CHAPTER 474: CHAPTER 472: OH NO, IT SEEMS WE CAN’T WIN

Le Yu raised an eyebrow.

"It is rumored that the ’Blood Essence Stone’ can also restore physical and spiritual power to its holder. It seems to only take effect on the holder, but perhaps there are other uses."

"But this information is meaningless to us," Zhu Yan said, "Since even the Statistical Department can’t find it, how could we, a group of teachers who have been circling around the academy for years, find the Divine Weapon?"

Jiujiu Jiu: "That may not be the case."

Cha Huan was slightly taken aback, then frowned: "What do you mean?"

"The Spirit Condensing Pill is almost exclusively circulated among the students, with no noise outside," Jiujiu Jiu said. "Although the Sea Wave Powder is also kept secret everywhere, it will inevitably leak out at the sales end. The effect of the Spirit Condensing Pill is not as good as the Sea Wave Powder, but it is extremely effective for ordinary people. Moreover, with such a low sale price, if the quantity is sufficient, it might take over the entire Yanjing market in a day."

"However, apart from the Imperial Academy, there is almost no presence of the Spirit Condensing Pill anywhere else," Jiujiu Jiu turned his bald head and glanced at the scenery outside: "Today, the students of the Imperial Academy are on break, my colleagues are still working overtime to keep watch. But unless there’s an unexpected event, they will surely find nothing."

The atmosphere in the meeting room instantly became serious, and the same thought arose in everyone’s mind.

"The Spirit Condensing Pill, when sold, can gain a profit of ten or a hundred times its cost. If the transaction site is outside, it is almost impossible not to leak out. However, the fact is, it only shows that all transactions are completed within the academy," Jiujiu Jiu said, "Thanks to Principal Cha’s patience these two days, not alerting the enemy, making the Statistical Department’s actions much easier. We have been focusing on whether any student brought a large amount of Spirit Condensing Pills into the school, but to no avail."

"Could it be your observational skills are lacking?" a teacher bluntly questioned.

"That’s possible." Jiujiu Jiu was not angry at being challenged by an outsider about his eagle-eye observation skills: "But after inspecting, we found that the iron boxes containing the Spirit Condensing Pills are actually packaging for other commodities, such as six-star candy, rouge, matches, cigarettes, all similar packaging. And the components of the Spirit Condensing Pill are very similar to white rice, if chewed, would have a similar taste."

"Even within the Imperial Academy, there is the basic condition for producing the Spirit Condensing Pill."

At this point, it was very clear to everyone what Jiujiu Jiu’s implication was. Suddenly, Ling Qingyu said: "Principal Cha, my uncle has a message for you."

Cha Huan snorted: "What nonsense does that honor-faced elephant want to spit out this time?"

It was apparent Ling Qingyu respected her uncle a lot, but it seemed Cha Huan wasn’t the first to sarcastically criticize her uncle, and she quickly calmed down and said: "’Either wait another half year and move together, or act alone first, and then we act against you. You choose between peace or dignity, peace is endurance, dignity is death.’"

Cha Huan snorted and didn’t respond.

"The Divine Weapon capable of producing the Spirit Condensing Pill is highly likely carried by a student of the Imperial Academy, making the Spirit Condensing Pill within the academy," Jiujiu Jiu concluded, "That is the intelligence the Statistical Department can provide. If Principal Cha requires assistance, the Statistical Department is ready to deploy personnel, Director Xie suggests bringing in a team to the Imperial Academy—"

"I do not accept his suggestion!" Cha Huan said loudly.

"Then please, Principal Cha, handle it on your own." Jiujiu Jiu bowed deeply, a ray of light fell on his head, and his bald head shone so brightly it made everyone squint: "The previous promise remains valid, should Principal Cha find the Divine Weapon producing the Sea Wave Powder and its method of use, Director Xie guarantees Yanjing will be as Principal Cha wishes."

Having said that, Jiujiu Jiu and Ling Qingyu immediately left the meeting room.

Once their footsteps receded, a teacher immediately said: "How could anyone be making illegal drugs right under our noses? Even if they could hide it from us, how could they hide it from the principal? The Statistical Department must be lying to us!"

"There’s no need for them to lie to us on this point, although other words might be false, they surely also want to find the Divine Weapon manufacturing the Sea Wave Powder."

"Why not pick a day to check all students’ belongings, we might find something."

"It might not just be the students, it could be a teacher, perhaps?"

"Then check the teachers as well!"

"But teachers can hide things well before the inspection begins."

"Why do you keep opposing it without giving suggestions? Are you the manufacturer?"

"Slander! I think you’re the one poisoning students by making illegal drugs!"

Thud.

Zhu Yan stamped heavily, and the meeting room instantly fell silent. His sharp, aged eyes scanned the room, he slowly said: "Draft a school regulation, report anyone selling or using illegal drugs, add one academic credit; if any student is found using or selling prohibited drugs, expel them from the academy!"

"Absolutely not!" Yan Yi immediately opposed: "The Spirit Condensing Pill is currently beneficial and harmless. If you suppress it forcibly, students will only make the process of selling the drug more secretive, addressing only the symptoms rather than the root cause!"

"As long as we expel the few students involved, others will naturally learn to weigh the pros and cons!" Zhu Yan said coldly: "Spirit Condensing Pill or education; if they can’t distinguish between the two, they aren’t qualified to stay at the Imperial Academy!"

Wei Weiwei said: "I’ve heard that in times of chaos, harsh laws are required."

Yan Yi shook her head: "Now is not a time of chaos, and students are not criminals! Can you guarantee you will catch every student who takes the drug? Such reporting rules will only make students monitor each other, creating anxiety!"

"Just catch one, and if he refuses to confess why he was caught, he’ll inevitably expose other accomplices." Zhu Yan said: "Students aren’t criminals, but neither are they flawless saints. They’re young people prone to greed, exploitation, and making mistakes out of ignorance!"

"How can we, as educators, use manipulative tactics against students? This isn’t about standing punishment but affects their entire future!"

Wei Weiwei said: "The Saint said that when a person stands, their spine is in a comfortable state. Hearing your words today, I finally believe it."

"You..." Yan Yi was so angry she almost lost her composure. Wei Weiwei’s criticism was infuriating, even without using offensive language. She twitched at the corner of her mouth, turning to the bystander Yu Ke: "Teacher Qin, what do you think?"

"Ah?" Yu Ke was taken aback, finding Yan Yi looking at him with an encouraging expression, as if saying ’I’ll think of a way to retort, you hold the fort for now,’ like they were teammates on the same side.

But they were merely sitting together, which didn’t mean they had become one debater and another debater!

Yu Ke thought for a moment and sighed: "First, we must confirm that the current Spirit Condensing Pill has no harm, right?"

"But we can’t assure there won’t be harm in the future." Despite Yu Ke having close ties with him, Zhu Yan showed no courteousness.

"But you also cannot assure that the Imperial Court won’t control the Divine Weapon that creates Spirit Condensing Pills in the future." Yu Ke said: "Why is the Imperial Court willing to promise so much just to acquire the Divine Weapon? Because the Spirit Condensing Pill indeed holds such value! It has no side effects but can enhance the martial artist’s various attributes. Do you know what this means?"

"If Spirit Condensing Pills become a foundation, perhaps a new field of ’Spirit Pill Science’ will emerge where all martial artists can enhance their insight, spiritual power, and cultivation speed through taking Spirit Pills. Drug-assisted cultivation will become trending, and martial artists using drugs will achieve breakthroughs faster, significantly increasing their numbers, and the combat technique industry will increasingly prosper..."

"Right now, taking Spirit Condensing Pills may seem an unforgivable mistake, but maybe in a few years, not taking them will be considered foolish behavior."

Yu Ke said: "I understand Zhu Yan teacher’s point. Cutting through potential harm decisively requires the harshest rules. But consider a student expelled for taking Spirit Condensing Pills, only to see Imperial Academy students openly using them later, what would he think?"

Zhu Yan squinted: "If students are obedient, not greedy, and contently fit in..."

"True, students bring trouble on themselves." Yu Ke nodded: "But this isn’t a morally pernicious act currently, and it doesn’t harm others, yet students don’t even have the chance to correct themselves... Our decision weighs upon them like an inescapable lifelong burden."

Yu Ke’s words clearly swayed the other teachers, even making Zhu Yan silent, while Wei Weiwei looked eager, seeming ready to crush him with anecdotes.

"But I’m not a resident faculty, lacking authority over academic matters of this kind." Yu Ke immediately shirked responsibility: "Principal, what do you think?"

"Ah?" Cha Huan raised her head: "What?"

Indeed, Cha Huan was indecisive... Yu Ke sighed inwardly; Cha Huan hadn’t spoken during the discussion, completely unlike the principal they knew.

True, situations like these, where one wrong step affects the entire context and many livelihoods, are beyond Cha Huan’s realm of resolving conflicts rashly and with passion. Many world affairs cannot be solved by killing alone; sometimes, one can only choose between ’bad’ and ’very bad’ outcomes, and relying on human power to alter fate is ultimately a fantasy of novelists.

Yu Ke’s tone also softened: "Principal, what should we do?"

"What to do? You all can’t help either..." Cha Huan muttered a little, turning to Lou Yinhai: "Can you defeat the four martial pillars?"

Lou Yinhai hesitated slightly but soon replied: "Within Yanjing, except for Xie Chenyuan and Yu Ke, the others: one I can defeat, two I can stall, three I can hold, four I must flee."

"You can only take on three at most..." Cha Huan lowered her head to think: "Some must surely be stationed in the army, Yu Ke may not take action, while the group of Crane Tears will certainly give their all... I need to defeat seven at least."

"Oops, seems like I can’t handle it... If only I were thirty years younger..."

Yu Ke was shocked!

Cha Huan, are you truly contemplating the possibility of brute force here!