Chapter Thirty-Two: The Reward is Secured

Gao Qingyu was already getting a little vexed.

Two blockheads had chosen this crucial moment to show up.

Hadn’t he thrown his weight around and pounded the table for the sole purpose of protecting them? And now the two idiots were here—were they going to demand punishment, then throw caution to the winds and rush off to the front lines to fight for their lives?

Why did every one of these fellows have such a damned stubborn streak?

As their longtime leader, Gao Qingyu knew his instructors’ temperaments all too well.

So he lost his temper.

“What are you two fools doing here?”

In an instant, Gao Qingyu released the full force of his aura and slammed it down on them.

He meant to crush them so thoroughly they couldn’t get a word out. Then he could let loose with a tirade and drive them out without anyone questioning him.

He’d even thought of exactly what to say.

“…The nerve of you! Are you trying to rebel? This is mutiny, plain and simple! Vice Dean Huang, throw these two lawless bastards out!”

He was sure Huang Yifan would catch on and finish the job with a few punches and kicks.

The two could spend a few days in bed afterward. They could say they’d had bones broken, and everyone would consider that severe punishment. That would settle the matter neatly.

But the dean hadn’t counted on this.

Although Gao Yunqi and Zhou Yi had gone pale under the pressure of his aura, they managed to hold their ground.

And they even spoke. “Dean, there are two things we’d like to say.”

Damn it!

When had those two bastards managed to break through?

Gao Qingyu immediately glared at them, preparing to intensify the pressure. “Say what the fu—”

“We accept the punishment! We accept responsibility! We’ll take whatever penalty you give us!”

Gao Yunqi forced the words out against the pressure, sweat pouring down his forehead. “Whatever the punishment, we’ll accept it. We only ask one thing of you, Dean: please don’t dismiss us from our posts as instructors at White Cloud Academy! We still want to teach our students! We want to keep teaching!”

Zhou Yi wanted to speak too.

But his cultivation was inferior to Gao Yunqi’s.

His face turned crimson as he strained, managing only four words: “…Me too, same here!”

Gao Qingyu felt a weight lift from his heart.

Had these two finally come to their senses?

He immediately withdrew the pressure of his aura.

Then he began pounding the table again, roaring, “Get out! Get out! This is mutiny! The Martial Academy has procedures for dealing with this sort of thing. How dare you come here and dictate what should be done?”

“This is a meeting of the leadership! You’re utterly lawless! Do you have any respect for the rules—or for me, your dean? Huang Yifan!”

Huang Yifan rose from his seat with great reluctance. “Here!”

“Throw them out! Throw them out! What happened to the rules? What kind of behavior is this?”

Gao Qingyu raged as if he could no longer contain himself, pounding the table. “Something this serious happens, and you show no remorse! Instead, you come to a meeting and spout nonsense! This is mutiny! Do you have any regard for me, your dean? They must be severely punished!”

“By my order as dean, Gao Yunqi and Zhou Yi are to have their wages suspended and be made to work extra teaching hours without pay, until they recognize their mistakes. Who dares object? Who’s against it? Who wants to rebel? Step forward!”

Everyone lowered their eyes.

Hell, a punishment like that was better than giving them a bonus…

For instructors of the Martial Academy with cultivation above the Emperor rank, their wages were next to nothing.

And he hadn’t even touched their benefits—those were the real prize!

Besides, he hadn’t said how long the punishment would last. It would only continue until they recognized their mistakes. If they realized them tomorrow, then the punishment could be lifted tomorrow, couldn’t it?

Still, everyone felt relieved.

Having a dean this protective of his people—even if he was a bit of a thug—was… genuinely reassuring.

The sounds of punches and kicks came from the doorway. It was Huang Yifan, beating them as he shouted, “Get out! Get out! Damn it… Ever since I came to this godforsaken place, they’ve treated me like some damn hired thug! You bastards!”

…

When Fang Che got home that evening, he found Sun Yuan sitting comfortably in the courtyard, enjoying the cool air and sipping tea.

“Your reward has arrived!”

Sun Yuan was beaming. “The Cult Leader is very pleased that you outperformed all the other martial arts geniuses and came out on top at White Cloud Academy! He’s especially delighted that you foiled the Three Sects’ plan and knocked their chosen candidate into the dirt. He sent me a message specifically to give you four words: ‘I am very satisfied!’”

Sun Yuan delivered the last four words slowly, imitating Yin Shenyang’s voice.

His own face was split by a grin.

Fang Che couldn’t care less whether Yin Shenyang was satisfied. He had only one concern.

“My reward is…”

“The Blood-Burning Art you asked for. The Cult Leader has granted it.”

Sun Yuan smiled and took a jade slip from his robes. “The Blood-Burning Art is inside. The Cult Leader has also added some of his own cultivation insights. This jade slip can only be used once; it’ll destroy itself afterward.”

“Understood.”

A great weight lifted from Fang Che’s heart.

He had finally obtained the life-saving technique he’d been longing for most.

The Blood-Burning Art.

It could instantly increase his speed tenfold, at the cost of a single mouthful of blood and a period of weakness afterward.

It wouldn’t damage his foundation, and it had no lasting side effects.

It was the life-saving escape technique the members of the Righteous Path of the One God relied on most.

An ordinary person could increase their speed tenfold. Fang Che was certain that if he used the Boundless True Scripture to activate the Blood-Burning Art, the result would be even more astonishing.

Whether chasing down an enemy or fleeing danger himself, this would be his ultimate trump card.

Fang Che was satisfied.

“When practicing the Blood-Burning Art, remember that you must reach the Innate realm before you can use it,” Sun Yuan cautioned him earnestly. “Before you reach the General rank, you mustn’t use it more than five times in a year. Even after breaking through, while you’re still below the Emperor rank, don’t use it more than ten times a year. They say it has no side effects, but overusing it will still deplete your vital energy.”

“I understand.”

“Also, starting today, you may use the title Night Demon.”

“Mm.”

“And regarding communications, the Cult Leader has granted you a communication jade. In a moment, you can connect it to your Five-Spirit Gu, and I’ll show you how to use it.”

“Who can I contact?”

“You can contact me, and Elder Qian Sanjiang. If something urgent happens while I’m away, you can contact Lord Qian directly.”

“Just the two of you?”

“You can contact the Cult Leader too. But although he thinks highly of you, I wouldn’t recommend reaching out to him directly. Contact him too often and he’ll get annoyed. Once that impression takes hold, it won’t be easy to change.”

“Mm. Got it.”

Fang Che’s eyes flickered.

“Also, the Cult Leader has appointed you team leader at White Cloud Academy. From today on, all the One-Heart Sect’s chosen candidates who enter the academy will take their lead from you.”

“Hm?” Fang Che stared at him. “Then how do I get in touch with them?”

“There are secret signs used within the sect. They’ll let you identify them and arrange a meeting place. But everyone will have their faces covered or be wearing disguises. No one will show their real face. You’ll need to be prepared for that too.”

“Understood.”

Fang Che’s eyes gleamed.

“Your next task is to secure a greater share of White Cloud Academy’s resources and, ideally, earn the favor of the Guardians. That will lay the groundwork for infiltrating their ranks later.”

“If you make progress on this, you can report to the Cult Leader at any time,” Sun Yuan said.

He couldn’t help envying his disciple.

Even Sun Yuan himself had only earned the right to contact the Cult Leader after decades of service to the One-Heart Sect—through connections and tireless effort, and after becoming one of its elders while publicly maintaining a position “between the righteous and the wicked.”

Even then, he couldn’t contact the Cult Leader often.

By that point, he had already spent decades working for the sect.

And how old was Fang Che now?

He already had permission to contact the Cult Leader.

“Master, aren’t you and the Cult Leader making things impossible for me?” Fang Che frowned. “We students at the academy have to complete missions too. Only after completing enough of them and earning enough contribution points do we have a chance of being promoted or gaining the leadership’s recognition. But our missions are all about dealing with our sect. Are you asking me to betray it?”

Sun Yuan chuckled. “Well, there are some people in our sect who don’t listen. They can be dealt with too.”

“Hm?” Fang Che looked at him, momentarily taken aback.

“For the sake of our sect’s grand design, they’re unimportant underlings. Letting them make a small sacrifice to help you build your record is only right.”

Sun Yuan said this as if it were obvious. “Besides, it’s not just our sect. There are plenty of others. The Heavenly God Sect, the Night Demon Sect, the Three Saints… And the rest, too. Any of them can help you rack up achievements.”

“…”

Fang Che took a deep breath. “Master, your wisdom is profound.”

“Mm, that’s about it for now… Oh, the Cult Leader also rewarded you with a Spirit-Soul Pill. It’s used to stabilize your spiritual sense, so no one can seize you and search your soul later.”

Sun Yuan took out a small bottle.

Fang Che accepted it. “Master, there’s something I’m not sure how to bring up.”

“Go ahead.”

“A few days ago, I killed Ximen Xuri, didn’t I?”

Fang Che got straight to the point. “So I spread the word that the Ximen family is under the Heavenly God Sect.”

Sun Yuan fell silent.

And you had the nerve to look so surprised.

Turns out you’d already started selling people out.

“Why didn’t you tell me last time?”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t agree. So I acted first and told you afterward.”

“This…”

Sun Yuan was at a loss.

“I don’t think it’s a problem,” Fang Che said, his expression cold. “Master, what matters most is always our own interests. As you said, what does it matter if a few people from the Heavenly God Sect die to help me build my record? Besides, no one’s dead yet.”

“We need to report this to the Cult Leader,” Sun Yuan said. “I’ll do it.”

“I’ll do it!” Fang Che stopped him and said earnestly, “Master, I’m the one who did this. Don’t take the blame for me.”

Sun Yuan felt a warmth in his heart. “I’m worried the Cult Leader will fly into a rage, and you won’t be able to bear it.”

“But I did it, and I’ll sell out more people in the future to advance myself,” Fang Che said with complete candor. “You can’t keep explaining things for me and taking the consequences every time, can you?”

Sun Yuan thought for a long while. “All right.”

Then he sighed. “You’re more ruthless than I am, and I’ve been at this for decades. You sold out an entire Heavenly God Sect family without even giving them a warning. But the fact that you can be this ruthless does put my mind at ease.”

…

[Last night I misspoke. I should have said I overestimated myself. But no matter. I’ll keep writing diligently. If you’re enjoying it, please help spread the word. When the flowers bloom, the butterflies will come; the readership will grow in time.]