Students Clamoring out key details-

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"Apparently this whole thing was done by teacher Chan-Yeol!" A student said slightly louder than the others. "Cannot believe that bastard!"

"But why would he do something like that?" Another asked.

"That I do not know, you just can't trust anyone anymore." The student had his hands up in a hopeless manner. It was the same student aide the teacher grabbed when he reported the bridge was out. "Who could have predicted this place was unsafe?"

"Who could predict a Rebellion?"

"Tons of people." Leroy chimed in. The students turned to look at him questioningly. "Rebellion is a part of every society. Gives way to growth, or so they say. If there are people left alive that is to reflect on the matter mistakes can be rectified. Now if everyone dies during this time, it would be kicked up to a Demonic Beast Stampede."

"But to Rebel.. and to use us as a means to make a point..." A female student was sadder than angry about the situation. "..is just not fair. My parents spent so much money to get me here!"

"Discontent leads to so much, always. All it takes is a charismatic leader to stir things up." Leroy gestured towards Pin Feng and Chu Xue of all people who were walking over to the group. "Or someone who can be manipulated easily. I am sure you know someone like that yes, back home at least?"

"The nobles.." A student muttered. "..and their vassal lesser noble families."

"The commoners outnumbered the nobles but are too stupid to act right. So much fear is ingrained into them that they have no choice but to be led like cattle to the slaughter. Considering how greedy a lot of them are and gutless, would you want them leading you anyway?" Leroy asked the group just to see if any would speak out. "Don't get me wrong, a lot of nobles do some shady shit as well but also do their job correctly... like 4/10 do so. All it takes is a few to spoil the whole lot who try to do good."

"No, I wouldn't want someone like that leading." A student said. He was a commoner and was more used to running into trouble with his fellow townsfolk than the actual nobles in the area. "We have other things to worry about than that really."

"Yeah, the best thing would be to push against the demonic beasts to take territory for humanity to prosper." Leroy moved his head from side to side as he thought it over. Considering how the demonic beasts outnumbered the human population like 12 to 3 was ridiculous. If not even more really. "I rather lead a campaign to gain more fertile land for crops and freshwater than deal with the petty squabbles."

"Petty squabbles.." A student who suffered under the abuse of the nobles could barely hold it in. ".. how can our suffering be considered petty?"

"Well because it is." Leroy looked at the student making direct eye contact with him. "It doesn't really affect me so it is a petty squabble. Doesn't affect the person next to you so it is most likely a petty squabble to them too. No one has time to worry about every single person and what they are going through."

"Of course, you would think that way!" Victoria said bitterly.

"I think a lot of ways. All depends on how I am feeling really at the time." Leroy shrugged. "I might see someone who is injured and might stop to help them with all of my ability. Another time I might just keep on walking. That really depends if I notice them anyway. Maybe it is a priority thing really. Now if it is directly in my way I might do something no matter what."

"Like with me." Xiao Mei muttered lowly. Leroy nodded at her as well as to the members of the Clear Tang Family in the back they came across. Tang Bo placed a hand on her shoulder giving a small nod that he felt the same.

"If you spend your entire life helping others and not living your own life, well bully for you really." Leroy turned to the forest with an intense gaze. Some demonic beasts had caught the scent of some of the injured students. "I rather live my life doing what I want. Well, when I can anyway."

"Haa if only it was that easy." Tang Xui muttered as she walked closer to Leroy. Placing the Stone he gave her before back into his possession. It was derived of all Qi and was close to crumbling. He didn't get a chance to check her cultivation since it was so restrained at this time. "Freedom is hard fought and earned. Even more to hold onto."

"Humph, of course, a member of the Clear Tang Family can talk so carelessly and freely." Another student said spitefully. "Filthy nobles." He muttered that part really lowly. Only a few heard what was said.

"Trouble?" Tang Bo asked moving to Leroy's side who gave a small signal. Xiao Mei followed the gaze toward the forest. He received a nod in return from her. "Demonic Beasts or.."

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Demonic Beasts." Leroy said. His eyes looked over the fearful students. "You cowards stay here. As those of us who are brave enough and with the help of the filthy nobles handle the situation."

The girl whose family spent everything to get her in the Akademy followed right along. Leroy handed her a few Talismans that could protect her life. Not much he could do with them himself as they require a female to use.

Those with him already had the means to do so. But this student was one of the few who kept putting herself on the line to succeed. Her name they found out was Saiori. Besides a slight accent he picked up that matched Vice-Principal Jin, her dark eyes and hair were pitch black unlike most people in the Akademy.

The next few hours were spent with the small group of them killing Demonic Beasts. Only two other students eventually joined in to help them from those with Teacher Hiroshi who stood back to keep the scared and injured safe. A boy named Long Fei and another girl named Charlotte. They were not that strong at all and had Spiritual Roots with 4 branches but they were damaged.

Luckily the Demonic Beasts were only at the Qi Refining Realm 2nd Rank at the highest. So the two newcomers didn't have to worry about much with others actually covering them to make sure they remained alive.

When they returned, a few students had fixed some food to eat. Chu Xue had helped them prepare it with small demon beasts he knew from home. Pin Feng helped to gather the herbs that he said gave really good flavor.

Leroy ponder it over but couldn't tell exactly what was wrong with the food really on first smell. So his little group ate food they prepped themselves. It was just some weird smell in the air and a nagging notion that he saw the discarded herb remains somewhere before.

Pin Feng approached Chu Xue that night. Muttering a few things to him and asking him to come with him for a talk in private. Despite a few misgivings, the Life Martial Artist's default personality made him want to believe in people.

Especially those in the same situation as himself.

Seeing the two walk off Jasmine frowned as she had talked to a few people and none could account for Pin Feng's whereabouts this entire time since the first Demonic Beast Stampede.

"Where are you two going?" She called out quite loudly.

"You all just stay here first, I'll have a chat with Pin Feng." Chu Xue walked off without waiting for a response. A grave look on his face as he left.

Jasmine turned to look at Leroy. He gave her a signal letting her know it was as she suspected already. The two got up and slinked off to follow along. Tang Xui would cover for them if anyone asked. Tang Bo was talking things over with Xiao Mei.

Saiori, Charlotte, and Long Fei were cultivating non-stop with some stones Leroy gave them. Just stones he trapped a little amount of his Flame Vortex Qi inside with the Inscription Pattern of a technique he found and modified.

A way to heald damaged Spiritual Roots as well damaged Dantians. Of course, there were ways to fix those in the Empire but they were so damn expensive he found out that he rather try to develop ways himself further.

Luckily the teachers were too busy to notice the students slinking off in small pairs. Even though the students were gone for a few minutes nothing seemed amiss in the camp.

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This is Suspect!-

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Pin Feng and Chu Xue were looking over a cliff as they talked. The suspension bridge that led to an exit out of this area of course was snapped. Even if they were Foundation Realm Cultivators it would be almost impossible to jump across.

Leroy stopped Jasmine from moving closer and helped her focus to listen in on them. Her Beast Martial Arts already gave her an advantage in hearing and sight but she was just to nervous or agitated to do it herself.

Leroy however also used his Metal Seed to try and see what was down the chasm as well as how far the damn thing was. Of course, when he found a bunch of bones and a few Demon Beasts that slithered down there he wanted to check closer. But that was not to be.

"When did you figure it out?" Pin Feng asked.

"Actually, I already suspected you a day ago." Chu Xue said somberly. "The mark on your arm when I healed you previously didn't help at all. The person who attacked Princess Jasmine had a mark just like it. Not to mention the Branch Leader I came across."

Not bothered that he met the Branch Leader, the little assassin was sure his teacher would not betray him and kill his friend.

"An Assassin Guild mark on my arm, each branch has a different one though." Pin Feng kept looking forward and then leaned back enough that he was looking at the sky. Chu Xue confirmed the statement reluctantly. With a deep sigh, he continued. "I didn't think that after hiding my identity so well, and implementing the plan I would be exposed that way."

"That wasn't the only reason, Leroy made a few comments that made me think hard about a few matters. Especially with people I came across the last few days. This has been a very long week."

"That little fucker just outed me." Leroy mumbled pissed off. Jasmine wanted to laugh but the situation was too serious at this time.

"But this isn't about him, this is about you." Chu Xue shook his head trying to refocus on the situation. "It was when you came to talk to me that I finally confirmed what I had suspected. I can not believe you are part of the people who planned this."

"Had no choice, the Nobles have to pay!"

As Pin Feng spun his sob story, Leroy stifled a yawn as he tried to remember the deeper details about what happened from those he refined. So far he drew only a little from the Demon Beasts and one member of the Assassination Group that someone managed to kill.

Princess Jasmine and Chu Xue were very sympathetic to Pin Feng's plight. Father was killed as a traitor despite being one of the best Generals of the North Kingdom. The fact the Dark Sparrow-Water Family dropped all the way down to the Light Sparrow-Water Family was a big deal and blowback to them.

Several allies distanced themselves and the Dark Rose Family took over their territory and even took their former equals as Vassals. Much was said about that removal would be rectified by the North King but nothing was truly done about it.

As the two talked things over further, Leroy and Jasmine backed away slowly. The girl was shaken by what she heard that her father was a part of a major conspiracy. Unable to fight as the two agreed upon to kill Pin Feng and apprehend Chu Xue, they remained silent while heading back.

Making it back to the camp quickly led to a different matter.

Leroy didn't want to test that the group would be attacked by a summons from the Assassination Group. If they would have attacked him, however, nothing for the other group to be worried about really with the few items he picked up to save his life.