Chapter 54: Compared to Him, What Is a Martial Champion?

“Who says it’s not against the rules! The school might not prohibit duels, but this kid is clearly looking for trouble!” A deep, resonant voice rang out from the doorway.

Everyone turned to see a tall, burly upperclassman enter. He bore a slight resemblance to Lu Yu, but his features were more ruthless, his presence more intimidating.

At the sight of him, Lu Yu nearly burst into tears. “Brother! You have to avenge me!”

Lu Ming cast a glance at the battered Lu Yu, then shifted his gaze to Xiang Nan.

“Hey, kid, who gave you the guts to go up against the Lu family?”

Xiang Nan chuckled lightly. “Does your family lack courage that much? You have to borrow it from others? I’ve got plenty to spare.”

Lu Ming’s expression grew sinister. “You’re stirring up trouble. According to school regulations, expulsion wouldn’t be too harsh!”

Those students who had been fawning over Lu Yu earlier now perked up with excitement.

“That’s right, he started the whole thing—Young Master Lu didn’t do anything wrong.”

“He should be expelled for this!”

Standing nearby, Lin Chuchu was so anxious she nearly crushed her own fingers. Summoning her courage, she stepped forward. “Teacher Xie, it really wasn’t Xiang Nan who started this. If anyone provoked a fight, it was Lu Yu.”

Su Yao, who’d been watching the spectacle with amusement, nudged Xiang Nan. “Earlier you were a hero saving a damsel in distress, now the damsel’s saving you!”

Xiang Nan nudged her back. “Would you stop stirring the pot? Do you really want to see me expelled?”

Su Yao grinned. “So what if you are? Wouldn’t it be great to go back and take over the Eagle League?”

At the side, Xie Lun twitched at the corners of his mouth. He was familiar with this year’s students—especially Xiang Nan, whom the principal had personally recruited from another city. There was no way he’d be expelled that easily. Besides, he knew well how domineering the Lu family could be. Hearing Lin Chuchu’s words, he’d already made up his mind.

“Lu Ming, this is a matter for the first-year class. As an upperclassman, don’t you think it’s inappropriate to interfere? As for whether Xiang Nan instigated this, I’ll get to the bottom of it as the class teacher.”

Lu Ming was momentarily taken aback, surprised that Xie Lun would take the freshman’s side.

He snorted coldly. “So, Teacher Xie, you’re intent on shielding your own students, are you?”

Xie Lun stood firm. “That’s not for you to decide. There are plenty of witnesses here, and the school has surveillance. The facts will speak for themselves.”

Lu Yu, battered and bruised, glanced at Lu Ming with a flicker of guilt in his eyes.

Lu Ming, of course, knew his brother’s temperament well. Their family held influential positions in the Spiritual Martial Association, accustomed to using their power to get their way.

Just then, a gentle-faced female teacher entered, carrying a box in her hands. She glanced around, then walked straight toward Xiang Nan.

“You must be Xiang Nan?”

“Yes,” Xiang Nan replied with a nod.

“I’m Li Mei, the Spiritual Pearl administrator from the Academic Affairs Office. These are the Spiritual Pearls the principal instructed me to deliver to you. I waited for ages and didn’t see you, so I decided to bring them here myself.”

As she spoke, she handed the box to Xiang Nan.

“Take a look to see if it’s enough. If it’s not, you can come to me anytime for more.”

Xiang Nan opened the box, revealing three second-rank Spiritual Pearls glowing with a soft, lustrous light.

The students around him all gaped in astonishment.

“Damn! Three second-rank Spiritual Pearls! Is this for real?”

“Who is this new guy anyway? The principal arranged three pearls for him right from the start? We only get one per semester—and that’s if we pass every exam!”

“Didn’t you hear the teacher? If he runs out, he can just get more. Isn’t that way too biased?”

“I’m so jealous I could scream! Why does he get all this?”

Li Mei saw the dissatisfaction in everyone’s eyes and smiled. “If any of you had inherited the legacy of a national martial arts grandmaster, a sage-physician like Wong Fei-hung, you’d have all the Spiritual Pearls you wanted.”

A collective gasp swept through the room.

“So he’s the one! The prodigy the principal recruited personally!”

“No wonder he beat Lu Yu so easily—he’s a martial arts grandmaster by blood! What’s a martial arts champion compared to that?”

“Damn, I actually laughed at him earlier—would he forgive me if I apologized now?”

“I want to ask too—Xiang Nan, are you looking for any followers?”

“Oh, come on, have some dignity!”

Surrounded by the crowd, Xiang Nan remained calm. He looked at the three second-rank Spiritual Pearls in the box, frowning slightly.

Ever since he’d refined a third-rank pearl, second-rank ones no longer held much appeal.

“Teacher Li, these are all second-rank pearls? It’s not quite enough. Do you have any third-rank ones?”

The crowd was so shocked they nearly lost their footing. Some even began pounding their chests in frustration.

What? Three second-rank pearls, free of charge, and he’s complaining? Even the top three students at graduation only get one third-rank pearl!

How could he shamelessly ask the teacher for more?

Li Mei was clearly taken aback, but recovered after two seconds.

“Xiang Nan, third-rank pearls are in limited supply. As rare resources, you can only get them if you achieve certain results. But if you really need one, I’ll apply to the principal for you.”

A student personally recruited by the principal might just get special approval.

Xiang Nan nodded slightly, knowing third-rank pearls weren’t easy to come by. When Sun Liren promised him unlimited pearls, he’d meant only the second-rank ones.

“All right, I understand. Thank you, Teacher Li.”

“You’re welcome. If you need anything, feel free to come by the Academic Affairs Office.”

Having delivered her message, Li Mei left.

Many students continued to crowd around Xiang Nan, eager to make friends, add his contact, or simply curry favor.

Lu Ming slowly walked over to Xiang Nan, his sharp, sinister eyes filled with provocation and disdain.

“He’s just some clueless country bumpkin from the sticks—what’s so special about him?” Of course, Songjiang City was far from rural, but Lu Ming deliberately belittled it.

The crowd seemed less enthusiastic after hearing this, but their friendliness remained.

“Did you notice? Xiang Nan wasn’t even using Wong Fei-hung’s signature moves earlier. It looked more like some powerful internal martial art.”

“Are you blind? That was Taiji. Since when did Wong Fei-hung know Taiji?”

“Well, old men in the park practice Taiji every day!”

“Please, are you seriously comparing them? That’s ridiculous.”

Seeing Xiang Nan basking in the limelight, Lu Ming pressed on, “Don’t think that just because you’ve inherited the legacy of a martial arts grandmaster, you can act like you own Spiritual Martial Academy. Even if Wong Fei-hung himself stood before me, I’d have him begging for mercy in three moves!”

“Since Teacher Xie won’t expel you, I, Lu Ming, hereby formally challenge you. Do you dare accept?”

Lu Ming radiated an aggressive confidence, as if certain Xiang Nan would either shrink away or meet a humiliating defeat.