Chapter 45 Gaining Status in the Academy (3)

“The noble family students usually choose some of the more outstanding members of the commoner students to join their Families. To do so, they lure them with the funds to Consolidate Equipment or Store Skills.”

“Once they sign their lives away their lives to these nobles, it is pretty much no different as doing so with the Skill Storing Palace. Those seniors have pretty much sold their freedom to the Ye Family.”

Amongst the commoner students, at least eighty percent have chosen to work under noble families or the Skill Storing Palace. Because the Ye Family has one of the largest influence in the Academy, they have managed to get many of the more outstanding seniors amongst the commoners.”

“Thanks, brother.” Zhou Weiqing turned back with a smile, feeling a good impression about Kou Rui. He obviously had been worried about Zhou Weiqing, and had gone through the trouble about investigating the powers and influences in the entire academy. By this moment, the dozen or so commoner seniors had walked up to Ye Lou, who looked at them scornfully and said: “I, Your Father, called you all for so long, and you dared keep quiet? Did you all not eat rice?! This little brat insulted my big brother, you all better take care of him.”

Amongst the dozen or so commoner students, some showed a sense of shame, hanging their heads low. Others looked at Zhou Weiqing, while some others glared angrily at Ye Lou.

The senior standing at the front, looking to be the same age as Zang Lang, gave a soft sigh as she said to Zhou Weiqing: “Sorry Junior, having taken payment from them, we have no choice but to follow their orders. Could you please come with us?”

Zhou Weiqing stood up, nodding and said: “Okay.” As he said that, he let go of Shangguan Bing'er ‘s hands and started to walk out alone.

“I’ll go with you.” Shangguan Bing'er stood up as well, her beautiful face as still and passive as a lake. This was the first time she felt that studying here easily without any trouble might not be as easy as she had thought. Since there were more than a dozen of them, how could she let Zhou Weiqing go by himself!

Zhou Weiqing gave a faint smile and didn't reply as he continued walking.

“Boss, count me in as well! Hmph, what so great about them, becoming dogs of the nobles just for the sake of Consolidated Equipment or Skill Storing.” Kou Rui was filled with righteous indignation as he walked out from his seat as well.

To everyone’s massive surprise, Besides Kou Rui, two others walked out from the commoner freshmen students to stand with Zhou Weiqing. One was Ma Qun, who was wearing a face full of smiles, and the other one was a young man of average stature, looking rather cold and distant.

Ye Lou laughed coldly and said: “Looks like this year's freshmen are really bold! Very good, it’s also a good chance to teach all you freshmen about the rules of the Fei Li Imperial Family Military Academy. Ding Chen, beat them up, make sure they are beaten up badly to the verge of death, but don’t kill them. Hmph, I’ll see who else dares to resist and be so arrogant.”

The senior who had invited Zhou Weiqing out earlier was Ding Chen who Ye Lou had called out. Seeing Zhou Weiqing walk out without resistance, he sighed softly and said: “Junior, just apologise to Young Master Lou. I’ve heard of your fight with Zang Lang the other day; with your talent, the Young Master Boss of the Ye Family will not want to cause too much trouble to you without provocation.”

Zhou Weiqing smiled at him, elegantly patting away the creases on his uniform as he said passively: “You do not need to say anything else. Didn’t you say just now, having taken payment from them, you have no choice but to follow their orders? Go ahead then. To be honest, in my eyes, you’re even lower than him. As a man, if you can’t even stand up straight and tall in the world, what do you amount to?”

Ding Chen’s face changed and he said angrily: “Junior, do not go too far. Everyone has their own issues and difficulties to face. You are also a Jewel Master, and you should know the problems we face.”

Zhou Weiqing said: “All I know is, I have my own hands and feet. If I need money, I will work hard and earn it to spend, and not be a dog. Since you’ve chosen to be a dog, there is no need to pretend in front of me and act nice.”

His words instantly caused the dozen or so commoner seniors to reveal an angry look on their faces. Originally, they had been rather worried to show that they were under the Ye Family in front of the entire school population. However, now, they had been angered by Zhou Weiqing’s words, and united against a common enemy. Each of them quickly released their Power Jewels.

“Well said. Since you’ve already become a dog, there’s no need to act anymore!” Ma Qun said at the side. Looking at Zhou Weiqing, he continued: “Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not helping you. I just can’t stand how these nobles do things. What is their basis of enslaving us commoners. Hmph. I, Your Father, will never submit to such things.”

Zhou Weiqing smiled and said: “Not bad, you are a real man, at least you do not let down your size and growth.”

Ye Lou said angrily with much impatience: “Ding Chen, what are you still waiting for?!”

Ding Chen took a deep breath, a cold light flashing in his eyes as he took a step forward and punched towards Zhou Weiqing. His actions were simple but refined and well polished, as if he was a well tempered piece of steel who had been polished over and over. The fist flew towards Zhou Weiqing at a high speed, with a clear strength within. On his right wrist, three Icy Jade Physical Jewels revolved. He was a pure Strength Heavenly Jewel Master, just like Zhou Weiqing, and was also 3-Jeweled! To be considered by the Ye Family, and to be the leader of the Ye Family Commoner Students, he naturally was the strongest amongst them.

Zhou Weiqing followed suit, punching forward, the twelve energy whirlpools at his Death Acupuncture Points revolving at max speeds as his Heavenly Energy surged forth. There was a reason why he had moved away from his seat.

With a loud *BANG*, the two fists clashed. Zhou Weiqing stood there not moving, while Ding Chen actually stumbled back three steps before barely catching his balance. His face instantly changed.

It had to be known that Ding Chen’s Heavenly Energy was already cultivated to the second level of the Heavenly Shen Energy, and was actually two levels higher than Zhou Weiqing! However, his physical strength and power was just totally incomparable to Zhou Weiqing’s. At this moment, he felt as his right fist was totally numb. Facing a similar 3-Jeweled Strength Heavenly Jewel Master, and with both sides not using any Consolidated Equipment or Stored Skills, how could such a result not shock him. However, that was not the end of it, and what followed next shocked him even more. After exchanging the single punch and knocking him back, Zhou Weiqing suddenly vanished. When he appeared once more, he was already right in front of Ding Chen, his right leg already smashing downwards like a massive, terrifying axe. Without question, Zhou Weiqing had just used his Blink skill and used it to get into position to use his Demonic Right Leg. After all, the opening ceremony was about to begin, and he wanted to show his might and scare off some of those who had designs on him or Shangguan Bing’er. To do so, he naturally had to win quickly and beautifully in order to have the maximum effect.

The Blink Skill could not be measured simply by just speed - it was as if the very instant Ding Chen had stumbled backwards, Zhou Weiqing’s leg was already in front of him. Not even considering the fact that speed was not his strongest point, even if it was, he would likely not be able to dodge it. Without any choice, he could only attempt to lift both arms up in an attempt to block Zhou Weiqing’s right leg.

“Ding Chen is ruined.” Zang Lang, who was seated amongst the other commoner students, gave a sigh as he shook his head. He had experienced the power of Zhou Weiqing’s right leg for himself, and knew very well how unbelievably strong and destructive it was. In his mind, it was some sort of Consolidated Equipment or Stored Skill, and such a terrifying power was definitely not something that Ding Chen could just take easily.

*BAANGG*.... *Kaachaa*

“AHHHH ---” an intense, shrill cry of pain resounded across the entire assembly hall. Ding Chen’s entire body was smashed into the floor. Just as Zang Lang had expected, he was ruined. Both his arms which had been attempting to block Zhou Weiqing’s right leg had been broken. At the same time, the leg had broken through his guard and smashed into his shoulder, breaking it along with 5 ribs! If not for the fact that Zhou Weiqing had not used his full strength and also struck to the side at the last moment, his head would have been smashed apart. In the next instant, with Zhou Weiqing as the central point, with a radius of fifty metres, everyone fell silent. Even Ye Lou who had been arrogantly calling out just a moment ago, fell silent, as if he had swallowed something and choked on it. His face was totally pale as he looked at the scene in front of him.

No one had expected that in a clash of pure strength, Ding Chen would lose so quickly and so absolutely, nor had they expected Zhou Weiqing to be so vicious in striking. That leg alone had almost caused Ding Chen to be ruined for life. Blood poured out of Ding Chen’s mouth as he writhed on the ground, spasming.

The other commoner seniors who had been behind Ding Chen stood there dumbfounded. None of them dared be the next to launch an attack towards Zhou Weiqing.

Earlier, the cold and grave looking freshman youth who had stood out together with Ma Qun also narrowed his eyes in shock.

Shangguan Bing’er had closed her eyes before Zhou Weiqing’s Demonic Right Leg had struck Ding Chen’s arms. She was the one who knew Zhou Weiqing’s powers the best, and she knew that directly fighting power to power with his leg would never result in a good end. When they were still in the Heavenly Bow Unit, even the 7-Jeweled Physical Jewel Master Hua Feng dared not collide directly with Zhou Weiqing’s Demonic Right Leg. Its sheer strength was already not something any normal Jewel Master could compare to. Yesterday, Ming Hua’s method of fighting with him, not allowing his right leg to touch her, was the best fighting style to deal with it.

Looking at Ding Chen who had fallen on the floor, Zhou Weiqing did not feel any sense of sympathy. “You still call yourself a Heavenly Jewel Master. That ‘Wang Ba Dan’’s Family, they really treated you well huh. Selling yourself to them, it must be really good. If I haven’t seen wrongly, you have a darkness seal within you, you’ve become just a slave. In the future, you better not appear in front of me again. Otherwise, even if you somehow manage to fix your bones, I will break them again. I do not mind if you want to become a dog, but if a dog comes barking crazily in front of me, then do not blame me for being nasty.”

After he finished speaking, he turned to look at the other Ye Family commoner seniors who were still behind Ding Chen. “You bunch of weak willed fools are willing to become dogs, beating you up is just dirtying my foot.”

The next moment, his body disappeared once more in a flash as he activated the Blink Skill. This time, he appeared right in front of Ye Lou, who was so surprised that he stumbled back with an ashen face, falling down onto the ground on his ass. His voice trembling, he said: “You… what are you doing?” In his eyes, Zhou Weiqing had a tyrannical, overbearing aura about him, as if he were a demon personifying plague and pestilence.

Zhou Weiqing smiled faintly, squatting down and patting him softly on his pale face. “Relax, I’m not doing anything to you. Go back and tell your boss… next time, find a better egg to look for me. Don’t use someone useless like you. Get lost!” Ye Lou was originally thinking of dropping a final threat before leaving, but seeing Zhou Weiqing’s smiling face, his heart froze and he just didn’t dare say a word. Bringing the other two noble students along, he slunk away into the distance.

Zhou Weiqing stood up once more, looking towards the other twenty odd freshmen of his class, saying coldly: “I do not care, nor can I do anything about the seniors who have already made their choices. However, we will be together in the same class for the next four year. If any of you dare to bow down and submit to any noble families, you better just get lost and not let me see you in class. Otherwise, Ding Chen will be your example.”

“How dare you say that? What’s your basis of doing so?!” The cold, distant youth standing next to Ma Qun said solemnly. “What right do you have to decide others’ fate? How we choose is our own business. Do you think your words are law in the academy? Even if we want to be dogs to nobles, that is our own choice.”