Chapter 232 - 231: We’re Counting on You to Make a Comeback
"You bastard, where do you think you’re going?"
"Are you really trying to drive the Chen Family to ruin?"
On the athletic field.
Chen Qisheng, Tang Baichuan, and a squad of Xingwu Guards stopped Chen Hao, who was on his way to Dormitory Zone 1.
The moment he saw his son.
Seething with rage, Chen Qisheng walked right up to him and cursed.
Chen Hao was dumbfounded.
He stared at Chen Qisheng in astonishment. "Dad, how... how am I driving the Chen Family to ruin? What did I do?"
"How dare you still make excuses at a time like this? Where are you going now?" Chen Qisheng snarled, his face contorted with fury.
He blamed everything the Chen Family was going through on Chen Hao.
If he hadn’t provoked Lin Yi for no reason.
Would the Chen Family have ended up in this state?
From this day forward, the Chen Family would no longer be counted among the great families.
The Gu Family wouldn’t turn on the Yi Family for their sake.
Without the patronage of a great family, the Chen Family was like a speck of dust in the vast ocean—utterly insignificant.
Even if, as Tang Baichuan had said, they might have a chance to make a comeback in the future.
But that was easier said than done. He might not even live to see that day.
How could Chen Qisheng not be furious?
"I... I’m going to Zone 1 to watch the drama!" Chen Hao answered, still baffled.
Hearing this, Tang Baichuan’s brow furrowed. "Watch the drama? What drama?"
"Principal Tang, you’re here too?"
"Well, I heard someone went to Dormitory Zone 1 to cause trouble for Lin Yi!"
"So I thought I’d go over and watch the show..."
Chen Hao said with a smirk.
Tang Baichuan’s expression darkened, while Chen Qisheng, standing beside him, let out a long sigh of relief.
He had been so furious a moment ago because he’d thought Chen Hao was going to cause trouble for Lin Yi himself.
Now that he heard it was someone else causing the trouble, Chen Qisheng could finally breathe again.
’As long as Chen Hao doesn’t clash with Lin Yi again...’
’...what do I care who causes trouble?’
’As long as it’s not someone from my Chen Family provoking Lin Yi, that’s all that matters...’
Tang Baichuan, however, felt completely different. He had just finished dealing with this very issue.
’Who is this idiot who doesn’t know what’s good for them, going after Lin Yi now?’
"Chen Hao, who did you hear this from? Who’s looking for trouble with Lin Yi?" Tang Baichuan pressed urgently.
Chen Hao glanced at Tang Baichuan and shook his head. "I heard it from people in the dorm group chat. As for who’s causing the trouble, I have no idea!"
With that, Tang Baichuan stopped paying Chen Hao any mind.
He turned to the Xingwu Guard behind him. "Go to Dormitory Zone 1 immediately. No matter who it is, stop them and bring them to me!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Xingwu Guard reported directly to Tang Baichuan.
No one else could command them.
The Xingwu Guard immediately rushed toward Dormitory Zone 1.
"Brother Qisheng, with things as they are, I can’t stay with you. I have to go handle this!"
Tang Baichuan’s leisurely mood had completely evaporated.
Chen Qisheng nodded quickly. "Principal Tang, please, go attend to your business. Don’t worry about us!"
"Um... I plan on taking Chen Hao home for a few days. Is that all right?"
"Of course!"
Tang Baichuan nodded, and after bidding Chen Qisheng farewell, he headed straight for Dormitory Zone 1.
After he had walked some distance away, Chen Hao spoke up. "Dad, why did you come to the university today? Don’t tell me you came to confront Principal Tang?"
"What did Principal Tang say? Did he agree to let me move back to Dormitory Zone 1?"
An expectant smile spread across Chen Hao’s face.
SLAP—
He didn’t get an answer from Chen Qisheng. Instead, a sharp slap landed across his face.
It left Chen Hao completely stunned.
"Dad? Why did you hit me? What... what did I do wrong?"
Chen Qisheng stared at him coldly. "Of all the people you could have provoked, you just had to go after that Lin Yi! Do you have any idea who he is?"
"Who he is? Dad, have you been drinking? He’s just a Martial Arts candidate from the Old District. What kind of status could he possibly have?"
"Bullshit! He’s from the Yi Family! He’s Elder Yi’s grandson!"
"The Yi Family? Which Yi Family? You don’t mean the one from Taigu City..."
At that, Chen Hao was utterly floored.
Everyone knew the Yi Family’s status in the New District.
Especially for those who practiced Martial Arts, the Yi Family’s fame and standing were legendary.
From top to bottom, no one in the Yi Family was a simple character.
In the New District, only three other families could hope to rival the Yi Family’s standing.
But at their level, conflicts between families weren’t something that could just erupt at a moment’s notice.
They maintained a harmonious facade while secretly vying for supremacy.
None would submit to another, yet none could overpower the others.
They constantly maintained this balance, and were invested in preserving it.
If that balance were ever to be broken...
...it would mean the New District was about to be plunged into a war between the great families.
Not even the Martial Arts Alliance, the Demon Hunting Bureau, or the Town Martial Department could stop it.
Therefore, unless it was absolutely necessary...
...the four great families would not easily shatter this equilibrium. Each stood in a class of its own, and no one dared to provoke them.
Chen Qisheng sighed deeply. "Son, our family is headed for ruin."
"Soon, all our family’s shops will be closed."
"Without the support of the Medical Bureau and the Weapon Workshop, the Chen Family will be unable to make a move!"
"As for the family enterprises we used to work with, we’ll be lucky if they don’t kick us while we’re down!"
"So, from now on, you need to drop that young master attitude. Keep as low a profile as you possibly can. The Chen Family isn’t what it once was. Cherish the time we have left."
After Chen Qisheng finished speaking, the news crashed down upon Chen Hao like a bolt from the blue.
It crashed down upon him.
Immediately, the world began to spin around Chen Hao.
His vision flickered, and his consciousness began to fade.
It’s easy to go from rags to riches, but hard to go from riches to rags.
Having been coddled since childhood, he had no real concept of money or cultivation materials.
In his eyes, they were just so-called tonics and a string of numbers on a screen.
He had never known hardship, but now he was about to become just like an ordinary person.
Everything he had ever owned was about to become smoke in the wind.
For Chen Hao, this blow was an unacceptable reality.
After a long moment, he slowly came to his senses.
He looked at Chen Qisheng in terror. "Dad, you’re joking, right?"
"Lin Yi is just a Martial Arts candidate from the Old District. How could he possibly be from the Yi Family?
And... and our Chen Family’s businesses... they can’t just be cut off like that, can they?"
"You must be teasing me, right? I promise! I promise I’ll behave from now on!"
"I’ll be on my best behavior at the university, I won’t cause you any more trouble!"
"Tell me, everything you just said was a lie, right?"
In that moment, Chen Hao’s world collapsed.
He was still hoping for a miracle, hoping that his father was just trying to teach him a lesson.
That this was some kind of punishment to make him understand the pain of loss.
However... Chen Qisheng shook his head.
He pulled Chen Hao into his arms.
He whispered, "Son, it’s already set in stone. Nothing can change it now."
"The Yi Family is too powerful for us to fight. The fact that they didn’t completely destroy our family is already a mercy!"
"You must remember this. From now on, you must carry the responsibility of the Chen Family!"
"Whether the Chen Family can make a comeback will be up to you!"
"Come on, come home with me. There are still many things to take care of."
After speaking, Chen Qisheng pulled Chen Hao and began walking off campus.
At that moment, Chen Hao became a soulless, emotionless husk of a person.
He couldn’t recover from the reality confronting him.
With a vacant stare, he let his father pull him off campus and into their car.
As expected, the calls started coming in, one after another.
Chen Qisheng knew that the consequences of Yi Xiaoying’s actions were already taking effect.
...
「Dormitory Zone 1. In the cafeteria.」
Lin Yi and his friends, including Wei Nan, had just returned from the Cultivation Field.
Having not eaten all day, the group was now focused on one thing only: devouring their food.
They didn’t even have time to talk.
But at that exact moment.
A student rushed into the cafeteria, leading several members of the Xingwu Guard.
As soon as they entered, the student pointed at Lin Yi’s table and said something.
The Xingwu Guards nodded and walked straight over to Lin Yi.
"Which one of you is Lin Yi?"
At this, Lin Yi looked up at them.
"I am. And you are?"
"We’re the university’s Xingwu Guard. We received a report that someone was looking for trouble with you."
"Someone’s looking for trouble with us?"
Lin Yi was baffled.
Even Wei Shang, Feng Lei, and Wei Nan, who were sitting across from him, exchanged confused glances.
Wei Shang smiled. "It must be a misunderstanding. No one’s been bothering us. Who told you that?"
Hearing this, the Xingwu Guard members also seemed a bit confused.
The lead guard glanced at the others before his gaze finally settled back on Lin Yi.
"Are you sure no one has been bothering you?"
Lin Yi shook his head. "We just got back from the Cultivation Field and came straight to the cafeteria to eat. Nobody has bothered us."
Seeing Lin Yi’s sincerity, the Xingwu Guard members exchanged a look and nodded.
"Alright, since no one’s causing trouble, we’ll be leaving."
"But if anyone does come looking for trouble, you can contact us. Here’s my number."
The lead Xingwu Guard member took out a business card and handed it to Lin Yi.
He took the card and thanked them.
Only then did the Xingwu Guard members leave the cafeteria.
But Lin Yi found the whole thing strange.
’The Xingwu Guard is Xingwu University’s security force.’
’They maintain order on campus, which makes them essentially the same as the Town Martial Department.’
’The only difference is that their jurisdiction is limited to the Xingwu University campus.’
’Once you step off campus, you’re outside their authority.’
’You rarely see these guys. Unless there’s a fight, in which case they appear instantly.’
’Their movements are mysterious and incredibly fast.’
’They always come and go like ghosts.’
’And there has long been a rumor on campus...’
’...wherever the Xingwu Guard appears, trouble is sure to follow.’
’But today... the Xingwu Guard appeared, and nothing happened.’
Wei Shang’s brow furrowed slightly as he glanced around.
"It’s nothing. Just eat your food."
Lin Yi looked up at him. "Is that campus rumor true?"
"What rumor?"
Wei Shang’s expression shifted as he feigned confusion.
"The one about trouble brewing wherever the Xingwu Guard appears."
"Don’t listen to that nonsense. You think the Xingwu Guard are gods or something? They’re just university graduates who couldn’t find jobs, so the school hired them back to keep the peace. They just gave them a cool-sounding name, that’s all!"
Wei Shang replied with a laugh.
Then, his eyes darted around the room.
A flicker of nervousness appeared in his eyes.
Despite his words, he knew there was no smoke without fire when it came to campus rumors.
Just that afternoon, Wei Shang had called Old He.
Old He had told him to be careful, as the Martial Arts Alliance might be about to make a move on Lin Yi.
All afternoon, Wei Shang and Feng Lei hadn’t dared to let Lin Yi out of their sight.
They even had at least one person follow him to the bathroom.
They were worried the Martial Arts Alliance would try something.
But the moment they finally relaxed to eat in the cafeteria...
...the Xingwu Guard showed up.
This gave both Wei Shang and Feng Lei a strong sense of impending crisis.
But not wanting to make Lin Yi nervous, Wei Shang had acted relatively calm.
However, Lin Yi saw right through his act.
A sense of foreboding began to spread through him.
He smiled and put the business card away.
Then he lowered his head and continued to eat.
And just then, a surge of the Power of Heart and Mind startled Lin Yi.
It felt as if someone was probing him with their mind.
The next moment, before Lin Yi could even react...
...the scene before his eyes suddenly changed.
Lin Yi found himself standing in the middle of a vast desert.
Yellow sand swirled through the air, seeming to blot out the sky and earth.
But strangely, Lin Yi couldn’t feel any wind.
The sensation was bizarre. The air was thick with sand...
...yet it rose without a breeze. A scorching sun hung in the sky, yet it gave off no warmth.
The surroundings were terrifyingly silent, without a single sound.
After a long moment, realization dawned on Lin Yi.
He murmured, "Have I been pulled into a Heart Spirit Domain?"