Zhao Wuji did not speak imdiately. He simply watched Ma Hongjun's performance with a calm, steady gaze.
Before Dai Mubai could even struggle to make a decision, a crisp voice filled with anger exploded through the hall.
"You're talking nonsense!"
Xiao Wu was the first to jump to her feet, delicate brows raised, hands on her hips like an enraged little rabbit.
"It was obviously you who ran off to harass soone else's girl and caused trouble first!"
"Ah Qing said it clearly: if you cause your own ss, you clean it up yourself. What right do you have to bla others for not helping you?"
Her puffed-up cheeks and indignant tone made it painfully obvious whose side she stood on.
Ning Rongrong rose as well, arms folded across her chest, her exquisite face brimming with disdain and mockery.
She let out a soft scoff. "Heh. Dead fatty, your skin is really thick."
"You act like a hooligan, nearly embarrass yourself beyond recovery, and still have the nerve to accuse others first?"
"If Ah Qing hadn't steadied the situation with those few words earlier, just the three of you? Hmph. You'd probably have been beaten until you were crawling around looking for your teeth."
She left Ma Hongjun no room whatsoever.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't stand, but she slightly turned her body, her icy gaze locking onto Ma Hongjun like a tangible arrow.
There were no words in that look, yet it was more powerful than any reprimand.
It clearly said: You are being unreasonable. Disgraceful.
All three girls had firmly taken Lin Qingmo's side.
Seeing even Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing defend him so openly extinguished any thought Dai Mubai and Oscar had of speaking up for Ma Hongjun.
Dai Mubai even felt his face burn with embarrassnt.
As for Tang San, who had been dragged into this by na, he stood in the corner's shadow.
His head was lowered, his expression hidden.
Only the faint grinding sound of his clenched fists betrayed him.
His shoulders trembled slightly—not from fear, but from suppressed fury and humiliation.
'Ma Hongjun… you brainless pig!'
'Since when have I, Tang San, ever feared trouble?'
'I simply refuse to involve myself in your filthy ss!'
'And you dare lump together with Lin Qingmo? Dare to call a coward in front of Xiao Wu?'
What cut deepest was Xiao Wu's instinctive defense of Lin Qingmo.
That… should have been directed at him.
Jealousy's venom, mixed with anger at being slighted, burned wildly in his chest.
Zhao Wuji observed every reaction.
His gaze lingered for a mont on Lin Qingmo, who remained utterly calm.
From beginning to end, the boy had not offered a single word of self-defense.
Was it because he couldn't be bothered?
Or because he felt there was no need?
In truth, Zhao Wuji's internal scale had already tipped while he was upstairs.
After all, nearly everyone in the tavern had sided with Lin Qingmo's reasoning.
He spoke in a rough voice.
"That's enough! Shut up, all of you!"
The hall instantly fell silent.
"Ma Hongjun!"
Zhao Wuji fixed him with a stern glare.
"You think I was blind upstairs?"
"I saw exactly what happened!"
Under that piercing gaze, Ma Hongjun wilted imdiately, shrinking his neck.
"You nearly dragged the whole team into trouble because of your own ss, and you still have the nerve to complain?"
Zhao Wuji reprimanded him rcilessly.
"Lin Qingmo was right. If you make a ss, you clean it up yourself. That's what makes a man!"
"When the academy says 'those who don't dare to cause trouble are diocrities,' do you think that ans you should go harassing won and stirring up fights?"
"When we get back, write a self-criticism. Ten thousand words minimum. If you don't finish it, don't even think about joining the next soul hunt!"
Ma Hongjun's face collapsed in despair.
Ten thousand words? He might as well be executed.
Zhao Wuji shot Dai Mubai and Oscar a look. They hurriedly lowered their heads.
"And you two, what were you thinking, blindly joining in? Do you not have any judgnt at all?"
Finally, his gaze swept past Tang San.
It paused briefly on Tang San's clenched fists. Zhao Wuji's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but he said nothing.
He was wary of Tang San's narrow-minded Titled Douluo father, Tang Hao.
As far as he was concerned, the further he stayed from Tang San, the better.
"Get back to your rooms. Reflect properly!"
"We leave early tomorrow. If anyone dares stir up trouble again, I'll be the first to break his legs!"
"But what about Lin Qingmo and the others?!"
Ma Hongjun still sounded unwilling.
"Heh."
Lin Qingmo let out a cold laugh.
"Ma Hongjun, instead of wasting your ti complaining, you'd better think about yourselves."
Dai Mubai's brows imdiately knitted together.
"Lin Qingmo, what do you an by that?"
He stepped forward, a faint White Tiger phantom flickering behind him, thinking Lin Qingmo was threatening them.
"Exactly what I said."
Lin Qingmo's tone remained calm, even lazy.
His gaze swept over Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar.
"You three should be careful. Especially at night when you're sleeping. Don't end up getting killed in your dreams one day without even knowing how."
The words were light, but their aning sent chills down the spine.
"Lin Qingmo!"
Oscar's expression changed.
"Stop trying to scare people! We're all Shrek students. You're not planning to assassinate us over sothing this trivial, are you?!"
"Scare you?"
Lin Qingmo curled his lips.
"It's not you need to worry about. It's Blue Sunshine Academy."
"There's a teacher there nad Shi Nian. His martial soul is Brutal Dream, a seven-ring Soul Saint. A spiritual-type soul master."
"That old man's personality is darker than a sewer rat. He'll do anything to achieve his goals."
"His specialty is hiding in the shadows and using illusions to torture people bit by bit until they are driven mad or dead. His favorite thing is killing the Geniuses of other academies."
"You provoked Blue Sunshine Academy today. Pray he doesn't set his sights on you."
"..."
The air fell deathly silent.
The expressions on the three boys' faces froze.
Ma Hongjun even subconsciously touched his neck, as if sothing were already coiled around it.
A Soul Saint?
And a sinister spiritual-type Soul Saint at that?
Who the hell could withstand that?!
"Th-that can't be…"
Oscar's voice trembled.
"It was just an argunt…"
"Just?"
Lin Qingmo smiled.
"In Shi Nian's eyes, any genius from another faction is prey."
"With the way you three strutted around today, wasn't that 'genius' enough?"
"We…"
Dai Mubai opened his mouth, but not a single word ca out.
Cold sweat had already ford on his back.
Could he really have been targeted?
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu exchanged a glance behind them.
Neither could stop the slight curl at the corners of their lips.
"Serves you right."
"That's what you get for constantly causing trouble."
Zhu Zhuqing's face remained cold, but even her eyes flashed with a trace of satisfaction.
Tang San, however, gave Lin Qingmo a thoughtful look.
This guy… knew a little too much.
"..."
Zhao Wuji's expression darkened completely.
He shot Ma Hongjun a glare so fierce it seed ready to swallow him whole.
"You little brat just can't stop causing trouble!"
"Now you might've even attracted a Soul Saint!"
"H-how was I supposed to know…"
Ma Hongjun's voice quivered, nearly in tears.
"Didn't the dean say, 'those who don't dare to cause trouble are diocrities'? I was just following the academy's teachings…"
"The academy taught you to cause trouble. Did it teach you not to clean up after yourself?"
Zhao Wuji was breathing heavily with anger.
He had finally realized sothing: Shrek's so-called "elite education" might just be training a bunch of walking disasters.
Sighing, he rubbed his throbbing temples.
"After we get Xiao Ao his soul ring, the three of you are going straight back to the academy and into confinent."
"Until Flender cos up with a way to resolve this hidden danger, you're not going anywhere."
"Yes…"
The three responded dejectedly.
Not a single complaint dared escape their lips.
Now, they could only pray that the old scher nad Shi Nian wouldn't truly co knocking.
End of Chapter
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