Chapter 295 An eye for an eye! Lin Yao is permanently expelled!

Silence!

A deathly silence!

The area at the entrance of the Mission Hall...

...seemed as if a mute button had been pressed.

Leaving only countless dull gazes...

...focused on the purple-robed Elder who was bowing respectfully and speaking humbly to Jiang Yun.

A full three or four breaths of time passed.

Then, a massive uproar, like a flood breaking through a dam...

...burst forth with a bang!

"Holy crap!! Holy crap, crap, crap!!! What am I seeing?!"

"Elder Li Lü! The managing Elder of the Mission Hall! A Brick Stone Rank powerhouse! He's... he's actually bowing to the Sacred Student?!"

"He even said 'Greetings, Heavenly Saint Student, please excuse my lack of welcome, I hope you can be magnanimous'? This... this attitude is way too respectful!"

"My god! I'm not dreaming, am I? Elder Li Lü is famous for being iron-faced and serious! Last time, someone from the top twenty of the Earth Rankings caused trouble on his turf, and he directly docked them six hundred contribution points!"

"Does that even need to be said? It seems the status and prestige of the Heavenly Saint Student have spread completely; even these Elders with real power have to show some respect!"

"It's more than just respect; this is clearly reverence! Listen to that tone!"

"Too shocking! The weight of the title 'Sacred Student'... it's simply terrifying!"

Exclamations and discussions were deafening.

Everyone was deeply shaken by this high-impact scene before them.

If the previous Deacon Elder's feigned blindness was just self-preservation, then Elder Li Lü—a Brick Stone Rank manager—taking the initiative to bow respectfully completely demonstrated the weight the words 'Heavenly Saint Student' carried in the eyes of the academy's upper echelon!

Zhao Tiezhu, Lin Kuo, and Xiao Yutian were even more dumbfounded, their brains buzzing.

They knew Jiang Yun's status was high, but for it to be so high that even a powerful Brick Stone Rank Elder had to be so polite... this had completely exceeded the limits of their imagination!

This fellow brother from their hometown, who had come out of C City...

...just what height had he reached in the academy?

Lin Yao, slumped on the ground with blurred consciousness...

...when he heard Elder Li Lü's respectful words...

...his last sliver of weak hope was completely extinguished, like a candle in the wind.

His heart turned to cold ash.

All thoughts went silent.

It's over... completely over... even the highest managing Elder of the Mission Hall...

...the Brick Stone Rank Elder Li Lü...

...is so deferential to Jiang Yun... will he still care if I live or die?

Does he dare to care?

Is he willing to care?

The last light in Lin Yao's eyes dimmed completely.

Leaving only endless despair and regret.

If I had known it would be like this...

...why did I have to provoke those few 'calamity stars' from C City in the first place?

No, they weren't the calamity stars.

The Jiang Yun standing behind them!

He is the true calamity star!

In the arena...

...facing Elder Li Lü's respectful bow...

...Jiang Yun's expression remained calm.

He merely gave a slight nod as a return of the gesture.

"Elder Li, there is no need for such ceremony."

His gaze swept over the miserable Lin Yao on the ground...

...then looked back at Li Lü.

He asked in a flat tone, "Does Elder Li appear now to stop this student from teaching a lesson to this fellow who bullies classmates and speaks such arrogant words?"

The question was direct.

It even carried a hint of invisible pressure.

Hearing this, Elder Li Lü...

...kept his genial smile unchanged.

He quickly waved his hands.

"The Sacred Student overstates things! How would this old man dare to stop you? Such a person who uses power to bully others and has poor character deserves to be punished as a warning to others!"

He changed his tone...

...adding a hint of cautious persuasion.

"It's just... Sacred Student, please stay your hand and, whatever happens, spare his life. After all... since the academy was founded, although there have been conflicts, there are few precedents of students dying on campus. Although this boy brought this on himself, he is, after all, a direct descendant of the Lin Family. If a life is truly lost in the Mission Hall, it would damage the academy's reputation and... it would be hard to explain to the Lin Family. I hope the Sacred Student can understand the academy's difficulties."

Elder Li Lü spoke tactfully...

...but his meaning was clear.

Beating him is fine, teaching him a lesson is fine, but don't kill him.

If a life is lost, the nature of the situation changes; it wouldn't look good for the academy's Face, and the Lin Family side would be more troublesome.

After hearing this, Jiang Yun's brow furrowed slightly, as if in contemplation.

His intention was never to take Lin Yao's life.

He just wanted to give him a severe lesson...

...to thoroughly vent for Zhao Tiezhu and the others...

...to let everyone see clearly the consequences of touching his friends...

...and to completely eliminate future troubles.

Killing someone...

...within the academy was indeed too much.

It would also bring him unnecessary trouble.

Elder Li Lü's words...

...were reasonable.

Seeing Jiang Yun in contemplation...

...Elder Li Lü felt a bit more at ease.

He quickly added...

"Of course, as long as his life is spared, however the Sacred Student wishes to handle him, as long as it is within my authority, it can be discussed! This boy must pay a sufficient price to give the Sacred Student's friends a satisfactory explanation!"

These words were giving Jiang Yun a way out...

...and also showed an attitude of full cooperation.

Jiang Yun's gaze fell once more on Lin Yao, who was like a pile of mud.

A flash of coldness appeared in his eyes.

He spoke slowly.

His voice was clear and cold...

...spreading throughout the area:

"Fine, for the sake of Elder Li and the academy's rules, I can spare his life."

Hearing this, Lin Yao...

...his body trembled imperceptibly.

He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but then immediately fell into deeper fear.

Not dying didn't mean it wouldn't be miserable.

Jiang Yun continued, "However, this person previously claimed that he would make it so my fellow brothers from my hometown could not take any missions in the Mission Hall and would not receive a single contribution point."

He paused.

His tone suddenly turned sharp...

...like an ice pick piercing to the bone.

"Then today, I shall give him a taste of his own medicine!"

"I want this person to be permanently expelled from the Mission Hall starting today! He shall not step foot in the Mission Hall again for the rest of his life, he shall not accept any academy missions, and he shall not obtain even a single contribution point through the Mission Hall!"

"Elder Li, is this punishment within your authority?"

Boom!!!

As soon as these words were spoken...

...the crowd erupted once more!

"Giving him a taste of his own medicine! Brilliant! Simply brilliant!"

"Didn't Lin Yao just threaten Zhao Tiezhu and the others like that? Now it's all coming back to haunt him!"

"Permanently expelled! Forbidden from obtaining contribution points! This... this is much harsher than beating him! In the academy, no contribution points is equivalent to cutting off Cultivation resources!"

"The Sacred Student's move is too clever! It's satisfying and completely ruins Lin Yao's path of development in the academy!"

"Killing the heart! This is the true punishment! From now on, Lin Yao will be a waste in the academy who can only consume Family resources but cannot fight for any benefits for the Family!"

"The Lin Family probably won't value him anymore... this punishment is more painful than killing him!"

The crowd discussed animatedly.

The gazes they cast at Lin Yao were full of sympathy and realization.

This punishment...

...struck precisely at Lin Yao's—

...or rather, every academy student's—weak point.

contribution points!

Losing the qualification to obtain contribution points...

...was almost the same as being sentenced to death in Cultivation within the academy!

When Zhao Tiezhu, Lin Kuo, and Xiao Yutian heard this...

...they were first stunned.

Then, an indescribable warm current and excitement surged through their entire bodies!

They looked at Jiang Yun's tall back...

...and their eyes grew hot again.

Jiang Yun was standing up for them!

He was using the most direct and satisfying way...

...to get justice for them!

Not only did he crush Lin Yao's arrogant aura...

...he also completely cut off any possibility of future retaliation.

At least within the academy rules...

...this feeling of being protected by a powerful friend, of someone not hesitating to stand up to power to back them up, filled their hearts with gratitude and admiration. That slight sense of inferiority and estrangement caused by the gap in their backgrounds seemed to fade quite a bit at this moment.

When Elder Li Lü heard Jiang Yun's request...

...he had almost no hesitation.

He nodded immediately.

"The Sacred Student's proposal is very appropriate! Such a person with a bad record who bullies classmates indeed does not deserve to enjoy the academy's mission resources anymore!"

He turned to Face the crowd.

His voice was infused with power.

He announced clearly and majestically...

"I, Li Lü, Managing Elder of the Mission Hall, now formally announce that student Lin Yao, for publicly bullying classmates, provocative behavior, and damaging public property within the Mission Hall—an egregious case—is now severely punished!"

"Effective immediately, Lin Yao is permanently banned from entering the Mission Hall! All his mission-taking qualifications are canceled! He is permanently stripped of the right to obtain contribution points through academy mission channels! This order takes effect immediately and will be recorded in the academy archives!"

"I hope all students will take this as a warning, abide by the academy rules, and be kind to your classmates!"

The announcement was finished.

Elder Li Lü's gaze coldly swept over Lin Yao, who was lying on the ground with a Face like ash and completely hollow eyes; his heart felt no waves.

Offending the Heavenly Saint Student whom the Deans value so much...

...did he still expect a good outcome?

Being able to keep his life was already the Sacred Student's mercy.

A direct descendant of the Lin Family who wasn't highly valued...

...compared to a future titan of the academy...

...which was more important was self-evident.

Lin Yao lay on the ground.

Listening to that cold sentence...

...he felt his last bit of strength drained away.

He didn't have to die... but what was the difference between this and being dead?

No, it was more painful than death!

From now on in the academy...

...every step would be difficult; he would become everyone's laughingstock, and maybe the Family would even treat him as an abandoned pawn... it's over, everything is over... massive regret and despair consumed him.

It left him without even the strength to groan.

His goal achieved...

...Jiang Yun didn't spare Lin Yao another glance.

He cupped his hands slightly toward Elder Li Lü.

"Thank you for handling this impartially, Elder Li. This student will take his leave."

"Safe travels, Sacred Student!"

Elder Li Lü quickly returned the gesture politely.

Jiang Yun turned around.

He walked up to Zhao Tiezhu and the other two, who were still a bit dazed.

A gentle smile appeared on his Face.

"Let's go, Iron Pillar, let's find another place to talk."

"Ah? Oh! Okay! Okay!"

Zhao Tiezhu snapped out of it.

He nodded quickly, his simple Face full of excitement.

Lin Kuo and Xiao Yutian also hurriedly followed.

The four of them ignored the noisy discussions and countless complex gazes behind them, walking straight through the crowd that automatically parted for them, heading out of the Mission Hall.

Not until their figures disappeared through the entrance...

...did the clamor inside the Mission Hall reach its peak again.

"They're gone! The Sacred Student left with his hometown brothers!"

"So cool! So satisfying! Let's see if Lin Yao dares to be arrogant anymore!"

"The Sacred Student is truly loyal and righteous! For the sake of his hometown friends, he didn't hesitate to offend the Lin Family!"

"Offend the Lin Family? Look at Elder Li Lü's attitude; does the Lin Family dare to say a word? With the Sacred Student's current status and potential, the Lin Family would be too busy trying to flatter him!"

"Today's events will surely spread throughout the whole academy! The Sacred Student's prestige is going to rise another level!"

"In the future at the academy, when we meet students from C City, we'd better be a bit more polite. Who knows if they might be another buddy of the Sacred Student..."

Elder Li Lü listened to the discussions around him.

He cleared his throat.

His majestic gaze scanned the area.

"Finished watching the excitement? Everyone disperse! Those who need to take missions, take them; those who need to turn them in, turn them in! If anyone else dares to provoke trouble or bully classmates in the Mission Hall, Lin Yao shall be the precedent!"

Hearing this, everyone felt a chill and quickly dispersed, but excited discussions continued in low voices everywhere.

Today's big drama in the Mission Hall...

...was destined to become the hottest topic of conversation in the academy for the next few days.

Elder Li Lü took one last look at Lin Yao, who was being carried away like a pile of mud by several pale-faced collateral descendants of the Lin Family, shook his head, and turned to return to the inner hall.

And at this moment...

...Jiang Yun had already brought Zhao Tiezhu and the other two...

...to a relatively quiet academy pavilion.