Government Hall.
This was definitely one of the least popular places in Black Water Academy for disciples.
Anyone who came here was in some kind of trouble, having either made a mistake or committed an offense.
But today, as if the sun were rising in the west, disciples at the First, Second, and even Third Ranks of Meridian Opening flocked to the Government Hall in twos and threes.
On the way, Zhao Minji saw the crowd heading excitedly toward the Government Hall and said with curiosity, “Xiaomei, go ask what they’re doing.”
Xiaomei ran over and returned just a few breaths later, panting as she said, “Miss, it’s your fia… It’s that ungrateful Useless Shen! He apparently stole Zhang Qiang’s Chong Mai Pill and is here today for his hearing!”
Zhao Minji’s expression turned cold.
The Shen Fan she remembered wasn’t this kind of person, but… she was ultimately a little disappointed, afraid he was no longer the Shen Fan she once knew.
She was about to leave when she recalled the pride with which Shen Fan had rejected her kind offer the other day.
‘Could this be a misunderstanding?’ she thought.
‘How could such a proud person steal something?’
And so, she headed toward the Government Hall, saying, “Let’s go see.”
…
A fine mist filled the air, and a desolate wind blew cold.
Shen Fan walked out of the rain, ignoring the pointing and whispering disciples on either side as he headed straight for the Government Hall.
He also found it strange that so many people knew today was the day of his hearing.
‘Does Zhang Qiang want to humiliate me in front of everyone?’
“Shen Fan!” A clear, cold voice.
It was very familiar.
Zhao Minji approached and stopped about a foot from Shen Fan, a cool fragrance wafting from her.
“What are you doing here?” Shen Fan asked.
“Don’t worry, I won’t…”
“Did you steal it?” Zhao Minji asked, her eyes filled with a complicated mix of emotions.
For some reason, hearing that Shen Fan had stolen something made her feel a surge of anger, even though she didn’t want to believe it.
Deep down, she was terrified that the fiancé she’d grown up with, the man she was betrothed to, had changed.
“No,” Shen Fan said, shaking his head.
He understood what she was thinking.
Although he was annoyed that she didn’t trust him, he still gave her an answer.
Zhao Minji’s expression softened slightly.
“Zhang Qiang’s cousin is Zhang Wu, one of the Top Ten Disciples of the Outer Courtyard, and his third uncle is a Manager in the Government Hall. If you go to this hearing, you have no chance of winning, whether through debate or combat. Since you didn’t steal it, just go back. I’ll handle things here.”
She didn’t believe that Shen Fan, at the mere Second Rank of Meridian Opening, could defeat an expert at the Third Rank.
She knew what kind of people Zhang Qiang and his cronies were.
She didn’t want to see Shen Fan expelled from the academy and have his life ruined. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
That’s why she chose to intervene.
“There’s no need,” Shen Fan said firmly.
He didn’t need a woman to protect him.
“But your strength…”
“I know my own strength…” Shen Fan cut her off.
He stared into Zhao Minji’s eyes, a hint of warmth in his gaze, and smiled.
“Don’t worry, I won’t lose.”
“Hey, Useless Shen! You ungrateful bastard! My lady is just taking pity on you, do you really think we care about you?! Useless, trash, wor—”
Before Xiaomei could finish, a large meat bun flew through the air and stuffed her mouth shut.
Then, Fatty Jin came rolling up, carrying a large bag of buns and cursing, “Useless my ass!”
‘A sharp-tongued maid like that deserves a good lesson,’ he thought.
If he weren’t in a hurry to see Shen Fan’s hearing, he would have beaten Xiaomei so badly her own mother wouldn’t recognize her.
Xiaomei’s face turned red as she choked on the massive bun.
By the time she finally clawed it out, she saw that detestable fatty had already slipped into the Government Hall.
“Miss… WAHHH…”
“Don’t follow me anymore.” Zhao Minji had no time for her and followed the others into the Government Hall.
…
Shen Fan walked down the long corridor and straight into the Law Enforcement Hall.
A somber Yin Qi hung in the air, cold and murderous.
This was the place in Black Water Academy where hearings were held and punishments were meted out.
Seated on the high platform were two Political Elders with profound auras.
One was a square-faced, large-eared man named Fang, and the other, a fierce-looking man, was Elder Chen.
They were the Government Hall’s famous “Wen and Wu Shuang Jie,” and countless disciples from both the Outer and Inner Courtyards had been broken by their hands.
The disciples who had followed Shen Fan in to watch the spectacle fell silent as cicadas in winter the moment they saw these two.
One by one, they lamented inwardly: ‘It’s these two Living Yamas!’
On either side of the high platform stood two Managers, responsible for taking records.
Further down, Zhang Qiang and his group were staring at Shen Fan with malicious intent.
Shen Fan’s gaze swept coldly over them.
He immediately spotted several disciples at the Third Rank of Meridian Opening with strong auras.
‘They must be the helpers Zhang Qiang brought for backup,’ he surmised.
Among them, one disciple at the Third Rank of Meridian Opening stood out from the rest like a crane among chickens, his bearing exceptional.
The others noticed him as well and began to murmur amongst themselves.
“Zhang Sheng! It’s actually Zhang Sheng! I can’t believe Zhang Qiang managed to get him here. Shen Fan is in deep trouble.”
“Yeah, Zhang Sheng is Zhang Wu’s younger brother, with a cultivation at the Third Rank of Meridian Opening. I heard that in the Sunset Three Veins, he once killed a Fierce Beast comparable to the Third Rank with a single palm strike!”
“He’s already cultivated the Mid-tier Martial Skill, the Wind-breaking Palm, to the Small Success Realm. They say he’s not far from the Great Achievement Realm, either.”
“What a monster. How could Shen Fan possibly be a match for him? Forget Zhang Sheng, even the auras of the other five are powerful, far beyond anything Shen Fan can compare to.”
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“Criminal Shen Fan! The two Political Elders are present! Get over here and kneel!” a middle-aged man who bore a strong resemblance to Zhang Qiang barked.
This was Zhang Qiang’s third uncle, Zhang Yue, a man with a cultivation at the Fifth Rank of Meridian Opening.
He was perverse in his conduct, greedy, and lecherous.
When the two Elders were not around, he and the Managers under him would often do things that left people furious but too afraid to speak out.
Shen Fan’s expression remained unchanged.
With his back straight, he walked to the center of the hall and said, “I am innocent. Why should I kneel?”
Shen Cangsheng had once told him: A martial artist kneels to no one—not to the heavens, not to the earth, not to any person—only to their parents.
Therefore, even if the academy’s dean stood before him, he would not kneel.
Zhang Yue wanted to crush him with sheer presence, but it was impossible.
“Shen Fan, you stole Zhang Qiang’s Chong Mai Pill, worth ten thousand silver taels, and you still dare to claim innocence!” Zhang Yue shouted.
“If you hadn’t stolen the Chong Mai Pill, how could a good-for-nothing like you have broken through to the Second Rank of Meridian Opening?!”
The accusation was designed to be damning.
The Outer Court Disciples all knew Shen Fan was considered useless.
He had been stuck at the First Rank of Meridian Opening for over a year of cultivation.
For him to suddenly reach the Second Rank, it must have been because he took a Chong Mai Pill.
“No wonder he broke through to the Second Rank of Meridian Opening! He really must have stolen the Chong Mai Pill!”
“I knew it! Useless is as useless does! Can you expect a pile of shit to turn into gold?”
“You really can’t judge a book by its cover. That Useless Shen always seemed so honest, but who knew he was so full of dirty tricks.”
…
“Shen Fan, do you have any evidence to prove your innocence?” Elder Chen asked, his face as still as water in an ancient well.
They had seen this sort of thing many times.
But they couldn’t be bothered to actually distinguish right from wrong, even though they knew Zhang Qiang was framing Shen Fan.
They knew better than anyone what the people of the Zhang Family were like.
Therefore, their method was to help neither side.
‘You all fight it out yourselves.
The strong are right.’ This was their consistent way of doing things.
In the outside world, reason didn’t matter between people, only fists.
Shen Fan looked at Elder Chen and said, “I do not.”
“I didn’t think you’d dare pull any tricks in front of the two Elders. Since you’re pleading guilty, you will receive fifty strikes with the rod, then pack your things and get out of the academy!” Zhang Yue waved his hand and sneered.
“Are the law enforcement disciples present? Take him down and carry out the sentence!”
“Stop! Zhang Yue, what evidence do you have to prove my son is guilty?!” Shen Cangsheng burst in, demanding an answer.