Divine Script Academy

When the commendation ceremony ended, outside the school fence, Tu Rong tossed away his cigarette butt and pushed Tao Bing's wheelchair toward the hospital.

Tao Bing opened his mouth several times, only to close it again.

The group remained silent until they reached the hospital entrance.

Sitting in the wheelchair, Tao Bing said, "I said that if anything happened, I'd bear it alone and wouldn't drag you into it. What, did seeing him hand out awards scare you?"

"You really think that's what made me shut up?" Tu Rong asked.

"Then what made you leave without saying a word?" Tao Bing raised his head to look at Tu Rong behind him.

The sunlight was glaring, and Tao Bing narrowed his eyes.

"On the way to No. 8 High School, do you remember I said we couldn't make a move near No. 8 High School?"

"I remember."

"You asked about the other Shuizhou Five Tigers. I didn't answer."

"Yes."

"Then I'll answer now. Many years ago, a little hoodlum harassed a female student from No. 8 High School. The students of No. 8 High School found out, and the two sides got into a fight."

"Three No. 8 High School students were injured and hospitalized. Their parents were afraid of making a big fuss, so they swallowed their anger. But the dean of students at No. 8 High School found out."

"Do you know what that dean did?"

Tao Bing and the others shook their heads.

"He led every Martial Dao teacher and every student from the advanced classes. First, they caught that little hoodlum and his accomplices. Then they seized his boss and all his underlings, beat them until blood covered the ground, and crippled their dantians one by one. Finally, more than a hundred teachers and students went to the Martial Guard Bureau to report them."

"Nothing happened to the teachers or students of No. 8 High School. Those whose dantians had been crippled were prosecuted for major crimes such as organizing criminal gangs. Every case from their past was dug up and investigated to the very bottom. That gang boss got the death penalty."

Tao Bing's face turned ashen, and he vaguely guessed at some of the possibilities.

Tu Rong lit a cigarette and took a drag. Only after white smoke slowly drifted from his nostrils did he continue.

"The boss who was sentenced to death was the fourth of the Shuizhou Five Tigers. Back then, the other brothers of the Shuizhou Five Tigers exhausted every connection they had, but it was useless. Reports from over a hundred students not only alarmed the city Martial Government, but also reached the highest authorities. The big shots in Ru City wouldn't possibly be stupid enough to stick their necks out for five tigers who weren't even Innate."

"That dean from back then was the very man who gave Zhou Leng his award today."

"I still remember his name—Lu Tainan."

"How do you know all this so clearly?" Tao Bing asked.

Tu Rong blew out a smoke ring and said slowly, "That year, I was a lackey for one of that boss's underlings, and a group of advanced-class students caught me. They wanted to beat me, but one top student saw how skinny and small I was, stopped them, and took me before Principal Lu. Principal Lu saw that I was skinny as a starving wolf, kicked me in the ass, and told me to get lost."

"That day was probably the most dangerous day of my life. That's why I never cause trouble near No. 8 High School. If Zhou Leng hadn't graduated and were still in high school, then no matter how many years we'd known each other, I wouldn't have come."

Tu Rong lowered his head, looked at Tao Bing in the wheelchair, and said, "Tell me, how could I possibly make trouble for someone Principal Lu values so highly?"

Tao Bing was silent for a long while before saying, "Push me back to my hospital bed."

West Sea Martial University, school affairs meeting.

Many school leaders were in attendance.

"The No. 8 High School Commendation Ceremony has had a terrible impact on our West Sea Martial University. Related videos have already appeared online in just a few hours."

"I'd heard long ago about that Principal Lu from No. 8 High School. He's a man of temperament."

"As long as Shanhe Yuan is here, even if he's the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, he won't be able to flip out of West Sea Martial University's palm."

"A martial arts academy student isn't worth discussing at a school affairs meeting."

"Let's stop talking about this. Right now, establishing a Divine Script Academy is our top priority."

"Once we have a Divine Script Academy, our ranking among universities nationwide will rise by at least three places. This is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity."

"Being stuck at the bottom of the Martial Arts Ten like this, with those behind us staring at our backside, doesn't feel good."

"Ru City's East China Martial University and Ru City Martial University are both competing for it as well. This is a hard-fought battle."

"How far has the Divine Script Academy application progressed?" asked the elderly man seated at the head of the table.

Everyone sat a little straighter.

"It's stuck at the expert review stage. The experts from the Divine Script General Administration believe that our West Sea Martial University emphasizes Martial Dao, demonization courses, and medicinal pills, while neglecting Divine Script. Compared with the other two universities, we have no advantage whatsoever."

"The other two universities can offer better terms. Some Divine Script experts fear that West Sea Martial University's Divine Script Academy... won't receive enough support."

"The nation didn't value Divine Script much in past years, but support has increased in recent years. The Divine Script General Administration has risen with the tide; I'm afraid they're waiting to sell at the highest price."

"Divine Script concerns the secrets of higher civilizations and will be crucial in the future. If the Divine Script General Administration dares to open its mouth like a lion, we'll dare to raise the stakes. West Sea Martial University must secure the Divine Script Academy. If there are still problems, I'll personally make a trip to the Divine Script General Administration."

Hearing the president's words, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

A president at the Grandmaster realm personally stepping in would be enough to influence the Divine Script General Administration's decision.

Outside Ru University Affiliated Martial Arts Academy, Deng Zhijue walked along while calculating in his heart.

The academy master met Zhou Leng as early as the examination site...

With his discernment, he must have seen Zhou Leng's potential. That's why he placed him in Class 01...

Among all the instructors, my seniority is nothing special, and I'm not close to him. Ordinarily, there was no way I'd be put in charge of Class 01...

I'm from No. 8 High School, and so is Zhou Leng. He even reminded me to attend the commendation ceremony...

Calling it the No. 8 High School Commendation Ceremony sounds nice, but put bluntly, it was really Zhou Leng's commendation ceremony...

Once everything was linked together, it became clear.

It was for Zhou Leng.

I looked into Zhou Leng's and the academy master's backgrounds and found an interesting connection. Zhou Leng's uncle, Ma Xingkong, was actually the academy master's classmate in Yunhua...

Although Ma Xingkong's identity is rather sensitive, so many years have passed that it shouldn't implicate me. Besides, if something happens, the academy master will be there to shoulder it...

After turning it over in his mind, Deng Zhijue knocked on the academy master's office door.

"Come in."

"Greetings, Academy Master." Deng Zhijue saluted upon entering.

"Mm." Wang Boxiong kept his head lowered, looking through materials on his tablet.

Deng Zhijue said, "I just returned from No. 8 High School. Principal Lu and Zhang Xinglie presented Zhou Leng with an award together, and it was even a Progress Award named after Zhou Leng. Clearly, Zhou Leng is an exceptionally rare talent."

"Mm." Wang Boxiong did not even raise his head.

Deng Zhijue said, "On the way back, it suddenly occurred to me that the review process for various scholarships is slow, and training camp requirements are strict. But there's a type of subsidy that may suit Zhou Leng."

Wang Boxiong raised his head and looked over.

Deng Zhijue smiled. "Basic civil-service subsidies. Although the amount isn't large, it would be no small help given Zhou Leng's financial circumstances. Bachelor's student, graduate student, doctoral student, lecturer, associate professor, professor... Let's not mention the higher levels. Our martial arts academy can directly grant him the title of honorary doctoral student at most, then add a teaching assistant subsidy. That doubles the allowance, and he can receive 6,000 yuan a month."

Wang Boxiong asked, "Does Zhou Leng meet the requirements?"

"As long as he has even a little research in any field, such as medicinal pills, martial arts, Ten Realms languages, Ten Realms knowledge, Divine Script, or demonized items, and obtains any nationally recognized certificate, he meets the requirements."

"I remember now. There is such a route. Fine, go handle it. Apply to me when the time comes."

"Yes."

Hongfa Restaurant.

Zhou Leng entered the large private room. The students around the three tables all turned their heads.