Chapter 328: Chapter 164: Meeting Shen Xinzhu Again

Since the dean of the Martial Arts Academy had already personally promised to handle it, Zhao Rui saw no reason to press the matter further.

After some small talk, he went to the training grounds and released the acupoints of the dozen or so "wooden statues."

Daoist Zhang watched from the side, his eyes burning with fascination. The technique was truly incredible—demonic yet not, righteous yet also sinister. ’Could it be Guixu Martial Arts?’

However, it concerned a personal Martial Arts lineage, so it wasn’t his place to ask.

The moment their acupoints were released, the group collapsed to the ground. They had been standing for so long that their circulation had been completely cut off.

They all stared at Zhao Rui, their eyes filled with terror.

Though their acupoints had been sealed, their minds had remained clear. They knew exactly what had happened to them.

"Speak up. What’s this all about? Why did you start trouble for no reason?"

Dean Wang asked in a cold voice.

At his words, everyone simultaneously looked toward a student with a bruised and swollen face.

As all eyes fell on him, the student’s face turned deathly pale.

He stammered, "S-someone paid me to cause trouble for him. I... I have no grudge against him."

"Take him to the security office. Find the student who paid him. I’m reporting this to the school administration. This is simply outrageous!"

Dean Wang was furious.

When had students of the Martial Arts Academy become someone’s hired thugs?

Four years at the academy, and this is what it produces?

This wasn’t just about causing trouble; it was about the very principles of practicing the Martial Dao.

It didn’t take long for security to arrive. After a brief interrogation, they quickly identified the person who had given the order.

"Do you know him?"

Zhao Rui asked his brother.

"Yeah, I’ve seen him around. He’s on the student council at our academy."

Zhao Ke recognized him at a glance. It was that Senior Brother Ge who had greeted Shao Qianwen earlier.

He wasn’t an idiot. The two of them had no history, so there was only one possible reason for someone to target him: his girlfriend, Shao Qianwen.

"Rest assured, I will report this to the school and see to it that he is severely punished,"

Dean Wang quickly promised.

Zhao Rui nodded and said to Zhao Ke, "You can decide how to handle it."

His brother was an adult now. There were some things he needed to decide for himself.

Zhao Ke nodded. His big brother couldn’t stay at the academy forever. In the future, he would have to handle these things on his own.

With that, the matter came to a close.

Zhao Rui headed back to the hotel first.

Two hours later, Zhao Ke returned as well.

"Brother, it’s handled."

"Good. From now on at school, don’t just bury your head in your books. We don’t bully others, but don’t let anyone think they can bully us, either."

"I didn’t teach you Martial Arts just for show."

Zhao Rui finished, then added, "I’m heading back in a few days. Use this time to train hard. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask me now so you’re clear on everything."

"I know, Brother!"

Zhao Ke nodded emphatically. In that moment, Zhao Rui seemed as immense as the Himalayas in his eyes.

He had single-handedly swept the floor with the academy’s Martial Arts Team and beaten a Daoist from the Taishan Sect into submission.

Just standing there, he seemed like a colossal, towering tree.

His presence was overwhelming!

’So this is how powerful my big brother has become!’

「Five days later.」

Zhao Rui, seeing that his brother had completely mastered all the secrets of the Five Poison Divine Palm, finally left Zichuan City with his mind at ease.

...

The vast land of Dongqi was a place of high mountains and long rivers, a sprawling coastline, and four distinct seasons.

It was late October. The air was cool, but the sky was clear and bright—perfect weather.

After leaving Zichuan City, Zhao Rui didn’t return to the academy. Instead, he drove east toward Qingzhou City.

Since he was already out, he figured he might as well wander around and enjoy the sea breeze.

The last time he’d visited Qingzhou City, he’d run into a tsunami and hadn’t gotten a chance to enjoy the scenery or the coastal lifestyle.

The thought of the tsunami brought Shen Xinzhu to mind—the woman who had fallen into the water with him.

After her falling out with Luo Min, she had apparently left the academy sometime after he had enlisted.

No one knew where she had gone.

He had a slight suspicion that he might have been her reason for enrolling in the academy in the first place.

’Who would want to get close to me?’

Zhao Rui shook his head, unable to make sense of it.

The Qingzhou sea breeze carried a salty humidity, a stark contrast to the dry climate of Jeju.

In Jeju, you could go for a walk just after washing your hair and come back to find you could wipe a black smudge from your skin.

Here in Qingzhou, however, it was perfectly clean.

But staying in such a humid climate for too long could also become uncomfortable.

’Each has its pros and cons, I guess.’

Zhao Rui was driving casually, cruising the streets, when his eyes suddenly narrowed. He thought he saw a figure that looked just like Shen Xinzhu.

’Couldn’t be that much of a coincidence, could it?’

Zhao Rui shook his head. Just as he turned away, a loud BANG echoed out. He looked back to see the figure who resembled Shen Xinzhu running along the walls of the buildings, heading straight for the road.

Several men in suits were in hot pursuit right behind her.

Zhao Rui focused his gaze. It was Shen Xinzhu, no doubt about it.

’What is she doing here?’

But the woman was a mystery, and he had no desire to get involved.

He was about to follow the car ahead when a flash of Sword Qi shot past, slicing the vehicle clean in two.

"Fuck!"

Zhao Rui’s eyes went cold. With a sudden jolt, he launched himself out of the car door.

In the next instant, several more flashes of Sword Qi streaked by. His SUV was instantly reduced to a pile of scrap metal, the gasoline bursting into flames. Besides his car, several others were also sliced apart by the Sword Qi, turning the entire road into an apocalyptic wasteland in a heartbeat.

Zhao Rui looked up. Above the wreckage of the cars, Shen Xinzhu was fighting the men in suits.

She was clearly on the defensive, struggling to fend them off.

After barely a dozen exchanges, she cried out in pain as a flash of Sword Qi sliced across her arm, drawing a spray of blood.