Chapter 113: [Eighth-Level Battle Technique]

At eight o’clock in the evening, in Room 201 of the Blue Emperor Academy’s dormitory for recommended students, triumphant laughter echoed.

“Hahaha,” Brother Stallion laughed unabashedly. “I, Master Shi, told you I wouldn’t be wrong. Zhuo Yuqing definitely has feelings for you, and now the facts prove it!”

The rumor sparked by Zhuo Yuqing’s suggestive words in the cafeteria had naturally reached their ears.

Luo Chen didn’t believe that Zhuo Yuqing genuinely liked him. He had no reason to; despite having no experience with romance and being almost clueless about love, if a girl truly liked him, he should be able to sense it somehow—perhaps through her affectionate gaze or some subtle signals. Yet Luo Chen had never felt Zhuo Yuqing had ever shown him any sign of interest.

“Cut it out. That’s just Lulu, the round-faced girl from their dorm, being a busybody. Zhuo Yuqing only said she’d slept on my bed. We’re nothing!” he said.

“You idiot, what do you know!” Shi Feng scolded in a tone of a seasoned lover. “It’s precisely because there’s nothing between you that Zhuo Yuqing deliberately said something so easily misunderstood. The rice might not be fully cooked, but it’s at least half done. Otherwise, why hasn’t she explained herself?”

“You said it yourself—Zhuo Yuqing is a girl with a strong personality. Maybe she thinks there’s no need to explain! Enough of that. Birdbrain, I’ve got a question for you: don’t you think I’m handsome?”

Shi Feng didn’t understand why Luo Chen suddenly asked that but immediately sneered, “If you’re handsome, then wouldn’t I be a heartthrob?”

Luo Chen pressed on, “Then am I cool?”

“Exactly, cool as hell, shorts and all!”

“Am I charming and elegant, then?”

“Well, you have some charm, but honestly, it just looks like you’re showing off.” Shi Feng teased, putting his hand on Luo Chen’s forehead. “Beast, are you running a fever, asking all these narcissistic questions?”

“Get lost! I’m fine!” Luo Chen shrugged off Shi Feng’s hand. “Good. According to what you said, my charm with girls should be zero, or even negative. If you were Zhuo Yuqing, would you like me?”

Luo Chen had taken a roundabout way just to argue against himself. Shi Feng was momentarily speechless but quickly came up with an excuse. “Beast, didn’t you say before that good character makes anything possible? Maybe your character has exploded, and you’re now radiating an invincible stallion aura. All your flaws become virtues in Zhuo Yuqing’s eyes. Hahaha!”

“The stallion aura’s always been your trademark as Blue Emperor’s top stallion. I’m not wasting time with you. I’m out!” Luo Chen said, then left. It was training time, and he wasn’t going to argue endlessly over such trivial matters.

As usual, Luo Chen activated his lightness technique and headed straight to the training ground. Breaking through to Level Five was exhilarating. Each stride spanned four to five meters at a rapid pace, the wind whistling past as the scenery blurred behind him. He felt quite proud—becoming stronger was wonderful, but he still had a long way to go to reach the heights of prodigies like Zhuo Yuqing.

The appearance of the top campus beauty brought Luo Chen not only trouble but also motivation. Eager to reach the training ground, he took a shortcut, passing through the artificial lake, rockery, pavilion, grassy fields, and shaded paths—all to save time.

Mid-leap over a patch of ground, Luo Chen suddenly slammed on the brakes and stopped. He sensed something—yet ahead, there was nothing but darkness.

A figure slowly emerged from the shadows: a hunched old man who looked like a ghost in the night. Luo Chen was startled as the man stood directly before him.

The Blue Emperor Academy was heavily guarded. Without a pass, neither non-staff nor non-students could enter. Luo Chen had never seen every instructor and staff member, so he couldn’t be sure who this man was. Yet his instincts told him this person was here for him.

The hunched old man spoke slowly, “Luo Chen?”

Hearing this, Luo Chen realized his suspicion was correct. This old man was no ordinary threat. Just the way he stepped out of the darkness was enough to raise alarm. Luo Chen quietly summoned his spiritual energy and cautiously asked, “Who are you?”

This hunched old man was Sean, the Holy Servant who had met with Zhuo Yuqing that day. After seeing Zhuo Yuqing’s firm attitude, he wanted to intimidate Luo Chen, hoping to scare him off. It was also the first time he’d seen Luo Chen up close, and like Zhuo Yuqing, he noticed a strange aura about him—similar to that of a Celestial being.

Why did this young man’s aura resemble that of the Celestials? But he couldn’t be one. The old man was puzzled but had come mainly because of Zhuo Yuqing’s matter, so he set aside his doubts for now.

“You don’t need to know who I am. I came to tell you one thing. Luo Chen, from today onward, I want you to stay away from Zhuo Yuqing. The farther, the better. Don’t even meet her if you can avoid it!”

Involving Zhuo Yuqing? Luo Chen’s brow furrowed. Could it be that one of Zhuo Yuqing’s admirers, afraid of losing to him, had hired a master to warn him? It was possible, given Zhuo Yuqing’s intoxicating charm.

Luo Chen wasn’t interested in rivalry, so he said, “I don’t know what you mean. Zhuo Yuqing and I are just ordinary friends. Now, I have to train. Excuse me!”

Luo Chen released his spiritual energy like a cannonball and shot past. The hunched old man didn’t seem particularly fast, but after just a couple of steps, he appeared right in front of Luo Chen again.

Luo Chen stopped, now somewhat annoyed. “What exactly do you want?”

The old man replied slowly, “Sorry, but just being friends won’t do. Zhuo Yuqing is special. No one can be with her. You’d better listen to me, or disaster will befall you!”

But Luo Chen misunderstood, thinking this was some crazed suitor’s hired expert. That day, Zhuo Yuqing had seriously asked if he was her friend, so he treated her as one. Friendship was one of the few things Luo Chen treasured besides family because friends were rare for someone like him. So far, he had only Shi Feng, Ellie, and Joanna as friends, making him cherish them deeply.

Clenching his fists, he said, “What if I say no?”

“If you’re this stubborn, then I’ll have to make you see reason.” The old man’s voice faded as he vanished into the darkness. A long shadow silently stretched across the ground toward Luo Chen.

Level Eight Class A Combat Skill—Shadow Assault!

Luo Chen’s eyes widened. What kind of skill was this? It was utterly bizarre!