A single Chen Xiuqi might have been insignificant. But Wang Zhan's actions had completely twisted the original course of the Federal Martial Arts Competition onto a different path.

Someone had died!

Furthermore, it was with the approval of the Federation's four great deans—the one who died was guilty, but the one who killed was innocent! This completely overturned the existing perceptions of these young Martial Arts Academy students, who were just embarking on their Martial Arts Path.

They had originally believed the Federation should be peaceful, with no need for such bloodshed. Yet, they now discovered that, apart from themselves, everyone else—be it Wang Zhan, the Federation's four great deans, or even many mentors from the Military Department—remained unfazed, some even nodding in silent approval.

"Good riddance! Daring to be so arrogant and even managing to infiltrate the Federal Martial Arts Academy—such people deserve to die."

Whether they were part of the Original Organization or not, the Federation was far from safe; it was plagued by internal and external threats. A single misstep could lead to an irrevocable disaster. The Martial Arts Academy is the bedrock of the Federation. No matter who this internal threat was, their death would be in vain.

"The Martial Arts Academy, the Military Department, the great Families, corporations... their reach has grown too extensive. We need to sever some of those grasping hands."

They whispered among themselves, thoughts immediately turning to Zhang He, who had attempted to assassinate Wang Zhan on the Eastern Battlefield, and then to the Chen Xiuqi before them. Who knows how much of the Federation's interests these spies, these hidden vermin, have already usurped?

Take Chen Xiuqi, for example. The Xu State Military Martial Academy was named after the Xu family's surname, a testament to their formidable power in that province. Their influence was so immense, so deeply entrenched and arrogantly wielded, that it even surpassed that of the Chu State Zheng family Wang Zhan had previously encountered. And yet, this Chen Xiuqi was not only a member of the Xu family but also a student at the Xu State Military Martial Academy. Both Xu State and its academy were supposed to belong to the Federation.

"Indeed. We must make those people understand, and remember forever: what belongs to the Federation cannot be stolen by anyone. It is the Federation that allows them to continue their precarious existence, to live on borrowed time..."

Humanity will never be enslaved! This was the slogan the Federation had proclaimed, fought for, and died for. Therefore, the Federation possessed ample qualification and legitimacy to claim the fruits of humanity's labor. In other words, even if these individuals fought, struggled, or perished, they could only do so for the sake of the Federation. This was called orthodoxy; this was called righteousness.

…

"He really killed him!"

Hanqing slowly closed his eyes, an inexplicable chill creeping down his spine. He was a year senior to Wang Zhan, and his own Talent was not insignificant; otherwise, he would never have gained entry to the Federal Military Academy. Yet, compared to Wang Zhan now, he felt he truly lacked a certain ruthlessness, a degree of fighting spirit.

"Captain..."

"Just watch. More people will definitely die today. From this moment on, stop fantasizing that no one will die in the Federal Martial Arts Competition. Wang Zhan merely set a precedent, but it was bound to come to this eventually..."

The pressure on the Federation was immense; those at the top might not be able to withstand it for much longer. Since the Federation's four great deans, who wielded considerable autonomy, had already consented to Wang Zhan's kill, they certainly wouldn't miss this prime opportunity to intimidate the masses. Martial Artists indeed enjoyed the Federation's benefits; status and power could be obtained with ease. However, there was always a price. And the price these students had paid so far... was too small.

Yuan Mengru also took a deep breath, her expression growing increasingly cold.

"Leader, he actually killed someone! Are we still in the Federal Martial Arts Competition? Why are people dying...?"

Who could have imagined Wang Zhan would actually dare to kill? They only wanted to secure a good ranking. Was it really necessary to fight to the death? Wouldn't it be better for everyone to be amicable and conserve their strength to kill beasts?

Yuan Mengru looked up at the four great deans on the referee stage. Though they didn't usually carry themselves with overt arrogance, their expressions were exceptionally solemn now, creating a palpable distance between them and the crowd. Yet, their attitude towards Wang Zhan remained unchanged, their eyes showing no malice or disgust, as if his actions were a trivial matter.

Yuan Mengru closed her eyes, then opened them, her voice heavy as she said, "Prepare yourselves! From now on, we fight bloody battles. Not just for first place in the Federation, but for any spot in the top ten, we must be ready to fight to the death! This world doesn't allow one to reap without sowing. If you want resources, then be prepared to die at any moment!"

"Leader..."

"Leader..."

Everyone wore anxious expressions. Has Leader lost her mind? This could cost us our lives!

But at this moment, Yuan Mengru was more somber and detached than they had ever seen her, her gaze fixed intently on their eyes. "If you're afraid of dying, then withdraw now! Even if it's just me, it will be difficult, but I will definitely fight to secure a top-ten position for our academy. The worst I'll face is some ridicule. But remember this: even in a fight to the death, as long as the mentors can intervene in time, we won't actually die. However, if you retreat without a fight—setting aside today's events, setting aside the academy—when you face beasts in the future, who can guarantee you'll have the courage to fight then?! That's all. No more words. Those who dare to fight to the death, stay. Those who don't, get out! Once you leave, Yanjing Martial Arts Academy will sever all ties with you, forever!"

She had been to the Star War Battlefield, so she naturally understood humanity's situation. Back then, she hadn't even had the chance to truly enter the fray, relegated to skirmishing on the periphery, scavenging for meager gains. Now, she sensed it keenly: these Martial Arts Academy students truly lacked a certain mettle. In the past, it was for this very reason that many Federation students hadn't dared to step onto the battlefield, ultimately being drawn into the Federation's shadowy underbelly...

As these thoughts crossed her mind, she noticed Lin Xiaoyin smiling at her. Lin Xiaoyin was from the same cohort as Wang Zhan, yet she remained perfectly composed, even more so than Yuan Mengru's own second-year peers. Lin Xiaoyin smiled, took Yuan Mengru's hand, and said playfully, "Cousin, if anyone drops out, can you let me be the substitute? Our Dean is so mean; he won't even give me a chance to get on stage..."

「As for the Royal Martial Arts Academy.」

No one spoke; an unnerving silence hung over them. They quietly watched Wang Zhan, who stood in the arena like a blood-splattered demon. They had witnessed the events of the previous night, learning that Wang Zhan had slain a Martial General right outside the Royal Martial Arts Academy's gates. Because of this, they were, in truth, already prepared to forfeit. He wasn't a Warrior; he was a demon cloaked in a Warrior's skin. Who knew how much strength he was truly concealing?

「Meanwhile, on the referee stage...」

In fact, the four Deans, who had effectively commandeered the referee stage, were indeed discussing the competition rules.

"It's merely killing one person. Look at these students—not a single one of them seems capable. They've never witnessed real bloodshed. We've indeed overlooked a great deal over the years."

Surprisingly, the one who spoke this time was Edward. The other three looked at him in astonishment, all staring at the blond, blue-eyed old man, wondering what had gotten into him.

Edward knew what they were thinking, though he had no intention of voicing it. Should I tell them I only came to this realization after seeing Wang Zhan and the subtle shifts he's caused within the Martial Arts Academies? You can shelter the young, but coddle them for too long, protect them too fiercely, and they'll turn into losers. Once they're losers for long enough, they become utterly beyond saving. With this thought, he waved his hand dismissively and said with a stoic expression, "Don't look at me. I agree, the tournament rules do need to change. It's acceptable if some die. We don't need to intervene so hastily. Let these youngsters feel some real pressure."

The other three nodded, voicing their agreement.

"This is a good opportunity. It's their first taste of real blood. Even though Chen Xiuqi was a spy, it doesn't prevent the others from recognizing the brutality involved. If they want resources or renown, they must be willing to put everything on the line."

"We can also use this chance to investigate how many of these youngsters are spies from the Original Organization, or pawns of other factions. I'm very keen to know just how deeply those bastards have infiltrated the Federal Martial Arts Academies."

"Alas, we've been remiss. We always believed that simply teaching the students well was sufficient, leaving other matters to the Federation. But the Federation is often too preoccupied, and the President isn't even on Earth—he can't be everywhere at once..."

After a few minutes of discussion, a decision was finally reached. Yun Tianyi slowly rose before everyone, hovering in mid-air, and addressed them from his commanding position, "Esteemed students, you are all the promising youth of our Federation. However, the Federation's journey to its current strength has had absolutely nothing to do with any of you. To put it bluntly, you are nothing more than a swarm of parasites, feasting on the Federation's lifeblood!"

The faces of all the Martial Arts Academy students who heard this twitched, their expressions a mixture of awkwardness and indignation. He speaks as if he wasn't once a parasite himself! We are Warriors, aspiring Martial Artists! How can we compare to the pioneers who paved the way? Yet, at this moment, not a single person dared to step forward and refute him. Only Yun Tianyi's words reverberated through the arena, echoing endlessly.

A corner of Yun Tianyi's mouth lifted in a sarcastic smirk as he continued, "Do you believe that because you are still weak, it's perfectly natural for you to leech off the Federation?

"Perhaps you think that if you were stronger, you could go to the battlefield? That you could unleash slaughter upon our enemies? That you could achieve great military merit for humanity?

"Well, let me tell you—you are utterly wrong! Don't think about today, don't think about tomorrow, don't even think about what happens after graduation! If you are a parasite for a single day, you will remain a parasite for your entire life!"

The entire field erupted into an uproar. This Yun Tianyi, the old fox, was utterly merciless with his words. Even Wang Zhan, who had been impassively escorted off the platform by his mentor, felt a muscle twitch in his cheek. It's like that old coot is talking directly about me.

However, some ignored Yun Tianyi's speech from above, their gazes fixed intently on Wang Zhan as he walked past them. Their faces were pale, stomachs churning, on the verge of vomiting.

"Wang Zhan, you killed our captain! The Xu State Military Martial Academy will not let you get away with this!"

Wang Zhan turned his head, glancing at these few Xu State Military Martial Academy students. Their skills were clearly uneven, the strongest among them merely a second-level Warrior. He let out a disdainful sneer, waved his hand dismissively, and turned to leave.

"A bunch of brats who don't even know who's feeding them. Don't stand there spewing nonsense at me, or I won't hesitate to kill again!"

"You—!"

The student now leading them, a second-level Warrior, looked as if he was about to lunge forward and attack Wang Zhan.

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