55: Chapter 55: The teachers were shocked!

While Zhang Wen was still immersed in his own world, inside the Hundred Refinements Pagoda...

"What do you think of this child?" The old man's gaze softened as he looked at the middle-aged man beside him.

"This boy has the potential of a Great Emperor!" The middle-aged man's voice carried a hint of treasure-like appreciation, and his fingertips tightened slightly.

Stroking his long beard, the old man nodded and said, "To clash head-on with the Peak of the Microscopic Realm while only at the Forming Realm... with such talent, there is no second person among the contemporary Prodigies. Even if those two SSS-ranks from the Hermit Families joined forces, they probably wouldn't be able to harm him in the slightest."

At this point, a protective smile flickered in his eyes. "We truly underestimated him before. Look at his Martial Skills—the lowest are S-rank. Even the long spear in his hand is the top-tier among S-rank weapons. How does he look like someone from a humble background?"

"Perhaps he is a heaven-sent genius with his own fortuitous encounters." The middle-aged man's tone lightened. "We can't let such a promising seedling slip away. We must lean more resources toward him."

"Exactly." The old man reached out and patted his shoulder, his voice solemn yet warm. "There's no need to dwell on his origins. You just need to remember that he is one of our Azure Mist people, and that's enough. Take more care of him in the future."

As the middle-aged man cupped his fists and bowed, a clear smile appeared in his eyes. "This Disciple understands. Rest assured, Teacher, I will surely protect him well and never let him suffer even a bit of grievance on his path of growth."

"Haha, good! With Azure Mist in your hands, it truly is becoming more magnificent. I have always been at ease with how you handle things." The old man stroked his beard, his laughter full of gratification.

His tone shifted, and his eyes darkened. "However, we also need to add some spice for him. A greenhouse cannot raise pines and cypresses that can withstand Astral Winds. To become a powerhouse, pressure is indispensable. I don't need to tell you what to do, right?" Having said that, he glanced sideways at the middle-aged man.

A glint of realization flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes, and he smiled with cupped hands. "Rest assured, Teacher, this is what this Disciple is best at."

...

Zhang Wen was completely unaware of this, not knowing what kind of encounter he was about to face.

The hunger pangs from his stomach interrupted his meditation. "Forget it, I'll stop practicing here for today. I'll go to the Canteen and see if there's anything good to eat."

His figure was like the wind as he rushed all the way to the Canteen. If not for the guidance of the artificial intelligence 'mysterious view', he probably would have taken many detours in the massive campus. Fortunately, the Canteen doors were still open, and he hadn't missed mealtime.

There were still a few days before the official start of school, so the Canteen was empty. When Zhang Wen walked to the window and scanned the menu, he couldn't help but freeze on the spot—

"Charcoal-grilled Red-maned Mad Wolf Ribs, Roasted Black-armored Giant Crocodile Tail, Pan-seared Ink-scaled Demon Fish Belly, Braised Mountain-splitting Savage Bull Tendons..."

A series of dish names featuring Vicious Beasts caught his eye. A glint instantly lit up in Zhang Wen's eyes. "As expected of a top academy, even the ingredients are Vicious Beast meat. This is highly nourishing!"

He immediately ordered the Roasted Black-armored Giant Crocodile Tail and Charcoal-grilled Red-maned Mad Wolf Ribs, found a seat by the window, and prepared to feast.

But, if nothing unexpected happened, something unexpected was bound to happen. After all, trouble follows the protagonist wherever he goes.

Just as he picked up his utensils, two figures blocked his table.

"Which department are you from, kid?" a blonde-haired lackey beside him pointed at Zhang Wen and barked. "Do you know whose seat this is? Sitting here... this is Brother Ma's exclusive seat! You dare sit here whenever you want?"

Zhang Wen was about to ask, but the other party's insults rained down like a barrage, instantly ruining his appetite. He looked up at the two of them, his voice turning cold. "There doesn't seem to be anyone's name written on this seat."

The blonde-haired guy sneered. "Go ask around. Brother Ma hasn't changed seats since he entered the school, and no one has ever dared to touch it! We don't want to make things difficult for you either. Transfer five thousand points to Brother Ma, and we'll let this matter slide."

Zhang Wen's gaze grew colder. He didn't bother to pay any more attention to these two clowns and continued cutting his ribs. However, the aura around him had quietly condensed, like a fully drawn bowstring, ready to explode at any moment.

Seeing Zhang Wen's lack of reaction, the blonde-haired guy was about to lash out, but Brother Ma, who had been silent, moved first.

"Kid, in this world, you rely on strength." He threw a punch with a cruel smile, the resulting wind rushing straight at Zhang Wen's face. "If you don't have strength, you have to know the rules."

Before the wind from the punch could reach him, Zhang Wen's hand holding the knife and fork suddenly tightened.

With a crisp sound of metal clashing, as his wrist turned, the bone fragments from the ribs were actually crushed into powder.

When Brother Ma's punch was less than half a foot from his face, Zhang Wen's body slid sideways like a fish. The seemingly slow movement perfectly avoided the fist, while his elbow struck toward the opponent's ribs at a tricky angle.

"Bang!"

In the muffled thud, Brother Ma felt his abdomen churning, and his newly condensed Inner Energy instantly dissipated. He stared in disbelief, only then seeing that a sharp bone fragment had appeared between Zhang Wen's fingertips at some point—it was the tip of a wolf bone broken off while cutting the ribs just now.

"Early Stage of the Subtle Realm?" A cold arc curled at the corner of Zhang Wen's mouth as the bone fragment pressed against Brother Ma's throat. "Too bad your Inner Energy can't even pierce a Vicious Beast's hide."

The blonde-haired guy was still shouting as he lunged forward. Zhang Wen raised his leg in a horizontal sweep, the tip of his shoe accurately kicking the back of the other's knee.

With a crisp crack, the blonde-haired guy screamed and fell to his knees, facing the plate of still-steaming crocodile tail, his nose almost touching the grease.

Brother Ma's Adam's apple bobbed as he tried to circulate his Inner Energy to shake off the bone fragment, only to find that the force from the other's fingertips was like a maggot on a bone. Every time his Inner Energy flowed, it would be intercepted by an even trickier surge of Qi.

He then realized with a shock that this ordinary-looking kid's control over power had reached such a level—it wasn't a head-on collision of brute force, but rather like Pao Ding butchering an ox, precisely dismantling every inch of his strength.

"You..."

Before he could finish, Zhang Wen's wrist rotated slightly. The bone fragment grazed past his neck, the wind it carried cutting off a few strands of hair. Brother Ma froze in place, cold sweat instantly drenching his back—at that moment, he truly felt the chill of death.

"My rule is," Zhang Wen withdrew the bone fragment, tossed it into the plate, and picked up a piece of crocodile tail meat with his fork, chewing it slowly, "don't disturb my meal."

The fallen blonde-haired guy tried to get up, but Zhang Wen stepped on his back. That foot seemed light, but it felt like a thousand-pound boulder; no matter how he struggled, he couldn't move an inch.

Looking at the profile of Zhang Wen eating with his head down, Brother Ma finally understood—even though they were both at the Early Stage of the Subtle Realm, some people trained their Inner Energy into their bones and muscles, while others had already integrated their Qi into every movement. His half-baked strength was likely as fragile as that plate of ribs in the other's eyes.

(Two yellow orioles sing in the green willows, how about a follow?)