Chapter 44: Injustice

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Gazing at the white crane behind the old dean, Hong Xiao’s expression changed abruptly, and a spectral bird also materialized behind him. It was a slender, elongated bird of icy blue hue, with long tail feathers and a crest, especially the tail feathers, which fluttered like long blue ribbons trailing behind it, even longer than its entire body. Everyone recognized this spiritual species as the Blizzard Feather Kite, a type of spirit creature born only on snow-capped mountains where the snow never melts year-round.

Though beautiful in appearance, it was fiercely aggressive, prone to attacking any other creatures that appeared on the snowy mountains—a stark contrast to the temperament of the old dean’s White Feather Azure Crane. Wherever Blizzard Feather Kites roamed, no other living beings dared to appear, as they were ruthlessly slain.

The White Feather Azure Crane let out a cry, “Lii~,” followed by the Blizzard Feather Kite’s own piercing call, “Woo~.” The two formidable beings faced each other silently, their immense pressures colliding. Within the office, a gale arose, causing the curtains on the walls to flutter wildly.

Under this overwhelming aura, several of Star’s underlings grew pale, especially Pan Honghong, who was already injured. She felt her vital energy surge uncontrollably, as if she might spew blood at any moment. The janitor teacher quickly placed a hand on her shoulder, which eased her discomfort somewhat.

In truth, even the janitor teacher and Lan Ziying, both B-rank spiritualists, were strained by the pressure. The standoff lasted for an unknown length of time until Hong Xiao finally emitted a muffled grunt, and the spectral image of the Blizzard Feather Kite behind him gradually dissipated.

Soon after, the White Feather Azure Crane behind the old dean also slowly vanished. Clearly, the outcome had been decided.

Hong Xiao’s face darkened as he said, “I didn’t expect, Old Dean, that you still wield your blade with such skill.”

The old dean smiled. “It’s not that I’m still sharp, but I still have some strength and means left. You’re also an academy graduate. Let this old man give you one last lesson: young people should never be too arrogant.”

Hearing this, Hong Xiao’s expression grew colder.

“Thank you for your teaching, Old Dean!” he said, casually pulling a bag from his Spirit Rune wristband and tossing it onto the desk before rising and addressing Lan Ziying, “Let’s go!”

With that, he strode forward. Lan Ziying quickly followed, casting a sinister glance at Star and her companions as they left.

“Old Dean, they haven’t apologized yet,” Pan Honghong complained unhappily.

But the old dean shook his head. “Young lady, know when to stop.”

“But—”

Still shaking his head, the old dean silenced her. Pan Honghong swallowed her words.

The old dean picked up the bag Hong Xiao had left on the desk and emptied it, revealing several items clattering across the surface. As he sorted them, he remarked, “Compensation is already good.”

He divided the items into two portions, beckoning Pan Honghong and Lu Xiangxiang to the desk. Each took their place, and the old dean pushed the larger portion to Pan Honghong and the smaller one to Lu Xiangxiang.

Lu Xiangxiang said angrily, “Dean, this isn’t what we want. We only want justice!”

Pan Honghong unusually agreed, “Exactly, we just want justice!”

The old dean smiled warmly. “Young ladies, you must learn to be flexible. Justice is one of the hardest things to obtain in this world. What’s wrong with compensation? Accept the benefits and don’t be too particular. Being too demanding might bring trouble upon yourself!”

His words shocked the young Lu Xiangxiang and Pan Honghong, shattering their worldview. To them, justice was a given; to the dean, it was one of the rarest things in the world.

“Take it,” the old dean repeated.

Dejected, Pan Honghong and Lu Xiangxiang stored the compensation into their Spirit Rune wristbands. Pan Honghong received 50 Spirit Energy Crystals, while Lu Xiangxiang got 20.

Spirit Energy Crystals were an upgraded form of Spirit Energy Gems—one crystal was worth ten gems. Above these were even more valuable Spirit Energy Jewels and Spirit Energy Crystals of finer quality.

(Note: 1 Spirit Energy Jewel = 10 Spirit Energy Crystals.
1 Spirit Energy Fine Crystal = 10 Spirit Energy Jewels.)

Exiting the dean’s office, Pan Honghong and Lu Xiangxiang both wore troubled expressions.

Pan Honghong suddenly embraced Star, crying out in distress, “Xingxing!”

Star gently patted Pan Honghong’s back in silent comfort, understanding her feelings. As a young person with a strong sense of justice who had joined the alliance with fervor and dreams of punishing evil, she now faced the harsh reality of injustice with helplessness—a crushing contrast.

Lu Xiangxiang was also suffering emotionally.

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Though a punk girl, Lu Xiangxiang held her own sense of justice, which was why she hadn’t hesitated to intervene when Pan Honghong was attacked.

After releasing Pan Honghong, Star spoke to Lu Xiangxiang and Mei Xiaohuan, “Thank you both for your help this time.” Without their timely intervention, who knew what might have happened to Pan Honghong. Their rescue had not been in vain.

In the end, Pan Honghong had been caught up in her own troubles.

At this thought, a storm seemed to brew in Star’s deep eyes.

She had been naive to think it would be simple; she believed that since everyone was from the alliance, retaliation would be tempered by caution. Yet, in the end, strength ruled supreme in this world.

“Hmph, I wasn’t helping you out of kindness!” Lu Xiangxiang dismissed Star’s gratitude disdainfully and turned to leave with Mei Xiaohuan.

Out of courtesy, Mei Xiaohuan glanced back at Star with an apologetic look.

After they left, Star told Pan Honghong, “Honghong, skip the afternoon class. Go home and rest.”

“Mm~ I feel terrible right now,” Pan Honghong nodded obediently, no longer trying to be tough.

Star supported Pan Honghong, intending to escort her to the school gate.

Just as they stepped outside, Hong Xiao and Lan Ziying emerged from a corner and approached Star.

Instinctively, Pan Honghong tried to shield Star, but Star pulled her behind herself.

“You must be Yu Fanxing?” Hong Xiao asked.

“That’s me. What do you want?” she replied.

“I heard you have the marsh beauty. Name your price—I want her!” His tone was confident, as if Fanxing would sell her without question.

Star ignored him and turned to Pan Honghong, “Go home and rest well.”

Pan Honghong nodded, took out a Spirit Energy card, and summoned her flying mount, the Batwing Dragon.

Seeing Star’s attitude, Hong Xiao’s face flickered with anger. As an A-rank spiritualist, a top-tier expert just below S-rank, he had never been treated so coldly.

“Yu Fanxing, I’m talking to you!” he said, suppressing his fury.

But Star still ignored him, patting Pan Honghong, who had mounted the Batwing Dragon. “Go quickly.”

Pan Honghong glanced nervously at Hong Xiao and Lan Ziying, then at Star.

Star smiled and shook her head, saying again, “Go quickly.”

Knowing she could do no good by staying, Pan Honghong reluctantly flew away on her mount.

At this, Hong Xiao said, “Yu Fanxing, do you believe that with just a word from me, you won’t be able to stay in Rainbow Light City or Rainbow Light Market?”

Just as she was about to leave, Star stopped, turned, and looked at him, “You’re welcome to try!”

If worse came to worst, she could leave the Spiritist Alliance. There were plenty of black spiritualists; one more wouldn’t matter.

“Good, very good. You’ve got guts!” Hong Xiao laughed bitterly, “Then just wait.”

He turned sharply and left with Lan Ziying.

Watching their backs, Star felt she could not swallow this humiliation. Revenge—she would have her revenge. She was never one to swallow insults silently.

A plan of retaliation slowly took shape in her mind.

The afternoon passed in a flash. After school, she did not go home but changed into human disguise and quietly ventured into Rainbow Light City.

After some inquiry, she found the Shen Monkey Squad’s city base—the Shen Monkey Squad Branch Building.

The location was not hard to find, being a branch of one of the famous Twelve Squads.

Once there, Star crouched in the shadows, silently observing.

Around six in the evening, Bai Xiaoguan, Ning Xia’er, and Qian Shu cheerfully emerged from the Shen Monkey Squad building.

Star quietly followed them.

Unbeknownst to her, as she left, another person arrived at the Shen Monkey Squad branch—openly and without stealth.

He was Wu Jingyuan, the captain of the Si Snake Squad, Pan Honghong’s ex-boyfriend, and an S-rank powerhouse.

Wu Jingyuan’s pace was swift as he entered the branch building without pause.

Everyone said Wu Jingyuan, who had contracted an evil spirit species, was a madman—and indeed he was, especially in battle.

Shortly after entering, a huge dark green serpent burst through a window, coiling around the entire building, nearly the same size as the structure itself. Its cold, emerald eyes ruthlessly scanned everything inside.

Wu Jingyuan stood atop the serpent’s head.

Not long after, Hong Xiao and many Shen Monkey Squad members fled the building in panic. As soon as they emerged, the entire building collapsed with a thunderous crash under the serpent’s crushing grip.

Wu Jingyuan’s voice echoed in the night sky: “Listen up! Some people shouldn’t be provoked. Today I spare your lives, but next time it may not be the same.”

With that, the serpent soared into the sky, vanishing into the dark.

Hong Xiao’s face shifted like a painter’s palette, changing repeatedly before settling into humiliation and unwillingness.

The opponent was the Si Snake Squad captain, an S-rank expert. No matter how unwilling he was, what could he do? Even if their own captain came, they would have to show respect.

After all, if Wu Jingyuan went mad, no one but the Chen Long Squad captain could control him.

Hong Xiao should be grateful—Wu Jingyuan had shown mercy this time. Normally, if Wu Jingyuan lost control, Hong Xiao would surely die.

At this moment, Hong Xiao even thought Wu Jingyuan was backing Fanxing, and thought to himself: no wonder he’s so reckless—he has a powerful backer!

What a misunderstanding!

Thanks to Wu Jingyuan’s warning, Hong Xiao dared not trouble Fanxing again.

Unaware of this, Fanxing followed the three men until they entered a restaurant and a private room.

They were there to dine.

Fanxing watched them enter and soon saw waiters bringing dishes.

As a waiter turned the corner, Fanxing, shifting into a ghostly form, suddenly appeared and struck the waiter unconscious with a palm strike. She then donned the waiter’s uniform and replaced him to serve the three.

Unbeknownst to them, Fanxing had added Taisui’s blood and flesh into the food.

Once all dishes were served, Fanxing, still in waiter attire, stood inside the private room watching them.

Bai Xiaoguan said, “Since the dishes are all here, you can leave now.”

Fanxing smiled and bowed slightly. “Very well, enjoy your meal.”

She then opened the door and left.

Soon, the private room echoed with their laughter, chatter, and clinking cups.

The squad captain and team leaders had helped them seek “justice” today, boosting their pride.

“Joining the Shen Monkey Squad is great—no one dares bully us! Hahaha!” Bai Xiaoguan raised his glass and drank deeply.

Ning Xia’er sipped her juice and said, “Yeah, a mere newcomer dared fight us. Even if strong, facing our captain, he’s nothing but a turtle!”

For the sake of pride, Hong Xiao and Lan Ziying did not tell Bai Xiaoguan and the others that they had actually suffered losses at the Micro Light Academy.

The three chatted excitedly, one after another.

When they were nearly done eating, Fanxing pushed the door open and entered, still dressed as a waiter.

Seeing her, Qian Shu frowned, “What are you doing here? We didn’t call you!”

Fanxing’s gaze darkened, and her thin lips parted coldly, “Shut up!”

Qian Shu immediately found himself unable to speak.

Ning Xia’er sensed something was wrong and asked coldly, “Who are you?”

Dressed in human disguise as a man, Fanxing naturally was not recognized as the very person they were discussing.

She smiled sweetly, “Guess.”

Bai Xiaoguan, oblivious to the danger, said coldly, “Didn’t you hear me? Get out, now!”

Fanxing’s face turned cold. “I didn’t give you permission to speak. Talk too much, slap yourself!”

Bai Xiaoguan watched helplessly as his own hand raised uncontrollably and struck his face repeatedly.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

After dozens of blows, his face swelled grotesquely.

Only then did the three begin to fear, bewildered as to how they had angered such a person.

After Bai Xiaoguan finished, Fanxing approached and stuffed a piece of Taisui meat into his mouth. She had tasks for him later; a swollen face would be no good.

Upon swallowing, Bai Xiaoguan’s face immediately returned to normal. The other two looked on as if seeing a ghost.

Ning Xia’er’s voice trembled, “W-what do you want?”

Fanxing smiled. “Nothing much, just asking you to do me a favor.”

Ning Xia’er asked, “What favor?”

Fanxing replied nonchalantly, “Kill—help me kill Hong Xiao and Lan Ziying.”

The three’s faces changed drastically.

“Impossible!” Bai Xiaoguan exclaimed.

Fanxing turned to look at him sharply. “Say that again?”

Suddenly Bai Xiaoguan seemed lost, his eyes vacant, and he respectfully said, “Master, we will do it.”

Ning Xia’er and Qian Shu stared at Bai Xiaoguan in disbelief.

“Xiaoguan, you…”

But soon, they too followed Bai Xiaoguan’s lead.

Minutes later, Bai Xiaoguan, Ning Xia’er, and Qian Shu left the restaurant, walking toward the Shen Monkey Squad Branch Building.