanjiao ignored him and prepared to begin his search.


    "Senior Brother, let me apany you. I saw Mr. Qin ncing at a certain direction just now, so let''s head that way!" Xiao Nanfeng jumped down from the ship.


    Mr. Qin frowned. He hadn''t done so—what nonsense was Xiao Nanfeng talking about?


    Nn Feng brought Zhao Yuanjiao toward a series of thatched huts. There was nothing else present in that direction but lumps of grass.


    The elders frowned, not understanding what Xiao Nanfeng was trying to aplish, but Nn Feng and Mr. Qin''s eyes were both twitching. Xiao Nanfeng was headed right in the direction of the hostages! Nn Feng red at Mr. Qin, as though to berate him for giving away crucial information, at least ording to Xiao Nanfeng. Mr. Qin''s lips twitched—he had hardly been looking in that direction!


    Xiao Nanfeng walked up to the thatched huts, at the mark that You Jiu had left behind. His eyes brightened.


    "Here? There''s nothing here. I''ve already inspected this area with my spiritual power, and there''s no underground cer either." Zhao Yuanjiao frowned.


    "Don''t be so certain," Xiao Nanfeng replied confidently.


    "Oh?" Zhao Yuanjiao focused on the scene before him. He waved a hand, scattering the piles of grass and revealing... nothing.


    Xiao Nanfeng mmed down with a palm, causing mysterious golden runes to emerge from the ground.


    "A formation? Could it have tricked my spiritual senses?" Zhao Yuanjiao was taken aback.


    Zhao Yuanjiao struck the formation, shattering it and cratering the ground. A tunnel was revealed, brightly lit within, and cries of help could be heard from where they were standing.


    "Outrageous!" Zhao Yuanjiao roared.


    Ye Dafu and the others had all been gagged, silenced by a group of cultivators in purple. The moment the tunnel was revealed, the cultivators shied back, aware that something had gone badly wrong.


    "Bring my friends and disciples out, will you?" Xiao Nanfeng asked calmly.


    Zhao Yuanjiao''s fearsome aura brooked no resistance from the cultivators, who were forced to march out with Ye Dafu and the others.


    "Senior Brother, you''ve finallye to save us! If you were any slower, they would have beaten us to death!" Ye Dafu howled, the moment he was released.


    "Look at how badly they beat us!" Ye Dafu''sckeys cried out.


    Whereas Ye Dafu and hisckeys had been badly whipped and beaten, Zheng Qian waspletely and strangely unhurt, as though he hadn''t been tortured at all.


    When the elders saw the wounds on Ye Dafu and the other disciples'' bodies, their faces all turned dark as they looked toward Mr. Qin. The only reason they hadn''t made an overt move was because of Nn Feng''s presence.


    "Do you see that, Nn Feng? This is how your subordinate has been behaving in your absence. He must have lied to you and secretly kidnapped and tortured these Taiqing disciples, tarnishing your name and that of Emperor Tianshu! If not for the fact that he nced over here, I would never have noticed the discrepancy. He''s not worthy of your trust," Xiao Nanfeng advised.


    Mr. Qin was frowning in anger. He hadn''t ever nced in that direction, and Xiao Nanfeng was clearly trying to defame him. However, none would believe him if he tried to argue that point.


    Nn Feng red at Mr. Qin, but he didn''t criticize him. He narrowed his eyes at Xiao Nanfeng. "I had him kidnap them all."


    "Oh?" Everyone turned to Nn Feng.


    "Mr. Qin was only trying to defend me, and he''s not to me for this. Ye Dafu and the others were responsible for kidnapping my subordinates, causing them to die. As the seniormost disciple of the Mortal division, I have the right to interrogate and discipline them. They''ve only suffered a few superficial injuries, whereas my subordinates have died. You, Xiao Nanfeng, killed my subordinates and instigated this dispute. How dare you criticize me?"


    The elders turned to Xiao Nanfeng, frowning at the usations that Nn Feng had heaped on him.


    "Nn Feng, what proof do you have that I killed your subordinates?" Xiao Nanfeng retorted.


    "Proof? Mr. Zheng told me everythingst night. Ask him if you don''t believe me," Nn Feng replied coldly.


    Everyone looked toward Zheng Qian, including Ye Dafu and the others.


    "Senior Brother, we didn''t say anything despite being half-beaten to death! On the other hand, Zheng Qian revealed everything the moment they interrogated him. He''s not a loyal subordinate—he''s an opportunist, and he even imed that he was going to serve Nn Feng!" Ye Dafu shouted shamelessly.


    Ye Dafu''sckeys all heckled Zheng Qian.


    "Mr. Zheng, is that true?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.


    Zheng Qian bowed toward Xiao Nanfeng. "I did."


    Xiao Nanfeng turned toward Nn Feng. "Your subordinates were the ones at fault. They snuck into the Isle of Xiao and crippled those on my territory. Ten days ago, they even threatened Zheng Qian and made things difficult for him on the Taiqing Ind proper. Many disciples can attest to my im. Are you aware of this?"


    "I just learned of it. I will certainly punish my subordinates who have been in the wrong and make just rpense for what they''ve done. You, however, had no right to kill them," Nn Feng replied.


    "They chopped off the arms of those under my employ. Do you intend to punish them simrly?" Xiao Nanfeng asked coldly.


    "Do you doubt my word?" Nn Feng replied imperiously.


    "I eagerly await it, in fact." Xiao Nanfeng smiled. He turned toward the ship behind him and called out, "Ye Sanshui, bring out those men in the cabin!"


    "Ah? Yes!" Ye Sanshui replied from above deck.


    Nn Feng''s heart thumped. Unease suffused him.


    A group of detainees were brought down from the ship, the purple-d cultivators that Xiao Nanfeng had caught.


    "What? They haven''t died? Zheng Qian, you lied to us!" Mr. Qin shouted.


    Nn Feng red at Zheng Qian in disbelief. Zheng Qian had been lying deliberately in order to protect himself and dy until Xiao Nanfeng arrived with a n in mind.


    Ye Dafu and the others also gaped at Zheng Qian. Had Zheng Qian been lying all this time? He hadn''t betrayed Xiao Nanfeng, after all?


    "Your Highness, please save us!"


    "Your Highness, they tortured us. We had no choice but to confess!"


    The cultivators in purple were overjoyed, thinking that they were about to be saved, not realizing how dark Nn Feng''s face had be.


    "Nn Feng, I hereby return your subordinates to you. None perished; I was only carrying out my investigation as to the truth of the incident, which has since been made clear. I have written testimony of their confessions. Do you wish to have a look? I eagerly await your brand of justice," Xiao Nanfeng continued, smiling.


    The tables had turned; this was aplete victory for Xiao Nanfeng.


    Nn Feng red at Zheng Qian and Xiao Nanfeng. He was now certain that Zheng Qian had lied to him in his confessionst night. He had had no opportunity toe up with a n with Xiao Nanfeng—to think that they were so in sync that they could still have trapped him regardless!


    The elders gazed at Xiao Nanfeng appraisingly. Some even murmured, "As expected of Xiao Hongye''s son..."


    Mr. Qin walked forward, his face contorted with displeasure. "Your Highness, I failed to discipline these subordinates of mine. They failed to listen to yourmand, took matters into their own hands, and acted recklessly in trespassing on the Isle of Xiao and brutalizing the people there. Allow me to discipline them on your behalf."


    Taking responsibility for all the misdeeds, Mr. Qin drew his de and cut off each of the prisoners'' arms in a spray of blood and agonized screams.