CHAPTER 49: CHAPTER 43 DIVINE LITERATURE ACADEMY

At the end of the awards ceremony, outside the school fence, Tu Rong threw away his cigarette butt, pushed Tao Bing’s wheelchair, and headed to the hospital.

Tao Bing opened his mouth several times, but closed it again.

The group walked in silence until they reached the hospital entrance.

Seated in the wheelchair, Tao Bing said, "I told you before, if something happens, I’ll take responsibility alone and won’t drag you into it. What, were you scared by the award ceremony?"

"Do you really think I was scared by this award ceremony?" Tu Rong asked.

"Then what made you leave without saying a word?" Tao Bing looked up at Tu Rong behind him.

The sunlight was glaring, and Tao Bing squinted his eyes.

"On the way to Eighth Middle School, do you remember I said we shouldn’t act near Eighth Middle School?"

"I remember."

"You asked the other members of the Five Tigers of Shuizhou, and I didn’t answer."

"Yes."

"Then I’ll answer now. Many years ago, a small thug harassed a female student from Eighth Middle School, and when the students from Eighth Middle School found out, a fight broke out."

"Three students from Eighth Middle School were injured and ended up in the hospital. The students’ parents were afraid to escalate the situation, so they swallowed their anger, but the then head teacher of Eighth Middle School found out."

"Do you know what that head teacher did?"

Tao Bing and the others shook their heads together.

"He led all the Martial Arts teachers and outstanding students to first catch the thug and his accomplices, then caught the thug’s boss and his men, and beat them until they were bleeding on the ground, crippling their Dantian one by one. Finally, over a hundred teachers and students went to the Martial Guard Bureau to report it."

"Nothing happened to Eighth Middle School’s teachers and students. Those whose Dantian were crippled were prosecuted for serious crimes like organized crime, and all past cases were thoroughly investigated. The crime boss received the death penalty."

Tao Bing’s face turned ashen, vaguely guessing some possibilities.

Tu Rong lit a cigarette, took a puff, and only after the white smoke slowly dissipated from his nostrils did he continue.

"The crime boss who received the death penalty was the fourth brother of the Five Tigers of Shuizhou. Back then, the other brothers of the Five Tigers used all their connections, but it was of no use, because the report from over a hundred students not only alarmed the city’s Martial Mansion, but also reached higher authorities. The heads in Rucheng wouldn’t be foolish enough to risk it for the Five Tigers, who weren’t even Innate level."

"That head teacher from back then is the same person who awarded Zhou Leng today."

"I still remember his name, Lu Tainan."

"How do you know all this so well?" Tao Bing asked.

Tu Rong exhaled a smoke ring and said slowly, "That year, I was a little follower of one of that crime boss’s men and got caught by a group of top students. They wanted to beat me up, but one top student stopped them, seeing how thin I was, and took me to Principal Lu. Principal Lu looked at me, thin as a dry wolf, and kicked me on the butt, telling me to get lost."

"That day was probably the most dangerous day of my life. So, I never cause trouble near Eighth Middle School. If Zhou Leng wasn’t a graduate and was still in high school, even with our years of friendship, I wouldn’t have come."

Tu Rong lowered his head, looked at Tao Bing in the wheelchair, and said, "You tell me, how can I make trouble for someone so valued by a person like Principal Lu?"

Tao Bing was silent for a long time and said, "Push me back to the hospital bed."

West Sea Martial Arts Academy, school affairs meeting.

Many school leaders attended.

"The awards ceremony at Eighth Middle School had a negative impact on our West Sea Martial Arts Academy. In just a few hours, related videos have already appeared online."

"I’ve heard about that Principal Lu from Eighth Middle School for a long time; he’s quite a character."

"As long as Mountain and River Origin exists, even if he’s the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, he can’t escape the Five Finger Mountain of West Sea Martial Arts Academy."

"A Martial Arts School Student isn’t worth discussing in a school affairs meeting."

"Let’s not talk about this matter. Right now, establishing the ’Divine Literature Academy’ is of utmost importance for us at West Sea Martial Arts Academy."

"Once we have a Divine Literature Academy, our rank among national universities could move up by at least three places, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Being at the bottom of the Top Ten Martial Arts, with those behind us breathing down our necks, doesn’t feel good."

"Both ’East China Martial Arts Academy’ and ’Rucheng Martial Arts Academy’ in Rucheng are competing as well. It’s a tough battle."

"How’s the application for the Divine Literature Academy proceeding?" the elderly person in the main seat asked.

Everyone sat up slightly straighter.

"It’s stuck at the ’expert review’ stage. Experts from the Divine Text Bureau think our West Sea Martial Arts Academy focuses too much on Martial Arts, demonization courses, and pills, and doesn’t emphasize Divine Literature. Compared to the other two universities, we have no advantage."

"Those two universities can offer higher incentives. Some Divine Text experts are worried that West Sea Martial Arts Academy’s Divine Literature Academy... might not get enough support."

"In recent years, the country has started to emphasize Divine Literature more. With increased support, the Divine Text Bureau has gained more power and might be holding out for the best offer."

"Divine Literature involves secrets of high-level civilizations and is crucial for the future. If the Divine Text Bureau dares to make high demands, we dare to raise the stakes. West Sea Martial Arts Academy must secure the Divine Literature Academy. If there are still problems, I’ll personally visit the Divine Text Bureau."

Hearing the principal’s words, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

A Grandmaster Realm principal personally getting involved is enough to influence the Divine Text Bureau’s decisions.

Outside the Affiliated Martial Arts Hall of Ruda, Deng Zhijue was advancing while calculating in his mind.

"The Hall Master saw Zhou Leng during the examination..."

"With his insight, he must have noticed Zhou Leng’s potential and placed him in Class 01..."

"I have mediocre qualifications among all the instructors and don’t have a close relationship with him, so I originally wouldn’t be overseeing Class 01..."

"I’m from Eighth Middle School, Zhou Leng is too, and he also hinted I should attend the awards ceremony..."

"Nicely put, it’s the Eighth Middle School awards ceremony; frankly, it’s actually Zhou Leng’s awards ceremony..."

"Putting everything together, it’s very clear."

"For Zhou Leng’s sake."

"I checked the backgrounds of Zhou Leng and the Hall Master and found an interesting connection. Zhou Leng’s uncle, Ma Xingkong, was actually a classmate of the Hall Master in Yunhua..."

"Although Ma Xingkong’s identity is somewhat sensitive, with so many years gone by, it shouldn’t implicate me. Besides, if something happens, the Hall Master will take the heat..."

After much deliberation, Deng Zhijue knocked on the door of the Hall Master’s office.

"Come in."

"Hello, Hall Master." Deng Zhijue saluted after entering.

"Hmm." Wang Boxiong looked down at the tablet’s data.

Deng Zhijue said, "I just came back from Eighth Middle School. Principal Lu and Zhang Xinglie presented an award to Zhou Leng together, and it’s an award named after Zhou Leng for improvement. It shows, Zhou Leng is a rare talent."

"Hmm." Wang Boxiong didn’t look up.

Deng Zhijue said, "Suddenly I thought on the way, various scholarship reviews are slow, training camps have strict requirements, but now there’s a type of subsidy that might be suitable for Zhou Leng."

Wang Boxiong looked up at him.

Deng Zhijue smiled and said, "Administrative basic subsidy. Although it’s not much, for Zhou Leng’s financial situation, it’s quite a help. Bachelor, graduate student, PhD, lecturer, associate professor, professor... Not to mention the high ranks, in our Martial Arts Hall, we can directly bestow him the honorary doctoral student title, then give him a teaching assistant subsidy, doubling the subsidy, and he could earn 6000 yuan a month."

Wang Boxiong asked, "Does Zhou Leng meet the conditions?"

"As long as he’s done a bit of research in any area such as pills, martial arts, Ten Realms language, Ten Realms knowledge, Divine Text, or demonized items, and has any nationally recognized certificate, he meets the conditions."

"I remember, there’s that path available. Okay, you handle it, then come to me for the application."

"Yes."

Hongfa Restaurant.

Zhou Leng walked into the large private room, and around the three tables, the classmates turned their heads together.