C9 Phantasm Trap!

Upon arriving at the principal's office, Zhang Nan noticed Murong Wan was already there. Spotting Zhang Nan, Murong Wan playfully stuck out her tongue at him.

"Zhang Nan, you've arrived. I heard about the kidnapping incident yesterday. Are you alright?" Murong Le greeted him with a warm smile.

Zhang Nan shook his head, "I'm fine, Principal. Thanks to Teacher Gao Lan's timely intervention, I'm still in the running for the Hundred School Competition."

"Haha, my boy, you simply must compete. I have great confidence in you, and so does my daughter," Murong Le chuckled heartily.

At a loss for words, Zhang Nan could only respond with an awkward smile.

"Do you have any idea who was behind the kidnapping?" Murong Le inquired, looking at Zhang Nan intently.

Zhang Nan shook his head again.

Seeing this, Murong Le pressed on, "Are you familiar with Faang Tong?"

After a moment's thought, Zhang Nan replied, "I wouldn't say we're acquainted, but we have met. Yesterday, when Murong Wan was shopping for clothes, I couldn't afford the bill. Faang Tong just appeared out of nowhere and settled it. But then he said something that upset Murong Wan, and we left. Is there a reason you're asking about Faang Tong?"

Murong Le nodded, "Indeed, our investigation indicates that Faang Tong's people were behind your abduction. When we confronted him, he vehemently denied knowing you, which is why I've brought you here for clarification."

"He claims not to know us? How bold of him," Zhang Nan scoffed.

"Let's do this: Faang Tong is staying at a nearby inn. Come with me, and we'll confront him directly," Murong Le suggested with a grin.

"Sure, no problem at all," Zhang Nan agreed, smiling.

Murong Le led Zhang Nan and Murong Wan to the inn and straight to the room at the far end of the second floor.

"Faang Tong, take a good look at the person I've brought," Murong Le announced as he opened the door.

Caught off guard, Faang Tong was taken aback by Murong Le's persistence. Upon seeing Zhang Nan enter, he retorted coldly, "Dean Murong, what is the meaning of this? I've already told you I don't know them. Why won't you believe me?"

Murong Le chuckled upon hearing this. "It's not that I don't trust you, but one of my students nearly got kidnapped, and that student happens to be my daughter. I can't just overlook this. I've spoken to my student, and he claims to have seen you before. How do you explain that?"

"Why should I need to explain? Lots of people know me. Am I supposed to recognize each one in return?" Faang Tong retorted with a scoff.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Nan chimed in, "Dean, there might have been a mix-up. This isn't the Faang Tong I've met before. He may dress in a disheveled manner, but he's surprisingly generous. How could he settle for such a modest inn? And just yesterday, he spent several thousand on Murong Wan."

"It was actually tens of thousands. Besides, I'm not staying here because I'm short on cash. It's because..." Faang Tong's voice trailed off, and he fell silent.

"So it is you, Faang Tong. What more do you have to say?" Murong Le asked icily.

Realizing he had been exposed, Faang Tong hastily admitted, "Yes, it's me. So what? What's wrong with wanting to take your daughter out for a meal? Perhaps my subordinate was a bit rude, and his impulsiveness caused a misunderstanding, that's all."

Murong Le's expression turned deadly as he listened to Faang Tong, his gaze fixed on him. Zhang Nan quickly intervened to prevent Murong Le from losing his temper, saying, "Dean, the Grand Tournament of the Hundred Academies is about to start. We can't afford any incidents now. Let me handle this."

Murong Le considered Zhang Nan's words and then nodded in agreement. "Faang Tong, you'll answer for your actions today. Once the tournament is over, we'll settle both our old and new scores."

After saying this, Murong Le went to check into a room, taking Murong Wan with him as he left. Zhang Nan and Faang Tong were the only two remaining.

Faang Tong looked at Zhang Nan and said with a grin, "You've spoiled my plans twice now. Are you also competing in the Grand Tournament of the Hundred Academies? I'd love to face you in the first round and ensure your immediate elimination."

"You think you can take me on? I'll have you know, it's not that I haven't noticed you; it's that I've never respected you. You're nothing but a product of your family's influence. Without them, what are you? I'm looking forward to defeating you fair and square at the Grand Tournament of the Hundred Academies. Goodbye."

With those words, Zhang Nan left Faang Tong's room.

After departing the inn, he noticed that Murong Le and Murong Wan had already gone. Zhang Nan made his way back to the academy.

However, he quickly sensed something amiss. The people around him seemed familiar, as if he had seen them more than once. They appeared to be encircling him.

Zhang Nan surveyed his surroundings, then hesitated before calling out, "Excuse me, isn't using a Phantasm Trap on a mere Qi Refining practitioner like myself a bit excessive?"

After his shout, the bystanders continued on as if they hadn't heard him at all.

Now, Zhang Nan was even more convinced that he had been ensnared in a well-laid Phantasm Trap.

He promptly drew the Skycleaver and kept a vigilant watch.

Suddenly, a streak of silver light aimed directly for Zhang Nan's throat.

Instinctively, he sidestepped the attack.

The streets around him vanished, replaced by a desert swarming with snakes slithering towards him.

Zhang Nan remained composed amidst the chaos. He sat down cross-legged, placing the Skycleaver across his legs, and began to meditate.

Before long, the environment shifted once more, transforming into a landscape of blistering magma, frigid snow-capped mountains, and towering waterfalls.

No matter the change, Zhang Nan stayed serene, eyes shut, impervious to the external distractions.

"Not bad, kid. You've got quite the resolve, managing to keep your eyes closed the whole time."

A voice broke the silence. Zhang Nan opened his eyes to see a figure standing before him.

"Who are you? Why are you after me?" Zhang Nan demanded.

"Don't concern yourself with my identity. Just know that I'm here for your life. However, I'll grant you the chance to utter some final words."

The man sneered.

"A dying declaration, huh? Well, I hope you meet your end right here, today."

Zhang Nan's form blurred as he swiftly closed the distance to the man. With Skycleaver in hand, he delivered a swift slash at the man.

"Ah!"

The man was hit, and as a single drop of blood fell, the surroundings shifted once more, revealing the doorway to Faang Tong's room.

Panting heavily, Zhang Nan scanned the area.

Meanwhile, hidden in a shadowy nook, the middle-aged man caught in the Phantasm Trap clutched his chest, stifling the urge to let the blood in his mouth spill out and give away his presence.