"He is my friend; release his hands," Fan Xiao firmly declared as he approached the group.
San Tian, the aggressor, tightened his grip on the boy and asked, "Who are you?"
"It's not important who I am," Fan Xiao replied calmly, but San Tian seemed undeterred and continued to pummel his victim. The onlookers wondered if Fan Xiao would take action.
Lin Xiaofeng pondered, "Should I interfere?" He eventually decided to step in and approached the trio. "San Tian, leave the guy alone," he demanded.
San Tian scoffed, "Who are you, and why should I listen to you?"
"It's not important what I think of myself," Lin Xiaofeng retorted inwardly, trying to invoke some mysterious "villain aura."
However, the system dashed his hopes. "Host, you haven't acted like a villain to earn a villain aura," it reminded him.
"Why don't you pay your taxes if they demand it? That way, you won't get beaten up," Lin Xiaofeng said callously.
Lin Xiaofeng approached the guy who was lying on the floor, his voice trembling as he mumbled, "Please, let go of me." With a firm hand, he released the guy from San Tian's unyielding grip. However, to everyone's surprise, San Tian remained unresponsive.
Then, in a shocking twist, Lin Xiaofeng delivered a resounding slap to the boy who had initially requested his help. The onlookers were left aghast, and even the protagonist himself couldn't fathom the abrupt change in Lin Xiaofeng's actions. It was as if Lin Xiaofeng had contradicted his own words from just moments ago.
The bewildered crowd began to question Lin Xiaofeng's motives, their confusion growing with every passing moment. It was a scene filled with unexpected twists, leaving everyone wondering what kind of person Lin Xiaofeng truly was.
Fan Xiao, the boy who had requested assistance, protested, "How dare you beat my friend!"
Lin Xiaofeng paid him no heed and left the scene. His actions left everyone bewildered and questioning his motives.
Even Lin Xiaofeng's roommates couldn't comprehend his actions, though they couldn't help but admire his audacity. They exchanged smiles, knowing that Xiaofeng was not one to back down easily.
As Lin Xiaofeng walked away, he couldn't help but wonder about his system-assisted progress. "Hey system, tell me how many points I earned," he inquired.
The system replied, "50 points for angering the protagonist, 50 points for confusing the protagonist, and 100 points for leaving the canteen and leaving the protagonist dismayed. Protagonist favorability towards you is at-->20."
Lin Xiaofeng questioned, "Why does the protagonist have favorability towards me even though I'm a villain?"
The system explained, "Host, you haven't released your villain aura yet."
Lin Xiaofeng then asked, "System, can you upgrade my villain aura?"
The system confirmed, "Yes, host. Your villain aura has increased from level 1 to level 3. You can now easily intimidate people like San Tian with your aura alone."
Desiring more power, Lin Xiaofeng requested, "System, upgrade my cultivation to Foundation 5th level."
The system responded, "It would require 250 points."
Lin Xiaofeng sighed, "System, you're increasing the prices."
The system defended its decision, "The difficulty level is higher for this upgrade compared to the previous one."
Lin Xiaofeng's face fell, "I'll become a beggar at this rate. Can't you lower the price?"
The system suggested, "Host, the price can be lower, but it involves purchasing better cultivation techniques."
Curious, Lin Xiaofeng inquired, "What cultivation techniques?"
The system explained, "You practice the Jan Sheng Sutra, but there are better techniques available, such as Lomba Kin (85 points), Konan (90 points), and Limjang Sutra (100 points)."
Lin Xiaofeng pondered and then said, "System, you choose for me. What's best?"
The system responded, "I usually don't make choices, but I find you intriguing. Considering your current situation, I recommend buying the Limjang Sutra."
Lin Xiaofeng couldn't help but think, "The system sure is narcissistic."
The system retorted, "Hey, I can still hear you."
Resigned, Lin Xiaofeng agreed, "Okay, system, buy the Limjang Sutra."
As he did so, a flood of new knowledge and techniques entered his mind. Lin Xiaofeng knew that he couldn't rely solely on the system for his advancement; he needed to put in the effort himself.
"Host," the system reminded, "remember that combining body and soul strength is crucial, or you'll explode."
Determined to improve, Lin Xiaofeng began practicing the Limjang Sutra in the dormitory, striving to reach new heights and harness his newfound powers.