However.

The simpler things are by nature, the more despairing they seem.

On one side was a humble Warrior from the Regional Martial Arts Academy, whose ambitions seemed as outlandish as a toad lusting after a swan's flesh, overestimating his own abilities. On the other side stood a group of geniuses, each a Grandmaster, meticulously cultivated by the Royal Martial Arts Academy—one of the Federation's four major Martial Arts Academies.

If people knew of such a stark contrast in strength, they would likely be flustered with fright, their palms sweating.

"...Why haven't you died? No, you won't die! You won't die!"

A tearful Qin Ying muttered.

The more Wang Zhan forged ahead, the more he overlapped with the Qin Yuan in her memories, until their two figures became indistinguishable.

Thus, her ruthlessness began to soften, her heart began to fill with compassion.

How similar was the man who, surrounded by a wolf pack, fought only to find a path to survival, to the one who ultimately died on the Death Battlefield, yet did everything for the Federation?

As she thought and thought, her gaze became somewhat dazed and hazy, as if she had fallen into a trance…

「Not long after the Royal Martial Arts Academy and Yanjing Martial Arts Academy received their orders.」

A burly figure, rushing hastily, stopped abruptly at the entrance of an alley lit by a dim, yellow streetlamp. He stared intently at a young man in casual clothes, leaning against the lamppost, reading a book.

"Who are you?" the burly man asked, his gaze sharp and piercing.

Although he was only a few blocks from Wang Zhan, and crossing them would seal Wang Zhan's doom, the warning in his heart was unprecedentedly strong. This was a feeling he had only ever sensed from one kind of person.

A Grandmaster!

This burly man was, naturally, Xu Qi Nian, one of the Xu family's "Three Dragons, Seven Tigers, and Twelve Bears"—a Tiger General at the level 4 Grandmaster Realm, having broken through his Limit by 20%.

The young man, who had arrived in this Safe Zone at some unknown time and was genuinely holding a book, slowly looked up, a smile on his face.

Perhaps fearing the book would be torn in a fight, the moment Xu Qi Nian appeared, he casually tossed the book back into his Storage Bangle.

"Lin Han, a second-year mentor from Yanjing Martial Arts Academy. Pleased to meet you. Regrettably, I arrived in a bit of a rush today, or else I could have invited you for a drink. I quite enjoy making friends with charming individuals like yourself. How about we skip the fight and find a place for a midnight snack instead?"

A chill ran down Xu Qi Nian's spine. This man was a mentor from Yanjing Martial Arts Academy.

As the saying goes, a man is known by his reputation, just as a tree is by its shadow. Every mentor from the four major Martial Arts Academies was undoubtedly a renowned figure in the Federation. It was strange that he hadn't heard this man's name.

Xu Qi Nian said gravely, "Alright. Let me pass to kill Wang Zhan, and I'll find time to drink with you until we're both thoroughly intoxicated. My treat!"

Of course, whether we ever *have* that time will be up to me… Xu Qi Nian thought.

"Tsk, tsk…"

Lin Han shook his head.

"Forget it. I prefer to earn things myself; wine bought by others always feels like it's missing something. Are we really going to fight?"

"Nonsense!" Xu Qi Nian's expression hardened, in no mood for further banter.

With a sudden explosive sound, he stomped his foot and lunged forward, his iron fist striking out. In an instant, he had crossed more than ten steps, his fist, carrying immense power and momentum, about to land on Lin Han's face.

Lin Han said with a sigh, "Alas, people these days, always fighting and killing. Can't everyone just be a little quieter? Like that fool, clearly full of Talent but lacking ability, yet still insists on showing off in some obscure corner, preferring to be the head of a chicken rather than the tail of a phoenix. In the end, he gets hunted to the brink of death, then simply goes mad and chops off people's heads… Tsk, tsk, so stubborn. What a headache…"

While he rambled on, Xu Qi Nian was anything but relaxed. After all, this was a mentor from one of the four major Academies; who knew Lin Han's true strength? Anyone who dared to let their guard down would die.

However, when Xu Qi Nian's fist truly landed on Lin Han's body, his pupils suddenly constricted to a pinpoint. His alertness peaked, and he was about to dodge.

It turned out to be only an afterimage. Xu Qi Nian's punch had merely struck the air, creating a slight sonic boom.

"I already said, it would be nice if everyone just sat down quietly for a chat. But you insisted on fighting. I warned you, but you wouldn't listen; I advised you, but you paid no heed. Alas…"

A gentle breeze rustled past. Xu Qi Nian instantly sensed some kind of weapon attacking from above his head. Unbeknownst to him, at that exact moment, Lin Han shouted.

"A dunce cannot be taught, rotten wood cannot be carved! Wake up now!"

A dull THUD, exceptionally muffled, echoed.

As the dust settled, it turned out Lin Han had produced another exceptionally thick book from somewhere. After rolling it into the shape of a club, he smashed it squarely onto the back of Xu Qi Nian's head.

With a ringing hum in his ears, Xu Qi Nian saw endless stars flash before his eyes; his mind felt as if it had been struck so hard that water was sloshing out.

"This is… too much!"

「A few minutes later.」

Xu Qi Nian had already been beaten by Lin Han until he resembled a human cudgel, half of his body buried in the ground.

Just then, two seven-member teams, keeping to themselves and not interfering with each other, arrived before Lin Han.

"Greetings, Teacher Lin!"

"Greetings, Teacher Lin!"

Lin Han grunted in acknowledgment, no longer paying attention to Xu Qi Nian, who looked like a planted stick. He simply instructed, "Royal Martial Arts Academy, you may proceed. Yanjing Martial Arts Academy will not participate in this operation. We're only responsible for keeping watch for you and, incidentally, blocking a few detestable little rats trying to sneak in."

Upon hearing this, the seven-member team from the Royal Martial Arts Academy nodded immediately and crossed the line Lin Han had drawn.

The students from Yanjing Martial Arts Academy, however, each looked at their own academy's mentor, wanting to speak but hesitating.

"Then, Teacher Lin, what should we do?"

Lin Han beckoned to them, signaling their team leader to come closer for a hushed word.

"Your job is, when they're about to die, to quickly surround and stop that kid. Save whomever you can. Then, have them withdraw from the Royal Martial Arts Academy and join our Yanjing Martial Arts Academy."

Err… The group exchanged bewildered glances.

"That seems… not quite right?"

"...Teacher, isn't this taking advantage of others in their time of crisis to poach their members?"

"Ahem!" Lin Han explained earnestly, "You don't understand. Let me ask you, are they part of the Federation, or do they belong exclusively to the Royal Martial Arts Academy? …Then let me ask you, if they die, who suffers the greater loss, the Federation or the Royal Martial Arts Academy? …And let me ask you again, if they are truly on the verge of death, would you really stand by and do nothing?"

After a lengthy explanation, having finally twisted their dangerous thoughts back into line, Lin Han satisfactorily delivered his final instruction.

"Of course, if that kid Wang Zhan is unwilling to let them go, then you will…"

"Beat him?"

"Suppress him?"

"Humiliate him?"

Lin Han's expression instantly froze, then slowly darkened. He rapped each student on the forehead before patiently saying, "You can't beat him. So, if he's unwilling, then let him kill them. It's not like the blame will fall on us anyway…"

We can't beat him? Teacher, you must be joking. Forget it, according to the Teacher, we shouldn't confront that Wang Zhan. The Royal Martial Arts Academy members and those little rats can go first to scout the path. If we can't win, we'll just surrender. After all, losing to a Warrior who can slay Grandmasters is no disgrace. If we do win, though… Hmm, let's not think about that for now. they thought, their eyes darting around. They weren't interested in Wang Zhan; they just wanted to see the Royal Martial Arts Academy embarrassed.

Beneath the festive lanterns, the moon had just reached its zenith.

Wang Zhan lay casually on a balcony railing, like a lazy cat, yet he was cautiously listening to the movements in his Surroundings.

Within his perception range, as the Royal Martial Arts Academy entered the battlefield, dozens of elusive little rats had also mixed in. He wondered just how many people were this interested in him.

If I am the bait, then these people are the hooks, and the powerful figures behind them are the fishermen. However, what those big shots don't know is that sometimes, hooks can break.

Watching the Grandmasters, who moved without a trace, searching everywhere for him, would have scared an ordinary person out of their wits. But to Wang Zhan, it was like watching one moving treasure trove of extreme attributes after another.

Almost inexhaustible, never-ending!

Since you're all so eager to find me, let me collect some interest from you first…

Wang Zhan was certain he would remember this scene. An ordinary man is innocent, but possessing a treasure makes him guilty. Being too conspicuous makes one a thorn in the eye of others, a pain in their flesh. If he wanted to stand tall as a man, not live like a dog, then he had to make these powerful figures ache—their hearts, their flesh, their very organs had to throb with pain. Only then could he carve out a sliver of hope for survival. As he thought, Wang Zhan's heart grew increasingly still, increasingly cold, until only a chilling killing intent remained.

In a deserted house, a gaunt figure suddenly appeared.

His nostrils flared continuously as he searched every corner of the room where someone might be hiding.

This was also a Grandmaster. He believed Wang Zhan shouldn't be hiding outside, but rather in a room. After all, a room was safest, and no one would notice.

Little did he know that the prey he was so diligently hunting had actively appeared behind him.

"What are you looking for?" Wang Zhan asked, his tone devoid of inflection, like a phantom in the dark night.

The gaunt Grandmaster didn't react immediately and said with some impatience, "Looking for a brat, annoying as hell. Just a minor Warrior, who knows where he could hide…"

Suddenly, he realized. Had someone just spoken to him? How was that possible? Why hadn't he sensed anything at all!

At this thought, his entire body tensed, and he was about to turn around.

Unfortunately, what greeted him was only a brilliant, dazzling, unstoppable flash of a blade.

"Fatal---One Slash!"

"Supreme---Clear Thunder!"

In an instant, the dim room seemed to be illuminated by a bright lamp.

Countless pieces of furniture and miscellaneous items silently turned into a chaotic mess on the floor, the blade's edge aimed directly at the Grandmaster before Wang Zhan.

"No!" Monkey shrieked, filled with panic and dread, about to unleash his martial arts to win a chance at survival, to flee for his life.

But he was mistaken.

Wang Zhan's blade, from beginning to end, was aimed straight at his forehead. Especially in this narrow, confined space, he had no way to evade.

"You might not know this," Wang Zhan said, "but I really dislike people with a keen sense of smell."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.