On the second‑floor corridor.

Ma Xiwei couldn’t hide her surprise—Lin Zichen had accepted and for 300 credits.

‘How did he dare?’

Jin Mingyu wasn’t weak; he was a sophomore in the Gifted Class at Ordinary Tier 7. Wasn’t Lin Zichen being way too cocky?

“Damn, he’s aura farming so hard right now. Why didn’t I think of flexing like this?”

Luo Yongjian’s face was full of admiration.

He’d studied the art of showing off for years—image, posture, speaking style, anything to pump up his mystique. It’d paid off: around campus he’d earned the nickname “White‑robed Sword Immortal,” maxing out the cool factor.

But compared with Lin Zichen’s title—strongest freshman in school history—his own aura was miles behind.

‘Sigh… in the end, I’m just not strong enough. If I were, I’d be the one on that platform challenging the disciplinary inspector—and every eye would be on me. I want power so badly…’

He meant it. He’d never felt more clearly that the best way to show off was to crush opponents with overwhelming strength and pure swagger.

Beside him, Li Moyu watched Lin Zichen on the platform, eyes shining with appreciation.

Lin Zichen never backed down and radiated absolute confidence.

That was how a strong man should be.

‘Tier 7? So what? With enough strength, killing above your level wasn’t impossible.’

“Only someone like Lin Zichen is worthy to be my rival. Over the next four years, we’re destined to be evenly matched arch‑enemies.” He paused, “Provided he transfers to the Evolution Academy and takes the gene fusion route.”

Ma Xiwei glanced at him, annoyed.

Only Lin Zichen was worthy to be your rival? The line stung, leaving her with a humiliated ache and clenched fists.

Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west (life’s fortunes are cyclical and can change at any time)—don’t bully a girl when she’s down!

* * *

Down by the platform.

With the challenge confirmed, the bald instructor called up to the two on stage:

“Are you both ready?”

““Ready.””

“Begin!”

At the shout, Jin Mingyu exploded with biological pressure befitting Tier 7, the shock making the hair of the nearby students lift.

‘He’s so strong. So this is the weight behind a Student Union officer? How is Lin Zichen supposed to win?’

Feeling the oppressive aura, the onlookers grew tense on Lin Zichen’s behalf.

A sharp whumm split the air—Jin Mingyu moved first!

He launched like an arrow, body blurring into afterimages.

In a blink he was in front of Lin Zichen—and swung his massive arm, punching straight for Lin Zichen’s face!

His girlfriend’s face had been smashed; he’d return the favor and smash Lin Zichen’s.

Bang!

His fist crashed into Lin Zichen’s cheek.

Lin Zichen didn’t budge. He didn’t go flying.

Instead, Jin Mingyu’s expression twisted. With a thud he dropped to his knees, clutching his right hand, face contorted in agony.

“Ah—my hand! My hand!”

The fist that had slammed into Lin Zichen’s face had shattered—complete comminuted fracture.

Lin Zichen looked down at him, lifted his leg and with a crisp thwack kicked him in the face, booting him clean off the platform.

‘What just happened? Is this a dream? A Student Union disciplinary inspector—one‑shotted?’

The crowd was dumbstruck. No one expected the fight to end that fast.

So fast it beggared belief.

When they finally processed it, every gaze fixed on Lin Zichen as if he were something inhuman.

‘Too outrageous. How could this freshman king be this strong? This defied reason.’

On the second‑floor corridor, Li Moyu, Luo Yongjian, Ma Xiwei and the rest all reeled.

Lin Zichen hadn’t even fused genes—how could he be this strong?

It made no sense.

Ma Xiwei in particular looked shaken to her core. For a moment, her faith wavered.

‘Could the pureblood path really be the future? No. No way. The pureblood path has no future. Lin Zichen is just strong early on. Later he’ll fade—he’ll regret it!’

Meanwhile, fear flickered in Li Moyu’s eyes. He remembered the Opening Trial—how his own fist had smashed into Lin Zichen’s face, leaving Lin untouched while his own hand shattered into a comminuted mess.

“No, I need one more fusion. Higher dosage. I can’t lose in the Freshman Tournament. I have to win.”

Muttering to himself, he whipped out his phone and called his family in Kyoto.

A moment later, a deep male voice answered, “Moyu, what makes you call Grandpa all of a sudden?”

“Grandpa, I’m fusing a second beast gene. Tomorrow.”

* * *

On the platform.

After one‑kicking Jin Mingyu into a pig‑headed mess, Lin Zichen didn’t step down right away. He swept his gaze around the crowd and announced, calm as ever, “Starting today, I’m accepting paid proxy fights. Freshmen, upperclassmen, even Student Union members—if you pay credits, I’ll challenge them for you. Pricing depends on the opponent’s strength. As long as the credits are right, I’ll even take on the Student Union president.”

With that, Lin Zichen hopped off the platform. Under a hundred stunned stares, he left the gym with Shen Qinghan and Li Chuxin.

Relying on off‑campus missions alone wasn’t enough to farm credits. Missions were limited, not a daily thing; even if they were, they might not suit you.

Picking up some side cash as a campus stand‑in fighter—why not?

Not long after Lin Zichen left, the gym erupted.

“What did he just say? He’s doing stand‑ins? And he even dares say he’ll fight the Student Union president?”

“Stop kidding me! The president’s an Advanced Creature. How can a freshman dare that?”

“Dude’s cocky. Way too cocky—he doesn’t know the height of the heavens.”

“He’s just talking big!”

“Man, the guy can really pose. If the president showed up right now, he’d probably go weak in the knees!”

Everyone was buzzing—the consensus was that Lin Zichen had to be crazy. Why else say something like that?

On the second‑floor corridor, Li Moyu was slack‑jawed. He glanced woodenly at Ma Xiwei, “I didn’t mishear, right? Lin Zichen’s taking paid stand‑ins—and he even dares to say he’ll fight the Student Union president?”

Ma Xiwei was completely stunned and didn’t answer.

Only Luo Yongjian stood there breathing hard, face flushing red.

‘The king of aura farming. I want to become his disciple! I want to learn his ways of aura farming!’