Chapter 128

Their dependence on Qi was even greater.

Without Qi, they were no different from ordinary martial artists.

At the moment, many officials from the Martial Academy were starting to panic.

The inexplicable suppression of Qi left them unable to muster even a trace of Qi, even if they exerted all their strength.

In the Central Loft, a group of officials gathered to discuss what should be done.

A hubbub arose.

It was then that a gentle voice sounded.

“This is an enchantment!”

It was Qiu Zhiman.

The aged face of Qiu Zhiman seemed to be shaken by the scene, with a slight tremble in his eyes.

His trembling hand rose, stroking his pale beard, he said, “This is a Forbidden Artifact! Extremely rare, once the enchantment is enacted, it’s already too late to stop it.”

“An enchantment?” Several officials’ complexions changed slightly.

They didn’t know much about enchantments.

But they were aware that Forbidden Artifacts were very rare, so rare that only the royal families of the great dynasties might possess one or two for use in solemn ceremonies.

A Forbidden Artifact appeared at the Great Wei and Great Zhou martial arts competition?

Qiu Zhiman, looking at the purple light in the sky, seemed no longer as amiable and affable as before, becoming melancholic.

“Once this enchantment has been cast, it cannot be forcibly shattered. Otherwise, if the power of the enchantment goes out of control, all of us here will die.”

“Headmaster Qiu, what should we do now?” Many of the Martial Academy officials from Great Zhou looked to Qiu Zhiman for guidance.

Qiu Zhiman was an old-timer and elder of Great Zhou’s Martial Academy, having been there since its inception.

From being an ordinary lecturer in martial cultivation to becoming the headmaster of Great Zhou’s Martial Academy, it took him less than thirty years.

The speed of his promotion was extremely fast.

His cultivation realm was also rapidly improving.

In just two hundred years, he had already broken through to the Ninth-order Martial Emperor Realm, just one step away from the Heavenly Human Realm.

Unless something unforeseen happened.

Qiu Zhiman would become the third publicly acknowledged martial cultivator to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm in the future of Great Zhou.

For various reasons, many officials of Great Zhou had absolute trust in Qiu Zhiman.

Several teachers and officials from Great Wei’s Martial Academy could not help but turn their eyes toward their own leader.

The headmaster of Great Wei’s Martial Academy was a lean old man.

Dressed in a green robe, he sat in a corner.

Lin Qingye, headmaster of Great Wei’s Martial Academy.

Although he was lean, his gaze was as firm as steel, like glaciers that never melt.

Compared to the panic of the officers from Great Wei’s Martial Academy, he seemed very calm, sitting quietly in the corner, sipping tea from the cup in his hands.

Gently blowing on the rising steam of the tea, his eyes fell on the officials of Great Wei’s Martial Academy as well as those from Great Zhou’s Martial Academy, and he couldn’t help but shake his head with a wry smile.

“What are you all so nervous about? It’s just Qi that has been suppressed, it’s not a big deal.”

“There aren’t many in this world who would dare to make a move under the eyes of Great Wei and Great Zhou.”

“Even if they were crazy, they couldn’t pull off something like this.”

“Perhaps it’s just an accident, don’t panic.”

Lin Qingye was quite nonchalant, pointing outside the window, “We just need to find the martial artist who enacted the Forbidden Artifact. Either kill them or have them retract the artifact voluntarily, and the enchantment will break itself.”

Lin Qingye’s words gave many of the officials present a dose of reassurance.

Indeed.

After all, the martial arts competition was so significant and took place under the watchful eyes of Emperor Zhou and Empress Wei; nothing else should go wrong now…

Perhaps it was merely a student from the Martial Academy who had inadvertently come across a Forbidden Artifact and treasured it, deciding to use it at the martial arts competition.

Little did he expect, using it at the competition would really stir things up.

Maybe this was just a big misunderstanding, a farce.

The officials present breathed a sigh of relief; they quickly composed themselves.

Qiu Zhiman timely spoke, “Great Zhou’s officials, pacify your students. Great Wei’s officials, do the same, bring them all to the Central Loft, gather them together, so everyone can look out for each other.”

“Also, where are the people from the Bureau of the Lamp? Don’t they know what’s going on? Such a big incident has occurred and they haven’t noticed. Go and see if you can find any student who has secretly used a Different Treasure.”

Qiu Zhiman issued orders in an orderly fashion.

The officials from both nations’ Martial Academies didn’t dare delay, and slowly left the loft to meet with their respective academy students.

Seeing everyone heed his words, Qiu Zhiman’s mouth curled into an almost imperceptible smile, his gaze then settling on Lin Qingye.

“Headmaster Lin, come with me. I seem to have a lead on the person who enacted the enchantment.”

Lin Qingye had been contemplating who could be behind the enchantment, considering the Bureau of the Lamp wouldn’t find the culprit in such a short time.

Why would Qiu Zhiman know?

Moreover.

If Qiu Zhiman had known, why hadn’t he said anything before? Now that most of the officials had nearly left, why was he telling him alone?

Lin Qingye’s brows furrowed lightly, and although his lean face showed some confusion and puzzlement, he didn’t think too much of it; after all, everyone’s Qi had been suppressed.

Even Qiu Zhiman was no exception.

If there was any scheme, it would be well-intentioned but futile.

Best to follow and see for himself.

Lin Qingye nodded.

He followed Qiu Zhiman into a side room.

Once inside the room, Qiu Zhiman didn’t engage in much conversation with Lin Qingye but began to stoop down, searching for something.