Chapter 68: The Sports Meet Controversy
As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd that had been congratulating Mu Lichuan turned their eyes toward him. After a glance at his attire, their expressions shifted to sudden understanding.
The young man was dressed in dark gray sports attire. Even after running 10,000 meters, only a faint sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead - a stark contrast to the others, which seemed somewhat unnatural.
"On what grounds do you suspect me? Simply because I won first place?" Mu Lichuan's face was full of defiance, his gaze faintly sweeping toward the athletic students nearby.
He knew his usual absence from school had branded him as a delinquent in others' eyes. Now that he had surpassed the so-called "athletic elites," it was inevitable someone would protest.
His sharp question left the two sports committee members speechless. They were merely acting on hearsay. Though this pale, unassuming student seemed ordinary, they couldn't ignore the suspicions.
"Mu Lichuan, once a report is filed, we must follow procedure," said the high school student council president, Shao Yu, forcing his tone to remain gentle.
Mu Lichuan glanced at his classmates. Their expressions showed tacit agreement. Though they were all from wealthy families, hierarchies still existed. None dared offend the student council - crossing them meant risking future trouble, even parental reprimands.
"Fine, test me. But test every athlete who competed alongside me." His voice was calm, indifferent to the gasps around him.
Shao Yu's face darkened. Where did this guy get such audacity? Did he not understand the consequences of provoking the student council?
"What? President Shao, are you refusing to enforce the rules?" Mu Lichuan pressed, his eyes laced with mockery.
Shao Yu's smile strained. "No problem. All 10,000-meter runners will report for testing."
The moment he said this, the star athlete's face turned ashen.
As the sports meet continued, Xie Dong looked awkward when Mu Lichuan emerged unscathed. They were classmates, supposed to share collective pride—yet fear of repercussions had kept them silent.
"I'll return for the marathon." Mu Lichuan cast them a cold look before walking away.
Xie Dong and the others hesitated, wanting to speak, but swallowed their words. Their cowardice was undeniable.
Though their class ranked last academically, excelling elsewhere would still earn them respect.
Meanwhile, Mu Lichuan remained unaware that someone was digging relentlessly for information about him.
After learning the He family remained unharmed, Shao Ronglin nearly choked on his fury. Yuan Dacheng and He Chen controlled a significant portion of Kyoto's real estate. Though outsiders, their social finesse had even the main families treating them courteously.
When Chen Ying discovered someone had dismantled her array, she immediately retrieved the Taiyi Liuren Divination Plate to identify this mysterious expert.
The Taiyi Liuren Divination Plate (太乙六壬式盘, Tàiyǐ Liùrén Shì Pán): an ancient Chinese mystical instrument used for fortune-telling and cosmological divination. This sacred tool consists of two interconnected components: a rotating celestial disk representing the heavens, embedded within a fixed terrestrial disk symbolizing the earth.]
The plate consisted of two parts: the celestial disk and the terrestrial disk. The round celestial disk rotated atop the square terrestrial disk. By spinning the celestial disk while focusing on a query, the diviner interpreted the alignment of the Big Dipper's handle with the twelve deities, constellations, and heavenly stems to deduce the answer.
Yet when Chen Ying tried to locate Mu Lichuan using the divination plate, it spun wildly out of control. Confused, she tried it on others and got perfect results. But Mu Lichuan's reading was a complete mess.
Suppressing her frustration, she tried again. The result was even more erratic. A faint, unsettling aura seeped through, unsettling her mind—until she suddenly coughed up blood.
"Miss Chen, are you—?" Shao Ronglin stared, bewildered and anxious.
She wiped her lips. "No good. This person is formidable. Either they transcend mortal limits or far surpass my abilities." Even exhausting her energy yielded nothing.
"So... we drop this?" Shao Ronglin's face twisted with reluctance.
Chen Ying shot him an icy glare. "Do you expect me to die for your cause?" Even her soul wouldn’t stand a chance. Only fools charged blindly into doomed battles.
Shao Ronglin paled at the mention of death. With a stiff nod, he watched her retreat to her room.
"Understood. Thank you, Miss Chen." He dared not offend her, the consequences would be dire.
____
Elsewhere, Mu Lichuan meditated. With the sports meet dragging on, he might as well cultivate.
When the marathon commenced, he arrived in gray athletic wear, strolling leisurely to the starting line.
A standard marathon spanned roughly 43 kilometers was daunting for ordinary people. But as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, circulating a wisp of spiritual energy made it trivial. As for "cheating"? They’d forced him into this. If they wanted collective glory, he’d deliver.
Even the homeroom teacher felt a flicker of hope. "Pace yourself early. Save your strength for the final sprint."
Mu Lichuan remained silent, eyes clear and detached.
At the starting gun, the runners surged forward.
Realistically, merely finishing a marathon was impressive for middle schoolers competing against high schoolers. Only twenty participants had signed up.
To encourage participation, the school promised 5,000 yuan to all finishers, with top prizes triple that amount.
Mu Lichuan maintained a steady pace, trailing the leader without pushing ahead. As hours passed, the autumn chill did little to dampen the spectators' fervor.
The current frontrunner - a high school track star, was determined to win. Yet no matter how he accelerated, this middle schooler clung to his heels. Gradually, exhaustion set in. He had to conserve energy for the final stretch.
Mu Lichuan’s breathing remained even. Avoiding attention, he planned to sprint only at the end.
Xie Dong and the others watched the live broadcast eagerly. Aside from Mu Lichuan’s 10,000-meter victory, their class had failed to crack the top five in any event.
"I think Mu Lichuan might win!" a girl shrieked. After his first triumph, he’d gained a fan club - complete with cheerleaders.
"Mu Lichuan!" The crowd’s chants grew deafening, drawing glares from jealous rich kids. But none dared interfere, not when the loudest supporter was Shao Xiaoya, the student council president’s sister and the Shao family’s young miss.
With 400 meters left, the high schooler suddenly sprinted, convinced he could shake Mu Lichuan off. Yet the moment he did, the boy matched his speed effortlessly. Panicking, the athlete pushed harder—only to collapse from exhaustion as Mu Lichuan blew past him, crossing the finish line first.
"Mu Lichuan!" Shao Xiaoya rushed forward, beaming, and handed him water.
Just as he reached for it, her face drained of color. She swayed—then collapsed.
Mu Lichuan caught her instantly. "M-medicine..." she gasped, her breathing ragged.
"She, she has a heart condition! She shouldn’t have run!" a girl stammered, trembling. "Xiaoya, your pills!" If anything happened to her, the fallout would be catastrophic.
Shao Xiaoya’s vision blurred. Her fingers fumbled weakly. Without hesitation, Mu Lichuan snatched the pills from her friend and pressed them into her mouth.
As color returned to her cheeks, the onlookers exchanged uneasy glances.
"Xiaoya, I told you not to run! You could’ve died!" her friend Qin Xiaocao scolded, voice thick with relief.
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