Turtle Hiding Its Head?

The next day, Lu Fan came to Blackstone Martial Hall as usual.

But even by noon, not a single student had arrived.

Blackstone Martial Hall was even more deserted than usual today.

It was not until the afternoon that two or three students finally came over.

And all of them were beginners who had only just started practicing martial arts and had not even reached Bright Force.

Even if these people defected to Thunder Martial Hall, they probably would not be taken in.

So they might as well remain at Blackstone Martial Hall.

After a while, Zhang Zhi arrived as well. Yet her expression was still dark and uncertain, and she looked deeply worried.

Lu Fan naturally noticed it.

Especially when Zhang Zhi saw him, she instinctively avoided his gaze.

Clearly, what had happened a few days ago still made her feel guilty.

All Lu Fan could say was that this girl was overthinking it. He no longer cared about what had happened before.

After all, even the person involved had already been thoroughly "educated" by him.

After Zhang Zhi disappeared into the inner courtyard, Lu Fan returned to the kitchen.

But there was not much left for him to do now. With fewer students, even the meat that had originally been handed out had been canceled.

No one came running to the kitchen anymore, so Lu Fan simply began cultivating there.

Of course, while cultivating, he also circulated the Tortoise Breath Formula to keep his qi and blood from leaking out.

That way, even if someone came to the kitchen temporarily, they would not be able to sense his strength.

An hour quickly passed. Lu Fan pushed his realm forward once more, leaving him only half a step away from crossing that threshold.

If he could obtain a few more Qi-Replenishing Pills, he would be able to enter Transformation Force within three days at most.

But the commotion outside the courtyard gates pulled his thoughts back.

Lu Fan immediately stopped cultivating and hurried toward the entrance.

When he reached the gate, the sight before him was a group of youths in Thunder Martial Hall uniforms blocking the entrance to Blackstone Martial Hall.

And the ones being surrounded were three—no, four—students of Blackstone Martial Hall.

Standing at the front of those students, confronting the Thunder Martial Hall students, was Zhang Zhi.

Tension filled the air.

"Hey, is this how your Blackstone Martial Hall handles things? Your students ran into ours, and they will not even apologize?"

A long-haired youth glared angrily at Zhang Zhi and the others.

"Bullshit! You were the ones who deliberately ran into us."

"Exactly! You are just looking for trouble on purpose."

"Enough, you two. Stop talking."

Although another female student desperately tried to persuade them, the two injured students had clearly been blinded by rage and glared furiously at the long-haired youth.

Faced with their anger, the long-haired youth turned black into white. "Everyone saw it. Am I right?"

"Exactly, exactly! These two bastards ran into us. Ah, I am injured over here!"

"Hurry up and give us an explanation! Pay up, pay up!"

For a time, the Thunder Martial Hall students shouted and cursed one after another, acting outrageously arrogant.

At that moment, the long-haired youth stepped forward and shot Zhang Zhi a haughty look. "Hand them over now, while I can still speak nicely."

Facing the long-haired youth's aggressive pressure, Zhang Zhi's face darkened as she spat out two words. "Apologize."

She knew full well that these people had come deliberately to pick a fight.

Although the wisest course would have been to avoid clashing with them, if they swallowed even such blatant provocation, Blackstone Martial Hall's reputation would be completely ruined. Under such circumstances, she had to step forward.

At this moment, the uninjured female student was still relatively calm and desperately tried to persuade her. "Enough, Senior Sister Zhang. Let this matter go. We can just apologize. Do not..."

But Zhang Zhi shook her head. Her cold face was filled with determination as she stared straight at the long-haired youth and the others. "You must... apologize to them!"

As she spoke, Zhang Zhi walked up to the long-haired youth and the others, releasing her aura.

Her Late Bright Force strength was fully revealed at that moment.

One had to know that among all the Thunder Martial Hall students present, the strongest was the long-haired youth. He was only at Mid Bright Force.

And that was already considered highly talented.

Yet Zhang Zhi had reached Late Bright Force.

Even so, the long-haired youth showed no fear whatsoever. "What, do you dare lay a hand on me?"

As he spoke, he took another step forward.

But in the next instant, Zhang Zhi raised her hand and struck out with her palm, stopping it precisely in front of the long-haired youth's face.

If the long-haired youth took one more step forward, he would be hit.

"You..." The long-haired youth's face twitched, his expression ugly beyond compare. In the end, he squeezed out through clenched teeth, "Let's go. But do not think this matter is over!"

The people from Thunder Martial Hall soon left in a grand procession.

But the two injured Blackstone Martial Hall students left behind wore unwilling expressions.

No matter how the other female student tried to persuade them, the two could not accept it.

"Forget it. We cannot stay at Blackstone Martial Hall anymore. People come looking for trouble every other day. We cannot cultivate properly at all."

"That is right. Even Master Zhang has shut himself away and refuses to come out, acting like a turtle hiding its head. Master Zhang's forbearance is truly chilling."

As they spoke, the two dragged their injured bodies away, limping as they went.

The female student looked apologetically at Zhang Zhi. After lowering her head and apologizing, she quickly followed after them.

The three soon left.

Just like that, the only student left at Blackstone Martial Hall was Zhang Yao's daughter, Zhang Zhi.

Standing where she was, Zhang Zhi bit her lip hard. Her face was full of unwillingness, and her fists were clenched tight, but in the end, they loosened.

There was nothing she could change.

Just as she turned around, her eyes met Lu Fan's at the gate.

"..." A trace of hesitation appeared on Zhang Zhi's pretty face. After hesitating for a moment, she pressed her lips together and said, "Old Lu, from now on... do not come anymore."

After saying that, Zhang Zhi paused. A flash of sorrow passed through her eyes, and then she quickly walked away.

Watching her departing back, Lu Fan smiled.

Anyone unaware of the truth might have thought Zhang Zhi disliked him.

But he understood very clearly what she meant. She did not want him to be dragged into this whirlpool.

Blackstone Martial Hall had now been completely targeted by Thunder Martial Hall. Anyone from Blackstone Martial Hall would be singled out.

Sooner or later, people would come looking for trouble with him as well.

But since he would no longer need to come to Blackstone Martial Hall, he could act more frequently.

The most important thing now was to enter Transformation Force.

With that in mind, Lu Fan quickened his pace toward his residence.