Chapter 24: Expelled from the Martial Academy!

“This is… dark force…?”

Jiang Ye carefully sensed the utterly different power within him.

No longer was it the surging blood and qi, the boldness and ferocity of bright force lingering between tendons and skin.

Instead, it was like mercury spilling across the ground, like lead sinking into a pool—every ounce of power deeply concealed, settled to the deepest core of his bones.

With a slight thought, that power responded as if it were an extension of his limbs, quietly stirring from his bone marrow, silent and unseen, yet brimming with a heart-stopping penetrating force.

Then he raised his right hand, fingers spread, mind flickering—no bone or tendon resonated, no blood or qi surged, not even the muscles beneath his skin visibly tensed.

Only his palm subtly caved inward, and a faint ripple seemed to ripple through the air.

His hand gently descended, casually striking the surface of the old wooden table beside him, its wood long yellowed and darkened.

Thud.

A dull, unremarkable sound.

The small patch of the table beneath his palm showed no warped grain, no crack or break—as if merely brushed by a feather.

Yet.

Jiang Ye lifted his hand, his gaze falling.

Centered on the point where his palm had landed, the entire foot-wide area of the tabletop appeared intact—but its internal structure had been utterly shattered in an instant by the dark force that had sunk into his marrow and pierced outward.

Not cracked, not collapsed—but reduced to an extremely fine, uniform powder of wood.

“Good.”

Jiang Ye nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction crossing his aged face.

Compared to the brute, outwardly explosive bright force, the defining trait of dark force lay in its penetration.

The force condensed like a needle, heavy like a hammer, easily piercing clothing, leather, even ordinary metal armor, striking directly at the internal organs to cause internal destruction as if striking a cow from behind a mountain.

“If I’d broken through to dark force earlier, Zhang Xu’s inner protective armor would’ve been useless.”

A flash of cold light passed through Jiang Ye’s eyes—he understood now.

With his current dark force, capable of piercing armor and shattering marrow, his previous punch needn’t have shattered the wall or sent Zhang Xu flying.

The punch’s force could’ve passed straight through the armor and struck Zhang Xu’s heart and lungs directly.

Externally, no damage; internally, a ruined mess.

Even if Zhang Xu had two more lives, he’d have died on the spot—no chance of survival.

“I wonder… whether that brat is truly dead…”

At the thought of Zhang Xu, Jiang Ye’s eyes flickered with icy malice again.

That boy was vicious, despicable—he dared plot such filth against Liu Yiyi, crossing Jiang Ye’s absolute line.

“If that punch didn’t kill him… if he’s still clinging to life…”

Jiang Ye’s withered fingers unconsciously twisted the cuff of his sleeve, his gaze growing deeper, colder.

“Then I’ll have to make another trip—personally see him off, ensure he’s truly dead.”

For enemies, especially vile creatures like Zhang Xu, Jiang Ye always believed in eradicating evil utterly, leaving no loose ends.

Meanwhile.

Anxi County, eastern district, Zhang family mansion.

The brightly lit hall could not dispel the thick, almost tangible chill and oppression.

On the left, Liu Qingshi, head of the Qingshi Martial Academy, stood with arms crossed, face as dark as water.

Beside him stood Su Chen, head of the Su family, his expression equally venomous, devoid of his usual amiability.

Behind them, Liu Yiyi and Su Yan stood shoulder to shoulder, the girl’s face pale, her eyes burning with cold fury as she stared straight ahead.

On the right, Zhang He stood alone before the main seat, his face so dark it seemed ready to drip.

Between them lay a man, gravely wounded, barely clinging to life—it was Zhang Xu.

Earlier, Su Yan and Liu Yiyi had discussed it, swallowing their shame and pain, selectively revealing the events to their parents.

They omitted the white-haired elder and the subsequent chaos, focusing only on how Zhang Xu had set the trap, dosed them, and how they had uncovered and countered it.

Even so, Liu Qingshi and Su Chen were enraged.

Had Zhang Xu not been near death and already castrated, Liu Qingshi would’ve crushed him into pulp with a single punch.

So they’d come straight here, dragging Zhang Xu as proof, demanding justice.

On the other side, Zhang He’s brow was knotted into deep creases, his face darkened to its limit.

Honestly, the moment he saw them enter with Zhang Xu barely alive, Zhang He knew his son had failed again.

It filled him with rage and fury.

Furious that his worthless son had botched things again, furious that Zhang Xu had been injured so badly!

No matter what, he was still his son!

“Liu Guan Zhu, Su Jia Zhu! Don’t smear us with false accusations! My son Zhang Xu has always acted honorably—how could he possibly plot to assault your daughters!”

Zhang He barked sharply, his face dark:

“You’ve taken the law into your own hands and injured my son so grievously—do you truly think I, the Zhang family, am beneath your notice?”

“I strongly suspect the truth is your daughters tried to seduce my son…”

“And when their scheme failed, they attacked him with such cruelty!”

He knew he could not admit guilt now.

He had to strike back immediately.

The matter had escalated too far—both sides were now irreparably hostile.

Seeing Zhang He brazenly turn the accusation around, Liu Yiyi and the others’ faces instantly darkened with murderous intent.

They now understood what “like father, like son” truly meant.

Only Liu Qingshi’s expression remained unchanged; his cold gaze fixed on Zhang He as he said, “It seems you won’t believe it until you hear your son confess himself.”

Saying this, Liu Qingshi stepped forward to lift the unconscious Zhang Xu.

“What are you—”

Zhang He’s face twisted in alarm, trying to stop him.

Liu Qingshi’s gaze shifted slightly, its cold weight settling on Zhang He like a mountain.

“You—”

Zhang He froze.

Though the Zhang family did employ a Qi Condensation martial artist, that man was unbound and absent from the mansion.

If Liu Qingshi truly moved to strike, Zhang He had no way to stop him.

In that moment of hesitation, Liu Qingshi had already lifted Zhang Xu.

In a flash, Liu Qingshi extended a finger and pressed it onto a specific acupoint on Zhang Xu’s back.

Instantly, Zhang Xu, like a dead dog, convulsed violently—his consciousness flickered back, head lolling, as if granted a final moment of clarity.

Without giving him time to react, Liu Qingshi’s voice rang with authority: “Zhang Xu, tonight—did you set a trap, drug them, and attempt to assault Liu Yiyi and Su Yan?”

Zhang Xu’s insides burned, his life hanging by a thread, his mind already blurred—overwhelmed by unbearable pain, terror, and an irresistible force of will.

His lips trembled, his words broken, like a dreamer’s mutter: “Y-yes… I… I wanted to… but didn’t… s-spare me…”

After uttering those words, his voice faded again, as if he’d spent every last breath—he might die at any moment.

Zhang He stared fixedly at Zhang Xu, his gaze dark, speechless, lost in thought.

“Zhang He!” Su Chen’s beard and hair seemed to bristle as he roared: “Your own son has confessed—what more do you have to say?!”

After a pause, Zhang He gave a cold, humorless smile to Liu Qingshi: “Liu Guan Zhu, impressive technique.”

Then, his gaze turned icy as he looked at the half-dead Zhang Xu and said coldly:

“Do wrong, admit it. Get beaten, stand straight.”

“Since my son committed the offense first, he deserves severe punishment—I have no objection.”

“Fortunately…” he shifted tone, his eyes sweeping over Liu Yiyi and Su Yan, his voice softening, “your daughters were alert and escaped unharmed—this is the only mercy in this tragedy. The Zhang family will make amends to calm your anger.”

“Twenty thousand taels of silver each, as compensation and apology to your daughters—how does that sound?”

“If you still feel this isn’t enough…”

Zhang He paused slightly, his gaze on Zhang Xu turning colder, and said calmly:

“Then take him. Kill him, cut him down—do as you please.”

At these words, everyone in the room flickered with surprise.

Zhang He was indeed the Zhang family head—truly ruthless.

Liu Qingshi glanced back at Su Chen; seeing his silent agreement, he casually released his grip and tossed Zhang Xu onto the floor like garbage, saying grimly: “Then it’s settled.”

Their agreement stemmed largely from knowing their daughters’ purity remained intact, and Zhang Xu was already ruined—no longer even a man, effectively dead.

Killing him now would be pointless.

Zhang He acted swiftly, ordering servants to fetch silver notes and then seeing them out.

Watching their figures cross the threshold of the Zhang mansion, Zhang He’s eyes narrowed to slits, cold as a venomous snake.

Suddenly.

“By the way, from this moment, Zhang Xu has been expelled from Qingshi Martial Academy—stripped of his status. He is forever severed from the academy and shall never set foot inside again!”

Liu Qingshi’s icy voice exploded like thunder in Zhang He’s ears.