C212 You All Answered Correctly!

Zhang Zhongqi's face was a mask of impassivity.

Managing to save even a shred of dignity was the best he could hope for.

Watching Chu Yi's ever-smiling face, Zhang Zhongqi's mood darkened considerably. He truly didn't wish to remain there for another second.

Indeed, without the knowledge of the truth, anyone would have been convinced that Chu Yi was outright defaming him.

Everyone was familiar with Zhang Zhongqi's character. If the tables were turned, he certainly wouldn't have spared Chu Yi.

But Zhang Zhongqi was acutely aware of his predicament, and his only thought was to make a swift exit.

Chu Yi's constant smile initially gave the impression of confidence, but now it appeared more like a strained grin.

Yes, it seemed to them that there was no chance of turning the situation around.

In this day and age, relying on something as subjective as the Free Heart Test was unacceptable.

Evidence was paramount; knowing the truth was insufficient without tangible proof to convict someone.

This was precisely Zhen Ye's predicament.

Without evidence from Chu Yi, there was ostensibly no issue.

It wasn't reasonable to claim that the assessment was unfair just because it didn't go easy on you, right?

Regarding the extent of Zhen Ye's strength during the assessment, whether it exceeded the norm was indeterminable. Chu Yi insisted that Zhen Ye had gone far beyond the standard, even employing genetic power.

Yet Zhen Ye countered, claiming he had actually been lenient.

Finding a witness to corroborate either story was impossible, as no one else was present during the incident.

Thus, the matter was truly difficult to clarify.

Crucially, when Zhen Ye explained himself, Chu Yi didn't object, seemingly conceding to the account.

This placed Chu Yi at a distinct disadvantage.

Zhang Zhongqi, along with Zhen Ye and the others, intended to leave immediately. Lingering any longer only added to his humiliation.

Zhang Zhongqi couldn't bear to stay a moment longer.

Chu Yi was still smiling, maintaining his smile as if he had run out of defenses.

Finally, Zhang Zhongqi, accompanied by Zhen Ye and the elderly Mr. Zhen, reached the door. In just a few seconds, it seemed their figures might vanish entirely.

Yet, at that very moment, a voice broke the silence.

"Did I give you permission to leave?"

All eyes turned to Chu Yi, each gaze tinged with curiosity.

"You probably think I'm acting out of spiteful embarrassment, don't you?" Chu Yi mused aloud as he made his way toward Zhen Ye.

The onlookers remained silent, while the influential figures watched Chu Yi with fascination.

"You're surely convinced that I'm about to forcibly detain someone, right?"

Again, no response came, but a flicker of uncertainty crossed their faces.

Could it be otherwise?

Chu Yi came to a halt not far from Zhen Ye.

He observed the slightly tense Zhen Ye and the dark-faced Zhang Zhongqi, then suddenly erupted into laughter.

"If that's truly what you believe, then I must say—"

Chu Yi paused, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"You're absolutely correct!"

Everyone was momentarily frozen in shock.

They stared at Chu Yi, struggling to reconcile the words they'd just heard with the man before them.

This, this, this...

Chu Yi's smile spread across his face.

Initially, his smile had seemed shy and reserved to the influential onlookers.

But now, it took on a sinister quality.

Was this really Chu Yi?

Some of the big shots were visibly confused, beginning to question which version of Chu Yi was the genuine one.

Zhang Zhongqi's expression had darkened to the point of nearly dripping with anger.

"Chu Yi, what are you trying to do?"

In that moment, Zhang Zhongqi's presence exploded with intensity.

Despite his efforts to contain it, his composure had been utterly disrupted by Chu Yi's intervention.

As Zhang Zhongqi's presence surged, another formidable aura emerged within the hall.

It wasn't overwhelmingly terrifying, but it was enough to dominate Zhang Zhongqi effortlessly.

It was Chu Tianfeng!

Indeed, Patriarch Chu had made his entrance with undeniable authority, unconcerned with the implications of his timely appearance.

If it were only Chu Yi involved, there might still be a chance for a diplomatic solution. After all, despite his genius, he was still of the younger generation.

But Chu Tianfeng was a different story.

He represented not just the prestigious Chu family, but he was also revered as a War God. The implications were significant.

Zhang Zhongqi's face betrayed a slight shift in emotion.

He was no fool; he understood the gap between himself and Chu Tianfeng. With the right people under his command, he was confident he could take down not just one War God like Chu Tianfeng, but even three or five.

But now...

"Chu Yi, what exactly do you want?" Zhang Zhongqi couldn't contain himself any longer, speaking up for the second time.

Chu Yi glanced at the visibly anxious Zhen Ye, then turned to Zhang Zhongqi. Ultimately, his gaze settled on Zhen Ye.

"How does it feel? Are you afraid now?"

Chu Yi took another step, slowly closing the distance between himself and Zhen Ye.

"Have you ever considered that your actions against me would lead to this moment?"

After a pause, Chu Yi chuckled wryly, "Of course, you are the esteemed scion of heaven, the young master of the Zhen Family."

"You're also a genetic warrior, and quite handsome at that..."

"Compared to me, who was merely a commoner, you truly seemed like a prince."

"Even though you're not as handsome as this commoner, a prince is still a prince. Such a prestigious status you have!"

Chu Yi now stood before Zhen Ye, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Just a single word, or even a mere thought from you, could determine the fate of others. That must be quite exhilarating, right?"

Zhen Ye, sensing something amiss, cast a pleading look towards his grandfather and then to Zhang Zhongqi, who was shaking with fury.

"Do you realize that if I weren't who I am, if I were just a slightly talented ordinary person, your actions could have destroyed my life..."

"Do you understand that?"

Before, many influential figures thought Chu Yi was being excessive, ready to seek revenge without any proof, breaking their unwritten code.

Yet, as they listened to Chu Yi's words, a peculiar glint appeared in their eyes.

Reluctantly, they had to acknowledge that Chu Yi was speaking the truth.

If Chu Yi weren't a singular prodigy, if he weren't the young master of the Chu family, then perhaps his life would have been destroyed by a mere whim of Zhen Ye's.

Failing the special admission process meant that the three elite academies were now out of reach.

They could already picture the damning remarks that would be left on Chu Yi's evaluation!

Typically, other top-tier universities would consider students who failed to gain entry into the top three academies, but they lacked the resources and manpower to conduct their own assessments.

Thus, they would base their decisions on the evaluations provided by the top academies.

And it was clear that Zhen Ye wouldn't leave any favorable comments for Chu Yi.

Soon, he might find himself unable to gain entry into even those first-rate universities.

For these gifted cultivators, being unable to attend a first-rate university meant their future prospects were effectively severed.

After all, commoners looking to ascend the ranks had only the resources of these institutions to rely on.

If Chu Yi was truly just a commoner with nothing to his name, as he claimed, then Zhen Ye's actions would have no doubt severed Chu Yi's hopes for the future, destroying his life in the process!

If those seated here were all patriarchs of noble families, they might not see any issue.

But most were senior government officials.

And these officials shared one trait: they were all commoners!

Just like the commoner Chu Yi described, they had started with nothing and slowly worked their way up.

So, they could empathize with that feeling all the more.

"You, you, you have no evidence!"

"You're defaming me!"

Zhen Ye had managed to respond with composure before, but as Chu Yi blatantly ignored the so-called rules, Zhen Ye became frightened, filled with fear.

Indeed.

Chu Yi had no evidence.

"Chu Yi, let it go..."

"After all, this hasn't really caused you any significant harm."

"You don't have any evidence either. Since that's the case, let's just leave it be."

"Let's save face for everyone..."

The speaker was a deputy minister, also one of those who had previously referred to Chu Yi as grandfather.

"That's right, we must adhere to certain standards."

"We live in a world governed by laws..."

"Indeed, young Chu Yi, heed your grandfather's advice and let this matter go..."

Evidence, rules, and the law!

Voices incessantly buzzed around Chu Yi.

In that moment, they appeared to transform into champions of legality and justice.

Chu Yi remained silent, merely observing the crowd.

Zhen Ye's expression eased a bit. He was aware that their advocacy wasn't out of respect for his grandfather.

Perhaps, it wasn't even out of consideration for Zhang Zhongqi. Zhen Ye was somewhat acquainted with Zhang Zhongqi's affairs.

That these individuals refrained from kicking someone when they were down was commendable enough, let alone speaking up for Zhang Zhongqi.

That was simply out of the question!

Their current objections were solely to uphold the rules, safeguard their own interests, and protect their reputations!

Chu Yi stood for the Aristocratic Alliance, while they represented the government.

And at that moment, Zhen Ye was an embodiment of the government.

Should Zhen Ye face disgrace, it would reflect poorly on the government as well.

With this in mind, Zhen Ye felt even more at ease.

"Rules?"

"Law?"

"Evidence?"

Chu Yi repeated these words under his breath, then broke into a radiant smile.

He turned his gaze to the elder who had initially raised the concept and slowly inquired, "You mentioned the law?"

Although Chu Yi's question seemed respectful, posing such a query in this context was inherently impolite!

Yet, the elder, catching sight of Chu Tianfeng nearby, begrudgingly nodded.

"If that's the case, may I inquire whether the law stipulates that young prodigies are granted special privileges?"

"And that those who commit transgressions against these prodigies are subject to strict scrutiny and punishment?"

The elder's face showed a subtle shift.

Indeed, such a rule existed!

Take, for instance, a warrior slaying a commoner.

Even a mighty warrior would face severe consequences for killing an ordinary person!

But when it came to a prodigy...

Unless the reason was particularly egregious, the punishment, though certain, would not be as harsh as one might expect.

And should these prodigies suffer unjust treatment, the assailants' punishment would be exponentially increased!

This was the safeguard for prodigies.

Was Chu Yi a prodigy?

There was no question about it; thus, Chu Yi was fully entitled to the protections afforded to prodigies.

"We want to punish them too, but isn't it true that we lack evidence?"

The elder spoke with a detached tone, his voice tinged with a chill.

While they weren't enemies with Chu Yi, they were certainly rivals.

Even if Chu Yi's actions were beneficial to them, it didn't alter the underlying reality.

As such, they weren't particularly fond of Chu Yi.

And now, Chu Yi's assertive demeanor only served to further irritate the government heavyweights in the room.

"Evidence?"

"Ha! You're talking to me about evidence?!"