Lin Fan's heart sank. The instructor was already blatantly favoring Li Feng, which was not good news for him.
As for his roommates, they were already panicking. The instructor controlled everything about their lives, and now that he clearly intended to favor Li Feng, they would certainly have no good days ahead.
Even the usually steadfast Wang Wu was beginning to regret his decision, feeling he might have made a mistake. The other three were already bitterly regretting it. If time could turn back to last night, they would definitely have chosen to stay in bed like Jiang Tong.
Li Feng and his roommates were naturally delighted. With the instructor's support, they could act without any scruples.
Zhao Tao puffed out his chest and imperiously pointed at Lin Fan and the others. "Didn't you hear the instructor? Standing there like fucking idiots. A bunch of trash!"
"Exactly! A bunch of trash, and you still think you can slack off!"
"You even dared to go against Brother Li. Fools who don't know your own limits!"
The others also mocked them one after another. Li Feng said nothing to maintain his composed image, but he could not suppress the derisive smile tugging at his lips.
Watching from the side, Jiang Tong laughed even more wildly. He was immensely glad of his decision. "Hahaha... Last night, I told you not to get involved, and you acted like I was trying to hurt you. Your days are going to be rough from now on!"
Lin Fan clenched his fists and silently climbed the slope. He secretly swore that he would make this instructor pay.
Wang Wu and the others hung their heads like defeated roosters, their faces pinched with misery, feeling as though the sky had collapsed.
As Lin Fan and the others rolled down from above, Li Feng's group watched with their arms folded, as though watching a bunch of clowns putting on a show.
"Get up and roll already! Trash with no talent doesn't deserve to rest!" Zhao Tao shouted.
Without a word, Lin Fan got up and continued climbing the slope. Wang Wu also endured the humiliation and climbed to his feet, but the other three were in a miserable state. They were already close to passing out and lacked the strength to rise, while the mockery from Zhao Tao and the others grew even more grating.
Lin Fan and Wang Wu rolled down again. Wang Wu tried to get up, only to collapse on the ground. He had no strength left.
Gritting his teeth, Lin Fan pushed himself upright and continued climbing.
"Tch..." Zhao Tao sneered. "Lin Fan, you trash, you do have some perseverance. Too bad trash is still trash. Even if you roll another ten times, you won't reach basic mastery. And you think you can compete with Brother Li?"
Lin Fan ignored this petty villain, but he had already made his decision. Once again, he stood at the top of the slope, then rolled down under the contemptuous gazes of Li Feng's group.
"Once he passes out, I'm going to slap his face to a pulp!" Zhao Tao said, his eyes filled with hatred. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to start slapping.
He had no intention of sparing Wang Wu and the others either, not just Lin Fan.
As he saw it, Lin Fan should pass out completely this time and become a lamb awaiting slaughter.
Lin Fan rolled to the bottom of the slope, and Zhao Tao immediately strode toward him. Seeing that the instructor did not stop him, a savage grin spread across his face.
Li Feng and his other four roommates all looked on expectantly, ready to enjoy a good show.
But as Zhao Tao approached Lin Fan, he discovered that Lin Fan's eyes were open-and brighter than ever.
He actually didn't pass out! Zhao Tao's heart jolted, but since he had already come over, he had no intention of returning empty-handed. In his current condition, Lin Fan certainly would not be his match.
Brutally beating a conscious Lin Fan would be even more satisfying. His expression grew increasingly vicious.
One look was enough for Lin Fan to know what Zhao Tao wanted to do. A trace of killing intent flashed through his eyes, and he sprang to his feet with a carp's kip-up, staring coldly at Zhao Tao.
Startled, Zhao Tao stopped in his tracks. Lin Fan's movement gave him an ominous feeling.
Lin Fan's next words confirmed his suspicions, making his body tremble.
"I seem to have reached basic mastery," Lin Fan said calmly.
Li Feng's expression changed, his eyes full of disbelief. His roommates also looked as though they had seen a ghost.
The instructor frowned slightly and appeared before Lin Fan in a flash. He scraped a fingernail across Lin Fan's skin, and sure enough, it left only a white mark.
"You really have reached basic mastery." His tone was astonished. He had not expected two geniuses to emerge at the same time among this batch of human training dummy candidates.
The instructor's words darkened Li Feng's face. He felt a serious threat.
Zhao Tao looked as though he had eaten shit. He involuntarily retreated two steps, afraid that Lin Fan would suddenly lash out, pin him down, and beat him savagely again.
The instructor schooled his expression, returning to his deadpan face. "Keep training!" With that, he paid Lin Fan no further attention and offered no reward whatsoever.
Lin Fan gritted his teeth. This instructor had completely sided with Li Feng. Even revealing some of his talent could not make the man treat him fairly again.
Li Feng and the others perked up once more. So what if Lin Fan had reached basic mastery in Iron Cloth Shirt? With the instructor backing them, they were certain to win.
Li Feng walked up to Lin Fan, his face full of mockery. "Lin Fan, don't think a little talent means you can fight me. You're not qualified!"
Lin Fan remained expressionless. "Who will have the last laugh remains to be seen."
"Tch..."
Li Feng gave a contemptuous scoff, then headed up the slope.
Lin Fan also walked up the slope. He needed to grow stronger as quickly as possible. He did not consider Li Feng a threat; it was the instructor he worried about.
The instructor was a ninth-grade martial artist. Never mind that Lin Fan had only reached basic mastery in Iron Cloth Shirt-even major accomplishment in Iron Cloth Shirt would not make him the instructor's match. He had to grow stronger as quickly as possible. Only by becoming a ninth-grade martial artist would he truly have the means to establish a foothold in this world.
By the time the sun sank in the west, everyone had rolled down at least ten more times, willingly or otherwise. The instructor left, no longer caring whether they lived or died.
Lin Fan's group and Li Feng's group stood on opposite sides, glaring at each other with hostility.
After Wang Wu and the others regained consciousness and heard that Lin Fan had reached basic mastery in Iron Cloth Shirt, their minds settled considerably, and they once again stood firmly with him.
Li Feng gave Lin Fan a sidelong look. "Lin Fan, I'm confident I can reach minor accomplishment in Iron Cloth Shirt within four days. Let's see how you'll fight me then!" With those words, he turned and left.
His roommates each swept a provocative glance over Lin Fan's group before following Li Feng away.
Wang Wu's heart grew heavy again. "Brother Lin, are you confident you can reach minor accomplishment within four days?" His face was full of expectation as he clung to a thread of hope.
The other three roommates felt the same. If Lin Fan could not do it, they would become lambs awaiting slaughter.
The instructor had already sided with Li Feng, and Li Feng no longer had any scruples. Once he reached minor accomplishment, he would definitely attack them.
Lin Fan checked his progress in cultivating Iron Cloth Shirt.
Iron Cloth Shirt (minor accomplishment 240/400).
Barring any surprises, he would reach minor accomplishment tomorrow. A smile curled his lips. "Brother Wang, don't be so pessimistic. Heaven never bars every path." With that, he left.
Wang Wu and the other three roommates exchanged looks, finding the same bewilderment in one another's eyes. Did that mean he could do it or not?
Lin Fan had only just returned to the dining hall entrance when Zhao Tao's arrogant voice rang out from within.
"Jiang Tong, don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! Brother Li is in a period of rapid cultivation advancement right now. What's wrong with borrowing two bowls of your medicinal food?"
Lin Fan raised his eyebrows, an intrigued expression appearing on his face.