Chapter 713: Hong Tan Leaves Seclusion (2)

At that moment, an individual appeared in the sky. It was Hong Tan, hovering in the sky with a pair of gleaming eyes. He glanced at the nearby phenomenon and sneered with disdain. He wasn't surprised that Zhou Mingren would be able to break through as well.

After all, that was a veteran peak Mountainsea with eight characters. Zhou Mingren was even stronger than Jin Yuhui. After such a long time, he had finally broken through. Hong Tan's entire body was shining. His aura was still unstable, but it was terrifyingly strong. He had finally broken through his bottleneck.

On the first of November, Liu Wenyan and Bai Feng had departed. Not long after they left, Hong Tan had entered seclusion. Four months later, the seclusion was finally over. In fact, this could be considered a rather fast advancement speed.

Hong Tan ignored everyone else and hurriedly scanned the area.

He scanned the area once. He scanned the area again. And again. Finally, he blanked out.

Where was Chen Yong?

Where was Su Yu?

Where was Wu Jia?

Where were his students and grandstudents? Why were none of them here?

He was just about to send his willpower to the books depository when the second principal's mount coughed and said, "Congratulations, Hong Tan."

"Thank you, Senior Dragon."

Hong Tan gave a polite reply. He had met this old man before, but the two weren't exactly familiar with each other.

After giving the short reply, he sent his willpower toward the books depository. The elders in the area had odd expressions, but none of them said anything.

After a short moment, Hong Tan blanked out again. The books depository was empty. No, there were people in there, but his student wasn't there. Was Chen Yong not in the academy? What about Su Yu?

He hurriedly scanned the genius students in the area. Su Yu was not among them. He looked further away, but Su Yu was still nowhere to be found. Finally, he sent his willpower to the Mental Tempering Garden. There, he found Wu Jia.

She was deep in seclusion. Her lips were pursed as she cultivated with a baleful look on her face. She was trying her best to open acupoints and form more characters. She was still around.

Next, Hong Tan sent his willpower to the Wentan Research Center. After going through the defensive formation, he blanked out. What was going on? Why was the research center in such a poor condition?

The underground floors were empty. The data room was nearly empty. Dust filled the research center, as though it had been abandoned for months. Was Su Yu not staying there? Had Chen Yong not not been cleaning the place?

At this point, Hong Tan could no longer spare any attention to the nearby Zhou Mingren. He landed on the ground and looked at the gathered elders. When he saw the Sunmoons, he started feeling uneasy. With an uncertain tone, he asked, "Wu Yuehua, where's my student and grandstudents? Why aren't they here? I'm now a Sunmoon!"

He had finally broken through! Where was everyone?

Su Yu was still a student. Chen Yong didn't have the habit of leaving the academy. But why were the two of them missing? Hong Tan would not be surprised if Wu Jia was the one missing instead. Why was it the other two?

Wu Yuehua replied with a gloomy tone, "Chen Yong is away from the academy. Su Yu...left Great Xia."

"Left?"

Seeing that Hong Tan was still confused, Wu Yuehua said, "My apologies. I failed to take good care of him. He went to Great Ming. He's living very well there. At the very least, his life there is better than his life here. Chen Yong...left to save Feng Ji. But he ended up missing as well. Ten Sunmoons have been deployed by the various prefectures to search for them..."

Hong Tan stared blankly into the air. Su Yu left. He wasn't out on a trip. He had fled to Great Ming for survival. Hong Tan could imagine just how difficult things were for Su Yu to be forced to take such an action.

And Chen Yong had gone missing. Hong Tan stared blankly. He had personally sent his second student to the Vanguard Regiment before entering seclusion. After several months of seclusion, his first student and grandstudent were gone. His sole remaining grandstudent was currently in seclusion. But the previously cheerful lass had turned into a baleful girl filled with rage and fury.

What was going on?

Just what happened?

Meanwhile, Zhou Mingren was also frowning as he noticed a lot of missing faces. Where were they? When he heard Wu Yuehua's words, his heart thumped. What about his people? Yu Hong and Sun Xiang were gone.

Of his students, only Hu Wensheng was present. Elder Fang, who was supposed to be at the Allheaven Battlefield, had returned. Where were the other elders? More than one or two of them were missing.

Seemingly realizing something, he looked at Hu Wensheng and asked, "Where's your Senior Brother Zhou?"

"Teacher..." Hu Wensheng remained silent for a long while before answering with his head lowered, "Dead."

"How about Elder Yu and the others?"

"Dead."

"..."

Dead. All dead. This felt like a dream.

Hong Tan also heard those words. He turned to look at Zhou Mingren before looking at Wu Yuehua. His lips curved to form a bleak smile as he asked, "A fight broke out?"

That was the only explanation for all those deaths.

Wu Yuehua nodded, "Some people attacked Su Yu. He called for help so Prefect Zhu Tiandao helped. A bunch of traitors was killed. After that, Su Yu joined Great Ming and became a part of the Great Ming Cultural Research Academy."

"I see."

His grandstudent was being treated well. Zhu Tiandao himself had killed a bunch of experts for that kid. Very good. That kid was indeed a ruthless fox. He had long seen through that kid's nature.

"How about Little Yong?"

"Feng Ji's identity as a spy in the Six-Winged Divine Sect was exposed. Chen Yong left to save him."

Hong Tan nodded, "Feng Ji...I know that kid. So he's still alive? Not bad. Little Yong went missing after he left to help Feng Ji?"

"Yeah."

Hong Tan asked bleakly, "So...only Jia and I are left in the academy?"

It felt as though the multiple character faction was really gone. Nobody replied. But Hong Tan was right. The two of them were the only ones left.

Hong Tan gave a hollow laugh and said, "I wonder if my senior brother is aware of this. If he knows this, how am I suppose to answer to him? After one seclusion, everyone is gone. There are fewer and fewer of us around. Only the two of us are left. I...don't know what to tell my senior brother."

Senior Dragon sighed and said, "Hong Tan, Great Xia already punished and executed some people. Even Jin Yuhui is already dead. Since you're already a Sunmoon, you can recruit some students into your faction..."

Hong Tan said, "Senior Dragon, I'm too old. I don't have the energy to do all that. In the past, I could get Bai Feng to do the chores and Little Yong to help when I ran out of money. But both of them are not around anymore. Why am I left alone at such an age? This feels so lonely."

He looked at the people who were staring at him and asked, "What is this? There are only a few of them left. My senior brother and the others are no longer around. Even one of my students was sent to the battlefield. Just what do you want?

"I have been silent for decades. I only went to the Allheaven Battlefield whenever I ran out of money. I have been maintaining a low profile. Is that not enough? Since my senior brother is your target, just go look for him. Why do you keep bothering the rest of us?

"I was silent when the multiple character faction was removed from the registry. I was silent when the Character Faculty sidelined us. I was silent when my student was forced to enter the Vanguard Regiment. I was silent when my senior brother's family was slaughtered. Am I not obedient enough?"

He bitterly said, "I maintained a very low profile. When Jia's parents were killed, Little Yong cried and begged me to take revenge. I told him to be patient. Since we had no idea who the culprit was, we couldn't do anything. Just calm down.

"Senior Dragon, you have remained in seclusion all these years so you're not aware of this. But ask around. Old Qi, have I been maintaining a low profile?"

Elder Qi did not answer.

Hong Tan said, "I have been keeping to myself. My line doesn't even have that much of a relationship with my senior brother. If you want to target him, just do it. Why keep coming after us?"

His gaze swept past every single person in the crowd before stopping on Yuan Qingdong. He smiled and asked, "Is this Mr. Yuan from the Knowledge Seeking Realm?"

Yuan Qingdong nodded without saying anything.

Wu Yuehua coldly said, "This is our new vice principal and the person in charge of the Character Faculty. He is also the one who had leaked Feng Ji's identity."

Yuan Qingdong frowned and said, "That was a misunderstanding. I already explained myself. I even apologized and paid a large price for it. There is no need to keep fanning the flame, Elder Wu."

Wu Yuehua snorted coldly and ignored him.

Yuan Qingdong said, "Let me congratulate Elder Hong and Faculty Head Zhou. This is a joyous occasion as two new Sunmoons have been produced. This is a blessing for the entire human race. And looks like fate itself intends to bring the two of you together by having both of you advance on the same day..."

Yes, the two of them had been brought together in an ill-fated relationship.

Hong Tan nodded and asked, "Where's Principal Wan?"

"He's in seclusion."

Wu Yuehua replied, "He's now an acting principal instead of a principal. Vice Principal Yuan is running the academy while Principal Wan is in seclusion."

"Seclusion?" Hong Tan looked at Zhou Mingren and laughed, "Old Zhou, looks like a lot of people on your side are dead. I don't think anyone on my side is dead. I'm quite lucky, after all. Do you agree?"

Zhou Mingren ignored Hong Tan. He was busy listening to the reports about what had happened through voice transmissions.