Chapter 179: There's a New King in Your Clan

"Come on now, you make it sound like I cause trouble everywhere I go," Bing Qianshan complained in an awkward manner.

"Oh yeah? Did you do a good thing this time then?" Dongfang Sansan asked.

"Well... Not exactly."

Bing Qianshan was squirming in his chair like a child that had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and he said in a sheepish manner, "I may have... dismissed the dean of Celestial Being Warrior Academy..."

Dongfang Sansan slapped a hand to his own forehead in exasperation.

"What the hell's wrong with you?! Why... What did you say? Was it in public or in private?"

Dongfang Sansan was still hoping that perhaps the dismissal could be rescinded.

"I... I said it in front of everyone at the tournament... I told him..."

Bing Changshan gave a bashful recitation of his scathing remarks.

"How much trouble have you caused over the years with that mouth of yours?" Dongfang Sansan snapped in a furious manner after hearing what he had to say. "Why can't you just learn to think before you speak? I already have my hands full dealing with Xue Fuxiao every day, I don't have time to babysit you as well!"

"I didn't do it on purpose," Bing Qianshan whined with his head lowered.

"I'll think of something," Dongfang Sansan sighed. "You've already publicly dismissed him, so he'll have to be replaced. Why can't you just learn to keep that mouth of yours in check? You're one of the most powerful warriors on the continent, not just some brash young boy anymore!

“The current dean has worked conscientiously for Celestial Being Warrior Academy for his entire life! Does he have a bad reputation? Has he committed any grave transgressions? You've erased an entire lifetime of effort on a whim!"

"I also felt like I didn't handle the situation very well, and that's why I came back to report to you right away," Bing Qianshan said in a sheepish manner.

"All you do is cause trouble, then come to me to clean up your mess! Do you know how busy I am?!"

"Oh, by the way, I came across a really interesting kid this time," Bing Qianshan said, eager to change the subject.

"What's his name?"

"Fang Che."

"Who?"

Dongfang Sansan's eyes instantly widened in shock.

"Fang Che," Bing Qianshan repeated.

Dongfang Sansan sat back in his chair like a deflated ball as he asked, "What about him caught your eye?"

Wasn't he taking part in the Parasite Ascension Project? How did he run into Bing Qianshan?

"He turned the young master of the Xue Clan into a mental handicap with a single roar and made him shit himself in front of hundreds of thousands of people!"

Bing Qianshan gave Dongfang Sansan a quick recount of events, then concluded, "What intrigued me the most about was that he was able to glean my sword intent. If you hadn't ordered me to take Ding Jieran as my disciple, I would've taken Fang Che instead."

Dongfang Sansan picked up his cup and guzzled down some tea to steady himself.

He could feel sweat soaking into the back of his robe.

That was way too close! If Bing Qianshan had come back with Fang Che as his disciple, then all of his plans would've been thrown into complete disarray!

"What's going on with you?" Bing Qianshan asked in a perplexed manner.

"I'm exhausted from lecturing those guys at the meeting," Dongfang Sansan explained as he wiped some sweat from his forehead. "None of them even bother to think when they're with me."

"No wonder your complexion looks so off. Those idiots definitely are a pain to deal with!"

"The Xue Clan won't seek vengeance against him, will they?" Dongfang Sansan asked.

"They won't. I made sure to issue a warning to the Xue Clan," Bing Qianshan replied in a proud manner, feeling as if he had displayed exceptional foresight on that occasion.

"Well done," Dongfang Sansan praised.

A wide grin instantly appeared across Bing Qianshan's face as he said in an excited manner, "That's the first time you've praised me in at least two years, Brother Nine!"

"Piss off!" Dongfang Sansan scoffed. "I still have to think of a way to clean up your mess!"

After some thought, he decided, "Have Qin Yunfeng and Luo Hao fill the roles of dean and assistant dean, respectively. What's the name of the dean that you dismissed again?"

"Xu Chengyun."

"Xu Chengyun can assist Qin Yunfeng as the standing dean."

"Brilliant! I knew you could sort it out, Brother Nine!"

"Get out of my sight!"

"You got it!"

In the wake of Bing Qianshan's departure, Dongfang Sansan slumped back in his chair, feeling as if he had just gotten off an emotional rollercoaster.

***

As soon as Bing Qianshan left Dongfang Sansan's study, he immediately returned to his usual cold and unapproachable self.

The people that passed him by didn't even dare to look directly at him.

Brother Nine was joking around with me just now. It seems like his mood has improved significantly!

Bing Qianshan strode over to another white-robed figure, then asked, "Brother Xue, have you heard about what happened to that young master of your clan? He's a direct lineal descendant, so he's probably like a great-great-great-great-grandson of yours or something.."

"What happened?"

"He was so intimidated by his opponent in the World Academy Tournament that he fainted and shit himself on the platform! He's since been given the title of Shit King! Congratulations, Brother Xue, there's a new king in your clan!"

A string of loud thumps rang out alongside a torrent of verbal abuse.

Shortly thereafter, Bing Qianshan scurried out of the Guardian headquarters, his face bruised and battered, but even though he had just taken a beating, he was in a great mood.

***

Fang Che found an opportunity to send a message to Yin Shengong: "Master, the seeded prodigy of the Night Demon Church in our year level was chosen by Bing Qianshan as his disciple."

A grim look instantly appeared on Yin Shengong's face at this piece of news.

This was an enormous accomplishment for the Night Demon Church, and Hai Wuliang had to have been over the moon!

Yin Shengong gave a displeased harrumph as he responded: "Why didn't you choose you as his disciple?"

"I'm currently still suspected of being a demonic church member, so Zhao Shanhe has barred me from receiving all honors and privileges, including participation in the World Academy Tournament."

Yin Shengong was furious.

"What a piece of scum that Zhao Shanhe is! He's oppressing a generational talent!"

The more Yin Shengong thought about it, the more indignant he felt on Fang Che's behalf, and he consoled: "It's fine, not choosing you is Bing Qianshan's loss."

"You're the only one who thinks that, Master, just like how parents always favor their own children over others. The disciple that Bing Qianshan chose possesses an innate swordsman constitution!"

"So what? You're way better than that! You don't need Bing Qianshan! He'll be kicking himself once he realizes what he missed out on!"

***

Sure enough, Hai Wuliang was ecstatic.

Ding Jieran was just an insignificant pawn from an eighth-tier clan, yet he had managed to catch Bing Qianshan's eye!

Hai Wuliang could now go around telling everyone that he planned this all along, that he had always seen Ding Jieran a fine diamond in the rough, and he would be showered with praise for his foresight and eye for talent!

He hurriedly reported the good news to his backers in the main church.

"A seeded prodigy that I planted into White Cloud Warrior Academy was taken by Bing Qianshan as his disciple."

This piece of news elicited an immediate response.

"Make sure his cover doesn't get blown."

"Give him some time to grow and don't assign him any more missions for the next few years."

"Prioritize his safety above all else."

"......"

Clearly, Hai Wuliang's backers were very interested in this development, and they issued him a rapidfire string of instructions.

All of these instructions revolved around having Ding Jieran focus fully on training under Bing Qianshan. Everything else could wait until he reached a sufficient cultivation base to fend for himself.

Hai Wuliang knew that this matter had to be treated with the utmost care, and that from this day forth, Ding Jieran and the Ding Clan would have to be given much more attention.

"Pope Hai, the Ding Clan's businesses are currently being oppressed from all sides, and at this rate, it's going to lose its status as an eighth-tier clan."

"Support them! Help them maintain their status at all costs!"

"The Hall of Protectionists has intervened."

"How did that go?"

"The intervention was ineffective. All of the other clans are continuing to oppress the Ding Clan, and the Ding Clan is only just barely able to stay afloat by doing missions for the Hall of Protectionists."

"Use our church's businesses to aid the Ding Clan!"

"Bu the economic environment over there is terrible. If we move our business ventures there, we're going to lose money."

"Who cares! Even if we lose everything, we have to support the Ding Clan! Go!"

Thus, the Ding Clan found itself in a very peculiar situation, one in which it was being constantly oppressed and constantly assisted in tandem.

One day, the Ding Clan came across a business opportunity "by chance," allowing them to source medicinal ingredients from the other side of the continent, none of which could be found on this side of the continent.

Seemingly out of envy, the oppression from the other clans only became more severe, and the Night Demon Church was forced to invest more and more resources to keep the Ding Clan afloat.

Thus, a self-reinforcing cycle took shape.