'Did Qin Xuan do it on purpose?'
On her way to school at noon, He Yu was in a total muddle. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined Qin Xuan could pull off a win. What's more, he'd gone and kicked Zhao Mingyu so hard that the poor guy was seriously wounded. That parting remark of Qin Xuan's before leaving had, for a moment, made her heart flutter with a warm feeling. But it didn't take long for her to snap back to reality.
So what if he won? Maybe it wasn't all sunshine and roses that Qin Xuan had become such a fighter. I mean, sure, he could throw a mean punch, but what good was that when his academic record was in the dumps? Was he planning to scrap by on his fists for the rest of his life?
"I really regret making that bet with him," He Yu grumbled, her lips puckering as she rubbed her cheeks. "Qin Xuan, if you don't buckle down and study, you'll just keep falling further behind. Some things can't be sorted out with brute force."
Back in the classroom, the moment Qin Xuan walked through the door, an eerie silence blanketed the place.
"Xuanzi, you actually won?" Meng De was practically bouncing behind him, eyes wide with disbelief. That was Zhao Mingyu we're talking about β a bigwig on campus β and he'd just been taken down by Qin Xuan? Sure, Meng De knew Qin Xuan had some skills in a scrap, but this was still mind-blowing. After all, compared to the likes of Chu Mei, who seemed out of reach, Qin Xuan's victory over Zhao Mingyu hit him like a bolt from the blue.
"Just some flashy moves. Why would I lose?" Qin Xuan flashed a laid-back smile and leaned back, closing his eyes as if to catch a few winks.
Meng De let out a low chuckle. It took guts for Qin Xuan to dismiss taekwondo as flashy moves, but he clearly had the confidence to back it up. I mean, he'd just knocked a municipal champion off his pedestal like it was nothing.
Right after the first class let out that afternoon, while Qin Xuan was still chilling with his eyes shut, a figure materialized at the classroom door.
Wang Xiao.
The second he showed up, all eyes swiveled his way. What was he up to this time? Everyone in school knew he was Lu Yunfan's lapdog. Could it be that Lu Yunfan was siccing him on Qin Xuan again?
For a moment, the students exchanged glances and then turned their eyes to Qin Xuan.
"Qin Xuan!" Wang Xiao strutted up to Qin Xuan, flinging an envelope onto his desk with a flourish.
Qin Xuan cracked open an eye, his brow knitting in annoyance. He'd been lost in thought, reminiscing about some mind-blowing supernatural powers and spells from the cultivation world, when Wang Xiao barged in and shattered his concentration.
"What's this?" Qin Xuan glared at the envelope on his desk.
Wang Xiao sneered. "It's the challenge letter from Han Feng Dojo!"
Han Feng Dojo!
That name alone sent shockwaves rippling through the classroom. This was the top-notch taekwondo joint in the city, renowned far and wide. Its students had racked up a slew of municipal and provincial taekwondo championships. Didn't Zhao Mingyu train there?
"Could it be they're sending someone to avenge Zhao Mingyu's loss?"
"Probably. I mean, he's their star pupil, and he got thrashed in public. They're not likely to let that slide."
"Qin Xuan's in hot water now. With all those experts in the Han Feng Dojo, how's a student like him supposed to come out on top?"
The classmates started chattering away, casting sympathetic looks at Qin Xuan.
"Not interested!"
In the hushed silence that followed, Qin Xuan's voice was as calm as still water.
The classroom froze for a second. Was he really turning it down?
Wang Xiao was gobsmacked. He'd never banked on Qin Xuan refusing. If Qin Xuan nixed the challenge, he'd be in deep trouble with Lu Yunfan. What a mess!
"Qin Xuan, are you a man? Someone's challenging you, and you're chickening out?" Wang Xiao hissed, his eyes glinting with scorn. "Are you scared? Don't you dare?"
"If you don't dare, you can admit defeat and apologize to Zhao Mingyu and the Han Feng Dojo. Don't play dumb and say you're not interested."
Meng De shot up like a rocket, his face flushing red with rage. "How can you talk like that?"
"Oh, Meng De, when did you grow a spine and start challenging me?" Wang Xiao's sarcastic grin widened. "Think you can mouth off 'cause you're cozying up to Qin Xuan? Tsk tsk, too bad his protection doesn't seem to stretch to accepting challenges. What a coward."
"You..." Meng De was shaking with fury, glaring daggers at Wang Xiao.
"Meng De, why waste your breath on a lackey?" Qin Xuan's calm voice cut through the tension like a knife.
Wang Xiao's face darkened like a thundercloud. He despised being called a lackey, and now Qin Xuan had the audacity to diss him in public?
"Qin, don't you If you don't accept a toast, you will be punished..."
Qin Xuan shot Wang Xiao a glance and, in a flash, slapped him across the face, slamming his head down onto the desk.
"Insulting you is giving you face!" Qin Xuan's eyes were like ice. "If you dare to be rude again, I'll make you wish you'd never been born."
The pain was excruciating, and Wang Xiao let out a howl. He thrashed around, but it was like trying to escape from a vise. He couldn't break free from Qin Xuan's iron grip.
"Qin Xuan, you dare to hit me?"
With his face mashed against the desk, Wang Xiao's words came out muffled.
"Why not?"
Qin Xuan gave him a cold, dismissive look. "If you dare to offend me again, it won't be just a slap."
Wang Xiao's pupils shrank to pinpoints. He remembered Qin Xuan's dominance in the gymnasium and felt as if he'd been plunged into an ice bath.
Even Zhao Mingyu had been beaten to a pulp by Qin Xuan. What chance did he have?
Suddenly, Wang Xiao realized that Qin Xuan was no longer the pushover he used to be. Now, he was the talk of the school. Even Master Lu was walking on eggshells around him. Who was he to mess with?
Qin Xuan slowly released his hand, and Wang Xiao stumbled back several steps, looking at Qin Xuan with a mixture of fear and respect.
"Take your stuff and get out!"
Without so much as a glance, Qin Xuan closed his eyes again.
Wang Xiao snatched up the envelope and bolted out of the room like a scared rabbit.
Meng De burst out laughing when he saw Wang Xiao's ηΌη escape.
Many students in the class also looked relieved. Wang Xiao, trailing after Lu Yunfan, had been a bully, and several in the class had borne the brunt of his aggression.
"Qin Xuan, are you really gonna blow off the Han Feng Dojo?" After laughing, Meng De's voice held a note of concern.
"A bunch of small fry. Why should I care?"
Qin Xuan opened his mouth slightly and said with his eyes closed.
Meng De shook his head with a wry smile and didn't say more, but his face still betrayed some worry.
The Han Feng Dojo was in a league of its own compared to Zhao Mingyu. It was teeming with experts, especially Li Xisheng, the champion of the provincial martial arts competition, who was a legend in Jing Shui. Rich folks had been clamoring to hire him as a bodyguard at a high price, which spoke volumes about his prowess.
Before long, word that Qin Xuan had spurned the Han Feng Dojo's challenge spread like wildfire.
This time, not many people were quick to judge Qin Xuan. After all, the dojo's roster was stacked with heavyweights. Qin Xuan was just a teenager, and compared to the experts there, the gap was a yawning chasm.
And Qin Xuan finally settled on the spell he was itching to cultivate.