Chapter 182: Chapter 96: Back to Square One

“Alright, we’ll discuss this when we get back. Let’s go.”

Wang Zhanshan said, his face devoid of expression, then turned to the monk leading the way.

The monk smiled. “Benefactor, you are not a disciple of our sect. You may leave at any time.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Rui hurried back to his lodgings, grabbed the tattered clothes, belt, and shoes he had changed out of, and fell in behind Wang Zhanshan.

The group descended the mountain.

Just as the group was making their way down the mountain, Nun Lejing and an elderly monk suddenly appeared before the gate.

Gazing at Zhao Rui’s departing figure, the old monk pressed his palms together. “Junior Sister Liao Jing, did you notice anything unusual?”

“The relics gave no warning.”

The old monk nodded and recited the Buddha’s name. “That is for the best. With the Divine Sword’s light now dimmed, the task of its restoration falls to you, Junior Sister.”

“Rest assured, Senior Brother! I understand!”

…

「The next day.」

First thing in the morning, Wang Zhanshan took Zhao Rui back to Dongqi University.

As for the exchange conference, it no longer had anything to do with him.

Zhao Rui had originally planned to wait for Wang Zhanshan to leave, find an opportunity, and see if he could copy the Sword Intent at the gate again.

But Wang Zhanshan obviously wasn’t going to give him that chance.

At the crack of dawn, he had Zhao Rui in a car and on the way to the airport.

Wang Zhanshan didn’t say a single word to him all the way back to Dongqi Province.

He was obviously furious beyond measure.

The moment they returned to the university, without another word, Wang Zhanshan sent Zhao Rui right back to the Wall-Facing Chamber.

To continue his wall-facing repentance.

The team members were astonished to see Zhao Rui suddenly back. When they saw the coach send him to the Wall-Facing Chamber the moment he arrived, they immediately guessed that Zhao Rui had likely caused trouble again.

Especially since his arm was wrapped in bandages, it was obviously no small matter.

This time, Wang Zhanshan even had university staff install a fence outside the Wall-Facing Chamber, cordoning it off.

Unauthorized personnel were forbidden to approach.

The whole point was to make Zhao Rui engage in some serious self-reflection.

Zhao Rui looked around the familiar room, feeling no particularly complex emotions.

After everything he’d just been through, he needed time to sort through and process it all anyway.

Now that he was confined, he could use the time to comprehend the Demonic Martial Arts in his mind—techniques completely different from anything he had learned before.

For the following week, Zhao Rui attended his required classes and returned to the Wall-Facing Chamber for his penance as soon as they were done.

No one supervised him; it was all about self-discipline.

Naturally, Qin Rui and the others called to ask him what had happened. Zhao Rui only said that he had snuck out and fallen off a cliff.

He didn’t mention anything else.

Hearing this, they all felt a wave of fear. How could the familiar-sounding story not remind them of Zhang Kui, who had vanished?

’It was a perfectly fine exchange conference! All you had to do was go through the motions, but you just had to go and stir up trouble.’

’If you had disappeared too…’

They didn’t dare to think about it any further and were quite annoyed with Zhao Rui.

Li Xinran, in particular, gave him a piece of her mind.

In truth, Zhao Rui felt a lingering fear himself when he thought back on it.

’Luckily, the outcome was good.’

During his period of confinement, besides nursing his injuries, Zhao Rui also immersed himself in studying the new Demon Sect Techniques he had learned.

Among them, the Heavenly Demon Illusionary Sound Technique was a complete and profound secret art, a Cultivation Technique that covered many aspects of Demonic Martial Arts.

This technique alone broadened his horizons and expanded his knowledge immensely.

’If it weren’t for my lack of Power, passing myself off as a Demon Dao patriarch would be a piece of cake.’

As for the other Demonic Martial Art, the Mirage Finger, it was a bizarre Sealing Technique, unlike ordinary acupoint-striking techniques.

It could draw upon the target’s own True Qi to operate autonomously within their body, maintaining a continuous seal.

Without a corresponding release method or a specific counter, it was impossible for an ordinary person to break free.

Unfortunately, it required the user to channel Demon Sect True Qi, so Zhao Rui didn’t dare use it rashly for the time being.

Although he hadn’t been able to participate in the Golden Summit exchange conference, his trip to Mount Emei had been quite fruitful.

’Fortune favors the bold, after all!’

Time flew by.

Soon enough, Ye Jingqiu and Captain Gu concluded their business at the exchange conference and returned to the Martial Arts Academy.

The two already knew that Zhao Rui was in confinement. As soon as they returned to the Martial Arts Team, they rushed to the Front Mountain Wall-Facing Chamber and, from the other side of the fence, told Zhao Rui about the exchange conference.

Aside from the usual sharing of experiences and Martial Arts, the main events of the conference were a sermon on Buddhist Teachings and Martial Arts by a high-ranking Emei Sect monk, and friendly sparring matches between the invited schools.

The two didn’t hold anything back, telling Zhao Rui everything they had heard and seen regarding these two events.

“Li Jiansheng from Southeast University and Yu Haoran from Huaqing both comprehended Sword Intent. It’s said they were secretly taken away by people from the Emei Sword Sect!”

Ye Jingqiu, who was normally unfazed by anything, said this with a hint of envy on her pretty face.

“They comprehended Sword Intent?”

Zhao Rui’s brow furrowed slightly. He hadn’t expected that anyone—let alone two people—could comprehend Sword Intent from just a remnant trace of Sword Qi.

’That level of talent is terrifying.’

’Li Jiansheng? Yu Haoran. Those are some impressive names.’

Zhao Rui silently repeated their names. ’When I get the chance to meet them, I’ll definitely have to test my skills against them.’

’Or rather, copy their skills.’

’This Sword Intent stuff is way more impressive than Sword Qi.’

“Junior Brother, once your penance is over, give the coach a sincere apology. I think he’ll be lenient with you. After all, you didn’t mean for it to happen.”

Ye Jingqiu was still quite concerned for Zhao Rui. Although their freshman class was full of geniuses, she had originally only held Miao Miaomiao in high regard.

Now, she had added Zhao Rui to that list.

“I will. Thanks, Senior Sister!”

Ye Jingqiu nodded, and then she and Captain Gu left the mountainside Wall-Facing Chamber.

Another week passed in the blink of an eye.

Zhao Rui’s arm was mostly healed, and at the same time, his confinement was lifted.

But his punishment was not over.

In front of the entire team, Wang Zhanshan announced Zhao Rui’s punishment.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep