As the students of Themis halted, Zhang Wen quickly increased the distance between himself and them, catching his breath lightly at a distance of about fifteen meters.
Controlling the actions of two Themis students simultaneously was not only an extremely risky move for Zhang Wen but also consumed a great deal of his energy. After all, the difficulty of controlling one martial artist versus two martial artists was not simply a matter of one plus one. The difference in difficulty was far greater!
To put it in perspective, if controlling the actions of a sixth-stage martial artist was like balancing a coin upright on a table, then controlling two sixth-stage martial artists would not be as simple as balancing two coins. It would be more like balancing a second coin on top of the first one already standing upright!
Frankly speaking, Zhang Wen had made such a risky choice purely out of necessity. Fortunately, his gamble had ultimately succeeded, achieving exactly the effect he had anticipated.
“Well then, do you believe me now?” Griffiths picked up his crystal-energy sword from the floor, straightened his back, and walked toward his companions, loudly challenging them.
“Uh…” Several Themis students who had just criticized Griffiths wore expressions of shame, too embarrassed to respond. No matter how implausible Griffiths’ explanation had seemed, the facts proved he had been right.
“Hey! Griffiths, we admit we were wrong about you just now. But isn’t this really not the time to be talking about that!” A few more level-headed Themis students stepped forward, urgently pointing toward Zhang Wen, who had once again distanced himself from them.
“Tsk…” Griffiths followed his companion’s gesture with his eyes, and let out an exasperated click of his tongue as he focused on Zhang Wen.
Zhang Wen’s consecutive tactics had left a deep impression on Griffiths and his companions. What unsettled the Themis students even more was that they still couldn’t figure out exactly how Zhang Wen had done it! From start to finish, they hadn’t sensed even a trace of battle energy from him. Yet, he had somehow managed to control even the body of a seventh-stage martial artist!
This made the Themis students feel that this seemingly inexplicable—no, more accurately, “mysterious”—physical arts teacher from Almace Academy was far more formidable than they had imagined.
No one could tell how his “sorcery” worked or how to counter it. Looking at the four or five companions lying on the ground, injured by their own comrades and still unable to rise, the remaining Themis students couldn’t help but wonder—if they continued fighting this man, who would ultimately emerge victorious?
However, the Themis students present were well aware that they were now in a situation from which retreat was impossible.
After all, these rowdy Themis students had gone to great lengths, even resorting to the underhanded tactic of kidnapping an Almace female student, just to lure Zhang Wen into their trap. If they simply let him go now, they would become the laughingstock of Themis Academy by morning.
Faced with this dilemma, Griffiths, the de facto leader among the Themis students, made a decisive move.
“There’s no choice! Everyone, attack together! I refuse to believe this guy can keep using his sorcery forever!” Grinding his teeth, Griffiths suddenly swung his crystal-energy sword forward and shouted fiercely at his companions.
“Right!” Griffiths’ words reignited the determination of the Themis students. Clenching their teeth, they responded to his call and launched their third general assault on Zhang Wen.
Of course, compared to the previous two attacks, the third assault by the Themis students clearly lacked the earlier confidence and determination, replaced instead by a sense of grim resolve in the face of the impossible.
The result of this shift in momentum was that the Themis students’ attacks became even more disorganized—meaning they were even easier for Zhang Wen to counter using his combat techniques.
Even without the support of Spring Water Technique battle energy, Zhang Wen could still skillfully weave through the remaining dozen or so chaotic Themis students using his nimble footwork and precise judgment.
The Themis students charged toward Zhang Wen like waves of suicide attackers, only to fall one after another, struck by their own bewildered comrades.
Moreover, due to the disarray in the Themis students’ attacks, Zhang Wen could no longer perfectly control their movements as he had before. He could only instinctively react to each incoming strike, redirecting it in another direction.
As a result, the Themis students inevitably ended up injuring each other. Within just a few minutes, six more Themis students had fallen, victims of their comrades’ blades.
The agonized cries of their wounded companions and the blood spilling from their wounds deeply shocked the Themis prodigies. These students usually enjoyed watching martial arts matches and were often stirred by the bloody scenes in the arena. However, when they realized that the blood flowing could just as easily be their own, the prodigies felt none of their usual excitement. All they felt was growing fear.
Finally, the girl who had previously taken out the monitor to film Zhang Wen was the first to break down. After watching helplessly as a companion’s crystal-energy sword narrowly sliced past her cheek, nearly cutting her face, her already sluggish movements abruptly froze like a paused film.
“N-no… please… no!” The girl’s eyes widened in terror, her voice trembling as she mumbled a few words before suddenly letting out a scream, dropping her crystal-energy sword and sprinting toward the exit of the training hall.
The girl’s flight immediately triggered a chain reaction among the Themis students. One after another, they soon gave up their attacks on Zhang Wen and fled toward the exit in panic.
In the chaos, the fleeing Themis students forgot who had the key to lock the door behind them. So they simply brandished their crystal-energy swords and severed the lock on the training hall’s door in one stroke.
Clang! The crystal-energy sword cut through the iron lock and slammed heavily onto the steel door of the training hall, producing a loud metallic crash.
“Tch! You cowards!” Griffiths shouted furiously at his fleeing companions.
During the previous assault on Zhang Wen, Griffiths had been the most aggressive, and thus had been “controlled” by Zhang Wen the most and attacked by others the most. His fear of Zhang Wen’s “sorcery” was far greater than that of his companions. Watching his companions flee, Griffiths, who had been gritting his teeth in resistance, could no longer hold on.
As for the injured comrades lying on the ground, Griffiths could only apologize silently in his heart. After all, Zhang Wen was at least an instructor from Almace Academy, and wouldn’t kill them outright.
Just as Griffiths faked an attack and prepared to flee, he suddenly noticed in surprise that the Themis students who had just escaped were now all walking back in with their heads down.
What happened now? Griffiths was greatly shocked. He certainly didn’t believe his companions had suddenly had a change of heart and returned to help him. Seeing their dejected expressions, Griffiths knew immediately—they must have been driven back. And whoever had forced these “prodigies” to return to the training hall must be someone whose authority was recognized by all in Themis Academy.
Regardless of which authority figure had forced the prodigies back into the training hall, Griffiths and his companions had certainly lost face today.
Damn it! Griffiths cursed inwardly, quickly sheathing his crystal-energy sword and walking toward his companions who had been driven back.
“It’s Director Gelt, Teacher Enklay, and a female instructor from Almace Academy’s spell arts department named Irina.” A Themis student who was close to Griffiths reported the names in a low, gloomy voice.
“Oh!” Griffiths nodded gloomily, finally understanding why his companions had suddenly become so obedient.
Seeing Griffiths and the returned Themis students standing meekly to the side, Zhang Wen guessed that instructors from Themis Academy must have arrived. Therefore, he didn’t bother with Griffiths and his group any further but instead walked directly to the three girls, casually cutting the ropes binding them.
Soon after, the Themis students who had fled the training hall were all driven back one by one. Then, Irina and two grim-faced Themis instructors entered the hall.
Among the two Themis instructors, Enklay had met Zhang Wen several times in Casares, so Zhang Wen recognized him immediately. The other instructor was a tall, bearded man with a five-star insignia on his shoulder—Zhang Wen instantly understood that this must be Gelt, the head instructor of the physical arts department at Themis Academy and a Saint-level martial artist.
As they entered the training hall, Irina and the two Themis instructors were immediately met with the sight of the injured students scattered around the floor. Seeing the shocking wounds and the blood spilled on the floor, the three instructors’ expressions grew even darker.
“Teacher Zhang Wen,” Gelt glared coldly at the helpless Griffiths before turning his icy gaze toward Zhang Wen. “Our students were unruly and played pranks on the visiting teachers, which was indeed their fault. I can understand Teacher Zhang Wen’s actions in disciplining them. However, as a representative instructor of the physical arts department, injuring the students so severely—doesn’t Teacher Zhang think this is excessive?”
“Excessive?” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but laugh at Gelt’s cold and angry tone. He had heard long ago that when people become extremely angry, they involuntarily laugh. Now, Zhang Wen finally understood the meaning of that saying.
“Why don’t I feel that way? To be honest, not killing these bastards directly was already showing great restraint on my part,” Zhang Wen said in the most relaxed tone possible.
“Damn it, what did you say?!” Enklay, who had entered the training hall just behind Gelt, flew into a rage, spewing curses as he stepped forward. Frankly speaking, if Gelt hadn’t been present, Enklay probably would have grabbed Zhang Wen by the collar already.
Among the injured Themis students on the ground, several were Enklay’s prized pupils. Seeing the bloodstains on their bodies, Enklay had long wanted to kill Zhang Wen with his own hands.
The two Themis instructors’ attitude of defending their students no matter what only fueled Zhang Wen’s anger to the peak.
Wanting to protect your own? Zhang Wen almost laughed out loud in his heart. What a coincidence! There’s someone here who’s just as protective!
“You didn’t hear me clearly when I said it so loudly? Are you deaf? I told you to keep your little hooligans in check. You’d better make them understand that they won’t always be this lucky to keep their lives!” Zhang Wen glanced coldly at the furious Enklay, continuing to spew venomous words.
“Teacher Zhang Wen, watch your language,” Irina suddenly frowned, clearly unable to bear watching Zhang Wen speak like this, as if he had caused her unbearable embarrassment. Her natural aversion to the physical arts department, combined with Zhang Wen’s almost rude words, left Irina not the slightest inclination to side with him.
Although they belonged to the same Almace Academy, Zhang Wen wasn’t the least bit surprised by this betrayal from his fellow teacher. “Watch my language?” Zhang Wen sneered sarcastically. “Teacher Irina, before you say such nonsense, shouldn’t you first remind these two gentlemen here to watch their own behavior?”
“You…” Hearing her warning dismissed as “nonsense,” Irina’s anger flared, her eyebrows furrowing as she gritted her teeth.
“Enough! I will not tolerate anyone insulting Themis…” Gelt glared coldly at Zhang Wen again, his eyes filled with an unyielding authority, as if he were a judge sitting high on the bench and Zhang Wen was the criminal about to be sentenced.
“Enough!” Before Gelt could finish, Zhang Wen threw the word back at him. Just like Gelt, Zhang Wen also stared coldly at him, as if he were just a defendant awaiting judgment.
Whether it was Gelt and Enklay from Themis Academy or Irina from Almace Academy, all of them were shocked speechless when they heard Zhang Wen’s authoritative “Enough!” The students standing behind the instructors were equally stunned.
An Almace physical arts instructor had actually scolded the head instructor of Themis Academy in front of everyone! When had those softies, who always seemed spineless, gained such courage?
Everyone stared wide-eyed at Zhang Wen, so shocked that the Themis students even forgot that the man scolding them was the very Zhang Wen who had just rebuked their head instructor!
The first to recover from the incredible shock was Enklay. When this Themis instructor finally realized what Zhang Wen had just done, his eyes instantly turned as furious as a dragon in a rage.
“You bastard…” Enklay’s neck swelled with anger.
“Shut up!” Before Enklay’s curse could even leave his mouth, Zhang Wen had already silenced him with a louder shout.
“All of you, stop your nonsense!” Zhang Wen’s icy gaze swept over Gelt and Enklay. “Insulting Themis Academy? Hmph! Face isn’t given by others—it’s earned by oneself! You dare to do shameful things and expect me to speak well of you?”
“You… you…” Zhang Wen’s merciless words left Enklay sputtering with rage.
“What about it? Did I say anything wrong? You think you’re angry? Your little temper is nothing! My anger is a thousand times worse than yours!”
“Teacher Zhang Wen!” Irina also flushed with anger.
However, Irina’s anger wasn’t so much about Zhang Wen’s disrespectful words toward Gelt and Enklay. Frankly speaking, what did it matter to Irina how Zhang Wen insulted the Themis people? But what Irina couldn’t tolerate was that Zhang Wen had actually ignored her warning and was getting even more brazen!
In previous Almace visiting delegations, the spell arts department had always been the natural leader. The physical arts instructors had always obeyed the spell arts department’s commands without question. When Irina discovered that Zhang Wen had gone missing from the inn, she had immediately brought Enklay and Gelt to the training hall.
In Irina’s imagination, as soon as she arrived at the training hall, wouldn’t Zhang Wen immediately burst into tears of gratitude, kneeling at her feet begging for her help? So, Irina had confidently resolved to give this “stupid” physical arts teacher a profound lesson! In front of Gelt and Enklay, Irina had already boasted that she would properly “discipline” Zhang Wen.
But now, in front of Gelt, Enklay, and a group of Themis students, Zhang Wen had completely ignored Irina’s presence. Or rather, this mere representative of the physical arts department had dared to defy the dignity of the spell arts department! Such an “insult” was something Irina, who had always looked down on Zhang Wen, could never tolerate.
When you clearly disobeyed Director Kaelena’s orders, how dare you now act so self-righteously, as if you were the one in the right! Irina glared at Zhang Wen, her teeth clenched so tightly she felt like biting him to death.
“Oh! Teacher Irina, when did you join Themis Academy?”
“What… what did you say?!”
“Isn’t it clear enough? Blaming others without understanding the situation, thinking nothing of their own actions as long as they’re in the wrong—that’s exactly the way these two Themis instructors behave, isn’t it?” Zhang Wen’s sharp sarcasm mocked both Irina and the Themis instructors together.
“Cough… cough…” Irina was so mocked by Zhang Wen that she couldn’t utter a word. Her face flushed red as she kept exhaling heavily, feeling that the man before her was becoming more and more detestable, more and more detestable!
However, just as Irina was nearly gnashing her teeth in fury, the three girls rescued by Zhang Wen finally untied the ropes binding their hands and feet and walked out from behind the pile of equipment at the back of the training hall.
“J-jalit, Amelis? What are you doing here?” Seeing the suddenly appearing female students, thirty-year-old spell arts teacher Irina was greatly shocked.
“Hmph! Do you even need to ask? Of course, it’s their doing!” Without waiting for Zhang Wen to answer, Xiao Xi raised her pretty face, angrily glancing at the Themis students in the distance.
“That’s impossible!” Irina instinctively exclaimed. Admitting that Xiao Xi was right would mean acknowledging that everything Zhang Wen had done was justified! Irina couldn’t bear such embarrassment.
Unfortunately, when Irina turned her head to look at the group of Themis students, her heart sank.
All the Themis students had their heads bowed low, and even a fool could see that Xiao Xi was telling the truth!
“You idiots! Did you really lay your hands on Almace Academy’s students?” Enklay glared fiercely at his subordinates.
“We… we…” All the Themis students kept their heads down, fearing that anyone who dared to raise their head might become Enklay’s scapegoat.
Griffiths, being the leader of the Themis students, naturally had to speak up for his subordinates at this moment. He hesitantly lifted his head slightly and muttered to Enklay.
“Well… it’s not entirely our fault. We brought them back because they agreed to come with us…”
“What did you say?!” Xiao Xi’s fury flared, her hair practically standing on end, her battle energy crackling.
“We didn’t lie! It was you who approached us first, and then you willingly came with us!”
“You lying bastard, I’ll kill you!” Xiao Xi’s ninth-stage battle energy instantly surged to its maximum, and in a rage, she charged toward Griffiths.
“Wha—” The power displayed by the furious Xiao Xi startled Griffiths for a moment, but then he joyfully shouted toward Gelt and Enklay.
“Director Gelt! Teacher Enklay! Look! Look!”
“Hmph!” Gelt and Enklay’s faces first showed surprise at Xiao Xi’s outburst, but then quickly turned to calmness. Irina, meanwhile, proudly lifted her chin.
“Xiao Xi!” Zhang Wen grabbed Xiao Xi’s arm, stopping the furious girl from rushing forward.
“Why are you stopping me? That guy is lying! When did we ever agree to their despicable actions?” Xiao Xi shouted furiously at Zhang Wen.
“Is that so? Xiao Xi, lying isn’t something a good student should do. Teacher Zhang Wen, how do you usually teach your students? Don’t disgrace Almace Academy in front of outsiders,” Irina said in a stern tone, as if she were deeply angered by Xiao Xi’s behavior. However, the look in her eyes fixed on Zhang Wen was full of mockery.
“Teacher Zhang Wen, the situation is now clear,” Enklay said mockingly as he spread his hands. “Although I don’t know why your student chose to cooperate with our students, it’s clear now that she definitely wasn’t forced by my students.”
“What nonsense are you talking about!”
“Xiao Xi!” Zhang Wen grabbed the furious girl, who was on the verge of attacking Enklay, her eyes filled with an unprecedented severity.
“Teacher Zhang!” Xiao Xi pouted unhappily.
“They clearly…”
“Haha! Young lady, it’s not good to accuse others first,” Enklay smiled easily. “I know exactly how capable Griffiths and his group are. If you weren’t willing to cooperate with them, what power do they have to subdue a ninth-stage martial artist like you?”
“This… this is…” The furious Xiao Xi was left speechless by Enklay’s question. She mumbled a few grieved words but couldn’t think of any reasonable explanation. Finally, she could only lower her head in frustration, the little red hair that had been so fiercely standing up now drooping limply.
“Teacher Zhang Wen, although this time your student willingly cooperated with Griffiths and his group, I can understand your concern for your student’s safety. So, if you now apologize to the students you injured from our school and to Director Gelt, whom you insulted, we can let bygones be bygones,” Enklay stepped closer to Zhang Wen, smiling as if offering a favor.
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