Ye Lingyun and his companions returned safely from the ruins, stirring up a storm at Lingxi Academy. Those who had expected them to perish there marveled at their tenacity and wisdom. Once again, Ye Lingyun's name became the focus of heated discussion throughout the academy. His heroic deeds grew almost mythical in the retelling, inspiring admiration in countless students.
Yet to the Fengyun Club and the Proud World Alliance, all of this felt like thorns piercing their hearts. Not only had their carefully laid scheme failed, it had raised Ye Lingyun's reputation to even greater heights. Humiliated and furious, Lin Yu and Zhao Tianba decided to stop hiding their intentions. They prepared to join forces with the Established Factions and launch an all-out, direct attack on Ye Lingyun.
"Ye Lingyun is a thorn in our side! We have to get rid of him as soon as possible!" Lin Yu roared at the assembled members in the Fengyun Club's secret base.
"That's right. Our previous plans were too cautious. This time, we'll join forces with the Established Factions and use every resource at our disposal. We'll make sure he has no foothold left in the academy!" Zhao Tianba agreed through gritted teeth.
The Established Factions were equally unsettled by Ye Lingyun's rise. They had long enjoyed privileges and preferential access to resources within the academy, and his emergence had shattered the balance they had taken for granted. Under the persuasion of the Fengyun Club and the Proud World Alliance, the Established Factions finally agreed to join them, forming a coalition against Ye Lingyun.
The coalition secretly devised a series of plans targeting Ye Lingyun. First, they intended to spread rumors throughout the academy, smearing his name so that other students would dislike and distrust him. At the same time, they used their influence within the academy to try to block his access to vital cultivation resources and trip him up in various assessments and activities, ensuring he met setbacks at every turn.
Soon, rumors ran rampant throughout Lingxi Academy. Some claimed that Ye Lingyun had seized his teammates' resources in the ruins, causing them to suffer injuries; others said he was arrogant and looked down on his fellow students. These rumors spread like a virus. Some students who did not know the truth began pointing fingers at him and whispering behind his back, even deliberately keeping their distance whenever he appeared.
Ye Lingyun noticed these changes, but he did not let the rumors sway him. He knew that the innocent remained untainted; rather than waste time explaining himself, he would prove himself through strength. Yet the restrictions on resources and deliberate obstruction during assessments caused him very real difficulties.
During one important allocation of cultivation resources, Ye Lingyun clearly met the requirements, yet he was rejected on one pretext after another. The instructor responsible for the allocation treated him coldly, every word steeped in prejudice. During a martial technique assessment, the examiner deliberately raised the standards for him and picked apart his performance. Even though he completed his demonstration flawlessly, he received only a barely passing evaluation.
Faced with this unfair treatment, Ye Lingyun's teammates spoke up indignantly on his behalf. Li Hao said angrily, "Ye Lingyun, these people have gone too far! We can't just swallow our anger and suffer in silence. We need to confront them!"
Ye Lingyun calmly shook his head. "Arguing won't solve anything. Since they've decided to suppress me, they won't change their minds easily. We need another approach."
Wang Li added, "Ye Lingyun is right. We can't act rashly. But we can't sit here waiting for death either. We need to find a way to fight back."
Ye Lingyun sank into thought. He knew that to break out of his current predicament, he had to find the coalition's weakness and deliver a fatal blow. After some consideration, an idea came to him.
With the help of several upright friends he had made at the academy, Ye Lingyun began secretly gathering evidence of the coalition members' misconduct. He discovered that the Fengyun Club and the Proud World Alliance had long thrown their weight around the academy, bullying the weak and colluding with outside forces for personal gain. Some members of the Established Factions were also guilty of serious corruption and unfair practices in resource allocation and assessment grading.
Ye Lingyun organized each piece of evidence, preparing to expose the coalition's true face when the right moment came. Meanwhile, he did not neglect his cultivation, using his limited resources to steadily improve his strength. He spent several days in seclusion and brought his Nine-Turn Spirit Illusion Art to a new realm. His spiritual power grew more formidable, and his control over it became increasingly effortless.
Just as Ye Lingyun was preparing to act, a major incident shook the academy. An instructor deeply beloved by the students suddenly disappeared, and various signs suggested that the Fengyun Club and the Proud World Alliance were involved. Speculation spread among the students, leaving everyone on edge.
Ye Lingyun realized that this was a perfect opportunity. He decided to join forces with several students who valued justice and publicly expose the coalition's crimes within the academy. He compiled the evidence he had collected into a detailed report, including the possible connections between the instructor's disappearance and the coalition.
At a public academy assembly, Ye Lingyun submitted the report to the headmaster before all the students and faculty. As the headmaster read its contents, his expression darkened. He immediately ordered the formation of a special investigative team to conduct a thorough inquiry into the report's allegations.
After a meticulous investigation, the team confirmed most of the contents of Ye Lingyun's report. The various crimes committed by members of the Fengyun Club, the Proud World Alliance, and some of the Established Factions were exposed one after another. The headmaster was furious and imposed severe punishments on those involved. The Fengyun Club and the Proud World Alliance were disbanded, and their members received punishments of varying severity. The implicated members of the Established Factions were also stripped of some of their privileges and resources.
With the coalition's downfall, the rumors within Lingxi Academy crumbled without needing to be refuted. Ye Lingyun not only cleared his name but also became a hero in the eyes of his fellow students. Through wisdom and courage, he had successfully struck back against the forces that sought to suppress him, securing an even firmer place for himself within the academy. Yet he knew this was merely a small episode on his path of cultivation. More challenges still awaited him...
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