With all due respect, everyone here is ()

Two orioles sang amid emerald willows; a line of egrets soared into the blue sky.

A gentle breeze swept in, carrying away fallen leaves. Following the direction indicated by the older students, Yang Ming used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track all the way to the hilltop.

From afar, he could hear voices talking in the woods, followed every so often by the sounds of fighting.

Yang Ming's expression shifted. After drawing closer, he did not reveal himself immediately. Instead, he hid behind a large tree and poked out only half his head to observe the situation.

Xiao Wu's side was confronting a group of people opposite them.

In the clearing, Wang Sheng was also fighting an older student.

Yellow light lit up in Liu Long's hand, and a long staff over two meters in length appeared in his palm.

"Wang Sheng, you defeated loser, lie down already!"

Liu Long truly deserved to be called an older student. He had plenty of combat experience. In his hands, the staff, longer than he was tall, moved as naturally as an arm, dancing into countless blurred shadows that enveloped Wang Sheng.

Having his old wound exposed right to his face, Wang Sheng could not keep his dignity intact.

Under the cover of the staff shadows, Wang Sheng dodged left and right in a sorry state. Before long, he had been struck several times, leaving bluish-purple bruises on his body.

"I won't lose!"

Unwilling to accept it, Wang Sheng roared. Soul power surged through his arms as he crossed them over his forehead to block the staff strikes. Soul power light also lit up around him. Like an enraged tiger cub, he drove forward with both legs, forcing his way through the dense staff shadows in an attempt to get close to Liu Long.

Wang Sheng's Martial Soul was considered fairly good among the students, granting him considerable increases in strength and speed. Moreover, he himself was thick-skinned and tough-fleshed, and he had taken plenty of beatings in the past, giving him a strong resistance to attacks. If he truly succeeded, he might actually have had a chance to turn things around.

As the saying went, an inch longer meant an inch stronger; an inch shorter meant an inch more dangerous.

Wang Sheng had thought things too simply. He believed that as long as he could get close to Liu Long, he could turn defeat into victory. Little did he know that this was simply courting death.

Liu Long shifted backward in measured steps, never giving Wang Sheng a chance to close in.

At the same time, he put more force into his strikes. The staff carried a sharp gust of wind as it battered Wang Sheng's crossed arms with a series of loud bangs, carving bloody welts across them. Then, with one final vicious blow, he knocked Wang Sheng's arms apart. With his guard wide open, Liu Long smashed the staff into his chest, sending him flying.

Bang!

Wang Sheng collapsed onto the grass, clutching his chest as he struggled to catch his breath.

Liu Long withdrew his staff, looking at Wang Sheng with disdain before spitting on the ground.

"Pah!"

"Trash like you dares challenge me? You really don't know how the word 'death' is written!"

The utterly merciless mockery made Wang Sheng cough repeatedly, nearly choking on his breath.

But the other side was simply more skilled. There was truly nothing he could do to Liu Long.

Xiao Wu raised her brows, planted her hands on her hips, and spoke up indignantly for Wang Sheng.

"How can you be like this? Wang Sheng lost because he wasn't as skilled as you, but there's no need to humiliate him like that, is there?"

Liu Long rested the staff on his shoulder, his face full of contempt as he said in a mocking tone:

"What? He lost, and people aren't allowed to say so? Trash is trash! If you're such useless trash, then don't come out and embarrass yourselves! If you don't accept it, come out and fight me one-on-one!"

Xiao Wu was furious. She turned and swept her gaze over the work-study students, saying resentfully:

"Which one of you is going up to avenge Wang Sheng?"

Yet, to her surprise, not a single work-study student dared meet her gaze. One after another, they lowered their heads, becoming ostriches burying their heads in the sand.

Better a godlike opponent than piglike teammates.

Xiao Wu had not expected that the older students had already bullied them to this extent. Liu Long's vicious tirade against Wang Sheng was practically the same as cursing all of them by implication.

Could it be that they had not understood?

No!

They had understood. That was precisely why they acted this way.

Xiao Wu extended a finger, pointing at the foreheads of those work-study students as she angrily rebuked them:

"What do you mean by this? Aren't you men? Don't you have even a shred of manliness?"

One of the work-study students raised his head and said unhappily:

"We never said we would accept the challenge. Xiao Wu, you were the one who agreed to it yourself, and now you're blaming us?"

This work-study student set a bad precedent, and another immediately spoke up:

"Xiao Wu, it's not that I want to criticize you, but we definitely can't beat Xiao Boss. Why insist on holding out? If you agreed to become Xiao Boss's pet rabbit, we could avoid getting beaten up!"

Seeing that the other six kept their heads lowered and did not speak up in objection, it seemed they silently agreed with that idea as well.

Pitiful people always had something hateful about them!

The work-study students were discriminated against by the others at the academy. Aside from their poor family backgrounds, there were actually other reasons.

"You all think that too?"

Xiao Wu received no answer to her question, and the fiery passion in her heart went cold by more than half.

Only now did Xiao Wu suddenly understand why Yang Ming had never cared to compete for the title of Dorm Seven's head.

Because it was not worth it!

Clutching his chest, Wang Sheng came to Xiao Wu's side and said quietly:

"Xiao Wu, don't blame them. They've been bullied by the older students for so long that they can't even bring themselves to resist anymore."

Xiao Wu pursed her lips, feeling deeply hurt.

Seeing the work-study students turn against one another, the older students led by Xiao Boss were all so pleased that they could barely close their mouths.

"Xiao Wu, surrender obediently. I'll take very good care of you."

A lewd smile curled Xiao Boss's lips. His words made the older students around him wear knowing expressions, so it was clearly nothing good.

Just as Xiao Boss and the others were reveling in their triumph, a burst of applause came from the woods.

Clap, clap, clap!

"Who is it?"

Xiao Boss whirled around sharply. Not just him—everyone else shifted their gazes as well.

Deep in the woods, a figure in white came into everyone's sight. Yang Ming had both hands behind his back, his bearing indescribably carefree. Under gazes of delight, surprise, and anger, he strolled calmly to Xiao Wu's side.

Xiao Wu was both surprised and delighted. Excitedly, she threw herself into Yang Ming's arms, pointing at Xiao Boss and the others with one hand as she said:

"Yang Ming, you're finally back! They bullied me! Hurry and teach them a lesson!"

Yang Ming's body stiffened. Ignoring Xiao Wu's pouting, dissatisfied expression, he pushed her away.

Women really are a source of disaster!

Muttering inwardly, Yang Ming suddenly turned around. His gaze was as sharp as an unsheathed sword, making Xiao Boss feel as though his eyes were stinging.

Yang Ming crooked a finger at Xiao Boss and sneered.

"Aren't you all so impressive? You actually dared bully my people. My time is precious, so all of you come at me together!"

Xiao Boss's face darkened as he shouted angrily:

"Kid, you're pretty arrogant!"

Yang Ming curled his lips and wagged his raised finger from side to side.

"Don't misunderstand. I'm not targeting you. I'm saying that everyone here is ()"

(Note: You all know what goes in the parentheses. It can't be written out, or it'll get reported for vulgar content.)

(Two updates)