Zhou Ping appeared in the small forest. Seeing the group before him, he paused briefly.
He recognized Lin Fei, who was pinned to the ground by two third-year students. But he only glanced at him indifferently, then withdrew his gaze and turned to leave.
Lin Fei and Liu Jinfu both shouted at once,"Zhou Ping! Help us!"
Zhou Ping didn't stop walking. Without even turning his head, he replied in a voice as cold as winter wind.
"I'm not familiar with you."
Lin Fei froze.
Mao Fei and the others were stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"Well, look at that—your friend doesn't even acknowledge you!" Mao Fei laughed wildly. "He said he doesn't know you. Why are you shouting?"
Liu Jinfu shouted angrily, "Zhou Ping! Do you look down on us? Aren't you just some rich young master from the Kingdom of Kunlun? What's so great about that!"
Zhou Ping's steps slowed slightly.
Mao Fei's eyes lit up, his gaze falling on Zhou Ping.
"Hey, kid. Hold on."
He gave one of his followers a look.
The follower immediately understood and quickly ran ahead, blocking Zhou Ping's path.
"First-year brat, our boss is talking to you."
Zhou Ping stopped and turned around, his expression calm as he looked at Mao Fei.
"What is it?"
Mao Fei folded his arms and sized him up.
"They say you're from the Kingdom of Kunlun. Some rich noble family, too?"
Zhou Ping said nothing.
One of the third-year students beside Mao Fei chuckled.
"Boss, how about I search this kid and see what good stuff he's carrying?"
He reached out, but Zhou Ping brushed his hand away with a flick of his sleeve.
"Huh? Kid, don't be ungrateful."
"Jia Cong, don't touch him yet," Mao Fei said, gesturing to the tall student.
The student obediently stepped back.
Mao Fei then walked slowly toward Zhou Ping, wearing that same annoying smile.
"Kid, don't be so cold. We're all fellow students. What's wrong with sharing some good things?" Mao Fei said as he reached out to pat Zhou Ping on the shoulder.
Zhou Ping slightly shifted his shoulder, avoiding the hand.
Mao Fei's expression darkened.
"So you're saying you don't want to be friends with your senior brother?"
"Why would I want to be friends with you?" Zhou Ping replied calmly.
Mao Fei sneered. "Then don't blame me for being rude."
He waved his hand toward his follower.
Jia Cong immediately attacked.
"Wood Release — Entangling Vines!"
Several vines burst from the ground, wrapping toward Zhou Ping's feet.
Zhou Ping stepped back and formed hand seals.
"Earth Release — Shattering Stones!"
The scattered rocks on the ground suddenly shot into the air, transforming into countless sharp stones that flew toward Jia Cong.
"Ah!"
Caught off guard, Jia Cong was struck on the arm and chest. He grimaced in pain.
"You brat—how dare you fight back!"
Angered, he quickly formed hand seals again and unleashed a stronger technique.
"Wood Release — Thorn Vines!"
This time, the vines bursting from the ground were thick and covered with sharp thorns. They twisted like living serpents, lunging toward Zhou Ping, ready to bind him.
Zhou Ping remained calm.
Without panic, he took out a palm-sized jade mirror from the pouch at his waist.
The mirror was pure white, with intricate runes carved along its edges. Its surface was smooth like ice.
He raised the mirror toward the incoming thorn vines.
A soft white light shone from the mirror.
An astonishing scene followed.
The fierce thorn vines suddenly stopped, as if they had struck an invisible barrier. A moment later, the white light flashed—
The vines abruptly reversed direction, rushing back toward their caster at an even greater speed!
"What?!" Jia Cong's eyes widened in shock.
But it was too late.
The thorn vines instantly wrapped around him. The sharp thorns dug into his flesh, causing him to scream in pain.
"Ah—! It hurts! Let me go!"
Mao Fei and the other follower were both stunned.
"A magical artifact?" Mao Fei stared at the jade mirror in Zhou Ping's hand, surprise flashing across his face. "A first-year student with a magical artifact? Kid, your family must be very wealthy."
He extended his hand.
"Lend that mirror to your senior brother for a few days. Then we'll pretend today never happened."
Zhou Ping remained expressionless and silently put the mirror away.
Mao Fei's face darkened completely.
"This year's first-years are really arrogant," he said through gritted teeth. "One after another, none of you respect your seniors!"
At that moment, Lin Fei seized the opportunity.
While Mao Fei's attention was on Zhou Ping and Jia Cong was still trapped by the thorn vines, the two students holding him had relaxed their grip.
Lin Fei suddenly raised his leg and delivered a vicious kick between one student's legs.
"AAARGH!"
The student screamed and doubled over, clutching himself.
Lin Fei broke free instantly, rolling away before forming hand seals.
"Wood Release — Leaf Dance Technique!"
Leaves from the ground rose into the air, transforming into countless sharp blades that shot toward Mao Fei and the other student.
"Wood Release — Entangling Vines!"
Several vines burst from the ground, wrapping toward Mao Fei and the student still bent over in pain.
The rapid sequence of attacks caught them completely off guard. Forced back by the leaf blades, they stumbled over the vines and nearly fell.
"You brat!" Mao Fei roared furiously. "If I don't teach you a lesson today, my surname isn't Mao!"
He formed hand seals.
Golden light gathered in his palm, condensing into a curved blade of blue-gold energy that gleamed with deadly sharpness.
"Metal Release — Roaming Sickle Blade!"
The curved blade spun through the air like a living scythe, circling and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Lin Fei's face changed.
This technique was far more powerful than the earlier Air Blade Slash. Worse still, the strange path of the flying blade seemed to cut off any chance of dodging.
Just then, a deep voice rang out from outside the forest.
"You little beasts, stop right there!Earth Release — Stone Wall!Earth Release — Mire of the Yellow Springs!"
A massive stone wall suddenly rose from the ground in front of Lin Fei, blocking the spinning blade.
At the same time, the earth beneath Mao Fei's feet turned soft like a swamp. His lower body sank instantly into the mud.
"What?!" Mao Fei shouted in shock, struggling—but the more he moved, the deeper he sank.
Without his control, the Roaming Sickle Blade struck the stone wall and dissipated into nothingness.
The other third-year student fared no better. He too sank into the muddy mire, unable to move.
A burly middle-aged man strode into the forest.
It was Master Sun.
Behind him, Li Chen was running, panting heavily.
"Master Sun!" Lin Fei said with relief.
Master Sun nodded and looked coldly at Mao Fei trapped in the mire.
"A third-year student bullying first-years—and even using high-level techniques. Mao Fei, you've got quite the nerve."
Mao Fei's face turned pale. He opened his mouth to explain, but no words came out.
Ignoring him, Master Sun formed hand seals and released the third-year student trapped by the thorn vines. With a wave of his hand, he dragged the student through the air to stand before him.
"You three—come with me to the Discipline Hall," Master Sun said sternly. "Beating fellow students, attempting to rob them, and using high-level techniques to injure others. That's more than enough charges for punishment."
Mao Fei's face turned ashen. He opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.
Master Sun nodded toward Lin Fei and the others, then pulled the two students from the mire. Stone shackles formed around their legs, and he marched the three of them out of the forest.
At last, the forest fell silent.
Lin Fei collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily.
Li Chen ran over and examined him nervously.
"Lin Fei, are you alright?"
Lin Fei shook his head, but his gaze drifted toward Zhou Ping standing not far away.
Zhou Ping still stood there, expressionless, as if none of what had just happened concerned him.
Lin Fei stood up and walked over to him, clasping his fists respectfully.
"Zhou Ping, thank you for helping us."
Zhou Ping looked at him.
For once, he gave a slight nod.
"No need," he said calmly.
Then he turned and left without another word.
Lin Fei watched his back, a warm feeling rising in his chest.
Li Chen walked over and whispered, "He's pretty cool."
Lin Fei smiled.
"Yeah."
Liu Jinfu finally crawled out from the corner, limping toward them. He glanced in Zhou Ping's direction.
"Wasn't he the one who said he wouldn't help earlier?"
Lin Fei laughed. "Come on, Fatty. In the end, he still helped."
"Hmph."
Liu Jinfu looked at Lin Fei again, tears glistening in his eyes.
"Lin Fei… you've helped me again and again. From now on, I'll acknowledge you as my big brother. Whatever you say, I'll listen."
Lin Fei patted his shoulder.
"Alright, alright. We're classmates. No need to say things like that."
The golden light of the setting sun filtered through the forest, casting a warm glow over the trees.
The three boys walked down the path together, their figures gradually disappearing into the evening dusk.