'I wonder if Su Chen managed to draw out Qi Chuan's people.'
Having returned to the academy, Jiang He spotted Su Chen leaving with Bai Fengxi.
She had already learned about the sudden appearance of the Ruin from her father. Since the city patrol had only lasted one or two days this time, Qi Chuan's men probably hadn't even had the chance to make a move yet.
Or perhaps they had and she just didn't know. She would have to find a chance to ask him about it.
'Perfect timing...' Jiang He licked her lips.
"A pride of Azure-Scaled Lions! And the Alpha was actually a 2nd-tier Mutant! Have any of you ever seen something like that? At the most dangerous moment, it was less than half a meter away from me..."
"None of you can even imagine how perilous the situation was. It's all thanks to my Brother Su turning the tide..."
Jiang He paused her steps, her gaze drifting toward a small group of students gathering in the distance. One of them was spitting saliva everywhere as he enthusiastically narrated a story.
'Liu Liang...' Jiang He recognized him. He was one of the students who had gone on the city patrol this time.
"Who's Brother Su?" someone asked in confusion.
"Are you kidding me? You don't even know Brother Su?!" Liu Liang's eyes widened dramatically. "Su Chen, of course!"
"Oh, Teacher Jiang He's gigolo!" someone exclaimed in sudden realization.
"Gigolo my ass! Show some damn respect!" Liu Liang rebuked angrily. "My Brother Su single-handedly engaged the entire Azure-Scaled Lion pride—aside from the Alpha! Wham, bam, slash! He completely wiped them out, and the entire battle didn't even take ten minutes!"
"What?! Is that true?!"
"He's actually that strong?!"
Gasps of shock rose and fell through the crowd. Jiang He's pupils constricted. He wiped out a pride of Azure-Scaled Lions?!
That kid... was he actually that terrifyingly powerful?!
"And that's not all..." Liu Liang put on a mysterious expression. "You all know about the theft that happened at the academy a while back, right?"
The crowd nodded frantically, looking like chicks pecking at grain.
"My Brother Su cracked that case too!" Liu Liang boasted proudly. "Brother Su is actually Vice Principal Yuan's personal student! He was secretly lying low within our patrol squad and managed to locate the stolen item in one fell swoop! Even the City Lord personally praised him!"
Jiang He stiffened, her head snapping toward the group. Yuan Chenyang's student? Secretly lying low? What the hell was all this?
"Ay..." Liu Liang's eyes happened to lock onto Jiang He lingering on the periphery. Thrilled, he immediately hollered, "Sister-in-law!"
Sister-in-law?! Jiang He's face instantly darkened, and she hurriedly walked away.
It wasn't that no one had ever called her sister-in-law before, but absolutely no one had ever done so from the standpoint of being Su Chen's 'bro'. Even she had to maintain some face.
As the crowd reluctantly pulled their gazes away from Jiang He's slender figure retreating into the distance, someone suddenly remarked, "Wait, so Su Chen isn't Teacher Jiang He's gigolo?"
"Bullshit!" Liu Liang spat angrily. "My Brother Su is a suave, romantic rogue! He and Teacher Jiang are colludi—... I mean, they are deeply in love! Their affection is entirely mutual! How does that make him a gigolo?!"
"If I hear anyone else call my Brother Su a gigolo from now on, you'll have to answer to me!"
...
Yuan Chenyang's home was also a standalone villa located deep within Nanfeng City. Without a mistress of the house, the numerous rooms felt rather empty and spacious.
"Old Bai..." Su Chen called out. Now that he knew Bai Fengxi's true identity, he honestly didn't mind calling her 'Martial Aunt'. However, Bai Fengxi seemed unable to accept that title, insisting he stick with 'Old Bai'.
"Since we're practically family now and there's no need to mince words... do you happen to have a high-tier mental meditation technique lying around?"
'Give him an inch and he takes a mile...' Bai Fengxi grumbled inwardly before pondering aloud, "Are you trying to cultivate both a physical and a mental profession simultaneously?"
"Isn't that the standard standard configuration for a genius?"
'Where did you even get that theory from?' Bai Fengxi shook her head. "We should test your mental talent first. If your aptitude isn't very good, then it's better not to waste your time."
Highly curious, Su Chen asked, "Are there specific grading standards for these talents?"
"Standard talents are generally classified into tiers like Bronze, Brilliant Silver, Red Gold, and so on..." Bai Fengxi explained. "The superiority of your talent primarily dictates the speed at which you cultivate your forging or meditation methods, which in turn simultaneously limits the overall development progress of your profession."
"There are also some special talents..." She paused briefly before adding, "For instance, talents that have an exceedingly high compatibility with specific professions. Though, those are extremely rare."
The two of them discussed the matter for a while. Not long after, the front door opened.
However, the person who returned wasn't Yuan Chenyang, but rather...
"Big Brother Su Chen?!" Little Pigeon ran over excitedly, skidding to a halt right in front of him. "Why are you here?"
Su Chen grinned broadly, pinching Little Pigeon's cheeks. "Just came to see how you're doing. Living in a giant house like this must be pretty comfortable, huh?"
Little Pigeon swatted Su Chen's hand away in annoyance while Bai Fengxi gently informed her, "He's going to be living here from now on."
"Huh?!" Little Pigeon looked shocked, casting suspicious glances back and forth between the two of them. Frowning, she asked, "Big Brother Su Chen, did you sell your body for a place to stay again?"
Bai Fengxi's fair cheeks noticeably stiffened, while Su Chen scolded crossly, "Stop spouting nonsense, kid."
"You didn't think I was a kid when you had me hauling bricks! You even made me carry two extra every time!" Little Pigeon retorted disdainfully.
"The more you carry, the more you earn."
"Miss, does this gentleman require dinner for tonight?" the servant who had brought Little Pigeon back asked politely.
Bai Fengxi snapped back to reality. "Just give him a Nutrient Fluid. Actually, only prepare a proper meal for Little Pigeon."
Su Chen closed the mouth he had just opened. He had been planning on asking for exactly that anyway.
The three of them chatted cheerfully for a long time, mostly with Little Pigeon doing all the talking.
After dinner, Yuan Chenyang still hadn't returned. Bai Fengxi led Su Chen to a guest room she had prepared for him.
"Got any body-forging potions?" Su Chen stopped her before she could leave.
Bai Fengxi shot him a look. "Wait here."
Shortly after, she returned with a bottle of Blood-Activating Potion.
"Blood-Activating Potion, huh..." Su Chen felt a twinge of disappointment but still said, "Thanks."
Speechless, Bai Fengxi left the room.
The room was quite spacious. After a quick look around, Su Chen assumed his training stance, downed the Blood-Activating Potion, and felt the familiar, surging heat rippling through his body.
For the next four or five days straight, Su Chen remained holed up in the room. For whatever reason, Yuan Chenyang still hadn't returned home.
Su Chen had mooched seven or eight bottles of Blood-Activating Potion off Bai Fengxi, to the point where her face completely darkened every time she saw him knocking on her door.
On this particular day, Su Chen was sitting cross-legged on the floor. His skin had turned a deep crimson, and magma-like patterns spread almost entirely across his body. His jaw was clenched tight; the moment sweat beaded on his skin, it immediately evaporated into steam.
Suddenly, his movements paused. A stinging pain wracked his entire body as the magma patterns on his skin finally linked together, covering him completely. Immediately after, it felt as though he had been submerged into a soothing hot spring.
【Molten Stone Forging Method -- Master】
【Acquired Ability: Power of Molten Stone (Bathed in magma, skin as tough as stone).】
Upon the 【Molten Stone Forging Method】 breaking through to the Master level, the newly acquired ability took effect instantly. Su Chen's skin tingled intensely, feeling as if countless ants were crawling through his muscles. The sensation lasted for quite a while before finally subsiding.
"As tough as stone..." Su Chen ran his hands over his own skin, clearly feeling a distinct hardening of his stratum corneum.
He casually grabbed a dagger and tested it against his arm, but it only managed to leave behind a faint white scratch.
"Even a 1st-tier profession renowned for its defensive capabilities probably wouldn't boast much more than this," Su Chen couldn't help but marvel, his gaze turning increasingly fervent as he looked at his panel.
He had already confirmed that other physical training methods and mental meditation techniques did indeed have the potential to birth bizarre and unique abilities.
However, acquiring them practically always required an immense amount of time and meticulous study. Even then, success wasn't guaranteed; it involved a massive element of chance.
Yet for him, all he needed to do was push a method to the Master level, and the ability would naturally manifest itself. This kind of advantage was utterly unparalleled.