A Contingency Plan

Four o'clock.

Zhang Ping opened his eyes in the darkness.

He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling for a long while before finally sitting up.

Outside the window, dawn was faintly breaking. The air was a little chilly, and the distant mountains resembled slumbering beasts, dark and indistinct.

Zhang Ping felt somewhat empty. After dealing with Heavenly Fox, the Beast-Taming Zhu Family had hidden themselves too deeply. He felt as though he had lost his purpose.

He sat on the bed for a full ten minutes before getting up to brush his teeth and wash his face. Then he entered the workshop to practice the basics of the Dough-Kneading Forging Technique: kneading dough.

"I'll have knife-cut noodles for breakfast."

Zhang Ping thought as he kneaded the dough, his hands continuously separating clean iron beads from it.

Once he had picked out all the iron beads in the dough, he carried it to the kitchen.

Half an hour later.

After finishing breakfast, Zhang Ping took off his pajamas and underwear. Nether Mist swiftly covered his entire body, and then he went out for his morning run.

He loved how quiet Mingzhu City was. At first, he had done this to avoid Heavenly Fox, but now it had become a habit. Only by running through an empty city could he feel as though he had found himself again.

As he ran, he arrived at the sidewalk outside Pearl Ability Academy.

He slowed down.

Unable to help himself, he looked toward the school dormitories.

He had spent his weakest and most lost days in those dormitories. That place held special meaning for him.

However, because Prince Yue had killed quite a few students, Pearl Ability Academy was now hung with many white flowers. The entire school mourned those students who had been