Wang Hao's Provocation

The morning mist had yet to dissipate, the alleys of the Slum District still shrouded in a gray hue.

Lin Fan pushed open the courtyard door, carefully turning back to close it quietly. His younger sister Lin Xiaoyu was still fast asleep; after taking the Lung Cleansing Pill, her sleep had been much more peaceful these past few days, and color was gradually returning to her face.

Today was the fifth day before the assessment.

Lin Fan planned to head to the "Rocky Beach" outside the city for special training—the terrain there was complex, with jagged rocks strewn about, making it an excellent place to practice footwork. If he could break through [Basic Footwork] to the Minor Accomplishment Level in such complex terrain, his agility in combat would greatly improve.

He checked his belongings: a water pouch, dry rations, a small packet of Hemostatic Powder, and the Pig Iron Short Sword he'd picked up from the flea market—though it was just the most ordinary Mortal Grade Low Rank, it was still better than bare fists.

"Time to go."

Lin Fan took a deep breath and stepped into the morning mist.

The alleys of the Slum District were a tangled maze, like a giant spiderweb. Having lived here for sixteen years, Lin Fan knew every path like the back of his hand. He chose a more secluded route that would get him to the West City Gate the fastest.

But just two streets in, Lin Fan's steps faltered slightly.

Something was off.

Too quiet.

It was early morning, the busiest time in the Slum District—people fetching water, lighting fires, heading to the morning market should have been coming and going endlessly. Yet this alley, usually bustling with people, was now completely empty.

Not even a dog bark.

Lin Fan's pupils contracted slightly. He slowed his pace, quietly activating [Basic Breathing Technique], pushing his senses to their limit.

The sound of wind, faint hawking from the main street in the distance, the steady beat of his own heart... and, on the roof to his left, the extremely faint sound of a loose tile shifting.

Someone was there.

More than one.

Lin Fan kept his composure, continuing forward, but his body was already tensed. He scanned his surroundings: the alley was about two meters wide, flanked by low mud-brick houses, with a corner twenty meters ahead that led to a relatively open vegetable market.

If they were going to make a move, the most likely spot...

Was right at that corner.

Sure enough, when Lin Fan was still ten meters from the corner, three figures emerged from behind it, blocking his path.

At the lead was Wang Hao.

Today, Wang Hao wasn't wearing his flashy brocade martial robes; instead, he'd changed into a black form-fitting outfit for easy movement, with a sheathed longsword at his waist. The two lackeys behind him were also dressed in black, burly and fierce-eyed, clearly not the ordinary students from the academy who just bluffed on borrowed authority.

"Oh, if it isn't our 'Slum Genius'?" Wang Hao said, arms crossed, a mocking grin on his face. "Out so early, where's the rush?"

Lin Fan stopped, his expression calm. "Move aside."

"Move aside?" Wang Hao laughed. "Lin Fan, do you really think that just because you signed up at the academy, you can stand on equal footing with us?"

He stepped forward, his gaze turning cold. "I looked into your background. Parents dead, lived on relief until you were ten, then went to the mines to haul ore, to the dock to carry cargo—did all the dirtiest, hardest work. With a background like yours, you think you deserve to enter the Martial Arts Academy?"

Lin Fan watched him silently, the essence of [Basic Footwork] flowing through his mind. He was calculating distances, angles, and possible escape routes.

"I know what you're thinking," Wang Hao sneered. "You think that if you pass the assessment, you can turn things around? Dream on."

He pointed at the two lackeys behind him. "These two are official members of my Wang Family Guard, both 2nd Grade Martial Artists. How many moves do you think you can last against them?"

The scar-faced thug on the left grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. "Young master, why waste words on this kid? Just break his legs and toss him in the gutter—let's see how he makes it to the assessment."

The one-eyed thug on the right said nothing, but his right hand was already resting on the hilt of his blade, a faint killing intent seeping out.

2nd Grade Martial Artists, and clearly seasoned veterans who'd been through life-and-death fights.

Lin Fan's heart sank. If it were just Wang Hao, he had the confidence to hold his own or even win. But with two 2nd Grade Martial Artists added, a direct fight was hopeless.

"Wang Hao," Lin Fan finally spoke, his voice so calm it caught Wang Hao off guard. "The assessment is coming up. If you touch me now, the academy won't just let it slide."

"The academy?" Wang Hao burst out laughing. "Lin Fan, Lin Fan, are you really that naive, or just pretending? Do you think the academy cares about some slum kid who hasn't even enrolled yet? Even if you die, and your body gets thrown into the Wilderness to feed the Demonic Beasts, who's going to investigate? Who would dare?"

His grin turned savage. "I'm here today to give you a 'pre-exam lesson.' To make you understand that there are some people you can never afford to cross."

The moment the words left his mouth, the scar-faced thug moved.

No warning, no preamble—his body shot forward like a hunting leopard, his right hand forming a claw aimed straight for Lin Fan's throat! Fast, precise, ruthless—a killing move through and through.

But Lin Fan was faster.

Even before the scar-faced thug's shoulder twitched, Lin Fan had already moved. He didn't retreat; instead, he stepped forward and to the left—a simple step, but one that perfectly landed in the blind spot of the thug's Force Trajectory.

[Basic Footwork: Proficiency (898/1000)]

The scar-faced thug's claw strike missed, surprise flashing in his eyes. He reacted quickly, sweeping his left leg in a wide arc that whistled through the air.

Lin Fan leaned back, engaging his core, and floated half a meter backward like a willow catkin, narrowly dodging the kick. At the same time, his right hand swept to his waist, drawing the Pig Iron Short Sword and slashing at the thug's wrist!

"Oh?" The thug pulled back his hand, staring at the shallow cut on his wrist, his face darkening. "Kid, you've got some tricks."

Seeing this, the one-eyed thug moved too. He didn't draw his blade but struck out with both fists, their force heavy as a mountain, sealing off Lin Fan's left and right escape routes.

The two worked in perfect sync, attacking in a relentless tide from both sides.

Lin Fan pushed his footwork to its limit, weaving and dodging through the narrow alley. His movements were utterly unadorned—simple side steps, slides, and retreats—but each one perfectly evaded the attacks.

[Basic Footwork Proficiency +1]

[Basic Footwork Proficiency +1]

[Basic Footwork Proficiency +1]

The panel notifications flashed frantically.

Pressure. Immense pressure. The combined assault of two 2nd Grade Martial Artists had Lin Fan's nerves stretched to their limit. Several times, the wind from their fists grazed his cheeks, and blade-like claws nearly tore open his clothes.

But the more dangerous it got, the calmer Lin Fan's heart became.

He could feel his footwork proficiency skyrocketing at an astonishing rate. Each hair's-breadth dodge deepened his body's understanding of the technique.

903... 912... 928... 945...

"This kid's footwork is strange!" the scarred man growled. "Stop holding back!"

The two exchanged a glance, and their attacks turned savage. The scarred man drew a short blade, its gleam like snow; the one-eyed man shifted his fist technique, a faint tiger's roar rumbling from his stance.

Wang Hao watched from behind, his expression shifting from mockery to gloom. He hadn't expected two 2nd Grade Martial Artists working together to fail at subduing a slum kid.

"Useless," he cursed under his breath, his hand moving to his own sword hilt.

Just then, a sharp glint flashed in Lin Fan's eyes.

An opening!

The scarred man and the one-eyed man, frustrated by their prolonged failure, let a momentary gap appear in their coordination—less than half a second, but for Lin Fan, it was enough.

He shifted his footing, slipping through the gap between them like a fish through water, and dashed straight for the alley wall!

"Trying to run?" the scarred man roared, his short blade slashing toward Lin Fan's back.

But Lin Fan wasn't running at all.

The moment he neared the wall, he stomped hard against its surface with his right foot, using the force to rebound and arc over both their heads at a speed faster than his approach!

[Basic Footwork: Wall-Stepping Force, Proficiency +5]

The sudden change in direction caught the scarred man and the one-eyed man completely off guard.

By the time they turned around, Lin Fan had already landed three meters behind them and, without pausing, sprinted back the way he came!

"After him!" Wang Hao shouted in fury.

The three gave chase immediately.

But the winding alleys of the Slum District were Lin Fan's home turf.

He moved like a fish slipping into water, weaving through the complex network of paths. A left turn, a right bend, through a low doorway, over a half-collapsed wall—every motion was fluid and natural, without a hint of hesitation.

[Basic Footwork Proficiency +2]

[Basic Footwork Proficiency +2]

[Basic Footwork Proficiency +3]

The sounds of pursuit gradually faded behind him.

Wang Hao and his men, unfamiliar with the terrain, were soon shaken off. When Wang Hao, panting heavily, reached a fork in the road, all three paths stretched empty before him—no sign of which way Lin Fan had gone.

"Young... Young Master, we lost him," the scarred man said, his face dark.

"Useless! All of you are useless!" Wang Hao kicked a nearby mud wall, sending dust showering down.

His face was ashen, his eyes brimming with venom.

The ant he'd thought he could crush so easily had slipped through his fingers. This was a utter humiliation!

"Lin Fan... you're good." Wang Hao gritted his teeth, forcing the words out. "At the assessment, I'll make you understand what happens when you cross me, Wang Hao."

He turned and said coldly to his two lackeys, "Let's go. Also, find out where that kid's little sister lives."

The scarred man was startled. "Young Master, going after an Ordinary Person—if word gets out..."

"I said, find out." Wang Hao's gaze was ice-cold.

The two bowed their heads. "Yes."

Meanwhile, two streets away.

Lin Fan leaned against the back wall of an abandoned woodshed, steadying his breathing.

His back was soaked with cold sweat. That chase, though it looked smooth, had been fraught with danger. A half-step too slow or a wrong turn at an intersection, and he'd have been cornered.

He opened his panel:

[Basic Footwork: Mastery (981/1000)]

Just 19 points left to break through to Minor Accomplishment Level.

And that life-or-death chase had boosted his footwork proficiency by nearly a hundred points. Truly, real combat was the fastest way to grow.

But Lin Fan's face held no joy—only grim resolve.

He had seen that last look in Wang Hao's eyes. It wasn't simple humiliation or revenge; it was genuine murderous intent.

And the other had mentioned "little sister."

Lin Fan clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.

If Wang Hao dared to touch even a single hair on Xiaoyu's head... he would make the Wang Family pay a price they could never afford.

But now, he needed to grow faster.

The training plan at Rocky Beach remained unchanged, but the intensity would double. Additionally, he had to find a way to get a decent weapon—the Pig Iron Short Sword had already developed cracks in the previous battle.

And also...

Lin Fan looked toward the West City Gate.

Thirty li outside the city, there was a place called "Wind Howl Valley," where fierce gales blew year-round. It was said that practicing footwork there yielded results several times greater than usual. But by the same token, the danger was also several times greater—the gale winds were like blades, and even a slight misstep could lead to injury.

Before, he hadn't dared to go, but now...

"I have to go." Lin Fan made up his mind.

The assessment was imminent, Wang Hao's threat hung over his head, and his sister needed his protection. There was no retreat—only forward.

He straightened his clothes, confirmed no one was following him, and set off again.

This time, he didn't take the main road. Instead, he followed the most secluded paths through the Slum District, making a wide detour before exiting through the South City Gate.

Outside the city, the breath of the Wilderness rushed toward him.

Lin Fan glanced back at the towering walls of Jiangnan City, his gaze resolute.

When he returned, he would make everyone know—that a youth from the slums could also wield the power to shake the sky.