Chapter 86: Chapter 85: Source of Calamity

Zhao Xuanqi stood before the university’s towering main gate, looking up at the four large characters written in bold, powerful strokes, and seemed to sense a unique atmosphere.

Walking onto campus, he could clearly feel that this place was completely different from anywhere else.

For many people, attending a university was just for a piece of paper—a diploma. Academia? Knowledge? Ideals? Ambition? In the end, none of it could compete with a house and a car.

But this era was different. Universal literacy had not yet been achieved. Those who could enter a university campus were the elites of society. They represented the most advanced thought and the most fervent passion of the age.

The mediocre, aimless people outside were like walking corpses, while the people here seemed to be the ones who were truly alive.

Having been reborn into this world, this was Zhao Xuanqi’s first time on a university campus, and an inexplicable feeling arose within him.

The campus was bustling with activity. On the lawn, students held rallies and gave speeches targeting the current situation in the Divine Land, creating a clash of different ideas.

The young men and women in the crowd were all impassioned and full of zeal, radiating youthful energy.

As the situation was turbulent and the north was in great chaos, most of the speeches were related to these events.

"Sir, please take a look."

A group of students was handing out flyers. A girl with glasses ran up to Zhao Xuanqi and looked up at him. In contrast to his height and build, she looked almost like a child.

But the girl’s gaze was clear, and she seemed completely unafraid.

"Thank you."

Zhao Xuanqi took the flyer, nodded at the girl, and continued on his way.

"Shu Ning, you can tell at a glance he’s a Martial Artist. Those Martial Artists have nothing but violence on their minds. They won’t care about our ideals."

"Back then, didn’t those Martial Artists use a noble cause as a front to deceive all corners of the Divine Land? After they succeeded, they turned their backs on their word. They only ever care about their own interests."

"Yeah, if he’s connected to the Giant Spirit Army, we could be in trouble if our material ends up in his hands."

"..."

The girl’s companions had seen her action and spoke to her in low voices.

"If our ideas can only spread among students, what’s the use? It’s just us entertaining ourselves. If trouble comes, let it come to me alone. I’ve always believed that if you want to change this land, you can’t just rely on shouting slogans. We can’t do it without the support of Martial Artists."

The girl spoke, her eyes filled with determination.

Zhao Xuanqi held the flyer in his hand. It was printed with several articles expressing rather sharp viewpoints.

Back then, the eight great Warlords had been able to overthrow the Daqian Dynasty not just through military force. They had catered to the ideology of the time, raised a righteous banner, and gained the support of all sectors of society, which was how they succeeded in one fell swoop.

However, after their success, the eight great Warlords did not fulfill their promises. They quickly revealed their fangs and carved up the territory for themselves. Although they introduced a series of measures, in the end, it was all just for show. The people’s lives did not fundamentally change.

After that small interlude, Zhao Xuanqi soon arrived at a women’s dormitory building in the school’s residential area.

Since he was already here, he decided he might as well see Weng Qiuman. After all, having her guide him through the required procedures would save a lot of trouble. Besides, he had to observe the proper courtesies.

After explaining his purpose to the dorm mother, the woman enthusiastically ran into the building to find the person he was looking for. As it turned out, Weng Qiuman wasn’t in her dorm, and her roommate didn’t know where she had gone. Zhao Xuanqi could only give up.

This was the downside of an era without mobile phones. Looking for someone without arranging a meeting in advance introduced many uncertainties.

He left the fruit he had brought for Weng Qiuman with the dorm mother, asking her to pass it on. Then, Zhao Xuanqi left alone and headed for the school’s academic affairs office.

...

...

「Meanwhile, at Sanlin River.」

The terrain here was complex, with rolling hills covered by forests. Beyond the Second Vanguard’s military camp was a vast, dense mountain forest.

HUFF! HUFF!

At this moment, violent gasps echoed through the mountain forest. Zhang Hongyun, who had just escaped from the military camp, was now dashing rapidly through the trees. Many bullet holes and injuries were visible on his body, but not a single drop of blood spilled from these wounds. He had suppressed them all using the acupoint control method of the Doumu Primordial Soul Needle.

His body had visibly shrunk by a size, and his cheeks looked somewhat gaunt.

The Southern Dipper Longevity Nail was one of the Secret Techniques of the Doumu Primordial Soul Needle. It could drastically increase the Vitality within the body and stimulate its potential. For a short time, even if the body suffered a fatal injury, under the stimulation of the Southern Dipper Longevity Nail, one could still continue to fight with peak Physical Ability until the very last moment.

But the drawback of the Southern Dipper Longevity Nail was its massive consumption of Physical Ability. If one’s Physical Ability was depleted, it would rapidly begin to break down fat, muscle, and even internal organs for fuel. At that point, it would truly be consuming one’s life.

Right now, Zhang Hongyun’s Southern Dipper Longevity Nail had already begun consuming his body’s muscle, but he didn’t dare stop the Secret Technique. "Hundred Rivers" Hong Yukun had not gained his reputation for nothing.

’My identity has been exposed. Anyone connected to me is probably in danger. This timing is terrible. If I were in Yuehai, I could still make use of some of my arrangements. A pity I’m here in Sanlin River...’

’No matter what, I have to shake off my pursuers first and secretly return to Yuehai.’

’I hope everyone at the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall can hold on until then...’

Zhang Hongyun’s expression was incredibly grim.

Inside the military camp.

The scene was a total wreck. Mutilated corpses, flesh, and blood were scattered all over the ground. The besieging crowd had been thrown into disarray by a single charge from Zhang Hongyun.

Hong Yukun’s expression was incomparably grim. The muscles of his right arm were twisted into a strange shape. He carefully controlled the Qi and Blood in his body, not daring to be the least bit careless.

PSSSHH!!

Suddenly, three jets of blood spurted from his palm. On the ground, three Silver Needles, as fine as hairs, had appeared at some unknown point.

’To think he could use such a fine Vein-Cutting Needle to pierce my skin and enter my blood vessels...’

Hong Yukun’s face was as dark as water. The Vein-Cutting Needle was as fine as an ox’s hair; an ordinary person would bend it with the slightest force. But in the hands of a medical expert, it could pierce a tabletop. Zhang Hongyun’s skill, however, was a cut above—he had actually managed to pierce Hong Yukun’s skin and enter his blood vessels with it during combat. This forced Hong Yukun to stop manipulating his Qi and Blood to expel the fine needles. If they followed his bloodstream to his heart, the consequences would be dire.

And it was precisely for this reason that Zhang Hongyun had been given the chance to escape.

’This man’s mastery of the Doumu Primordial Soul Needle is already extremely high. Furthermore, he has infiltrated the army with some grand scheme in mind. He absolutely cannot be allowed to live...’

"Fei Luzhong!"

Hong Yukun turned his head and looked at Section Chief Fei at his side.

"At your command, sir."

Section Chief Fei immediately bowed.

"Send an urgent telegram to the Yuehai headquarters. Thoroughly investigate everyone in the army connected to Zhang Hongyun. At the same time, arrest all of Zhang Hongyun’s close relatives. If there is any resistance..."

"Kill them."

Hong Yukun said, his expression calm.