Four months later.
The Sage Monarch Academy was bustling with activity. One could see excited looks on the students' faces. After all, there were only five days left until the competition started. Every one of them wanted to show their worth in the competition and to get noticed by the top mentors of the academy.
However, there was a table inside the cafeteria, and a depressed atmosphere engulfed it. Three students were sitting there, looking haggard, crestfallen, and melancholic. They were none other than Qin Meng's roommates.
"Damn," cursed the pudgy-looking Yunjie. "Where did the boss go?"
The bald and muscular Wu Hui guzzled down the ale in just a single gulp. "Sister-in-law is still searching for him. I feel sorry whenever I see her haggard look."
Zeng Hong frowned and said, "Ever since those bastards of the three factions discovered Boss has vanished, they are making things difficult for us. They even poached numerous members of our faction, yet we couldn't do anything. If the boss hadn't prohibited us from asking sister-in-law—"
"Zeng Hong," said Yan Yunjie, anger flashing inside his eyes. "Sister-in-law is already worried about Boss. Don't you dare bother her for such a trivial matter."
"I know," grumbled Zeng Hong and swallowed the ale in his glass.
"Oh, look who it is?" suddenly a mocking voice resounded from another table. The trio frowned and lifted their heads, looking towards the speaker. A group of youngsters were sitting at the table next to them. The speaker had long hair and scorpion-like eyes.
As soon as they saw the face of the boy, their faces turned cold.
"Li Hong, you bastard!" shouted Zeng Hong, his thin face trembling with anger. "How dare you come in front of us after leaving Domineering Thugs?"
"Domineering Thugs?" sneered the man called Li Hong. "It's more like Pitiful Thugs. Look at your condition, even dogs of our Profane Devils are doing better than you."
"You—"
"Calm down," Yan Yunjie patted Zeng Hong's shoulder, calming him. "His smile won't last long. Our Boss is about to come back. We'll see who dares to oppose us, then."
Li Hong's jaw tightened. He could bully Yan Yunjie and others because Qin Meng wasn't there. But if he was here, not even He Chen would dare to make things difficult for them. Leng Yueyan might not bother with them just because of the three clowns. But she'd definitely not let them go when it comes to Qin Meng. They had seen how she thrashed a teacher, without even frowning, for Qin Meng.
"Humph," snorted Li Hong. "Who Knows if he will ever come? Maybe he has already died somewhere—"
"Really?" said a voice. Everyone on the scene turned towards the speaker and their eyes widened.
"Boss!" Yan Yiunjie and his companions yelled in unison. Li Hong, on the other hand, froze on the spot. His eyes widening in terror.
Qin Meng nodded towards his friends before turning towards Li Hong. "Go on. What you were saying?"
"I—I," stammered the man. Unable to speak a single sentence. But then he eyed the white-haired man beside him and his eyes lit up. He said, "So what you have come back. You are just a cripple without Martial Spirit. Senior Yueyan could help you here, but how'd she help you in the competition?"
Qin Meng smiled. "I see," he said, and then vanished. When he appeared, he was in front of Li Hong. "But who said I'm a cripple?"
"Huh?" Li Hong's mocking smile froze. He gawked at Qin Meng, flabbergasted. Unable to understand what had just happened, and before he could collect his thoughts and calm down, Qin Meng grasped his neck like a chicken.
"What are you doing?" Other members of Profane Devils shouted in unison. Qin Meng eyed them apathetically and sneered. "I suggest you hold your horses. This is my faction's internal matter. It has nothing to do with you, so do not poke your nose where it doesn't belong to."
They froze, looking at each other in confusion. They had heard that Qin Meng was a cripple. How did he become so strong? Li Hong was 6th Motif Stage practitioner. It should be impossible for someone like Qin Meng to deal with him. However, they could not disregard what they were looking at, either. There was something strange going on here.
All of them turned towards the white-haired boy.
"Brother Qin Meng is right," laughed the boy, who was silent all this time. "It is indeed the internal matter of Domineering Thugs."
Qin Meng stared at the man. He had white hair and brown eyes. There was a harmless smile on his face, but Qin Meng could tell that he was no simpleton. He could feel the hidden coldness within his pupils. Qin Meng suddenly smiled. "So it is brother He Chen," he said.
Qin Meng had noticed him a long time ago. This guy was examining him all this time. But he hadn't thought him to be so decisive. He sacrificed one of his pawns like nothing. It's going to be difficult to deal with him.
"I have heard that brother Qin Meng is a great man," said He Chen. "It is my pleasure to meet you."
Qin Meng just smiled. Not commenting any further. He Chen nodded and walked towards the exit of the cafeteria with his lackeys. Not even glancing at Li Hong.
Qin Meng threw the man towards Yan Yunjie and said, "Take good care of him before throwing him away."
"Big brother He Chen, please—"
He Chen glanced one last time towards Qin Meng and sauntered away.
Qin Meng frowned as he eyed the white-haired boy's back. However, at this moment, he felt a sense of danger coming from behind him. He turned around and his eyes widened in terror.