Seeking Peace and Quiet

“Ah? Ah? Ah? I... I don't know.”

Zhuang Xun stared at the Principal for a moment and sighed softly.

After all, the martial academy belonged to the other man. If the Principal did not want to say where the money had gone, Zhuang Xun could not press him too hard.

At that moment, Zhuang Xun heard Elder Su's voice again via the sound transmission technique: “Chief Disciple, all of the academy's money was dumped into Jingshui Mountain. A year ago, the Principal suddenly decided he wanted to open a branch academy on Jingshui Mountain. Although we were surprised, we didn't ask questions. We took men and money and followed him. In the end, we got halfway through construction before realizing that the Principal hadn't communicated with the local factions there at all. He had led us to build it in secret. We were caught red-handed, and the Principal lost the fight. A massive amount of goods and money was confiscated, and they still refuse to return them to this day. Since we were in the wrong, we had no choice but to let it go.”

Zhuang Xun fell silent for a long time after hearing this, unable to help but chuckle.

“Disciple, did you just laugh?” the Principal asked in a ghostly tone.

“Yujing did not.”

“Is that so?” The Principal looked suspiciously at the expressionless Bai Yujing, as if the smile he had just seen was merely an illusion.

Elder Su's sound transmission didn't stop. He continued to complain to Bai Yujing, “Chief Disciple, if it were only that, the academy's foundation could actually still support us. But the Principal just loves building bizarre things. Some time ago, he said he wanted to build an ice cave so the disciples could temper their blood qi. In the end, even after the ice souls were purchased, the Principal said it was too cold and called it off.”

“And just a few days ago, the Principal purchased a massive amount of celestial meteoric iron, wanting to build a gravity training room... Chief Disciple, please persuade the Principal. If this continues, the academy will really run completely out of money...”

“This time, this old man has calculated everything precisely. It will definitely work. If built, it will surely greatly enhance our disciples' strength,” the Principal suddenly chimed in.

“Chief Disciple, don't believe the Principal. He has said this so many times. Of all the training rooms he's built, only the Chuibing Pavilion in the middle of the mirror pond actually succeeded. The others were either useless and torn down, or abandoned halfway. In truth, even the Chuibing Pavilion is useless. Once the weapons inside start spinning, they only go faster and faster and can't be stopped at all. Several disciples got injured because of it, so no one ever went back. It's only because the Principal is vain that he keeps it around and won't let anyone tear it down.”

The Principal said, “Elder Su, this old man can hear you.”

That's exactly why I said it... Elder Su muttered to himself. Otherwise, how else can I stop you from wasting money?

The Principal said earnestly, “Disciple, trust me. This time is different from before. It will definitely work. Besides, how is the Chuibing Pavilion useless? You've tried it yourself. Didn't you train your Formless Phaseless Spear to great perfection there?”

Zhuang Xun pondered for a moment before saying, “Master, Yujing believes that the academy's development should be realistic. If there are any major plans in the future, it would be best to discuss them with the elders before making a decision.”

“The Chief Disciple makes sense! I agree!” Elder Su was the first to voice his support. As the presiding elder of the General Affairs Hall in charge of the academy's finances, he had long suffered under the Principal's whims.

Elder Du, the presiding elder of the Administrative Hall, who had a very dark and stiff face, nodded rigidly. He spoke very slowly and bluntly.

“This move... is more beneficial... to the academy's development.”

Guan Ren'ai, the presiding elder of the Disciplinary Hall, whose face was covered in scars and extremely ugly, suddenly smiled. In a gentle voice that was completely at odds with his appearance, he said, “Master indeed ought to listen more to the Young Master's advice.”

Seeing that none of his three trusted subordinates supported him, the Principal sighed, “Ah, as expected, once you get old, you become useless. Whatever decision I make is wrong in others' eyes, and no one supports me anymore.”

...

No one paid him any mind.

Zhuang Xun ignored him as well. This old codger just loved to play the victim.

He looked curiously at Guan Ren'ai. Elder Guan's form of address just now made him feel that the man had a deep story behind him.

At this moment, Elder Guan also looked at Bai Yujing, smiling and nodding. However, with his face covered in scars, even a friendly gesture ended up looking incredibly menacing.

After a brief silence in the Wanxing Hall, the Principal felt a bit awkward and changed the subject:

“Outrageous!”

Bang!

He slapped the armrest of his chair. “How dare the Shengxue Cult lay a hand on this old man's disciple! Elder Du, tell me, how should we deal with the Shengxue Cult?”

Elder Du said dully, “Kill them all. Leave none alive.”

“Mm.” The Principal ordered, “Ren'ai, I leave this matter to you.”

“Yes, Master.” Guan Ren'ai looked at Bai Yujing, asking in a humble manner, “Young Master, did you leave any survivors when you were attacked?”

“In a few days, Yujing will capture an important figure of the Shengxue Cult and deliver them to Elder Guan.”

The Principal asked curiously, “Disciple, do you need your master's help?”

Zhuang Xun slowly shook his head. “No need. Master, just watch over Yujing.”

Zhuang Xun bid farewell to the Principal and the three elders and left the Wanxing Hall. On his way back to the side cliff, he ran into the young man he had seen earlier.

Is this guy heartbroken? He's been standing here for nearly the entire night... He glanced at the man and prepared to walk around him.

Suddenly, Xu Jianxing dropped to one knee, raising his hands above his head, and said in an impassioned tone, “Jianxing is willing to serve Senior Brother like a dog or a horse, to go through fire and water without hesitation! I only hope Senior Brother will allow me to follow you!”

Wait, who even are you? A loading wheel spun in Zhuang Xun's brain as he tried to process the situation.

...

“Rise.”

In a bubbling pool of blood, a man with a handsome yet sinister face, though the skin beneath his face was withered and aged, opened his eyes.

He looked at the burly man standing quietly below after rising, and asked, “Has there been no news from the sentry post stationed outside the Wanxing Martial Academy?”

The burly Protector Song shook his head. “Replying to the Blood Son, the sentry post outside the Wanxing Martial Academy has not sent any news for seven shichen.”

“Go over and see what the situation is.”

“Yes.” Protector Song respectfully withdrew.

At noon, he arrived outside the tavern. When he pushed the door open and entered, he saw only a single figure in white robes. There was no one else.

“Bai Yujing.” Protector Song enunciated each syllable of the name. Scanning the surroundings and finding no one else, he asked expressionlessly, “Where are the others who were here?”

I knew someone else would come... Zhuang Xun sat on a chair, quietly wiping the shaft of his spear as if there were no one else around.

Protector Song stared at him for a moment. His blood qi erupted, as active and intense as a signal fire, as he walked toward Bai Yujing step by step. “It seems they have already been dealt with by you. However, I am very curious. Why do you dare to stay here alone? What do you seek?”

Sensing that the other man's blood qi far surpassed the Fifth Rank, Zhuang Xun glanced at the Principal, who was sitting cheerfully nearby, and looked down at the spear in his hand. “What Yujing seeks is nothing but peace and quiet.”

“Peace and quiet? What do you mean?” Protector Song's steps paused.

“With you lot alive, it is quite bothersome.”