Chapter 16: The Turning of the Tide

From the moment Fang Qingyun unleashed the blade aura, he had become a dazzling presence. Countless eyes converged upon him, especially those from First High and the university admissions offices. The former had high hopes for Fang Qingyun, for he brought honor to their institution. The latter were determined to recruit him—how could they not, when a quasi-martial artist displayed blade aura before truly becoming one? What would he achieve once he advanced? The possibility that Fang Qingyun might fail to become a martial artist was vanishingly small; his performance was simply too extraordinary.

Thus, when Fang Qingyun frightened away the remaining giant wolves, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. He wouldn’t exit prematurely. Now, all eyes on him belonged to experts, each possessing at least the strength of a true martial artist. Naturally, they could see that Fang Qingyun was outwardly formidable but inwardly exhausted. When Fang Qingyun turned his attention to Xu Tao, their brows furrowed once more.

Xu Tao had hurt Fang Qingyun multiple times—this was undeniable. Neither the school nor the Education Bureau would let him off easily. The school had already issued a serious reprimand, and further consequences from the authorities were sure to follow. Yet, many were curious to see how Fang Qingyun would deal with Xu Tao. Would he strike mercilessly, or let him go? Both choices had their admirers and detractors. From this, the crowd sought to glimpse a sliver of Fang Qingyun’s character. Many adjusted their monitors, zooming in on his face, eager to catch his subtle expressions.

Who would have guessed, at such a tense moment, as everyone watched with bated breath, Fang Qingyun would pull such a stunt—a loud shout accompanied by a grotesque face. Heaven knows how many hearts skipped a beat; some even shivered. Soon, coughs rang out in several monitoring rooms. Damn, it was too sudden. Just moments before, he had brandished blade aura with heroic vigor; now he was making faces and hollering. What was he playing at? He had breached their composure as well. Many were caught between laughter and tears, especially after Xu Tao was scared off, leaving them speechless.

“This child...”

Only one remained calm—Old Li. He glanced around, hearing the coughs, and sneered inwardly. He had known this would happen. If Fang Qingyun followed the script, would he still be Fang Qingyun? Scaring off Xu Tao? Tsk tsk, Fang Qingyun really would do such a thing. Is he in kindergarten?

The principal coughed twice, about to speak, when his phone rang again. He felt a headache coming on. Couldn’t those admissions people calm down for a moment? Looking at Old Li, the principal asked, “Does this child have any university in mind?”

“None!” Old Li shook his head immediately. “Principal, you’ve just seen his records. Before, his chance of becoming a martial artist didn’t exceed forty percent.”

The principal nodded slightly. In fact, he had heard of Fang Qingyun long ago.

He was a student of considerable talent, but lazy.

The vice principal, to one side, suddenly spoke, “Why is there such a gulf between his former abilities and now?”

Old Li glanced at him and replied indifferently, “Who knows? Perhaps he was wary of someone. After all, he’s the son of Fang Zhiheng.”

That single sentence brought a shadow to the vice principal’s face.

At that moment, those familiar with Fang Qingyun recalled something he often said:

“I don’t want to be a martial artist. I prefer a nine-to-five life.”

Such a gifted student, yet he kept saying such things...

The atmosphere shifted abruptly. The whole monitoring room became somewhat oppressive. How must such an astonishing talent have felt when he said those words? Frustrated? Angry? Resentful? Helpless?

And yet, he was the son of a hero.

Many felt their breathing grow heavier.

The principal glanced at the two, saying blandly, “Let’s not discuss anything else. Let’s continue watching this child. I want to know whether he can withstand the second tidal change.”

A senior official suddenly announced, “It’s starting—the first tidal change!”

Everyone instantly focused on the monitors.

Could Fang Qingyun, in this first tidal change, gather all the elements needed to become a martial artist?

The monitors shifted as well.

Many wore odd expressions. “Should we call this child lucky?”

...

At that moment, an hour had just passed.

Fang Qingyun, barely catching his breath, felt every hair on his body stand on end. He stared fixedly at a spot not far away.

A guttural roar sounded, followed by heavy breathing—one after another, giant wolves emerged, surrounding Fang Qingyun. Their blood-red eyes burned with boundless killing intent.

Fang Qingyun’s mouth twitched as he cursed, “Xu Tao is useless, and his underlings are just as worthless. How long has it been? They’ve all been dealt with. If they had half my ability—no, a fifth! With a fifth of my skill, passing the martial arts exam would be a breeze. Don’t you agree?”

He turned his gaze to the last giant wolf—the very one he had frightened away earlier. Now, sensing Fang Qingyun’s eyes, it stepped back.

“Step back, my ass. I’m talking about you. Am I right?” Fang Qingyun shouted.

The giant wolf retreated in terror, causing a stir among the pack. They glared at Fang Qingyun with even colder eyes.

“What? You beasts aren’t convinced? Come on! Tonight I’ll feast on wolf! Steamed, braised... My menu hasn’t had the chance to cover you all yet!”

Fang Qingyun raised his long blade. He was ready to allocate points.

But what should he enhance?

Speed? Strength? Constitution? He could also choose spiritual power or blade technique.

After a brief hesitation, Fang Qingyun made his decision.

“Let’s do this!”

The giant wolves howled and advanced upon him, their eyes fixed on his arms and thighs. These wolves, infused with demonic bloodlines, possessed intelligence and delighted in tearing humans apart. They always began with the limbs, dismembering their prey piece by piece.

Sensing the danger, Fang Qingyun’s origin points began to pulse.

[Origin +1]

[Origin +1]

“No matter, it’s settled!” Fang Qingyun gritted his teeth, ready to allocate points for a final struggle. His condition was abysmal, but he would not sit and wait for death.

Bang!

Crack!

Suddenly, the situation shifted. More precisely, the secret realm had changed. A mysterious aura permeated the world.

Fang Qingyun’s expression was one of surprise. He checked his watch. Sure enough, an hour had passed! Was this it? The change Old Li had hinted at so many times, warning them to stay vigilant?

Bang!

Ugh!

Fang Qingyun groaned, leaning on his blade, dropping to one knee. An unimaginable pressure covered him, nearly flattening him on the spot.

So intense?

His face twitched.

But...

He raised his head to look at the wolves.

Just as he suspected!

The giant wolves let out pitiful cries, collapsing to the ground. Their eyes brimmed with fury and unwillingness, but they did not struggle.

“Poor creatures, looks like you’re used to this,” Fang Qingyun chuckled quietly.

The pressure he bore must have exceeded twelve hundred pounds—like a mountain, pressing down, making it hard to breathe.

Yet, in dire straits, surprises emerge. Spiritual power within the secret realm began slowly flowing into his body under this immense pressure.

[Spiritual Power +1]

[Spiritual Power: 9]

“Is this what Old Li meant by accelerating the path to martial artist?” Fang Qingyun murmured to himself.