Confinement Punishment

"Even so, you shouldn't have been so heavy-handed!"

Long Hengxu snapped, "This is a school, not a colosseum! Let him go immediately, or I'll punish you for seriously violating school rules!"

Zhong Shenxiu fell silent for several seconds. The violence in his eyes gradually faded. Reason regained the upper hand, and he knew that continuing would not benefit him.

He released his grip, and Lin Xuan collapsed limply to the ground, already half-conscious.

The dragon scales and claws on Zhong Shenxiu's body slowly receded, returning him to the appearance of an ordinary human. However, those Light Gold Vertical Pupils remained icy cold.

Long Hengxu let out a breath of relief and quickly stepped over to inspect Lin Xuan's injuries. When he saw Lin Xuan's face swollen like a pig's head, his missing front tooth, and the blood filling his mouth, his expression darkened further.

"You..."

Long Hengxu looked at Zhong Shenxiu, wanting to say something, but ultimately sighed. "Come with me to the Academic Affairs Office first. Wang Hao and Zhao Tiezhu also need to be sent to the infirmary immediately."

He called over several teachers and security guards who had rushed over after hearing the commotion. They carried the chubby boy and the tall, skinny boy to the infirmary, while he himself led Zhong Shenxiu and Lin Xuan toward the Academic Affairs Office.

Along the way, Zhong Shenxiu remained silent. The violent emotions within him had already subsided, but a trace of that icy killing intent still lingered.

The Eternal Myriad Dragon Source Art circulated automatically, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth around him and soothing his turbulent blood and qi.

He could feel that the outburst just now had unexpectedly loosened his Soul Power bottleneck considerably. He could break through to level seventeen at any moment.

Can battle and emotional fluctuations also speed up cultivation? Zhong Shenxiu wondered.

The Academic Affairs Office was brightly lit.

Long Hengxu brought Zhong Shenxiu and Lin Xuan into the office, had Zhong Shenxiu sit to one side, and began treating Lin Xuan's injuries. Though he was not a healing-type Soul Master, his Soul Emperor-level Soul Power was abundant enough to temporarily stabilize the injuries.

After a while, the school doctor hurried over, administered emergency treatment to Lin Xuan, and fed him a healing pill.

Lin Xuan finally regained some awareness, though his face remained terribly swollen, making his words slurred. "D-Director... he hit me... You have to stand up for me..."

Long Hengxu's expression turned stern. "Lin Xuan, I already understand part of what happened. Tell me first: why did you steal Zhong Shenxiu's money? Why did you dirty his bed?"

Lin Xuan's gaze flickered as he stammered, "I... I didn't... He attacked first..."

"Is that so?" Long Hengxu looked toward Zhong Shenxiu. "Zhong Shenxiu, tell me."

Zhong Shenxiu calmly recounted, "I was cultivating in the dormitory this afternoon, then went to dinner in the evening. When I returned, I found that my money had been stolen and my bed had been dirtied. The iron box was empty on Lin Xuan's desk. Wang Hao was sitting on my bed eating snacks, and Zhao Tiezhu was standing beside Lin Xuan. When I questioned them, they admitted Lin Xuan had ordered it."

"You're lying!"

Lin Xuan excitedly tried to stand, but tugged at his injuries and grimaced in pain. "You were clearly the one who provoked me first! I saw that you were a pitiful orphan and wanted to help you, but not only were you ungrateful, you even attacked people!"

Zhong Shenxiu glanced at him. There was no emotion in his golden vertical pupils. "Then where is my money? Why was it on you?"

Lin Xuan froze.

"If you didn't steal my money, then where did the ten thousand Federal Coins go?"

Zhong Shenxiu pressed on. "The money I took back from your pocket had the orphanage seal on it. Do we need to verify it in public?"

Lin Xuan had nothing to say.

Long Hengxu already understood the general situation. He looked at Lin Xuan, his tone severe. "Lin Xuan, stealing a fellow student's belongings, ordering others to damage someone else's private property, and bullying fellow students—these actions seriously violate school rules. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Lin Xuan lowered his head, too afraid to speak.

Long Hengxu then looked at Zhong Shenxiu. "Zhong Shenxiu, although you were the victim, your retaliation was excessive. You broke Wang Hao's finger, beat Zhao Tiezhu into serious injury and unconsciousness, and beat Lin Xuan into this state... This has exceeded the bounds of self-defense."

Zhong Shenxiu remained silent.

"According to school rules, Lin Xuan and the other two will receive a major demerit, be placed on probation, compensate you for your losses, and publicly apologize."

Long Hengxu slowly said, "As for you... you will receive a demerit, be placed in confinement for three days, and cover part of Wang Hao and Zhao Tiezhu's medical expenses."

Zhong Shenxiu raised his head. "I don't have money for medical expenses."

Long Hengxu frowned. "What about your subsidy?"

"There's only ten thousand. It's all the money I have."

Zhong Shenxiu said calmly, "I eat a lot. If I pay the medical expenses, I won't have money to eat."

Long Hengxu looked at Zhong Shenxiu's Light Gold Vertical Pupils and the calm face of this nine-year-old child. For some reason, his heart softened. He knew Zhong Shenxiu was an orphan. He knew what those ten thousand Federal Coins meant to him.

"I'll pay the medical expenses."

Long Hengxu sighed. "But you must still serve the confinement. You were too ruthless. You need to learn a lesson."

Zhong Shenxiu nodded without objection.

He knew this result was already lenient.

If Long Hengxu had not arrived in time, he might really have beaten Lin Xuan to death. Then it would not have been as simple as a demerit and confinement.

"One more thing..."

Long Hengxu looked at Zhong Shenxiu with a complicated expression. "Your Martial Soul... is it a dragon-type?"

Zhong Shenxiu nodded. "Radiant King Dragon."

"Radiant King Dragon..."

Long Hengxu muttered to himself. He had never heard of this Martial Soul, but judging from the pressure when Zhong Shenxiu used Martial Soul Possession, it was definitely far from an ordinary dragon-type Martial Soul. "Your eyes, were they like that from birth?"

"Yes."

Long Hengxu was silent for a while before finally waving his hand. "Go. The confinement room is in the basement of the Academic Affairs Office. Someone will take you there. When you come out three days later, I hope you'll have learned to control your emotions."

Zhong Shenxiu stood and followed a staff member out of the office.

Long Hengxu watched his retreating figure, his brows tightly furrowed.

This child... was not simple.

That gaze, that bearing, that ruthlessness and calmness when he acted... he was nothing like a nine-year-old child.

And that Martial Soul... the Radiant King Dragon...

"It seems this year's new students won't be peaceful," Long Hengxu murmured, a trace of concern flashing through his eyes.

Meanwhile, Zhong Shenxiu was exceptionally calm as he walked toward the confinement room.

Three days of confinement meant he could not attend class, go to the library, or visit the training grounds.

But... he could cultivate.

With no one to disturb him, he could fully circulate the Eternal Myriad Dragon Source Art and attempt to break through to level seventeen.

As for Lin Xuan and the other two... after this lesson, they probably would not dare provoke him again.

If they still dared...

A cold glint flashed through Zhong Shenxiu's golden vertical pupils.

Next time, it would not be so simple.

Eastsea Academy's confinement room was less a confinement room than a slightly smaller private room.

It was a fifteen-square-meter space with a single bed, a desk and chair, and a simple bathroom.

The walls were grayish white. There were no windows, only a soul-guided lamp that remained on twenty-four hours a day to provide light.

Someone delivered three meals a day through the small viewing window in the door. Though simple, they were filling.

For most boys and girls who had just entered the academy, being locked in such a place for three days was undoubtedly torture. There were no friends to talk to, no entertainment, only four walls and absolute silence.

That sense of loneliness and oppression was enough to make some students with weak mental endurance collapse.

But for Zhong Shenxiu, this was simply... wonderful!