Chapter 4929 — Not Going to Intervene?

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No sooner had Zang Zili's words fallen than she moved to strike the killing blow—but in that instant the Alliance President suddenly stepped in front of her and said, neither servile nor overbearing: "Master Zang, calm yourself. I will certainly give you a satisfactory account of this matter. But if you were to take action here, I fear it would rather breach the rules, would it not? This is the exclusive domain of the Yellow-Tier Academy Alliance; all matters herein may be resolved only by the Alliance. No academy and no individual may overstep their station—otherwise, what becomes of the Alliance's authority?"

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Wei Zhao nodded inwardly as he listened. He knew nothing of this Alliance President—not even the man's name; he had only heard him speak once before. Yet from these words he could tell the fellow was no utterly unreasonable sort. Compared with this Zang Zili and that guard captain, he counted as a man of sense.

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"Hmph! Breach the rules?" Zang Zili shot the Alliance President an indignant glare, then turned back toward Wei Zhao, killing intent surging as she said coldly: "A fine talk of breaching the rules. And what if I am determined to cut him down today?"

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"This..." The Alliance President's expression shifted slightly. On any ordinary day, had Zang Zili dared speak to him thus, he would likely have fallen out with her on the spot. But this time the stakes were grave, and he could only swallow his anger and say: "Master Zang, I say again: this is the exclusive domain of the Academy Alliance. Please do not put me in a difficult position."

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Zang Zili stared at him long and hard, then suddenly gave a cold laugh: "Very well, then. The Alliance's authority is inviolable. In that case, I shall take my Ting'er away to treat his wounds. Find someone more capable yourself!"

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With that, Zang Zili gathered up the smoke-wreathed Chang Laiting and rose to leave.

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"Wait!" The Alliance President's face changed again and again. After weighing the matter for a moment, he finally gritted his teeth and said: "Since it is your son who was injured, then let it be counted a family affair of Master Zang. I will not intervene!"

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At these words, Wang Xinyan and the others felt their hearts sink as one, and could not help turning to look at Wei Zhao in worry. Even the Alliance President had chosen to yield before this woman Zang Zili—was today not to be a day of dire peril?

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"Excellent. The President is indeed a man who knows the times." Zang Zili cast the Alliance President a glance tinged with smugness, then carefully set down the Chang Laiting in her arms and whipped round toward Wei Zhao, her face hideous: "You little wretch, you dared lay hands on my Ting'er. You may go and die!"

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Even as she spoke, a fierce, piercing aura burst forth from every inch of Zang Zili's body, her full strength laid bare without concealment—she too was a formidable one of the early-Kaishan stage, a giant of that realm!

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Wang Xinyan and the others were frightfully startled. This was truly out of the wolf's den and into the tiger's lair. Being blocked by the Alliance guard corps a moment ago had been perilous enough, but those men had merely meant to arrest Wei Zhao. Now this Zang Zili meant outright to strike a ruthless killing blow—and the crux of it was that she was an expert of the early-Kaishan stage!

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If he fell into the hands of the Alliance guard corps, Morning Star Academy could at least step forward to mediate; there would still be room to turn things around, and it would not come to a matter of life and death. But Zang Zili plainly meant to kill for the venting of her wrath—should Wei Zhao fall into her hands, it meant death.

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Yet compared to the ashen-faced Wang Xinyan and the others, Wei Zhao himself showed not the slightest trace of fear—indeed, there was a faint, inexplicable excitement about him as he regarded Zang Zili with perfect calm.

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There was no other reason: Zang Zili was an alchemist, and even in a fight she carried herself with the bearing of one, which meant her combat prowess was bound to fall far short of any expert of the same stage.

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Even if she was an early-Kaishan expert, she was still only the weakest sort of early-Kaishan expert.

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After all, an unorthodox alchemist like Wei Zhao, who treated pill-refining as a mere sideline, was likely the one and only of his kind in the entire world. The vast majority of alchemists were synonymous with feeble strength; legendary pill gods like Zhang Lifeng were the exception. What a pity this was Zang Zili, and not Zhang Lifeng.

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Before this, Wei Zhao's only option when facing a Kaishan-stage giant had been to flee, but now that he had advanced to the early Xuan Ascension stage, the old, insurmountable dread of such giants was gone. Facing the weakest of their number in Zang Zili, his heart stirred with eager anticipation.

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A single Thunderous Thousand Bursts had just annihilated two late Xuan Ascension experts in an instant—a feat so astonishing that even Zang Zili likely could not match it. This sudden early-Kaishan weakling, in the eyes of a Wei Zhao whose strength had soared of late, was a free sparring partner dropped right into his lap—neither too much nor too little.

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Seeing Wei Zhao still so composed even at this moment, the onlookers once again broke into murmurs. Even the Alliance Chairman showed a flicker of surprise. He had never once looked Wei Zhao squarely in the eye, yet a mere early Xuan Ascension expert could stand before Zang Zili without so much as a change in expression—this young man did not look simple at all!

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Zang Zili's smile only grew colder and more savage. She cared nothing for what backing or confidence Wei Zhao might have; she knew only that Wei Zhao had beaten her precious son half to death, and for that alone, Wei Zhao had to die.

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Yet before Zang Zili could make her move, Wei Zhao suddenly called for a halt: "Wait!"

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"Hmph. It is too late for you to beg for mercy now, boy. Since you struck down my Ting'er, you must pay the corresponding price—and that price is death!" Zang Zili said, her expression icy.

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For a woman so utterly unreasonable, Wei Zhao had not the least interest in sparing another glance, much less in wasting his breath arguing with her. Instead he turned to the Alliance Chairman and said evenly, "From the sound of it, Chairman, you have no intention of stepping in?"

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"Correct. Though this is the Academy Alliance's territory, this is a private matter between the two of you. As Chairman of the Alliance, I see no need to thrust myself into it." The Chairman paused, then added with a trace of regret and self-mockery in his eyes, "Besides, Master Zang is not one of ours—she is a distinguished guest we invited specifically to help refine pills. Since this is her family affair, by both sentiment and reason, I will not interfere."

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Hearing these words, everyone present could not help but wear odd expressions. The Yellow-Tier Academy Alliance was an official power whose word was law throughout the Yellow-Tier sea region—especially here on Thunderplain Island, which belonged exclusively to the Academy Alliance. Anyone else would long ago have been ground to dust by the guard corps.

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