He had no intention of getting involved in the scuffle between Jane Lincoln and Carrie Lincoln. With his current mindset as someone who had lived a second life, and the strength to seriously injure a level-five swordsman with a single blow, taking part in these students’ squabbles would be beneath him—like an adult bullying children, there was no honor in it at all. If it weren’t for Jane Lincoln’s excessive behavior, which always ended up involving him, he wouldn’t have acted rashly and injured that level-five swordsman.

“This matter ends here. If you continue to spread rumors and slander my reputation, I will make you regret your words and actions for the rest of your life.” Ignoring the stunned students and the terrified, trembling Jane Lincoln, William Lincoln turned directly to Lincoln beside him and said, “Take Carrie Lincoln to the infirmary!”

……

After William Lincoln, Carrie Lincoln, and the others left, everyone seemed to wake from a dream and immediately began to talk among themselves. Most of the students’ gazes fell upon the swordsmen from Brilliant Academy and Jane Lincoln. The words he left behind as he departed instantly set everyone thinking.

“Didn’t the people from Dorm A-2 say that the rumor was B-13’s Charles Lincoln, out of fear of retaliation from level-four swordsman Grace Lincoln, used despicable means to attack someone’s chest to intimidate her, so she wouldn’t dare trouble anyone from Dorm B-13 again…”

“With Charles Lincoln’s current strength, if he really went up against Grace Lincoln…”

Looking at the level-five swordsman lying there with obvious internal injuries, no one could even imagine what would happen if that move had landed on Helen Lincoln.

At this thought, everyone’s minds suddenly became clear: “So, Charles Lincoln isn’t afraid of Grace Lincoln at all, and his attack method was simply because it could inflict the greatest damage.”

“He held back, unwilling to stoop to her level, yet this woman went around spreading rumors to frame them, wantonly slandering his reputation…”

“This Lincoln senior truly knows how to cherish and protect women, and he’s noble and aloof, never seeking conflict. Even when his reputation is slandered, he lets it go for the sake of his classmates… A true master, this is the demeanor of a real expert!”

Immediately, the way everyone looked at Jane Lincoln began to change.

The looks of disdain, sarcasm, and contempt that William Lincoln and his companions had experienced at the door now all fell upon Jane Lincoln…

The innocent remain innocent; those who insult others will be insulted in turn.

……

William Lincoln had Lincoln help Carrie Lincoln to the infirmary, while he himself returned to his dormitory to continue cultivating.

The gods in this world had established cruel rules of competition. In order to please the gods and earn merit, battles occurred in every corner of the world at all times. Cultivation and becoming stronger had become the endless pursuit of everyone’s life. To live safely, one must possess great strength. Only with great strength could one have the right to survive and speak in this world.

Though the rules were filled with the harsh reality of survival of the fittest…

This was exactly what William Lincoln needed!

In times of peace, warriors have nowhere to use their skills. But in chaotic times, warriors are never in short supply.

After sitting in meditation for about three or four hours, a knock at the door woke William Lincoln.

“Student Charles Lincoln, I am a member of the academy’s security team. Please come with me to the vice dean’s office.”

Being interrupted during cultivation was the most annoying thing for any practitioner. William Lincoln frowned slightly, slowly guided the battle energy that was trying to break through the Governor Vessel’s Zhiyang acupoint into his lower dantian, and ended his practice.

“Student Charles Lincoln, please open the door. The vice dean has urgent business with you.” The security team member outside urged again.

William Lincoln opened the door and saw the security team member’s somewhat complicated expression. Without waiting for him to speak, he said directly, “Let’s go.” Then he walked toward the vice dean’s office. He didn’t need to guess what this was about.

He had injured a senior student from Brilliant Academy. It would be strange if the academy didn’t hold him accountable.

Volume One: The Supreme Nine Cycles

Chapter Nine: Punishment

In the three or four hours that had passed, the events at the trial ground had already spread. Although it hadn’t reached the entire academy yet, the fact that William Lincoln, as a level-three swordsman, had injured a level-five student from Brilliant Academy was so sensational that most people now saw William Lincoln in a new light. It was as if everyone had just realized that their Ziyun Intermediate Academy actually had a genius whose cultivation had reached level five, or even level six.

“Did you see that? That’s student Charles Lincoln, the one who made a level-five swordsman from Brilliant Academy cough up blood with a single punch.”

“Come on, you’re exaggerating. One punch to make a level-five swordsman cough up blood? What kind of strength would that take? Even a level-six swordsman probably couldn’t do that. Sixteen years old and already a level-six swordsman—do you think that’s possible? If you’re going to fool me, at least make it believable.”

“You really are out of the loop. Aside from you, who never goes out, everyone knows about this by now. If you don’t believe me, just ask anyone… Sixteen years old and already a level-six swordsman—such an achievement is rare even in the entire Ziyun Empire. Our academy is finally going to produce a genius.”