Chapter 96: The Truth
A few days passed, and it was soon the end of November.
Chen Chuan was supposed to take the monthly exam, but after getting the weapons permit, he no longer needed to take it. He was not just exempt from the monthly exam, but also mid-term and end-of-term exams.
After all, the weapons permit was concrete proof that he was stronger than his peers and even some upperclassmen. It was no longer necessary for the university to test him through exams.
Due to that, Chen Chuan had no need to spend time preparing for his exams, but he did not relax. In December, he might get a new mission and enter his next stage of training. Hence, over the next few days, he went to the Weapons Department’s training hall early in the morning to spar with the other students. He wanted to become even more familiar with using a saber.
Naturally, when he sparred, he used a training saber. He might have gotten his weapons permit, but there was no need to bring the Frost King Saber around the campus.
One day, on his return to the dorm to take a shower and have lunch, he walked out of the elevator in Area One and saw a handsome pale young man standing at his room’s entrance. He wore an expensive, exquisite suit.
Wei Dong also stood at the entrance. They were glaring at each other.
Chen Chuan examined them in surprise before turning to Wei Dong and asking, “What are you doing?”
“He doesn’t look like a good guy,” Wei Dong answered.
Chen Chuan smiled at that. “We’re at the dorm. If the dormitory supervisor let him in, he should be fine.”
Wei Dong thought about it, then said, “He still doesn’t seem like a good guy.”
“Okay.” Chen Chuan cast a glance at the young man before saying, “Let me handle this.”
“Sure thing,” Wei Dong replied, went back to his room, and slammed the door shut with a bang.
“What brought you here, Senior? Why are you standing in front of my door?” Chen Chuan asked.
The handsome young man no longer looked as calm as before. He turned to Chen Chuan and asked, “You’re Chen Chuan?”
“That’s me,” Chen Chuan answered with a nod.
The handsome young man regarded him for a moment before saying, “I have something to say to you in private. It’s important to you.”
He stressed the last part of the sentence.
Chen Chuan regarded him curiously before taking out his key and opening his door. He motioned for the young man to go in. “Please, enter.”
The young man did not stand on ceremony and walked in. Chen Chuan followed him in and went to the cupboard to pour a cup of water for him.
“I only have plain water here,” he said.
The young man went to stand at the center of the living room before turning around. “I’m Jing Lin, and I’m not your senior yet.”
Chen Chuan nodded at that. “Well then, Mr. Jing. You said that you have something to discuss with me. What is it?”
“My teacher wants to see you,” Jing Lin said coolly. “You might not know who he is, so I’ll tell you something. He’s from Central City, and he seldom gives chances to people.
“You’re lucky. I don’t know why my teacher would suddenly take interest in you, since you don’t look anything special. Alright. That’s all I’m going to say. Come with me.”
Then, he started heading out, but when he arrived at the door, he noticed that Chen Chuan was not moving. Jing Lin scowled and snapped, “Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and follow me.”
Chen Chuan turned until his back was to the floor-to-ceiling window. A long shadow fell across one side of his face, causing Jing Lin to be unable to see his expression clearly, but his voice was clear. “I’m sorry, Mr. Jing, but I have no interest in meeting your teacher.”
Jing Lin was stunned, as if he found what Chen Chuan said to be unbelievable. He gave Chen Chuan a once over and said pointedly, “Do you even know what you’re saying? Don’t you understand the significance behind what I just said? Forget it.”
He became impatient. “I’ll just say it again. Come with me to meet my teacher, understand?”
“Sorry. If that’s all you have to say, then I’ve given you a clear answer. You may leave now, Mr. Jing,” Chen Chuan answered in a casual tone.
Jing Lin sneered, irritation in his voice as he said, “You’re an idiot. Do you think you’ve seen the whole world? I hate people who are full of themselves, like you.”
“If you refuse to leave, I’ll call the dormitory supervisor to help you,” Chen Chuan said calmly.
Jing Lin stared at him for a while before he chuckled with his head bowed. Then, he raised his head and said with a sneer, “I knew that it would go like this. Despite being from a small city, you’re all so arrogant and conceited. You’re frogs in a well, who have no idea what the real world is like.”
He huffed again and tugged at his tie. “I read about you in the news and heard that you’re really good. I want to see your skills and give you a better understanding of the world.”
“You want to spar with me?” Chen Chuan stared at him.
“Spar? Hah! If you think this will be a spar, sure.”
“Alright. Let’s go out.” Chen Chuan nodded and led the way outside. Jing Lin followed him.
They passed the corridor, entered the training hall, and stood across from each other.
Chen Chuan rolled his shoulders. When he saw that Jing Lin was still standing straight and had no intention of moving, he asked pointedly, “Don’t you need to warm up?”
“No need. Let’s just start already. It’s going to end soon, anyway,” Jing Lin said coldly.
“Alright. Let’s begin,” Chen Chuan said.
“Take a good look,” Jing Lin said and brought his hand up. Suddenly, he moved. He was so quick most people would have missed it. It seemed like he left the spot where he stood and appeared next to Chen Chuan in the same stance.
Jing Lin saw that Chen Chuan was standing still, and his lips curled up in a mocking sneer. He reached out to grab Chen Chuan’s shoulder, but felt a stinging pain on his palm, only to realize that Chen Chuan had smacked his hand away.
Huh?
He was stunned. His mutated tissue was formed through a special method and propelled his body forward at a speed that far surpassed the reaction speed of the average martial artist. Chen Chuan was at most at the First Limit, so how could he possibly match him?
Before he could snap out of his shock, Chen Chuan whipped his body around to face him. He grabbed Jing Lin’s wrist.
Jing Lin’s eyes widened in surprise.
When Chen Chuan grabbed him, refined force charged into Jing Lin through his palm. If he were any other person who did not have mutated tissue to strengthen his wrist joint or did not have refined force to defend himself, his wrist would have been crushed.
Chen Chuan did not feel any refined force defending against his attack. His refined force seemed to have sunk into a swamp without having any effect. Jing Lin did not even pull back. Instead, he pushed his wrist, and his arm slid forward a little. He then flipped his wrist down to swipe his hand under Chen Chuan’s wrist. The entire process made his arm look like a slithering snake.
A cold glare flashed in Jing Lin’s eyes. After binding Chen Chuan’s wrist, all he needed to do was tighten his grip, and Chen Chuan’s bone would snap. This was the best way for him to teach the brat a lesson.
But when he tightened his grip, he found that he did not bind an arm, but a steel pipe. He could not snap Chen Chuan’s bone, and disbelief flickered in his eyes.
How was this possible?
This battle of locks was actually a fight to see whose mutated tissue was stronger and better at generating power. Chen Chuan had only started practicing refined force no more than three months ago, so there was no way he could have produced a lot of mutated tissue. How could he possibly defend against Jing Lin’s aggressive attack?
Chen Chuan could sense the waves of refined force traveling up his arm, but that was not all, he could also sense that Jing Lin’s entire body was full of a constricting force that was almost completely separated from his breathing rhythm. When he released his refined force, there were no signs or any breaks between releases. He was different from all the enemies Chen Chuan had met before.
But if that was all...
Chen Chuan gave his arm a light, outward tug and released a powerful surge of refined force. Jing Lin lost his balance and staggered a few steps.
Chen Chuan stomped down on the floor and shot forward abruptly. Jing Lin’s pupils shrank in surprise, but he wrapped both his hands around Chen Chuan’s arm and lowered his center of gravity in an attempt to slow him down.
But this move was not effective in the slightest. He was dragged forward, and the floor let out a shrill scraping sound.
In just a few steps, Chen Chuan arrived at the wall. He flung his arm, and Jing Lin was thrown at the wall along with his movement. His eyes went wide.
“You—”
Bam!
The wall trembled. When he crashed into the wall, his back muscles contracted and stretched to negate the impact on his back.
With a stony face, Chen Chuan lifted him up in the air and threw him against the wall again.
Bam!
Jing Lin was furious. He coughed and shouted, “Stop! I said stop, you hear me?!”
Bam!
Chen Chuan ignored him. He kept ramming Jing Lin against the wall until everyone on the seventh floor could hear the loud crashes. Some of the students walked out of their rooms to check what happened, and even the dormitory supervisor came to the training hall with a stern expression.
Despite that, Chen Chuan continued throwing Jing Lin against the wall with all his strength. Every time Jing Lin was dragged back, his complexion turned a little paler. In the beginning, he could use his unique musculoskeletal system and refined force to block and negate the impact, but as he was thrown repeatedly against the wall in quick succession, he could sense his grip over Chen Chuan’s arm beginning to slip. It felt as if all his bones were coming loose with every impact. But no matter how he tried to summon strength again, he just could not deal with the pure strength of his opponent.
Most importantly, Chen Chuan did not show any signs of tiring out from the rapid and violent throws.
“That’s not possible...”
Jing Lin’s face was a mix of surprise and anger. The next crash against the wall hit his limit. His strength faded and his grip went loose as if a single, cohesive force had fallen slack.
When Chen Chuan sensed the arms holding onto him fall limp like two dead snakes, he flicked his arm to break free of them, and Jing Lin fell on the floor.
Chen Chuan smoothed out his clothes, took two steps back, and said, “Welcome to the real world.” He then left the training hall with all the students and dormitory supervisor watching.