The officers parted like the sea as a streak of blue light cut through the night sky.
The moment it landed, the air around them shifted, turning heavy with a disciplined aura that made even seasoned cultivators stand straighter.
Lieutenant Xiomei stepped off her sword with her boots sinking lightly into the dirt. The cold moonlight draped over her white uniform, outlining the perfect curve of her hips and the sculpted firmness of her thighs.
Her uniform clung to her like a second skin, zipped just low enough to tease a glimpse of her cleavage giving a mixture of strength and seduction that made every officer around her hold their breath.
Her long black hair fluttered behind her in a high ponytail and her commanding gaze swept across the scene.
"Report," she ordered.
An officer stepped forward immediately.
"Lieutenant! We detected a massive qi outburst in this area, but when we arrived… there was no beast. Only this kid." He pointed at Fang Chen, who was casually squatting by a rock, picking dirt from his fingernails.
Xiomei turned her head slowly till her eyes landed on the supposed 'beast witness.'
Her brow furrowed slightly when she noticed how unnervingly calm he was despite being surrounded by armed cultivators.
"You saw what happened here?" she questioned while walking closer with a professional tone.
Fang Chen lifted his gaze, and for a brief second, his golden eyes shimmered in the moonlight.
Then he smiled.
"And there she stands…" he murmured with a teasing tone. "The great beauty..."
Xiomei blinked with an unamused expression. "Answer the question."
"Ah, such fierceness," Fang Chen stated while straightening up and brushing imaginary dust from his school uniform. "It stirs my heart in ways the heavens could never understand."
The nearby officers groaned quietly. A few tried to stifle laughter, while others looked away, knowing exactly how short Xiomei's temper was when faced with nonsense.
Xiomei's eyes narrowed. "You think this is funny? This area was hit by a qi wave strong enough to level a street block. Now tell me, boy—did you see which direction the beast went?"
"I already told your men," Fang Chen replied lazily. "There was no beast. Only me, stretching my old bones."
The silence that followed was thick enough to slice.
Then, one of the officers snorted. "Stretching? You expect us to believe a high schooler caused all this?"
"Believe what you wish," Fang Chen stated with a dismissive wave. "Truth doesn't bow to ignorance."
Xiomei exhaled slowly. "Listen, kid. This isn't a game. Give me something useful or leave before I decide you're obstructing an investigation."
"You could punish me personally if that pleases you," Fang Chen said smoothly as his eyes glinted mischievously. "Though I'd prefer a softer method than handcuffs."
Xiomei froze mid-step with her left eye twitching in frustration. "You—!"
"Lieutenant, permission to knock him out?" one of her officers blurted, clearly irritated.
Xiomei held up a hand, stopping him, though her patience was wearing thin. "You said your name was Fang Chen, right?"
"The one and only," Fang Chen said proudly, tapping his chest. "Healer of the sick, seducer of maidens, defier of emperors… though I suppose time's dulled the memory of my greatness."
The officers looked at each other and some couldn't help but snicker.
> "Wait… did he just say the Fang Chen? The immortal pervert from the legends?"
> "Yeah right," another whispered. "Next he'll say he invented cultivation."
Xiomei rubbed her temple. "I don't have time for this nonsense. There's no beast here, no threat, and no reason for us to waste more time. Clear the area."
As the officers began dispersing, Xiomei shot Fang Chen one last glare. "Go home, kid. And stay away from restricted areas before you get yourself killed."
Fang Chen simply smiled.
"A woman of authority and grace," he voiced softly while stepping closer until he stood within arm's reach. "Your qi is potent but… unstable."
Xiomei frowned with her hand instinctively going to her weapon. "What did you just say?"
"The way you channel your energy," Fang Chen tone shifted from flirtatious to almost scholarly. "Your dantian flow is misaligned. You've been forcing qi against a blockage near your lower abdomen — dangerous habit. Continue like that and you'll rupture your meridians in three months."
Xiomei's heart skipped.
That was impossible. She hadn't told anyone about the discomfort she'd been feeling during recent cultivations. Even the department's medical cultivators hadn't noticed.
"How do you know that?" she demanded while stepping closer with a narrowed gaze.
Fang Chen smirked as his gaze lazily trailed over her from head to toe.
"I know everything about the human body, Lieutenant. Especially the parts worth studying."
Her face darkened instantly as fury and embarrassment flashed through her usually calm demeanor.
"You—!"
But before she could finish, Fang Chen turned, his back to her, waving casually as he began to walk away.
"When the pain worsens, you'll come find me. It always starts as a dull ache after long meditation sessions… doesn't it?"
Xiomei's eyes widened slightly as her lips parted but by the time she blinked, the strange young man was already gone, fading into the night like mist.
She stood there for a moment with her heart still drumming.
"Fang Chen…" she muttered under her breath. "Impossible..."
---
A Week Later — Pekking City High School
The sun poured through the classroom windows, washing the students in a soft glow. Excitement buzzed through the air.
Today was the long-awaited excursion to the Ancient Museum said to hold relics from the pre-system era.
As the students gathered, chatter filled the halls.
Fang Chen leaned lazily against the window frame with his shoulder length hair glinting faintly under the sunlight.
Even now, his looks had sharpened further. The once-average face was now strikingly handsome with a magnetic charm.
Girls whispered and giggled nearby.
Huan Chen's mind, groaned in disbelief.
> "You've completely turned my life upside down, old man…"
Fang Chen just smirked.
"Nonsense. I'm improving it."