Chapter 56: The Escalating Uproar
This young man, like Fang Qingyun and Zhao Junyi, was on the verge of becoming a warrior. He’d come to the Spirit Pressure Chamber to absorb the last of the spiritual energy, only to have someone smash the door open. The shock nearly sent him to his grave.
How could something like this happen in the most important area of the Research Institute, the Spirit Pressure Chamber? He was withstanding thousands of pounds of pressure while absorbing spiritual energy—a task requiring meticulous care. The sudden fright caused him to lose his breath, but when faced with the cold, dark lion gazing at him, his rage vanished instantly.
Fang Qingyun waved his hand and said, “Step aside.”
“Alright!” The young man responded, but couldn’t resist asking, “What exactly is going on?”
He expected Fang Qingyun not to answer, but to his surprise, Fang Qingyun explained seriously.
“Something happened. The pressure in the Spirit Chamber has gone haywire—it’s auto-increasing, and the door is locked. We can’t get out.”
“What?” The young man froze.
He instinctively thought Fang Qingyun was making things up, but seeing Fang Qingyun’s earnest expression, he suppressed his doubts. Moreover, with such a commotion, no one from the Research Institute had come to check. That was highly abnormal.
Were the people here pigs? Their most crucial area was in trouble, yet they did nothing? Was this young man actually saving him?
Fang Qingyun sighed and said, “Don’t think I’m joking. I was just inside the Spirit Chamber, enduring ten thousand pounds of pressure—it nearly crushed me.”
The young man was shocked, but his eyes brimmed with disbelief. “No way.”
“What do you think?” Fang Qingyun said coolly. “If I weren’t already a warrior, I’d have died in there. Want to try my room? It’s Room Seven.”
As he spoke, Fang Qingyun directed the dark lion to destroy another room. Out came a young man, his face full of gloom.
He was straightforward.
“I heard what you said, but I don’t believe it. I want to try!”
Bang!
Bang!
Room after room was opened.
“We don’t believe it either. We want to see for ourselves!”
One by one, the young aspirants stepped out from their rooms, both male and female. All were candidates from Flower City and neighboring cities, here at the Institute to absorb spiritual energy before becoming warriors. With so much commotion, how could they not know? They had been eavesdropping by the doors, listening intently.
Seeing Fang Qingyun about to destroy each room, they decided it was better to come out themselves.
Soon, the young man who had gone to Room Seven returned, his expression grim.
“Well?” Fang Qingyun asked calmly. “Was it ten thousand pounds of pressure?”
The youths exchanged glances. The first one who’d gone in spoke, “It’s not ten thousand pounds now, but judging by the marks inside, there was unimaginable pressure before.”
How many fools could make it here? It wasn’t as if they couldn’t detect if you reset the pressure to several thousand pounds.
“Enough hesitation. Let’s leave the Spirit Chamber first,” Fang Qingyun said coolly. “See that iron door? It’s obviously intended to keep us in.”
“Hmph!” A young man snorted coldly. “You think this will stop us? Dream on!”
The youths stopped being polite, ready to leave first and discuss later. For the Spirit Pressure Chamber, the Institute’s most vital place, to have such trouble and no one coming to check—it was suspect.
…
The director silently watched from the monitoring room, sighing helplessly.
Fang Qingyun was too decisive. After realizing he was being blocked, he simply summoned everyone else absorbing spiritual energy.
Now, more than a dozen people—Flower City and the best youths from surrounding cities—were gathered. Such power, even the Research Institute dared not provoke.
Though he had no interest in the other youths, he couldn’t very well go up and say, “I won’t harm you; my only target is Fang Qingyun.” Nonsense!
The director stood, shaking his head lightly, and spoke to his silent assistant. “Handle it.”
“Yes!”
…
“Li Xinhui, stop!” A shout rang out.
Old Li turned, his brows furrowed.
Zhao Junhong had been seized.
“Old Li, don’t stop!” Zhao Junhong’s voice was icy. “They won’t dare harm me.”
A knife pierced through Zhao Junhong’s arm. He grunted, but his eyes held no fear—only endless coldness.
He stared frostily at the attacker and said, “You’ve got guts. But, you bastard, why not aim for a vital spot?”
The attacker was surprised by Zhao Junhong’s attitude.
“Go on!” Zhao Junhong shouted with contempt. “If you don’t kill me, you’re not even worthy to be my grandson.”
“Old Li, keep going, finish him off, let’s see how these people deal with me. Will they kill me outright, or torture me? If I so much as blink, I’ll be your grandson!”
“You…”
The attacker’s face darkened. “You think I won’t?”
“Save your breath. If you’re going to do it, do it.”
Zhao Junhong thought for a moment, then…
“Ha!”
“You…”
The attacker hadn’t expected that move—Zhao Junhong slapped him in the face, nearly making him spit blood in anger.
“What, you want motivation? Go ahead, carve me up!”
“Enough, Zhao Junhong, shut up!” Old Li snapped, coldly. He stopped, and said frostily, “Return my two students and I’ll leave at once. Otherwise, it’s ruin for all!”
The Institute’s people were indifferent.
Ruin for all? You wish!
Look whose territory you’re standing on.
Old Li said dispassionately, “Do you think I’m joking? Wrong. When I entered, Flower City’s lord told me clearly—if I’m not out in an hour and a half, and lose contact, he’ll take action. What do you think he’ll do?”
The faces of the Institute’s people changed.
Who is Flower City’s strongest? Perhaps no one truly knows. But when it comes to power, it’s certainly the city lord.
Someone said coldly, “Are you kidding? Who do you think you are? The city lord would go against the Institute for your sake?”
“I’m not joking,” Old Li shook his head. “The two students I brought—one is the champion from Aoki District, the other is the top scholar. Both were named by Snake King Liu Hen to enter the Northwestern Military Academy. Do you think the city lord wouldn’t care about them?”
The faces of the Institute’s people changed completely, now tinged with fear.
Snake King? Liu Hen? That maniac butcher.
He’s considered a demon by the Demon Empire, and feared by even more humans.
And Fang Qingyun’s group were his chosen ones? Impossible!
But according to their intelligence, the Snake King had indeed recently appeared around Flower City.
Now, the Institute’s people began to stir uneasily.
They were proud, confident—but who could remain calm before that butcher?
Many cast their gaze at the leader.
His face was grim, uncertain.
He never wanted trouble, but he wasn’t in charge—he was just following orders.
Old Li’s cold voice sounded again. “You’d better decide soon. Time is running out.”
The leader’s expression grew anxious.
What should he do?
As he struggled, suddenly a cracking sound echoed nearby.
He turned instinctively.
Boom!
A deafening explosion rang out, followed by a mighty lion’s roar.
Roar!
The dark lion smashed through the wall and charged out, followed by a dozen youths.
“You…”
The leader was stunned.
He was still deliberating, and suddenly they appeared. And the Institute’s wall—broken by a few would-be warriors?
What on earth was happening?!