Harvey Liu's heart suddenly lurched.
Every hair on his body stood on end as he sensed danger. He spun around, ready to strike.
But before he could react, his entire body was sent flying uncontrollably.
Bang!
Several women nearby, who had been watching Harvey, were startled out of their wits as he crashed into a few tables and chairs, ending up sprawled on the floor in total embarrassment.
"You!"
Harvey's internal energy surged wildly. His face changed dramatically as he stared at Evan Lin, shock written all over his gaze.
That strike just now was clearly sword qi—but what baffled Harvey most was that it was exactly the same sword qi he’d unleashed moments ago, no different at all.
And when that kid sitting there made his move, Harvey didn’t even have time to react!
"Scram."
When Evan Lin spoke, Harvey Liu’s face turned even paler.
He gritted his teeth and stood up. That famously handsome face now looked cold as he stared icily at Evan.
He wanted to make a move, but the sword qi from earlier had thrown his internal energy into chaos, so he had to hold back.
"Lynn Chen, your friend here is pretty impressive. Not bad at all."
Harvey forced a smile, his handsome face twisting with rage. "Looks like before I find that Master Lin from Seacrest, I’ll have to deal with you first."
"Interesting. Very interesting."
"I’ve got business today. I’ll come back for a lesson another time!"
With that, Harvey staggered away.
The women who saw him get hurt wanted to help him up, but Harvey ruthlessly pushed them away.
He shoved them hard, knocking several female staffers to the floor.
"What’s wrong with that guy?"
"He’s got zero manners!"
"Does he think just because he’s good-looking he can do whatever he wants?"
The female staffers were full of annoyance, but their eyes still lingered on Harvey Liu’s retreating figure, secretly hoping he’d turn back.
But Harvey moved so fast, he clearly had no intention of sticking around.
Once outside, he headed straight for a deserted alley, desperate to find a quiet spot to steady himself.
"He’s probably the type to hold a grudge. He might come looking for trouble later."
Watching Harvey leave, Lynn Chen suddenly felt worried.
Her first concern was Evan Lin, but she hadn’t realized Harvey went to her school—if he wanted trouble, she’d be his first target.
"It’s fine. You keep eating. I’m going to the restroom."
Evan shook his head, got up, wiped his hands, and walked toward the restroom.
Once inside, he opened a window and slipped out.
"Damn it! Damn it!"
Harvey Liu clenched his teeth, looking more like a furious beast. Chaotic sword qi swirled around him, some already beyond his control.
Countless strands of sword qi crisscrossed and struck the stone walls of the alley, leaving streaks of white-gray scars.
All of this sword qi came from Harvey’s own body, but unlike ordinary sword qi, it refused to obey him.
That’s exactly why Harvey picked such a deserted alley.
Earlier, he could swagger through crowds, using sword qi to clear a path—sometimes slicing car tires with surgical precision to hone his control.
But now, with his sword qi out of control, if he were in a crowded place, people could easily end up dead.
He didn’t care if others died, but he did care that if someone got killed, Nightstar or Moonshade would come after him.
He wasn’t nearly confident enough to take those guys head-on.
"I’m a disciple of First Cloud Sword Dao from the Island Nation, and today I actually got played by some punk! Just wait, you’ll see!"
To outsiders, Harvey’s trip abroad was for work, but in reality, he went to train in swordsmanship and ended up joining First Cloud Sword Dao.
There, his sword skills soared—until recently, when Azure Dragon, head of the Four Saints, personally crossed the sea to challenge First Cloud Sword One in a battle that shook the world.
First Cloud Sword One died under Azure Dragon’s blade. That man killed the Sword Saint, then drifted away like a god.
After that, the entire First Cloud Sword Dao fell into chaos—until a direct-line descendant, a once-in-a-millennium sword prodigy, finally emerged from seclusion.
Now, a blood feud exists between First Cloud Sword Dao and Azure Dragon. As an outer disciple, Harvey saw a chance to make a name for himself and get noticed by the higher-ups.
That’s why he rushed back to China without stopping. With his sword skills sharper than ever, Harvey planned to make a splash by crushing someone first.
After weighing his options, he set his sights on the famous Master Lin from Seacrest—now at the height of his fame—as the perfect stepping stone for his debut.
If Harvey could earn a fearsome reputation in China before the showdown between First Cloud Sword Dao and Azure Dragon, he’d secure a place in the sect for sure.
He spent a lot of connections and effort, step by step, until he figured Master Lin from Seacrest might be linked to Lynn Chen—and that’s how he found her.
But he never expected to get hurt by some nobody.
How could Harvey not be furious?
He wanted nothing more than to go back and use sword qi to deal with that punk, but with his internal energy in chaos, if he caused trouble and Nightstar or Moonshade came after him, he’d be finished.
"If there weren’t so many people around, I’d teach you a lesson right now!"
"Just wait, punk! Just wait!"
"If you were standing in front of me now, I guarantee you’d be begging for mercy on your knees! And after that, I’d cripple you for good!"
Harvey’s words were full of venom, and his handsome face looked twisted and terrifying.
The alley stretched deep into the distance.
The farther he walked, the fewer people there were around.
The uncontrollable sword qi around Harvey struck the stone bricks, the sound growing even more intense.
"This is it. I’ll stabilize my sword qi here—just need to calm down."
Harvey was just about to find a spot to steady his sword qi.
Suddenly, a faint voice sounded in his ear.
"So you’ve picked your punishment spot?"
The voice floated over, and Harvey jolted, spinning around—only to see a young man who’d somehow appeared behind him.
The youth leaned against the wall, head tilted back to gaze at the sky, one leg bent with his foot pressed to the wall, looking utterly bored and lazy.