Inside the Artifact Hall.
Liang Yu snorted coldly, his mind churning with questions. Qin Chen was clearly a prodigy in artifact refining, yet his status within the Qin family was bafflingly low.
Still, since Qin Chen hadn't spoken of it himself, Liang Yu wasn't foolish enough to pry into his family matters.
"From now on, keep your distance from that Qin Fen," he said icily to Zhao Lingshan. "Or I'll cast you out from my tutelage immediately."
"Yes, Master. I'll have no dealings with the Qin family henceforth," Zhao Lingshan replied, not daring to protest.
"But Qin Chen—you can get to know him," Liang Yu added, a shiver of awe passing through him as he recalled the refining process. "He's extraordinary, with boundless potential."
Zhao Lingshan froze, her face blank with confusion.
This… isn't what I expected.
Hadn't her master barred her from the Qin family because Qin Chen had provoked his ire?
"The Heavenly Meridian Needle is complete. I must find a place to reconstruct my meridians soon. The longer I delay, the worse it will be," Qin Chen murmured to himself as he walked alone, lost in thought.
Returning to the Qin residence was unthinkable. He and his mother held too low a standing there, and Lady Zhao could send trouble their way at any moment. If his meridian reconstruction were disrupted, the consequences would be catastrophic.
After much deliberation, one place stood out: Tianxing Academy.
Tianxing Academy, nestled in the capital's heart, was a haven for noble heirs and commoner prodigies alike. It boasted secluded cultivation chambers, free from interruptions—a perfect sanctuary.
To the academy, then.
Decision made, Qin Chen set off for Tianxing Academy.
Located just a few blocks from the Artifact Hall, the academy was a short journey away.
A quarter of an hour later, he arrived.
The bustling crowds, towering structures, and vibrant energy of youthful students filled him with a sense of novelty.
But he had no time to linger.
Every moment was precious.
He needed to seize every second he could.
Yet, as fate would have it, someone chose that moment to obstruct him.
"Well, well, if it isn't Qin Chen, the 'Bloodline Boar'!" a mocking voice jeered. "Bouncing back so soon after the thrashing I gave you? Quite the resilient little pig, aren't you?"
Four youths, aged sixteen or seventeen, emerged from a nearby grove, their expressions hostile as they blocked Qin Chen's path.
The leader, clad in a brocade robe, had a broad face and an arrogant air. It was Wei Zhen, the heir of Marquis Wei, who had beaten Qin Chen into a coma during their duel days ago.
Marquis Wei wielded considerable influence in the court, so Wei Zhen was naturally flanked by a pack of sycophantic noble scions from Great Qi. They strutted through the academy, stirring trouble and bullying others with impunity.
Despite his thuggish ways, Wei Zhen's martial talent was formidable. Only a few months older than Qin Chen, he was already a Mid Human-level warrior with a second-grade bloodline.
In their prior duel, he'd concealed his Mid Human-level cultivation, striking suddenly to overwhelm Qin Chen and knock him off the stage, gravely injured—a cunning and vicious ploy.
He also had an older brother in the advanced class, on the verge of breaking through to Earth level and graduating from Tianxing Academy, which only fueled his arrogance.
In the past, such taunts would have ignited Qin Chen's temper, spurring him to charge headlong into a fight.
But now, he ignored Wei Zhen and his cronies entirely, treating them as if they were invisible. Without a glance, he sidestepped to walk past.
Wei Zhen froze, his face darkening, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
Beaten to a pulp by me, and he dares ignore me? Hasn't he learned his lesson? I was too lenient last time, not finishing him off.
With a subtle nod, his three lackeys grinned maliciously and moved to block Qin Chen again.
"'Bloodline Boar,' where's the rush? Come spar with us," they sneered, cracking their knuckles and closing in.
"Wei Zhen, what do you think you're doing?" a shout rang out from behind.
Two youths rushed over, positioning themselves protectively in front of Qin Chen, their faces flushed with indignation.
A crowd of onlookers had gathered by the grove, whispering and pointing.
Wei Zhen's expression soured. "Lin Tian, Zhang Ying, this is none of your business. Get lost."
"Hmph, Wei Zhen, we haven't settled the score for injuring Young Master Chen last time," Lin Tian snapped. "With us here, you're not touching him."
They turned to Qin Chen. "Young Master Chen, go!"
They'd heard Wei Zhen had nearly killed Qin Chen in their last encounter and were deeply worried for him.
A strange warmth stirred in Qin Chen's heart.
Lin Tian and Zhang Ying were his closest companions at Tianxing Academy—his brothers. They looked up to him as their leader, calling him Young Master Chen, his staunchest allies in the academy.
But after the betrayal of Feng Shaoyu in his past life, the notion of brotherhood left a bitter taste.
Wei Zhen's anger flared. "Lin Tian, Zhang Ying, you're begging for trouble. Fine, I didn't teach you a lesson last time, but today, you're both getting it. Get them!"
With a roar, Wei Zhen's three lackeys, poised for action, charged.
Two targeted Lin Tian and Zhang Ying, while the third lunged at Qin Chen.
All five were Early Human-level warriors, mid-class students of the academy, their strengths roughly equal. Zhang Ying's face paled as he blocked his own attacker and tried to intercept the one heading for Qin Chen.
"Hmph, Zhang Ying, you can't even save yourself, and you're still distracted? You're first!" Wei Zhen sneered, his eyes venomous. He leaped forward, his Mid Human-level fist slamming into Zhang Ying's.
Crack! Zhang Ying groaned in pain, sent flying, his right arm numb and nearly broken.
"Zhang Ying!" Lin Tian's face twisted in alarm. He tried to help but was pinned by the other three. Punches landed, blood trickled from his mouth, and he staggered back three steps, his breath ragged.
"Young Master Chen, run!" Even now, Lin Tian and Zhang Ying were focused on Qin Chen's safety.
"Heh, where's he going to run? We'll flatten you two first, then deal with him," Wei Zhen cackled.
"Hmph." Qin Chen's eyes turned cold. He might feel conflicted about brotherhood, but that didn't mean he'd let anyone bully his friends.
With a low snort, he stepped into the fray.