CHAPTER 265: CHAPTER 257: PRELIMINARIES (FINALE)

When Chu Chen stepped out of the Trial Tower, all eyes fell upon him.

These gazes carried envy, jealousy, admiration, and disdain.

Seeing this, Chu Chen dared not linger in place and quickly went to where Lu Hongfei and the others were.

But upon his return, he was not greeted with flowers and applause, but rather a slap from Wang Lu.

Wang Lu smiled and slapped Chu Chen’s shoulder.

"You sly fellow, keeping such secrets." Wang Lu said with a laugh.

Chu Chen quickly waved his hand and said, "I haven’t hidden anything, you just never asked."

Wang Lu paused, then wrapped an arm around Chu Chen’s neck and said, "You sly devil, still defending yourself."

Watching the two playfully arguing, Lu Hongfei and the others did not intervene but smiled at the scene.

It wasn’t until the staff announced the names of the next competitors that the two stopped their playful banter.

"Chu Chen, you really have given me a big surprise." Lu Hongfei said with a smile.

Chu Chen replied with a smile, "It’s all just luck."

Lu Hongfei said solemnly, "No need for modesty. In this exchange competition, you can showcase your full strength without worry; no one will trouble you."

Lu Hongfei paused, and then continued, "The same goes for everyone. This is an opportunity to showcase yourselves. To gain more and better resources, those at the top need to see your skills. And we at the Five Great Daoist Schools highly value cultivating talents; any issues will be handled by the school."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded. Lu Hongfei’s words acted like a shot of adrenaline; perhaps Chu Chen’s full strength could truly be displayed.

At this moment, a group of ten people approached, led by an elderly man wearing the Cyan Dragon Daoist School attire.

Seeing who it was, Chu Chen and the others couldn’t help but frown, clearly recognizing the visitors.

Wang Lu quickly went to Lu Hongfei’s side and whispered, "Teacher, they’re from Black Snake City."

Lu Hongfei frowned as well upon hearing this.

"Haha, is this Brother Lu?" The elder approached Lu Hongfei, smiling.

Lu Hongfei feigned confusion and replied, "Indeed, may I ask who you are?"

"I am Li Yunchang from the Black Snake City Cyan Dragon Branch. We are, in a way, family."

Lu Hongfei replied with a smile, "Ah, Elder Li. I assume you are here because of yesterday’s matter. I’m ashamed to say I only learned about it today."

Li Yunchang waved his hand dismissively, "I just heard about it myself. The mastermind was Shen Jialiang. I’ve already expelled him from the school and punished those involved. I’m truly embarrassed. It was my failure in supervision that tarnished the school’s name. I hope Brother Lu won’t hold it against us."

Lu Hongfei quickly waved his hand, "No need for such, Elder. Shen Jialiang acted on his own and does not represent the school."

Li Yunchang nodded, "I’m relieved to hear Brother Lu thinks that way. You all come over and apologize."

The individuals quickly stepped forward and bowed to Chu Chen and the others, saying, "We were misled by Shen Jialiang and had a momentary lapse in judgment. Director Li has severely punished us. Please give us a chance to make amends. This gift is our apology; we hope you’ll accept it." After speaking, the leader took out a credit card from his pocket.

Chu Chen and the others did not respond immediately, instead looking to Lu Hongfei.

Seeing them, he gave a slight nod.

Chu Chen took the card and said, "All right, let’s put this matter behind us."

The others breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Yunchang smiled and said, "Brother Lu is magnanimous. From now on, feel free to call me Brother Li. I have connections within the school; if you face any trouble, come find me."

Lu Hongfei showed a pleased expression and quickly bowed, "Then I will call you Brother Li."

After exchanging pleasantries, Li Yunchang and his group left.

Once they had left, Chu Chen handed the card to Wang Lu and said, "You guys take this money."

Wang Lu accepted the card without hesitation and replied, "Generous as always, Brother Chen." Then he and Gangzi started discussing how to divide the money.

Lu Hongfei then turned to Chu Chen and said, "I’ve agreed to the reconciliation. What do you think?"

Chu Chen replied without concern, "Reconciliation is good since the one who started it has been punished. And Li Yunchang is a King Level expert. His offer of reconciliation gives us face."

Lu Hongfei nodded in satisfaction, "Indeed, better to resolve grudges than to create them. Their willingness to reconcile is largely due to your efforts."

Chu Chen was taken aback and pointed to himself in confusion, "What does this have to do with me?"

Lu Hongfei replied with a smile, "Given the strength you’ve displayed, you’ll certainly be a focus for the school and entering the Celestial Dragon Training Camp is assured. If you grow, you’ll rise to the school’s top ranks. He has only two options if he doesn’t want trouble."

"What are the two options?" Chu Chen asked in confusion.

"The first is to stop you from growing while you are still new, and the second is to lower his stance and resolve the matter swiftly."

Chu Chen’s expression of realization showed, understanding that showcasing strength can avoid many troubles.

That reminded him of a sentence from a book he’d read before.