Sun Kong!

No sooner had Qin Yan sat down than a low, harsh reprimand came from beside him:

"Who told you to sit here? Get up!"

Qin Yan paused, a barely perceptible frown appearing on his face as he looked at Jin Gang beside him.

The other man stood with his arms crossed, his eyes filled with undisguised rejection.

Qin Yan was displeased, but his tone remained calm as he asked, "Does this seat have your name written on it?"

He had never been the type to swallow his anger.

What was more, faced with such unprovoked hostility, there was no way he would give the other man a pleasant expression.

Never mind whether the seat actually belonged to someone.

That commanding way of driving him off the moment he opened his mouth already disgusted Qin Yan immensely.

Seeing that Qin Yan not only refused to leave but even dared to talk back, Jin Gang's face instantly darkened.

His tone grew even more hostile. "I'll ask you one last time. Are you getting up or not?"

Qin Yan could not be bothered wasting any more breath on someone like this and simply ignored his threat.

"You're courting death!"

A vicious gleam flashed through Jin Gang's eyes as he suddenly attacked without warning!

The muscles in his right arm bulged, his fist carrying a fierce gust of wind.

Without any flourish, it smashed straight at Qin Yan!

The punch was heavy and powerful. If it landed solidly, it would likely fracture bones on the spot!

Qin Yan had remained wary of Jin Gang all along.

Almost the instant the other man threw his punch, he had already reacted!

Rather than retreating in the face of the sudden attack, a sharp glint flashed in Qin Yan's eyes.

He also wanted to take this opportunity to personally gauge—

just how great the gap still was between himself, after breaking through to become a martial artist, and these renowned top freshmen!

In that split second, Qin Yan drove force through his waist and hips, twisting his body.

His right hand clenched into a fist as well. Without dodging or evading, he gathered the Blood Qi throughout his body at the edge of his fist.

He met Jin Gang's ferocious punch head-on, launching a direct clash of fists!

Bang!

The two fists collided violently without any flourish.

A terrifying force, like an out-of-control wild bull, surged through Qin Yan's fist and into his arm in an instant!

A sharp, numbing pain shot through his entire right arm, and he could not steady himself at all.

He staggered back three large steps in succession, only stopping when his back slammed into a desk and chair to the side.

Only then did he barely disperse the force of the impact and regain his footing.

As for Jin Gang, his upper body merely swayed slightly.

Then he stood firmly in place like an immovable mountain, looking at Qin Yan with contempt and mockery in his eyes.

After one head-on exchange, the difference in strength was immediately clear!

"He's really strong!"

Qin Yan shook his slightly numb right arm, his expression grave.

"He's definitely not merely an early First-Rank Martial Artist. He's very likely already entered the Mid First Grade. I just don't know how many times he's tempered his skin and flesh..."

Qin Yan thought to himself.

Tempering one's skin and flesh three or four times both fell within the Mid First Grade.

With every additional tempering, one's physical qualities improved significantly.

The explosive force contained in Jin Gang's punch just now far surpassed that of Qin Yan's previous opponents.

"Junior brother, are you all right?"

Lu Youyou appeared beside Qin Yan almost instantly.

She had been speaking quietly with Xiao Wangshu just moments ago. Everything had happened too quickly, and by the time she reacted, Qin Yan had already been knocked back.

Qin Yan moved his arm and felt the numbness gradually fading.

He shook his head. "I'm fine, Senior Sister. My Blood Qi was just a little shaken up. I'll be fine after resting for a moment."

Lu Youyou examined Qin Yan carefully. Only after confirming that he was indeed unhurt did she suddenly turn her head.

A clear blaze of anger rose in those big eyes.

"Jin Gang! What gives you the right to hit someone?!"

Lu Youyou let out a sharp cry and, without another word, flashed straight in front of Jin Gang.

Her slender, jade-like hand clenched into a fist. It looked delicate, yet it carried the sound of tearing wind.

It drove straight toward Jin Gang's chest!

"Good! I was just looking to test the level of the fourth-ranked freshman!"

Not only was Jin Gang unafraid at the sight, but a flicker of excitement flashed through his eyes.

He had completed his Fourth Skin Tempering just yesterday, and his Blood Qi had surged greatly.

Moreover, the martial art he specialized in was a fierce, hard-hitting style of fist techniques.

Close-quarters combat was his specialty!

He was confident he held the advantage in this exchange!

Bang!

Yet the result was completely different from before!

The instant their fists collided, the confidence on Jin Gang's face froze.

He only felt a terrifying force, like mountains collapsing and seas overturning, surge from Lu Youyou's seemingly tiny fist.

Thud, thud!

His burly body stumbled backward several steps beyond his control.

Only after crashing into and knocking over an empty chair did he barely manage to steady himself.

His entire right arm was sore and numb, while his Blood Qi churned violently.

"Y-you broke through to Late First Grade?"

Jin Gang stared fixedly at Lu Youyou.

If she were still at Mid First Grade, then with the foundation of his four Skin Temperings and the advantage of his fist techniques, there was no way he could have fallen behind in a direct clash of fists.

He had even suffered a small loss!

Lu Youyou gave a light snort and lifted her fair chin. "Yeah! At least you've got some eyesight."

Then she extended a slender finger and pointed at Jin Gang from afar, baring her teeth and waving her claws as she snapped, "Baldy! Listen up, Qin Yan is my Little Junior Brother! If I find out you dare bully him again, then during the Monthly Exam, I guarantee I'll beat you to death!"

Her fierce expression, paired with her exquisite and adorable face, was not very intimidating at all. Instead, it made her seem somewhat charmingly naive.

But the protectiveness in her words could not have been clearer.

Jin Gang's face alternated between green and white.

He opened his mouth, but in the end, he fell silent.

He knew very well that without weapons, he was no longer Lu Youyou's match.

And in an occasion like the Monthly Exam, where weapons were permitted—

Lu Youyou's strength would soar even further with a weapon in hand, leaving him with little hope of victory.

He simply had not expected Lu Youyou to stand up so bluntly and publicly for a freshman who had only just joined the class.

"Oh? Lu Youyou, if you're so capable, why don't you trade a few moves with me? Why make things difficult for my junior brother?"

Just then, a voice came from the classroom entrance.

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw a burly young man with a crew cut walk in.

His steps were light as he walked directly to Jin Gang's side.

He patted Jin Gang on the shoulder and asked quietly, "You okay?"

The newcomer was Sun Kong, ranked third among the freshmen.

Lu Youyou did not respond immediately. Instead, she first tilted her head slightly.

Lowering her voice, she quickly explained to Qin Yan, "Little Junior Brother, this guy who just arrived is called Sun Kong. He and Jin Gang are disciples of the same mentor, so their relationship is similar to yours and mine. And that empty seat beside Jin Gang belongs to Sun Kong."

She paused, her tone growing more serious. "Of course, that isn't the important part. The important part is that Sun Kong is ranked third among this year's freshmen. He's one rank above me, so he's not someone to underestimate."

After hearing Lu Youyou's explanation, Qin Yan immediately understood.

So Jin Gang had deliberately saved that seat for Sun Kong.

However, the classroom seats had never been assigned in the first place. First come, first served was only natural.