Being forced to grow like a pig? But I'm immune to the consequences!

Xu Fei and the others beside him stared intently at the departing figure of Iris, a sinister smile creeping onto their lips, their smugness almost overflowing.

Iris was thus expelled from the martial arts academy and assigned to the extremely dangerous external exploration team, which was exactly what they wanted.

The mountain that had been pressing down on everyone collapsed with a roar, and from then on, no one could ever surpass them in the ordinary training grounds.

Xu Fei, in particular, was overjoyed, his smugness written all over his face, and he couldn't help but walk with an arrogant air.

In his view, with Iris's downfall, he could naturally become the new top figure in the training field, enjoying endless glory from then on, given his looks and talent.

"Hmph, you've finally met your match after all that arrogance!"

"Once you join the exploration team, you'll suffer a lot; you'll never be able to turn your life around!"

Xu Fei muttered viciously to himself, feeling more and more relieved as he thought about it, his eyes filled with arrogance and triumph.

Ning Yi, standing to the side, gazed at Iris's lonely and disheveled figure, his expression complex and indescribable.

Not long ago, Ellis was the most admired prodigy of the martial arts academy, the undisputed number one genius in the training field. She was racking her brains to figure out how to cling to this powerful figure, how to use her charm to win his heart, and how to climb the social ladder by leveraging his influence.

But in just a few days, that once radiant person fell into such a state, plummeting from the clouds into the mire.

Thinking of this, Ning Yi felt no guilt whatsoever, but rather a deep sense of relief. She was glad that she had acted decisively and turned to climb onto Song Tai, a much larger and more powerful tree, making the most "wise" choice; otherwise, she might be the one in trouble right now.

She never imagined that she was the catalyst for Ellis's tragic end. If she hadn't attended that dinner party, if she hadn't deliberately tried to please Song Tai, Ellis wouldn't have been consumed by jealousy and anger, wouldn't have clashed with Liu Zhi, and wouldn't have ended up being expelled.

But a selfish person like Ning Yi, whose heart and eyes are only focused on her own future, would never care about the life or death of others. Even if there is a slight connection, she will immediately throw it to the back of her mind, subconsciously absolving herself of all responsibility, and taking it all as Iris's own fault.

Liu Zhen, standing in the crowd, stared blankly in the direction where Iris had disappeared, his heart filled with mixed emotions. An endless sense of melancholy and sorrow welled up inside him, making it hard for him to breathe.

To be honest, he had always harbored resentment towards Ellis. As fellow top eight finishers, Ellis consistently outperformed him, leaving him perpetually in second place, which inevitably fueled his resentment and even a secret rivalry.

But ever since Liu Zhi and others joined, after that dinner party, he and Ellis were both ostracized. Their shared plight had long since overshadowed their past grudges.

After Ellis brutally beat Liu Zhi, he sincerely offered advice and even reminded Liu to smooth things over, trying his best to salvage the situation. But ultimately, it was all in vain; Ellis was severely punished and expelled, and everything was beyond repair.

Liu Zhen couldn't understand how the situation could have changed so drastically in just a few days. Just a few days ago, Liu Zhi and Ellis were having dinner together, chatting and laughing, but in the blink of an eye, they were at each other's throats and had become bitter enemies.

He couldn't help but feel a sense of desolation, and even began to doubt whether there was anyone in this martial arts academy, in this circle of intertwined interests, who was truly worthy of his friendship and complete trust.

Cola Novels (latest update): Forced to mature like a pig? But I'm immune to the consequences!

He had gone to great lengths to win over the top eight and form a small circle, hoping that they could support and help each other when they entered different departments. But now the circle has completely fallen apart, and he has gone from a core figure to being all alone.

How will I spend my days at the martial arts academy? After the training period ends and I enter the dangerous external affairs department, how will I establish myself? Without a single trustworthy person by my side, I will ultimately have to fight alone, making every step difficult.

"It's ridiculous. In the end, it's all for nothing," Liu Zhen said with a low, self-deprecating tone, his eyes filled with desolation.

On the other side, Zhao Dele and the others watched this scene, simply shaking their heads slightly with indifferent expressions.

They felt neither schadenfreude nor excessive sympathy for Ellis's plight; they simply felt the impermanence of life and the unpredictability of fate. It was truly lamentable that such a highly anticipated and promising genius had fallen from grace in just a few days.

"Is this fate?"

"Perhaps so. Human hearts are unpredictable, and the world is full of uncertainties. No one can say for sure."

In a corner of the crowd, Wu Sheng remained calm, but inwardly he was secretly on guard.

Ellis's fate served as a stark reminder to him. He had to be extremely careful in his words and actions, never letting anger cloud his judgment, for impulsiveness could lead to irreparable disaster. Like Ellis, one wrong step could lead to utter ruin, plunging him into an abyss from which there was no escape. Joining the exploration team meant facing endless difficulties and dangers.

Several instructors looked in the direction Ellis had left, shaking their heads in regret.

Ellis was a rare talent, exceptionally gifted, and they had always kept an eye on him, intending to cultivate him as a key player. Unfortunately, the young man was too impulsive and lacked discretion; moreover, the man he assaulted, Liu Zhi, came from a prominent family.

The reason this punishment was so severe was entirely due to the influence of Liu Zhi's family. Liu Zhi's family had a retired martial artist who, although his cultivation had long been completely destroyed, still had the connections he had accumulated in his early years. He joined forces with a group of people to approach the martial arts academy, insisting on severely punishing Iris, and initially even demanding that her cultivation be completely destroyed.

Fortunately, Iris's family intervened in time, and given her exceptional talent, the martial arts academy was unwilling to completely bury a genius. After much negotiation, this punishment was finally decided. Although harsh, it at least left her a way out. With her talent, if she can lie low and endure, she may have a chance to make a comeback in the future.

"What a pity, such a promising talent was ruined by a moment of impulse."

"Young people are too impetuous and don't know how to conceal their strength; they will eventually suffer a great loss."

"I just hope she can learn from this experience, get through this difficult time, and not give up on herself."

Once Iris's figure had completely disappeared at the end of the training field, Dansin gave a slight nod to Tavin.

Tavin understood, stepped forward, and swept his sharp gaze across the room. His voice was loud and serious: "You must all take Iris's fate as a warning, strictly abide by the rules of the Martial Academy, and never repeat her mistakes! If anyone dares to imitate her and disregard discipline, their fate will be even worse than hers!"

He paused, then waved his hand again: "This matter ends here. Everyone disperse and focus on your cultivation!"

The crowd responded and dispersed, bringing the uproar that had shaken the martial arts academy to a temporary close.

……