Getting Stronger By Fighting

"But you can give me a promise. As long as you survive the battlefield, after settling your grudges with the Royal Martial Arts Academy, how about joining my Yanjing Martial Arts Academy?"

Wang Zhan was startled, not expecting Yun Tianyi's expectations for him to be so high.

When would his grudges with the Royal Martial Arts Academy ever end? At best, they could end on the surface. But Yun Tianyi's words were clear: as long as the conflicts were settled superficially, he could join the Yanjing Martial Arts Academy, which would shield him from any repercussions.

Wang Zhan fell silent, unable to give an answer right away.

He feared encountering events similar to what had happened at the Chu State Military Martial Arts Academy. If he survived until that day, he would be at least of Martial General Realm strength. The stronger he was, the more enemies he would attract, and could the Yanjing Martial Arts Academy withstand the pressure?

Yun Tianyi saw his hesitation and shouted sharply, "Kid, indecision breeds trouble! Are you still worried that my Yanjing Martial Arts Academy can't take in a mere Warrior like you? Whether you even survive until that day is another question entirely. Don't you dare fight again, to start over?"

Right! Whether he could survive until that day depended on whether the fickle heavens would even let him live. What was the use of thinking so much?

Since he had decided to rely on himself rather than others, why worry about being betrayed by the Yanjing Martial Arts Academy again? That would simply be a coward's mentality, destined to become an obstacle on Wang Zhan's path.

Wang Zhan immediately nodded heavily, his resolute gaze meeting Yun Tianyi's.

"As long as I don't die, if that day truly comes, what's the harm in joining the Yanjing Martial Arts Academy!"

He didn't ask about his treatment or what conditions Yun Tianyi was offering. As long as he was alive, he would strive and fight for what he wanted, living fearlessly. If he wasn't capable, he'd just lie low, or simply accept death without fuss.

This was the path Wang Zhan chose to walk.

「Jing State, on the edge of the Northern District, the Emperor's Seat.」

After meeting the headmasters of the three Martial Arts Academies, the last person Wang Zhan had to meet was naturally Edward from the Royal Martial Arts Academy, who had already singled him out by name—and he would have to meet him in person inside the Royal Martial Arts Academy.

He knew this could be his toughest journey today. If he made it, Wang Zhan could go back to participate in the Federal Martial Arts Competition and officially leave the Chu State Military Martial Arts Academy. If he didn't, it was all over!

Hence, Wang Zhan walked into the Royal Martial Arts Academy openly and with great dignity. He had arrived.

He walked past trees standing like sentinels, and on both sides, students from the academy watched him with hatred. He strode resolutely along the path to meet Edward, the headmaster of the Royal Martial Arts Academy, facing gazes utterly devoid of goodwill.

However, even though Wang Zhan didn't glance sideways, he could feel the hostility in those gazes. It seemed like they were saying...

"You're going to die! You're definitely going to die!"

"The Royal Martial Arts Academy is your doom, your graveyard..."

His heart was calm, his face expressionless, but his mind was active. "This truly is a dangerous place!" Wasn't it, though?

Of the four great Martial Arts Academies, Wang Zhan had not offended any as deeply as he had the Royal Martial Arts Academy. Especially since this colossal institution harbored a killing intent so palpable it made his skin prickle.

That killing intent had to come from at least a Martial General, perhaps even a Grandmaster Realm expert—a top-tier warrior no matter where they were.

Just then, a woman with disheveled hair, looking almost crazy, suddenly rushed out from a villa-like building to the left, screaming shrilly. Her face was streaked with tears, and she lunged, trying to claw Wang Zhan's face with her sharp nails.

"You dare to come here! You killed my senior brother and dare to show up here! I will definitely kill you! ..."

For a moment, time and space seemed to freeze. Everyone watched this scene with schadenfreude and great resentment, anticipating Wang Zhan's embarrassment.

But they didn't know this wasn't the first time Wang Zhan had experienced such a situation.

Like Qin Ying, who had been in a similar state when she first met him. The only difference was that this woman was truly heartbroken and desperate.

Unfortunately, this couldn't qualify as a reason for Wang Zhan to accept these trashy accusations and ridicule.

So, he slapped her without expression, not caring in the slightest that he was on the Royal Martial Arts Academy's home ground.

Since the grudge was irreconcilable, was he supposed to just give himself up and let the Royal Martial Arts Academy do as they pleased with him? Ridiculous. He was Wang Zhan, the Warrior who dared to kill a Grandmaster.

"Do you feel better now?" Wang Zhan asked softly, looking at the swollen palm print on the woman's face.

The entire crowd was shocked into silence, momentarily stunned.

The woman slowly lifted her head, her eyes glinting coldly, and bit out each word, "You! Dare! To! Hit! Me!?"

Wang Zhan smiled. Want to see me make a fool of myself? Edward, are you ready? Hmm, perhaps William and Ally too?

"Why wouldn't I dare to hit you?" Wang Zhan said. "A Level 9 Grandmaster defeated by a Warrior is nothing but absolute trash. Let alone the fact that I didn't kill him, even if he was truly such garbage, he deserved to die. He was just someone incapable of achieving anything significant. What right do you have to accuse me?"

"Ah!"

The woman was on the verge of madness. This was the first time she had ever experienced such a thing. She had intended to throw a tantrum like a shrew, but Wang Zhan had slapped her straight across the face.

"What are you waiting for? Come out, all of you! Come out and kill him for me!" she screamed, a short blade appearing in her hand out of nowhere. Her Essence Energy as a Level 5 Warrior flared, and she prepared to strike Wang Zhan.

On both sides, from almost all the buildings, students and mentors of the Royal Martial Arts Academy emerged—nearly one to two thousand of them. They began to encircle Wang Zhan tightly. Many of them carried weapons, their auras formidable.

Wang Zhan grasped the woman's wrist and twisted it. Accompanied by her scream, the short blade in her hand CLANGED to the ground.

"Losers flock with losers," Wang Zhan said coldly. "If you want revenge on me, you'd better go back and cultivate for a few more years."

BOOM. He punched the woman directly in the stomach. He showed no mercy just because she was a woman; an enemy was an enemy, regardless of gender.

"Kill!"

This tyrannical act thoroughly enraged the students of the Royal Martial Arts Academy, especially the hot-blooded junior students, who charged forward fearlessly. At least forty to fifty of them intended to pin Wang Zhan down.

This was undoubtedly a test orchestrated by the students of the Royal Martial Arts Academy. They would not tolerate someone who brought shame upon them all.

Wang Zhan looked at these aggressive junior students and the higher-ranked Martial Artists watching coldly from the sidelines. A slight, cold smile touched his lips, his eyes icy, his expression unchanged.

CLANG!

The Liyun Blade was unsheathed. He stood proudly before everyone, his gaze unwavering, and said coldly, "I didn't kill Li Shiji, and I won't accept accusations from anyone. But if you want to test my strength, then come and try."

At this critical moment, a mentor descended from the sky, stirring up a powerful gust of wind, and shouted sternly, "Everyone, stop at once!"

"Mentor!"

"Mentor!..."

The newcomer said in a stern voice, "Shut up!"

He turned his head. He was a fierce-looking man in his thirties. His gaze on Wang Zhan was cold, his aura powerful, clearly intending to force Wang Zhan back.

But Wang Zhan remained rooted to the spot, unmoving, as if he didn't even see the man. He merely lowered the Liyun Blade he held, resting its tip on the ground, standing with it much like he had on the Death Battlefield.

"Very good!" the man said indifferently. "You are the first person to dare act so presumptuously in my Royal Martial Arts Academy. Now, follow me! Others, take her away."

He completely ignored the woman's miserable wails, simply ordering everyone to clear a path. Amidst the endless hostility, he led Wang Zhan to the highest tower of the Royal Martial Arts Academy—Han Jin Palace.

「At Han Jin Palace.」

It stood over a thousand meters tall, overlooking more than half of Jing State. A Gothic structure, it symbolized the Royal Family faction to which the Royal Martial Arts Academy belonged.

At this moment, Edward was sitting in his office. He didn't spare Wang Zhan, who had been led in by the mentor, even a single glance. He merely let Wang Zhan stand before him while he focused intently on the Royal Martial Arts Academy's daily affairs, as if Wang Zhan were nothing but a phantom.

Wang Zhan remained impassive, even taking the leisure to observe the decor of Edward's office.

Valuable ancient wooden furniture was everywhere. Countless medals and certificates of merit belonging to the Royal Martial Arts Academy hung on the walls. In the front was a bookshelf piled high with countless scrolls from the Su Family, while the back displayed a few seemingly ordinary spoils of war.

Nothing stood out.

It wasn't until dusk that Edward finally finished his work. He rubbed his temples, then walked to the edge of the balcony. Looking down at the Royal Martial Arts Academy below, he said softly, "Come over."

Wang Zhan stood beside him, not uttering a word.

"This is the Royal Martial Arts Academy," Edward said. "It belongs to the Royal Family. The land here, the honor, the medals, the meritorious achievements—all of them are contributions the Royal Family has made to the Federation. For these damn trivialities, to this day, we have sacrificed the lives of nearly three hundred thousand students…"

Edward spoke on, not caring whether Wang Zhan was listening.

Wang Zhan just felt a heavy weight in his heart. He didn't offer any rebuttal, simply savoring the unique sense of isolation that came with standing at such a height.

The Human Race, never to be enslaved!

But behind this slogan lay the countless lives of brave Human Race warriors, their blood and sweat poured out, a sacrifice enduring for eternity.

Edward spoke for a full hour, his voice only softening as the city lights began to twinkle below.

"Don't blame them," he said. "They need an outlet for their frustrations, and you're a suitable target. Similarly, don't blame me. If you can't handle it, I will kill you without hesitation. My contributions to the Federation are enough to grant me immunity for killing a genius."

This was power, and also honor.

Wang Zhan didn't know what to say, so he just listened. He didn't accept these accusations, but he also knew that what Edward said was true.

Then, Edward said tiredly, devoid of any resentment, "Go now and begin your journey as an exchange student. Within a year, I will not move against you, but I can't guarantee they won't. So, if you don't want to die, survive. Your first step is to walk out of the Royal Martial Arts Academy alive and well. But remember, no one else from my Royal Martial Arts Academy can die. If they do, you will accompany them in death."