Jiang Chen paused for a moment, then turned to follow the source of the sneering voice.
A handsome young man in ostentatious clothing was strolling out of the Lingyun Martial Academy's main entrance.
Lin Yang.
Jiang Chen was intimately familiar with this young man. Lin Yang was a direct disciple of the Lin family, one of the three major families in Cangshan City. Just like Jiang Chen, he was a famous—or infamous—young master. Because of this shared status, the two had always disliked each other, and petty conflicts were a staple of their history.
Lin Yang, however, was far luckier. He had a genius older brother, Lin Yu. It was rumored that any student who made the Inner Academy's Lingyun Roll earned the privilege of recommending one person for free entry into the Academy. Lin Yang had used this privilege to secure his own place.
Jiang Chen merely gave Lin Yang a passing glance. He completely ignored the provocation and tried to walk directly past the young man.
In the past, Jiang Chen might have stopped to trade insults. But now, armed with the Hundredfold Cultivation System, he was an entirely different person. He couldn't be bothered to waste time on this fool.
"Jiang Chen! Stop right there!"
Seeing Jiang Chen dismiss him entirely, Lin Yang's face instantly twisted in fury. He shouted and rushed to block Jiang Chen's path.
"Lin Yang, you only got into the Lingyun Academy by clinging to your brother's coattails. Don't parade your supposed superiority in front of me." Jiang Chen stared coldly at the figure obstructing him. "Get out of my way. I have no interest in wasting time with you."
"Jiang Chen, do you think I'm still the same me?" Lin Yang sneered, his gaze hardening.
Since his brother, Lin Yu, made the Lingyun Roll six months ago, Lin Yang had entered this sacred place of martial arts. Even with his poor talent, the resources and his brother's support had forcibly propelled him from Body Tempering Second Layer to the Fourth Layer.
How dare this waste, who had been left behind, ignore him now?
The confrontation quickly attracted attention. Several Lingyun Academy students gathered around, eager for some excitement.
"Isn't that Lin Yang? Is that guy bullying someone again?"
"Why wouldn't he? Who cares who has a powerful brother? Who in the Academy dares to disrespect him?"
"Who's the short-sighted idiot trying to cross Lin Yang?"
"That's Jiang Chen. He's from Cangshan City, same as Lin Yang. He's a notorious Body Tempering Second Layer waste. Apparently, his father went to extreme lengths to buy him this entry quota."
"Tsk, tsk. I've heard of that trash. He has the nerve to challenge Lin Yang? That is simply a death wish!"
Hearing the whispers swell around him, Lin Yang couldn't help but feel a rush of self-importance. A triumphant smirk spread across his face.
"Jiang Chen, you Body Tempering Second Layer waste, dare to stand here and talk back to me?" Lin Yang taunted, stepping closer. "If you're smart, you'll drop to your knees and beg for my mercy right now. Then, I might ignore your disrespect."
"Otherwise, do you think I won't beat you so badly that you won't even know your own mother?" Lin Yang's threat was laced with genuine malice. Before the Academy, Jiang Chen had made him look foolish several times. Now that he had the power and the opportunity, Lin Yang was determined to humiliate him.
"I don't believe it," Jiang Chen said, his expression flat and unimpressed. "If you want to fight, go ahead and strike."
"But I promise you, the person who gets beaten so hard they forget their mother's name will definitely be you."