She stood there, frozen, staring at Ye Qing, not knowing what to say to him.
"Ye Qing..."
"Let’s go. We need to prepare for the practical session. I’m going to need your strength outside the Barrier today, so don’t hold us back."
"What’s with that look? You aren’t planning on slacking off when we encounter the beasts, are you?"
Ye Qing teased Zhou Lingxue with a roguish smirk, then stepped closer, pinning her against the wall.
"You can't be like that. You can’t enjoy the nights and then refuse to put in the work during the day, right?"
"You!"
"I never thought anything like that!"
"Besides!"
"When did I ever..."
Zhou Lingxue’s face flushed a deep crimson as she turned her head away, completely forgetting what she had intended to say.
Ye Qing watched the girl.
*A few words and she’s blushing like this?*
Meanwhile, Xu Bing had finished compensating the cafeteria manager. He then went to check on the students who had been beaten up in the infirmary.
"Not bad, just superficial injuries." Xu Bing let out a sigh of relief, though he was secretly astonished by Ye Qing’s control. To use that much force while maintaining such precision—that was no simple feat.
After gathering a few more details from the scene, he decided, "Let's go find the Principal."
By now, the cafeteria incident had already spread throughout the school.
"Hey, did you hear? A few sophomores got absolutely crushed by a freshman named Ye Qing in the cafeteria!"
"I heard! It was brutal. Word is that their phantom manifestations were all shattered!"
"They had to be carried out!"
"Just how powerful is this Spirit Tamer?"
"Wait, didn't he just have his contract dissolved? This is a great opportunity! I’m currently uncontracted!"
"Forget it. He’s already signed a new one."
"What?! Who was fast enough to snag him?"
"That F-tier Tetanus Blade girl, Zhou Lingxue!"
"Are you kidding me?! Who?! What a waste! Such a complete waste!"
"It’s so pathetic. He’s so young, is he blind? Why would he contract with an F-tier Tetanus Blade? What was he thinking?"
"You're asking me? How should I know?"
...
In the restroom, by the sinks, Wang Tingting was preparing to wash her hands when she heard the voices around her.
*What? Who? Ye Qing?! He beat up those sophomores? And so brutally?!*
Wang Tingting quickly stepped out to investigate. Soon enough, she had a summary of what happened. The only word to describe it was "terrifying."
*Ye Qing’s strength is actually this high? He kept it so well hidden before! He’s such a good actor, he even fooled me! If I had known, I never would have dissolved our contract!*
As she thought about it, regret began to settle in. *Should I go find him and re-contract?* Even though she knew he had already signed with Zhou Lingxue, Wang Tingting didn't take that seriously at all. An F-tier Tetanus Blade compared to a B-tier Flying Blade? It was the difference between heaven and earth!
Still, wouldn't it be too demeaning to go find him now?
*Perfect. There’s a practical session today. Once we get into the wild and he sees how useful my Flying Blade is, he’ll know how much better I am! And I’ll be the one racking up the beast kills.*
Once that happened, she would be the one in the position of power when she proposed they get back together. With her mind made up, Wang Tingting hummed a little tune as she walked.
Over at the Principal's office, Xu Bing knocked and entered.
"Is it settled?" The Principal sat at his desk while a woman poured him tea.
"It’s settled. This Ye Qing, he really didn't show his true colors before!" Xu Bing recounted the details of the student's report. "You didn't see it, Principal. The scene was absolutely devastating!"
"Having a student with such potential is our school's good fortune. If we nurture him well, he might shine in the upcoming inter-university tournament and bring glory to us. And if he enters the Military Department later... once he reaches high-tier, or even breaks through the barrier, well... we’ll have another remarkable alumnus to boast about!"
Li Peng was astonished. To have this kind of strength as a mere freshman was truly impressive.
"Principal, I think we should skip the disciplinary action for Ye Qing this time," Xu Bing suggested. "Although he did start a fight, I checked—the sophomores provoked him first. He was forced to defend himself. If he hadn't, wouldn't that show a lack of backbone? Punishing him might just stifle his spirit and limit his future growth."
"Hm. Fine. We’ll waive the disciplinary action this time," the Principal said after a moment of reflection.
The woman nearby poured a cup of tea for Xu Bing.
"Thank you, Ma'am." Xu Bing smiled. "Ma'am, I remember when you first awakened, wasn't it...?"
"B-tier Flowing Fire Tang Saber."
"Exactly! And Principal, I recall you awakened an S-tier ability—you were quite the talk of the town back then," Xu Bing said, glancing at the Principal.
The Principal felt like something was off with Xu Bing’s tone. *What is this guy doing? Is he trying to stir up trouble?*
"Ahem! What kind of attitude is that? Can you really judge the compatibility between a Spirit Tamer and their Weapon Spirit based on rank alone? Even though your sister-in-law and I have a rank gap, we are the perfect match! What are you thinking?"
As Li Peng spoke, the woman beside him beamed, clearly delighted by the sweet words.
"Principal, that’s not what I meant. I was just telling Ye Qing the same thing!" Xu Bing replied.
*Hm?*
"Why were you talking to Ye Qing about this?" The Principal paused, mid-sip.
"Oh, right, I forgot to mention: Ye Qing just contracted a new Weapon Spirit. It’s an F-tier Tetanus Blade."
*Pfft!*
The tea the Principal had just swallowed sprayed everywhere. His eyes widened as he glared at Xu Bing, practically spitting fire.
*You bastard! Xu Bing, you son of a—! You set me up just to get Ye Qing out of trouble? A waste! What an absolute waste!*
*A Spirit Tamer like that, contracting an F-tier spirit?! Has he lost his mind?! And you just told me about a 'remarkable alumnus'? High-tier, beyond the breakthrough—every one of those people is at least S-tier with their spirit!*
"Has Ye Qing lost his mind?! That idiot!"
"Principal, I think they’re quite happy together. You said it yourself: rank isn't the problem, it's about compatibility. Look at you and your wife—it's exactly the same," Xu Bing said with a shrug. *I didn't say it, you did.*
*Damn it!* The Principal’s face twisted in frustration for a long time before he finally calmed down. He looked at Xu Bing. "Teacher Xu, don't you have a practical session to lead soon?"
"Yes, Principal."
"Then you may gracefully take your leave."
"Yes, Principal!" Xu Bing bolted out the door.
Once he was gone, the Principal gripped his fists so tightly his knuckles cracked. It wasn't just because of Xu Bing’s trap; he couldn't fathom why Ye Qing would be so reckless, wasting such incredible talent!
Meanwhile, Xu Bing gathered his students. Wang Tingting, Lü Li, Ye Qing, and Zhou Lingxue were all present.
Before long, they arrived at the outskirts of the Barrier. Looking up, Ye Qing gazed at the city wall—over a hundred meters high and dozens of meters thick. Calling it imposing and massive was an understatement. Although this wasn't his first time leaving the Barrier, the sight of the safety screen always left him in awe.
Zhou Lingxue looked at the walls with a shocked expression. She knew that inside and outside these walls were two different worlds. Outside, it was a place of bloody slaughter and beasts running rampant. Inside, one could still find a corner of peace.
"Once we’re outside, you all need to be careful!" Xu Bing said. "I won’t nag you too much; many of you have been outside the Barrier before and have already hunted beasts. But..."
Wang Tingting wasn't listening. She shot a sideways glance at Zhou Lingxue, who was leaning against Ye Qing, and sneered. The girl clearly hadn't been outside before.
*Ye Qing, oh Ye Qing. Once we encounter beasts out there, you’ll finally understand the gap between an F-tier and a B-tier. Some maggots are only fit to crawl on the ground for the rest of their lives.*
Thinking this, Wang Tingting lifted her chin.
Beside her, Lü Li noticed her behavior and looked in the same direction. He saw Ye Qing and immediately felt a wave of intense insecurity. He already knew about what Ye Qing did in the cafeteria. *What if Wang Tingting decides she wants to get back together with him? Then what am I? A clown? I absolutely won't allow that to happen!* His gaze toward Ye Qing turned malicious.
As they passed through the city gate, Ye Qing looked out. The trees in the forest ahead weren't just a few meters tall; they reached dozens, even over a hundred meters into the sky. Their vast canopies blotted out the sun. It was said that when the end-times descended, everything grew wildly—these giant trees were a testament to that.
A gust of wind blew by, carrying the scent of blood—a mixture of human and beast blood that had accumulated over the years. Zhou Lingxue’s face went pale as she caught the smell, but she managed to hold it together.
Ye Qing glanced at her. *Not bad.* He’d seen people vomit the moment they caught a whiff of that air.
Outside, a group of figures stood, exuding an extraordinary aura.
"Ye Qing, who are they?"
"The Barrier Guard Army. Most of them are Tier 3 Spirit Tamers and above, guarding the walls..." Ye Qing explained to Zhou Lingxue.
Nearby, a few others overheard and looked at Ye Qing and Zhou Lingxue. *Having to explain such basic knowledge? What a pair of newbies!*
As they ventured deeper into the forest, everyone became highly alert.
"Alright, this depth is about right," Xu Bing said. Everyone began to ready themselves.
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the distance.
"Something's approaching." Ye Qing looked to the side. Xu Bing noticed it too.
*What?!*
A moment later, several figures emerged. They were wearing Guard Army uniforms, but they were covered in wounds, their clothes soaked in blood—it was unclear if it was their own or the beasts'. One of them had three deep claw marks across his chest; the blood had congealed, but the sight was still shocking.
The guards looked at Xu Bing and the others. "You are... university students?"
"I am their teacher," Xu Bing said, stepping forward. "What happened? Did you run into beasts?"
"Yes. There are several beast herds over there. We were trying to cull them, but they’re too strong. We planned to head back for reinforcements, but we might not make it in time. We need your help!"
The words caught Ye Qing by surprise. *Beast herds? That’s perfect! I was just worried about not having enough beasts to kill! As long as there are beasts and Beast Cores, I can absorb them to rapidly increase my strength!*
"I’ll take my students to help!" Xu Bing said immediately. He turned to the group. "I’ll pick a few people; the rest of you stay here as reserves. If we need more manpower, we'll call for you." Everyone understood—he was taking the strongest ones. Taking the weak would be useless.
"Wang Tingting’s team! Zhou Kai’s team!..." Xu Bing continued picking.
Eventually, his gaze fell on Ye Qing. Xu Bing frowned, his mouth twitching. Logically, Ye Qing’s strength was sufficient, but this wasn't a fight against humans—it was against beasts! Those animals were thick-skinned and tough! It relied on the Weapon Spirit to break defenses, not just fists!
*Forget it.* Xu Bing skipped over Ye Qing and continued calling names.
Seeing Xu Bing skip him, Wang Tingting felt a tinge of disappointment. *This guy, he didn't even get picked this time? What a shame. If he went, he’d see just how big the gap is between Zhou Lingxue and me!*
Beside her, Lü Li held his head high, looking proud.
"Alright, let's move!" Xu Bing looked at the guards, who nodded.
"There are several herds, so we need to split up. You guys follow me! And you guys, follow them!"
...
After Xu Bing and the others disappeared into the distance, the remaining students were left behind.
"Huh? Why weren't we picked?"
"Do you really not know why you weren't picked?"
"Hey, don't act like you weren't left behind too!"
"Forget it. A beast herd isn't child’s play! Let’s just stay here and be safe."
"But, with Teacher Xu gone, what if a powerful beast comes? Won’t we all be wiped out?"
The moment those words were spoken, everyone went quiet and glared at the speaker. *If you can't talk, just shut up!*
"Don't scare us! Good luck, good luck!"
"We can't leave. We have to stand our ground! Teacher Xu might need us!"
"Right! Stand our ground!"
"Never retreat!"
As they were talking, one student looked into the distance and saw Ye Qing’s back as he sprinted toward a different direction.
"Holy crap! Look, Ye Qing and his girl are running away!"
The crowd: "..."
"Damn it! He’s so fast, he’s already gone!"
"Good grief! Didn't he spend the whole morning beating up sophomores? Now he’s a coward? So he only knows how to throw heavy punches at his own kind?"
"Ye Qing is a deserter!"
"A disgrace!"
"When Teacher Xu comes back, we have to report him! A person like that doesn't deserve to be in our university!"
...
On the other side, Zhou Lingxue was being pulled along by Ye Qing. "Ye Qing, where are we going?"
"To hunt beasts, of course! A whole beast herd! How could we pass that up?" Ye Qing’s eyes were filled with excitement.
...
"Beast!"
A shout echoed! A guard soldier holding a battle-axe as tall as himself stomped his foot. *Thud!* The ground beneath him shattered! His body shot forward!
Opposite him, a massive Armored Black-maned Boar charged. The man swung his axe down with all his might! *Boom!* A deafening explosion shook the area, sending rocks flying!
Amidst the smoke and dust, a figure was sent flying backward! The man landed, sliding several meters, barely stopping by planting his axe handle into the earth.
*Damn!* This Tier 4 Armored Black-maned Boar was truly tough to deal with!
"Captain, are you okay!" A guard soldier rushed over, though his state was tragic. He held his sword in his right hand, but his left forearm was gone! There were teeth marks on the stump. He was trembling, his facial muscles twitching—the sheer pain was causing his body to spasm.
"What are you still doing here! I told you to retreat!" the Captain shouted. "Do you want to die?"
"We’re the only ones left, Captain. If I can die in battle, I’m not running away!" He looked at his comrades, all of them covered in blood, fighting the crazed beasts. His long sword trembled, letting out a mournful sound. He had prepared for his last stand!
*ROAR!*
The Armored Black-maned Boar charged again.
"Oh no!" The Captain felt his numb arm and his eyes filled with despair. *Damn it, I have no strength left!*
He could only watch as the beast lunged.
*THUD!*
A muffled sound echoed, and the Armored Black-maned Boar was flipped into the air!
*Squeal!*
The boar crashed to the ground, its four legs flailing. The cry caught the attention of the other beasts nearby. They all turned their gaze toward the figure standing in the field: Xu Bing.
Xu Bing held his *Kanglong* rod, feeling the cold chill of the beasts' murderous intent running down his back. The Armored Black-maned Boar was tough—he could handle one or two, but this many?
"Wang Tingting, stay alert! Wait for my signal!" Xu Bing shouted, then charged toward the beasts!
"Who are these people?" the Captain asked.
"They're a teacher and students from Jinling University, here to help!"
"Are they crazy?! Why would they bring children here!" the Captain cursed, but since they were already dragged into the fight, there was no going back!
Xu Bing dodged and weaved through the herd, his rod striking repeatedly! *Damn it! Are these boars really this durable?!* It seemed this wouldn't work. Xu Bing smashed down at one of the boars. *Thud!*