Leaving the Martial Academy!

"Leave the martial academy?!"

Hu Tian was violently startled, his pupils contracting sharply as his expression shifted repeatedly.

Though he hailed from the countryside and was naive in his dealings, he understood the weight of the words "severing ties with one's master."

In this world where martial arts were supreme and the hierarchy of master and disciple was rigid, abandoning one's sect was, at best, held in contempt, and at worst, met with universal disdain.

No matter where one went, it was considered an act of rebellion.

He instinctively wanted to shake his head and refuse, but the moment he thought of how he had already offended Liu Yiyi and Su Yan, and how he spent his days in the academy in constant fear...

A flicker of conflict crossed Hu Tian's eyes, and he lowered his voice: "Senior Brother Zhang Xu, this... this doesn't seem right..."

Seeing the struggle on Hu Tian's face, Zhang Xu knew there was room for negotiation.

"What is not right about it?"

Zhang Xu forced himself to hold his breath; his voice was hoarse and sinister, yet every word, like a poison-tipped nail, was unhurriedly hammered into the cracks of Hu Tian's heart.

"My feud with Bluestone Martial Academy is already a dead end; it is not worth mentioning."

"Let us just talk about your treatment at the academy."

"Do you know what kind of preferential treatment a martial artist with your talent would receive at other martial arts halls?"

Hu Tian was slightly stunned and instinctively shook his head: "I am not quite sure."

Zhang Xu endured his pain and pulled a cold sneer:

"If you were at another hall, a disciple with your talent would have long been taken in as a closed-door disciple by the master. Not only would tuition be fully waived, but you would have a constant supply of various medicinal pills, and your status would be completely different!"

He paused, his gaze sticking to Hu Tian's face like a spider's web.

"And you? Have you ever received any preferential treatment at Bluestone Martial Academy?"

Hearing this, Hu Tian's expression changed abruptly.

He thought of how, when he first mastered his fist techniques, Liu Qingshi had rewarded him with a bottle of Blood Replenishing Pill. He had once thought that was a favor unique to him.

As it turned out, Shi Lei, who possessed only mediocre talent, had also received a bottle of Blood Replenishing Pill when he mastered his techniques.

Thinking of this, he, a genius with superior aptitude, had indeed received no special treatment at the academy.

A look of dissatisfaction could not help but surface on Hu Tian's face.

An emotion he had never felt before, like an undercurrent beneath the earth, surged silently from Hu Tian's heart, shattering the awe and gratitude that were already far from firm.

Zhang Xu took in the trace of dissatisfaction on Hu Tian's face.

He did not press further, instead leaning back weakly against his pillow, his voice softening with the weary, heart-to-heart tone of an older brother:

"Junior Brother Hu, I am not asking you to be ungrateful. I am just... feeling that it is unfair to you."

He coughed twice, and new red spots seeped through the bandages on his chest, a shocking sight.

Hu Tian felt a tightness in his chest and moved half a step forward involuntarily.

Zhang Xu continued, speaking softly:

"You know of the Extreme Fist Martial Arts Hall, right? My father has some friendship with their master. If you are willing to leave Bluestone Martial Academy and join them, I guarantee the treatment you receive will be even better than what you have here!"

"Extreme Fist Martial Arts Hall?!" Hu Tian's eyes lit up.

After practicing at the academy for these days, he was no longer the ignorant country boy he once was.

He knew that within Anxi County, the strongest and most famous institution was indeed the Extreme Fist Martial Arts Hall.

One had to know that the Extreme Fist Martial Arts Hall boasted two Transformation-level martial artists.

If he could be introduced by Zhang Xu to join them, his future would certainly be brighter than staying at Bluestone Martial Academy.

Zhang Xu added more fuel to the fire: "Junior Brother Hu, I view you as my own brother. If you join the Extreme Fist Martial Arts Hall, besides the rewards from the hall itself, my Zhang Family will also provide you with a share of cultivation resources!"

Hearing this, Hu Tian could no longer resist the temptation and nodded heavily: "Senior Brother Zhang, I will listen to you!"

Seeing this, a sinister smile finally appeared on the face of the bedridden Zhang Xu.

He was already in a life-or-death situation with Bluestone Martial Academy.

Luring away a talented seedling like Hu Tian would both weaken the academy's strength and bolster his own.

It was a brilliant plan to kill two birds with one stone.

"Bluestone Martial Academy, Su Family, I will absolutely not spare you!"

Hatred surged in Zhang Xu's eyes.

Clearly, that night, Liu Yiyi and Su Yan had been fat meat ready for the taking, yet all his hopes had been shattered by that white-haired old man's punch.

He naturally assumed that the white-haired old man was a bodyguard secretly assigned to Su Yan by the Su Family.

Therefore, his goal from now on was to destroy Bluestone Martial Academy and the Su Family at any cost.

Early the next morning.

To Jiang Ye's surprise, the first person to arrive at the academy today was actually Hu Tian.

"Could it be that after breaking through to Bright Strength yesterday, he wants to practice his fist techniques diligently?"

Jiang Ye lifted his eyelids slightly, watching Hu Tian trot over from not far away, a flicker of surprise flashing through his aged eyes.

He saw that the young man's face was filled with three parts trepidation, three parts struggle, and a few parts determination.

Hu Tian clearly had no intention of greeting Jiang Ye; his pace today seemed exceptionally fast, and he crossed the gates of the martial academy in just a few strides.

In truth, he had come to the academy early this morning specifically to speak with Liu Qingshi about leaving the academy while it was still empty and before the other disciples arrived.

Yet, for some reason, the moment he stepped into the Inner Courtyard, the determination and courage he had built up yesterday seemed to fade away.

For a moment, he found himself unable to speak.

He lingered like this until the afternoon, when he finally summoned the courage to arrive at the door of Liu Qingshi's study.

"Come in."

A deep, resonant voice came from within, and Hu Tian took a deep breath before stepping into the room.

"Hmm? Hu Tian, do you have questions about the fist techniques you wish to consult me on?"

Seeing who had entered, Liu Qingshi looked up slightly and asked in a low voice.

"Master Liu... I... I..."

Meeting Liu Qingshi's gaze, Hu Tian's heart trembled, and he nearly turned to flee in a panic.

However, thinking of the bright future awaiting him after joining the Extreme Fist Martial Arts Hall, as well as the friendship Zhang Xu had shown him, Hu Tian steeled himself and spoke, "I wish to leave the Bluestone Martial Academy..."

After saying this, he immediately lowered his head, not daring to look into Liu Qingshi's eyes, while his body couldn't help but tremble, fearing that the enraged Master Liu might strike him down with a punch.

He had once heard rumors that in other martial academies, disciples who tried to leave their master without cause ended up being crippled by their teachers...

After his voice fell, the room remained silent for a moment.

Liu Qingshi was not as enraged as he had imagined.

He looked at the youth before him, his gaze neither sharp nor even particularly disappointed.

"Why do you want to leave the academy? Can you give me a reason?"

Liu Qingshi looked at Hu Tian with deep, contemplative eyes.

"I... I feel that this place might not be suitable for me..."

Hu Tian swallowed hard, reciting the excuse he had prepared long ago.

"Is that so?"

Liu Qingshi shook his head noncommittally and asked again, "Have you really thought it through? Do you truly want to leave the Bluestone Martial Academy?"

He could guess that Hu Tian's sudden request to leave was likely inseparable from Zhang Xu.

To be honest, he naturally did not want to lose a promising talent like Hu Tian.

However, if the boy truly wanted to leave and his heart was no longer here, he would not force him to stay.

"I... I..."

Hu Tian swallowed again, his voice trembling as he spoke, "I have thought it through..."

Just then—

A disciple's voice suddenly came from outside the door, "Hu Tian, your sister is here to bring you something to eat."