The next morning, Tang Xiu walked to school with a calm confidence. His tattered uniform and thin frame still made him appear ordinary, but his sharp eyes and upright posture hinted at a profound change.
As he entered the school gates, whispers followed him.
"Is that Tang Xiu? He looks different today."
"Did he finally grow a backbone?"
"Pfft, as if. He's probably still the same useless guy."
Tang Xiu ignored them. Their opinions didn't matter. His goal wasn't to impress a group of shallow teenagers—it was to reclaim his strength and rise beyond the heavens once more.
But his peace didn't last long. As he turned the corner toward his classroom, Zhang Wei and his lackeys blocked his path.
"Well, well," Zhang Wei sneered, his wrist still wrapped in a bandage. "Look who decided to show up. Thought you'd skip school after what happened yesterday."
Tang Xiu's gaze remained steady. "Step aside."
"Step aside?" Zhang Wei laughed, his voice dripping with mockery. "You think you're a big shot now because you got lucky yesterday? Let me remind you who runs this school."
The lackeys stepped forward, cracking their knuckles. Zhang Wei smirked, clearly confident that Tang Xiu wouldn't stand a chance against all three of them.
But Tang Xiu didn't move. His gaze swept over them, calm and calculating. "I gave you a chance yesterday," he said, his voice low and cold. "You should've taken it."
Without warning, Zhang Wei lunged. But this time, Tang Xiu didn't just defend—he attacked. His fist shot out with precision, striking Zhang Wei's chest and sending him flying back into the wall.
The lackeys froze in shock. One of them swung a punch, but Tang Xiu sidestepped effortlessly, grabbing the boy's arm and twisting it behind his back. With a shove, he sent the lackey tumbling to the ground.
The final one hesitated, his courage faltering. Tang Xiu didn't give him a chance to act. A single kick to the knee sent him crumpling.
The entire scuffle lasted less than ten seconds.
Zhang Wei groaned as he tried to stand, his face pale. "You… you're not human!"
Tang Xiu stepped closer, towering over him. "Consider this your final warning," he said, his voice sharp as a blade. "Stay out of my way, or next time, you won't walk away."
Zhang Wei scrambled to his feet, dragging his lackeys with him as he fled.
Tang Xiu adjusted his uniform and walked toward his classroom as though nothing had happened. The students who had witnessed the scene stared in stunned silence.
It wouldn't take long for rumors to spread.
"This is only the beginning," Tang Xiu thought, a faint smile on his lips.