21: Chapter 21 Project Star

Compared to the trouble Ma Jingyuan had originally intended to stir up, the current situation really didn't count as a major problem.

It was just that Chen Moxuan would find it difficult to walk away unscathed this time.

"This hit should keep him unconscious for three days. Even if he wants to cause us trouble, he'll have to wait until then."

Chen Moxuan shrugged and changed the subject, "Is that Liu Kai someone important?"

Ma Jingyuan said slowly, "Liu Kai himself is nothing; the trouble lies with the Liu Family behind him."

"Liu Kai's Realm is at the Peak of the first stage, just half a step away from a Breakthrough to the Qi Control Realm. He might be considered outstanding among students of his generation."

"But in my opinion, with the massive influx of resources from the Liu Family poured into his training, even a pig could reach his level."

"The head of the Liu Family, Liu Dahai, is himself a Martial Arts Great Master who has stepped into the Tiangang Realm, only half a step away from entering the Spirit Ascension Realm."

"And while Liu Kai's father, Liu Zheng, has no talent for Cultivate, he has a keen business mind. He has secured many core industries in Dongchang City and controls a massive amount of real estate."

"By relying on the resources they control in the martial arts and business worlds, the Liu Family also has many connections within the military. Their influence is intricate and complex, making them worthy of being called the number one family in Dongchang City."

"Judging by the methods used, this incident was handled extremely rashly. It's highly likely that Liu Kai acted on his own initiative to threaten Wang Minghui."

The Liu Family wouldn't go so far as to offend the military over a single grade a blood qi essence.

It's just that Liu Kai, firstly, thought that even if he switched it, Chen Moxuan wouldn't be able to discover it.

Secondly, he felt that a student with no background and not much strength would simply not dare, nor be able, to escalate the matter.

"Where is that Liu Kai now?" Chen Moxuan asked.

"At this time, you should be able to find him in the Training Building. I'll go with you."

"That Liu Kai relies on being the only child in his family; he has been arrogant and domineering since childhood. I'm afraid he won't just hand over the qi and blood agent so easily."

Ma Jingyuan replied, realizing in his heart that the student before him would not back down.

"The Training Building... The access card given to me should be enough to get in, right?"

Ma Jingyuan nodded.

"Teacher Ma, what follows is just a small dispute between students, so you don't need to intervene."

"That Liu Kai is often surrounded by two or three lackeys. I know your Martial Skill is exceptional, but your Realm is low after all; it will be hard to hold out against a group attack."

Ma Jingyuan understood Liu Kai's personality. If Chen Moxuan went to demand it like this, a conflict would inevitably break out between them.

"Are any of them at the Qi Control Realm?"

"No."

"Then I am enough on my own."

After saying this, Chen Moxuan turned and walked toward the door without looking back.

Ma Jingyuan took a deep breath and shouted to Chen Moxuan, who was about to step out the door, "Chen Moxuan, with my ability, I may not be able to bring you absolute justice in this matter."

"But go ahead and cause a scene; I will cover for you no matter what happens!"

Chen Moxuan's footsteps paused slightly, then his figure became like an illusion, and in the blink of an eye, he had vanished without a trace.

"Void Body Step... Another Martial Skill at Perfection!" Seeing this scene, Ma Jingyuan said in shock.

"This kid actually had another trick up his sleeve. Relying on his movement technique, there are indeed few who can do anything to him within the same Realm."

"And three Martial Skills at Perfection, all mastered by an eighteen-year-old student. If I tell the principal about this, perhaps he would be willing to take a gamble on Chen Moxuan!"

He did not have connections with the upper echelons of the military, and the Tianyuan Army was usually extremely busy. Disputes not related to alien races would only be dragged on and on if reported.

If anything happened during that time, it would be too late.

Thinking of this, Ma Jingyuan did not hesitate any longer; he quickly picked up his phone and dialed the principal's number.

...

A car was speeding along a highway.

In the back seat of the car, a middle-aged man with thick eyebrows was looking at the message notifications on his phone with a smile.

"The funds for this year have all been approved."

The various funds he had previously applied for from the Education Bureau, which had been slow to progress in approval, had all been passed in the last two days.

He knew this was all due to the influence of the competition two days ago. Henghuo Martial Arts School, which had been at the bottom for years, had miraculously made it into the finals this year and even performed a great service in capturing a Blood Clan spy, earning a commendation by name from the military.

All of this was the credit of the student named Chen Moxuan.

Regarding this, when Ma Jingyuan later approached him to apply for an extra reward for that student—allowing him to choose any Martial Skill—he had readily agreed.

The thick-browed man felt that agreeing to Ma Jingyuan's recommendation back then, and letting Chen Moxuan join the School Team directly as a substitute, was the wisest decision he had made in recent years.

"This year, Henghuo Martial Arts School will definitely be booming; our fortune is looking excellent." The man's face was flushed, and he sighed with a smile.

Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he swiped on his phone to check the stock he was holding. Immediately, his face turned green, and his good mood vanished into thin air.

Increasing his position in this stock was truly the stupidest decision he had made in recent years.

"What's wrong, Principal Li?" The driver asked, noticing the change in Principal Li's expression in the rearview mirror.

"Nothing, just lamenting that I'm really not good at gambling." Principal Li said with a bitter smile, throwing the phone in his hand to the side.

Not buying when he should, not selling when he should; hesitant and indecisive.

Suddenly, the phone to the side began to vibrate. Principal Li impatiently picked it up again, but upon seeing the caller ID, he restrained some of his annoyance.

"Hello, Teacher Ma."

"What? What has Wang Minghui done again?"

Ma Jingyuan recounted the events that had occurred during this time over the phone.

During this, when he heard that Chen Moxuan had actually mastered three Martial Skills at Perfection, Principal Li was overjoyed, feeling that Henghuo Martial Arts School's results in this Martial Arts Exam might reach new heights.

But as he listened further, Principal Li's expression grew increasingly ugly.

"You said you let Chen Moxuan go find Liu Kai alone?"

"Why didn't you stop him!" Principal Li roared over the phone.

Mastering three Martial Skills at Perfection—with such Comprehension Ability, if given enough resources to Cultivate, the level of his Body Refinement Method would certainly be able to improve rapidly.

Without any accidents, he could reach the Peak of the first stage or even make a Breakthrough to the second stage within a month.

By then, relying on a level of Martial Skill far exceeding his peers, he would surely be a dark horse in the Martial Arts Exam, able to help Henghuo Martial Arts School achieve an unprecedented good result in this year's Martial Arts Exam.

For this reason, he could indeed spend some effort to suppress the matter regarding Wang Minghui.

But the conflict between Chen Moxuan and Liu Kai was another matter entirely.

If Chen Moxuan was no match for Liu Kai and got taught a lesson instead, it might be fine, but if he injured or crippled Liu Kai, the Liu Family would definitely not let it go.

They wouldn't care whether Chen Moxuan was a Genius student valued by Henghuo Martial Arts School or anything else; ruining a person was a common occurrence for them.

Moreover, Liu Kai himself was a good combatant for Henghuo Martial Arts School and could achieve decent results in the Martial Arts Exam.

Depending on the situation, perhaps Henghuo Martial Arts School would directly lose two students capable of achieving good rankings.

Principal Li hurriedly said, "The grade a blood qi essence is very precious, but if Liu Kai wants it, just give it to him first. You wait for me to return, and afterward, I will personally find the Liu Family to explain the situation and demand one back."

"Principal, this is no longer just a matter of a single grade a blood qi essence." Ma Jingyuan's calm voice came over the phone.

"I can tell from that child's eyes that if I block this matter, it will definitely become a mental barrier in his path of the Dao."

"You should know how great an impact a mental barrier has on a Breakthrough to the Spirit Ascension Realm and becoming a Martial Arts Grandmaster."

"As a teacher, I cannot do that."

"I implore that no matter how the Liu Family seeks to hold him accountable later, Henghuo Martial Arts School will do its best to protect Chen Moxuan."

"Shut up! I am the principal of Henghuo Martial Arts School, you listen to me! Go and stop him now, don't let the two of them meet!" Principal Li's voice was nearly out of control.

"Martial Arts Grandmaster, how many have there been in Jiangnan Province in all these years?!" Principal Li practically roared.

Just then, the speeding car suddenly stopped, and the massive inertia caused Principal Li's body to sway, nearly losing his balance.

"What are you doing?" Principal Li glared, his gaze like a torch as he looked at the driver.

The driver, however, looked stunned; he slowly turned his head and pointed stiffly outside the car window.

"That is..."

Looking in the direction the driver was pointing, Principal Li was shocked to discover an old man in white robes with a long, flowing beard floating leisurely in mid-air ahead, one hand posed in a grasping gesture.

What was even more unbelievable was that his line of sight was level with the old man's figure, meaning the car he was in was also floating in mid-air!

As the old man's palm slowly lowered, the vehicle seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, slowly descending back to the ground.

"Manipulating the spiritual energy of heaven and earth... It's a Martial Arts Grandmaster!"

Too busy to care about the phone, Principal Li hurriedly ran out of the car and bowed to the old man with cupped hands.

"May I ask, Grandmaster, is there something important?"

"Just now, this old man heard that you are the principal of Henghuo Martial Arts School?"

Seeing Principal Li nod, the old man's face seemed to bloom with joy:

"This old man's hearing is still quite good. I was passing through here just now and inadvertently overheard your conversation. I acted in haste to stop the car; please forgive my rudeness."

"Does your school have a student named Chen Moxuan? This old man wants to recruit him into Project Starfall."

Hearing the four words "Project Starfall," Principal Li's pupils constricted, and he hurriedly performed the cupped-hand salute again.

"May I ask, Your Excellency, who are you?"

The old man stroked his long black beard and smiled, "Taichu Martial Mansion, Tianshu Academy, Zhong Quandao."

"Or rather, the Martial Skill Research Institute—you might be more familiar with that."