C8 Targeted!

"Listen, this is not the time for trouble," Zhang Nan said with a hint of anxiety in his voice.

At that moment, a man clad in black took advantage of Zhang Nan's conversation with Murong Wan to stealthily approach from behind. He raised his club, intent on striking Zhang Nan.

Murong Wan caught sight of the assailant's movement and immediately cried out, "Zhang Nan, watch out!"

Zhang Nan sensed the rush of air behind him and was about to duck, but he feared the weapon might reach Murong Wan. Resolute, he braced himself to withstand the impending blow.

Just as the club was about to connect with Zhang Nan, it was intercepted by a surge of genuine energy.

A squad of guards charged forward, quickly encircling the attacker in black.

"Let's see who dares to harm my student," boomed the voice of Gao Lan.

As he spoke, Gao Lan materialized in front of Zhang Nan and Murong Wan.

The assailants, upon witnessing Gao Lan's arrival, hesitated. Their leader commanded, "Retreat!"

At his command, the men in black scattered in all directions.

"Trying to escape? You overestimate yourselves. Ice Prison Formation," Gao Lan declared icily.

Following his words, Zhang Nan watched as the assailants were encased in ice. He murmured in awe, "Incredibly powerful."

"Indeed," Murong Wan added softly. "The Ice Prison Formation is among the top three most potent techniques in Teacher Gao Lan's arsenal."

"Take them back to the academy. I'm eager to see who would dare to stir up trouble in Sunhaven," Gao Lan ordered, pointing at the frozen figures.

"Yes, sir," the academy guards responded, proceeding to haul the icy captives away.

Faang Tong, who had been lurking in a corner, observed everything.

"Ha! Detain my people, will you? Remember this, Zhang Nan—I've taken note of you. You've interfered with my plans twice now. Just wait," he sneered before turning on his heel and departing.

Gao Lan then turned to Zhang Nan and Murong Wan, asking, "What brings you two out so late at night?"

With an embarrassed chuckle, Zhang Nan replied, "We were out shopping during the day, Teacher. We were just on our way back when we stumbled upon this situation."

Gao Lan glanced at Murong Wan and then said, "Alright, I'll escort you back. Sunhaven isn't as safe as it used to be."

Under the watchful eye of the academy guards and with Gao Lan's protection, the two made their way safely back to the academy.

Once Zhang Nan and Murong Wan parted ways, Zhang Nan immediately retreated to his room, took out the Prismatic Shard he had purchased, and began his research.

Despite his efforts, Zhang Nan couldn't decipher what secrets the Prismatic Shard held.

As he pondered his next move, it dawned on him that he had read in the academy's ancient texts about how elder sects enjoyed engraving skills or cultivation techniques onto Prismatic Shards.

With this realization, Zhang Nan channeled his genuine energy into the shard. A brief glimmer of light shone from the shard before it faded once more.

"Is my genuine energy level insufficient?" Zhang Nan quietly mused.

He then tossed the shard into his storage ring and laid down to continue his cultivation practice.

Meanwhile, at the Soong family residence, a sharp "Pah!" echoed as Soong Jie knelt on the ground, his face marked by a fresh, red handprint.

"You disgraceful son, you've lost to a nobody, and now you've compromised our family's standing. You've even squandered our chance to compete in the Grand Tournament of the Hundred Academies. What am I supposed to do now?" a middle-aged man bellowed at Soong Jie.

Soong Jie clenched his jaw, remaining silent, his eyes brimming with frustration and resentment.

Just then, a Soong family guard entered the room and announced, "Master, the elders request your presence in the drawing room. They are awaiting you."

"Understood," the middle-aged man replied with a stern look at Soong Jie before addressing the guard.

Once the guard had departed, the middle-aged man turned to Soong Jie and said, "I don't even need to guess; those old fools are surely ready to mock me. You've really outdone yourself, haven't you?"

With that, he left the room and swiftly made his way to the drawing room, where several elders were already seated.

"I'm curious to know why the elders have summoned me at such a late hour," he inquired upon arrival.

The middle-aged man smiled and spoke.

"Patriarch, I'd like to inquire about the rumors circulating outside. They say our Soong family's junior, Zhang Nan, was defeated by the academy's so-called trash. Is there any truth to this?"

Upon the middle-aged man taking his seat, an elder stood up and went straight to the point with his question.

The middle-aged man nodded, his expression tinged with embarrassment, as he admitted, "Indeed, that did happen. However, upon thorough investigation, I discovered that the young man was merely feigning incompetence. He's far from being trash; he's actually a genius."

"Hmph, whether he's trash or not is irrelevant. The fact is, outsiders perceive him as such. Our Soong family's reputation has plummeted to an all-time low, and we're the laughingstock because our descendants are seen as inadequate. You'll have to deal with this," another elder remarked with a cold snort.

"Elders, please, let's remain composed. I am already addressing the issue. Rest assured, within three days, this young man will be out of sight. I, Soong Xingtian, give you my word," Soong Xingtian assured them as he stood up.

The elders nodded in agreement and then departed from the living room.

At that moment, Soong Jie emerged and said, "Father, my loss was truly unfair. It was due to the lack of a powerful spiritual weapon in my possession."

"What? No powerful spiritual weapon? Hmph, a loss is a loss. And you’re blaming the absence of a powerful spiritual weapon? How many in your academy even possess such a weapon?" Soong Xingtian retorted in anger.

Soong Jie then detailed the events that had occurred during the martial arts practice.

"So Zhang Nan has a spirit weapon capable of shattering yours? Given these circumstances, I cannot allow you to live. Soong Jie, go and summon your third uncle," Soong Xingtian said after some thought.

Meanwhile, Zhang Nan, unaware of being marked by the Soong family, was oblivious to the fact that the Skycleaver he held was the cause of their interest.

Opening his eyes after two days, Zhang Nan sensed his genuine energy and whispered to himself, "In less than ten days, I should be able to reach the Foundation Building stage. Ever since I started practicing the Firmament Technique, my cultivation speed has been accelerating day by day."

With that, Zhang Nan left his room.

Just then, Gao Lan approached him with a smile, saying, "I've finally found you. The principal is looking for you. Why haven't you activated your communication device?"

After hearing this, Zhang Nan glanced at his communication device and discovered to his surprise that it was turned off. He attempted to power it on only to find that it was out of battery. With an embarrassed smile, he said, "I apologize, Teacher. My communication device has run out of battery."

Gao Lan nodded in response and instructed, "Go on, quickly."