The monitor election ended quickly without a hitch.
After Fang Ping had completely thrashed Zhao Lei, the person who had the most bones honed and thus deemed himself first in the class, the other 48 students suddenly had no opinion on the matter.
Not when Zhao Lei was still faking unconsciousness on the floor.
He had to! He had to preserve his dignity somehow.
He was almost powerless against the other when he was beaten up black and blue. Although Fang Ping had admittedly snuck up on him, the results had proved Fang Ping’s prowess.
Most of them had actually realized that Zhao Lei was faking it.
They just were not brave enough to laugh or jeer at him openly. This was because Zhao Lei was still quite skilled. Moreover, his mentor, Tang Feng, was present.
Meanwhile, Fang Ping did not mind. He had even quoted Tang Feng’s words as an insult toward his fallen opponent.
He had done so because the instructor irked him as well.
The instructor had lured him into a trap previously during the instructor selection. He had only bothered to tell him that a high number of Lu Fengrou’s students got themselves injured or killed after he had chosen her as his mentor.
Of course, he now knew that it was because Lu Fengrou’s students got themselves entangled in such situations themselves. Their mortality was not directly attributed to Lu Fengrou.
The Benevolent Fang Ping would not miss out on a chance to take revenge. Not to mention, when his actions did not smear the big picture.
The friendly match had been held with Tang Feng’s express permission anyway, and Fang Ping had not roughed Zhao Lei up that bad.
Of course, the most prominent reason was because of his instructor’s beef with Tang Feng – she had deliberately singled out his students to be his targets.
Fang Ping could only act so brazenly with his instructor backing him up.
Tang Feng was not petty enough to lose his composure. He eyed Fang Ping fleetingly and said without giving Zhao Lei a single glance, “The class monitor will be Fang Ping then. Any questions?”
No one said anything.
“Well then, the position has been filled. After… Zhao Lei, please come to me for the training schedule after this.”
Fang Ping had said that he would relinquish his errands to Zhao Lei.
Tang Feng had no intention to help his disciple weasel out of his responsibilities. His disciple was inferior to someone else; he might as well teach him a lesson.
He had seen Zhao Lei’s arrogance for himself.
His student was not benevolent but not petty to a fault either. He disliked Fang Ping, but he did not deliberately find fault with him. It showed that he had some decorum.
He would most likely improve after the defeat.
Sometimes, a student might not take their instructor’s words to heart. However, they should have learned their lesson after being the victim of a hearty beating.
Of course, he would prove to be relatively immature if he remained the same as before. Tang Feng would then stop treating him as if he had potential.
He did not wait for Zhao Lei’s reply before continuing, “Training starts tomorrow. Your normative study periods will not be affected as the training is mainly at night and on weekends.
“Specific arrangements will be announced tomorrow. Dismissed.”
The crowd started to disperse in twos and threes. However, quite a lot of people stayed as they wanted to see if Zhao Lei would keep up his facade.
Zhao Lei did not. He clambered up as soon as Tang Feng had announced the dismissal.
Rubbing the tears and blood on his face, Zhao Lei raised his head to look at Fang Ping. He gritted his teeth resentment. “I admit defeat this time but we’ll see! The university term has just started!”
Fang Ping curled his lip nonchalantly. “I’ll wait for your revenge… As long as you don’t ask your daddy to do it for you.”
“Quit trying to rile me up! My father isn’t that shameless!’
Zhao Lei exhaled loudly from his nose. Sh*t!
His nose still hurt!
After a show of indignation, Zhao Lei’s face contorted in pain. Tears started gushing down his cheeks again.
“Crying again… Feels like I’m bullying a toddler.”
Fang Ping heaved a sigh before he left the room promptly, not heckling the other boy anymore.
That was what he thought. On the other hand, Zhao Lei felt slightly manic.
‘Who’s crying? Would tears have come out of my eyes if you hadn’t f*cking punched me on the nose?’
…
Outside the building.
Fu Changding laughed so hard that his stomach ached. He latched onto Fang Ping, saying, “You’re really merciless. His face is more swollen than mine was. He won’t be able to recover from it without a week.”
“I’m doing this to evade even more serious trouble.”
Fang Ping said with an air of wry helplessness, “That guy has been thinking of one-upping me ever since then because he thought that he had lost due to carelessness.
“After I make him feel abject despair, he’ll stop being so reluctant to admit it.”
He was not making it up. People like Zhao Lei had to be defeated soundly for them to yield.
Zhao Lei was obviously indignant about everything that had unfolded that day.
Indignation could eventually morph into resentment and hatred which were more serious.
Since Fang Ping had beaten Zhao Lei up so bad that he had nothing else to say about it. Hence, Fang Ping had actually nipped the problem in the bud.
As he spoke, Fang Ping turned to look behind him. He said loudly, “Once we get into the special training class, we’ll definitely have a lot of chances to challenge each other.
“I’ll avenge every grudge and feeling of resentment you have toward me. I know all about who’s been talking about me behind my back.
“No matter if you’re male or female, I’ll beat you up before we talk…”
“Bastard!”
Yang Xiaoman cursed from behind him. ‘You can just give names! Do you need to diss me indirectly?’
Chen Yunxi pulled on her arm. ‘Practical combat courses were a given requirement for the special training class. Don’t provoke that guy again or you’ll get beat up!’
Yang Xiaoman shut up reluctantly.
Fu Changding gave Fang Ping a thumbs up. He said softly, “Damn, that’s smooth. You’re making her hate turn into love eventually, aren’t you? I’ll try it next time. Women are all like that. Maybe it does work.”
“F*ck off!”
Fang Ping cursed. His mind was f*cking creative!
He exchanged banter with Fu Changding for a while before he spotted Lu Fengrou who was in front of him. She slowed down her pace, and he immediately went up to her.
…
“Thank you, mentor.”
Fang Ping expressed his gratitude the moment he had caught up to her. The 60 credits might as well have been gratis at such a time.
The arrangement was one Lu Fengrou had initiated just for him. Without her interference, Tang Feng would not have done it in such a matter as he was unprepared for it.
“You don’t need to thank me. You fought for them on your own.”
Lu Fengrou did not take credit. She spoke as they walked together, “The more resources you have, the faster you’ll improve. Maybe you’ll die faster.
“So there’s no need for you to thank me.”
Afterward, Lu Fengrou continued, “But you must seize the chance to get more resources. When you earn credits, it’s pertinent that you exchange them for pills that can elevate your strength.”
“Um?”
Fang Ping looked perplexed. It was not what Lu Fengrou had told him previously. She had told him that her disciples need not rush.
Lu Fengrou said expressionlessly, “MCMAU might lose in the National Championship. If we do lose, there will be a shortage of resources.
“If that time comes, it’ll be difficult to improve.”
“MCMAU will lose?”
Fang Ping found it somewhat hard to believe that his mentor was already considering the odds of losing when the special training class had just begun.
“I got wind of it not too long ago. A few things have happened unexpectedly. It’s also part of the reason why the average universities are rioting and clamoring for extra resources.”
“Sudden happenings?’
“Yes, you might hear about them sooner or later.
“To sum it up, everybody’s desperate to improve. The Alliance will carry out the worst deeds to obtain more resources.
“When students enter Rank-1, the school might arrange things for them to carry out missions, life-or-death missions. The training won’t be done for the sake of training!
“We chose the best from the best. One, to win the championship and earn more resources.
“Two, to prepare ourselves for the dangers ahead!
“I don’t know if you’ve heard about the serious loss Tiannan Martial Arts University has suffered. Now, it’s getting worse. It has happened in many provinces.
“That’s why everyone is trying their best to better themselves.
“In the past, it was the weak that could enjoy living peaceful lives.
“Now, with the unprecedented happenings, the weak will have no right to vie for resources!
“The concentrated nurturing of powerhouse groups is a better solution to such crises.
“That’s why I said that you can hoard more resources now. Of course, you’re welcome to not heed my words if you don’t have any interest in pursuing martial arts any further. You can just muddle your way up to Rank-2 or 3 when you graduate and lead a happy, prosperous life.”
Lu Fengrou summed everything up succinctly before she shook her head, saying, “There’s so much happening right now. Throughout the many years before this, only the Rank-3 and above martial artists were privy about such things.
“Maybe Rank-2 or even Rank-1 martial artists will get roped into it in the future.
“It’s been happening more frequently than ever.”
Fang Ping did not know if her words had been directed toward him or if she was talking to herself.
Fang Ping, on his part, understood little of it. However, he felt the underlying tension in her words.
They walked for a short while before Lu Fengrou waved flippantly. “Go back first, I’ll inform you if something comes up. You’re my disciple after all.”
“Mm. I’ll leave first then, mentor.”
“Go.”
After Fang Pin had left, Lu Fengrou heaved a sigh.
The average martial arts universities had protested before but much less aggressively. This time, they were making a fiasco out of it, and they were determined to get their way.
Lu Fengrou did not care. She could not be bothered to.
Lu Fengrou knew that things were much more complicated than she had imagined.
Since the earthquake in Tiannan, Catacomb entrances all over the country showed strange signs, harbingers of trouble in the future.
Martial arts universities guarding the Catacombs could not sit still in the face of adversity. They started to vie for large amounts of resources to fuel their strength in preparation for the upcoming calamity.
From there, the National Championship was born.
The signs of such strange occurrences had previously been less pronounced in Magic City, but they had started to surface recently.
Some of her disciples outside had suffered serious injuries. One of them had even come close to losing his life. Lu Fengrou had heard of the strange occurrences through them.
People like Wang Jinyang and Qin Fengqing wanted to earn huge amounts as well because of what was happening.
Lu Fengrou did not know if they were signs, but she became vigilant all the same.
She felt uneasy telling Fang Ping everything.
Average students, especially freshmen, would very well be sheltered from everything.
Fang Ping, on the other hand, was extremely likely to be filled in about the Catacombs early. Thus, he would be roped into the defense forces.
Under usual circumstances, missions were free for the taking, and participation was entirely voluntary.
However, how could the defense be left to volunteers during such an important moment?
One had to join the forces no matter what – that was the responsibility of a powerhouse!
Of course, Fang Ping was not the only one affected, especially since he was only a little pawn in the game. She would have to leave the school eventually.
She had lived an idyllic life for too long a time, so long that she had almost forgotten everything pertaining to that.
The school had provided an immense amount of resources and funded their rise to Rank-5 or 6. At such a time, how could they possibly stand by and watch? It was the same for Grandmasters.
…
All middle-ranked martial artists were tense.
Low-ranked martial artists – aside from tRank-3 martial artists who engaged in missions – knew nothing about what was going to befall them.
Lu Fengrou had talked about it with Fang Ping, but he was still befuddled due to the lack of sources.
He knew something though – he had to improve, and fast.
Fang Ping continued honing his bones after he had returned to his room, tossing aside the satisfaction he felt from thrashing someone.
It was only a tame match. Zhao Lei was only an average freshman aside from the fact that he had a slightly higher number of honed bones. Bullying someone like that was not satisfying at all.
…
The night before the special training class officially started, Fang Ping felt tremors from the ground as he was cultivating.
Luckily, the tremors subsided shortly after, and not many people probably felt them.
Some martial artists in MCMAU were unnerved by them though.
The leadership of MCMAU held an overnight meeting.
The night after the meeting, Huang Jing, the Dean of the School of Weaponry, departed from the school. Following him was a team of 30 middle-ranked instructors.
…
The next day.
Fang Ping and the others did not sense anything out of the ordinary, their day went by as usual.
A scant few people were discussing what had happened the previous night.
Fu Changding had sensed the tremors too as he was not asleep when the earth shook.
When he met Fang Ping in the morning, he asked, “Was there an earthquake yesterday?”
“You felt it too?’
“Mm, I was cultivating yesterday. I almost stopped. Luckily it only went on for a while. Maybe it was a small earthquake.”
While the two were chatting, Zhao Xuemei walked toward them and said, “It was an earthquake, but it was mild. It was announced in the news. There were no casualties or financial loss.”
“It wasn’t only in Magic City. Quite a lot of provinces had them too. Earthquakes have been happening quite often recently,” Fu Changding commented offhandedly. He then furrowed his brow. “It seems like bad news. Ever since Tiannan, many provinces have had earthquakes as well. I remember my granddad being nervous about it…”
Zhao Xuemei’s face tightened momentarily before she said softly, “Maybe it isn’t. Don’t overthink it. Right now, improving ourselves is the first priority.”
“That is true. Wait till we’re Grandmasters. We won’t be phased no matter how serious the earthquakes get.”
Fu Changding laughed and did not raise the matter again.
They did not talk about it any longer, but Fang Ping turned the topic around in his mind.
“After the Tiannan earthquake, many of Tiannan’s elite students died.
“Mentor talked about the recent occurrences yesterday…
“Earthquakes are becoming quite frequent. Although they cause no damage, it’s still weird. Nothing of the same sort happened throughout my last life.
“Every time there’s an earthquake, the Grandmasters are strangely active. They often show themselves near the area where the earth had shaken.
“Are the Grandmasters that kind?
“Mentor is being contradictory. She told us not to rush and to enjoy life for a few years. However, she’s now asking us to obtain more resources and improve ourselves.
“…”
Snippets of information flickered in Fang Ping’s mind. After a long time, they merged into a new revelation.
“The earthquakes are related to martial artists somehow. Maybe the earthquakes are signs of danger.”
Fang Ping’s brow furrowed. What did the earthquakes in Magic City mean?
Was Magic City in danger?
Also, Wang Jinyang and Qin Fengqing had been missing in action ever since they left for a mission. Was it somehow related to everything else?
Their phones were unable to reach as they were not in an area that had service.
“My lack of necessary information is directly related to my powerlessness, isn’t it?”
Fang Ping exhaled softly. Overthinking was useless at such a moment. He had to improve as soon as possible.
“I shouldn’t save my Wealth and instead use it if necessary.
“The company will have to expand as soon as I can. I’ll have to throw all 9 million into it so that my Wealth will increase.
“Maybe I can try receiving some missions…”
Many thoughts flitted by in Fang Ping’s mind as his feet carried him to the teaching building. He had followed the crowd there.
Fang Ping discovered that a lot of instructors had seemingly applied for leave that day. At the very least, two of his Basic Martial Arts instructors had done so.