53: Chapter 53 All in!

Outside the gates of the County Academy!

Hearing Shen Zongyue's words, County Magistrate Zhang Xuanming's expression turned solemn. He glanced at Instructor Liu Zhixing, who was kneeling on the ground with a face as pale as ash. Frowning slightly, he said in a deep voice, "Senior Shen, please rest assured. This man actually dared to commit violence in public before the County Academy on the day of the County Exam, showing utter contempt for the laws of the Imperial Dynasty. This official will certainly handle this matter impartially!"

Hearing this, Shen Zongyue remained noncommittal. He simply nodded indifferently, neither exerting pressure due to dissatisfaction with County Magistrate Zhang Xuanming's official tone nor saying another word.

"Liu Zhixing!"

At this moment, the County Academy's dean, Instructor Fan Suiyun, stepped forward. With a cold, solemn expression and a heavy gaze fixed on the kneeling Liu Zhixing, he spoke sternly, "In the past, as an Instructor of the Geng Class, you coerced and threatened your own students into voluntarily withdrawing from the County Exam for your own political achievements and personal gain, even attempting to sell them off to the city's merchant firms in exchange for benefits. That was your first evil act."

"And now, you have committed violence in public right before the gates of the County Academy, intentionally trying to harm someone, completely disregarding the academy's rules and flouting the laws of the Imperial Dynasty!"

"This dean hereby decides..."

Instructor Fan Suiyun's voice suddenly sank as he declared, "You are immediately stripped of your position as an Instructor of the County Academy, expelled from the registry, and permanently barred from employment!"

Upon hearing Instructor Fan Suiyun's decision, Liu Zhixing shuddered violently. His already paper-pale face instantly lost its last trace of color, and his eyes flew wide, filled with utter disbelief and despair.

His lips trembled as he tried to defend himself, but his throat felt as if it were blocked, unable to make a single sound.

The veins that had previously bulged from his rage collapsed completely, and he slumped limply to the ground, no longer able to support himself.

Losing his position as an Instructor and being permanently expelled from the academy was equivalent to severing his future on the martial path for the rest of his life.

Not to mention, he had now offended Shen Qinglan's father, a powerhouse of the Grandmaster Realm. Without the protective shield of being an Instructor, only a dead end awaited him.

"Alright, Xiao An, Xiao Lan, let us go!"

Shen Zongyue nodded slightly. Without giving another glance to Liu Zhixing slumped on the ground, he merely spared a look at County Magistrate Zhang Xuanming and the other two, then took Lin Xueyan's hand, gestured to Chen An and Shen Qinglan, and turned to leave.

Wherever the group went, the commoners and successful candidates who had blocked both sides of the road instinctively backed away, automatically clearing a wide path. No one dared to make a sound, and no one dared to look directly at their backs. They all stood with their hands at their sides, respectfully watching them depart.

County Magistrate Zhang Xuanming and the other two also stood quietly in place, not daring to step forward to see them off, let alone speak to ask them to stay. They merely watched the receding figures of Shen Zongyue's group, their expressions filled with deep awe.

...

In an elegant courtyard less than a mile from the County Academy, the main hall was brightly lit and filled with warmth.

Chen An and Shen Qinglan sat with the Shen Family around a large solid wood dining table. The table was laden with exquisite delicacies and several plates of richly colored Vicious Beast meat, emitting a mouth-watering aroma.

"Come, Xiao An, eat this!"

With a gentle smile in her eyes and a warm, graceful demeanor, Lin Xueyan picked up a pair of serving chopsticks and carefully placed a piece of tender, well-stewed Tier 2 Vicious Beast meat into Chen An's bowl, speaking softly:

"This is the leg meat of a Blue Rock Beast. It contains rich vital energy, which is most suitable for young Martial Artists like you to nourish your blood qi. Eat more, it will be of great benefit to your cultivation."

"Thank you, Auntie!"

He picked up his chopsticks and took a gentle bite of the meat. The texture was tender and rich. Upon swallowing, a wisp of warm Spiritual Qi slowly dispersed, flowing through his Meridians to his limbs. It was deeply nourishing and indeed a rare delicacy far superior to ordinary wild game.

Seeing him like this, Shen Qinglan's lips unconsciously curved into a faint smile.

Shen Zongyue picked up his soup, took a slow sip, and then looked at Chen An, saying, "Xiao An, we are returning to the Prefecture City tomorrow. Would you like to come with us?"

"Yes, Xiao An. If you have nothing else to do, why not head back with us early? I will make you your favorite Jade Treasure Cakes!" Lin Xueyan chimed in softly.

Chen An's eyes flickered slightly. He looked up and said, "Thank you, Uncle and Auntie. However, I still have a few minor matters to handle. Once I arrive in the Prefecture City in three days, I will surely visit you both!"

"What else do you have to handle? Do you need my help?" Shen Qinglan asked with a touch of straightforward curiosity.

"No need, it is just a small matter. You should head back to the Prefecture City with Uncle and Auntie first. I will join everyone there within three days!" Chen An smiled and shook his head.

Seeing his firm tone and knowing that he had never liked causing trouble for others, Shen Qinglan could only purse her lips and nod gently.

Shen Zongyue also nodded slightly, his gaze steady. "Very well. Since you have your own arrangements, we will not force you. If you encounter any trouble you cannot resolve, you can send word to the Shen Family."

"Yes, Xiao An, you must pay close attention to your own safety!"

Thinking of the incident with Instructor Liu Zhixing earlier, Lin Xueyan said, "If anything comes up, you must not hesitate to ask us for help!"

"Alright, thank you, Uncle and Auntie. I will be careful!" Feeling a warmth in his heart, Chen An nodded.

"Oh, you are always so polite! Come, eat, have a few more pieces of meat!"

The meal lasted for nearly an hour. After chatting with Shen Zongyue, his wife, and Shen Qinglan for a while longer, Chen An finally stood up, cupped his hands in farewell, and left the Shen Family courtyard.

The night was slightly cool, and a gentle breeze blew!

Stepping through the quiet night breeze that filled the streets, Chen An slowly walked all the way back to his own small courtyard.

Upon returning home, he first drew some fresh water to wash up quickly, changed into loose clothing, and then locked his room door before taking out the rewards he had previously obtained from the Martial Examination.

A Profound Rank Medium Grade Martial Skill, the "Mountain Suppressing Palm"; a bottle of Return to Origin Qi-Nourishing Pills; and three bottles of qi condensing pills.

Looking at these three rewards, Chen An's eyes flickered slightly, and he put them away again.

He had the System and did not need to consume Medicinal Pills. As for Martial Skills, he already possessed the Ocean Overturning Wave Palm; not only had he trained it to Perfection, but he had also mastered the Ninefold Overlapping Waves Palm Intent. There was absolutely no need to waste more yuan crystals.

His plan was to sell these items!

Although these would only fetch around thirty thousand yuan crystals—which was a mere drop in the bucket for him now—even the smallest mosquito was still meat.

However, these items had just been rewarded to him by the government and the County Academy. If he sold them as soon as he got them, some people might start to suspect him.

"What a hassle!"

Chen An scratched his head and sighed softly.

His original intention was to keep a low profile so that people would not suspect him.

But while keeping a low profile was indeed discreet, without money, he had no way to continue pay-to-win spending to become stronger.

"System!"

With a thought, he opened the System:

Host: Chen An

Age: 17

Aptitude: Mid-grade Martial Bone

Cultivation: Grandmaster Realm (Perfection)

Current Balance: 176,000

Looking at the balance on the System panel, Chen An's eyes flickered slightly.

Although this balance seemed like a lot, the fact that he had previously poured in fifty thousand yuan crystals without achieving a Breakthrough past the Grandmaster Realm made him feel a trace of frustration and unwillingness.

"Since the County Exam is over, let's go all in!"

"I refuse to believe that with one hundred and seventy-six thousand years, I still cannot break through a mere Grandmaster Realm!"

Gritting his teeth, a look of determination flashed in Chen An's eyes. Without hesitating any longer, he cried out in his mind:

"System, convert the entire balance into cultivation time and Cultivate the Cangxuan Qi-Condensing Art with all my might!!!"

Boom!!!

...