Chapter 5: Pack Up and Leave, the Trash Class (Part Two)

He climbed to the third floor and stopped in front of the dormitory door. At a glance, he saw it was a white iron door. Fishing out the keys, Shi Tiexin stared at the metallic set for a long time—these metal keys seemed like antiques to him, relics from an earlier era, and he had no idea how to use them. Yet his body seemed to know what to do; he inserted the key into the lock.

A twist of the wrist, a crisp click, and the lock sprung open. Pushing the door, he entered a modestly sized student dormitory, containing four steel bunk beds. The upper bunks were for sleeping, the lower for studying. Each desk was piled high with books, and aside from a few uncollected snack wrappers, there was little chaos or clutter.

To Shi Tiexin, these things were as ancient as exhibits in a museum, mere images and shadows from the past. Yet instinctively, he felt the conditions here were quite decent.

It seemed, in this place, he was not at the very bottom.

His mind was a muddled haze, heavy with sleepiness. Shi Tiexin closed the door, climbed onto the bed that felt most familiar, and, unable to hold out any longer, collapsed with a thud. The scent of laundry soap lingered on the pillowcase beneath his head. As fleeting thoughts drifted through his mind, he soon sank into a deep sleep.

Yes, this is already good enough...

In that profound slumber, the conflicting thoughts in his mind seemed to ease, banners lowered and drums silenced, no longer at each other's throats. For a moment, Shi Tiexin felt his mind gradually become clear, the tension in his facial muscles finally relaxing.

But such a marvelous rest did not last. Barely an hour had passed before a sudden, urgent knocking startled him awake. The pounding was forceful, brooking no dissent or delay.

"Shi Tiexin, open up!"

Still half-dazed, Shi Tiexin jolted upright, a deep-seated dread rising from that voice. He hurried down from the bunk, unlocked the door, and immediately a large, square-shaped head thrust itself through the opening.

It was the grim-faced, square-headed enforcer, Zheng Kaiming.

Behind him were three other students, each bearing an armband on their left arm—the blood-red words "Disciplinary Committee" made it clear they were members of the Student Council's Discipline Committee.

With Squarehead Zheng plus the Disciplinary Committee, Shi Tiexin's knees began to tremble instinctively.

Yet his expression remained calm; his mind and body seemed governed by different wills.

Once inside, Zheng Kaiming said nothing at first, simply fixing Shi Tiexin with a stare. The three committee members began to search his area with the predatory vigilance of wolves, rifling through his belongings, their sharp eyes missing nothing suspicious.

Though Shi Tiexin had already braced himself, Zheng Kaiming was not the sort to let someone off easily. If they found anything forbidden—even a single cigarette—he would make sure to teach this boy a harsh lesson.

But after a while, the three shook their heads in silence.

Zheng Kaiming, seeing Shi Tiexin's unchanging expression throughout, finally spoke. "Oh? Very calm, I see. Looks like you know what you’re in for. Roaring in class, assaulting a teacher—Shi Tiexin, you’ve got some nerve. Today, you could be expelled on the spot!"

Expelled?!

A deafening roar sounded in Shi Tiexin’s mind, one part of him overwhelmed by a feeling of impending doom. The other, though not quite so despairing, was shocked: "What the—? I just arrived at this place of cultivation, and now I'm going to be sent away for shouting once?!"

But neither consciousness had full control; so Shi Tiexin's face betrayed nothing, not even a flicker in his eyes. He simply stared at Zheng Kaiming.

Strangely, he gave off an air of unshakable composure, as if the sky could fall and he would remain unmoved.

What's with this kid... completely unafraid? He must be faking it, or maybe he's already scared stiff. Zheng Kaiming muttered inwardly, but continued, "Still, considering your usual conduct, the school has decided to give you a chance to reform. You won’t be expelled."

Both streams of consciousness relaxed at once. Good, as long as he wasn’t expelled, anything else was manageable!

Yet Shi Tiexin’s face remained serene.

Is he not pretending? Zheng Kaiming stared into Shi Tiexin’s eyes but found neither panic nor relief. Could he be a fool? Forget it. Zheng Kaiming dismissed the thought and pressed on, "However, violations of school discipline must be punished. Shi Tiexin, your penalty is as follows: effective immediately, you are transferred from Class 7, Year One to Class 28, Year One. Your dormitory and cafeteria arrangements will change accordingly. The transfer takes effect now."

What?

What does that mean? From Year One, Class 7 to Class 28—this is the punishment? He had expected something far worse.

But the other consciousness thought otherwise. Upon hearing this, it went blank, as if struck by a catastrophe almost as bad as expulsion.

The three committee members glanced at Shi Tiexin with pity. To be thrown from an honors class straight into the worst class—this was truly a fall from grace.

"Pack your things. Time to go," Zheng Kaiming ordered, not waiting for a response. "Help him with his belongings."

The three committee members swarmed his bunk, pulling out pre-prepared bags and stuffing his possessions inside. In the blink of an eye, the place was in chaos. The bed he had just warmed was now being stripped as he was unceremoniously evicted.

As they packed, they searched carefully—flipping open books, shaking them out, perhaps hoping to find a risqué photo or two.

Zheng Kaiming kept a sidelong eye on Shi Tiexin, watching his reaction.

But Shi Tiexin still showed none—unbothered by the search, unmoved by eviction. As long as he remained within this so-called sacred ground of cultivation, everything else was secondary.

Soon, though, he began to realize what it truly meant to be sent from Class 7 to Class 28.

Shouldering his bag and clutching the sack, he turned in the dormitory key. Zheng Kaiming and his group flanked him like guards escorting a prisoner, leading him out of the dormitory building and deeper into the residential quarters.

Presumably, he was to be relocated to the dormitory assigned to Class 28 as well.

But after a few steps, Shi Tiexin sensed something was amiss.