"Ow… ow ow ow…"
Wei Zhen's features crumpled like a tattered rag, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. He writhed on the ground, wailing pitifully—a sound so heart-wrenching it could move listeners to tears.
By now, even an idiot could tell something was off.
"What's going on? This is too bizarre."
"Wei Zhen's a mid-stage Human-level martial artist with awakened bloodline power. How did he crash into Qin Chen's leg twice?"
"This is uncanny!"
The onlookers exchanged stunned looks, their expressions a mix of shock and bewilderment.
"Young Master Chen, you… you…" Lin Tian and Zhang Ying gaped, overjoyed and incredulous.
"You little bastard, just you wait. If I get the chance, I'll make you pay!" Wei Zhen, rolling in agony, finally caught his breath. His venomous glare locked onto Qin Chen, his eyes burning with a hatred that could shred him to pieces.
Qin Chen, who had already turned to leave, stopped at those words. He spun around, his icy gaze making Wei Zhen flinch.
"Call me that one more time, and I'll end you!" Qin Chen said, each word deliberate and chilling.
His voice was like a frost from the depths of the underworld. Wei Zhen had been ready to spew more insults, but something about Qin Chen's stare sent a shiver down his spine. The curses died in his throat, and his body trembled uncontrollably.
Qin Chen sneered, then turned sharply and strode away, leaving the crowd of stunned students in his wake.
As Qin Chen's figure vanished from sight, Wei Zhen and his crew snapped out of their daze.
"That little bastard…" Wei Zhen gasped, his eyes glinting with malice.
What had happened today?
Just days ago, he'd pummeled Qin Chen on the dueling platform, nearly killing him. How had Qin Chen's strength surged so much in such a short time?
Recalling their clash, Wei Zhen couldn't suppress a shudder.
Those two kicks from Qin Chen were like divine strokes—masterful techniques that toyed with him effortlessly. They didn't seem like something an early Human-level martial artist could pull off.
"Big Bro, Big Bro, are you okay?" His three lackeys scrambled to their feet, their voices tinged with panic.
"Do I look okay? Hurry up and help me to the infirmary! Ah, my jewels!" Wei Zhen felt the shattered remnants below and let out another agonized howl. His gaze seethed with resentment as he roared inwardly, "Qin Chen, you wait—this grudge, I, Wei Zhen, will repay!"
Free of Wei Zhen and his gang, Qin Chen hurried toward the cultivation chambers, with Lin Tian and Zhang Ying quickly catching up.
"Young Master Chen, you're alright? Those moves just now were incredible!" they exclaimed, still buzzing from Qin Chen's display of prowess.
"Are you two okay?" Qin Chen asked, casting a concerned glance at them.
"We're fine! Haha, that was so satisfying. Let's see if Wei Zhen and his crew dare mess with us again," Lin Tian said, grinning ear to ear.
Zhang Ying, after the initial thrill, frowned with worry. "Wei Zhen's the son of Marquis Wei Qi. You beat him that badly, Young Master Chen—won't there be trouble?"
"Hmph, what trouble?" Lin Tian scoffed. "Fights between students are normal. As long as no one dies, the academy won't care, and Marquis Wei Qi can't say a thing. Last time, Wei Zhen ambushed Young Master Chen on the dueling platform and nearly killed him, and the academy didn't do anything."
Zhang Ying's concern lingered. "Marquis Wei Qi and the academy might not have grounds to act, but I'm worried about Wei Zhen's older brother, Wei Qin."
"Him?" Lin Tian's face grew serious.
Wei Qin, two years older than Wei Zhen, was an advanced-class student—a peak late-stage Human-level martial artist, one step from Earth-level. He was a prominent figure in the academy.
"He wouldn't get involved, would he?" Lin Tian said uneasily.
Wei Qin was far more formidable than his younger brother, a name that struck fear into every student.
Qin Chen, seeing their worry on his behalf, felt a warmth in his chest. He smiled and said, "If Wei Zhen calls for reinforcements, I'll just beat his brother too."
*Hiss!*
Lin Tian and Zhang Ying sucked in sharp breaths, staring at Qin Chen in astonishment.
How had Young Master Chen changed so much in just a few days? His strength and demeanor were unrecognizable, stirring a deep admiration within them.
After a brief chat, the trio reached the academy's cultivation tower.
The towering structure pierced the clouds.
Stepping inside, Qin Chen was met with a cacophony of voices.
Tianxing Academy, the premier institution of the Great Qi Kingdom, wasn't just home to noble scions like Wei Zhen, Lin Tian, and Zhang Ying. It drew genius disciples from across the nation. Having fought hard to gain entry, they seized every chance to train, often crowding the cultivation tower.
The tower's rooms were perpetually in high demand, with students lining up to use them.
"Hey, isn't that Qin Chen, the one Wei Zhen knocked out cold on the dueling platform a few days ago? I heard he was nearly done for. How's he healed so fast?"
"Shh, keep it down. He's Marquis Anping's nephew and King Dingwu's grandson. Watch out, or he'll come after you."
"Hmph, I'm not scared of him. He's just a bastard. He's almost sixteen and still hasn't awakened his bloodline. If he fails the upcoming academy assessment, he might be the first ever expelled from Tianxing for bloodline issues."
"That's odd, though. Even the weakest martial artists awaken at least a first-grade bloodline. Someone who can't awaken at all is rare."
"Heh, I heard he's a bastard. Bloodline inheritance comes from the previous generation—maybe his cheap old man…"
The crowd buzzed with whispers as they spotted Qin Chen.
His unique status and failure to awaken a bloodline had long made him a household name in the academy.
Especially among the commoner students, who already harbored resentment toward the privileged elite, Qin Chen's story was prime gossip fodder.
"What are you lot blabbering about?" Lin Tian and Zhang Ying overheard the murmurs and flared up, ready to charge over.
Qin Chen held them back with a hand, then leisurely scanned the gossipers. Stepping forward, he cut straight to the front of their line.
"What are you doing?"
"Why're you cutting in?"
"Don't you know first come, first served?"
The group immediately protested.
Qin Chen swept them with a cold glance, his chilling gaze carrying a palpable menace that silenced their complaints.
"If I hear another word from you, none of you will stay in Tianxing Academy," he said calmly.
His voice was steady, but it carried an undeniable authority.
The group paled, an inexplicable fear rising in their hearts. Under so many eyes, though, they couldn't quite swallow their pride. "On what grounds…" one muttered.
Before he could finish, Lin Tian and Zhang Ying cut in fiercely. "Hmph, keep talking, and see if we don't beat you senseless!"
The group's faces shifted, and they shrank back, not daring to speak again.
Tianxing Academy forbade killing but not fighting. Private scuffles among students were countless.
As for the dueling platform, you could even kill there without consequence.
If a real conflict broke out, noble kids like Lin Tian could shrug off expulsion, but for these commoners, it'd ruin their futures entirely.