Chapter 85

As the words "find death" left his lips, the tough young man, who had been at least five meters away from Li Pu, pushed off with his toes and took a single step. It was as if he had teleported, and in one stride, he was almost in front of Li Pu.

He had said "find death." However, this tough young man clearly did not intend to kill in the school grounds. He simply flipped his hand and slapped Li Pu's face with great force.

In this school, the students who could avoid his slap were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Even Fang Qian, who ranked third in the Physical Training Department, and Yan Xiaoyan, who ranked fourth, would have to take this slap seriously. According to the tough young man's estimation, this slap, meant as a warning, would at least make the new student who dared to provoke him faint on the spot with a "howl." His face would swell like a pig's head, and it would take at least a week to recover.

Cui Qinglang, the second-ranked student in the Physical Training Department, was undoubtedly one of the strongest young people in China. He was not much weaker than the Little Fist Saint Zhang Shi and Ji Wangyue. But the young man in front of him, wearing Huili sports shoes, jeans, and a jacket, who looked to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, seemed unremarkable...

Yet, he was strong enough to make Cui Qinglang suffer a minor setback right from the start.

Li Pu did not dodge or avoid. He casually raised his right hand and precisely blocked Cui Qinglang's right palm. In an instant, his wrist twisted like a snake, and he simultaneously used a technique to neutralize the force and seize Cui Qinglang's hand.

The movement was so swift and fluid that if anyone had been watching, it would have looked as if Cui Qinglang had just changed from trying to slap Li Pu to shaking his hand enthusiastically.

— A passionate handshake between two experts at the transformation level.

"Haha, so enthusiastic?" Li Pu looked up at Cui Qinglang, who was at least a head taller, and smiled. "I don't know which senior or instructor you are. I'm new here, so please give me some guidance."

The muscles in Cui Qinglang's cheeks twitched, and he narrowed his eyes again, but this time not with disdain. Instead, a fierce and somewhat surprised expression appeared in his eyes.

They were both masters of their craft, and the depth of their skills could be felt with a single touch. The moment their hands met, Cui Qinglang knew that the young man in front of him was no ordinary opponent. In the instant their hands clasped, he instinctively used his highly developed forearm muscles to exert force, trying to crush Li Pu's arm bones.

But the pressure from the other side came simultaneously, and Cui Qinglang rarely felt his right hand go numb as if pricked by needles. His muscles and bones creaked under the pressure! He was shocked and quickly took a deep breath, his muscles bulging as he channeled his internal energy to counter the force.

If he had been casual when trying to slap Li Pu, and slightly more serious when he first used his "Tiger Claw" technique, now he was truly taking it seriously. He gradually regained the upper hand.

"Good, very good. I really misjudged you," Cui Qinglang's face darkened as he looked down at the new student who was "shaking hands" with him. "Who are you?"

"I told you, I'm a new student who just registered today," Li Pu's expression remained unchanged, a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I don't know how to address you. Hmm, looking at your physique, you're probably from the Physical Training Department."

Thinking for a moment, Li Pu continued, "I remember Xiaoyan mentioning that although Fang Qian ranks third, he's not overwhelmingly stronger than her. Your wrist strength is good, so you're probably not Fang Qian. As for Ji Wangyue, who ranks first, I've heard he's quite handsome, so you're definitely not him. I've met Coach Gao Shan and Coach Chi Fei. Lei Dazhuang, I think, wouldn't be as weak as you."

Hearing the word "weak," the muscles in Cui Qinglang's cheeks twitched, and he took a deep breath. His right hand burst with strength again, and almost every muscle in his right side was activated. The birds in the nearby trees were startled by the fierce aura and flew away.

But Li Pu just smiled and continued, "So, it must be Coach Lin Jie or the second-ranked Cui Qinglang. Or maybe someone I don't know..."

"I'll tell you, I'm..." Cui Qinglang growled, "—the true first-ranked student in the Physical Training Department, Cui Qinglang!" His right arm muscles bulged, and the surge of energy was almost audible. He lifted his arm forcefully, and the pebbles on the ground cracked and shattered under the force, his feet sinking more than an inch into the ground.

Cui Qinglang, the first-ranked student in the Physical Training Department, exuded a formidable aura. Li Pu simply shifted his body slightly, using his transformation-level skills to neutralize Cui Qinglang's explosive force, remaining standing on the ground.

"Just a handshake, no need to make it like fireworks," Li Pu said calmly. "You're Cui Qinglang, senior? Nice to meet you."

A year ago, he had barely practiced Tai Chi, but after training with the Little Fist Saint, who was proficient in the Tai Chi Thunder Frame, for half a year, he had learned a lot. Combined with his transformation-level skills and superior physical strength, Cui Qinglang's attempts to overpower him were in vain.

After the brief struggle, Li Pu felt that Cui Qinglang's explosive physical strength was quite remarkable. If the Little Fist Saint's explosive strength was rated ten, Cui Qinglang would be around eight or nine.

However, even during the dark force period, Li Pu's physical foundation was not much weaker than the Little Fist Saint's. He could only avoid the peak of the Little Fist Saint's "Borrowed Phase Great Hand Seal." Now, with his skills at the transformation level and more proficient in channeling energy, his physical strength undoubtedly surpassed the Little Fist Saint's. Cui Qinglang was no match.

"Tai Chi transformation skills? You're good, very good..."

Cui Qinglang still couldn't accept why he couldn't gain the upper hand in the wrist strength contest, nor could he unbalance Li Pu's center of gravity. But real combat was not just about wrist strength.

His eyes burned with intense fighting spirit, locking onto Li Pu, the annoying new student. He was one of the few people in the school, besides Ji Wangyue, who could make him feel the urge to fight to his heart's content.

In an instant, a fierce aura surged through his body, as if he had transformed into a ferocious beast.

Unfortunately, before he could make a move, a cold voice called out from nearby.

"Cui Qinglang, what are you doing? Afraid of getting another punishment?"

Cui Qinglang ignored it, still holding Li Pu's right hand. His left elbow came down like a mountain, and his right knee, with enough force to shatter a concrete wall, aimed for Li Pu's abdomen.

He recognized the voice as Coach Lin Jie's, but so what?

To him, coaches were just elite combatants in the Qianlong unit. If not for avenging his loss to Ji Wangyue this year, his current strength was enough to join the Qianlong unit and become a formal combatant—one of the Red Star Warriors.

Even in the Qianlong unit, combatants with transformation-level skills were still rare. Besides Headmaster Hao Yang and the formidable Captain Lei Dazhuang, Cui Qinglang didn't respect anyone.

But his combined elbow and knee attack missed. His right hand was empty, and his palm felt slightly numb, as if electrocuted.

"Cui senior, you might not care, but I just registered and want to study seriously. I don't want to be involved in your trouble."

Li Pu was already several meters away, looking innocent as he shrugged at Cui Qinglang. When he heard Coach Lin Jie's warning, his right hand had suddenly burst with a shaking force. The "Crane Touch Like Lightning" technique was excellent for short, explosive power, making it hard to grab. With his superior physical strength and skill, Li Pu moved freely.

Cui Qinglang was furious, grinding his teeth. He said nothing and attacked Li Pu again, spinning and delivering a powerful leg strike that split the air like an axe.

Fierce Beast Fist—Iron Mantis Axe!

There was a loud crack as Cui Qinglang's leg was stopped. A tall, handsome man in an army officer's uniform stepped between them, using a palm strike to counter Cui Qinglang. Cui Qinglang retracted his leg and took a step back, the reinforced nylon of his military pants tearing neatly. The man's upper body also swayed slightly.

"Wind Blade—Cloud Dragon Wave Wind Blade..." Cui Qinglang's face darkened. He had taken a minor setback.

"Cui Qinglang, do you really think I don't exist?" The man who intervened was Coach Lin Jie. Li Pu took a moment to look at this justice-bringing coach. Lin Jie was around thirty, with a serious military appearance but long, flowing hair like "Chen Haonan" and a handsome face with deep, star-like eyes and a hint of melancholy. He looked much better than Coach Gao Shan. Li Pu thought: He must get a lot of love letters from female students...

"..." Cui Qinglang knew that with Lin Jie's intervention, he couldn't continue fighting Li Pu. He glared at Li Pu one last time, grunted, and walked away.

"Ah," Lin Jie watched Cui Qinglang's back and shook his head regretfully. "If Qinglang weren't so stubborn, he could be an excellent 'Red Star Warrior.'"

Then, he turned to Li Pu, looking him over seriously. "You're a new student? What's your name?"

"My name is Li Pu. I'm a new student in the Physical Training Department." Li Pu knew he was dealing with a real coach and continued to lie without changing his expression. "I just wanted to get familiar with the campus. I don't know why that tough guy was picking on me..."

"Cui Qinglang picks on people without reason, just with his fists," Lin Jie smiled understandingly. "You're quite good to make him so angry. If it weren't for my duty, I'd like to see you fight him more. Come, let me see your right hand."

Li Pu extended his right hand, and Lin Jie examined it carefully. "You shook hands with him and had no damage to your bones or muscles?" He looked up at Li Pu. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen." Li Pu would turn eighteen in a few months, but it was fine to say he was eighteen now.

"Eighteen? A year younger than Wangyue?" Lin Jie's eyes sparkled as he nodded at Li Pu. "Very good. I'll be teaching in class tomorrow. Remember to come."

After saying goodbye to Coach Lin Jie, Li Pu knew it wasn't a good time to visit "Chi Xianju." He returned to his dorm, but the dorm had no internet connection, possibly due to the school's military background.

After a good night's sleep, Li Pu walked out of the dorm the next morning and saw Yan Xiaoyan walking and sipping a bottle of milk. Tang Youyou was not with her.

"Hi~" Yan Xiaoyan saw Li Pu and waved at him with a smile. "Have you had breakfast?"

"Not yet." Li Pu walked over. "Where's your little follower? Still in bed?"

"Yoyo is still sleeping. Her ability mainly recovers through high-quality sleep. She practiced a lot yesterday, so she needs more rest. It's the same for most students in the Superpower Department." Yan Xiaoyan gestured for Li Pu to follow. "I'm going to get breakfast too. Let's go together~"

The cafeteria offered both Western and Chinese breakfast options. Li Pu, used to Chinese food, ordered two steamed buns and a bowl of wonton noodles. Students in the Physical Training Department generally had big appetites, and Li Pu was no exception.

"Today is Thursday. We have an intensified cross-country training session in the morning," Yan Xiaoyan said while eating. "The intensity levels vary. I'm at level 4 now. As a new student, you can start at level 1. How lucky!"

"What's the difference between the levels?" Li Pu asked curiously.

"Different weight loads," Yan Xiaoyan explained. "Level 1 is a 50 kg load for cross-country training. Level 2 is 100 kg. Level 3 adds another 50 kg, making it 150 kg."

I should be able to handle level 10... Li Pu didn't say it, as it might hurt the lively girl's self-esteem.

After breakfast, Li Pu and Yan Xiaoyan went to the Physical Training Department area, a large teaching building. There were fewer than fifty students in the department. All students over sixteen were at least at the peak of the manifest force level. According to Yan Xiaoyan, about half were at the dark force level, and only Cui Qinglang and Ji Wangyue were at the transformation level. Li Pu was now part of this group.

But at the transformation level, they didn't need to report to class every day, as transformation-level experts were rare even in the Qianlong unit.

"This is actually the strongest class in the Physical Training Department," Yan Xiaoyan sighed. "I heard that in previous classes, no one reached the transformation level. Students like me and Fang Qian would have been the best. But this class has Xiao Wang, Cui Frenzy, and now you. Luckily, Cui Frenzy will graduate this year. Once I surpass Fang Qian, I can finally be in the top three."

"What are the benefits of being in the top three?" Li Pu asked.

"Of course there are!" Yan Xiaoyan was about to explain when she looked in a direction and blinked in surprise. "The sun is rising in the west. Today, Headmaster Hao Yang and Lei Dazhuang aren't teaching, so why is he coming to class?"

All the students looked toward the door, and they saw Cui Qinglang walk in silently. He scanned the room, found Li Pu, and sat down without a word, crossing his legs.