The Verdict! A Difficult Road Ahead

"Section Chief Dong." Fang Yu bowed slightly. "Mm." Section Chief Dong nodded faintly, then glanced toward Tang Jianxin beside him. After Tang Jianxin gave a slight nod, Teacher Li, standing to the side, switched on the recorder mounted on his chest. Sentencing proceedings like this required a complete audiovisual record. "Defendant Fang Yu, male, Alliance ID Number 4323——...——age twenty-one, currently a senior at Huguang Martial University." Section Chief Dong first verified Fang Yu's identity. "Pursuant to the charges filed by the Martial Arts Inspection Department of Iron Wall Space Base, on September 7, New Calendar Year 60, at 9:36 AM, the defendant——" Section Chief Dong recounted the deposition and incident once more. "This Adjudication Department finds the charge of excessive defense brought by the Martial Arts Inspection Department against defendant Fang Yu to be substantiated. In light of mitigating circumstances, lenient punishment is granted." Section Chief Dong spoke slowly. "In accordance with the Alliance Citizen Law, Martial Artist Law, and Civilization Martial Artist Law, the specific judgment is as follows: "First, all bonus rewards from this practical combat assessment are revoked. "Second, the defendant must pay three hundred thousand Star Coins in restitution to the victim's family. "Third, the defendant may not sign higher-tier dedicated contracts while enrolled. "Fourth, for five years, the defendant may not sign new martial artist endorsement contracts. "If unsatisfied with this ruling, an appeal may be filed through this department or directly to the Higher Court within two to ten days of receiving the written verdict." Having finished reading, Section Chief Dong paused, handed the judgment document to Fang Yu, and said in a heavy voice, "Fang Yu, sign." Fang Yu took a deep breath. As expected, things were never that simple. The final verdict remained "excessive defense." Among the four penalties, the first and second were not catastrophic. Losing over a million Star Coins stung, but he could afford it. Even the fourth was not a major issue; his odds of landing new endorsement contracts in the near term were slim anyway. The third penalty alone—barring him from signing any higher dedicated contract while enrolled—was devastating! Fang Yu's goal was to become a martial graduate student. Yet Huguang Martial University's three requirements for applying to martial graduate school were: under twenty-four years of age, a Life Level reaching level 30, and having previously obtained an Earth Contract. This third clause would flatly sever his path to graduate studies. *Swish!* Fang Yu reached out, took the pen, and swiftly signed. Circumstances were stronger than the individual. Fang Yu knew all too well that he had no room to negotiate. Even if he intended to appeal, he had to sign first and wait until tomorrow. "Very well." "Professor Tang, I'll take my leave," Section Chief Dong said in a low voice, then turned and departed. "Teacher Li, you may head back as well," Associate Professor Tang said calmly. "I have a few words to say to Fang Yu in private." "Understood." Teacher Li was tactful. As he left, he closed the door behind him, leaving only Fang Yu, Tang Jianxin, and Jiang Wei in the room. "Fang Yu, I imagine you're rather disappointed with this verdict," Tang Jianxin sighed softly, her gaze conflicted. Yesterday, faced with pressure from Xia Kaishan's various connections—including a vice principal who had even come looking for her—she had been forced to turn to two of her senior martial brothers. Unfortunately, neither was based in Huguang Province, and their influence here was limited. Moreover, neither was willing to clash head-on with Xia Kaishan over this matter. One of them had put it very bluntly: "Junior Sister, if he were bullying you, we would stand by you with everything we have. But this only concerns one of your students... To be blunt, he's merely a student with a bit of talent. Completely antagonizing a well-connected top-tier Earth Martial Artist for his sake just isn't worth it." Tang Jianxin understood her martial brother's words. They were neither kin nor friends with Fang Yu, so it was impossible for them to go all out for him. In this world, interests and strength spoke loudest. "Fang Yu." "There's no need to appeal. Securing this ruling was already the result of Associate Professor Tang's utmost efforts," Jiang Wei sighed softly. "The university could only make recommendations to the Inspection Department, but the final verdict was decided by the Adjudication Department. Associate Professor Tang... has effectively made an enemy of Xia Kaishan as well." "Associate Professor Tang, I..." Fang Yu was momentarily at a loss for how to express his gratitude. For her to go this far for him was already extraordinarily rare. "No need for thanks. You count as my student, so this is my duty," Tang Jianxin shook her head. "I have always acted according to my conscience. Back then, I believed your talent was insufficient and that you shouldn't be granted a dedicated contract, so I opposed it... "This time, you are my student. "You did nothing wrong, so you should not be punished. It is just that my power is ultimately not strong enough. The influence of a top-tier Earth Martial Artist far exceeds mine, and there are many things I cannot change," Tang Jianxin said. "At the very least, though, you can continue cultivating at Huguang Martial University." Fang Yu listened quietly. "With your talent, you should have signed an Earth Contract... "But now, you can only remain on an Elite Contract," Tang Jianxin said in a low voice. "However, regarding the resources that come with an Earth Contract—apart from the cultivation stipend, which I cannot provide— "I will use my authority to upgrade everything else to match the students of the Earth Academy: the star force chambers, gravity chambers, private martial arts training rooms, martial arts secret manual punch force testing, mental tempering chambers, and so forth," Tang Jianxin said slowly. "Feel free to use them all." "Thank you, Associate Professor Tang." Fang Yu was deeply grateful. This was already a wonderful outcome. "Furthermore," "Xia Kaishan's retaliation against you relies primarily on two prongs," Tang Jianxin said slowly. "First, using the Adjudication Department's ruling to saddle you with a criminal record. State regulations dictate that enrolled students with a criminal record cannot sign higher-tier dedicated contracts. "Without an Earth Contract, you cannot apply for martial graduate school. "Second, he has leveraged his influence to communicate with the heads of the Eight Great Martial Artist Groups' branches in Wuling City, as well as many second-tier martial artist groups," Tang Jianxin continued. "Under normal circumstances, your household registration belongs to Wuling City, which means only martial artist groups within this city are permitted to sign you." Fang Yu felt a chill in his heart. So that was where his real trap lay. On a young martial artist's path of growth, vast quantities of resources were required: weapon manuals, Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, guidance from renowned masters—all of these demanded astronomical fortunes. Martial artists primarily had three avenues to earn wealth. The first avenue was the cultivation stipend provided by the university before leaving school. In essence, it was the Blue Moon Alliance's fundamental training support for young martial artists, but it ceased once a student graduated from university or graduate school. The second avenue was venturing onto the Primordial Star to earn money on one's own. The third avenue was signing with a martial artist group. Provided one possessed sufficient talent, martial artist groups would invest heavily before a martial artist reached a certain level—sometimes investing far more in the later stages than a university ever could. Certain special resources could not be bought with money at all. After all, a martial artist group was bound to a martial artist for life. Yet now... Xia Kaishan was not only cutting off his first avenue, but even severing the third. Truly ruthless. "Moving forward, do not enter the Wilderness Zone for the time being either," Tang Jianxin continued. "Xia Kaishan wants you dead. He will certainly have people secretly watching you. As long as you remain in the space base, at the university, or in the cities, Xia Kaishan cannot touch you. "In the Wilderness Zone, however, there are far too many ways to kill you. "If a civilian martial artist kills you, it is extraordinarily difficult to trace," Tang Jianxin cautioned. "Understood." Fang Yu's heart grew even colder. Unlike students whose coefficient scores were constantly logged by the university... Civilian martial artists possessed much greater freedom. As long as their rank tier did not drop, simple rises and falls in their coefficient scores were nearly impossible to investigate. Yet this meant... All three of his avenues for earning wealth were completely cut off. Under these conditions, maintaining rapid improvement would be nearly impossible—and a martial artist had only so many prime cultivation years. "Your road ahead will be arduous, but it is not a dead end," Tang Jianxin said slowly. Fang Yu startled, then hurriedly asked, "Please guide me, Associate Professor Tang." "Xia Kaishan has woven a great web around you, attempting to trap you until he finds an opportunity to end your life," Tang Jianxin said softly. "However, the tenacity of any web has its limits. "If your talent is high enough and your strength formidable enough, you can tear this web to shreds." "Tear it to shreds?" Fang Yu pondered thoughtfully. Relying on myself? "Your technical skill talent is exceptional. "To master the Entering the Minute secret technique at age twenty-one is very impressive," Tang Jianxin remarked. "Even at New Moon Martial University, there are a few seniors who cannot achieve it." Fang Yu noted the implication: in other words, the vast majority of seniors at New Moon Martial University had already mastered Entering the Minute. "Fang Yu, you might not know," Jiang Wei suddenly chimed in from the side, "Associate Professor Tang graduated with her bachelor's from New Moon Martial University. She's actually only twenty-six years old right now." Fang Yu looked at Tang Jianxin in astonishment. Twenty-six? He had thought she merely looked young, but she was genuinely young—barely five years older than him, yet already an Earth Martial Artist and an associate professor at Huguang Martial University. Now that was a true martial prodigy. "Teacher Jiang," Tang Jianxin frowned. Jiang Wei clamped his mouth shut at once. "Still, compared to your technical skill, your Star Aspect actually holds greater potential," Tang Jianxin said slowly. "A Middle-Rank Star Aspect Crimson-Scaled Snake, yet possessing forty-six star acupoints—acupoints on par with an Upper-Rank Star Aspect. You must have studied the concept of 'Star Aspect Higher-Tiering' during junior college, right?" "I have," Fang Yu nodded. "If you become a graduate student in the future, you will learn another concept: 'Second Awakening,'" Tang Jianxin said in a low voice. "Second Awakening?" Fang Yu's pupils shrank. His mind instantly jumped to his "Second-Stage Awakening." "Everyone's Star Aspect potential differs. Some possess powerful foundations that require them to reach extremely high levels before awakening," Tang Jianxin explained. "Your senior predecessor Wang Heng was one such case. "You are the same. Both of you only awakened in your twenties. "Then there are other martial prodigies whose Star Aspect potential runs even deeper. Once their Life Level reaches a certain threshold, their Star Aspect may undergo a Second Awakening, evolving from a Lower-Rank Star Aspect to a Middle-Rank Star Aspect, or from a Middle-Rank Star Aspect to an Upper-Rank Star Aspect. "According to big-data statistics... "Over ninety percent of martial artists whose Star Aspects undergo this evolution have previously exhibited Star Aspect Higher-Tiering," Tang Jianxin said. "And in your case, those traits are even more pronounced. "I estimate that once you achieve a Second Awakening, your star acupoints will surge to at least seventy or more—perhaps even higher—making it an absolute top-tier Upper-Rank Star Aspect," Tang Jianxin said slowly. "Once you accomplish that, the Eight Great Martial Artist Groups will not hesitate to sign you and cultivate you as a priority, even if it means offending Xia Kaishan." Fang Yu caught his breath. Seventy star acupoints? Most Upper-Rank Star Aspect martial artists could only awaken forty-odd star acupoints. "Of course, a Second Awakening is exceedingly difficult," Tang Jianxin said. "Yet you have hope. Even without awakening, pairing your Star Aspect with your technical skill talent gives you a very real chance of becoming an Earth Martial Artist within ten years. "Once you are an Earth Martial Artist, you naturally won't need to fear Xia Kaishan. "The road ahead is difficult, but it is not a dead end. Hope remains." Tang Jianxin and Jiang Wei walked out of the room. "Associate Professor Tang, can a Middle-Rank Star Aspect truly undergo a Second Awakening?" Jiang Wei could not resist asking. "It can," Tang Jianxin said softly. "The chances are just vanishingly slim. Across our civilization, the vast majority of Star Aspect evolutions are Lower-Rank Star Aspects evolving into Middle-Rank Star Aspects. "The probability of Fang Yu's Star Aspect undergoing a Second Awakening... is perhaps one in a thousand." Jiang Wei was stunned. One in a thousand? That... That! Tang Jianxin sighed softly. "I couldn't help him. Right now, giving him an extra glimmer of hope in his heart is what matters most."