123: Chapter 120 Fang Yu's Bottom Line

"Principal, are you hoping that He Chang and I will reconcile?" Fang Yu asked with a smile, directly turning the question back on him.

President Baili Jing hesitated for a moment.

He also sensed the subtle change in Fang Yu's attitude.

After hesitating for a split second, President Baili Jing made a decision and changed the words on the tip of his tongue, "Fang Yu, He Chang and I have indeed met. This time, he entrusted a few friends to me again, and I had no choice."

President Baili Jing understood that Fang Yu had already seen through his purpose.

"However, whether or not you agree to reconcile is entirely up to you," President Baili Jing smiled again, "No matter what your final decision is, Huguang Martial Arts University will always be your alma mater and will definitely support you all the way."

"This matter was wrong of them to begin with," President Baili Jing continued.

Fang Yu smiled slightly.

Sure enough, just as he had guessed, President Baili Jing had come here specifically entrusted by someone—yet Fang Yu could also understand. How big was the entire Huguang Province? How many top Earth Martial Artists were there?

In this circle, there were only so many people.

It was completely normal for them to know and be familiar with one another.

However, Fang Yu was not afraid in the slightest.

With different strength and status came a different mindset—ever since he displayed his strength at the selection battle and signed with Xinghe Group, through his conversations with Meng Shi over the past few days, Fang Yu had gradually come to understand his actual status.

As a five-star member, theoretically, his status was about the same as Xing Ye's.

Moreover, he did not hold an actual position, and the resources he could actually mobilize were not even as much as Xing Ye's—whereas Xing Ye was far inferior to top Earth Martial Artists like President Baili Jing, He Chang, and Minister Ji Lianyun.

However.

He was still a Tier 2 Starry Sky Seed, and someone Inspector Ye had named twice—even though he didn't even have Inspector Ye's contact information, who would know?

In the eyes of outsiders, he was a new-generation martial arts Genius early on favored and promoted by Inspector Ye.

Coupled with his astonishing rate of progress, in a sense, his status far surpassed Xing Ye's.

Fang Yu saw things very clearly.

Top Earth Martial Artists like President Baili Jing and He Chang were unwilling to come into conflict with him unless necessary—of course, unless necessary, Fang Yu also did not want to offend these powerhouses.

"It's just that."

"Even if your matter back then was wrong, under the judicial procedures, it would at most give He Chang a disciplinary mark," President Baili Jing continued, "At the absolute most, he would be removed from office, but the impact on him wouldn't be fatal—"

"As a top Earth Martial Artist, his power and wealth came more from himself."

"Even if you future become a Sky-Patrol Martial Artist, would you really kill him over such a trivial matter?" President Baili Jing analyzed in detail for Fang Yu, "Today, he has personally come to bow his head and offer an apology, which is already the limit."

"If you still refuse, then it means—this is a life-and-death enmity," President Baili Jing said slowly, "So, objectively speaking."

"Knowing when to stop, getting a sum of benefits, and resolving an enemy is the most rational choice."

Fang Yu nodded slightly.

He had to admit that President Baili Jing's words were correct.

Under the framework of the Alliance laws, even someone as powerful as a Sky-Patrol Martial Artist wouldn't find it hard to heavily punish a top Earth Martial Artist, but wanting to quietly kill them? That was extremely difficult—the highest echelons of the Alliance would never allow such a thing.

Just like back then, how furious was Xia Kaishan? Despite suppressing him in every aspect, he still couldn't directly kill Fang Yu.

"Principal, I am very grateful to you and the school for nurturing me," Fang Yu shook his head slightly and said, "But now that this matter has blown up so much on the internet news, it doesn't entirely depend on me anymore."

"Mhm."

"I understand." President Baili Jing smiled, "It's Minister Ji Lianyun, right?"

"He Chang promised me that as long as you are willing to reconcile, you won't have to worry about the rest, including the documentary currently in production; he will resolve it himself—he is willing to fork out one hundred million Star Coins." President Baili Jing stated directly.

Fang Yu's eyelids twitched slightly.

These top Earth Martial Artists were truly wealthy, throwing around tens of millions or a hundred million at every turn.

"Alright." Fang Yu nodded, not hiding his purpose either, "But I want it after taxes."

This sum of money had already exceeded Fang Yu's psychological expectations.

At noon, in his own manor, President Baili Jing hosted a banquet for both Fang Yu and He Chang, and everyone drank and made merry.

After the banquet.

The money had already been transferred into Fang Yu's account.

At two in the afternoon.

After seeing Fang Yu off.

"Brother Baili, I've really troubled you this time." He Chang sighed softly.

"Did you really have to pull this stunt? One hundred million Star Coins," President Baili Jing smiled, "Fang Yu only agreed to reconcile with you and doesn't care about the rest. Can you handle Minister Ji Lianyun on your own?"

"Hmph."

"Minister Ji Lianyun? That idiot." He Chang laughed, "Brother Baili, do you think I care? Can some internet controversies or disciplinary actions affect me?"

"I have already submitted my resignation to the Provincial Governor today," He Chang said indifferently, "The external announcement will be that I was involved in severe dereliction of duty, removed from office and investigated, and dispatched to the Primal Star to fight for civilization."

"That's enough to resolve all internet controversies. Even if there are still some controversies, it will have no impact on me at all."

"Oh?" President Baili Jing felt slightly surprised.

He had to admire that He Chang was truly an old fox; by resigning directly, what else could anyone say?

"I originally planned to go and make my mark on the Primal Star anyway," He Chang laughed, "Having not moved for so many years and finally reaching level 49.9, moving around might just help me find an opportunity for a Breakthrough."

"Mhm." President Baili Jing couldn't help but nod, saying with a hint of emotion, "Through normal cultivation, reaching the state of Unity of Heaven and Man is indeed too difficult."

"This time, you didn't blame me for temporarily raising the price to 100 million Star Coins, did you?" President Baili Jing smiled.

When He Chang first asked him for help, the compensation mentioned was 50 million Star Coins.

But President Baili Jing had acted on his own initiative and raised the price to 100 million Star Coins.

"Blame?"

"Blame my ass, I'm too busy thanking you," He Chang shook his head and said, "If you hadn't mentioned it, who would have thought that less than ten days after achieving Major Achievement in Inner Scenery, that little fellow Fang Yu would have already independently groped his way onto the path of Outer Scenery?"

Before the banquet started.

When President Baili Jing mentioned Fang Yu's current situation, He Chang was incomparably shocked.

"Who would dare imagine it?"

"He truly has the potential of a Level 1 Starry Sky Seed," He Chang sighed softly, "A Level 1 Starry Sky Seed... Over the past few decades, more than seventy percent of those evaluated as Level 1 Starry Sky Seeds have become Sky-Patrol Martial Artists, and some even eventually became Starry Sky Martial Artists."

"I came to reconcile not because I was afraid of some internet storm."

"What I fear is simply Fang Yu's future revenge," He Chang laughed.

President Baili Jing couldn't help but nod.

Many people in high positions feared criticism because their power came from the outside and they themselves were very weak—yet for powerful Martial Artists, power stemmed more from themselves. A single person could rival ten thousand troops, naturally brimming with self-confidence.

No matter the position or public opinion, as long as one's own strength remained unimpaired, nothing could shake their foundation.

Take He Chang, for example.

He might look like he had resigned, but if he could really make a Breakthrough on the Primal Star and achieve the status of a Sky-Patrol Martial Artist—what did these current matters even amount to?

"Brother Baili, farewell." He Chang cupped his fists.

Fang Yu knew nothing of the conversation between He Chang and President Baili Jing, but he could roughly guess some of it.

Yet Fang Yu didn't care.

The most fundamental reason he was willing to reconcile with He Chang was that there was no irreconcilable enmity between them to begin with—without He Chang, Xia Kaishan would have found other ways to convict him back then anyway.

The root cause lay with Xia Kaishan, not He Chang.

——

Therefore, taking a huge sum of money was, in Fang Yu's view, extremely cost-effective.

Not long after returning to the Student Manor.

"Who did you say?" Fang Yu was stunned.

"Word came from the school inspection office that an Advanced Martial Artist named Gu Qing from Shengchuan Group wants to meet with you," Meng Shi said, "Should we grant him entry?"

"Grant entry, please trouble the inspection office to send him over," Fang Yu said, feeling a sense of doubt in his heart.

Why was Gu Qing here?

He hadn't heard of any issues with Shengchuan Group.

Soon.

Gu Qing arrived at Fang Yu's courtyard. After meeting, Gu Qing quickly stated the purpose of his visit.

"Raise the endorsement fee?" Fang Yu was taken aback.

"Mhm."

"During this Blue Moon High Schools Martial Arts Selection Battle, Fang Yu, you performed exceptionally well, and furthermore, your popularity is still soaring," Gu Qing smiled, "Xiaomo called the chairman several times, feeling that the contract price signed with you back then was too low and that our Shengchuan Group took huge advantage of you—after discussing it, the board of directors felt the same way."

"Therefore, we have tentatively decided to adjust the endorsement fee to 50 million Star Coins a year and sent me to sign the contract with you. If you aren't satisfied with this price, we can discuss it further," Gu Qing said.

"Uncle Gu."

"I am not that kind of person."

"Logically speaking, money delivered to my doorstep isn't something I shouldn't take," Fang Yu frowned and said, "However, the contract was already negotiated back then—a five-year province-wide exclusive endorsement contract—and everything should be done according to the contract."

"Even if we are going to raise the price, we should at least wait until the five-year contract is up and discuss it when renewing in the future," Fang Yu shook his head and said.

Fang Yu also had his own bottom line.

"Fang Yu, what you're saying makes sense, but—" Gu Qing still wanted to speak.

"Uncle Gu, since you feel that what I said makes sense, then we should do it this way," Fang Yu's expression turned serious, "Please pass along a message to Uncle Wang. He has helped me enough, and I appreciate his good intentions—"

"However, I will not sign a new contract."

"If this contract truly has a premium, then consider it my way of giving back to Uncle Wang," Fang Yu's voice was firm, "I still have to Cultivate later, and my time is precious, so I won't keep you any longer."

Fang Yu directly issued an order to see him out.

Helpless, Gu Qing could only leave.

Wuling City, Shengchuan Group.

"Oh?"

"Did Fang Yu really say that?" Chairman Wang XunDao answered the call from Gu Qing, and after hearing the detailed process, a trace of a smile actually appeared on his face.

If Fang Yu had been willing to sign a new contract, he wouldn't have been surprised.

But now that Fang Yu refused to sign, seemingly not taking further advantage of his benefits, Chairman Wang XunDao asked himself: he hadn't misjudged the person.

And his son had misjudged even less.

Hanging up the phone.

Chairman Wang XunDao quickly called Xing Ye: "Old Xing! Let's go out for a meal and discuss something—I plan to select a batch of outstanding students from Xinghe Middle School to serve as teenage Martial Artist spokespersons for our Shengchuan Group. For the first batch, we'll set it at three people, and I think Fang Yu's younger siblings are quite suitable. What do you think?"

The arrivals of He Chang and Gu Qing did not cause any impact on Fang Yu.

He once again threw himself entirely into cultivation. Days passed one by one, and in the blink of an eye, it was December 9th, bringing the main competition closer and closer.

Nine in the morning.

In the underground martial arts room.

"Mental Energy has finally reached the limit of Level 39.9." Fang Yu gently closed his eyes, sensing the messages transmitted from that mysterious place: "Huh?"

"Has the Star Phase message finally changed?"