Chapter 2: Supervision
After checking in, Su Chen brought Iron Cliff to the Clear Sky Tower. As for Mingshu, Li Shu, and Zhou Hong, they found a place to stay near the Hidden Dragon Institute.
When they arrived at the Clear Sky Tower, the sky was dark already.
A giant statue with the body of an eagle and face of a human sat next to the entrance.
Su Chen handed over his identity tablet to the statue, which swallowed it. A streak of light shot out from the statue and hit Su Chen’s forehead, forming a seal. The eagle-bodied statue laughed gratingly, “I’ll remember you. Go on in. Remember this seal will be with you during your stay in the Institute. Don’t break the Institute’s rules. If you do, that seal will inform the officials. When that happens… hehehe.”
The statue let out a fearsome laugh, but Su Chen wore a nonchalant expression.
Seeing its attempts to scare Su Chen fail, he grumbled, “You’re no fun.”
The door creaked open.
The twelfth room, located on the third floor of the Clear Sky Tower, was his. When he arrived, he found a black-clothed youth standing in front of the door.
The black-clothed youth’s eyes lit up when he saw Su Chen. He went up and said, “You must be Su Chen, right? I’ve waited a long time for you.”
His voice sounded anything but welcoming.
Su Chen asked, “Who are you exactly?”
“My name is Pan, Pan Hao. Remember it, because it will be your worst nightmare!”
“Pan……” Su Chen muttered before realizing something. “The Pan Clan of Pinewood City?”
The members of the Pan Clan came looking for trouble after all. They wanted to do so earlier, but because of Su Chen’s departure to the Cloud Rising Border, the Pan Clan was unable to locate him.
Su Chen asked, “You are also a student of the Hidden Dragon Institute?”
Pan Hao laughed darkly, pointing his thumb at himself. “I’m a third year student at the Hidden Dragon Institute. I’m ranked 142nd on the Dragon Transformation List!”
When he mentioned his ranking, a trace of pride slipped into his voice.
Su Chen knew the Hidden Dragon Institute had a Dragon Transformation List, used to rank all of the students. The name of this list referred to the students still being snakes, dragons in training. They would have to complete the institute’s training to complete the transformation and become a dragon among men. Only then would they be considered some of the most talented members of Long Sang Country.
The Dragon Transformation List was divided into two lists. The first ranked the students in the same year, and the second was to rank all students without taking in consideration how long they were already studying at the Hidden Dragon Institute. The second list only listed the top 1000 students.
For Pan Hao to be ranked 142nd implied he was ranked quite high for a third-year student. His strength definitely was not lacking.
To Su Chen, however, this was useless.
He nodded. “So you came all the way over here just to tell me that?”
Pan Hao angrily harrumphed. “Su Chen, don’t act too unbridled! I came to tell you your days at the Hidden Dragon Institute will not be peaceful. I will have plenty of opportunities to deal with you!”
“So you’re basically saying you can’t do anything to me right now?” Su Chen laughed.
He had read the rules and knew the Hidden Dragon Institute strictly forbid battles for personal reasons. Pan Hao had come to strut around, but all he could do was throw around some threats.
Pan Hao laughed darkly. “Just because I can’t do anything to you right now doesn’t mean I can’t in the future. Yes, the Hidden Dragon Institute prohibits personal battles, but fights are allowed in the martial arts stage, the Demon Hunting Grounds, the Magic Hall, and the Origin Receiving Pavilion. Some places even allow fights to the death! Su Chen, you brat, you better pray you never run into me in any of those places.”
“I’ll remember that.” Su Chen showed a serious expression as he nodded in understandment. “If a day like that does come by, I won’t be merciful.”
A trace of savagery flashed across Pan Hao’s eyes. “You’re all talk. I know you were fifth in the Three Mountains Region competition, but you were just competing against ordinary Origin Qi Scholars. Even if you hadn’t taken a shortcut, you would still be far inferior to me in terms of strength. Countless students at this institute are many times more powerful than you. Even the all-powerful Ji Hanyan is forced to reign herself in here!”
“Is that so?” A voice sounded out behind them. Not far behind them stood Ji Hanyan, who was dressed in blue.
“Ji Hanyan?” Pan Hao was startled. “What are you doing here?”
Ji Hanyan coldly said, “You don’t need to know why I’m here. You said I have to reign myself in? I want to see how you can force me to do so as a third-year student.”
As she spoke, she lifted her hand, punching out with a fist.
Boom!
She attacked Pan Hao with her Frostbird White Ice Fists.
Pan Hao was caught off-guard. He hadn’t expected her to go crazy inside the walls of the institute, battling on a whim. He instinctively struck out with his palms, attempting to resist the oncoming wave of ice and frost.
However, Ji Hanyan’s Frostbird White Ice Fists were frighteningly powerful. Even though Pan Hao struck out three times in a row, he couldn’t fully negate the attack.
The punch was about to slam into Pan Hao like an ice hammer when he let out a strange yell. He dashed backwards at a frightening speed. A layer of ice spread out several feet in all directions, its center right where Pan Hao stood mere moments ago.
Undisturbed by the ineffectiveness of her first attack, Ji Hanyan stabbed out with her finger. She used her Profound Soul-Splitting Finger!
A sense of danger welled up in Pan Hao’s heart. He called on all of the Origin Energy in his body as he pulled out a sword. He stabbed as he yelled in a high-pitched voice, “Ji Hanyan, don’t be too arrogant! Do you really think I’m afraid of you??”
The finger jab and sword collided, generating a turbulent flow of cold air.
As the coldness was spreading, a formless force appeared out of nowhere. The turbulent cold wind and the sword light seemingly ran into an invisible wall, bringing their advance to a halt before forcing them back several steps.
Pan Hao and Ji Hanyan separated. The two of them simultaneously landed on the ground. It was unclear who held the advantage in that exchange.
Ji Hanyan, as a newly admitted student, was able to hold her own against a third-year student ranked so high on the Dragon Transformation List. Ji Hanyan’s terrifying strength was clearly manifested in this exchange
“You……!” Pan Hao gazed at Ji Hanyan, shocked and infuriated.
Ji Hanyan indifferently said, “It seems you’re incapable of forcing me to reign myself in.”
At this moment, a voice entered their ears. “That’s enough. The Hidden Dragon Institute does not allow personal battles. You’re a new student, so this time you’ll only receive a warning. Don’t make this mistake again. Pan Hao, you’re an experienced student. Why are you strutting around in the Clear Sky Tower? You even dared to attack a new student. How disgraceful! You’ll be fined ten contribution points. Get out of here.”
Pan Hao was shocked. “Sir, that’s not fair. Both of us were involved! Why am I the only one getting punished?”
“What a joke! When I do things, do I need to explain myself to you? Are you not satisfied? 20 contribution points, now get the hell out of here!”
A gust of wind arrived, sending Pan Hao flying out of the tower as if it had a corporeal body.
Su Chen was completely dazed by this scene. What was happening?
This was an exemplary case of displaying bias!
The problem was that they were new students. Why did this supervisor help them out?
As if sensing Su Chen’s shock, Ji Hanyan faintly said, “Thank you, instructor.”
“Cough, cough.” The coughing sound was abrupt as if someone had been caught off guard. “You damned girl, don’t be so loud! It won’t be good if news of this spreads!”
Ji Hanyan didn’t care at all. “I want news of this to spread. How else can I act as I please at the institute?”
Su Chen and Ji Hanyan’s personal instructor were rendered speechless by her words.