The school courtyard was still buzzing with whispers after the brief confrontation earlier that morning. Students who had witnessed the strange scene couldn't stop talking about it.
"Did you see how Lin Tian blocked Zhao Ming's punch?"
"It looked effortless!"
"Since when is he that strong?"
Groups of students discussed the event as they walked through the hallways.
Meanwhile, inside Class Three, Lin Tian sat quietly by the window, looking outside at the bright morning sky.
His expression remained calm, as if nothing unusual had happened.
For him, the earlier incident was insignificant.
He had only used a tiny fraction of his strength.
Compared to the cosmic battles of his previous life, dealing with school bullies was like swatting flies.
But Zhao Ming did not see it that way.
Across the hallway, Zhao Ming sat in his classroom with a dark expression. His two friends stood beside him.
One of them whispered angrily, "Boss, we can't just let this go. Everyone's laughing at us now."
The other nodded.
"That guy embarrassed us in front of the whole school."
Zhao Ming slammed his fist against the desk.
"Of course I'm not letting it go!"
He stood up suddenly.
"Let's find him after class."
Lunchtime
The sun was high in the sky as students filled the courtyard again.
Lin Tian walked calmly toward a quiet area behind the sports field. He preferred peaceful places where he could think and sense the faint spiritual energy around him.
But before he could sit down, a familiar voice called out.
"Lin Tian!"
He turned around slowly.
Zhao Ming and his two friends were approaching again.
This time, Zhao Ming was holding a wooden practice stick taken from the sports equipment room.
Several nearby students quickly stepped aside.
Everyone could feel that another confrontation was about to happen.
Lin Tian sighed quietly.
"You still want to continue?"
Zhao Ming sneered.
"You got lucky this morning. But now we're going to settle this properly."
The other two boys stood behind him with confident smiles.
"Three against one again," one of them said mockingly.
Lin Tian looked at them for a moment.
Then he shook his head slightly.
"You still don't understand."
Zhao Ming's face darkened.
"Stop acting mysterious!"
Without another word, he rushed forward and swung the wooden stick toward Lin Tian's shoulder.
The stick cut through the air quickly.
Several students gasped.
But Lin Tian didn't move until the very last moment.
Then—
He stepped slightly to the side.
The stick missed completely.
Zhao Ming barely had time to react before Lin Tian reached out and grabbed the stick.
His grip was firm.
The weapon stopped instantly.
Zhao Ming's eyes widened.
"How—"
Before he could finish speaking, Lin Tian twisted the stick slightly.
Zhao Ming lost control of it.
The stick slipped from his hands.
Lin Tian caught it smoothly.
The entire movement took less than two seconds.
The watching students were stunned.
Now the weapon was in Lin Tian's hand.
He looked at it briefly.
Then he snapped it in half.
Crack.
The wooden stick broke like a dry branch.
The sound echoed across the courtyard.
Everyone froze.
Zhao Ming's mouth opened in disbelief.
That stick was solid hardwood used for training exercises.
Breaking it so easily required incredible strength.
Lin Tian dropped the broken pieces onto the ground.
"You really shouldn't bring weapons into a school fight," he said calmly.
The two boys behind Zhao Ming looked nervous now.
But Zhao Ming's pride pushed him forward again.
"Don't stand there! Attack him!"
All three rushed forward at the same time.
The crowd gasped again.
But Lin Tian remained completely relaxed.
The first boy tried to grab his arm.
Lin Tian stepped aside and lightly pushed his shoulder.
The boy spun around and stumbled backward onto the grass.
The second boy threw a punch.
Lin Tian raised his hand and blocked it easily.
Then he tapped the boy's wrist.
The boy immediately yelped in pain and pulled his hand back.
Finally, Zhao Ming charged forward with a furious shout.
Lin Tian looked at him quietly.
Then he moved.
His body shifted slightly forward.
His palm gently struck Zhao Ming's chest.
It wasn't a hard hit.
But Zhao Ming suddenly felt a powerful force push him backward.
He stumbled several steps before falling onto the ground.
Silence filled the courtyard.
Three boys.
All defeated in seconds.
Lin Tian hadn't even used real strength.
The watching students stared in shock.
"That was insane…"
"He didn't even try!"
"How did he become so strong?"
Zhao Ming slowly stood up, his face pale.
For the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.
Lin Tian looked at him calmly.
"I told you before," he said quietly. "I don't have time for this."
Zhao Ming clenched his fists but didn't move.
Deep down, he knew he couldn't win.
Not against someone like this.
Lin Tian turned and began walking away.
No one dared to stop him.
The crowd slowly parted as he passed.
Some students looked at him with amazement.
Others whispered excitedly.
But Lin Tian ignored them all.
To him, this entire situation meant nothing.
Just a small interruption in his cultivation journey.
As he walked back toward the school building, he suddenly felt it again.
That strange ripple of energy.
Stronger this time.
Much stronger.
Lin Tian stopped walking.
His eyes slowly turned toward the distant hills outside the city.
"That energy…"
It was calling to him.
Something hidden.
Something powerful.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"It seems Earth still holds many secrets."
And soon, Lin Tian would uncover them. ✨📖