Chapter 117: Chapter 71: Be There or Be Square

Cai Zhengyang’s right hand, hanging at his side, suddenly formed a sword-finger. As Li Xinran’s palm strike descended, he abruptly jabbed at the Middle Mansion Acupoint on her chest.

The technique was incredibly swift, his strike as fast as lightning.

Li Xinran had overcommitted to her strike, leaving her center completely exposed. Before she could react, his finger struck her chest, and a powerful Finger Force pierced deep into her body.

The blow sent her stumbling backward until she collapsed on the ground.

“COUGH, COUGH.”

Her Middle Mansion Acupoint had been struck, clearly affecting her lungs. Li Xinran immediately fell into a fit of coughing, her expression weak and pained.

“A light punishment to teach you a lesson. The Martial Dao has always been about respecting the strong. You should show me some basic courtesy.”

After speaking, Cai Zhengyang turned without a second thought and entered the Cultivation Quiet Chamber. With a wave of his palm, a blast of Gang Qi shot out, slamming the door shut.

Watching his arrogant, fearless display, Li Xinran grew even more furious, and her coughing intensified.

“Get the hell away!”

A harsh shout suddenly erupted from the Quiet Chamber.

Furious and frantic, Li Xinran was overcome by a surge of rage. With a SPURT, she coughed up a mouthful of dark blood.

Fortunately, expelling the blood eased the tightness in her chest considerably. She struggled to her feet and walked away, glancing back over her shoulder with every step.

“Neither man nor woman. Freaks are always causing trouble!”

The words seemed to swirl around her as she staggered away.

’Was it real or just my imagination?’

Looking disheveled, she left the Cultivation Quiet Chamber and headed straight for the main hall of Mingcan Courtyard.

On the way, many people saw her sorry state.

A moment later, Qin Rui rushed over, catching up to her just before she entered the main hall.

“What happened?!”

“Cai Zhengyang did this! I’m going to the coach.”

Li Xinran didn’t hide anything from her good friend. This had to be reported to Wang Zhanshan.

He had gone too far.

“Him? How did you get on his bad side?”

Qin Rui quickly asked.

Li Xinran explained what had happened. By the time she finished, Qin Rui’s pretty face was flushed red as anger surged through her.

’How humiliating.’

“Come on, let’s go find the coach!”

After speaking, Qin Rui helped Li Xinran into the hall, where they found Coach Wang Zhanshan in a corner, studying match recordings.

“Teacher Wang, Cai Zhengyang has gone too far! He hit Li Xinran!”

Qin Rui immediately marched up and said indignantly to Wang Zhanshan.

Wang Zhanshan barely lifted his eyelids. He glanced at Li Xinran and said impatiently, “Couldn’t you hit him back?”

“…”

At his words, both Qin Rui and Li Xinran were stunned into silence.

“Have you forgotten? The Martial Arts Team has a rule: any and all conflicts can be settled in the ring.”

“But…”

“No buts. Cai Zhengyang is completely focused on preparing for the upcoming tournament. Settle it in the ring after it’s over.”

Wang Zhanshan’s blatant favoritism left Qin Rui and Li Xinran burning with shame and indignation.

“If there’s nothing else, get out. Instead of focusing on your training, you’re always stirring up drama!”

Wang Zhanshan said, his voice laced with displeasure.

Qin Rui was about to argue her case, but Li Xinran grabbed her arm.

“Yes, Coach. I understand.”

With that, Li Xinran forcibly pulled Qin Rui out of the hall.

’The coach’s authority was absolute. Three or four third-year, Eighth-level Martial Artists had already served as a demonstration of that.’

’In Wang Zhanshan’s eyes, Qin Rui probably didn’t even measure up to those four.’

Li Xinran was afraid that if Qin Rui said any more, she would provoke Wang Zhanshan and get into trouble because of her.

“Let’s go to the campus clinic first! We need to see if you have any internal injuries!”

Seeing her friend’s persistent cough, Qin Rui became extremely worried and immediately helped her rush to the campus clinic.

The campus clinic had a medical department dedicated to the Martial Dao, set up specifically for Martial Arts Students to treat the various external and internal injuries sustained during sparring.

After they had registered and seen a doctor at the clinic, Cao Guannan and Zhao Rui, having heard what happened, came rushing over.

When they saw the test results stating that her lung meridians were damaged, their eyes practically shot fire.

’That bastard is a real piece of work.’

“What exactly happened?”

Zhao Rui asked, his face dark.

“It was my fault, too. I didn’t see that he’d been using that Quiet Chamber, so I just went in… It’s nothing. Getting hit is a normal part of learning Martial Arts, right?”

Having seen how fiercely Wang Zhanshan protected his favorite, Li Xinran had given up any thought of seeking justice.

She deliberately took the blame and simplified her account of what happened.

But even with her downplaying it, Zhao Rui and Cao Guannan frowned deeply as they listened.

’There should be a limit to such arrogance.’

’For Cai Zhengyang to bully someone so brazenly, he must have some powerful backing.’

And it was obvious what that backing was: his Martial Arts Cultivation.

’What new Martial Arts could he be hiding that has even Wang Zhanshan so impressed?’

“Thankfully, the damage is only minor. Get some rest for a couple of days, and don’t use your Inner Strength at all during that time,” Zhao Rui said, trying to comfort her.

“Yeah, I know. I’m fine. Besides, I’m not going back to the Martial Arts Team anyway. You guys should get back to your own business. The tournament is coming up. Go get a good result.”

Li Xinran hurriedly shooed them away, even starting to physically push them.

Seeing her like this, Zhao Rui and the others had no choice but to leave the clinic.

“How could the coach be like that? Let’s go find Coach Zeng.”

Qin Rui said indignantly as they walked out the door.

“It’s no use. Coach Zeng is just an assistant coach. He can’t change a decision made by Coach Wang. Let’s not make trouble for him.”

Cao Guannan shook his head. “After the tournament is over,” he continued, “I’ll challenge him in the ring!”

“No, absolutely not. Nobody is getting in the ring. Xinran would never agree to that.”

Qin Rui quickly cut Cao Guannan off.

“So we’re just supposed to take this lying down?!”

“SIGH!”

Cao Guannan was a proud man. He never imagined they’d be brazenly bullied by a mere freshman.

With a sigh, he turned and left by himself.

“I’m heading back, too. Go comfort Sister Xinran.”

“Yeah, I know. And don’t you go do anything either, you hear me? You’re not even a Level 8!”

Zhao Rui gave a slight nod and, without another word, left the clinic as well.

「Frost began to form in the cold night air.」

Outside Mingcan Temple, the air was bleak and filled with the chill of winter.

As usual, Cai Zhengyang finished his Inner Power cultivation and strode out of Mingcan Courtyard, flanked by two lackeys.

“Brother Yang, what’s for dinner? How about some barbecue?”

one of the lackeys asked with a smile.

“Sounds good. But no drinking. The tournament is coming up.”

“Got it, Brother Yang! I’ll set it up!”

Seeing how quick-witted his lackey was, Cai Zhengyang couldn’t help but nod in approval.

Ever since he’d started practicing Martial Arts, he had always been unremarkable—neither a genius nor someone with powerful backing.

He had always lived cautiously, acting like a people-pleaser to everyone, meek and subservient.

He called everyone “Brother.”

But he never expected that, by a stroke of luck, he would accidentally obtain a fragment of a rare Cultivation Technique right before the college entrance exams.

This not only allowed him to successfully test into Dongqi University, but also gave him the power to change his own destiny.

However, mastering the Cultivation Technique took time; it couldn’t be accomplished overnight. So, after starting at the university, he continued to act low-key and patient.

But beneath his calm exterior, his heart churned like a monstrous wave held back by a dam high in a mountain gorge.

He was just waiting for the day the floodgates would open. That would be the day he, Cai Zhengyang, would rise up and become the one in charge.

Now that his Divine Skill had reached the stage of Great Success and he had secured Wang Zhanshan’s promise… how could he not show off?

He had to be flamboyant. If he wasn’t, how could he make up for all the years of humiliation, of bowing and scraping before others?

As the three of them were walking, a black shadow suddenly flashed past in front of them, followed by the sharp WHISTLE of something cutting through the air.

Cai Zhengyang’s brow furrowed slightly. He casually reached out and intercepted the incoming object.

It was a wooden plank with writing on it.

On it were written the words: “The grove outside the Martial Arts Institute. I’ll be waiting. —A Sophomore.”

Seeing the signature at the end, Cai Zhengyang’s eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing within them.

’A sophomore? Looking to settle the score?’

He didn’t have to guess; he knew it was related to that androgynous freak he’d injured earlier.

’A sophomore? Qin Rui or Cao Guannan?’

The thought of Qin Rui’s slender figure and delicate face made Cai Zhengyang’s heart flutter.

It’s only natural to be drawn to beautiful women, and he, the great Hero Cai, was no exception. But alas, the two freshmen girls with otherworldly looks were no weaker than him.

In fact, he still wasn’t confident he could defeat that Miao Miaomiao.

As for the other girls who were less attractive or not strong enough, he wouldn’t even give them a second glance.

This Qin Rui, on the other hand… she had the looks, and she had the Martial Arts.

Having her as a girlfriend wouldn’t be beneath him.

His mind made up, Cai Zhengyang said to the two beside him, “You guys go on ahead. I’ve got something to take care of. I’ll catch up.”

With that, he leaped into the air, his feet tapping on nothing as he transformed into a blurry phantom and vanished into the night.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep