The Reason

The path of martial arts was one where you either advanced or fell behind;

Though the Essence Tempering Technique could be said to be practiced by everyone, that didn't mean people grew stronger just by getting older.

On the contrary, for ordinary people who didn't attend a martial arts university and chose other careers, they were at their strongest right before the college entrance exams...

After that, whether they went to university or started working...where would they find the time and energy to keep practicing martial arts?

Even if they had the time and the inclination, martial arts training still cost quite a bit;

At the very least, they had to eat a lot more...so most people who didn't get into a martial arts university gave up training.

Zhou Zhe's parents were just like that, so Huang Bo and Miao Jun weren't the least bit worried that the man could hurt Chu Yuan;

They hated people who made trouble like this too, but since they were teachers, they couldn't very well act personally...

The woman shook her dazed head. One side of her face had swollen like a risen bun as she glared at the three of them with venom;

This time, Chu Yuan had controlled his strength, so her head hadn't burst like a watermelon.

She still wouldn't let it go. She just didn't dare come any closer, and instead pulled out her phone, changing her expression in an instant;

With tears and snot streaming down her face, she began to complain:

"Everyone, take a look! Just look!

"Chenyang No. 1 High School is nothing but a den of bandits!

"They broke my son's leg, and that still wasn't enough—they even beat up a woman like me!

"They even broke my husband's hand. As ordinary people, are we destined to be bullied like this?

"Is there any justice left in this world? They're leaving ordinary people like us with no way to live..."

After recording, she instantly wiped away her tears and snot, then said viciously, "If you don't expel that little bastard, I'll expose you!"

"That won't work." Huang Bo pointed to the camera in the corner. "There's surveillance...

"You can post it online or report us to the Public Security Bureau. You were the ones who started this."

"..."

The woman's face turned pale, then red, her lips quivering. It was quite a sight.

In the past, she'd relied on her sharp tongue and unreasonable antics to get outcomes that favored her;

Who would've thought they wouldn't work this time?

So she and her husband had taken that beating for nothing?

And, most importantly, there was her son...

Silence fell over the office, broken only by the man's suppressed groans as his finger bones cracked.

Just then, footsteps sounded, and Principal Qi Da walked in;

A familiar figure followed behind him...it was Zhou Zhe!

He raced inside, taking three steps at a time. He didn't look like he had a broken leg at all!

"Mom! What happened to you? Who hit you?!"

The woman looked toward Chu Yuan;

"You damn Chu Yuan! How dare you hit my mom!" Zhou Zhe's eyes instantly reddened, and he clenched his fists, ready to charge at Chu Yuan.

"That's enough!" Qi Da shouted. A suffocating aura rose from him!

A breeze seemed to stir in the office. Chu Yuan felt every hair on his body stand on end, as if some primordial beast had fixed its gaze on him!

Miao Jun and Huang Bo also straightened involuntarily, as though ready to face an enemy at any moment!

So this was the principal's strength...a fifth-stage powerhouse!

Fortunately, Qi Da only meant to intimidate them. He released his aura, then withdrew it at once;

"Zhou Zhe's leg has been healed. This matter ends here!"

In fact, Zhou Zhe could even be said to have benefited from the misfortune. To settle the matter as quickly as possible, Qi Da had used a precious Bone-Growing Pill on him and personally helped the medicine take effect!

At the very least, the strength of his bones had improved considerably!

"But what about...what about us? We're hurt too..." The woman's voice grew quieter and quieter. It seemed she'd finally realized something, and her head gradually lowered.

Qi Da gave her a cold look and ignored her, turning to Chu Yuan with a smile. "Chu Yuan, come with me."

In the principal's office, Qi Da took a sip of water and suddenly asked, "Do you know Li Chen?"

"No."

"I mean the transfer student who joined Class One today. Are you sure you haven't had any conflict with him?"

Chu Yuan pondered. "Principal, are you saying today's incident with Zhou Zhe had something to do with him?"

Qi Da nodded. "Zhou Zhe told me that Li Chen gave him a bottle of Blood Qi Pills to come pick a fight with you."

That explained it...Blood Qi Pills were basic pills, but a bottle was worth at least a hundred thousand!

For an ordinary family, that was already a fortune!

"What was his reason?"

"He said he couldn't stand how you were 'showing off'..." Qi Da sounded a little helpless. He understood these martial arts families' children to some extent. They couldn't stand seeing others do well, and thought that "commoners" didn't deserve any martial arts talent.

"...So how does the school plan to handle it?" Chu Yuan asked directly;

"Though he egged Zhou Zhe on, aside from Zhou Zhe's word, there's no evidence;

"At most, we can give him a warning..." Qi Da hesitated, unsure whether he ought to say something.

But Chu Yuan seemed mature, so he went on. "The main issue is his transfer. His family sponsored the school with some resources, including the Martial Arts Pills Teacher Huang gave you yesterday. Those were sponsored by his family too;

"So..."

Chu Yuan laughed. So he was a patron after all?

I'm using your family's resources to train, while you're picking a fight with me? Talk about having two minds at war...

"I understand."

"Good. I'm glad you understand." Qi Da smiled. "There's one more thing. I've applied for an advanced support slot for you, and your information has already been submitted;

"Teacher Huang will explain the benefits."

At first, Qi Da had been a little conflicted over who should get the slot. He'd considered giving the title to Li Chen as compensation, while allocating more resources to Chu Yuan;

But since Li Chen had caused trouble for him on his very first day at school...there was no need to consider it. Qi Da had a temper too.

The Li Family was a major force in Yunan Prefecture, but it still had to follow the rules.

If you didn't follow the rules, then people stronger than you had no reason to follow them either. The seventh stage of martial arts wasn't the end!

If no one upheld the rules, everyone would end up a victim!

You couldn't bully the weak without restraint and then demand that others follow the rules when you were the one getting bullied...that made no sense.

"Principal, I have another question;

"If Young Master Li's family is so wealthy...why did he transfer to our school?"

"It won't hurt to tell you. The government is about to launch the Jianmu Project. Everyone selected will receive the best training!

"Our Chenyang City has three slots."

"So he couldn't beat the others where he was before...?"

"...You could put it that way."

"What if he comes after me again?"

Qi Da smiled. "Beat him to a pulp!"