237 Chapter 236: Back to school (1/2)

Over the next few days, the Imperial Guard swept through the underground passageways and completely cleared them out. They took several casualties, but they succeeded in wiping out the demons infesting the place.

Unfortunately, they couldn't find the breach, but I suspected that was because the breach wasn't something physical. From what Tian Yu Di told me, the close proximity of the underground passageways to the underworld (or the Warp) meant that there were occasional cracks between the material universe and the Immaterrium. They didn't linger for too long, but it was often long enough for the demonic inhabitants to slip through.

And we needed just a few to get through before they turned the passageways into a nest.

After clearing out the underground passageways, the Imperial Guard decided to seal the passageways and fill them up with earth and concrete. As they were unused and would pose a potential hazard if left alone, Zi Shou De agreed. Right now, combat engineers were preparing to demolish the entire underground space and restore it to nature.

Even though I mentioned the underworld, it didn't seem like they believed me. But they didn't want to take any chances, which was why they ended up going with the option to seal the underground passageways.

In any event, the war underground had nothing to do with me. Okay, maybe it did. That was why I took an interest in following its development – no one could rest comfortably at night knowing there was a bunch of demons dwelling underground.

Thanks to the Imperial Guard, we could rest easy. But that was just the first phase of recovery.

”You kids should go back to school.”

Zi Shou De ordered us disciples to return to whatever schools we were enrolled in. It did make a lot of sense, come to think of it. The sect was devastated and Tushan City was destroyed (by my own hands, admittedly). There was no places for us to stay. Okay, scratch that. The main sect grounds remained untouched, so technically the Blood Blades disciples and inner sect disciples still had our dormitories to stay in.

However, with the civilians displaced and still trickling to other cities or shelters, we were asked to move from our dormitories to accommodate the civilians. Essentially the civilians were currently living inside our dormitories, particularly the ones who chose to stay. And they would remain there until the city was rebuilt and they had homes to move back to.

Thus the disciples were sent back to their usual academies. Tong Xue and I returned to Wu Ling Academy (along with Lian Rou) to stay in the dormitory rooms the school provided us, while a couple of homeless families took up residence in our dormitory rooms in the main sect grounds. We didn't complain – especially after seeing the pitiful state of the civilians. If anything, we were more than happy to be able to help, if only a little.

That was how we were back in Wu Ling Academy after what seemed like forever. I could hardly remember the last time we attended classes here.Truthfully, it hadn't been that long ago – less than two weeks, in fact. We had only stopped going to Wu Ling Academy because we were sieged and assaulted by the ten invading sects.

However, even though the entire invasion lasted less than two weeks, that entire time felt like an eternity.

Worse, as we stepped into the classroom, we realized that quite a few of our classmates wouldn't be setting foot inside ever again.

Tang Qi Hong's desk remained empty, as did Li Chun Long. Qing Xin Xia was present, which indicated that she either did not participate in the siege or survived it. Considering that all the surviving participants in the invasion had been arrested and imprisoned, I was more linclined to believe that she fell in the former category.

Qing Xin Xia gave us a troubled glance, but didn't say anything. Good. I didn't know what to say to her either. I was the one who killed Li Chun Long, so it wasn't as if we were the helpless victims here. I had a lot of blood on my hands.

Not to mention I was the creator of the Sunburst bombs that decimated ninety percent of the invading forces in a single explosion. Okay, seven explosions combined into one, but you know what I mean.

”Hey, Zhu Jiao.”

”Oh, Wu! You're back after so long! Xue and Lian Rou too!”

Zhu Jiao greeted us with a warm smile as he swiveled in his chair. An expression of immense relief spread across his face.

”It hasn't been that long, has it?”

Like me, Bai Ning Xue had realized that it had only been less than two weeks actual regarding our absence from school. Given how Wu Ling Academy encouraged its students to go on missions that could last for months at a time, two weeks were considered nothing. Furthermore, Bai Ning Xue didn't personally experience the siege and being trapped in her territory as the invading forces pressed on from all sides, so unlike us, she didn't feel as if it was forever.

”I'm glad you guys are back, though.” Feng Tian Yong flashed a brilliant smile at us, which was filled with some sincerity. ”A lot of us were so worried when we heard the news about you guys being besieged.”

”…not all of you returned, though.”

Tu Zi Yi glanced at Tang Qi Hong's empty desk sadly. She also snuck a glance at Li Chun Long's unoccupied seat, but didn't say anything. Qing Xin Xia didn't seem to notice, and perhaps she wasn't close to Li Chun Long despite the latter's crush on her.

Clearly she intended to wash her hands off the matter, given her refusal to participate, and the official stance of her sect when they condemned the participants as dissidents and rebels who disobeyed orders and allowed their greed to blind them to what was right.

A load of bullshit, if you asked me, but they were good at covering their tracks and fabricating evidence, so there was no proof they were lying. No matter how skeptical I was, I wasn't a lawyer, so there wasn't anything I could do. Besides, given how those dudes didn't directly show up to attack us, it was a waste of time trying to pursue the matter and seek revenge.

However, the moment they made their move against us, I would be sure to retaliate. I just had to make sure I kept an eye on them, but I was sure that Tong Xue and the intelligence arm of the Blood Blades would do that job reasonably well.

Speaking of which, Senior Shen Cha had been killed during the vicious invasion, so Tong Xue would most likely replace him as the investigation squad leader, especially given his skills as a former member of Smart Shadow Sect. Which had been wiped out, courtesy of my Sunburst bombs back then. Tong Xue thanked me for killing Cang Li with the blast. Apparently he had quite the horrible run-in with her, and she was threatening to kill Lian Rou.

Well, she deserved getting vaporized by the pseudo nuclear detonation of my Sunburst bombs. They all did.

Qing Xin Xia cast a glance at Bai Ning Xue, but she said nothing. As usual, she didn't get along with Bai Ning Xue, and the reason was very clearly Zhu Jiao. In fact, I could sense more hostility from Qing Xin Xia than usual. No doubt the cause was Bai Ning Xue's declaration of Zhu Jiao as her fiancé a couple of days ago.

The news had spread quite some distance, having been circulated on social media. Qing Xin Xia evidently had heard about it, and her resentment toward Bai Ning Xue increased.

Not good, I thought.

If this was the typical wuxia or xianxia or even historical romance settings (the one with the assassin or ex-marine or divine doctor or pro martial artist Mary Sue female protagonists dying and getting reincarnated in the body of a fourteen-year-old ”trash” princess/noble daughter), you can bet that Qing Xin Xia would be plotting and scheming how to kill Bai Ning Xue right now. Reality, on the other hand, probably wasn't that extreme, but I honestly doubted Qing Xin Xia would just let Bai Ning Xue take the guy she loved without a fight.

And as usual, Zhu Jiao remained unbelievably dense to Qing Xin Xia's feelings for him. Not that I cared. He was currently paying attention to us.

”Still…it feels weird, you know?” Tong Xue stretched his arms as he stared at the holographic screen that served as a blackboard or whiteboard in modern classrooms. ”After fighting such a horrific war, coming back to school and attending classes again…it feels so surreal. Like it isn't real. You know what I'm saying?”

I nodded. ”I know exactly what you mean.”

Indeed, it just felt unreal returning to school and taking classes like normal after a severe life-and-death experience and participating firsthand in such a horrific war. More so as the guy who literally nuked ninety percent of the invading forces into oblivion. I thought my life would change forever, and I had heard that people were inquiring about my Sunburst bombs. Fortunately, Nine-Tailed Fox Sect was sheltering me from those persistent requests for now, but sooner or later one or two would slip past the net and approach me directly.

My answer would still be the same, though.

”Okay.” Teacher Jiao walked into the classroom. ”Homeroom is starting soon. All of you, get back to your seats.”

He paused for a moment and glanced in Tong Xue, Lian Rou and my direction.

”Good to see you back.” An expression of immense relief flashed across his face. ”As long as you are safe, that's all that matters.”

However, when Teacher Jiao's eyes passed over the empty seats that used to belong to Tang Qi Hong and Li Chun Long, a streak of sorrow flickered behind those bespectacled eyes. He shut them for a moment and took a deep breath.

Nobody could meet his gaze after he opened his eyes. Teacher Jiao sighed, straightened his spine and steeled himself.

”Well, let's get started then.”

”Yes, Teacher Jiao,” the class chorused.

And so, after what seemed like an eternity, my regular school days returned.

*

While life returned to normal (somewhat, anyway) for me and the disciples of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect, the gears continued to move for the rest of the martial arts world.

In a bustling metropolis that was at least ten times bigger than Tushan City, located near the capital of the Great Zhou Empire and filled with hundreds of skyscrapers, many luxuriously dressed martial artists strolled along the broad streets or drove in expensive cars.

Along the busy districts were a collection of high-class restaurants, casinos, red-light districts, malls, and even gymnasiums and dojos that served as training grounds for combatants. Countless martial artists passed through this city or visited it, seeking entertainment, company, riches, extravagant property or businesses.

This was Profound Heaven City, which was ripped off from Spirit Realm, and thus served as the metropolis that housed the headquarters of the Martial Arts Alliance. A lot of the properties in this city were owned by both the Song and Nie families, and the metropolis itself was said to be among the most prosperous in the Great Zhou Empire, second to the capital.

Early in the morning, around the same time when my friends and I had just arrived in our classroom, a single skyscraper caught the gleam of bright sunlight, reflecting the brilliant rays of dawn to bathe the surroundings in a warm glow.

The skyscraper, which was known the Divine Heaven Manor, was currently the setting for an important meeting. Within its main hall, three imposing men sat on high chairs at the front of the hall, surrounded by rows of men and women in expensive business suits or formal clothing. All of them wore grim countenances as they listened.

Xie Zhi Zhang and Song Si Yuan stood right in front of the three leaders, delivering their report under the gazes of everyone. Even though they had already submitted a written report, they were required to present it orally to the higher-ups, explaining every detail regarding the major events that had transpired at Nine-Tailed Fox Sect during that day before the Imperial Guard arrived.

They included a description of the old demon who suddenly appeared and captured Xie Zhi Zhang, wielding unimaginable strength, as well as the terrifying weapon I had unleashed on them, which decimated ninety percent of the invading forces. The Sunburst bombs, of course. They had included the name of my invention in their reports.

Then the eventual arrival of the Imperial Guard, followed by White Tiger Sect and Red Phoenix defecting and declaring their cessation from the Martial Arts Alliance, and how they were forced to surrender. Fortunately, it seemed that their status in the Martial Arts Alliance had protected them, and they weren't arrested and imprisoned like the others.

The three men at the center were the patriarchs of the Martial Arts Alliance's three great clans. The Song family's Song Yu, the Xie family's Xie Yao Yang, and the Nie family's Nie Yun. Probably because I was too lazy to think of original names and this was pretty much becoming a Spirit Realm fanfiction at this point of time.

In any case, the three patriarchs had summoned all the core members of their clans and gathered them here to discuss the matters. Of coruse, they had all already read the reports. Xie Zhi Zhang and Song Si Yuan's oral presentation was a mere formality.

”Of course.” Song Yu sighed as he leaned back against his seat. He rewarded Xie Zhi Zhang and Song Si Yuan with a weary smile. He was often perceived as gentle and easygoing, and the two men relaed under his weam gaze. ”When we heard that the Royal Family mobilized the Imperial Guard, we quickly got word out to ensure you wouldn't be affected.”

”You distanced us from the invasion,” Song Si Yuan confirmed. ”The Imperial Guard officers believed we were only there to mediate and negotiate for peace, insead of being aggressors, and they let us go because of that.”

”It caused us a lot of trouble. We had to call in a lot of favors and jump through several loops just to secure your freedom.” Nie Yun cast his stern gaze at both Xie Zhi Zhang and Song Si Yuan. ”You two had better be worth it.”

”Zhi Zhang and Si Yuan definitely are worth the effort,” Xie Yao Yang said blandly, though there was an undercurrent in his tone that warned Nie Yun to back off. ”They are among our best experts in the Alliance.”

Before Nie Yun could retort sharply, Song Yu diplomatically interceded.

”The Sunburst bombs…invented by this kid, Fei Wu…that's what you said, right?” he turned to both Xie Zhi Zhang and Song Si Yuan, who nodded in unison. ”Have you found out just who exactly this Fei Wu is?”

Song Si Yuan frowned, and then shrugged. ”He's just an ordinary kid. His father was a captain in the Imperial Guard a few years ago, before he retired to run his own business. Fei Wu himself has not much background in martial arts until about four years ago, when he applied to enroll in Wu Ling Academy. After that…it seems that he chose the Experimentalist course and tried to restore the Heaven and Earth Formula.”