1: magician

Federal, Seventeen Cities.

Inner City Ninth High, Second Year (1) Class.

"Students, starting tomorrow, you will embark on a long summer vacation."

"But during the holiday, I hope everyone can Cultivate on time. Don't wait until school starts next year when your basic Martial Arts haven't even reached Minor Achievement, understand?"

The homeroom teacher, Yao Changhua, stood on the podium, frowning as he gave his final instructions.

Upon hearing this, the students in the class burst into laughter.

Everyone's gaze couldn't help but mockingly focus on a boy in the last row. Compared to most of the class who were dressed in bright, new clothes, his worn-out, patched shirt seemed particularly glaring.

The boy's name was Shen Xi. Faced with the ridicule, his expression was indifferent.

After all, this was his sixteenth year since his Transmigration to this world, and he had long grown accustomed to such a life.

This world was vastly different from his previous one.

Yao Beasts ran rampant, and the entire world revered Martial Arts.

Nearly ninety percent of the world's regions had become wilderness restricted zones. Humanity could only survive concentrated in the remaining thirty-odd safe cities under the Federal's protection.

No, some people couldn't even afford to live in the Inner City and could only fall to the bottom as poor residents of the Outer City.

And Shen Xi was from the Outer City slums, so the discrimination and disdain began the very first day he started school in the Inner City.

In this situation, Shen Xi had almost no friends at school.

Of course, there were exceptions.

"Boss, wait for me."

On the way home from school, a slightly corpulent figure, panting, caught up to Shen Xi.

The fatty's name was Qian Liang. Like Shen Xi, he was from the Outer City, which was evident from his equally worn-out clothes, similar to Shen Xi's.

But don't underestimate this fatty; for a child from the Outer City to be able to attend school in the Inner City showed how formidable his Martial Arts talent was.

"I told you not to call me boss, just call me by my name," Shen Xi glanced at the fatty.

"No way, among our peers in the Outer City, you're the most talented, you're the boss!" The fatty still remembered, that year when they were eight, a group of Outer City children encountered a wilderness hyena for the first time. Shen Xi, with his ruthlessness, traded injuries for the hyena's death.

From that day on, in the eyes of the children who had been scared senseless, Shen Xi became their boss for life.

But upon hearing this, Shen Xi gave a self-deprecating smile.

What's the use of good talent? Besides talent, Martial Arts also require resources. While they, from the Outer City, might have had a talent advantage when they first enrolled, as time passed, those Inner City students who could use various potions for assistance, had three nutritious meals a day, and some even underwent genetic surgery, were more than enough to leave them, the 'mud legs', far behind.

"Boss, I think you're just too tolerant. Those guys just rely on their family's resources, right? What's the point of having a high Martial Arts Realm? If it really came down to a fight, it's not certain whose fists are harder." The fatty's eyes were full of disdain.

Children who grew up in the Outer City carried the wild ferocity of the wilderness in their bones.

"Perhaps."

Shen Xi smiled after hearing this. Perhaps the fatty could, but he couldn't.

He couldn't offend the children of important Inner City figures. After all, his family worked hard to send him to school, just waiting for him to make a name for himself. Moreover, he had a younger sister who was about to start school in the Inner City, and he didn't want his impulsive actions to cause his sister to lose her eligibility for enrollment.

Looking around, there were clean and tidy streets and tall buildings. But passing through the towering steel city wall not far away, what came into view were muddy roads and low, dilapidated houses.

One wall, two worlds.

Shen Xi had sworn that he would definitely move his family to the Inner City and let them live a good life.

Even if it meant paying a price!

With a thought, a panel popped up before Shen Xi's eyes.

[Cultivation: Blood Refinement Entry]

[Martial Arts: Eight Extremities Collapse (Basic Martial Arts) (Entry)]

[Lifespan: 41 years remaining.]

[Consume lifespan to accelerate Martial Arts progress and gain Cultivation improvement.]

...This System was something Shen Xi had since he first Transmigrated.

He had never used it all these years.

After all, accelerating Martial Arts progress seemed good, but the price was sacrificing his life!

Due to their living environment, the average lifespan of Outer City residents was generally below 60. But as long as no accidents occurred, or if he wasn't truly desperate, Shen Xi still wanted to live a little longer and enjoy the rest of his life.

Just then.

"Didn't I say it? The Outer City really is a garbage world. If it weren't for showing you guys around, honestly, I wouldn't even want to apply to leave the city. Everywhere there's the stench of dirty commoners. How can you guys stand it?"

Suddenly, a piercing voice sounded not far away.

It was a group of young students, dressed in exquisite and clean clothes. The leading boy was tall, with an expression full of strong disdain.

As he spoke, the boy noticed Shen Xi and the other person, and immediately laughed, "Oh! Isn't this Shen Xi from our class? He's from the Outer City. This kind of garbage dump environment, of course, these stinky rats are more familiar with it. Why don't we let him introduce it to you?"

"Zhao Minsheng! What did you say? Say it again!"

Upon hearing this, the fatty immediately looked furious, making a move to step forward.

These people were indeed students from Ninth High, and the boy was the class monitor. He was the one who led the mocking in the classroom earlier.

After all, as the son of an Inner City Senator, he certainly had the capital to be arrogant at school.

"Look, I called them rats, and they're already getting angry!"

Zhao Minsheng pointed at the two with an expression like he was watching a joke. The several students next to him burst into even more piercing laughter.

"I'll f*** your..."

The fatty's face turned beet red, but before he could step forward, he was held back by the person next to him.

"Go home."

Shen Xi stared at the fatty, enunciating each word.

After speaking, he seemed to ignore the mocking beside them, pulling the fatty and preparing to walk past the group.

But just then.

The group suddenly blocked their way, obstructing their path.

"Commoners! The class monitor is talking to you, are your ears deaf?"

"Did we allow you to leave?"

Upon hearing this, the fatty's veins bulged on his forehead. Fortunately, Shen Xi held him back, preventing him from lashing out.

"I don't want trouble, move aside." Shen Xi lowered his head, his expression still indifferent.

As soon as these words came out, the group immediately burst into laughter.

"Oh, we just won't move. You're so awesome, what can you do to us?"

"A commoner from the Outer City, trash whose basic Martial Arts hasn't even reached Minor Achievement, dares to put on an act in front of me. Are you getting too big for your britches?" Zhao Minsheng sneered, preparing to slap Shen Xi's face.

But the next second.

Bang——

Zhao Minsheng was slammed heavily to the ground. His clean and expensive clothes became muddy, and he writhed in pain, clearly having been thrown quite hard.

This scene caught everyone off guard.

Their faces were filled with shock because, just a moment ago, they hadn't even seen how Shen Xi had attacked.

Isn't this kid only at the Entry Realm? How is he so strong!?

"Tch! Couldn't even withstand a single blow."

The fatty scoffed. How could these pampered young masters of the Inner City know how strong Shen Xi, who had grown up scrambling in the wilderness since childhood, truly was?

Shen Xi, on the other hand, remained expressionless after doing all this, and prepared to leave with the fatty.

This action was just a warning.

After all, he didn't want to provoke these people, nor would he let them bully him freely.

Zhao Minsheng caught his breath, utterly disheveled, feeling only extreme humiliation. He roared, "Crippple these two commoners for me! My dad is a Senator, I'll handle anything that happens!"

Upon hearing this, the group immediately showed sinister smiles and surrounded Shen Xi and the fatty.

"Children, it's getting dark. If you don't hurry home, aren't you afraid your parents will worry?"

At this moment, a hooded figure suddenly appeared behind the group.

Zhao Minsheng was already furious, so he slapped the newcomer's face, "Get the f*** out of here, stop being a busybody! If you don't get lost, I'll cripple you too!"

With that slap, the person's body didn't budge, but the hood was knocked off.

And upon seeing the person's face, Shen Xi's pupils immediately constricted sharply.

What was revealed was not a human face at all, but a black goat's head. And what was even more unsettling was that where the goat's back of the head should have been, there was another identical face.

Clearly one neck, yet it seemed to have two heads.

Everyone felt a chill rise up their backs at this moment.

This was no human!

This was clearly a contaminated and mutated Yao Beast!