Laying Down the Rules

"I don't think that would be appropriate."

Just as Xiao Wu and the group of Work-Study Students excitedly prepared to go fight, Lin Li had a different opinion.

He could certainly beat them up now, but that wouldn't solve the problem.

Strictly speaking, this would only be venting their emotions, allowing the Work-Study Students to vent their grievances. However, the noble students being used as targets for their venting would definitely retaliate even more fiercely in the future.

Even if Xiao Wu ran all over the school every day, beating up every noble student she saw, it would still be useless. Once she graduated, her deterrent effect would disappear.

Lin Li thought for a moment. It happened to be almost lunchtime, so they could go discuss establishing some rules and shift the nature of the conflict between both sides.

"Boss Lin, what do you mean?"

Wang Sheng still called him boss, but Lin Li could hear the dissatisfaction in his tone.

It seemed he had mistakenly thought Lin Li sided with the noble students rather than with the Work-Study Students.

"I..."

Lin Li had just prepared to speak when the Room Door of Dorm Seven was pushed open.

A teacher carrying bedding came in. As soon as he arrived, he asked the children inside Dorm Seven, "Which one of you is Tang San?"

"That's me."

Tang San stepped forward and accepted the bedding from the teacher.

"Grandmaster asked me to bring this over. He said you could go to him if you had any problems."

Hearing this, Lin Li understood that Tang San had still taken Yu Xiaogang, Grandmaster, as his teacher.

Just as the teacher was about to leave, Lin Li called out to him. "Teacher, do you know if Director Su is at school right now?"

"He is, but do you need something from the director?"

"Could you please pass along a message and ask Director Su to go to the cafeteria?" Lin Li paused, then added, "It's a request from a student named Lin Li."

The teacher's expression became somewhat strange, as if he were wondering about something, but he still nodded to indicate that there would be no problem.

"All right, we should head to the cafeteria now."

Wang Sheng and the other Work-Study Students exchanged confused looks, but they still chose to follow their new boss's instructions.

They could tell that Lin Li wanted to solve their problem for them.

Lin Li and the others had barely left when Xiao Wu curiously followed them. A few seconds after leaving, she returned to Dorm Seven and dragged Tang San along.

"I still need to make my bed..."

"We'll do it when we get back. Come watch the show with Big Sister Xiao Wu first!"

Tang San felt a strange sensation in his heart as she pulled him along by the hand.

On one hand, his thoughts told him that men and women should not touch hands. On the other hand, he didn't want to let go... It's really soft.

The group marched grandly to the cafeteria. As soon as they entered, they heard mocking voices coming from the second floor.

"Oh, isn't this Wang Sheng and that bunch of paupers?"

"There are quite a few of them... Hey, there's even a cute little girl. Little Sister, want to go upstairs and eat with Big Brother?"

"Hahahahaha, what could you possibly eat with that bunch of paupers?"

Listening to the jeers of who knew how many people, Wang Sheng and the others felt furious, yet they didn't dare to make a move.

Xiao Wu clenched her fists tightly, ready to strike at any moment. Even Tang San's expression darkened, and no one knew which Tang Sect Rules he was thinking about.

Lin Li, at the very front of the group, raised his head and looked at the people on the second floor who were making the taunting remarks. A faint smile curved his lips.

He said nothing. One glance was enough to silence everyone's laughter.

After spending the past few months together, the noble students' initial desire to amuse themselves at Lin Li's expense had changed after learning about his talent and strength. Some of them had even begun to regard him as their leader.

"Where's Xiao Chenyu? Where is he?"

"Uh, Boss Xiao went out today..." one of the people on the second floor who looked like the leader answered Lin Li.

Lin Li nodded, then said, "Come down. I don't like having to keep my head raised."

At those words, some people on the second floor immediately headed downstairs, while others looked at each other in dismay.

They didn't want to fall out with Lin Li, but neither did they want to lose face in front of everyone.

Lin Li also guessed that these children had strong self-esteem. This was just the opportunity he needed.

"Lin Li, we've given you a few concessions, and you really think you're something? Do you believe we'll all rush you together..."

"I thought you were going to say you wanted a one-on-one fight. Looks like you still remember my strength."

Lin Li interrupted him, leaped into the air, and landed on the railing of the second floor.

The student who had spoken seemed somewhat startled. After taking a step back, he finally regained his senses and, embarrassed and enraged, swung his fist at Lin Li.

With his strength, naturally, he couldn't shake Lin Li, who had already reached Rank 14.

Lin Li reached out and grabbed him, then threw him directly behind himself. With his back turned, he said, "Catch him. Don't let him fall to his death."

Wang Sheng and the others didn't react in time. It was Tang San who stepped forward, carried the student through half a turn in midair, and neutralized the force, ensuring his safety.

However, Tang San's brows furrowed. He couldn't understand what Lin Li was trying to do.

"What about the rest of you? How do you want to get down?"

"Ah...! We'll walk down ourselves!"

The others, having come to their senses, chose the more dignified option and walked down the stairs.

Seeing that no one objected again, Lin Li also turned around and leaped back to the ground.

"All right, let's solve the problem now."

Lin Li clapped his hands, then pulled Wang Sheng and the leader of the Work-Study Students together. "I know there's a conflict between both sides. The school knows about it too, and so do the parents of you nobles. But none of them have stopped it, and I won't stop it either."

"Boss Lin..."

Wang Sheng tried to speak, but Lin Li silenced him with a glance.

"Their goal is to encourage healthy competition and promote cultivation. But you've actually turned it into school bullying... So now, I'm going to establish a rule."

Lin Li looked at both sides, and only after confirming that neither had any intention of objecting for the moment did he continue:

"From now on, among the Work-Study Students and noble students attending this school, we'll take the average Soul Power of each group. As long as the difference between the averages doesn't exceed two ranks, you're not allowed to fight... If you want to vent your energy or bully people, then work hard at cultivation."

After Lin Li finished speaking, he could see that both sides were thinking it over. Someone among the nobles dissatisfiedly asked:

"Why should we listen to you?"

Lin Li laughed when he heard that. It was good that someone had played along; otherwise, it would have been difficult for him to continue.

His gaze fell on the person who had spoken. "Do you know the essence of rules?"

"What?"

"Violence."

A yellow Soul Ring appeared beneath Lin Li's feet. The enormous Mahoraga Martial Soul emerged behind him, recklessly releasing its pressure.

"And right now, none of you are stronger than me... Even if all of you join forces, the result is the same."