The tension had built for days. Whispers spread like wildfire around the school—Xie Ren had challenged Lu Fan to settle things once and for all.
The chosen place: an abandoned rooftop on the edge of the city.
That night, under the soft shimmer of stars, Lu Fan stood alone in the darkness. The wind tousled his dark hair, and the pendant against his chest pulsed gently.
Xie Ren arrived with his usual smirk, but this time his eyes carried genuine caution. He couldn't sense Lu Fan's cultivation—at all.
"You're hiding something," Xie said, narrowing his gaze. "But that won't save you."
Lu Fan didn't answer. He simply raised his hand, and with a quiet breath, activated Celestial Palm.
The wind shifted.
Xie Ren charged first, unleashing a fierce barrage of swift strikes backed by his Tiger Fist Art, a technique known for brutal, close-range dominance.
Lu Fan met him head-on.
Their fists collided — thunder in human form. Cracks spread across the rooftop tiles. Every blow from Lu Fan was precise, fluid, devastating. The Celestial Palm didn't just counter—it overwhelmed.
Still, Xie Ren was no slouch. His Spirit Vein cultivation made him faster, stronger than most.
But Lu Fan?
Lu Fan had trained in silence, had endured without guidance, and had mastered a library older than nations.
Halfway through the battle, Lu Fan caught Xie's punch and twisted, sweeping his leg and slamming him to the ground.
Before Xie could rise, Lu Fan's glowing hand hovered just above his chest.
"Yield," Lu Fan said calmly.
Xie stared at him, blood at the corner of his lip—and slowly nodded.
The fight was over.
---
Later, Lu Fan walked home under the moonlight. He hadn't done it for glory or reputation. He had done it to protect his peace. For his father. For the friends who still saw him as just Lu Fan.
He was no longer just a student.
He was walking his path now—one step at a time—armed with strength, kindness, and a secret the world wasn't ready for.