Ever since the Time-Space Sage attained the Dao and secret realms began appearing, the atmosphere in the Main Worldline had grown increasingly open. No matter how great the conflict, it would not lead to irreparable consequences, so people might as well let loose and clash.
Openness did not mean fairness.
Lumen Academy was the same. The academy's upper ranks largely took a hands-off approach toward student self-governance organizations.
Only when the vast sea churned could a hero's true colors show. In a world where Martial Arts Flourish, only capability brought status and value.
When Yan Shijie abused his authority for personal gain, they did not interfere.
If Yan Shijie could force every student in the academy to bow their heads, that was his own ability. So long as he did not commit any major, clearly punishable violations of principle, he would only be valued more highly, never punished. The resources of his Lineage would also tilt toward him.
As for those students bullied into submission by Yan Shijie, the academy had never stood up for them.
If you were bullied into submission, it meant you were incompetent. If you could not even handle a mere Yan Shijie, you could never amount to much. Better to have your edges worn down here and become a peaceful corporate drone in the future. That was still a path forward.
After all, this was a world of cultivation. It did not care about fairness of outcomes.
But in turn, it cared about fairness of opportunity.
If Yan Shijie failed to hold the field and was overthrown, that too was the result of piling up evil deeds until disaster struck. From the academy to the Yan Lineage, not a single person would forcibly suppress the students' rampage or stand up to support Yan Shijie.
After