100: Chapter 79: Murder and Heartbreak!_2 100: Chapter 79: Murder and Heartbreak!_2 “He was acting as the examination officer for the school.

Even if he cheated…

that’d be cheating on behalf of the school…

If the school were to punish him, wouldn’t that be like slapping its own face?”

“Wait and watch the excitement, I think…”

——-

People were talking noisily, some believed that Shen Qingping’s actions were against the rules, lacked martial integrity, and that the school should punish him severely.

Others thought that since Shen Qingping was cheating for the school and the Shen Family’s influence was immense, this matter might just be swept under the rug.

“Is Tang Fei alright?” Shang Xiulin asked with an expressionless face, still maintaining his scholarly and refined demeanor.

It was as if the recent events were but a trivial domestic matter to him, inconsequential whether he engaged with it or not.

“He’s fine for now…” Director Chen Bing replied truthfully, “But further examinations are needed.

The doctors are worried that it’s due to severe brain stimulation that caused the unconsciousness.”

Shang Xiulin nodded, then said no more.

Director Chen Bing stood beside Shang Xiulin, not daring to steal glances at his profile, yet her heart was also tied in a knot on his behalf.

The situation had a rather bad impact and with so many onlookers, it couldn’t be left unaddressed.

However, with the Shen Family behemoth behind Shen Qingping, mishandling this and causing their displeasure and retaliation would be damaging to Dean Shang.

Offending the Shen Family over a student from the Old Land did not seem worth it.

Oh, but this student from the Old Land was the savior of the Princess…

What a dilemma!

She couldn’t help but glance at Phoenix again, the young girl stood quietly to the side, her eyes on her nose and her nose on her heart, as if the matter had absolutely nothing to do with her.

But Director Chen Bing knew, with Tang Fei sent to the infirmary and her staying here instead of accompanying him…

wasn’t she just looking for an explanation?

It was quite a while later that Shen Qingping, supported by two friends, walked out.

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

Shang Xiulin looked at Shen Qingping and asked, “Are you in the Tongyou Realm?”

Shen Qingping’s heart skipped a beat, realizing that things were worse than he had anticipated.

Dean Shang could have chosen not to bring this up, but he had asked the question in front of everyone.

This indicated that he was not going to play dumb or gloss over the matter.

Though Shen Qingping had prepared for the worst before coming out, he still harbored a slight hope for a lucky break.

This question effectively extinguished that last flicker of hope…

“Yes,” Shen Qingping strove to keep his voice steady as he replied, “I am in the Tongyou Realm.”

“Is that so?” Shang Xiulin’s gaze grew playful, and he said with a smile, “The strength you just displayed does not seem to be of the Tongyou Realm.

The movement technique to catch the dagger, and the unity of man and sword…

are not something an upper-level Tongyou Realm practitioner could perform.”

“Dean, here’s the thing…” Shen Qingping had already mentally concocted a response to this question; many times, what people need is an excuse to step down gracefully.

He laid down the steps for the dean; whether he would choose to take them would depend on how much weight the Shen Family’s influence carried with Dean Shang.

“I was indeed at the upper level of the Tongyou Realm, and I have been searching for an opportunity to break through, but I’ve never found the right moment…”

“The life-or-death struggle with Tang Fei, that critical moment I faced, ignited my body’s potential and inspired a burst of insight that allowed me to break through the barrier and successfully enter the Tongyou Realm…”

“That’s also why I was able to employ that sword strike.

Even now, I find it hard to believe, and I hope the Dean and the teachers will scrutinize thoroughly; Qingping dares not hide a thing…”

One had to admit, Shen Qingping did have a quick wit.

In martial cultivation, the most important element is enlightenment.

There are tales of a seven-year-old running eight hundred miles in one night, an old cattle herder riding backwards into the heavens, and a scholar with no strength to trap a chicken reading the Taoist canon through the night and stepping into the Grandmaster Realm…

For many, martial cultivation is the hardest of all endeavors.

Yet, for some, it is as simple as reading, drinking water, or herding cattle.

Shen Qingping’s claim of a breakthrough at a critical moment, entering Tongyou, is entirely possible on the path of cultivation, with numerous precedents existing in reality.

But was that truly the case?

The smile vanished from Shang Xiulin’s face, he sighed lightly and said to Shen Qingping, “Qingping, I’ve always had high hopes for you.

Descendant of a prestigious family, capable of enduring hardship, young and having entered Tongyou, your future is boundless…

With such momentum, not even a minor Grandmaster could hold you back.”

“What a pity, you’ve disappointed me deeply today.

If you had come out and apologized to me straightaway, stating it was out of jealousy, or for any other reason, that you harbored hatred against Tang Fei and wanted to vent your anger and seize the chance to retaliate…

I would have been willing to give you another chance.”

“It takes ten years to grow a tree and a hundred to raise a person.

Even for a prestigious school like the Imperial First Military Academy, cultivating an outstanding young person is not an easy task.

To destroy such potential is truly regrettable.

Yet, you have chosen the most foolish path…”

Shen Qingping panicked, hurriedly saying, “Dean…”

“Go back,” Shang Xiulin waved his hand, cutting off Shen Qingping’s pleas, and said, “A crooked trunk can be straightened.

But what can repair a rotten core?

From today on, you are no longer a student at this school.”

Thump!

Shen Qingping fell to his knees, begging, “Dean, I know I was wrong, please give me another chance.”

“It was you who did not give yourself a chance,” Shang Xiulin said solemnly, “Do you know why I never stopped the match?”

“I was giving you the opportunity.

You had the chance to stop; there were many times you could have…

Unfortunately, you forfeited them all by yourself.”

“Dean…”

“My mind is made up; no need for further words,” Shang Xiulin’s face was grim, yet his demeanor was resolute.

“As for the result of the match, due to Shen Qingping’s cheating, Tang Fei is declared the victor and will officially become a member of our Imperial First Military Academy.

Because of the school’s oversight that resulted in serious injuries to student Tang Fei, all his expenses during his time at the school will be waived.”

Seeing the glowing eyes of all the teachers, he immediately added, “As for which class he will join, let him choose himself after he wakes up.”

“…”

“Furthermore, because of the Martial Arts Hall’s lack of stringent review which led to this significant accident during the cross-border assessment, Director Chen Bing is fined one year’s salary, and the deputy directors and below are fined three months’ salary…

Not only is the Martial Arts Hall responsible for following up on student Tang Fei’s treatment, but all the training equipment in the Martial Arts Hall will also be available for his lifetime use.”

“….”

The students present were green with envy.

This Tang Fei had turned misfortune into fortune.

Not only had he received an admission notice from the Empire’s top-tier First Military Academy, but he would also be exempt from all academic fees.

What’s more terrifying was that all the training equipment in the Martial Arts Hall would be available for his lifetime use.

It was known that the equipment at the Martial Arts Hall was limited, with many facilities requiring advance bookings.

For instance, using the Gravity Room, which also required points for each use.

Or like Huang Zixing, becoming an assessment official was a form of work-study.

But for Tang Fei, there were no such restrictions: in time, the Gravity Room, virtual combat rooms, Recovery Cabins, and all such facilities would be freely open to him…

Wasn’t this just like in a game, where defeating the big boss Shen Qingping resulted in a shower of loot?

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

“Dean, I have no objections.”

“Do the rest of you have any objections?”

“We have no objections.”

Shang Xiulin was somewhat satisfied with everyone’s response.

He looked around and said, “Students, do you still remember what our school’s motto is?”

“We remember.”

“Say it out loud.”

“Learning is boundless, and spirit is vast.”

“Right, ‘With a single grand spirit, the breeze travels a thousand miles with ease.’ If one’s heart is not upright, no matter how excellent one is, I refuse to acknowledge them as a student of my school, as a student of Shang Xiulin.”

“The students will bear this in mind.”

“…”

The kneeling Shen Qingping looked ashen, feeling worse than death.

Shang Xiulin turned to Chen Bing and asked, “Director Chen, was the battle just now recorded?”

“Reporting to the Dean, it was recorded from start to finish.”

“Hmm, keep it well preserved.

Tang Fei’s performance can serve as a survival example for the Primordial Forest map.

Every new student in the Ancient Martial Department must watch it compulsorily, and other departments’ students who want to learn jungle survival skills can also choose to watch it freely.”

“Yes, Dean.”

Bang!

Shen Qingping groaned and collapsed onto the ground.

Murder by crushing the heart!

This was truly murdering by crushing the heart!