Chapter 1 Seeing the Arrival of the Lava Elemental

Upon seeing the Lava Elemental appear, the ten elders of headquarters and the elders on the jury all rose to their feet.

Amidst the "rattling" sounds of chairs being moved, these high-ranking masters bowed and said,

"Greetings, Gang Leader!"

Immediately, the sound of chairs moving grew even louder. More than a hundred deacons in the audience, as well as members of the Lingjing families, practically leapt from their seats.

Their faces were filled with terror as they tensed their bodies,

bowing their heads and shouting, "Greetings, Gang Leader!"

Gang Leader? The Gang Leader of the Chihuo Gang?! Zhang Yuanqing, breathing in the scorching air, looked at the fire elemental in astonishment.

He hadn't expected this trial to attract a demigod, much less that he would meet the supreme leader of the Five Elements Alliance in such a way.

He carefully examined the Gang Leader, one of the five alliance leaders.

Although it was a body formed from "lava"-like elemental matter, the facial features and clothing were meticulously detailed, just like a real flesh and blood body. Therefore, he could clearly see the Gang Leader's appearance.

About two meters tall, wearing loose training clothes, with red hair reaching his shoulders, a square face, and a thick, bushy beard. His eyebrows were thick and dark.

If one ignored the pressure of a demigod-level expert, the Gang Leader's first impression was... a great bandit.

Gang Leader Jiang ignored the elders and deacons, turned his head, and sized up Zhang Yuanqing. "You are Yuan Shi Tianzun?"

Zhang Yuanqing quickly suppressed his arrogance and rebellious spirit, pondering whether to prostrate himself before the other party, but he had just uttered the bold declaration of "I would rather die than bow my head."

To prostrate himself now... where would the Heavenly Lord's dignity be?

"I am," he said, stiffening his neck and fearlessly meeting the gaze of the Lava Elemental.

Unexpectedly, the alliance leader nodded in satisfaction. "Indeed, he has some backbone, much stronger than this group of useless people who only know how to bend over and lower their heads."

As he spoke, he turned his head to look at the ten elders of headquarters, once again roaring, "What the hell are you doing? Cai Qinhu, you answer me. What the hell are you doing? Search Sanyou on Baidu to read free content every day."

Elder Cai straightened up, his dark eye sockets gazing at the Gang Leader. "Trying Yuan Shi Tianzun."

"Trying your grandma's balls," Gang Leader Jiang cursed. "Release the man for me."

Elder Cai remained respectful but firm. "Gang Leader, you cannot interfere in alliance affairs. This is a rule you yourself established."

"That's a load of bullsh*t!" The Lava Elemental, despite his high status, used vulgar language. "We established this rule back then to allow you to better manage the Five Elements Alliance, not to let you destroy the foundation of the Five Elements Alliance. If we don't intervene, the gang I founded and the empire I built will be ruined by you."

"Look at what you ten bastards have done all these years? A few years ago, I heard people say that to be promoted to an elder, you must join one of the ten major factions. There are no factions outside the ten factions. Why don't you just fly to heaven?"

He turned his head and spat on the ground, ejecting a large lump of lava that burned through the floor.

Such a vulgar action left all the elders in the hall unable to express their anger.

The lofty ten elders lowered their eyes and remained extremely docile.

Unlike the newly advanced demigod, Marshal, the "crude man" before them was the founder of the Chihuo Gang, the first generation of Lingjing Xingzhe. No Lingjing Xingzhe in the world had a longer history than him.

Not to mention the elders of the various branches, even the ten elders of headquarters were his juniors, having "grown up" listening to his legends.

The Lava Elemental spat and cursed, "Engaging in factional struggles and internal strife, wanting to tightly control all power. When you encounter someone who doesn't obey, your first reaction is to suppress them, tame them, and then pull them into the faction and give them a sweet reward."

"In the past twenty years, every time a new force emerges, you immediately extinguish it and then divide it up. The situation with Yuan Shi Tianzun is not the first or second time. How was Fu Qingyang dispatched to Songhai in the first place?"

"You think the Fu family's power is too great, that Fu Qingyang is arrogant and difficult to control, and needs to be tempered, so you threw him to Songhai to 'hone' him. Do you really think I don't know? I just don't interfere, I'm not stupid."

"When I was occupying the mountains as a bandit, your grandfathers weren't even born yet."

He looked at the jury again, his anger growing even more intense. "Why are there no elders from my Chihuo Gang on the jury? Are you looking down on my Chihuo Gang?"

The elders of the jury lowered their heads in shame. They hadn't been scolded like this in many years.

"Di Hong, Cai Qinhu, Miao Sen, Lie Yan, Bai Zhan Jun Shen..." He named them one by one, scanning the ten elders of headquarters, and sneered, "You are much better at taming dogs than I am."

The deacons lowered their heads even further, feeling uneasy. These were not words they could eavesdrop on.

But besides the uneasiness, there was also a surge of excitement in their hearts. A young genius was being suppressed by powerful forces, and the alliance leader was personally appearing to uphold justice. Such a scene might never happen a second time in their lives.

Guan Ya, Xie Lingxi, and the others were overjoyed.

With the support of the alliance leader, Yuan Shi Tianzun could smoothly overcome this tribulation.

Miao Teng'er was also very happy, even though her maternal grandfather was among the ten elders being scolded by the alliance leader.

The Great Elder Di Hong said with shame, "We have failed the organization's trust. Please forgive us, Gang Leader."

The other nine elders bowed along with him. Elder Cai said in a deep voice, "Gang Leader, Yuan Shi Tianzun's relationship with evil professions is indeed ambiguous, exceeding the scope of an undercover agent. Furthermore, although Cai Longshen was wrong, his crime did not warrant death. And Yuan Shi Tianzun has a history of killing colleagues, making him a repeat offender. In terms of reason and law, he should be severely punished."

The Lava Elemental sneered. "Don't give me that crap. You're talking about the law? Your grandson foolishly angered the mentally unstable Yuan Shi Tianzun. According to the law, Yuan Shi Tianzun should be acquitted."

"Cai Qinhu, you made such a big fuss with this trial just because you couldn't swallow this anger? Your grandson almost killed my cub. I can't swallow this anger either. Should I also try you?"

Elder Cai's expression finally changed. "Gang Leader, are you threatening me?"

"Threatening? I wouldn't threaten an ant that I can crush at any time. You're not worthy!" The Lava Elemental's sharp gaze swept over the ten elders. "It seems that twenty years of decentralization have made you swell to the point of being lawless."

"I can choose not to interfere in this trial. I will abide by the rules I set. But I must warn you, the positions of the ten elders of headquarters were given to you by me. If I feel that you are no longer worthy of being in these positions, I can take them away at any time." With that, his body disintegrated into bright sparks, which then extinguished.

Elder Di Hong and the other nine elders said loudly, "Farewell, Gang Leader."

The Gang Leader was gone, but the residual heat in the air seemed to linger in everyone's hearts. No one dared to speak. Search Sanyou on Baidu to read free content every day.

In the silent silence, Grand Elder Di Hong glanced at Elder Cai again. "Elder Cai, shall we uphold the original verdict?"

Elder Cai was silent for a long time, then slowly said, "Detain Yuan Shi Tianzun. Jury and audience, leave the courtroom."

The elders and deacons bowed one after another. Immediately, the projectors on the ceiling went out, and beams of light disappeared.

The previously packed courtroom was instantly left with only the ten elders and guards.

Soon, Zhang Yuanqing was also led out of the courtroom by the guards.

...

Zhang Yuanqing returned to the interrogation room.

The guards left him there and left, without leaving anyone to watch him, nor did they put handcuffs on him. They were very lax.

At this time, Zhang Yuanqing felt a burning pain on his face. He shakily raised his hand and touched his cheeks, wincing in pain.

His face was burned.

Touching his eyebrows and hair again, he found that they were all scorched.

"Just being in close proximity was enough to burn me. And this was just a negligible clone... the power of a demigod is indeed terrifying." Zhang Yuanqing muttered to himself, taking out the Mountain God Scepter.

He held the green gem at the top of the scepter against his chest, activating the item's healing function.

As the green light swept over him, the burning face became cool, the burning pain disappeared, and the injuries on his arms also healed quickly.

– With the Star Official's powerful self-healing ability, the injuries on his arms were already healing quickly.

Next was to endure the desire to reproduce... He sat calmly on the interrogation chair, letting time slowly pass.

Half an hour later, the door of the interrogation room opened, and a young investigator came in, placed a mobile phone sealed in a bag on the table, and said, "You can go! After discussing it, the headquarters elders believe that although your behavior in the dungeon was inappropriate, there were extenuating circumstances. Colluding with evil professions was a misunderstanding."

Zhang Yuanqing, who had expected this, sneered. "The ten elders have finished discussing? You seem very unconvinced!"

The young man, who was obviously from Elder Cai's faction, said with a straight face, repeating, "You can go."

Zhang Yuanqing sneered, waved his hand to summon the phone, snapped his fingers, and turned into starlight and dissipated.

At the edge of the flower bed at the gate of the Investigation Department, starlight rose. Zhang Yuanqing looked down at the high tent that was propped up and quickly walked out of the courtyard of the Investigation Department building.

Why hasn't it recovered after half an hour? It seems that the gold reserves are a bit exaggerated... Zhang Yuanqing muttered to himself.

This was why he chose Star Escape to leave.

Walking out of the gate, Zhang Yuanqing immediately saw the familiar business car parked by the side of the road, the car door open, and Young Master Qian in white was sitting in the inner seat.

"Boss," Zhang Yuanqing smiled and quickly approached. "You received the notice of my acquittal so quickly?"

Fu Qingyang watched him get into the car, closed the car door, and the business car started and merged into the traffic.

Young Master Qian then said unhurriedly, "No notification was needed. Gang Leader Jiang was invited by me."

I knew it... Zhang Yuanqing consciously offered flattery, expressing his admiration for his boss. "Boss is indeed the boss, even the alliance leader can be invited. The alliance leaders usually don't manage affairs."

"That's why it has to be Gang Leader Jiang." Fu Qingyang opened the car refrigerator, took out a goblet, and signaled to his confidant to pour wine while saying, "If I had asked Marshal, that trash, to speak up for you, it would have been using power to suppress others, and it wouldn't have convinced the public. But the Gang Leader speaking up for his offspring is reasonable and justified. Moreover, Gang Leader Jiang has a violent and upright personality, and with Jiang Ju's relationship, he is more easily persuaded."

"If it were the other three, even if I dragged you to prostrate yourself, it would be difficult to persuade them. I wouldn't even be able to see them."

Was that "prostrating yourself" mocking me...? Zhang Yuanqing poured wine for his boss, feeling happy. "Elder Cai suffered a loss this time. Um, sorry, I still couldn't control myself."

Although he had safely overcome this tribulation, he still let headquarters see his rebellious spirit.

In a way, Elder Cai's goal had actually been achieved, but it was a case of killing eight hundred enemies while losing a thousand of his own.

Fu Qingyang glanced at him. "I had already anticipated it."

Zhang Yuanqing felt a little ashamed.

Fu Qingyang took a sip of red wine and said lightly, "In the past, I always habitually stood in my own position and asked you to be low-key, to be patient, to think twice before acting, and not to be impulsive... This is my style of doing things, but you and I are different."

"I can't use my standards to demand of you. How would that be any different from headquarters making you bow your head?" Speaking of this, he glanced at his subordinate, who was beaming, and shook his head. "After this incident, you should have a better understanding of the Five Elements Alliance. The ten elders have absolute hegemony in the official system. The only ones who can suppress them are the five alliance leaders, but the alliance leaders happen to not manage affairs."

"The elders of the various branches are all tamed. There is nothing wrong with this. Hegemony can reduce internal friction and make the organization more cohesive. But Lingjing Xingzhe have long lifespans. The rule of ten old guys will gradually make the official system rigid, inflexible, and lacking vitality."

"The official system has big problems."

Zhang Yuanqing instantly understood Fu Qingyang's meaning. "Boss, I will assist you in entering headquarters, sweeping away the accumulated ills, and reforming the Five Elements Alliance."

Fu Qingyang smiled. "Yuan Shi, you are not lacking in wisdom, but your personality is not suitable for an official career. You should be glad that the Five Elements Alliance is not a real bureaucracy. Lingjing Xingzhe ultimately respect martial force."

"You are now level six. At the end of the year, you will enter the slaughter dungeon, be promoted to Ruler. By that time, even if your rebellious bones are all ossified, you won't have to be afraid." In the Saint stage, you are at most a pillar of a large organization.

But it's different when you reach the Ruler stage. Ruler is Ruler, as the name suggests, a Ruler of one side.

At that time, Yuan Shi's choices will be too many. Of course, headquarters can also suppress him, but it won't have any effect.

After all, the ten elders' purpose in suppressing Yuan Shi is not to force him to rebel, but to tame him.

They probably saw that Yuan Shi Tianzun's growth rate was too fast, and the way of tempering his edges and corners at the grassroots level didn't work, so they used the Cai Longshen incident to suppress him.

But Fu Qingyang knew very well that this path wouldn't work.

Yuan Shi Tianzun lost his father at a young age, and was also lacking in maternal love, living under someone else's roof. His heart was lonely and sensitive. When he encountered external stimuli, he would have a very strong stress response.

This kind of personality destined him to be unyielding. The more you suppress him, the more he will resist.

But the ten elders of headquarters didn't empathize or understand Yuan Shi Tianzun. This was what Fu Qingyang was talking about, the arrogance of superiors. They had been in power for too many years, and arrogance was ingrained in their bones.

"After this incident, headquarters' impression of you will be extremely bad. Your talent and potential will make them choose to tolerate you, but they won't train you to be a successor anymore."

Fu Qingyang said in a deep voice, "But it doesn't matter. You don't need to rely on them. I will pave the way for you."

Yuan Shi is not suitable for mixing in the official system, but this is precisely what he, Fu Qingyang, is best at.

"In the future, the welfare benefits will be reduced, and the materials and money exchanged for merit will be affected... These are all minor matters. Boss, will Elder Cai assassinate me?" Zhang Yuanqing frowned.

If he betrayed the official system, he wouldn't have these concerns, because assassination and retaliation are inevitable.

Instead, this ambiguous state is the most uncomfortable.

"Retaliation is inevitable. The more these big figures are, the less scruples they have in doing things. Selling your information to evil professions, hiring assassins to assassinate you, are all possible, even attacking your family." Fu Qingyang drank all the wine in one gulp. "But your family background, I destroyed it when you killed Wei Yuanzhou. Not many people know your true identity. I will take care of it."

Zhang Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief.

Fu Qingyang suddenly narrowed his eyes. "Elder Gou has also seen your information. In terms of qualifications, he is higher than me, and in terms of position, he is also higher than me. If Elder Cai obtains your information through him, I will also be powerless. Aren't you worried?"

Zhang Yuanqing lowered his head. "I believe in Elder Gou's character, and also in Boss's ability to handle things."

Fu Qingyang "Mm"ed, withdrew his gaze, and said casually, "You can take a look at the official forum. It's very lively!"

Really, I hate scouts... Zhang Yuanqing muttered to himself and took out his phone as he was told.

Elder Gou and Zhang Zizhen are likely old acquaintances and wouldn't harm him, the son of his old friend, so there were no worries in this regard.

Even with such a small detail, Fu Qingyang noticed it.

Turning it on and logging into the forum.

The pinned post on the forum was:

#Trial ends, Yuan Shi Tianzun acquitted#

Zhang Yuanqing casually clicked it open and glanced at it. The poster was from the Songhai branch. The content was very official, only saying that after headquarters' verification, the suspicion of colluding with evil professions was ruled out, and Cai Longshen's death was a common accident in the dungeon and not Yuan Shi Tianzun's intentional killing.

Of course, it didn't mention what Cai Longshen did in the dungeon.

As an official branch, the Songhai branch certainly couldn't have any obvious bias. There was nothing wrong with the content of the post.

What Fu Qingyang meant by "lively" was not the post from the Songhai branch, but the posts from the deacons who had attended the trial.

#Yuan Shi Tianzun claims to have been born arrogant, with a rebellious spirit, and angrily rebukes headquarters in court#

#Elder Cai uses his position for personal gain, destined to lose face#

#Alliance leader appears in the courtroom to defend Yuan Shi Tianzun#

Zhang Yuanqing looked at the screen full of posts, dumbfounded. "Boss..."

Fu Qingyang nodded. "They were all bought by me. It's time for us to fight back."

After a pause, he added, "The posts from the Fire Demons have nothing to do with me."

To get other people to tell the truth, you need to lure them with benefits. To get the Fire Demons to tell the truth, you just need to anger them.

Most Fire Demons are still very upright.