Everyone at Southland University knew one thing for certain: Andrew Han and the word "studious" simply did not belong in the same sentence.
Therefore, when Monica Zhang glanced over with curiosity, resting her delicate chin on Andrew's left shoulder, she was determined to see what he was reading.
But Andrew's page-flipping speed was so fast she couldn't make out a single word; her gaze drifted to the stack of books piled beside him.
The pages rustled rapidly in his hands, a soft cascade of sound.
She squinted, trying to catch a glimpse, but the pages turned too quickly. Giving up, she focused instead on the covers: a black-covered book titled "Emotional Intelligence Training," a silver one called "Life Needs a Sense of Ritual," and a green one, "Your Kindness Must Carry an Edge."
Monica blinked twice, a little confused and slightly worried. "What's gotten into Andrew lately?" she wondered.
Just then, Andrew finished the yellow-covered book in his hands and set it aside.
Monica couldn't help herself. "What on earth are you reading?" she blurted, her cheeks flushing pink. She tapped his shoulder twice with her fair chin, gave a soft huff, and turned away in shy protest.
Andrew blinked, momentarily puzzled. Was there something wrong with reading self-help books?
He picked up the yellow-covered book from the top of the stack and glanced at its simple, bold title: "Live This Life for Yourself—'I'm Doing Amazingly Well' Is the Best Answer to Life."
He found it odd. Was there anything wrong with reading books like these?
Andrew paused for a moment, cradling the book in his left palm as his thoughts began to churn like a train gathering speed. He reflected on the proper way to read and study, determined to keep improving himself.
"I'm pure at heart," he thought solemnly, stacking the yellow-covered book aside.
He sat in silence for a moment, then set the yellow book aside.
At that moment, Monica checked the time and suggested they head to the cafeteria before the noon rush.
The midday sun outside was scorching, the air stifling. Most students wore T-shirts and sweated heavily; a few girls in short skirts complained about the unusual heat wave.
Andrew and Monica, however, seemed unaffected by the blazing sun, walking hand-in-hand and 'sprinkling dog food' as if the heat were nothing but an illusion. Other students glanced enviously at their energy and closeness.
They didn’t know that Andrew was quietly using martial arts in daily life, dispersing the heat around him with Wind-Stream Three-Thousand or subtly thickening the air’s humidity using Raging Downpour’s principles.
He reflected that true power meant being able to freely and precisely control such techniques—even the most overwhelming martial art was meaningless if you couldn't master it.
Internally, Andrew took stock of his recent cultivation: his progress as a Martial Lord had been steady, and thanks to his incredibly deep foundation, he was now a genuine mid-tier Martial Lord. His Internal Power had grown even more vast. Although he hadn’t yet learned another Mystic-Communion Art beyond Raging Downpour, he felt that day wasn’t far off.
He took out his phone and checked the time—it was almost eleven thirty. He spoke softly, "Let’s go to the cafeteria and grab something to eat first. By noon, it’ll be packed."
"Hmph, let’s go." Monica slung her little backpack over her shoulder.
"Monica, how about we skip afternoon study in the library today?" Andrew Han said softly. "We haven’t used the swimming pool in our little house yet, and the weather’s perfect—clear skies for miles... hehehe."
Monica’s heart skipped a beat: "But I don’t have a swimsuit yet."
In truth, given how close they were, Monica wasn’t really shy—the key was that Andrew’s final 'hehehe' was the perfect finishing touch.
"No worries."
"I bought more than twenty swimsuits a couple days ago—lots of styles, you can pick whichever you like," Andrew added smoothly, his expression unchanged.
Monica pursed her rosy lips, her long eyelashes fluttering twice. She was half annoyed, half amused: "Wow, so you planned this all along."
Hand in hand, the two of them left the library, playfully bickering as they headed for the cafeteria.
The blazing sun hung high in the sky, the air growing stuffy and hot, as if waves of heat were rolling through. All the students passing by wore short sleeves, yet many were still drenched in sweat.
Two or three girls in short sleeves showed off their fair, slender legs.
"It’s way too hot today."
"Didn’t you check the weather? There’s been a weird heat wave lately. That’s why I wore a short skirt." They all frowned, listlessly complaining about the temperature.
Right after that—
The three girls all glanced at Andrew Han and Monica as they walked by, secretly speechless. Not only were they flaunting their relationship, they seemed to be bursting with energy—as if the blazing sun didn’t affect them at all.
Little did they know—
Andrew Han was marveling at the everyday uses of martial arts.
For example, using Cascade of Three Thousand Streams to disperse the heat swirling around his body, or casting Raging Downpour to add moisture to the air.
"To wield power freely—that’s true strength."
"No matter how overwhelming your martial arts are, if you can’t control them, it’s all meaningless." Andrew held Monica’s delicate, boneless hand, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.
If his guess was right—
Leon Yu had once been a Peerless prodigy, his talent extraordinary. Unable to restrain the rapid growth of his own realm, he had inadvertently intensified the disaster field.
Still—
If Leon Yu left, who would protect Southvale Province? Andrew frowned but didn’t dwell on it.
After all, the era of Universal Martial Practice was nearly at hand.
Dr. Liam Lee—codenamed White Dragon—was currently testing equipment to stabilize the atmosphere. Maybe in two or three months, or by next year, such devices could be mass-produced.
It was strange to think about.
If not for that hundred-li life-and-death road—if he hadn’t saved Dr. Lee—Law Realm couldn’t return for at least four years, and Universal Martial Practice would be impossible. Smiling faintly, Andrew leaned at the window and gazed down at the campus below.
Students came and went, some carrying books, others dribbling basketballs.
He raised his gaze.
Across the way stood the girls’ dormitory.
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Even back in the Martial General Realm, his eyesight could pierce a hundred meters; now, as a Martial Lord, it was even sharper. Andrew scanned the dorm calmly, thinking to himself, "None of these girls can compare to Monica."
Maybe that’s what love does—it makes you blind.
Still, no matter how objectively he analyzed it, Andrew always felt Monica was the best. He withdrew his gaze, preparing to leave the dorm room.
“Andrew?”
A puzzled voice called out—it was Kevin Lin.
Kevin was Andrew’s only true friend at Southland University; still a First-Rank martial student, he was far from reaching the Martial Artist Realm.
“What brings you back?” Kevin, dressed in a black T-shirt, walked over in surprise. “Ever since you moved out, life’s been boring. How’s it been living off campus these past two months?”
“Not bad. I’ve made some small progress in martial arts,” Andrew replied with a smile.