TRWSB – Chapter 66 Something Happened to Yi Bing

Zhuang Hao stood silently to the side as Yi Chuxue hovered around him.

“Qi Shaorong is such a pervert! I can’t believe the Qi family raised someone like him. He’s utterly shameless—using drugs! Such despicable methods are truly disgraceful…” Yi Chuxue kept complaining, repeatedly condemning Qi Shaorong’s behavior.

Zhuang Hao closed his eyes, recalling how Qi Shaorong had pinned him down, his hands wandering across Zhuang Hao’s chest. The scene, broadcast to all spectators through the projection orb, made Zhuang Hao’s scalp tingle with embarrassment.

He pursed his lips, feeling the other competitors’ gazes on him—eyes filled with strange expressions.

“Qi Shaorong is clearly indecent. And to think the Wicked Doctor associates with someone like him,” Yi Chuxue added.

Zhuang Hao turned to Yi Chuxue, his gaze sharp.

Seeing his eyes on her, Yi Chuxue flushed awkwardly. “Ah Hao, what’s wrong?”

Zhuang Hao frowned and said coldly, “Your second brother’s life is uncertain, and you don’t feel the need to check on him?”

Yi Chuxue’s face turned crimson. “Father has already sent people to search for my second brother. I think he’s just stuck somewhere. He’s so capable; nothing will happen to him.”

Zhuang Hao responded indifferently, “Is that so?”

Lowering her head, Yi Chuxue felt a wave of melancholy. Does Zhuang Hao think I’m heartless for not worrying about my brother?

“Ah Hao, I…”

Zhuang Hao lowered his head. “Instead of wasting time here chatting with me, why don’t you go check on your brother?”

Clenching his teeth, Zhuang Hao felt frustrated. He was already troubled, and Yi Chuxue’s incessant chatter only added to his irritation.

Biting her lip, Yi Chuxue left, looking somewhat aggrieved.

Once she was gone, Qi Shaofu approached Zhuang Hao and asked, “Zhuang Hao, are you alright? I can’t believe my fourth brother turned out to be someone like that. Truly…”

He had always thought of Qi Shaorong as a pitiable person, someone who’d been worn down by hardship into a delicate and harmless flower. But now, after seeing Qi Shaorong’s true nature—a ferocious carnivorous plant—Qi Shaofu didn’t know what to think.

Zhuang Hao shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“As long as you’re okay,” Qi Shaofu said, recalling the scene where Qi Shaorong had pinned Zhuang Hao down and groped him. Internally, he thought, That image… too vivid to revisit!

The incident must have been recorded by many. No matter how successful Zhuang Hao’s future might be, this humiliating moment of being pinned down by Qi Shaorong would remain a lifelong stain.

Zhuang Hao noticed Qi Shaofu’s odd expression and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Qi Shaofu shook his head. “Nothing.”

Hu Feng glanced toward Lu Ming and said, “That old guy Lu Ming doesn’t look too happy. You two, come with me to cheer him up.”

Qi Shaorong: “…”

Yi Fan: “…”

Hu Feng led Qi Shaorong and Yi Fan over to Lu Ming, speaking with satisfaction, “Old Lu, I didn’t expect your academy to only get second place this time. A lot of gamblers must have thought you were a sure win and bet big on you taking first place. Tell me, don’t you feel a little guilty about letting them down?”

Lu Ming gave a cold smile and retorted, “Hu Feng, your academy’s win this time was nothing more than a fluke. Look at how cocky you’ve become.”

Hu Feng chuckled dismissively. “A win is a win—there’s no such thing as luck. By the way, Lu Ming, out of the ten participants from your academy, only three made it out in the end. You managed to turn the proud Imperial Seven Talents into a bunch of useless drunks. How are you even fit to be a principal?”

Lu Ming glanced at Qi Shaorong and Yi Fan beside Hu Feng. “You two performed remarkably well this time. If you’re ever interested in transferring to the Holy Emperor Academy, our doors will always be open to you.”

Hu Feng: “…Lu Ming, you bastard! Do you think I’m dead or something?”

As the two principals started bickering, Qi Shaorong turned to Shen Yuan, who was standing by Lu Ming, and greeted him. “Young Master Shen, long time no see.”

Shen Yuan: “…”

Lu Ming paused his argument with Hu Feng to glance at Shen Yuan, then at Qi Shaorong. “Student Qi, is there some misunderstanding between you and Student Shen?”

Qi Shaorong casually ran a hand through his hair. “Not at all. Young Master Shen, I kicked you out on the first day of the competition—surely you don’t mind?”

Shen Yuan forced a stiff smile. “Of course not. I lost because I wasn’t skilled enough. I have no one but myself to blame.”

“Young Master Shen,” Qi Shaorong said with a teasing smile, “I heard you might lose your spot as one of the Imperial Seven Talents after this. Honestly, with your lack of skill, holding onto that position must have been stressful. Now that I’ve taken it from you, you must feel relieved. Are you grateful to me for easing your burden?”

Shen Yuan: “…” Zhuang Hao, did you know your ex-fiancée has such a sharp tongue?

Zhuang Qian, standing beside Shen Yuan, shrank back and cautiously studied Qi Shaorong.

“Congratulations to Fourth Young Master Qi,” Shen Yuan said, his face twitching. “Since I’ve fallen off the list, I suppose you’ll be taking my spot.”

Qi Shaorong chuckled lightly. “Do you really think I’ll make it? Although I’m not that interested in such titles, being one of the Imperial Seven Talents does sound quite impressive. If the position is handed to me, I’ll graciously accept it. I hear it makes picking up girls much easier.”

Shen Yuan: “…”

“But now that you’re off the list,” Qi Shaorong continued, feigning concern, “it’ll be even harder for you to find a wife. You already had trouble before—what will you do now? It’s heartbreaking to think about.”

“There’s no need for you to worry about that,” Shen Yuan said through gritted teeth, thinking, Does he have to act like no one would ever want to marry me?

Qi Shaorong shrugged. “Not worry? How could I not worry? Although your skills are lacking, if I hadn’t kicked you off, you could’ve at least coasted on the list for a bit longer. Tell you what—I’ll ask the Wicked Doctor to arrange a priority slot for you in cosmetic surgery. What do you think? Your eyes aren’t big enough, your nose isn’t straight enough, and your lips are a bit flat. Oh, and have you considered trying breast augmentation? I mean, your chest…”

Hearing the stifled laughter from those eavesdropping nearby, Shen Yuan’s face turned dark. Does Qi Shaorong really have to hold a grudge just because I broke off the engagement with Zhuang Hao?

“There’s no need,” Shen Yuan said, clenching his teeth.

Qi Shaorong shrugged again. “You don’t need it? What a pity.”

Shen Yuan: “…”

“Hey, chubby! I see you hiding over there. Come out!” Qi Shaorong called out.

Zhuang Qian awkwardly stepped forward and said, “Congratulations, Fourth Young Master Qi.”

“Congratulations? For what?” Qi Shaorong asked.

“Congratulations on Tianlan Academy taking first place,” Zhuang Qian replied.

Qi Shaorong let out a mocking laugh. “Something as certain as this hardly warrants congratulations. To think your older brother still managed to secure first place in the solo rankings. I always thought only someone like me, born without a mother’s care and raised without any manners, would resort to underhanded tactics.

“But I never expected it! To think that someone like your brother, from a prestigious family, with a reputation for integrity and honor, would turn out to be a fraud. I must have overestimated the Zhuang family’s thousand-year reputation. Stumbling in the gutter and missing out on first place—well, it seems the Zhuang family’s century-old glory isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

Zhuang Qian: “…” Big Brother only lied a little—did it really have to be blown out of proportion like this?

“Pass on a message to your brother for me,” Qi Shaorong said.

Zhuang Qian blinked. “Fourth Young Master Qi, maybe you should tell him yourself?”

Qi Shaorong glanced at him. “You idiot, you can’t even deliver a message?”

Zhuang Qian: “…What would you like me to say?”

Qi Shaorong reached out to ruffle Zhuang Qian’s hair. “Tell your brother not to mess with me, or he’ll regret it.”

Shen Yuan, overhearing this, muttered under his breath, Big Brother’s already looking pretty regretful this time.

Zhuang Qian blinked nervously, his eyes darting between Qi Shaorong and the others.

“Did you get that, or should I repeat it for you?” Qi Shaorong asked.

Zhuang Qian quickly nodded. “I got it.”

“Good,” Qi Shaorong said with a smirk before turning away.

Qianmian approached and said, “Shaorong, someone over there is looking for you.”

Hearing this, Zhuang Qian breathed a sigh of relief. Qi Shaorong shot him a glare before walking off with Qianmian.

Hu Feng cleared his throat and said, “You two, come back to the academy with me. It’s too crowded here, and you’ve both drawn a lot of attention. Plenty of people would love to take a bite out of you.”

Qi Shaorong and Qianmian followed Hu Feng into his carriage. Watching them leave, Lu Ming narrowed his eyes. “That Hu Feng is really lucky. Tianlan Academy somehow managed to produce two freaks like them.”

Shen Yuan pursed his lips and let out a long sigh, feeling utterly humiliated.

Lu Ming glanced at Zhuang Qian beside Shen Yuan and said, “Qian, why did your brother break off the engagement? Just look at Qi Shaorong—what a presence!”

Zhuang Qian cautiously replied, “Principal, don’t you think Qi Shaorong is a bit too overbearing?”

Lu Ming nodded. “That’s true. If he really married into your family, it’d be hard to say who would end up getting the upper hand.”

Zhuang Qian: “…”

Just then, a teacher approached Lu Ming, looking troubled. “Principal, we’ve found Yi Bing.”

Lu Ming’s spirits lifted. “Where is he? How is he?”

The teacher hesitated before answering in a low voice, “His body shows signs of being attacked by a fire-element mage. His meridians have been destroyed. Even if he recovers, he’ll likely remain a second-level mage for life.”

Lu Ming’s eyes narrowed sharply. “What?”

Zhuang Qian and Shen Yuan exchanged glances. “Brother Shen, Yi Bing is in trouble? That guy actually got into trouble?” Zhuang Qian asked in shock.

“A turbulent time indeed,” Shen Yuan murmured, frowning deeply as he sensed that the matter was anything but simple.

“Principal, your carriage is way too small,” Qi Shaorong complained.

Hu Feng glanced at Qi Shaorong, looking slightly embarrassed. “Nothing I can do about it. Your principal here is poor!”

Hu Feng rubbed his nose awkwardly. With the academy lacking funds, its facilities were subpar, the teaching staff inadequate, and talented students unwilling to enroll. This time, however, Tianlan Academy clinched first place, which would earn them a significant royal grant, easing their financial woes—though compared to Qi Shaorong’s gambling winnings, that grant seemed like a pittance.

“My dear disciple, is it true you wagered a million gold betting on Tianlan Academy taking first place? If so, you’ve really hit the jackpot,” Hu Feng said enviously.

Qi Shaorong gave him a look and said, “Principal, do you remember saying that if Tianlan Academy won first place, you’d help me with something?”

“Of course! What do you need from me? Whatever it is, I’ll do my best,” Hu Feng promised, patting his chest. With such an outstanding disciple, he couldn’t afford to appear too lacking.

Qi Shaorong smiled. “It’s nothing too major.”

He took out a box and opened it, revealing a thick stack of gambling slips. Hu Feng glanced at them and said, “These are your betting receipts from the various gambling houses?”

Hu Feng flipped through the stack, noticing not only bets on Tianlan Academy winning first place but also wagers on Qianmian and Qi Shaorong making it into the top ten. There were even losing bets, like those predicting Zhuang Hao would fall out of the solo top ten or that Shenghuang Academy wouldn’t make the top ten academies.

“Principal, I need you to help me cash in all these gambling slips and convert them into anonymous gold cards. Donate 30% of the winnings to the academy,” Qi Shaorong said.

Hu Feng’s heart raced with excitement. The total winnings from these slips would amount to over 30 million gold coins, meaning the academy would receive nearly 10 million gold coins!

“Don’t worry, my disciple! I’ll take care of this for you. If any gambling house dares to renege, I’ll send them flying with a single palm strike!” Hu Feng declared.

After dropping off Qi Shaorong and Qianmian at the academy, Hu Feng eagerly headed off with the receipts in hand.

As Hu Feng left, Qianmian watched his retreating figure and remarked, “The principal looks really motivated.”

Qi Shaorong chuckled. “If someone isn’t motivated to collect money, they’ll be even less motivated for anything else.”

Hu Feng, accompanied by several instructors and the academy’s inspection team, marched boldly into the capital’s major gambling houses. A few gambling houses that initially intended to delay paying up quickly handed over the winnings upon seeing Hu Feng arrive with such a formidable entourage.

People in the capital watched enviously as Hu Feng and his team hauled chest after chest of gold coins out of the gambling houses.

Hu Feng, puffing out his chest with pride, supervised the instructors as they collected the money.

“Principal, is it true that Qi Shaorong said 30% of his winnings would go to the academy?” Instructor Li Hong asked.

Hu Feng nodded. “Of course.”

Li Hong’s eyes sparkled. “Qi Shaorong is such a generous student! He’s going to make a fortune this time. Principal, Qi Shaorong was kicked out of the Qi family, right? Where did he get such a massive amount of capital?”

Hu Feng: “…” How would he know that? “Why are you asking so many questions?”

Squinting his eyes, Hu Feng thought to himself, This disciple of mine is truly extraordinary. While Zhuang Hao might surpass Qi Shaorong in strength, he can’t compare to Qi Shaorong’s daring. At just over ten years old, this kid dared to gamble two million gold coins. What a bold and vibrant young man!

Kicking the door of another gambling house, Hu Feng grumbled impatiently, “What’s going on with this place? If they knew someone won money, why didn’t they prepare the gold in advance? Are they trying to back out?”

Li Hong leaned over and whispered, “Principal, this gambling house seems to have ties to the Qi family. A few elders from the Qi family were here earlier, but they all left when they saw you coming.”

Hu Feng smirked. Good thing I came instead of my disciple. If it were him, those Qi family elders would surely try to make trouble. What a joke! Although my disciple is from the Qi family, he’s already been kicked out of their family registry.