Five minutes later, doctors from the school infirmary came bustling through the ninth gymâs entrance.
Zhao Liangâs pair of legs were in an extremely critical condition. There was no way to carry him to the infirmary so the doctors directly came on-site for treatment.
For the medics who had mastered the latest cultivation technology in the Federation, fixing a shattered bone fracture would be a trivial matter with an expected recovery within a few days. At most, there would be a little bit ofâŠâŠ pain in the process.
âAHHHHHHHHHHH!â Zhao Liangâs miserable shrieks echoed throughout the gymnasium in large waves and waves. All those who heard the shrieks had their scalps turned numb. The stabbing pain in his knee was incomparably painful.
And Li Yao, together with his bro for life Meng Jiang, squatted by the flowers and shrubs outside of the gym. An incorporeal air seemed to have curled around both of their bodies, causing all the other students of the Common Class to avoid them and keep their distance. They did not dare to get close to Li Yao and Meng Jiang.
Meng Jiangâs face was knotted in a state of loss. He wanted to say something, but he was hesitating.
Li Yao glanced at his bro for life, âWhat do you want to know? Come on, ask. Ask before a teacher takes me away!â
Meng Jiang spat out a dirty air, with a bitter laugh he said, âMy mind is a chaotic mess right now. I still havenât processed all this yet. You little devilish monster. When did you become so strong?â
Li Yao thought for a bit and said, âI was on the breach of a breakthrough in a cultivation technique. Before practicing this technique my strength was weak and feeble, just like that of the average person. But as soon as I succeeded in my training, my strength exploded into sky soaring heights! The reason why I didnât come to school yesterday was because I was at a critical point in my training yesterday. Right now, I have already succeeded with the first step of this technique!â
âSo itâs that amazing!â Meng Jiangâs eyes brightened and he did not inquire any further.
The Federation had an unwritten rule. It was the greatest taboo to investigate the roots of the combat skills and technique origins of other people. Even cultivators with power overflowing the heavens could not ask other people of their secret family techniques.
Without this rule, the consequences could be dire⊠Today a cultivator might randomly interrogate the weak for the source of their combat skills. Tomorrow, the Federation could call up an army of millions to encircle a cultivation guildâs base and force them to give up their deepest secret extermination miracle techniques.
In every world, there was the most basic of rules: To protect the weak from the tyranny of the strong. People have fought for the basic right of not being taken advantage of.
It was because there were these rules that society was able to be established, that the strong and the weak could be united!
The Star Glory Federation relied on precisely these sets of rules to reach unity between cultivators and the common folk, to face-off jointly against the Fiend Beasts and those that walk the Demonic path. The Federation would have long perished if these rules werenât in place. Cultivators and commoners would be hostile enemies towards each other and the state of the Federation would sink into volatility, like a sheet of scattered sand. How could they possibly hope to fight against the Fiend Beasts and Demonic Cultivators if this were the case?
And so, Li Yao thought of this pretext to explain his own sudden increase in strength. He wasnât worried about being exposed by others. Even if people discovered that he was lying, his secrets would not be exposedâŠ.. In the world of cultivation, who doesnât have a few hidden secrets?
Meng Jiang nodded his head as he accepted the fact that his bro for life had suddenly increased his strength. However he wrinkled his brow asking, âBut, is there a need for you to be this excessively vicious? You had already sent Zhao Liang to the ground, yet you still pulverized his left knee. Isnât that too extreme? You donât know how scary you looked when you lifted that barbell up. You basically looked likeâŠ. A blood-thirsty monster!â
âI had to do it.â Li Yao explained. âYou told me this morning the enormous power He Lianlie holds in this school. How he has many henchmen. Since Iâve already offended him, his underlings will certainly come searching for trouble. Zhao Liang is only the first of them!â
He paused for a moment, before continuing, âZhao Liang is the lowest ranked student of the Important Class; heâs in last place. If I only knock him to the ground, do you think other people would be scared? Wouldnât they continue coming one after another to cause me trouble? No matter how I fight, I would fall before a revolving wheel of war! But now, when He Lianlieâs gang sees Zhao Liangâs pair of knees and hear his painful shrieks, they would reconsider a little bit before looking for me. The vast majority of them might even shrink back.â
Meng Jiang fixed into a blank stare. He did not think that far. He only felt that Li Yaoâs actions were too excessive.
Li Yao patted the shoulder of his bro for life and said seriously, âSmall Jiang. You know my background. You know that since I was a kid I lived and grew up in the trash heap. In the world I grew up in, people could get in blood feuds over even a half-rotten banana. One time, I even saw two groups of people have a brawl over half-a-bag of cold meat buns. In the end two people died. Two people died over half-a-bag of meat buns! Trust me. I grew up in this kind of environment, so I know how to deal with threats and trouble!â
âBut, butâŠâŠ.â Meng Jiangâs mind was a huge mess. All this time, he had never witnessed this other face of his bro for life.
Perhaps, this was Li Yaoâs most genuine face.
Li Yao said flatly, âThe experience of a dozen years of life in the waste treatment facility had taught meâŠâŠ When it comes to facing the threats of other people, itâs not that thingâs canât be reasoned and that a compromise canât be found. Itâs that first, the opposition must be beaten to such a state that even their parentâs would not recognize them, then negotiations and compromise can proceed. Otherwise things canât be reasoned out and compromises canât be made. Instead, you place yourself in a pot for others boil or steam! As for what happened todayâŠ. When Zhao Liang first arrived, he wanted me to kneel before him. And he wanted to break 10 of my bones. I was already determined not to kneel and I also did not want to have 10 of my bones broken. What other choice did I have besides to fight him to the bloody end?
Meng Jiang had a blank expression for quite a while, âI heard you say before, that you had a nickname in the garbage dump. The Vulture. When I heard that I had my doubts. I thought you were just talking big. I believe you now.â
With a laugh Li Yao said, âYea man~. The me back then was ten times more vicious and a hundred times more crazy than the me now. I had no choice. I was just a kid who couldnât even hold a knife steady. If I werenât a bit vicious and crazy, how could I have fought for food from the mouths of the grownups? Later I met my Old Man. He taught me many things, including social standards and rules. When I assimilated into ordinary society, I lost a bit of my edge. Anyway, my Old Man is long dead. When I encounter this sort of situation, I can act only in accordance to the instincts of the âVultureâ in order to settle things~.â
Meng Jiang let out a sigh, âI understand now after hearing you. Small devil. You had no other option. But other than me, people would take you as a kid tooting his horn and that you are being too aggressive.â
âAggressive? Of course I have to be aggressive!â Li Yaoâs nostrils flared. He spoke, objecting, âWe who live in the Artifact Grave must work to eat as scavengers. We live in the now, not the future, for who knows what type of priceless treasure we may salvage in the next minuteâŠ.only to have, the minute after, itâs essence energy explode so greatly that nothing remains! So for us scavengers, as soon we have power we must immediately act with aggression. I wonât wait till the next second to be aggressive if I can be aggressive now. I wonât act with 90% aggression if I can act with 100% aggression! If I donât be aggressive when I have this strength, if I continue lying low⊠What if I dropped dead in the next second? Wouldnât it all have been a waste? Itâs like winning 5 million credits in the lottery. Say you donât spend it to live a life of luxury. You would rather stick it in the bank. What if right after you deposited your money you get hit by a flying shuttle and die! Youâve been wronged even as a ghost!â
Meng Jiang conceded saying, âOkay Okay, since youâre this confident, you can act aggressively. But did the thought of He Lianlie using his familyâs influence to make you quite school ever cross your mind? What will you do then?â
âI donât have to remain here, there are other places I can be. Crimson Nimbus Second is not the only school under the skies. At worst, I will just switch schools. Even if I donât go to school, the Federation still lets citizens to enter privately in the university examinations. The procedure is just a little bit more troublesome! If He Lianlie applies pressure for me to quit school, Iâll just let him fulfill that wish. After all, why not? Thereâs a long future ahead. He and I will still have our beautiful youthfulness!â Li Yaoâs eyes produced a vicious aura as he spoke nonchalantly.
While these two were talking, a short, thin, weak figure tottered towards them.
âItâs a teacher!â Meng Jiang said in light voice and pulled Li Yao to stand up, jumping off of a the short wall by the bushes.
âIsnât that Old Sun, the schoolâs warehouse logistics manager? What did he come here for?â Li Yao stared confused.