Chapter Seventy-Nine: Killing the Body, Crushing the Spirit!

“What exactly are you afraid of?”

The cry was hoarse and thunderous, reverberating through the silent hall.

Not a single sound could be heard. The mutual destruction between someone at the Intermediate Qi Control Realm and another at the Lower Spirit Passage Realm—especially when one had already suffered grievous injuries and lost an arm—was so unfathomable, so spectacular, that it left everyone dumbstruck.

What was even more astonishing was how, after being wounded, Tang Fei fought back with a desperate, life-for-life resolve, slashing at Shen Qingping again and again, forcibly seizing a sliver of hope for himself.

Had he not done so, only he would have died.

But by doing so, he took his opponent down with him.

Such ruthlessness, such fearless determination in the face of death, sent chills through everyone watching, leaving them shaken to their core.

If they stood in his place, could they have done better than Tang Fei? Or even the same?

The answer was clear: no.

Most of those present were students of the Ancient Martial Arts Department at the Empire's First Military Academy—prodigies, proud and lofty, believing themselves the heroes of the world, destined to roam wherever they pleased once their studies were complete.

Yet, in witnessing Tang Fei and the chubby boy, their self-esteem took a heavy blow.

These mere freshmen, seeking only to enter the academy, were already capable of such feats.

After two or three years of study, were they truly stronger than these newcomers? If they all started from the same line, would the school choose them or the likes of Tang Fei?

At this moment, the answer was already clear in their hearts.

“The match is over,” Chen Bing announced.

A draw, with both sides perishing—such an outcome was utterly beyond her expectations.

Never before had anything like this occurred. Most assessment officers would go easy, as long as the examinee wasn't too weak; nearly all would pass.

To block someone's path to advancement is like killing their parents. To stand in the way of another’s future is just as unforgivable.

An assessor like Shen Qingping, who hid his true strength and did everything possible to obstruct someone's entry, was indeed a rarity.

What was the point?

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a strong gust of wind at her side.

Phoenix had already darted toward the virtual combat chamber. Worried that something might go wrong, Chen Bing hurried after her.

Thinking of the current physical and mental states of Tang Fei and Shen Qingping, she did not forget to add, “Medical team, follow me!”

Inside the virtual pod, Tang Fei’s face was ashen, his body drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through. Clearly, the agony he experienced in the virtual world had fully translated to his real body.

His eyes were closed tightly, and he appeared lost in unconsciousness.

“Tang Fei…” Phoenix called.

No response.

“Tang Fei…”

“Tang Fei!”

Still, there was no answer.

Growing frantic, Phoenix grabbed his large hand, shaking it. “Tang Fei, wake up… wake up!”

She felt a tingling, tickling sensation in her palm—Tang Fei was secretly drawing circles on her hand with one finger.

She looked at his face and saw he still feigned deep sleep.

“This idiot!” Phoenix cursed inwardly.

Nearly scared her to death.

Chen Bing patted Phoenix’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, let the doctors take a look first.”

Phoenix stepped aside while the doctors rushed over, lifting Tang Fei out of the pod and running a battery of tests.

“How is he?” Phoenix asked urgently.

One doctor looked at her. “Just like that chubby student earlier, he’s fainted from exhaustion. We can’t rule out temporary coma from acute neural shock. We’ll need further examination.”

“Then hurry up and do it,” Chen Bing said.

“Yes, Director.” With that, the medical staff hurried Tang Fei to the infirmary, where the equipment was more comprehensive.

Shen Qingping still lay inside his virtual pod, pale and vacant-eyed.

Clearly, this was not the outcome he’d anticipated—nor was it what he’d planned. How had it come to this?

“Brother Qingping, are you alright?”

“Brother Qingping, wake up…”

“Brother Qingping, can you get up? Let me help you…”

—

No matter his character, Shen Qingping’s family background ensured he would always have a circle of loyal “friends.”

Chen Bing cast him a glance and said coldly, “You should get up, too. We’ll wait for you outside.”

There was no point in hiding or delaying any longer.

The Dean was outside. Let him handle it.

Matters had already exceeded her authority as Martial Arts Hall Director.

With that, she turned and walked away.

Phoenix shot Shen Qingping a frosty look and followed Chen Bing out.

This debt would not be forgotten.

In the main hall of the Martial Arts Hall, everyone waited anxiously, excitement simmering beneath the surface.

All were eager to see how Dean Shang Xiulin would handle this, for the one at fault was a member of the Shen family—foremost among the Nine Great Clans of the Phoenix Empire.

“Why isn’t Shen Qingping out yet? Is he too scared to face the consequences?”

“What’s he afraid of? He didn’t actually kill anyone. He is a Shen, after all.”

“Do you think he’ll be punished? Dean Shang was watching the whole thing, and he cheated right under his nose.”

“Hard to say. Maybe the Dean will let him off for the Shen family’s sake—hasn’t that happened plenty of times before?”

“He was acting as an assessor for the school. If he cheated, it’s the school cheating. If the school punishes him, aren’t they slapping their own face?”

“Let’s just wait and see. I think…”

—

The crowd was divided. Some thought Shen Qingping had broken the rules and lacked martial virtue—the school should punish him severely. Others argued he was cheating for the school, and with the Shen family’s influence, the matter would likely be swept under the rug.

“Is Tang Fei alright?” Dean Shang Xiulin asked, his face expressionless, demeanor refined and urbane as ever, as if the recent events were no more than a trivial meal, of little consequence.

“For now, yes,” Chen Bing replied honestly. “But further tests are needed. The doctors suspect his coma might be due to severe neurological shock.”

Shang Xiulin nodded and said no more.

Chen Bing stood beside him, not daring to steal a glance at his face, but inwardly feeling his dilemma.

The fallout was grave, with so many witnesses. The matter had to be addressed.

But with the mighty Shen family backing Shen Qingping, mishandling things could provoke their ire and retaliation—an injury to the Dean himself.

Was it worth offending the Shens for a student from the Old Earth?

Ah, but that student had saved Her Highness the Princess…

What a predicament!

She couldn’t help glancing at Phoenix, who stood quietly by, composed and aloof, as though none of this concerned her.

But Chen Bing knew—Tang Fei was in the infirmary, and Phoenix, instead of accompanying him, stood here waiting. Clearly, she wanted an explanation.

After some time, Shen Qingping, supported by two friends, emerged.

He approached Dean Shang Xiulin, bowed deeply, and said, “Dean, I’m sorry to have disappointed you.”

Shang Xiulin looked at him and asked, “You’re at the Qi Control Realm?”

Shen Qingping’s heart lurched—things were even worse than he’d feared.

Shang Xiulin could have ignored the issue, but brought it up publicly. He had no intention of letting it pass.

Though Shen Qingping had prepared for the worst, he’d clung to a shred of hope.

Now, that hope was extinguished.

“Yes,” Shen Qingping replied, striving to remain composed. “I’m at the Qi Control Realm.”

“Is that so?” A hint of amusement touched Shang Xiulin’s eyes. “But the skills you showed weren’t those of a mere Qi Control practitioner. The footwork you used to catch the dagger, and your sword-body fusion—those aren’t techniques available to someone at your level.”

“Dean, here’s what happened—” Shen Qingping had already rehearsed his answer. Often, all people want is a way out.

If he paved the way, it would depend on whether the Shen family’s face was enough to sway Shang Xiulin.

“I was an Advanced Qi Control practitioner, seeking a breakthrough for some time, but the opportunity never came. In that life-and-death struggle with Tang Fei, on the edge of the abyss, I was struck with sudden inspiration. My body’s potential awakened, my mind cleared, and I pierced through the barrier to the Spirit Passage Realm. That’s why I could unleash that sword strike. Even now, it feels unreal to me. Please, Dean, investigate thoroughly—I dare not hide anything.”

One had to admit, Shen Qingping was quick-witted.

In martial cultivation, enlightenment is key.

There are tales of seven-year-old children running eight hundred miles in a night, of old cowherds riding backwards into the heavens, of frail scholars reading three thousand scriptures and becoming grandmasters overnight.

For many, cultivation is the hardest path.

But for some, it can be as easy as reading, drinking water, or herding cattle.

Shen Qingping’s story of a breakthrough at a critical moment was plausible—such things did happen.

But was it really so?

The smile faded from Shang Xiulin’s face and he sighed lightly. “Qingping, I always thought highly of you. Scion of a noble house, hardworking, advancing to the Spirit Passage Realm at such a young age—your future was limitless. At this rate, even a young grandmaster wouldn’t be out of reach.”

“What a pity. Today, you’ve truly disappointed me. If after the match you’d come to me, apologized, and admitted you acted out of jealousy or some other motive, even sought revenge against Tang Fei, I might have given you another chance.”

“It takes ten years to grow a tree, a hundred to rear a person. Even at a school like the First Military Academy, producing a fine young man is no easy feat. To see such promise wasted is a shame. But you chose the most foolish path.”

Shen Qingping panicked and pleaded, “Dean—”

“Go home,” Shang Xiulin interrupted, waving him off. “A crooked trunk can be straightened, but a rotten heart—what can mend it? From today, you are no longer a student of this academy.”

With a thud, Shen Qingping dropped to his knees, begging, “Dean, I understand my mistake. Please, one more chance!”

“It’s you who denied yourself the chance,” Shang Xiulin replied. “Do you know why I never stopped the match?”

“I was giving you an opportunity. You could have stopped. You had many chances. But you gave them all up.”

“Dean—”

“My mind is made up; there’s nothing more to say,” Shang Xiulin said, his face dark but his tone resolute.

“As for the match’s outcome, since Shen Qingping cheated, Tang Fei is declared the winner. He will formally join our Empire’s First Military Academy. Because of the school’s errors, which led to Tang Fei’s serious injuries, all of his expenses during his time here will be waived.”

As the teachers’ eyes shone with excitement, he added, “As for which class, he may choose when he wakes.”

“And furthermore, because the Martial Arts Hall failed to conduct strict reviews, allowing such a cross-boundary assessment to occur, Director Chen Bing’s salary will be docked for a year; deputy directors and below, for three months. The hall must also oversee Tang Fei’s follow-up medical care, and all training facilities will be open to him for life.”

The students’ envy was palpable; their eyes nearly turned green with jealousy.

Tang Fei had turned misfortune into blessing.

Not only was he admitted to the Empire’s top military university with all expenses paid, but now every training facility in the Martial Arts Hall was open to him for life.

These facilities were limited and many required reservations, like the gravity chamber, and each session had to be purchased with points.

Some, like Huang Zixing, became assessors to earn access.

But Tang Fei faced no such restrictions—gravity chambers, virtual combat rooms, recovery pods, all would be open to him, free of charge.

It was as if he’d defeated the boss Shen Qingping in a game, and all the loot had dropped at his feet.

“Director Chen Bing, do you have any objections?”

“No, Dean.”

“Anyone else?”

“No objections.”

Satisfied, Shang Xiulin looked around. “Students, do you remember our school motto?”

“We remember.”

“Say it aloud.”

“Learning is endless, and qi is vast and righteous.”

“Yes, a righteous spirit brings swift winds for a thousand miles. If your heart is not upright, no matter how outstanding you are, I will not acknowledge you as a student of this school, nor as one of my own.”

“We will remember.”

—

On his knees, Shen Qingping was ashen, feeling worse than dead.

Shang Xiulin turned to Chen Bing. “Director Chen, was the match recorded?”

“Yes, Dean, the entire process was recorded.”

“Good. Keep it safe. Tang Fei’s performance will serve as a survival model for the Primal Forest map—all new Ancient Martial Arts students must watch it once, and students from other departments interested in jungle survival can view it as well.”

“Yes, Dean.”

With a dull groan, Shen Qingping collapsed to the floor.

A blow to the body, and a fatal wound to the heart.

This was devastation indeed.

(End of chapter)