The provincial examination had come to an end, but the ripples had yet to settle.
Lin Feng's name seemed to have sprouted wings, spreading overnight to every corner of Jiangnan Province.
"Thunder Demon," "champion," "the strongest dark horse in history"... Countless titles were heaped upon him, and he became the idol of innumerable young martial artists, as well as the target they strove to catch up to.
Yet Lin Feng, standing at the heart of the storm, quietly left the bustling center of Starfall Arena the day after the award ceremony and returned to the familiar low-rent apartment in Jiangnan City.
The room was still sparse and shabby, but his state of mind had already changed.
He carefully put away the Starfall Medal, which represented boundless glory, along with the storage ring filled with resources. His gaze swept across the cramped space that had borne witness to his earliest hardships and rise, leaving his heart full of emotion.
"It's time to leave," he said softly.
This was no longer his stage.
He first made a trip to No. 3 High School.
The campus was unchanged, but everyone's gazes upon him were now filled with fervent worship and awe.
Instructor Li Zhenhai gripped his shoulder and patted it hard, his eyes reddening as excitement left him unable to speak.
The mockery and disdain of the past had long since vanished like smoke in the wind, replaced by pride in sharing his glory.
He left behind some resources suitable for martial apprentices and low-level martial artists, as repayment to the place that had nurtured him.
Next, he went to the Martial Arts Bureau to bid farewell to Steward Wang and the others, and once again thanked Instructor Lei Lie for his guidance.
Lei Lie said little, merely warning him that the road