The First-Year Ranking Battle at Muyang Third Middle School had drawn to a close.
After today, there would be no one at Muyang Third Middle School who didn't know Qin Chen. His name was even spreading across the entire city at an astonishing speed.
"He's stronger than Chen Qing was at the same age!" That statement carried a lot of weight.
Of course, many people scoffed at it, especially those who had witnessed Chen Qing's strength.
It was a strength they couldn't resist in the slightest.
Some guy no one knew where had come from was claiming to be stronger than Chen Qing?
The doubts only stopped abruptly after Chen Qing himself heard the news and personally admitted that Qin Chen was indeed stronger than he had been at the same point last year.
But what followed was an even fiercer storm. With Chen Qing himself confirming it, everyone knew that Muyang Third Middle School had produced an unparalleled genius this year!
That was all for later, though. At that moment, Qin Chen was in the principal's office at Muyang Third Middle School, looking at Zhang Haoran with deep unease as the latter gave him an auntie-like smile.
"Um... Principal!"
"I'm still a student. Don't look at me like that!"
"The Minor Protection Law applies to boys, too!"
"Hahaha... Sorry, sorry!"
"Occupational hazard. When I see a genius, I can't help taking a closer look!"
Zhang Haoran laughed.
Qin Chen: ...
"Principal, did you call me here for something?"
At that, Zhang Haoran sobered up. Looking at Qin Chen seriously, he said:
"Here's the situation!"
"The school plans to support you and make your path of cultivation smoother!"
"For now, we're offering you five hundred thousand Star Coins a month, along with unlimited access to the Gravity Room!"
"If we make any changes later, we'll let you know right away!"
Qin Chen's face filled with surprise. He blurted out:
"That much?"
It wasn't unusual for schools to support their students, but as far as he knew, most students got only a few thousand Star Coins a month, and the most anyone got was ten or twenty thousand.
Yet he was getting a full five hundred thousand?
Even though winning first place in the Ranking Battle was about to push his wealth past a million Star Coins, five hundred thousand was still a huge sum to him.
And unlimited access to the Gravity Room?
Using the Gravity Room wasn't cheap. If he paid by the hour, it cost five thousand Star Coins.
If he spent a few hundred hours in the Gravity Room each month, that would be like earning another one or two million Star Coins!
At the thought, Qin Chen's eyes grew brighter and brighter. But even in his excitement, he kept his wits about him. Looking at Zhang Haoran, he asked:
"What does the school expect me to do in exchange for such generous support?"
He had never believed that windfalls simply fell from the sky. If he gained something, he would surely have to give something in return.
With Zhang Haoran offering such generous terms, Qin Chen figured he would agree as long as the request wasn't too difficult.
He couldn't help it. He didn't want to sell out, but the offer was just too good!
What he lacked most right now was Star Coins!
Zhang Haoran smiled faintly.
"How about bringing home the championship for Muyang Third Middle School at next year's First-Year City-Level Tournament?"
"That might not work!"
Qin Chen shook his head.
Zhang Haoran froze. Before he could say anything, Qin Chen smiled slightly and continued:
"If nothing unexpected happens, I should be competing up a year and winning the Second Year City League!"
"First year? I have no interest in fighting children!"
His tone was utterly calm.
The first-year students in Muyang City no longer qualified to be his opponents.
And as time went on, the gap between them would only grow wider. He had absolute confidence in himself.
It took Zhang Haoran a good while to recover from his surprise. Looking at Qin Chen, he laughed and scolded:
"Good kid! You've got quite the ambition!"
"I'm just telling it like it is!"
Qin Chen spread his hands.
"Hahaha! If you really can take first place in the Second Year City League while you're still a first-year student, it'll do wonders for Muyang Third Middle School's reputation!"
"Then I'll look forward to it!"
Qin Chen nodded, then suddenly thought of something. Looking at Zhang Haoran, he asked:
"By the way, Principal, can I exchange all one hundred bottles of Body Tempering Fluid from my reward for Star Coins?"
"Of course! I'll calculate it at the market rate of three thousand per bottle!"
Zhang Haoran agreed at once.
He didn't know why Qin Chen wanted Star Coins instead of Body Tempering Fluid, but that wasn't his concern. He only needed to meet Qin Chen's needs.
Qin Chen's face brightened, and he felt a little grateful to Zhang Haoran.
Normally, if he took the Body Tempering Fluid elsewhere to sell, he certainly wouldn't get the full market price of three thousand per bottle.
How could anyone stay in business if they made no profit?
By buying it from him at market price, Zhang Haoran was effectively giving him another pile of Star Coins.
"Then, Principal, if there's nothing else, can I go cultivate?"
"No wonder you reached the Body Tempering Fifth Layer in such a short time. Looks like your extraordinary talent isn't the only reason—you've been working hard at cultivation, too!"
"Go on. Cultivate well and improve your strength!"
"In this world, strength is what matters most!"
Qin Chen nodded, then stood up. After bowing slightly to Zhang Haoran, he headed for the door.
Zhang Haoran watched Qin Chen's departing figure, his gaze flickering slightly.
"I hope you won't disappoint me!"
In the dead of night, the streets had quieted down. Only the streetlights shone in the emptiness. Now and then, a car passed by, its engine trailing off into the distance before silence settled over the road again.
Beneath Building No. 38 on Boyang Street in Mufeng District, Muyang City.
A shadow suddenly appeared. It looked up at the building in front of it, then vanished in an instant.
It made no sound, as though it had never been there at all.
A few breaths later, the shadow appeared before a door sealed with a strip of paper. Murderous intent filled his eyes.
He glanced at the chain on the door and reached out to grab it.
Once his hand closed around the chain, it shattered without him making any visible effort.
The broken ends were twisted and uneven, as if some tremendous force had wrenched them apart.
The shadow didn't hesitate. He pushed open the door and walked inside.
When the familiar furnishings came into view, profound sorrow filled his eyes.
"Yuan'er, Yi'er!"
"Don't worry. I'm back!"
"I'll make the person who killed you suffer the agony of ten thousand ants gnawing at his heart! I'll make him regret ever being born!"
His low voice rang out from the darkness. In the faint light filtering through the window, the shadow's blurred outline came into view.
It was He Wen!
To keep anyone from learning that he had returned, he hadn't taken any form of transportation along the way.
Instead, he had run all the way back from a thousand miles away.
He had endured every hardship along the way for one reason: to avenge his wife and child!
Then He Wen suddenly made a faint, strange sound, as if calling out to something.
Before long, a plump mosquito appeared from the darkness, flew toward He Wen, and finally landed in his palm.
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