Making Things Difficult, Expulsion

Of everyone involved in Zhang Yong's affair, Liu Shouren was the most enraged.

He had been a perfectly good deputy hall master. He could have ridden the merit of relocating the refugees from Jiangnan Base City to climb higher, but Chu Wen had muddied the waters and ruined it all!

Because of injuries sustained in his early years and his advancing age, his vitality and blood had declined, leaving him with no hope of promotion. Yet this refugee relocation had let him glimpse a sliver of that hope.

A base city could have many Chaos Martial Arts Halls, but there was only one main hall; all the rest were branch halls.

A deputy hall master of a branch hall was nothing more than a tiny ant before an employee of the main hall!

But now, this farce between Chu Wen and Zhang Yong had brought his future to an end!

Murdering people for treasure was hardly uncommon among martial artists. Yet the Alliance and optical computers had always monitored and deterred them, so anyone who truly did it acted with the utmost secrecy and absolutely left no survivors.

Thinking of this, Liu Shouren could not help cursing the dead Zhang Yong in his heart.

Zhang Yong was already dead, but whenever Liu Shouren thought of Chu Wen, jealousy gnawed at his heart and kept him awake through the night.

The Burning Blade Technique at mastery—it was enough to earn a special admission into Xinhang Martial University!

Jiangnan Base City had merged into Xinhang Base City, so the former Jiangnan Martial University could only merge into Xinhang Martial University as well.

But Xinhang Martial University's predecessor had been Jiangzhe Martial University, one of the nine key martial universities. Jiangnan Martial University was not even worthy to carry its shoes!

"Special admission" meant receiving Xinhang Martial University's resources! The future would be boundless!

"Merger" would at most allow them to complete their martial artist studies; it was impossible for them to receive additional resources!

When Liu Shouren thought about how he no longer had any chance of promotion while Chu Wen could enter the university through special admission, how could he not be jealous!

After a full month of sleepless nights, he had even developed dark circles beneath his eyes.

Fortunately, the conclusion handed down by the higher-ups had allowed him to vent his anger.

That was why, today, he hummed a little tune with one leg crossed over the other as he sat at his desk.

"You're here? Sit."

The visitor was none other than Chu Wen. Today was the day Chaos Martial Arts Hall would issue its decision.

He had killed someone at the Martial Artist Hospital. Even if he had had a reason, it was still an incident of an extremely vile nature!

"Deputy Hall Master Liu." Chu Wen greeted him politely, then took a seat opposite him.

Holding an exquisite coffee cup, Liu Shouren lightly snapped his fingers, and a [Statement of Decision] drifted down before Chu Wen.

"Oh, Brother Chu, I told you not to act on impulse back then. Look, the decision is out now. Isn't it exactly what I said? You've ruined your own future."

As he spoke, Liu Shouren felt utterly refreshed. The sleepless nights of the past few days found redemption in this very moment.

Chu Wen calmly looked at the [Statement of Decision].

[Jiangnan Martial University has merged into Xinhang Martial University, reducing enrollment quotas. In view of the serious misconduct of enrolled student Chu Wen, he is to be expelled. Public notice period...]

[Explanation of non-filing regarding Chu Wen's conflict at the Martial Artist Hospital...]

[Opinion of the Xinhang Martial University president: Chu Wen acts impulsively, is exceedingly bloodthirsty, and possesses poor character. He will not be accepted for enrollment.]

"This was an instruction personally issued by the president of Xinhang Martial University. A small fry like me couldn't help you even if I wanted to... You should know, if you cultivate any combat technique to mastery, any of the nine key martial universities will take you at a pick..."

"I cherish talent, but my hands are tied. I can't even reach their little toe."

Liu Shouren wore a feigned look of pity, but Chu Wen still saw the mockery in his eyes. The man was laying it on far too thick.

"In this society, without an education or an identity... I'm afraid you won't even have a way to scrape together a living."

"How about staying at the martial arts hall as a temporary martial artist? The mortality rate for temporary martial artists may be a little high. Since they aren't on the official roster, they can't join squads to hunt demon beasts."

"But if you become a temporary martial artist, you'll have a chance to become official in the future and join the roster."

"By then, while others are still looking for martial arts halls after graduation, you'll already be a successful man!"

At those words, Chu Wen's eyes lit up.

He had been wondering how to leave campus, and now wasn't this like being handed a pillow just as he grew sleepy?

The Primordial Source Pearl needed to absorb the blood and vitality of demon beasts in order to increase his strength.

But students at martial universities could only go out for actual combat three or four times a year at most, and that was considered frequent. After all, they were precious treasures being carefully cultivated! Many of them were descendants of the powerful and wealthy.

Joining a martial university would actually slow Chu Wen's growth!

He had previously been wondering how to refuse the university president's invitation. A student with no background rejecting a martial university's invitation would be far too arrogant and could easily offend people.

But now, he could simply be expelled!

What a heaven-sent blessing!

Still, he could not act too strangely. So he merely sat there calmly and read through the contents again.

In Liu Shouren's eyes, this made him look like a helpless student.

That put Liu Shouren in an excellent mood. He liked the feeling of controlling others. Taking a slow sip of strong coffee, he offered a kind reminder.

"Here's the thing. There are several hundred branch halls of Chaos Martial Arts Hall on the Xinhang side. One under my jurisdiction just happens to need to recruit a scout for a martial artist fortress from among independent martial artists."

"If you're willing, I can make things convenient for you..."

Xinhang Base City was four times the size of Jiangnan Base City and had no fewer than 210 martial artist fortresses.

Another document, prepared long ago in black and white, fell before Chu Wen. Every procedure was complete; everything had already been arranged.

Chu Wen glanced over the contents. It was a grueling job for ordinary people. Although there were no shifts to stand, it stipulated that he had to go out at least four times every month.

Even a high-level martial master, no matter how experienced, likely would not last ten years in the position.

Yet this job happened to suit him perfectly!

Chu Wen wished he could go out even more often!

Ordinary martial artists could not leave the city at will without permission.

He had not expected the permission to leave the city, which he had agonized over for so long, to be resolved here as easily as a knife through butter.

Looking at the contract, Chu Wen slowly signed his name, then casually asked, "Is this also an opinion from above?"

Liu Shouren answered vaguely, "All the procedures are complete... A mere deputy hall master of a branch hall like me doesn't have that kind of ability, hahaha..."

"Thank you."

After Chu Wen signed the document, his optical computer received the job information. He merely glanced at the dark circles beneath Liu Shouren's eyes before turning and leaving.

Only after seeing Chu Wen leave did Liu Shouren let out a long breath.

His arrangement should have been flawless. Anyone who offended him could forget about climbing higher.

It was easy to get past the King of Hell, but hard to deal with his petty underlings—that was the truth of it.

"Chu Wen, Chu Wen, you can't blame me either. You were the one who ruined my future first..."

"Still... why did that brat's gaze feel so oppressive?" With one leg crossed over the other, Liu Shouren elegantly lifted his steaming coffee. "It must be an illusion from being too tired. Tonight, I can finally get a good night's sleep."

Not long afterward, voices rose in conversation from the room again.

"President, you originally wanted to blunt his edge, but that brat still refused to yield and chose to become a temporary martial artist. He's deliberately challenging you."

"If you ask me, a hot-blooded blockhead like him should be sent to prison for a few days to reflect. There was no need for you to stand against public opinion and protect him."

"President, it's not that I didn't want to persuade him. He's just stubborn to the bone..."

On the other end of the call, a middle-aged man sighed helplessly. Only after a long while did he speak in a magnetic voice.

"Let him go. I only wanted to see his reaction. Since the boy's temperament is this poor, then forget it."

"My Xinhang Martial University isn't so desperate that we need to recruit a madman."