Getting Stronger By Fighting

Meanwhile.

News that Wang Zhan's battle in the E7 District of Jing State had ended, that he had subsequently killed three Grandmasters, and even humiliated Li Shiji, the peerless prodigy from the Royal Martial Arts Academy, had reached Liu Zhengfeng and Lv Zhenglong.

"Wang Zhan has already been taken away. You do not need to worry about his safety. However, you must be cautious. He has killed three Grandmasters, each from different factions, including the Xu family, the original organization, and finally, one from the Royal Martial Arts Academy. Even though they are currently helpless against Wang Zhan, it doesn't ensure they won't vent their anger on Chu State's Military Martial Arts Academy."

Lv Zhenglong was originally supposed to be responsible for Wang Zhan's safety; being a Grandmaster, he possessed the strength to do so. Wang Zhan was both a student of Chu State's Military Martial Arts Academy and the seed player who had won first place in the Martial Arts Competition, so he naturally had this qualification. However, man proposes, God disposes. Who could have anticipated that a solo training excursion would involve so many twists and turns, causing Wang Zhan to so thoroughly outpace all other students of Chu State's Military Martial Arts Academy? Except for deans like Liu Zhenfeng who could still exert some control, no one else could restrain him now.

"How is this possible? Even if he is Wang Yidao's son and has many old acquaintances helping him, it shouldn't be like this," Liu Zhenfeng muttered. He wasn't ignorant of the Wang family's circumstances. If Wang Zhan's family situation was good, why would his sister, Wang Qi, struggle so desperately, even going as far as the Star War Battlefield? That was a place where lives were easily lost. Of course, Wang Zhan was unaware that Wang Qi would undertake such a mission, believing it to be ordinary training.

"Nothing is impossible," Lv Zhenglong responded. Sir Mingyue was right. We do need to be wary of retaliation from these people. Regardless, it's enough that Wang Zhan is still a student of our academy. However, he was pondering the call Liu Zhenfeng had made earlier to the dean, suggesting Wang Zhan become an exchange student between Chu State's Military Martial Arts Academy and the Federation's three largest schools. Given Wang Zhan's rivalry with the Royal Martial Arts Academy, they were naturally the candidate to be ignored. Would Wang Zhan becoming an exchange student benefit Chu State's Military Martial Arts Academy? Naturally, it would, but it was a mixed blessing. The concerns primarily stemmed from Wang Zhan's enemies and the envy aroused by the sudden elevation of Chu State's Military Martial Arts Academy's status. But the benefits were also significant. At the very least, with Wang Zhan's emergence, the three major academies would advocate for Chu State's Military Martial Arts Academy on his account, even sharing profits and exchanging resources privately, allowing Chu State's Military Martial Arts Academy's foundation to grow rapidly...

Upon thinking of this, Liu Zhenfeng and Lv Zhenglong looked at each other and smiled helplessly.

"We are still too weak. Even though we were once prosperous, we are now like a starved camel that is still bigger than a horse. In every aspect, we can't compare with the Federation's four major Martial Arts Academies. Now that Wang Zhan is growing stronger, we are actually holding him back..."

"I wonder... Will the four major Martial Arts Academies make a spot for Wang Zhan? Since he has the strength and forcibly carved out a place for himself in the four majors' domain, coming from our academy, it proves he's not weaker than anyone else, as long as he has support going forward..."

"...It's hard to say. Even if such an opportunity could be seized, it wouldn't be easy. Compared to them, we are merely eking out an existence within human territory. We might be strong, but we die faster than anyone..."

They conversed, the details of their discussion unknown, their voices growing softer, their expressions turning bitter. Ultimately, they decided that upon Wang Zhan's return, they would expedite the exchange student program. They couldn't afford to hold him back any longer; the further behind they fell, the harder it would be to catch up.

As for who felt the most aggrieved by the outcome of this battle, that would undoubtedly be the Royal Martial Arts Academy. This included William and Ally, the instigators of the feud with Wang Zhan. It also included the substitute players who participated in the Federal Martial Arts Competition, and the Grandmaster experts responsible for the battle. These experts had either fainted, had their limbs severed, or barely retained consciousness due to severe injuries. And then there was Edward, the dean of the Royal Martial Arts Academy!

"Dean, we have failed the trust of the Royal Martial Arts Academy! You must bring the team leader back. Although he lost, it was all due to Wang Zhan's cunning. He's too insidious, a bastard, who can even manipulate the qi of the Grandmaster Realm..." one of them cried. He was one of the two Grandmasters Wang Zhan had sent flying into a building with the Tie Shan Rush. The other Grandmaster had already fainted. Only he, despite countless broken bones, clung to consciousness through sheer willpower, begging Edward to retrieve Li Shiji.

In fact, as one of the Federation's four major Martial Arts Academies, they naturally had jurisdiction over their own students; even the Federation could not intervene. This student had also participated in the incident. However, the only ones actually captured were people from various factions and Li Shiji from the Royal Martial Arts Academy. The others from the four major Martial Arts Academies were all safely released. They were released on the spot.

There's an old saying: "Punishment does not extend to high officials." Today, it seemed: "Penalties do not apply to Martial Artists." Of course, Li Shiji was taken away because Jing State needed him for a little drama, a drama in which Wang Zhan was the protagonist. He wouldn't be truly punished.

However, even Edward hadn't expected that Li Chengyuan and Mingyue, though also part of the Federation, were not scholars but actual Martial Generals. To continuously win over Wang Zhan, eliminating a rival Wang Zhan would be wary of was a small price for considerable gains.

Edward said in a deep voice, "I will. Don't worry, your senior brother will definitely come back."

However, while he appeared calm on the surface, only he himself knew the turmoil and melancholy that filled his heart once he turned away.

He was just a Warrior, how could he let himself become so embarrassed? Was it necessary to mobilize a Grandmaster to actually kill him? Back at the beginning, he and Wang Zhan actually held no grudges. Wang Zhan had merely trampled on his face, and he wanted to get it back. He just hadn't wanted the Royal Martial Arts Academy, which he presided over, to be so bluntly squeezed out of a spot by Wang Zhan. Who knew it would turn into this…

Just then, a student, hands and face spattered with blood, stumbled towards him in a panic, blocking Edward, who was about to walk off and ponder his next move. The student cried out in sorrow, "Principal, Senior Brother Li Shiji is dead! His body was thrown outside our school gate! He died so tragically!"

Edward's footsteps froze. His expression seemed to turn to ice, his gaze filled with panic. His figure involuntarily hunched, and his hands began to tremble.

"What... what did you say? Say that... say that again?"

At this moment, he was like an old man watching his sons go off to war, eagerly awaiting their glorious return, only to receive news of their deaths on the battlefield.

'If I lose, I'll resign and take responsibility... I will never retaliate against Wang Zhan again!'

Yes, this was his responsibility. A Level 9 Grandmaster dead, a future pillar of the Federation, a sure pick among fifty thousand experts. Wasn't this enough?

「S9 District of Jing State.」

A tiny beetle traveled along a broad asphalt road. Besides the dim lights and the pale, unnerving moon, there was nothing else around; it was very quiet.

Qin Ying drove without blinking, her peripheral vision frequently glancing at Wang Zhan. His complexion was growing paler, and his breathing, though somewhat rapid, remained steady.

She didn't know what dream he was experiencing in his mind, or if the complications from the Blood Essence Pill were causing him unbearable pain. All she could see was sweat pouring down like rain, completely soaking his clothes, and cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

Qin Ying shook her head. He was always so arrogant and reckless; he was bound to get himself killed sooner or later. Of course, this resentment from Qin Ying also stemmed from the fact that Wang Zhan had only been out for an hour before deteriorating into such a sickly state.

The way you're going, who can save you? The Royal Martial Arts Academy wants to use you, the original organization wants to use you, the Xu family wants to use you, and the Yang family wants to use you too… As far as the eye can see, there isn't a single one who doesn't want to use you. It would be one thing if you actually had the ability to protect yourself, but you're just a tiny ant in the Warrior realm. If you didn't rely on medicine, external forces, and a willingness to perish together, even a Martial Master could make you suffer a fate where it's better to die than to live.

Thinking about all this, she couldn't help but smile helplessly.

Wang Zhan wasn't well-off. His family consisted only of his elderly mother, as his father had disappeared over a decade ago. The two women and Wang Zhan had depended on each other for survival. He wanted to stand tall, yet he feared death—where in the world could one find such a perfect situation?

Qin Ying didn't notice.

While she was momentarily distracted, a figure, swift as the wind, appeared directly in front of her car. The tiny beetle, moving at high speed, slammed right into him. Surprisingly, the man didn't move an inch, but the front of the beetle caved in from the impact.

CRASH! The tiny beetle was forced to a halt, its rear end lurching upwards before slamming back down heavily. The supposedly light vehicle felt more like a cumbersome tank.

Qin Ying's head slammed into the steering wheel. Blood began to seep from her forehead, and her eyes turned somewhat bloodshot.

Wang Zhan fared even worse. Brutally thrown forward, he tumbled into the gap in front of the seats, his body jolting violently, clearly in intense pain from the impact.

Qin Ying slowly lifted her head, a line of bloody tears tracing a path down her fair cheek.

Under the dim streetlights, amidst the fluctuating darkness, Qin Ying vaguely made out the man's appearance: a defiant, bruised face, gray with pallor.

However, what struck Qin Ying more was the man's silent, wide-mouthed grin, and the undisguised, cold green gleam in his eyes.

Without a doubt, anyone who dared to use such moves and means to stop a car traveling fast enough to send a Martial Master flying had to be at least a Grandmaster.

The man made a light gesture, as if to say,

"Get out."

Qin Ying sneered. Though her vision was blurry and blood dripped continuously from her forehead, she paid it no mind.

"Courting death."

The man angrily punched the tiny beetle's engine, wrecking it instantly and leaving the car immobile. Then, he strode towards the car door, ready to smash the window and drag Qin Ying out.