One by the Roadside

"Alright, come on." Lin Qingchen took two steps forward.

Xue Beng was taken aback, clearly not expecting Lin Qingchen to agree so readily.

His original plan was to provoke Lin Qingchen with words, forcing him to back down in front of everyone, thus regaining the face he lost yesterday.

As a result, Lin Qingchen accepted the challenge directly, which put him in a difficult position.

But then he thought, he was the fourth prince, having received the best training since childhood. Even at his worst, he was still better than a commoner Soul Master, right? Besides, the other party was younger than him.

He wasn't afraid of being accused of bullying the weak.

"Good! You've got guts!" Xue Beng his hand, and the students watching immediately stepped back, making way for an open space.

Xue Beng released its Martial Soul, and a phantom of a pure Swan rose from behind it, with two Yellow Soul Ring unfolding beneath its feet.

His First Soul Ring lit up, and his speed increased slightly. His right fist, wrapped in a layer of white Soul Power, charged towards Lin Qingchen.

The Swan Martial Soul, Agility Attack System, looks quite impressive.

Several students at the Heaven Wei Grade who were watching began to cheer. "With the Fourth Prince's speed, this kid probably won't even be able to react—"

He hadn't finished speaking.

Lin Qingchen stood there, waiting for the Xue Beng to rush towards him, then calmly extended his right fist towards the Xue Beng's belly.

He didn't use any fancy moves, just one punch.

"Puff--"

Xue Beng's fist was still half a foot away from Lin Qingchen's chest when Lin Qingchen's fist had already sunk into his stomach.

A muffled thud, like someone kicking a sandbag from the inside.

The Xue Beng man curled up like a shrimp, flew more than ten meters away, and crashed heavily to the ground. He clutched his stomach, curled up in a ball, and gasped for breath, unable to utter a single word.

He felt as if his internal organs were groaning, and everything around him seemed to be distorting.

"Puff--"

He opened his mouth and vomited up everything he had eaten that morning, along with a mouthful of Blood One.

Quiet.

Some of the students watching had their mouths open and forgot to close them.

Lin Qingchen withdrew his fist, cracked his knuckles, and said in a calm tone, "Sigh, I didn't control my strength well; I should have held back a bit."

The Xue Beng's henchmen were stunned for a couple of seconds before they reacted and rushed over in a flurry. "Fourth Prince! Fourth Prince, are you alright!"

Xue Beng clutched his stomach, his face turning purple, and blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

He tried to stand up, but his legs gave way and he knelt down again in front of Lin Qingchen, his head covered in cold sweat from the pain.

His followers turned pale with fright. Two of them immediately went to help him up, while the rest looked at Lin Qingchen with nothing but fear in their eyes, all of their previous jeering had vanished.

"You... you dare to injure the Fourth Prince!" one of the lackeys shouted, mustering his courage.

"He was the one who suggested a sparring match first." Lin Qingchen glanced at him. "What, does a sparring match mean he can hit me, but I can't hit him?"

The follower choked.

"Besides, I've already stopped," Lin Qingchen added. "If I hadn't, he probably wouldn't be able to fly that far now."

Instead, he directly used Blood Escape.

That was so honest that some of the students watching couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Xue Beng was helped up by several followers, and the blood at the corner of his mouth kept seeping out after being wiped away.

He stared intently at Lin Qingchen, his eyes filled with an intense hatred, but his mouth remained tightly shut, not uttering a single harsh word, for fear that the other party would attack again.

"Let's go." Xue Beng squeezed out the word through gritted teeth and was carried away by his followers.

After walking a distance, he suddenly turned back and glanced at Lin Qingchen.

After the person left, most of the students who had been watching also quickly dispersed. However, Lin Qingchen could sense that the way the remaining people looked at him was completely different from before.

At first it was out of curiosity, but now it's like seeing the King of Hell, and I'm terrified of running too slow.

Lin Qingchen didn't pay much attention, went to eat, and then returned to his dormitory.

But before he could even sit down properly, Yu Tianheng pushed the door open and came in, his expression somewhat complicated.

"I heard you fought off Xue Beng?"

"He asked me to spar with him, how did the news travel so fast?"

"A friendly spar?" Yu Tianheng's lips twitched.

"But I heard that you punched him so hard he vomited blood and had to be carried to the infirmary by several people."

"He's too weak," Lin Qingchen said seriously.

Yu Tianheng glanced at him and couldn't help but laugh, "Yes, he's too weak, but the problem isn't his weakness, the problem is the person behind him."

"Prince Xue Xing?"

"You know?" Yu Tianheng pulled up a chair and sat down. "Prince Xue Xing is Xue Beng's uncle and has always supported Xue Beng behind the scenes. Xue Beng's domineering behavior in the academy is partly due to his own temper and partly due to Prince Xue Xing's tacit approval. By hitting Xue Beng, you've essentially slapped Prince Xue Xing in the face. That prince isn't exactly magnanimous; he's known for holding grudges."

"Then let him report it," Lin Qingchen said.

Yu Tianheng sighed, "I knew you'd say that. Fine, since you're confident, I won't try to persuade you any further. Just contact me anytime if you need anything."

Yu Tianheng still hadn't forgotten about doing favors.

At noon, Qin Ming indeed came to find Lin Qingchen.

The two found a secluded corner near the training field.

Qin Ming cut to the chase. "I've heard about the Xue Beng. You did nothing wrong, but Prince Xue Xing won't see it that way."

"Tian Heng told me everything."

"That's good, then I won't repeat myself." Qin Ming leaned against the railing. "I'll just tell you one thing: you don't need to worry too much about the academy. The three education committee members personally requested you, and Prince Xue Xing's attempt to exert pressure through the academy won't get past them. Those three old men aren't pushovers either; even if Prince Xue Xing came, they might not give him face. After all, His Highness the Crown Prince is also watching over things."

"I see."

Qin Ming patted him on the shoulder. "The academy competition is in a while, so focus your energy on cultivation during this time. As for the Xue Beng, let it be. If the sky falls, someone tall will hold it up. Just concentrate on preparing for the competition. Also, the holiday ends this afternoon, so gather here for class. Don't forget."

"Um."

After Qin Ming left, Lin Qingchen was just about to leave when someone suddenly patted her on the back.

"Brother Qingchen!"

Dugu Yan suddenly appeared out of nowhere and plopped down next to him with a warm smile on her face.

"Sister Yan, what's wrong?"

"I have something to tell you."

"What's up?"

My grandfather is coming.

Lin Qingchen was taken aback. "Senior Poison Douluo?"

"Yes, I mentioned you to Grandpa when I got home yesterday. He's very interested in you and has decided to come see you during the academy competition."

Dugu Yan added with a grin, "You'd better do your best, and make sure you get a good deal out of my grandfather's treasures."

Lin Qingchen:???

He looked at Dugu Yan with a strange expression.

Mayan elder sister mud?

Do you really want to scam your grandpa?

But that's fine too; I'd love to mess with Dugu Bo's Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, wouldn't I?