'So he found out...' The pair of eyes in the darkness gradually sharpened.
'Space Storer?'
Su Chen was stunned by the sudden information. A chill ran down his spine as he snapped back to his senses.
'This... seems really valuable?'
A special profession involving the spatial element, even if it didn't sound too powerful, was definitely extremely precious to Southwind City.
'How could it be hidden on Zhou Zhong?'
The object in his hand felt like it was burning him. Su Chen knew he couldn't take it. Robbing a few potions might not be a big deal, but this thing would definitely bring huge trouble.
He shoved it back into place. He'd been careful when removing it, but it was impossible not to leave a trace. He then pulled Zhou Zhong's clothes back on.
"I'll let you off the hook today." Su Chen took two steps back.
'He put it back...' The hidden person's eyes glinted coldly as killing intent began to spread. This person now knew the secret.
But the next moment, his heart leaped. The other person had suddenly turned his head and was staring directly at his hiding spot.
BANG!
The ground beneath his feet exploded as dead leaves scattered. The person's speed was astonishingly fast, startling even him. He was upon him in the blink of an eye.
Su Chen's expression was grave. Thanks to the Candle Fire Spirit Training Method, his Spiritual Power had become much more active. The moment he pulled that thin sheet of paper from the clothes, he had sensed something was wrong.
Afterward, he had confirmed that someone else was secretly watching, which sent a chill down his spine.
Wind Erosion activated. His heart thumped powerfully. The muscles in his right arm tensed, veins bulging. He pulled it back to build power, a faint cyan whirlwind coiling around it.
His body was like a great bow, his arm and fist the arrow, as he shot it fiercely toward his target.
But his opponent's reaction was also extremely fast. From the shadow that seemed empty, a withered arm shot out, looking soft and weak.
BANG!
With a sound like a muffled firecracker, the two fists met and instantly retreated. Su Chen used the recoil to fly backward, then activated Wind Walk, riding the wind like a sheet of paper and drifting far away in an instant.
'Such immense force. This must be the attacker...' Su Chen's arm was faintly numb and trembling uncontrollably. From that brief exchange, he knew he was no match for this person.
'Not a Tier Two Professional, but he has Elemental Power. With that strange movement technique and speed, is he from a Tier One Top-level Profession? To think Southwind City has someone with a profession like that in hiding!'
The other man was even more astonished, staring intently at the retreating Su Chen.
Under normal circumstances, he would have definitely given chase.
But now, the hustle and bustle of voices could be heard nearby. He could only turn his gaze to Zhou Zhong.
'I have to get the item back first.'
Not long after, a wail of despair echoed through the forest.
"My Blood Circulation Potion! My Radiance Potion! Zhang Hengyu, I'll f—"
...
The Inspector Guards who had arrived in high spirits lost their enthusiasm when they learned that a similar attack had occurred once before, prior to the theft at the academy.
They weren't interested in dealing with disputes between students.
"He's so strong. I wonder what level he's at..." Back in his dorm, Su Chen shook his arm, his knuckles stinging.
'So, that paper with the profession on it was what he got from attacking the academy?' Su Chen mused. 'But if the academy was that desperate, couldn't they have just recorded the text on it? There must be another secret. I'll ask Old Bai next time.'
Then, he eagerly opened his panel. "Special Profession: Space Storer..."
The name didn't sound very impressive, but at least it was related to space. The advancement conditions, however, were quite harsh.
This "Space Crystal" thing—he had never even heard of it. He also needed to pass through a Spatial Rift and be a Tier Two Top-level Professional on the Spiritual Side.
'But my transmigration doesn't count as passing through a Spatial Rift?' Su Chen wondered, looking over the panel. 'Strange. Is it because it was a higher-grade event?'
He'd scored some nice loot for free. Su Chen didn't dwell on it and took out the potions.
Compared to that special profession, these things were what he could actually use right now.
'Sky Splitter Warriors are truly powerful, way stronger than Warriors...' Su Chen had a better feel for it after a real fight. Under the same conditions, a Sky Splitter Warrior would absolutely crush a Warrior.
This also made him look forward to becoming a Secret Artifact Master even more.
His Candle Fire Spirit Training Method was not far from reaching the Master Level.
With these two vials of Radiance Potion, it would probably be even faster.
He opened his mouth and downed a vial. The Radiance Potion tasted cool and refreshing, different from the Blood Circulation Potion.
Su Chen could clearly feel the cool liquid travel down his throat and into his stomach. Immediately after, a jolt went through his brain, and his mind felt invigorated.
Knowing the potion was taking effect, Su Chen hurriedly began to visualize the candle flame in his mind, increasing the rate considerably.
His proficiency began to rise slowly.
Meanwhile, in a luxuriously decorated, dimly lit room elsewhere.
Qi Chuan was reporting in a low voice, "Director, the Southwind Academy's upcoming city patrol will be led by Hu Xiang, a Second-level Patrol Captain from the City Patrol Department."
"He is a Tier Two Professional. I've already made an arrangement with him. At certain times, he will turn a blind eye."
"Hu Xiang is a stubborn old mule. How did you bribe him?"
The person sitting behind the desk was quite surprised.
Qi Chuan smiled. "Even a stubborn mule has things he cares about. Besides, this is just a transaction. He won't care too much about a mere refugee."
"Not bad..." He nodded in satisfaction.
Qi Chuan continued, "I plan to find two Tier One Professionals to make the move in secret."
"Professionals again?" The Director couldn't help but frown. "He's just a refugee. Is he worth all this trouble?"
"It's outside the city, after all. Better to be safe than sorry." Qi Chuan used the location as an excuse, but in reality, he was uneasy and wanted to ensure there were no mistakes.
The man nodded reluctantly and added a warning, "This Su Chen is just a minor character. The key is Yuan Chenyang. It's best to handle this quietly."
"After some inquiries, it seems Yuan Chenyang doesn't think highly of Su Chen. He just casually assigned this matter to his subordinates," Qi Chuan said hesitantly.
"However, it seems Zhou Zhong is also targeting Su Chen and is planning something."
"What?" he asked, surprised and uncertain. "How did Zhou Zhong get involved with him?"
Qi Chuan explained, "Because of Bai Fengxi. I found out that he wasn't supposed to be on this patrol, but he inserted himself into the roster. Bai Fengxi is on it too."
"Idiot!" He shot to his feet, his face hideous. "What an absolute idiot!"
Once on the list, getting a name removed required going through the City Lord, which was extremely troublesome.
After cursing a few more times, he took a deep breath and said in a heavy tone, "This time, he can't be involved."
Qi Chuan nodded. "Understood."
...
Three days before the patrol, Su Chen received an official notice from the City Patrol Department, informing him of the assembly point and time.
"Absence will be treated as treason against the city!"
The personnel from the City Patrol Department had a solemn expression as they emphasized the consequences.
Su Chen nodded silently and accepted the notice. They were to follow the City Patrol Guard on a fifteen-day patrol, starting from the South City Gate and ending at the East City Gate.
It was considered a minor patrol; a grand patrol would take at least a month, and they weren't required to participate in those.
This kind of patrol was more for them to gain experience and train.
"Outside the city..." Su Chen let out a breath as various records he had read came to mind.
The boundless mists held countless secrets and were filled with all sorts of unimaginable dangers and opportunities.
This time, perhaps he would get to glimpse a small part of it.
He glanced at his panel. [Candle Fire Spirit Training Method—Mastery: 95%]
'After I become a Secret Artifact Master, I'll probably need a new Spiritual Training Technique...' Su Chen mused, rubbing his temples and planning ahead.
The past few days of spiritual training had left him with an indescribable exhaustion.
The first person he thought of was Jiang He. He planned to go get some free help from his teacher.
He wasn't sure why, but after he entered the special training program, he had less contact with Jiang He, and the teacher didn't seek him out either.
It was as if everything that had happened before had simply been erased.
He checked the time. It was only mid-afternoon. Su Chen decided to leave his dorm and head to Jiang He's office, but the door was locked and no one was there.
"Sigh... It's so inconvenient not being a VIP..." Su Chen sighed helplessly and thought of Bai Fengxi instead.
That "big shot," and her teacher Yuan Chenyang, must have an advanced Spiritual Training Technique. He could also take the opportunity to ask her about the attack on the academy.
'But it might be awkward to bring up...' Su Chen thought for a moment. Since he was already out, he decided to try and build some rapport first.
He took out his Spirit Communication Device and sent her a message, but a reply was slow to come.
Su Chen thought for a moment and sent another one. "I want to pay you back."
There was still no response. He was certain Bai Fengxi wasn't intentionally ignoring him.
'Is she busy?' Su Chen remembered the spiritual training class on the schedule. There was one going on right now. 'I wonder if Old Bai is there.'
Spiritual training was much stricter than strength training. You could tell just from the price difference between Blood Circulation Potions and Radiance Potions. Very few people could participate in spiritual training, and none of them were simple.
...
Before long, Su Chen walked out dejectedly from the building with a sign that read "Meditation."
He had wanted to sneak into the spiritual training class to listen in, but he only had clearance for the physical training classes, so he could only wait outside.
He sat on the steps without any regard for his image, leaning back on his hands and looking up at the artificial light source in the sky.
"What kind of world is this, really..." Su Chen had been here for a while, but he always felt that everything was strange.
He gave a self-deprecating smile. "It seems strange to me, but everyone else is used to it."
His eyes lost focus as his mind began to wander. Perhaps due to his extreme mental fatigue, he even thought he saw a giant shadow appear in the sky, as if something was about to fall.
"...Holy shit!!" Su Chen's pupils suddenly contracted. He leaped to his feet, staring at the sky with wide eyes. It wasn't a hallucination. There really was a fucking shadow.
The true sky above the artificial light source was just a hazy white expanse, but a distinct patch had darkened and was slowly moving.
At the same time, an indescribable feeling of suffocation pressed in from all sides, as if he were drowning.
Many students around him had already collapsed to the ground, unable to resist the suffocating feeling.
This familiar yet strange sensation instantly triggered certain memories hidden in the original owner's mind. The body's previous owner had experienced this feeling twice before.
"This is... a powerful Professional passing through!"