Time rewound to a short while ago, Heaven Dou main campus.
A broad avenue was packed with students who had come to watch the commotion.
In the center of the crowd, several teachers led by Flender and Yu Xiaogang stared at the figures sprawled nearby, their faces a mix of shock and fury.
Among them were Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and Dai Mubai.
Though they already knew the whole story and felt exasperated by Ma Hongjun's conduct,
seeing the three boys beaten half-dead and unconscious by Yang Yuan left them unable to muster any blame.
"Shao Xin, give the children a few healing jelly beans first."
Flender's face was frantic.
From the crowd, Shao Xin sighed and stepped forward, chanting a spell.
In moments he had fed several jelly beans to the boys on the ground.
Soon Oscar and Dai Mubai came to, but Ma Hongjun still showed no sign of waking.
Once conscious, Oscar and Dai Mubai looked around in bewilderment.
The instant they spotted Yang Yuan, they recalled what had just happened; their faces paled and their eyes filled with dread.
A few days earlier, Heaven Dou Empire's Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, had approached them.
Xue Beng was enthusiastic, and after a chat they discovered shared interests.
So, on his invitation, Ma Hongjun and the others began spending every night out on the town the moment classes ended.
Though Xue Beng held no real power, money was something he had in spades.
With cash and beauties paving the way, Ma Hongjun was the first to cave; within days he and Xue Beng were swearing brotherhood.
After all, Xue Beng was far more generous than Dai Mubai—he actually let Ma Hongjun enjoy the top courtesans.
Dai Mubai and Oscar, for their part, valued Xue Beng's status: despite his mediocre talent, as Heaven Dou's Fourth Prince he was useful for networking.
Thus the four of them tacitly banded together.
Tang San was part of the group, but since his heart already belonged to Xiao Wu he repeatedly declined Xue Beng's invitations.
The reason he still mingled with a good-for-nothing like Xue Beng
was that he intended to found Tang Sect on Douluo Continent.
Yet establishing Tang Sect required money and a sales channel for Hidden Weapons.
So he set his sights on Xue Beng.
Everything had been going smoothly; Tang San had never imagined that within days such a fiasco would erupt.
After a night of drinking, Xue Beng and company, emboldened by alcohol, urged Ma Hongjun to profess his love to a passing female student in public.
A confession itself would have been trivial, but Ma Hongjun's evil fire flared; after being rejected he actually tried to paw the girl and even left several intervening students badly injured.
That drew the passing Yang Yuan, who proceeded to suppress the lot of them.
Oscar and Dai Mubai, seeing Yang Yuan, shuddered and instinctively shuffled backward on the ground.
Purple-black palm prints still swelled high on both their cheeks.
The Three Committee Members had now arrived as well.
After learning the details, the trio sighed, disappointment flickering in their eyes as they looked at Flender's group.
That gaze made Flender acutely uncomfortable.
After all, he had brought the Shrek Group into Heaven Dou Academy, yet within a month problem after problem had erupted.
Not even the Three Committee Members had foreseen it, let alone him.
Flender gave Meng Shenji and the others an apologetic look.
"Committee Members, my unworthy disciples have caused you trouble again."
Meng Shenji exchanged glances with his colleagues and shook his head.
"Teacher Flender, this child hasn't troubled us; he has troubled the other students who wish to Cultivate—great trouble."
However thick-skinned Flender was, facing the angry stares from every direction he felt awkward.
Were Ma Hongjun not lying there unconscious, he would already have kicked the boy several times.
But Ma Hongjun was his Personal Disciple; responsibility was unavoidable.
He forced a wry smile. "Committee Members, we are willing to compensate—name the amount—only forgive Red-Jun this once."
As he spoke, his eyes sought a petite, delicate girl standing beside Yang Yuan and Dugu Yan in the crowd.
She was the student Ma Hongjun had harassed.
If she could forgive him, there might still be room for negotiation.
Yet the girl stood silent, clearly unwilling to pardon Ma Hongjun.
Meng Shenji studied her, sighed, and said, "Flender, I'm sorry, this time I can't help. The incident is too vile; I must punish Ma Hongjun harshly, or there will be a second, a third such case."
Had this happened years earlier, they might have compromised for Ma Hongjun's Genius.
But now, with Yang Yuan's arrival, everything at Heaven Dou Academy was improving; Geniuses were sprouting like bamboo after rain.
In recent years the student intake had improved.
Thanks to the academy's wholesome atmosphere, many scions of great Families were willing to enroll.
Therefore Meng Shenji would not let one bad apple spoil the barrel.
Flender's face darkened.
"Committee MemberMeng Shenji, what do you intend to do with Red-Jun?"
Meng Shenji drew a deep breath and solemnly uttered one word: "Expel."
"What!"
The moment "expel" rang out, the Shrek Group erupted; Oscar and Dai Mubai, forgetting their pain, jerked their heads toward the Three Committee Members.
They had never imagined that for such a trivial matter Meng Shenji would expel Ma Hongjun.
Wasn't it just harassing a female student?
The punishment was far too severe.
Flender's expression froze, his brows knitting tight.
"Committee MemberMeng Shenji, isn't that excessive?"
Meng Shenji shook his head. "The penalty is not merely for harassment; it also covers the injuries he inflicted on several other students."
At these words Dai Mubai, still on the ground, forced himself to stand.
"We threw punches too. If you want to expel Fatty, then expel us as well."
Dai Mubai's words sounded like loyalty, but in truth he was gambling that the Committee Members, valuing their talent, would not dare expel them.
Oscar instantly caught on and quickly chimed in.
"Boss Dai is right; I fought too. Add me to the expulsion list."
Yu Xiaogang glanced at Tang San and signaled him.
Ma Hongjun was a Genius he favored; if expelled, who would replace him?
Tang San, understanding his teacher's intent, calmly spoke.
"Committee Members, the Shrek Seven Devils share glory and disgrace alike; if you expel Fatty, then expel us all."
"You…."
Seeing them one after another, Meng Shenji and his colleagues realized they were being threatened in reverse.
Admittedly they felt disgusted, their faces darkening.
After all, expelling Ma Hongjun alone was simple.
Yet Oscar and Tang San were Geniuses even they valued.
But looking at the boys' shameless bravado left them helpless.
Just then a clear voice rang out.
Not far away, Yang Yuan suddenly stepped forward.
"Since they're so eager to leave, let them go.
Heaven Dou Academy does not need the likes of them."
(End of Chapter)
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