303: Chapter 303 Investigation Results

Three months later, Supreme Academic Hall.

"Report to the Tower Masters, all registered personnel and controlled areas of Sword Emperor Mountain have been thoroughly screened. Here are the results."

A man with a sundial pattern embroidered on his chest lightly tapped his wrist, and an image was projected.

"A total of 13,176,579 members have had their time-space traced back and memories read. Aside from one elder underreporting 8.17 million time coins in taxes, no other anomalies were found."

"Furthermore, every location within Sword Emperor Mountain's territory that experienced time-space fluctuations has been checked inch by inch using instruments. Everything is normal."

"Based on the investigation results, it seems Sword Emperor Mountain had no other accomplices besides Sword Emperor Lingxi and those four retainers."

The Scholar from the Tower of Time narrated one by one:

"All records of the investigation process have been backed up and sent to the Information Retention Center."

"Thank you for your hard work. You may step down now."

The voice of one of the Tower Masters rang out slowly.

Half of his face was covered in wrinkles, showing extreme age, while the other half was as smooth as jade, like a young maiden.

It was precisely the Tower Master of the Tower of Time.

"Yes, Teacher."

The Scholar nodded, gave a respectful bow to the other Tower Masters, and his figure blurred into an afterimage like a video playing in reverse, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

This was the unique movement method of the Tower of Time.

By rewinding their own time, they could appear at any previous position.

"How shall we handle this?"

On the other side, the many Tower Masters of the association didn't seem surprised by this result; they just turned their gazes toward the Virtual Tower Master and the Myriad Things Tower Master.

"The death penalty may be avoided, but punishment is inescapable."

The Virtual Tower Master said indifferently:

"The civilization level will be reduced by one grade, and all eligibility to use association facilities and participate in activities will be revoked for one hundred thousand years."

"Furthermore, they shall provide my student Zhang Huaiyuan with 500 billion time coins as spiritual compensation, and then the matter shall be settled."

"Kraft, we both know that since even time-space backtracking found no clues, there must be an existence at least on our level behind this. Sword Emperor Mountain is merely a puppet caught in the crossfire; such a punishment is a bit heavy."

A Tower Master shook his head with a light laugh.

"Lorcus, what do you mean then?"

The Virtual Tower Master narrowed his eyes, his tone flat, revealing no emotion.

Academia was pure, but resources were limited.

There were also factions among the various Towers of Knowledge within the association.

Lorcus was the Tower Master of the Tower of Potions, and Sword Emperor Mountain strictly belonged to the domain under his jurisdiction.

If such a powerful cultivation civilization were downgraded, the tribute income would also decrease significantly.

"However, the fact that they participated in the assassination of a core disciple is truly too serious; it's unrealistic to protect them completely..."

Lorcus smiled thoughtfully:

"Compensation is appropriate, but isn't the penalty of civilization downgrading a bit too severe? After all, Sword Emperor Mountain also made many contributions on the Ascension Battlefield back then..."

"Severe? That is my student."

Before the Tower Master of the Tower of Potions could finish, he was interrupted by a heavy voice.

A ball of liquid was seen slowly flowing into a humanoid shape.

It was Zhang Huaiyuan's other teacher, the Myriad Things Tower Master.

"Just a bunch of useless molecules. Since they dared to get involved in such a matter, they should return to a microscopic state."

He snorted coldly, as if stating something completely natural.

"Myriad Things..."

The Tower Master of the Tower of Potions' expression changed.

He suddenly remembered that the student named Zhang Huaiyuan was not only the disciple of the Virtual Tower Master but also the disciple of the Myriad Things Tower Master!

The Tower of All Things was notoriously protective of its own.

"What, Lorcus, do you have an objection?"

"Myriad Things, that's not what I meant... Fine, fine, we'll do as Kraft says."

The Tower Master of the Tower of Potions' eyes flickered, but he did not persist.

The cost of offending two powerful Tower Masters was far greater than that pitiful tax revenue; as one of the most excellent Scholars, he naturally wouldn't do something so foolish.

"Alright, Sword Emperor Mountain is a small matter. Kraft, Myriad Things, the association failed to protect your disciple properly. In addition to the previous requirements, the association will provide an extra subsidy of ten thousand credits. How about it?"

Seeing this, the Tower Master of the Tower of Time stepped in to mediate.

"Very well, for your sake, we'll let the matter of Sword Emperor Mountain go."

Kraft and the Myriad Things Tower Master exchanged a silent glance and slowly nodded.

From the investigation results, Sword Emperor Mountain was indeed just a manipulated puppet. Compared to this...

"When my student was being assassinated, the connection to the Virtual Tower experienced a momentary interruption."

Kraft remained silent for a moment before finally speaking out.

"What!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the auras of the originally calm Tower Masters fluctuated violently in an instant.

"Kraft, are you serious?"

"Are you certain the Virtual Tower's connection was broken due to external interference?"

"Indeed, I still have that much judgment."

Kraft said indifferently:

"After investigation, it was found that a Senior Scholar of the Virtual Tower named 'Hak,' while maintaining the external Void Network, accidentally triggered the restart program due to a lapse."

"Hak?"

With a thought, the Tower Masters retrieved the relevant information from the database.

He was a Scholar who had joined the association 97 million years ago.

His talent barely met the threshold for entry, but his heart for the Dao was exceptionally firm, and his thirst for knowledge was fanatical.

It took him a full 78 million years to be promoted to an intermediate Scholar.

Later, he seemed to have a sudden epiphany, successfully advancing to Senior Scholar in just 12 million years.

Moved by his diligence and persistence, he was assigned to the Void Network maintenance post in the Virtual Tower.

"Such a person could not have made such a mistake."

One Tower Master said decisively.

The concept of a mistake might be common for ordinary people, but it could never happen to a Senior Scholar.

"Has he been investigated? What were the results?"

The other Tower Masters looked at Kraft and pressed for answers.

Compared to a problem arising within a Tower of Knowledge, the assassination of a genius disciple seemed insignificant.

This was something that could shake the very foundation of the association!

One must know that the Virtual Tower was definitely one of the top-ranking Towers of Knowledge in the association. If it had a problem, it meant other Towers of Knowledge also faced the risk of losing control.

"Like the investigation of Sword Emperor Mountain, there were no problems. It's as if a conscientious Scholar suddenly took a nap after tens of millions of years and made a mistake. But the fact that this mistake appeared precisely at the moment my student was being assassinated makes it worth pondering."

Kraft said indifferently.

"No problem is the biggest problem... Reasoning back from the result, assuming there is a rat hiding in the shadows... To achieve this, their strength would be at least no weaker than ours."

"The seal on the Ascension Battlefield was left by the Lord of Truth. I've checked it and it's not damaged, so they can be ruled out. Aside from them, then there's only..."

A Tower Master seemed to think of something, hesitated for a moment, and then looked at Kraft:

"I heard that for this academic competition, the princess of Holy Spirit City also went. She was very fond of your student and even gave him a God-grade scroll, which saved his life at a critical moment. Is it possible..."

"Do not speak nonsense!"

The Tower Master of the Tower of Time suddenly interrupted with a serious expression.

"Holy Spirit City and the Zerg cannot possibly act against our association. There are some things I cannot reveal; you only need to know that they are absolutely reliable allies."

"In that case... I understand."

That Tower Master nodded slowly.

The Tower Master of the Tower of Time was one of the first people in the association to gain the favor of a Tower of Knowledge, and he knew far more than ordinary Tower Masters. Since he said so, then there was no problem.

"However, you did remind me. Since they could affect the Virtual Tower, it's not impossible that Holy Spirit City and the Zerg have also been targeted..."

The Tower Master of the Tower of Time pondered:

"I will personally make a trip to see if I can join forces with the Elven Empress and the Archbishop of Holy Spirit City to find those hidden clues."

...