The Shot-Caller of the Wanxing Martial Academy

Zhang Laisan returned to the group of disciples, his back straightening once more.

He swept his gaze over them. Seeing that everyone who deserved a table had arrived, he led the lackeys he had recruited under Liang Shaohua's name to fetch their food and claim their seats.

Afterward, he returned to the ordinary disciples by himself and said nonchalantly, “In the future, you can only get your food after Senior Brother Liang and the others are finished. This is the rule. Understand?”

“If anyone doesn't understand the rules, then I, Zhang Laisan... will personally teach them!”

...

Zhuang Xun, who had just finished bathing, arrived at the dining hall. He scanned the room but couldn't find a single empty seat, muttering to himself in confusion.

An Dafu also found it strange. “This shouldn't be. Is everyone eating this late today? Let me go ask.”

He spotted an acquaintance from their courtyard and quickly ran over.

By the time An Dafu returned, Zhuang Xun and the others finally understood what had just transpired.

“Does the martial academy really not care about this?” Li Zigeng asked, his face filled with bewilderment.

“Maybe some of the elders' or deacons' juniors are among them,” An Dafu said, feeling a sense of relief. “Fortunately, we went to bathe just now. Otherwise, we would have been blocked too. It would have been a waste of time and incredibly humiliating.”

Zhang Tie spat in annoyance, “None of them have any backbone. To be so cowardly. If it were me, I would have charged right up and punched that beast Zhang Laisan.”

Is that so? An Dafu cast a skeptical look at Zhang Tie.

“No, Dafu, what's that look for? If someone had led the charge, I definitely would have followed them!”

“No, no, no, don't get worked up.” An Dafu quickly smiled and pacified the slightly defensive Zhang Tie.

“Hmph, right, Pingsheng, Zigeng?” Zhang Tie felt he had lost face and turned to the other two for validation.

“Yeah,” Zhuang Xun replied half-heartedly, a flicker of anger rising in his chest.

If he hadn't been absent, he would have definitely controlled Bai Yujing to come and see what was going on.

...

The next day at noon, Zhang Laisan escalated his behavior, actually leading his men to block the entrance of the dining hall.

The disciples, who had trained for an entire morning, were hungry and exhausted. Forced to stand under the scorching sun at the entrance, their resentment grew even stronger than the day before.

An older-looking disciple suppressed his anger and said, “Zhang Laisan, yesterday you blocked us from getting food, and we endured it. But today, you won't even let us in. Isn't this going too far?”

Zhang Laisan sneered. “Too far? You mud-legs still haven't recognized your place. Do you really think that entering the martial academy puts you on the same level as Senior Brother Liang and the others? Are you even worthy of dining in the same room as them?”

“Letting you in yesterday was Senior Brother Liang's charity. Today, there is no charity. All of you, wait outside!”

“Only when Senior Brother Liang and the others are done eating can you enter.”

“How long is that going to take?!” the disciples cried out in furious uproar.

“What? Not happy? Then step forward!”

“Is it you who's unhappy? Or you, you, you... Huh? Didn't you say you were unhappy? Step forward! Do you dare to be unhappy?”

“Hmph, a bunch of lowly mud-legs dare to complain. Just being allowed to eat is something you should be deeply grateful to me for granting you.”

Watching their furious yet powerless expressions, Zhang Laisan felt an unprecedented rush of excitement.

He craned his neck, his expression exaggeratedly arrogant as he mockingly looked at everyone.

“What's the matter? You, the new guy, aren't you going to—”

Suddenly, his eyes locked onto a cold, aloof figure standing at the back of the crowd, looking like an immortal descended to earth. His expression instantly froze.

“S-S-Senior Brother Bai—!”

Zhang Laisan was so terrified he nearly pissed himself. He practically rolled and crawled down the steps.

“Move! Everyone move!” He shoved several disciples aside and rushed to Bai Yujing's side, squeezing out a trembling, obsequious smile. “Senior Brother Bai, why are you here? Senior Brother Liang and the others are waiting for you...”

“Ouch! Ah—!”

Zhuang Xun slowly retracted his kicked leg. Without sparing a single glance at Zhang Laisan, who was howling on the ground, he walked straight through the path the crowd had instinctively parted for him.

Seeing Zhang Laisan's miserable state, the other thugs felt their blood run cold. Before Bai Yujing could even approach them, they fled in sheer terror.

Zhuang Xun stopped at the dining hall entrance, turned his head slightly, and looked at the dazed disciples behind him, speaking in a calm tone.

“What are you all standing there for?”

If you guys don't come in, how am I going to let Yan Pingsheng in to eat... he added in his mind.

The disciples were stunned at first, and then they burst into cheers.

“Senior Brother Bai is mighty!”

They eagerly followed behind Bai Yujing and swarmed into the dining hall.

“Who let them in...” One of the disciples dining inside frowned. But the moment he saw Bai Yujing leading the crowd, his frown instantly vanished, his eyes cleared up, and he lowered his head as far as possible, terrified that Bai Yujing might remember his face.

That idiot Zhang Laisan! Didn't he say Bai Yujing had already eaten and left! Liang Shaohua cursed inwardly.

He took a deep breath, stood up, smoothed the wrinkles on his robes, and walked toward Bai Yujing with a smile.

“Senior Brother Bai...”

The moment his eyes met Bai Yujing's icy gaze, his mind went completely blank. The speech he had prepared vanished from his head, leaving only the memory of his family head's strict warning when news of Bai Yujing becoming the Chief Disciple of the Wanxing Martial Academy next month broke out: Make sure to build a good relationship with Bai Yujing. Even if you can't, you must never offend him.

I'm dead, I'm dead... Cold sweat poured down Liang Shaohua's back, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Zhuang Xun stared at Liang Shaohua for a moment. Deciding that the intimidation was sufficient, he spoke calmly, “I do not wish to see this kind of thing happen again. Understand?”

“Understood,” Liang Shaohua replied, his head bowed so low he didn't dare look up.

“Scram.”

Hearing this word, Liang Shaohua felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted. Only then did he realize his inner shirt was completely soaked in sweat.

Weak at the knees, he stumbled back to his seat.

The heroic youth who had accompanied him the night before immediately leaned in and whispered, “How did it go? Senior Brother Bai didn't say anything, right?”

Liang Shaohua picked up a piece of food, pretending to be casual. “Nothing. He just advised me not to do this anymore, probably out of consideration for my Liang family.”

However, looking at his trembling hands, the others knew the truth was far from what he claimed.

Besides, Bai Yujing was already the designated Chief Disciple. If nothing went wrong, he would likely become the Principal of the Wanxing Martial Academy in the future. Why would he care about the Liang family?

It was the Liang family that had to worry about him.

There were only two skies in Zechuan City: the Wanxing Martial Academy and the City Lord's Manor. The seven great families came only after them.

The pure and charming young lady asked nervously, “Then did Senior Brother Bai mention me?”

“Does he know I was involved in this?”

Seeing her like this, Liang Shaohua felt an inexplicable surge of irritation. Prompted by a sudden impulse, he said, “Sister Yun, don't hold your breath. You came with me yesterday and today. If Senior Brother Bai asks around, he'll know you were a part of this.”

“Ah!?” Liu Yun stood up in a panic. “Then what should I do? Will Senior Brother Bai misunderstand me? Will he hate me...”

The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became. Ultimately, she directed all her anger at Liang Shaohua. “It's all your fault! I told you so many times not to do this, but you insisted! Come with me right now to kneel and apologize to Senior Brother Bai!”

The chopsticks in Liang Shaohua's hand fell to the floor. “Sister Yun... you!