Second Test

On the upper bunk, Jiang Ping finally showed an expression, letting out a disdainful snort.

"I'm hitting you, you turtle grandson!"

This person asked people about their martial training progress every day, regardless of whether they found it annoying.

It had actually been a small matter. Jiang Ping had been willing to cooperate and answer him.

Yet the other man repeatedly tried to wake him while he was sleeping, all just to ask for an answer.

And every time, Luo Da Niu had spoken up to stop him, but this person insisted on doing it anyway.

This was no longer merely being "dense." It was stupidity—completely disregarding other people's feelings.

Since the other man gave him no face, why should he give the man any?

So he had hit him. What could anyone do about it?

Of course, Jiang Ping knew perfectly well that Sun Zheng had not displayed his foolishness before, yet had specifically chosen today to wake him.

It was because his old friend, Qian Dele, had become one of the few who had entered the Nourishing Life Technique.

That was the foundation for Sun Zheng's sudden bout of swelling arrogance.

But Jiang Ping had never taken that "foundation" seriously. At worst, he would take on the two of them today and beat them into submission!

As soon as Jiang Ping's heated words came out, the atmosphere in the dormitory immediately tightened.

Sun Zheng's anger surged even higher, and he prepared to make a move.

Just as the situation was about to escalate, a hand stopped Sun Zheng.

It belonged to Qian Dele, that very "foundation."

He got down from his bed, glanced at the clearly visible red imprint of Five Fingers on his old friend's face, then looked toward Jiang Ping, who refused to yield an inch. Frowning, he said,

"We're all in the same dormitory. Living together is fate."

"Sun Zheng was indeed somewhat in the wrong for waking you up."

Waking someone for no reason just to ask about some trivial matter would anger anyone. Sun Zheng truly had no ground to stand on.

"However, you were even more wrong to strike someone. How about this? Apologize to Sun Zheng, and we'll let this matter end here." Qian Dele's tone abruptly turned cold.

"Me, apologize?" Jiang Ping laughed softly upon hearing that.

"Apologize!" Sun Zheng stared fixedly at the young man on the upper bunk, the fury in his eyes nearly spilling over.

If Jiang Ping did not apologize today, how could he still face the other dormmates?

But Jiang Ping said, "Sun Zheng was wrong, and you brush it aside with one sentence. I'm wrong, and I have to apologize. Isn't your favoritism a little too obvious?"

"Sun Zheng did make some mistakes, but you shouldn't have struck someone."

"Since he was wrong, why shouldn't he admit his mistake and apologize to me?"

"You still want me to apologize?" Sun Zheng instantly grew anxious. His face was still burning fiercely, and now he was actually being asked to apologize. If Brother Qian had not stopped him, he would have attacked long ago.

Qian Dele's expression darkened somewhat as well. He had already given Jiang Ping plenty of face. All the other man needed to do was admit his mistake, and the matter would be over, yet Jiang Ping refused to let it go.

"Jiang Ping, even if Sun Zheng was at fault, if you were unhappy, you could have made him apologize. Directly striking and injuring someone—aren't you carrying a little too much hostility?" Qian Dele said gravely.

"Then make Sun Zheng apologize to me!" Jiang Ping blinked.

"..." Qian Dele was temporarily speechless. He said, "But you already struck and injured someone."

"So it's even, then. He woke me up, and I slapped him. Doesn't that settle it perfectly?"

"..." Qian Dele's mouth twitched slightly. Was that how things could be called even?

The key was that Jiang Ping actually had some reason on his side, damn it. With so many dormmates watching, Qian Dele could not turn black into white.

"Brother Qian, why waste so many words on him? Just drag him down and beat him up. You've already entered the Nourishing Life Technique, and your Fist Force is close to two hundred jin. Wouldn't beating him be effortless?" Sun Zheng grew impatient as the two continued arguing and could not help saying resentfully.

Of course, he had deliberately revealed Qian Dele's breakthrough because he wanted Jiang Ping to know and weigh the consequences.

Unfortunately, Sun Zheng did not see even a trace of fear in Jiang Ping's eyes, and he could not help feeling disappointed inside.

"Do not speak of this again. We're all in the same dormitory. Fighting will ultimately hurt the harmony." Qian Dele glared at his old friend.

The words sounded dignified, but Jiang Ping understood that the man was placing himself in the position of the strong while declining to bully him, the "weak," thereby displaying his magnanimity.

Of course, Jiang Ping did not know another reason: Qian Dele wanted to leave a good impression on Head Escort Liang. He could not stir up trouble the moment he began to stand out.

"Brother Qian is right. Harmony brings wealth, harmony brings wealth. Brother Jiang should apologize for striking him just now. We all live beneath the same roof; hitting someone is ultimately not good."

At this moment, Luo Tiegen stepped forward to smooth things over, only to receive a cold look from Jiang Ping. "Trying to muddle things over—you think you deserve to? When you were mooching my salt, why didn't I see you being so good with words?"

"You..."

"Don't lower yourself to his level. Some people are just narrow-minded. Even when they have reason, they refuse to spare anyone." Seeing another dormmate speak for him, Sun Zheng felt much better and tossed out a sarcastic remark.

"You're so broad-minded. How about we stop here and go back to sleep?"

The words Sun Zheng had just spoken flew back at him like a boomerang. He choked at once and glared angrily at Jiang Ping.

The dormitory fell silent once more.

Sun Zheng wanted to attack several times, but Qian Dele and Luo Da Niu stopped him every time.

Da Niu wanted to mediate, while Qian Dele feared being implicated and damaging his image in the head escort's eyes.

The other dormmates also stepped forward one after another to smooth things over, but none took sides. They spoke well of both parties.

As for Jiang Ping, the person at the center of it all, he maintained an attitude of "so what, and what can you do about it," coldly looking down at Sun Zheng below, who was stifling his resentment while feeling wronged.

It was not that he refused to spare someone once he had reason. He was willing to apologize, but only if both sides apologized. There was no way he would apologize alone.

Otherwise, if he truly admitted fault unilaterally, people would see it as lowering his head. The others would look down on him as well, and he feared that after the fool below got smug this time, he would push his luck even further in the future.

So Jiang Ping had to show some toughness this time and let everyone know that he did not stir up trouble, but he was never afraid of it either.

Well, offending a rustic villager with no background did not count as stirring up trouble.

Time passed bit by bit.

Both sides remained somewhat stubborn, but in the end, under his friend's soothing, Sun Zheng still swallowed this grievance.

Seeing that the matter had calmed down, Luo Da Niu hurriedly extinguished the lamp and indicated that everyone should sleep. There was still a test tomorrow.

Afterward, the dormitory sank into silence. Even the bedtime conversations of the previous days were gone.

The next day, in the morning.

Jiang Ping opened his eyes and stretched lazily.

Although a small incident had occurred last night, it did not affect his falling asleep afterward. He had still slept soundly and woke refreshed.

"Eh?"

Jiang Ping gave a soft cry of surprise. Looking around the dormitory, he discovered that everyone was already up.

Previously, he had usually been the first to rise.

"Today is the second Fist Force test. Everyone must be nervous." Seeing the confusion in Jiang Ping's eyes, Luo Da Niu explained. In truth, he was nervous too.

Luo Da Niu definitely could not make the Top Five in the Fist Force test, but if the leading people were too far ahead, he would still feel disheartened.

By the door, Luo Tiegen and Sun Zheng returned to the dormitory after washing up, chatting and laughing together.

Clearly, because of last night's incident, their friendship had deepened somewhat.

Jiang Ping saw Luo Tiegen carrying Sun Zheng's salt, while both of their towels lay in Sun Zheng's basin.

Then, after Luo Tiegen packed up his things, he said, "Brother Sun, Da Niu, Brother Jiang, shall we go practice together?"

He truly had to admire this fellow's thick skin. Jiang Ping had scolded him only last night, yet today he could still call him "Brother Jiang."

Look at Sun Zheng—what ambition he had. His face was as cold as frost, his brows standing straight up when he saw Jiang Ping.

"You go ahead." Jiang Ping politely declined. He still needed to wash up. Unlike Luo Da Niu, who did not even wash up before heading straight to the Training Ground, saying he wanted to practice the Nourishing Life Technique a few more times before the test.

Not long after.

When Jiang Ping walked from the dormitory to the Training Ground, he found the field already packed with people. Nearly everyone had arrived.

Everyone wore serious expressions as they practiced the Nourishing Life Technique, clearly hoping to improve as much as possible before the test.

Jiang Ping was just about to join them when Escort Huang and Head Escort Liang arrived together.

"You didn't work hard earlier, yet when the test comes, you think of clasping the Buddha's feet at the last moment. You deserve not to have entered the door yet."

Like a stern teacher, the head escort had barely appeared before scolding quite a few people until their faces turned red.

"On the path of Martial Dao, diligence cannot make up for clumsiness. If you want to remain at the Escort Agency, either you must possess some talent, or you must be willing to spend money nourishing your body!" Escort Huang said.

Hearing the words of the two seniors, some people continued practicing as though they had heard nothing, while others carefully pondered the escort's words.

"Stop. Line up. It's time for the test."

The head escort walked before the crowd, while Escort Huang, who closely followed at his side, took out a Yellow Booklet.