Then Let's Fight!

Heaven Dou Imperial Junior Academy.

When Li Hanche pushed open the classroom door, the entire class erupted.

Su Nianxue sat at the front right. She turned back to look at Li Hanche more than a dozen times, a smile on her lips every time.

The most eye-catching person, however, was Zhao Mengran. This noble brat, who had once mocked Li Hanche as a "wild kid from the slums" and gotten slapped twice for it, was now carrying a cup of tea through the crowd with utmost care before respectfully setting it on Li Hanche's desk.

Then he let his hands hang at his sides, bent at the waist, and lowered his head.

"Big Brother, please have some tea."

Li Hanche leaned back in his chair, spinning a pen between his fingers.

He did not even touch the tea. Zhao Mengran remained bent over, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He neither straightened up nor dared to.

He had never treated even his own father with this much respect.

Finally, Li Hanche spoke.

"Alright, stop standing there."

As though granted a pardon, Zhao Mengran straightened up and took two steps back, an eager smile plastered across his face.

Li Hanche continued spinning the pen.

Basic knowledge of Soul Masters? Soul ring compatibility theory? The combat styles of the various factions across Douluo Continent?

Six years. He still had a full six years to spend in this place—attending class, getting out of class, taking exams, advancing to higher grades, sitting with classmates who could not even take one punch from him, and listening to instructors lecture about all this pointless nonsense.

Just then, golden light exploded in his mind. That familiar system notification sounded once more.

[Option One: Declaration of Dominance]

"During the assembly of all faculty and students, loudly announce before everyone: From today onward, I have the final say at Heaven Dou Imperial Junior Academy. Who agrees? Who objects? Reward: Fist Technique Mountain-Crushing Fist."

"A close-combat martial skill. Its effects are doubled when used together with the Nine-Turn Tyrant Body Art. Note: Dominance begins with a declaration. What are you afraid of? Xue Qinghe is your big brother—who would dare touch you? Of course, Xue Qinghe himself might be the first to do so."

[Option Two: Might Makes Right]

"No empty gestures, no declarations. Establish order in the simplest way possible. At the academy, anyone who does not lower their head upon seeing you gets beaten until they do. Beat them until all faculty and students automatically make way when they see you, until your name becomes the unwritten rule in the academy's code of conduct. Reward: Leg Technique Shadow-Skimming Legs."

"A close-combat martial skill that can unleash a barrage of consecutive kicks within inches of space. When used with the Treading Snow Without Trace movement technique, it can make the legs leave no shadow while the person leaves traces in their wake. Note: A big fist is the only hard truth. No need for nonsense—let strength speak. If Xue Qinghe finds out you've been building yourself up like this, he might tear you to pieces."

[Option Three: Win People Over with Virtue]

"Take everyone in the academy as your underlings. No hitting, scolding, or threats. Use sincere personal charisma to win over every person, making everyone willingly call you Big Brother. Reward: Grappling Technique Dragon-Coiling Hand."

"A close-combat martial skill focused on locking, clasping, coiling, and seizing. It can instantly restrain an opponent's joints and vital points during close-quarters grappling. Combined with the perception of the Mind-Clarity and Nature-Seeing Art, it can lock upon contact and seize once locked."

"Note: Win people over with virtue. Win people over with virtue. Win people over with virtue. Important things must be said three times. But with your character, this option is basically the same as having no reward."

Li Hanche finished reading the three options.

All three were good. He wanted all three.

The rewards were each better than the last, while the options were each more troublesome than the last.

The first option was to declare his dominance over the academy in front of all faculty and students. Xue Qinghe had just told him to rein in his edge, and he was about to announce his domination before the entire academy? What was that called? That was slapping Xue Qinghe in the face.

And doing it in front of the whole academy, at that.

He had already experienced Xue Qinghe's cold expression. For the time being, he had no desire to experience it a second time.

The second was to beat anyone in the academy who did not lower their head before him. No declaration, no ceremony—just establish order with his fists.

He skipped over the third option.

Would Big Brother beat him to death?

He quickly weighed it in his mind. Option one: definitely. Option two: possibly, but the odds were lower than with option one, since there would be no obvious evidence to use against him.

There was another issue. His opponents at the Great Soul Arena had already reached level thirty-nine. Above that came level-forty Soul Ancestors.

The gap between level forty and level thirty-nine was not as simple as one level. His current level-seventeen Soul Power was already pushing the limits when fighting level-thirty-nine opponents across such a gap. Fighting a level-forty Soul Ancestor would be far too risky.

For now, he would stop fighting in soul battles and spend some time consolidating at the academy. He would thoroughly absorb and integrate his body tempering, gravity wristbands, and the Cold Gleam Spear Art, raise his Soul Power a few more levels, and build up enough trump cards before returning to the Soul Arena to challenge level forty.

So option two was the most suitable.

It was not too flamboyant, with no declaration and no ceremony. He would simply let his fists do the talking.

Moreover, the Shadow-Skimming Legs would perfectly complement his Treading Snow Without Trace movement technique, making up for the weakness in his close-combat leg techniques.

Li Hanche acted the moment he made up his mind.

The dismissal bell rang, and he was the first to leave the classroom. Zhao Mengran followed behind him, bent at the waist, his face a mixture of nervousness and excitement.

Li Hanche leaned against the wall with his arms folded, his gaze passing over the students leaving the corridor in twos and threes before settling on the upper-grade area on the other side of the teaching building.

"Little Zhao."

"Yes, Big Brother. Go ahead."

Zhao Mengran answered instantly.

"Do you know where the most arrogant groups among the upper grades are?"

Zhao Mengran froze for a moment, then his eyes lit up.

He had been hanging around this academy for so long that he knew exactly who was tough and who was a coward.

"I do, I do! Liu Hu from fifth grade—his family has a viscount title, and he relies on his older brother being a top student at the intermediate academy. He cuts in line at the cafeteria every day, and nobody dares say a word."

"There's also Zhou Wenyuan from fourth grade. Last month, he shoved a student down the stairs and broke the student's leg. The academy did not even issue a disciplinary notice. And there's—"

"Lead the way."

Zhao Mengran immediately shut up, turned, and started walking.

He walked quickly, his steps carrying the exhilaration of a fox borrowing a tiger's might.

The fifth-grade noble students were walking toward the academy gates in groups of three and five.

Liu Hu walked in the middle, surrounded by four or five lackeys. Their heads were all held high, their academy uniform collars open, and they walked with swagger.

They had just reached the small plaza by the gates when they saw a short figure blocking the middle of the road.

Liu Hu halted.

He stood a full head taller than Li Hanche. Looking down from above, he had only just furrowed his brow when he clearly saw that face.

Li Hanche.

Zhao Mengran stood behind him.

In a very short span of time, Liu Hu's expression changed three times.

His displeasure became confusion, his confusion became wariness, and his wariness became a stiff smile that struggled to appear calm but plainly lacked confidence.

"Uh, Li Hanche? What is this..."

Li Hanche did not give him the chance to finish.

With a movement of his feet, he instantly closed in on Liu Hu.

His right hand clenched into a fist, and he drove it into Liu Hu's abdomen.

Even though he had held back some of his strength, it was enough to make a fifth-grade child double over in pain.

Liu Hu's body curled up like a cooked shrimp. His mouth opened wide, yet he could not even let out a scream.

His entire body went limp as he dropped to his knees.