Chapter Two: Physical Strength

The moment the voice spread, the trainees erupted into chaos.

“Nangong Yuchen likes Mu Ningxue?”

“Haha, a loser like him dares to like Mu Ningxue?”

“It’s true that liking someone is a personal right, but honestly, how does that waste even have the courage?”

The trainees clearly held strong opinions against Nangong Yuchen. One mocking, sarcastic gaze after another was cast upon the young man standing at the end of the line.

“Lu Ling!” Feeling the scornful stares around him, Nangong Yuchen’s face darkened instantly. He gritted his teeth, staring furiously at the boy at the front of the queue, who had stirred up trouble and wore a sneering smile. Rage surged in his heart.

Because, within his sight, the stout youth with the slicked-back hair was the very nemesis who had always targeted and suppressed him in class!

“What’s wrong? Since you have the guts to like Mu Ningxue, are you afraid to let others know?” Lu Ling continued, laughing to himself.

At this, the chubby boy couldn’t hold back anymore. He glared and said, “Lu Ling, who Nangong likes is none of your business, right? Besides, what right do you have to mock him?”

“I wouldn’t dare mock him!” Lu Ling quickly waved his hand with a smile, but his next words lit the fuse, making the atmosphere tense and hostile.

“I’m just curious... curious about how he’ll feel when Mu Ningxue dumps him! Haha!”

“You!”

Hearing this, Nangong Yuchen’s old wounds reopened, and his anger and pain made his eyes redden as he roared, “Say that again?”

“What an arrogant tone!” Hearing the hostility, Lu Ling’s smile vanished, replaced by a malicious grin. “I said, you’re a waste who got heartlessly dumped by Mu Ningxue. What, do you want to fight?”

“Lu Ling, don’t think Nangong and I are afraid of you!” The chubby boy quickly stood shoulder to shoulder with Nangong Yuchen, his face flushed with anger as he stared at Lu Ling.

The surrounding trainees, who had been eager to ridicule Nangong Yuchen, saw the three about to throw punches and hurriedly stepped aside, making way.

“Today, I’ll make you understand that some people are beyond your reach. Even if your feelings are one-sided, it won’t work!” Lu Ling moved first, pushing off with his feet and swinging his right arm in a fierce punch toward the two several meters away.

The rage in Nangong Yuchen’s heart had already reached its peak. Though he knew he was no match for Lu Ling, he still threw himself forward, meeting the attack head-on with a violent punch.

“Bang!”

The short distance was bridged in an instant. As their fists collided, Nangong Yuchen was immediately sent flying. There was no comparison; their strength was on entirely different levels!

The chubby boy, poised and ready, also charged forward, his round belly leading as he rammed toward Lu Ling like a human bulldozer.

“Overestimating yourself!” Lu Ling turned, kicking the chubby boy in the stomach. With just one kick, another figure was sent flying.

The other trainees shook their heads and muttered, “A loser is a loser. The gap between the three is just too big!”

“Yeah! Nangong Yuchen’s strength, speed, and reflexes—none of his physical abilities meet the academy’s minimum standards, while Lu Ling’s strength has reached two hundred kilograms! How could he possibly win? And Le Han relies on reflexes; without a weapon, he’s got no combat power!”

“But what grudge is there between Nangong Yuchen and Lu Ling? I remember three months ago, when classes were assigned, Lu Ling started trouble for him right away.”

At this moment, a bespectacled boy in the crowd lowered his voice, “Shh, keep it down. Lu Ling is Lu Shijie’s cousin. Their Lu family is one of the three great families in Ruxia City, just like the Mu family.”

“But what does that have to do with Lu Ling picking on Nangong Yuchen?” another trainee whispered.

“Of course it’s related. Haven’t you heard Mu Ningxue is Lu Shijie’s girlfriend now? I heard Nangong and Mu Ningxue were a couple back in middle school. And with Lu Ling being Lu Shijie’s cousin—how could that end well?”

“So that’s the story...”

While the trainees were in heated discussion, Mo Liwei at the front finally could not bear it any longer. As the physical training instructor, he technically had no authority to intervene in student disputes—he wasn’t the homeroom teacher, after all. But seeing the black-haired youth battered and bruised before him, he couldn’t help but feel compassion.

This student, the hardest worker in cultivation, though his physical progress lagged behind everyone else, was a favorite of Mo Liwei’s.

So he quickly strode forward, grabbed Lu Ling’s arm, and shouted coldly, “Enough! If you fight near the crystal wall, do you want to be branded as rebels and executed without mercy?”

“Teacher Mo Li... you...” Lu Ling struggled, still wanting to take action. But seeing the stern look in Mo Liwei’s eyes, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and give up.

He knew Mo Liwei was right; fighting here was tantamount to courting death. He had missed the chance—who knew when he’d get another opportunity to deal with Nangong Yuchen.

After successfully stopping the conflict, Mo Liwei helped Nangong Yuchen and Le Han to their feet, then turned to the trainees who watched with schadenfreude, bellowing, “As members of the same class, partners, is this how you stand by and watch? Don’t you know your fists, your anger, should be reserved for our true enemy—the monsters! Not for beating and killing each other!”

His words grew increasingly passionate, and then his tone turned heavy. “You must understand: your longing to leave the crystal wall and see the outside world is not just your own dream—it is the dream of our entire human race!”

“If we cannot unite, one day, when the monsters breach this wall, it will be the end of humanity. Never forget who our true enemy is!”

With his voice falling, the trainees who had watched the spectacle, though unable to fully grasp the deeper meaning of his words, all showed expressions of shame.

“It’s getting late. Go home! I hope you all pass the physical test the day after tomorrow!” Mo Liwei urged impatiently.

Lu Ling was the first to leave, but before he went, he shot Nangong Yuchen a final remark: “Remember this—some people are beyond your reach. Even if your feelings are one-sided, it won’t work!”

The other trainees departed as well, turning their backs to the city gate and heading toward the city.

Soon, only Mo Liwei, Nangong Yuchen, and Le Han remained.

“Thank you, Teacher Mo Liwei!” Nangong Yuchen lifted his head, sincerely thanking the one-armed man before him. He knew well that Mo Liwei had just helped him.

Mo Liwei waved it off, unconcerned. “You two should hurry home as well!”

With that, he left alone, leaving behind the two battered youths, aching all over.

After a long silence, Nangong Yuchen spoke, forcing a smile despite his sorrow, “Sorry, Le Han, I dragged you into this.”

Hearing this, the chubby boy grew annoyed. His already pudgy face was now swollen, nearly hiding his eyes. He grumbled, “What do you mean, Nangong? Why are you being so polite with me?”

Looking closely at his friend of two years, Nangong Yuchen took a deep breath and suddenly laughed, “You’re right! Besides, this isn’t the first time we’ve ended up like this.”

“Hmph, glad you know!” The chubby boy’s mood improved, clenching his fists and vowing fiercely, “Once you get stronger in all three physical abilities, we’ll take back the stage and cripple Lu Ling for making trouble for us!”

“Yeah!” Nangong Yuchen nodded vigorously.

“By the way, Nangong, the day after tomorrow, Friday, we’ll have our fourth physical test. At that time...” Le Han hesitated to bring it up, but out of concern for his friend, he couldn’t help but ask.

“Another test, huh?” Nangong Yuchen turned toward the west, where the sun had already dipped below the horizon, entering its twilight. Slowly, his body began to tremble, his tightly clenched hands pressing so hard that his sharp nails pierced his palms, sending waves of sharp pain.

Yet he seemed unaware, still staring at the dying dusk.

But in his heart, he was roaring with resentment against fate!

Physical ability! Physical ability! Physical ability!

He worked harder than anyone, yet his abilities were the worst!

And the worst part was, for three months straight, he’d never passed the physical test—a useless failure!

“...Nangong, are you okay?” Le Han saw his suddenly gloomy face and asked with concern.

“Le Han, you go ahead. I want to be alone for a while.” Nangong Yuchen lowered his head, not wanting his friend to see his expression.

“But... you...”

“It’s fine, just go.”

Le Han looked back at Nangong Yuchen a few times, still worried, but he knew once Nangong made up his mind, nothing could change it.

After he left, Nangong Yuchen kept his head bowed, as darkness gradually enveloped the sky.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, when suddenly a clear, crisp voice rang out.

“Nangong Yuchen, do you wish to become stronger?”