Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Coercion
"Congratulations, Vice Director Chen!"
"Congratulations, Vice Director Chen!"
The teachers present all hurried forward to offer their congratulations.
An in-name disciple of the Vice Director held no ordinary status.
Wang Hu watched this with a gratified expression.
Chen Guanggu looked at Shen Daoxing and said, "Celestial City Academy is considered the top academy in the Martial Kingdom. As its Vice Director, I, Chen Guanggu, do not accept disciples lightly. I have a few things to say."
"Please speak, Vice Director," Shen Daoxing said, cupping his fist.
Chen Guanggu nodded slightly. "Just now, I watched you pass through the Dean’s Forest. More than fifty of your acupoints were awakened, which shows your bloodline mark is exceptional. I wonder, what kind of Cultivation Technique are you practicing that can awaken so many acupoints?"
More than fifty acupoints!?
Everyone around was shocked to hear this.
In the Martial Kingdom, awakening fifty acupoints with a bloodline mark was enough to be considered a heaven-sent genius. However, it also required a corresponding Cultivation Technique to awaken that many.
To this day, there was no Heart Method in the Martial Kingdom capable of utilizing more than fifty acupoints.
At once, a fervent look appeared in the eyes of everyone from Celestial City Academy.
If Shen Daoxing was willing to donate this Cultivation Technique to Celestial City Academy, the academy would undoubtedly gain an advantage over the other two major academies and attract even more geniuses.
This was a contribution that would benefit generations to come!
Shen Daoxing’s expression remained impassive, but inwardly, his brow furrowed.
’How can I just tell people about the Annihilation of Ten Thousand Swords Technique?’
Seeing Shen Daoxing remain silent, a teacher from Celestial City Academy couldn’t help but say, "Your master is asking you a question. Why haven’t you answered?"
Shen Daoxing took a deep breath. "I’d like to keep some secrets of my own."
In short, he absolutely could not tell anyone about the Annihilation of Ten Thousand Swords Technique.
"My disciple, I am only doing this for your own good."
Although Chen Guanggu was displeased, he still spoke in an earnest tone. "If I don’t understand the Heart Method you’re currently cultivating, the Martial Techniques I teach you in the future might conflict with it. That would only end up harming you."
Shen Daoxing shook his head. "The Heart Method I’m cultivating is gentle and balanced. It won’t conflict with any Martial Techniques, so you can rest assured."
Unexpectedly, the eyes of the Celestial City Academy members lit up.
Not only could Shen Daoxing’s Heart Method awaken numerous acupoints, but it also didn’t conflict with any Martial Techniques. This meant anyone could learn it. It was an absolute treasure.
One of the academy teachers cleared his throat. "Daoxing, what kind of Heart Method is this? For it to be so miraculous?"
Shen Daoxing’s voice was heavy. "As I just said, this is my secret. Please forgive me, but I cannot tell you!"
"Hmph!?"
Chen Guanggu was starting to lose face.
What do experts value most? Face.
Especially renowned experts like him. If word of today’s events got out, he would surely become a laughingstock.
’I ask a prospective student about his Heart Method, and he actually hides it from me? Is he afraid I’ll covet it?’
Chen Guanggu’s brow furrowed. "Disciple, are you going to disobey your master’s words now?"
Shen Daoxing shook his head, unwilling to change his stance over a mere threat.
"Insolent!"
Chen Guanggu barked, a cold aura slowly rising from his body. "Hmph! What is the punishment for defying your master’s orders!?"
As Chen Guanggu’s anger flared, the atmosphere instantly grew tense. Everyone felt the oppressive calm before a storm.
Although Chen Guanggu wasn’t intentionally trying to overwhelm Shen Daoxing.
But the might of a Spirit Transformation Realm expert was not something a cultivator at the Profound Platform Realm like Shen Daoxing could withstand.
Wang Hu stepped in front of Shen Daoxing, blocking the oppressive might. He tried to smooth things over, saying, "Vice Director, I think Shen Daoxing has only just joined Celestial City Academy. He isn’t familiar with our ways yet. There’s no need to be so angry. This is all just a small matter."
Chen Guanggu took a deep breath and tried to persuade him with a softer tone. "You must understand, I am the Vice Director of Celestial City Academy. Why would I ever covet your Heart Method?"
"As long as you contribute your Heart Method now, I, Chen Guanggu, will pretend your transgression today never happened."
Shen Daoxing straightened his clothes and looked Chen Guanggu directly in the eye. His tone was level as he asked, "I would like to know, what transgression have I committed?"
Chen Guanggu’s expression turned grim, clearly on the verge of an outburst.
Seeing this, Qin Xiaoyue couldn’t help but think to herself, ’This Shen Daoxing is such a fool.’
Wang Hu’s heart sank. ’Something bad is about to happen.’
He had personally witnessed Shen Daoxing’s journey and knew he was a man of integrity, not one to compromise his principles.
In this situation, if no one backed down, things would spiral out of control.
Shen Daoxing took a deep breath and continued, "I, Shen Daoxing, am a person of little virtue or ability, and it seems I am not fated to study at Celestial City Academy. Although I have come here today, I have not yet performed the disciple-acceptance ceremony. Therefore, I cannot be considered the Vice Director’s disciple."
"Since that’s the case, I won’t disturb you any longer. Farewell!"
With that, Shen Daoxing started walking down the mountain.
Chen Guanggu and the others were stunned by his words.
They were clearly at a loss for how to react.
But Chen Guanggu quickly composed himself and shouted, "Wait!"
"What is it?"
Shen Daoxing laughed. "Could it be that Vice Director Chen still wants to pin the crime of ’defying a master’s order’ on me and teach this junior a lesson?"
Chen Guanggu’s brow tightened. Shen Daoxing himself had stated that he had not become a disciple, so the charge of defying a master’s order naturally couldn’t stand.
Just then, Luo Fei snapped back to his senses and said with a face full of anger, "Is our Celestial City Academy some place you can just come and go as you please?"
"First you came here for special admission, then you made us assess you. You’ve clearly been wasting our time and making a fool of us! If you just walk away today, what will become of Celestial City Academy’s prestige?"
Luo Fei instantly turned hostile, pointing at Shen Daoxing, his voice resounding and powerful.
"The prestige of the entire Yellow Stone Sect? That’s quite a label to pin on me!"
Shen Daoxing turned around and said sarcastically, "I’m sure there are people here who also entered Celestial City Academy with prior training."
"I’d like to ask, before you entered the academy, were you required to reveal every Heart Method you had ever cultivated? If not, may I assume that you are deliberately making things difficult for me?"
Luo Fei rebuked him angrily, "Insolent! What kind of status do you have that would even be worth us making things difficult for you!?"
Shen Daoxing’s attitude was far too disrespectful.
Wang Hu, watching from the side, saw how tense the standoff had become.
He knew in his heart that if this continued, Shen Daoxing would likely have a very difficult time walking out of the Yellow Stone Sect’s main hall today.
Thinking of this, Wang Hu quickly said, "This was supposed to be a happy occasion. Why must it turn out like this?"
"In my opinion, if Daoxing is unwilling to speak about his Cultivation Technique, he must have his reasons. There’s no need for us to force his hand. We can wait and discuss it again when there’s a better opportunity..."
"Shut up!"
Chen Guanggu’s expression was utterly foul as he cut Wang Hu off.
All of Celestial City Mountain instantly fell silent, as if a world-ending storm was about to break at any moment.
After all, Shen Daoxing was supposed to become his disciple, and now he was refusing.
If word of this got out, his reputation would undoubtedly take a significant blow.
Therefore, he had to find a way to remedy the situation.
