Apologize to Classmate Zhang Yang!

Inside the top-floor private room of the Martial School's medical building.

Lu Jue leaned back on the hospital bed. Although his complexion was still a bit pale, his spirits had clearly recovered considerably.

The once spacious room now felt somewhat crowded, packed with classmates who had come to visit.

Liu Ga sat on a chair by the bed with a swagger, using a small knife to peel an apple. He animatedly recounted several highlight moments from Lu Jue's duel with Li Zhanting.

"The moment Li Zhanting knocked Brother Jue down, I almost rushed forward then and there."

"That final scene, Brother Jue's punch, from bottom to top, fast as lightning! With a bang, Li Zhanting's jaw looked like it shattered," he described vividly, eliciting gasps and affirmations from some of the students who weren't present.

"Classmate Lu Jue is truly a hidden dragon!"

"We'll have to ask Classmate Lu for guidance in the future!"

"I've disliked Li Zhanting for a long time. Classmate Lu Jue truly rid the people of a scourge!"

Praise rained down, and even the female student who had mocked Lu Jue in the recreation room last time was among them. With a slightly embarrassed smile, she placed a beautifully packaged fruit basket on the nightstand.

Everyone present knew that after this battle, Lu Jue was no longer the obscure commoner student he once was.

Being able to defeat Li Zhanting head-on meant he could at least rank in the top twenty of his grade.

Such a rising star, as long as he didn't fall midway, would undoubtedly have a boundless future.

If they didn't seize the opportunity to build a connection now, they might not even have the qualification to speak to him later.

Just as the atmosphere in the room grew lively, the door was pushed open rather roughly.

A young man in gold-trimmed training clothes strode in. He had a tall, straight posture and an arrogant expression.

As his gaze swept over the ordinary students in the room, he made no effort to hide his disdain. Only when his eyes fell on Lu Jue in the bed did his arrogance slightly recede, but it was still a condescending scrutiny.

"Move aside a bit, what's with all this crowding!" His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a commanding tone that instantly silenced the noisy room.

The crowd subconsciously made way, and the man walked directly to the bedside, his gaze fixed on Lu Jue.

"You're Lu Jue?"

He tilted his chin slightly. "Listen, Young Master Zhao values talent and intends to give you an opportunity. As long as you agree, you'll be part of the Zhao family from now on, and all the resources you need for cultivation will naturally be provided!"

He paused, deliberately leaving a moment of silence, enjoying the mixed looks of envy and shock from the surrounding students before continuing:

"Of course, don't get happy too soon. There's no such thing as a free lunch. In return, you must obey the Zhao family's commands unconditionally for the next ten years. Furthermore, before signing the sponsorship agreement, you must apologize to classmate Zhang Yang for your previous rude behavior!"

Upon hearing the words "apologize to classmate Zhang Yang," most of the students present exchanged confused glances, and whispers quickly filled the air.

Lu Jue leaned against the headboard, his expression unreadable. He simply looked at the arrogant newcomer without being moved by the promise of "unlimited resources," nor angered by the man's condescending attitude. His dark eyes were unfathomable, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

The "Young Master Zhao" mentioned was Zhao He, the leader of all the spoiled rich kids at East City Martial School.

If Zhang Yang, Li Zhanting, and Tang Ning could only be considered children of wealthy families, then Zhao He was a scion of a great family, a level above them.

In Tianhai City, there were countless wealthy merchants and influential families, but only five could be called great families.

Zhao He was one of the direct descendants of the Zhao family, one of the five great families. Even in the Martial School, crowded with the elite, he was undoubtedly a top figure.

It was this Zhao He who, as Zhang Yang had previously described, was organizing the malicious suppression of commoner students within their circle, attempting to control the first round of the Martial Arts Examination.

After a few seconds of silence, Liu Ga suddenly stood up, dropping his apple and knife. His face flushed with anger. "Apologize? Apologize for what? It was that bastard Zhang Yang who first—"

"Liu Ga!" Lu Jue said calmly, interrupting him.

His voice was not loud, but it instantly quelled Liu Ga's anger and drew all eyes in the room to him.

Lu Jue's gaze swept over the expensive gold-trimmed training clothes of the man before finally settling back on his face. A faint smile seemed to curve his lips.

"I appreciate Young Master Zhao's 'kindness'!"

"However, I, Lu Jue, am used to being free and unrestrained. I cannot tolerate being bound. The ten-year commitment of unconditional obedience—I cannot afford that price!"

The arrogance on the gold-trimmed man's face faltered slightly, seemingly surprised by Lu Jue's decisive refusal.

He then intensified his tone, adding a threatening undertone: "Lu Jue, think carefully. We're all adults, don't act on impulse!"

"You've offended Zhang Yang, which means you've offended people in our circle. Young Master Zhao sees your talent and has temporarily held things back for you."

"If you don't know what's good for you, there are few families in Tianhai City who would dare take you in! Without resources, do you really think you can establish yourself in this world on your own?"

These words struck each listener like a heavy hammer.

Indeed, if he offended the circle of rich kids led by Zhao He, no one outside of a few other great families would dare recruit Lu Jue!

Poverty in education, wealth in martial arts. The further one progressed in martial arts, the more resources were consumed. Relying solely on personal hard training would ultimately lead nowhere.

However, Lu Jue seemed unfazed by the implied threat. He slowly adjusted his posture and replied:

"I will walk my own path, and I don't need Young Master Zhao to worry about it. As for the apology..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the gold-trimmed man.

"Please tell classmate Zhang Yang that if he wants to regain his honor, I will be waiting for him at the Quota Competition."

The room erupted in shock!

Lu Jue had actually refused the Zhao family's olive branch!

This was an opportunity countless commoners dreamed of!

"Good! Very good! Lu Jue, you've got guts!"

The muscles on the man's face, framed by gold trim, twitched violently. He squeezed the words out from between his teeth, his voice low but carrying a bone-chilling coldness.

"I hope you remember your choice today, and I also hope your bones are as hard as your mouth during the Quota Competition! We'll see!"

With that, he straightened up abruptly, let out a cold snort, and his sharp, knife-like gaze swept over the terrified crowd in the hospital room. No one dared to meet his eyes; they all lowered their heads or looked away.

Then, he flicked his sleeve, turned, and with a hostile aura, roughly pushed through the crowd before striding away.

The heavy ward door slammed shut behind him with a "bang," the loud noise echoing in the silent room, making everyone's heart tremble.

The ward fell into a deathly silence.

The atmosphere, which had moments before been tinged with flattery and warmth, instantly plummeted to freezing point.

The classmates who had been gathered around the bedside now wore various expressions.

A few looked at Lu Jue with admiration, but more harbored panic and a clear sense of distance.

They exchanged glances, their feet unconsciously shuffling backward.

It wasn't that no one in the Martial School had ever refused an offer from the Zhao family, nor that offending someone like Zhang Yang left no room for maneuver.

But for Lu Jue to have so brazenly refused in such a ruthless manner, in full view of everyone, after already angering the other party – that was a completely different matter.

This wasn't a simple refusal; it was tantamount to a public provocation of that circle. It was obvious to anyone that Lu Jue would inevitably face retaliation from them, and no one wanted to be caught in the impending storm.

"Lu, classmate Lu, I just remembered the instructor needs me for something, so I'll be going now!"

"Lu Jue, take care of yourself. I'll come see you tomorrow!"

In the ward, the superficial warmth rapidly dissipated like a receding tide.

Excuses came one after another, hastily and stiffly fabricated.

In the blink of an eye, the crowded ward became deserted, leaving only the various fruit baskets and gifts, and the retreating figures disappearing out the door without a backward glance.

"Click."

The door was gently closed, shutting out the faint sounds of discussion from outside.

Warm sunlight streamed through the window, falling on Lu Jue's pale and calm face, but it only served to highlight the emptiness and silence of the room.

Liu Ga kicked an apple that had rolled to his feet and spat, "Tch! A bunch of snobs! They were the ones fawning over him the most before, and now they're running faster than rabbits!"

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, plopped back down in his chair, picked up the half-peeled apple, and continued peeling it with his head down, muttering, "What kind of people..."

Lu Jue didn't speak, just quietly watched the world outside the window.

The hurried departures didn't stir much within him.

From the moment he had arrived at the ward, he had been waiting for someone.