Inside Southland University, Greenfield City.
A milky-white car slowly drove through the campus.
Andrew Han sat in the passenger seat, gazing at the students coming and going on campus, feeling a mix of emotions.
In fact.
He had planned to take a few photos at the main gate of Southland University upon arrival... Then, with a respectful attitude, carefully observe the front entrance before entering the campus.
But thanks to Lily Lin’s driving skills, he hadn’t even had a chance to speak before the car was already inside the campus.
He hadn’t even gotten a good look at the university’s main gate.
"But maybe this is for the best."
Andrew Han let out a sigh of relief. "At least Lily Lin is driving slowly inside the campus, so I don’t have to worry anymore."
As he thought this,
He listened to Lily Lin’s casual introductions while taking in the sights around the university.
The most common sight on the roads were students carrying books and backpacks, hurrying back and forth... Next most frequent were couples walking hand in hand.
Wait a minute!
Those couples in the grove... Where did that guy’s hand just go??
Andrew Han’s face stiffened. He slowly turned forward, somewhat speechless. "Being so perceptive isn’t always a good thing."
He couldn’t shake the strange feeling.
In short, this was nothing like what he had imagined.
Since entering the university, his mood was unexpectedly calm. No excitement, no joy, not even nervousness—just a touch of melancholy.
Like the surface of a tranquil lake.
According to Andrew Han’s expectations, if he truly entered the university as a third-rank martial artist, he should be thrilled... But now, he felt indifferent, as if it were just another ordinary experience, nothing to be proud of.
"That makes sense."
Andrew Han gazed calmly out the window. "No matter how prestigious a university may be, it’s still just a school, part of the real world. My true path lies in the world of martial arts."
With that thought,
He also understood why he felt a touch of melancholy.
No matter how hard he tried to fit in, he would never truly belong here. After all, with Miles Ning as his master, he had to reach martial artist status before the end of the year. By then, he would fully unveil the mysteries of the martial arts world.
While Andrew Han was lost in thought,
Screech!
A sudden, urgent brake made Andrew Han’s body jolt.
"What happened?"
Andrew Han looked ahead in confusion. There were no students crossing, and no obstacles.
Lily Lin let out a relieved breath, looking startled. "A cat just ran across the road. I almost hit it." As she spoke, she released the brake and continued driving.
...
Andrew Han’s face darkened.
About three minutes later,
After circling around, Lily Lin finally parked at the Athletics Hall of Southland University.
She glanced at Andrew Han and said, "I’m free this morning, so I’ll go with you and check out our school’s Martial Arts Entrance Exam."
"Alright."
Andrew Han replied with a smile.
...
The scorching summer sun poured down its blazing light.
The Athletics Hall was a two-story building, its exterior made of black-gray marble, giving it an elegant and solemn appearance. The main entrance featured four glass doors, each about twenty meters wide, exuding a sense of grandeur and luxury.
"I heard today is the Martial Arts Entrance Exam for the college entrance test."
"That’s right. I saw the announcement on the official website yesterday. Today is our university’s Martial Arts Entrance Exam. I wonder how many Martial Arts Program Students there will be this year. Last year, there were only about ten."
Two girls in short sleeves and skirts walked arm-in-arm toward the Athletics Hall. Besides them, other students also headed in the same direction.
Andrew Han watched indifferently.
Suddenly, a strange thought popped into his head—this Athletics Hall could rival even a high-end club.
"Let’s go."
Lily Lin patted Andrew Han on the shoulder.
——
Inside the Athletics Hall.
Rather than calling it the Athletics Hall, it might as well be called the Martial Arts Hall.
The interior was extremely spacious, with a solid concrete floor. Surrounding the area were rows of tiered seating, and in the center stood a martial arts ring. In addition, some martial arts equipment was casually placed to the side.
The layout was incredibly simple.
The combined area of the seating and ring was only a quarter of the concrete floor.
"Tsk tsk."
"The simpler it is, the more imposing it feels," Andrew Han thought to himself.
But Lily Lin shook her head, disappointment in her eyes. "The Athletics Hall is really too plain. From the outside, I thought it would be lavish inside, especially since the entrance looks so fancy."
She had never been here before.
Normally, unless you’re a Martial Arts Program Student, you’re not allowed to enter the Athletics Hall freely.
Lily Lin sighed and comforted in a low voice, "Andrew, the school may be stingy, but it’s still pretty good in other ways. For example, all the dorms have air conditioning."
"Mm."
Andrew Han nodded with a smile.
In fact, this setup proved that Southland University’s martial arts training was genuine. After all, practicing martial arts didn’t require anything fancy.
The concrete floor was the finishing touch.
With his Third Rank, if he went all out, he could easily crush the brick floor. Even if marble tiles could withstand a single blow, they wouldn’t last under repeated impacts over time.
"Alright then."
Lily Lin glanced at the registration desk beside the martial arts ring and pulled Andrew Han over.
...
Registration desk.
There was only one young man, dressed in a denim jacket and shorts. He sat there leisurely, holding an iPhone and seemingly playing a game.
"Ahem."
Lily Lin coughed.
"Ahem, ahem."
Lily Lin coughed again.
The young man looked up in surprise, glanced at Lily Lin, then lowered his head again.
Both Andrew Han and Lily Lin were taken aback... The young man had handsome, delicate features and an air of elegance—like a leading man in a TV drama. His shoulder-length hair added to his artistic vibe.
Could this be the martial arts instructor at Southland University?
Andrew Han was quietly speculating.
Normally, a teacher would be at least middle-aged, especially if they were teaching martial arts.
"Sigh."