Exposing Cheating

"Feng Piaoling wins." The referee's announcement rang out as he brought Xu Sanshi down onto the arena.

Feng Piaoling didn't look pleased to accept the victory. Instead, after giving Xu Sanshi a meaningful glance, he turned to the referee. "May I ask, sir, are contestants allowed to receive outside assistance during one-on-one Soul Fighting matches in Shrek Academy's Soul Fighting Arena?"

The referee was taken aback. His gaze shifted to Xu Sanshi, who guiltily looked away. The referee immediately understood what was going on and said coldly:

"Every Soul Fighting Arena values absolute fairness, and Shrek Academy is no exception. Anyone caught cheating will be dealt with severely."

Feng Piaoling said, "Then it's strange. Just now, while I was fighting Senior Xu Sanshi, he seemed to anticipate my moves and shook off my Fire Bomb Talisman a step ahead of time."

"Then, just as he was about to attack me, I suddenly felt a powerful mental shock coming at me. If that person's spiritual power hadn't been far weaker than mine, I might have already collapsed."

"And after that person suffered the backlash from my spiritual power, Senior Xu Sanshi could no longer anticipate my moves. He couldn't even dodge the Fire Bomb Talisman after its speed had been greatly reduced. That's certainly food for thought."

His words sent the crowd into an uproar. No one had expected that Senior Xu Sanshi, famed throughout the Outer Courtyard for possessing the strongest defensive Martial Soul, would resort to such despicable cheating against a first-year student.

Jiang Nannan looked at Xu Sanshi with even greater disgust. "He really is a despicable scoundrel."

Xiao Xiao clenched her little fists. "How could Senior Xu Sanshi do something like this? The Soul Fighting Arena is meant for fair duels. Cheating in public here is absolutely shameful."

Zhu Lu sighed. "I don't particularly like Feng Piaoling, but at least he defeated his opponent with his own strength. Xu Sanshi, on the other hand, is the dignified young master of the Mysterious Underworld Sect, yet he resorted to cheating. It's utterly disgraceful."

Wang Dong'er merely spat out four words: "Shameless and disgusting."

Accusations against Xu Sanshi rose one after another, soon echoing throughout the arena.

Bei Bei and Tang Ya, who had realized something was wrong long ago, were sneaking out of the Soul Fighting Arena with the unconscious Huo Yuhao. Hearing the crowd's discussion, their hearts lurched, and they hurried to make their escape.

"What's going on?" The referee fixed Xu Sanshi with a stern look. If this matter wasn't resolved today, the Soul Fighting Arena under his charge would become a laughingstock throughout Shrek Academy.

"This... I..." Xu Sanshi guiltily kept his head down. Now that his cheating had been exposed, his reputation was in ruins.

If he also betrayed Bei Bei and the others, he would surely be branded a traitor who sold out his friends.

Better to take the blame himself.

Besides, they had no proof.

Having made up his mind, he glared at Feng Piaoling through gritted teeth. "I don't know what you're talking about. If you're worried I won't honor our bet, or that I'll keep pestering Jiang Nannan, there's no need."

"I, Xu Sanshi, have always acted honorably. I won't bother Jiang Nannan."

"I'll win her over through my own strength. As for the bet, here's a Mysterious Water Pill and twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins. Take these first. I'll have someone deliver the rest within ten days."

As he spoke, he took out a gold card and a jade bottle containing the Mysterious Water Pill.

But Feng Piaoling wasn't about to let him get his way. After taking the gold card and the Mysterious Water Pill, he calmly said to the referee:

"The person who ambushed me just now suffered a backlash from my spiritual power and must be unconscious. All you have to do is check around, and you'll find the person who helped Xu Sanshi cheat."

Hearing this, the referee didn't waste any time. Two yellow, two purple, and three black Spirit Rings lit up as he instantly completed his Martial Soul Possession. Wings spread from his back, and he flew into the sky. After searching the area, he soon spotted Huo Yuhao being supported by Bei Bei and Tang Ya.

Huo Yuhao was unconscious, his face deathly pale and blood running from his seven orifices. He clearly looked as if he had suffered a backlash from mental power.

It was obvious that this was the student who had helped Xu Sanshi cheat.

The referee gave a cold snort, flew over, and landed in front of them.

"It's over." Seeing the referee appear, Tang Ya's face filled with despair.

At the same time, she couldn't help deeply regretting what had happened and blaming Huo Yuhao.

Why did you have to show off? Now you've been caught red-handed. Getting expelled will be the least of your worries.

When the students in the stands saw the referee land in front of Tang Ya, Bei Bei, and Huo Yuhao, and noticed Huo Yuhao unconscious, with signs of damaged spiritual power and blood running from his seven orifices, they understood that the three of them couldn't escape blame.

Many immediately looked at them with contempt.

" Tang Ya, you actually joined forces with Huo Yuhao to scheme against my benefactor. I was wrong about you." Seeing that Tang Ya was involved, Jiang Nannan felt not a trace of affection for her anymore.

The others also expressed their contempt for Huo Yuyao's cheating.

The referee had intended to take Bei Bei and Tang Ya away as well, but just then, Bei Bei took out a special token from his Soul Tool. The referee froze, his eyes full of disbelief. Seeing that Bei Bei made no attempt to stop him from taking Huo Yuhao away, he nodded, silently lifted the unconscious Huo Yuhao from their arms, and flew back to the arena.

"Bei Bei, what do we do now? Huo Yuhao is definitely going to be expelled now that his cheating has been exposed."

Tang Ya hadn't noticed Bei Bei showing the token. Watching Huo Yuhao being taken away, she looked helpless. If she'd known this would happen, she wouldn't have recruited him into the Tang Sect.

It had only been a few days, and he'd already caused this kind of trouble.

The token had been given to Bei Bei by his great-grandancestor, Mu En. He didn't want Tang Ya to know about it. "I bear some responsibility for this too. I suppose I can only plead with Dean Yan Shaozhe. I hope that, for the sake of the Tang Sect's legacy, he'll spare Huo Yuhao!"

"Will Dean Yan Shaozhe agree?" Tang Ya wasn't optimistic.

"We can only try and see."

Meanwhile, after bringing Huo Yuhao back to the arena, the referee examined him in front of everyone. Then he stood and said, "He was indeed knocked unconscious by a mental backlash."

Then he looked at Xu Sanshi. "Do you have anything else to say?"

"I don't even know him."

Xu Sanshi knew the consequences of cheating. He wouldn't just be expelled; his family's reputation would be ruined, too. So even with the evidence right in front of him, he still stubbornly refused to admit it.

Just then, Zhou Yi, wearing an old woman's mask, and Fan Yu walked over. Zhou Yi said coldly, "Whether you know him or not isn't for you to decide. I'll inform Dean Yan Shaozhe about this. You'd better be ready to face the consequences."

At those words from the old woman, Xu Sanshi's expression darkened further. He turned to leave.

Feng Piaoling called after him. "Don't forget, you still owe me eighty thousand Gold Soul Coins and a Mysterious Water Pill."

Xu Sanshi gave a cold snort and left with a dark expression.

Neither the referee, the fierce-looking old woman, nor the burly middle-aged man beside her made any attempt to stop him.