Inside Southland University's Athletics Hall.
A silent, oppressive atmosphere continued to spread, as if it was seeping into every corner and enveloping everyone present—including Carter Yan, whose face was dark and somber, and the Martial Arts Program students standing off to the side.
No one wanted to believe it.
Yet this utterly absurd and unbelievable event had truly unfolded before their eyes, witnessed and felt as real as daylight—a waking dream that swept through the hall.
......
Lily Zhao fell silent, no longer uttering a word.
No matter how vivid her imagination, she had only thought Andrew Han might also be First Rank, just a bit stronger than Kevin Lin. Yet she could never have imagined that what Kevin called "strong" was actually a level this overwhelmingly formidable.
Is this... still First Rank?
......
The two Second Rank Martial Arts Program students, faces calm as they surveyed the hall, were frozen in place. Meeting each other's eyes, both saw the same shock and fear reflected within.
Who would lead this cohort?
What had once been a matter of debate was now a definite answer.
......
Kevin Lin, standing at the front, pressed his lips together.
Even though he had mentally prepared himself, he still couldn't withstand such mind-bending shock. It was said Carter Yan was a terrifying figure beyond ordinary Martial Artists... Here and now, Kevin felt only relief—thankful he'd befriended Andrew Han in advance.
Otherwise,
he feared the cracked ring would have been his own fate.
......
After about thirty seconds.
Carter Yan, his face still clouded, gave a cold snort and glanced at the silent Martial Arts Program students. "Today's training is suspended. We'll reconvene tomorrow morning at seven."
With that,
He strode out quickly, hands clasped behind his back, in no mood for further martial training.
The Martial Arts Program students, still standing in place, watched Carter Yan leave. Only then did they finally exhale, exchanging glances—some leaned on their knees, some gasped for breath.
"That student's name is Andrew Han?"
"I could feel the terrifying force from Instructor Yan—there's no way to resist it. But that Andrew Han actually withstood him head-on? Is he really one of our cohort?"
They spoke in hushed tones, weighed down by the unspoken pressure.
No wonder Andrew Han skipped the entrance sparring. He must've worried that if he lost control, he might accidentally kill some of the weaker students.
On another ring,
Six or seven Martial Arts Program students—both male and female—were half-kneeling on the cold surface, mouths dry, reaching out to touch the deep cracks in the concrete, speechless for a long time.
......
Outside the Athletics Hall.
Carter Yan reached the entrance, already unable to spot Andrew Han. His face clouded as he could only shake his head and let out a low grunt.
"Damn it."
"If I'd known, why would I have tried to suppress him?"
Carter Yan had thought he could easily crush Andrew Han, handle him at will, and need not worry about Miles Ning, who was hundreds of miles away. Yet reality had dealt him a brutal blow, overturning all his assumptions.
It was absurd.
It was bizarre.
From the perspective of a Martial General and with years of experience, Carter Yan had never imagined a peerless First Rank could be so strong. Even without using Presented Liquid Internal Power, he shouldn't have been forced back three steps by someone at First Rank.
Could it be,
Andrew Han's physical quality was already comparable to a Martial General?
Hiss!
Carter Yan drew a sharp breath, facing the afternoon sunlight and pondering silently: "Physical quality can only be nourished by Internal Power. I suppose it's thanks to Crazy Ning's help that Andrew Han was forged into such a peerless prodigy, with an unbelievably resilient body."
"And also,"
"Andrew Han's strength is immense and fierce, and I guess that Transcendent Technique of his is also extremely advanced."
But what he didn't know was that Andrew Han, just like himself, hadn't unleashed his true power, and that technique wasn't advanced at all—it was merely the most basic Raging Downpour.
Based on this misjudgment, Carter Yan was able to settle his thoughts.
Clearly, Andrew Han was peerless.
As for why he was so strong: first, he had Miles Ning's dedicated help; second, his technique was highly advanced; third, Carter himself hadn't used his full power.
The blazing sunlight spilled across the main entrance.
The spotless glass doors reflected Carter Yan's contemplative expression, as well as the faces of the curious, uncertain students gathered around.
It was nothing else,
just that the tremor just now had been far too obvious.
Nearly everyone within a hundred meters—students, teachers, and staff—had clearly felt the tremor coming from inside the Athletics Hall. They couldn't help but discuss it, gazing curiously at the building.
"What happened? Did you feel that?"
"Of course! I was lying on my desk watching a movie—I thought the earthquake was in the film. Scared me half to death."
"It's fine, don't worry. There's never been an earthquake in Jiangnan City."
They comforted each other briefly, but their hearts were still uneasy. Their eyes drifted to Carter Yan's impassive face, hoping for an explanation to satisfy their curiosity and dispel their anxiety.
But Carter Yan ignored them, sighing instead.
"Sigh."
"As the Martial Arts Instructor of Jiangnan Academy, I should focus solely on my duties. Mixing in personal feelings is a grave mistake." Draped in a dark overcoat, he swung his arms and left the Athletics Hall without looking back, as if truly aware of his own lapse.