When They Tried to Humiliate Me in Public, I Calmly Turned the Tables and Won Everyone Over

After his period of confinement ended, Tang San returned to class with a gloomy look on his face. Seeing his disciple humiliated and his own authority utterly shattered, Yu Xiaogang could no longer suppress the hatred in his heart.

He knew that openly targeting me would leave him without a leg to stand on, so he secretly called in favors he had built up over the years and approached Elder Zhang, a senior at the academy with whom he was on good terms. Elder Zhang had always valued seniority and favored his trusted associates. After a few words from Yu Xiaogang and the promise of a small reward, he immediately agreed to step in and use the academy's rules to openly suppress me.

[An abrupt memory intrudes and interrupts]

In the original story, Yu Xiaogang was always pulling this kind of stunt. He wasn't capable of beating anyone head-on, so he relied on his connections to scheme behind their backs and pin false accusations on them. Back then, Tang San's protagonist halo had his back, and no one dared lay a finger on him. But things were different now. I was taking one careful step at a time, leaving no openings. These petty tricks of his would only make him lift a rock and drop it on his own foot!

[My thoughts snapped back, my expression still calm]

Before half a day had passed, an academy steward came to deliver a message: I was to go at once to the academy's Council Plaza, where Elder Zhang would question me in public.

Once the news spread, students from all over the academy gathered at the plaza to watch. They all knew this had to be Yu Xiaogang's handiwork. He wanted to help Tang San save face and get revenge on me.

When Xiao Wu found out, she fretted anxiously and immediately grabbed my arm, her face full of worry. "Brother Lin Chen, they're definitely targeting you on purpose! How about you don't go? I'll help you hide!"

"Hide for what? If your back's straight, you don't fear your shadow. I haven't done anything wrong, so there's nothing to be afraid of." I patted Xiao Wu's hand, my tone warm but firm. I didn't show the slightest hint of panic. Still concealing every trace of my Soul Power, I looked like an ordinary tenth-level Soul Master as I headed straight for the Council Plaza.

At the plaza, Elder Zhang sat in the seat of honor, his face stern. Yu Xiaogang stood beside him, a trace of smugness hidden in his eyes as he waited to see me reprimanded, humiliated, and stripped of all dignity.

The moment I arrived, Elder Zhang slapped the table and launched into his accusations without a word of preamble. "Lin Chen! Someone has reported that you've repeatedly driven a wedge between teachers and students, disrupted order at the academy, and caused students to break the rules, damaging the academy's reputation. Do you know your crime?"

Anyone with eyes could see that this so-called report was nothing but a collection of baseless charges made up by Yu Xiaogang. He simply wanted to use his authority as an elder to force a conviction.

Yu Xiaogang immediately stepped forward, feigning bitter disappointment. "Lin Chen, you've repeatedly questioned your teachers and secretly targeted your fellow students. Now that the truth has come to light, why haven't you admitted your mistakes and accepted the academy's punishment?"

The two of them played off each other, hoping to pin the blame on me outright. They didn't intend to give me any chance to defend myself.

The students gathered to watch whispered among themselves. Most knew what was going on, but Elder Zhang's authority kept them from saying much.

I stood in the middle of the plaza, calm and composed from start to finish. I didn't panic or fly into an angry rebuttal. Instead, I spoke in an even voice, each word clear, with a faint Sichuan-Chongqing accent.

"Please judge the matter fairly, Elder. First, I've never driven a wedge between teachers and students. In class, I merely pointed out flaws in the theory based on the facts. It was an academic discussion. Second, Tang San was caught red-handed stealing from the medicinal herb garden. I only stated the facts according to the rules. How is that disrupting order?"

"The academy's rules are right there in black and white. Everything must be judged by the evidence. Grandmaster is relying on nothing but hearsay to join forces with an elder and pin charges on me. Isn't this just a personal vendetta and deliberate harassment?"

My words were unhurried, but every sentence struck the heart of the matter. My reasoning was clear and flawless. I never revealed a shred of my strength; I relied only on the academy's rules and the facts. Calm and straightforward, I gave them no opening to use against me.

Elder Zhang's expression stiffened. He hadn't expected me to be so composed or my defense to be so watertight. For a moment, he was left speechless. Yu Xiaogang grew anxious and hurried to interrupt, but he couldn't find a single reason to refute what I'd said.

The students watching saw it all clearly, and the truth finally dawned on them. How was I the one disrupting order? Yu Xiaogang was the one letting his favoritism get the better of him and dragging an elder into a personal vendetta!

The students who had been too intimidated by Elder Zhang's authority to speak up now began whispering among themselves. Their words were filled with disapproval of Yu Xiaogang and admiration for me.

"Grandmaster was the one in the wrong, yet he still tried to frame Lin Chen!"

"Lin Chen is so composed! He didn't panic at all, even in front of an elder, and everything he said made sense!"

"I always thought Grandmaster's theories were unreliable. Now it looks like his character's no better!"

The whispers grew louder, and everyone's attitude changed completely. The last few scraps of respect they had held for Yu Xiaogang vanished. Instead, they admired my composure and integrity from the bottom of their hearts.

Seeing that public anger was impossible to quell, Elder Zhang realized that dragging this out would only ruin his reputation. His face ashen, he could only hastily bring the matter to a close. "Since there's no evidence, we'll let the matter drop!"

With that, he swept out of the plaza. Yu Xiaogang's scheme had completely fallen apart. His dignity was in tatters in front of the entire academy, and he stood frozen in place, not knowing whether to stay or go. He could only wish the ground would open up and swallow him.

I watched the two of them in their miserable state, but there wasn't a trace of smugness in my eyes. My expression still calm, I turned and quietly left the plaza. I kept a low profile throughout and made no attempt to show off.

Xiao Wu hurried over, her eyes shining with delight. "Brother Lin Chen, you were amazing! They couldn't give you a hard time at all!"

Not far away, Zhu Zhuqing stood at the edge of the crowd, her cool eyes fixed on me. The admiration in her gaze grew stronger. This young man always managed to calmly turn the tables in a crisis. His composure made people feel safe.

After this incident, the students at Nuoding Academy saw Yu Xiaogang and his disciple for what they truly were. They all came to recognize my character and temperament as well. Though I remained quiet and low-key, I had already earned a sterling reputation throughout the academy.

I continued to hold fast to my principles, keeping my Twin Martial Souls and true Soul Power concealed. In the turbulent waters of Nuoding Academy, I lay low and steadily bided my time, waiting for the moment to utterly crush Tang San and Yu Xiaogang.