58: Subsequent plans for the petition

Zhu Yulin was someone who loved watching a good show and stirring up trouble. He scooted his butt closer to Fu Mingyu, looked in Chen Qing and Wang He’s direction, and teased, “Oh, Lao Fu, how do you think Chen Qing is going to mess with you this time?”

Fu Mingyu glanced at the Fat Man: “Cut it out! We’re brothers, how could Chen Qing do anything to me?”

“Oh, Chen Qing is lucky to have a brother like you!”

“Isn’t it because he’s always provoking me?”

“True, you two seem to naturally not get along.”

Fu Mingyu waved his hand: “Get lost, I don’t get along with you.”

Zhu Yulin didn’t get angry. He watched Chen Qing play the good cop, and little by little, he actually managed to get the restless Wang He to nod repeatedly. In the end, Wang He even clasped Chen Qing’s hands, as if they were old friends who had just met, his expression stiff.

The others were much the same, watching with dazzled eyes, as if they were watching a play of “apologizing with thorns on one’s back”!

And the one apologizing didn't seem to be Chen Qing, but Wang He!

How did the atmosphere change so quickly?

Was this still the Wang He who was almost beaten to death by Chen Qing on the first day of school?

Zhu Yulin looked at Fu Mingyu with admiration: “Sigh! Lao Fu, it seems your trick isn’t very effective! You probably won’t catch up to Lao Chen’s mind in eight lifetimes!”

After seeing Wang He off, Chen Qing calmly walked back to the group and sat down.

“What are you all looking at? We just chatted a bit, Wang He is a good person. He has sincerely apologized for provoking me last time, unlike some people.”

Chen Qing glanced at Fu Mingyu, who didn’t dare meet his gaze, staring straight ahead, looking at the air.

Everyone was a bit stunned to hear that Wang He had actually apologized to him.

Tang Wu asked, “So you don’t need to pay for medical expenses or anything?”

“Pay for what? He was the one who provoked first, why should I pay? Or do you want to cover it for him?”

Tang Wu was dumbfounded. He considered himself to have a silver tongue, but compared to Chen Qing, he could only look up to him!

He suddenly looked at Fu Mingyu with more sympathy. It was fine when this guy used to provoke him, he was too lazy to argue with him.

Now, though, he seemed to have provoked someone not to be trifled with!

“Alright, let’s get back to the main topic,” Chen Qing said.

Zhao Yuanyue immediately asked, “Everything was going well with recruiting, why did you suddenly make us come back?”

Chen Qing looked at Zhao Yuanyue and the others and said, “Having you go recruit new members today was actually to observe the other side’s reaction.

I had long guessed that Qian Xiu Hui (Secluded Cultivation Society) didn’t want us to have an easy time.”

“They’re trying to cut off our recruitment channels at the root! That’s a bit underhanded.”

“Exactly, their goal is to ruin our reputation, so we can’t even recruit anyone.”

“Darn it! These people are actually using such despicable methods to disgust us, this is blatant suppression!” Wang Xiaomin was a bit indignant, looking at Chen Qing: “Chen Qing, should we go after them?”

Chen Qing was helpless. He also wanted to confront them head-on right now, but should they rely on her or him?

What strength do they even have, to think about overthrowing a force that others have built for years?

He thought for a moment and said, “This way is fine too. Since they’ve brought the opposition into the open, for us, it’s not a bad thing.

At least we don’t need to investigate who’s behind the scenes.

This way, as long as we don’t actively provoke them, they won’t act rashly. After all, those with keen eyes can still see some clues.

Let’s put the recruitment of new members on hold for now. Next, we’ll focus on Cultivating and improving our strength.”

Beside him, Zhu Yulin continued: “I’ll briefly explain the information about Qian Xiu Hui (Secluded Cultivation Society). Their president is Yao Tianshun, a senior, at the middle stage of the third rank. He should currently be out on an experience trip, attempting to Breakthrough to the advanced stage of the third rank, so he can temporarily be considered to have advanced-stage third-rank combat power.

Besides him, the entire Qian Xiu Hui (Secluded Cultivation Society) also has two Martial Artists at the initial stage of the third rank, 22 Martial Artists at the second rank, and several Martial Artists at the first rank.

Among them, more than half have recently left school to gain experience outside.

Not a single third-rank Martial Artist is present.

They should all be preparing to participate in the Federal Young Martial Artist Ranking Competition, which will be held around the end of this semester.”

At this point, he glanced at Chen Qing, and seeing no expression on his face, continued: “Currently, their vice president, Yao Tianlun, who is also Yao Tianshun’s younger brother, is in charge of the overall situation. This person is reserved and gentle in his actions, preferring to use subtle tricks to slowly achieve victory.

This is also a good opportunity for us to lie low.

If his brother, Yao Tianshun, had handled this incident, the retaliation might have been more direct, which would have been harder for us to deal with in our current situation.”

Everyone generally understood what he meant, and no one objected.

Even Wang Xiaomin, who had just been clamoring to fight back, wilted. How could they fight when others had several third-rank and many second-rank Martial Artists?

Chen Qing smiled: “Since that’s the case, then starting tomorrow, everyone can focus on Cultivating and gaining experience.

These past two days setting up the faction have also wasted a lot of time. Cultivating still cannot be neglected.

You’ve seen the opponent’s strength. Putting aside their strongest president, they still have two other third-rank Martial Artists. How many of us can reach the third rank within this semester?”

Everyone was silent. Third rank in one semester?

Those third-rank Martial Artists were all senior students, they didn't Cultivate to that level in just a few months!

“If we don’t reach the third rank, what’s the point of fighting?

Moreover, I have an idea. We don’t need to confront them head-on at all.”

Everyone looked at him upon hearing this.

Chen Qing’s eyes were sharp: “Why can’t we participate in the Young Martial Dao Ranking Competition?

Originally, the homeroom teacher mentioned it, and I thought such a competition was optional. Rather than infighting, it would be better to kill enemies on the Space Battlefield.

But now it seems, without some intimidating prestige, some people don’t want you to Cultivate in peace!”

Fu Mingyu couldn’t help but say, “Chen Qing, do you know what strength those people have?

The age limit is not over 20 years old. Many of us have just reached adulthood, and some are not even adults yet.

They have Cultivated for at least two and a half years longer than us!

I heard that most of the participants this time are primarily third-rank Martial Artists. Second-rank Martial Artists might just be there for show.”

As for the higher fourth rank, he didn’t mention it, because most people didn’t actually believe one could reach the fourth rank at that age.

Breaking through from the third rank to the fourth rank is a hurdle; it requires Mental Energy and is not that easy to Breakthrough.

Everyone was a bit silent. It wasn’t that they thought they couldn’t compare; given two more years, they could also reach the third rank.

It’s just that time waits for no one, and there were only a little over three months left.

Beside them, Li Cunxu suddenly said, “Are you scared?”

Fu Mingyu retorted angrily, “What am I scared of? I just think we’re highly likely to be just making up the numbers, and it’ll be difficult to make a name for ourselves relying on this.”

“You are scared!” Zhao Yuanyue said unceremoniously.

Fu Mingyu wasn’t without a temper; he immediately slammed the table and stood up.

“Zhao Yuanyue, I think you really think too highly of yourself! How about we go to the Martial Arts Arena and spar right now?”

“Let’s go then, am I scared of you?” Zhao Yuanyue stood her ground, meeting him head-on.

The air suddenly became agitated.

“Alright! If you really want to fight, get out of here! The Martial Dao competition is still more than three months away, what’s all this arguing about now?”

Chen Qing frowned and stopped the two.

After a moment of silence, Chen Qing announced the dismissal, and everyone left, feeling disgruntled.

Chen Qing sat in the chair for a while, then got up and left as well.

Only after establishing a faction did he realize that his own strength was still far from enough.

In this era where Martial Dao reigned supreme, strength was the foundation of everything.