"Have you heard? Fang Yuan killed someone!" A student whispered to his desk mate.

"I heard too, he really did kill someone." The desk mate clutched his chest, his face pale.

"Many guards saw it. Fang Yuan chased the person, and when that person begged for mercy, Fang Yuan refused and directly beheaded him!"

"And that's not all. After Fang Yuan killed him, he didn't even spare the headless body, dragging it back to the dormitory and chopping it into mincemeat."

"Is that true?"

"As true as it gets. I came early this morning and saw bloodstains in the cracks of the bluestone bricks."

"Why would I lie to you? The Academy Elder just called Fang Yuan away because of this!"

In the academy, the young students were too distracted to pay attention to the lesson, all whispering among themselves.

Killing, to these fifteen-year-olds, was still unfamiliar and terrifying.

From childhood, under the protection of their clan, they had at most engaged in fistfights or slaughtered chickens and dogs.

As for killing a person, it was still quite distant from them.

"Who did Fang Yuan kill?"

"I heard it was a servant from the Mo branch."

"Hey, I know this best. Last night, I saw it with my own eyes. Mo Yan from the Mo Clan brought a group of servants to trouble Fang Yuan."

"It's the Mo Clan, oh no, Mo Bei is in trouble now."

Many youths looked towards Gu Yue Mo Bei.

Mo Bei sat pale-faced at his seat, having only learned of the news this morning. Fang Yuan had actually killed someone, and it was someone he knew well—Gao Wan!

Mo Bei was familiar with Gao Wan, who was active among the servants, good at flattering, and had practiced martial arts diligently. He was a capable lackey.

Not long ago, Gao Wan had even sparred with Mo Bei. Unexpectedly, he was killed by Fang Yuan just like that!

Because of this, Mo Bei's shock and disbelief were even more intense than others.

Beyond the shock, there was worry and fear.

Facing a murderer like Fang Yuan, fifteen-year-old Mo Bei would be lying if he said he wasn't afraid.

In fact, not only was he afraid, but the other youths were also scared.

Fang Yuan had robbed them twice, and each of them had fought with him.

"I actually fought with such a ruthless murderer? And I'm still alive." Many patted their chests, feeling a wave of lingering fear.

It wasn't just that Fang Yuan killed someone, but he also dismembered the body, chopping it into mincemeat.

That was just too brutal!

Such a terrifying crime deeply impacted the innocent hearts of the youths.

...

In the room, there were only the Academy Elder and Fang Yuan.

The Academy Elder sat while Fang Yuan stood, neither speaking, the atmosphere oppressive and heavy.

The Academy Elder silently watched Fang Yuan, a complex light flashing in his eyes.

Early in the morning, guards reported to him about Fang Yuan's murder. The news left him both shocked and doubtful.

He was a Rank Three Gu Master and in charge of the academy, naturally aware of the combat capabilities of a Rank One – Initial Stage Gu Master.

Fang Yuan being able to kill Gao Wan was a case of the weak defeating the strong.

In fact, the previous evening, guards had reported Mo Yan bringing Fang Yuan into the academy.

At the time, he hadn't paid it any mind or intervened.

As the Academy Elder, his goal was to cultivate future Gu Masters, not to protect them. As long as no students were killed or injured, he encouraged secret struggles.

Mo Yan causing trouble for Fang Yuan was something he was happy to see.

Firstly, he knew that whether Fang Yuan won or lost, it would benefit his growth. Secondly, he wanted to suppress Fang Yuan's momentum.

Fang Yuan had twice blocked the academy's entrance, robbing all the students, and his momentum was too strong, needing to be curbed.

But he hadn't expected Mo Yan to return empty-handed, leaving behind the servant Gao Wan. And Gao Wan couldn't defeat Fang Yuan and was killed by him!

In this world, strength was paramount. Killing was not unusual, especially for Gu Masters; it was quite common.

But for a fifteen-year-old to kill for the first time, that was not simple.

The Academy Elder vividly remembered his first kill. He was already a Rank Two Gu Master at nineteen when he killed a Gu Master from Bai Clan Village during a conflict.

After the kill, he vomited profusely, his heart in turmoil. For days, he had no appetite and couldn't sleep peacefully, haunted by the dead man's glaring eyes.

Now looking at Fang Yuan, his face was calm as usual, with no sign of panic or discomfort, as if he had merely had a good night's sleep and wasn't the one who killed.

Especially since the Academy Elder heard that after killing the servant, Fang Yuan dragged the body back to the dormitory and hacked it into mincemeat in a fit of rage. Such ruthless methods sounded terrifying!

Thus, the Academy Elder's gaze at Fang Yuan was filled with complex emotions.

On one hand, he marveled at Fang Yuan's cold indifference to life, his heart as icy as stone. On the other hand, he admired Fang Yuan as a natural-born combatant. Having just mastered the Moonlight Gu, he could already use it to kill. Ordinary youths, even those top-tier geniuses, might not achieve this. This was combat talent! If nurtured, he could become a nightmare for enemies in battle for the clan.

The third aspect was worry and distress.

He worried that after this incident, Fang Yuan's momentum would grow even stronger, and he wouldn't be able to suppress him. Fang Yuan was too bold, not only violating clan rules by using Gu insects in the academy but also killing someone. His momentum had to be curbed, or how could he manage the academy?

The distress was about how to handle the aftermath, as it involved the Mo branch of the clan.

"Fang Yuan, do you know why I summoned you?" The Academy Elder broke the silence with a low voice.

"I know," Fang Yuan nodded. "I used the Moonlight Gu in the academy, violating clan rules. According to the rules, the first violation should be punished with a compensation of thirty Primordial Stones."

He avoided the main issue, not mentioning Gao Wan's death at all.

The Academy Elder was taken aback, not expecting such a response from Fang Yuan.

His expression darkened, and he snorted coldly, "Don't play dumb with me! I'm asking you, what happened with Gao Wan's death?"

Fang Yuan narrowed his eyes, "Hmph! Gao Wan was insubordinate and malicious. Last night, he not only blocked my door but also tried to kill me. I had no choice but to use the Moonlight Gu in self-defense and fortunately killed the scoundrel. I suspect he might have been a spy from another stronghold, and I ask the Elder to investigate!"

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The Academy Elder frowned at these words, momentarily at a loss for what to say.

Now that Gao Wan was dead, Fang Yuan could say whatever he wanted. Gao Wan was an outsider, not a clan member, so his death was inconsequential to the Academy Elder. But he was concerned about the Mo Clan's reaction, as Gao Wan was their servant, killed in the academy. As the one managing the academy, he needed to give the Mo Clan an explanation.

After some thought, the Academy Elder pressed Fang Yuan, "Then tell me, how did you handle Gao Wan's body?"

Fang Yuan's lips curled into a cruel smile, "I dismembered Gao Wan, chopped him up, and put him in a wooden box. At dawn, I placed it at the Mo Clan's back door."

"What?!" The Academy Elder was so shocked he nearly stood up from his seat.

Not only did Fang Yuan kill their servant, but he also chopped the body up and left it at the Mo Clan's back door. This was blatant provocation!

For the Academy Elder, who wanted to settle this matter quietly, this was a genuine disaster.

Fang Yuan was just a small Rank One Gu Master; how would the powerful Mo Clan react?

The Academy Elder felt a headache coming on, realizing the situation was out of his control. Fang Yuan was truly a troublemaker!

"Sigh, since it's already happened, there's no point in saying more. You may leave now. In a few days, there will be a punishment, so prepare yourself mentally." The Elder, his mind in turmoil, waved Fang Yuan away, needing time to calmly think of a solution.