C17 One Punch!

About ten minutes after Su Wei left the alley, Soong Sanjin's henchmen finally came to their senses. They hoisted Soong Sanjin on their backs and scurried out of a different exit, rushing him to the nearest hospital.

Throughout the ordeal, Soong Sanjin never once dared to call his family.

He knew all too well what his family was like; ignorance was bliss for them. But if they found out he had instigated a fight and lost, they wouldn't lift a finger to help him—in fact, they'd probably give him a thrashing themselves.

Yep, that was the fierce family tradition Soong Sanjin grew up with!

After being treated for his injuries at the hospital, Soong Sanjin and his cronies sat on some park steps, their faces a mix of anger and contemplation.

"What's the plan? I've got to pay Su Wei back!"

"Soong, when I was summoned by the principal yesterday, I noticed a document on his desk. It looked like it was the special application for the Soul Power Department for this year."

"?"

"What are you blabbering about?"

Soong Sanjin was livid. Was this some kind of joke?

"No, Soong."

"The application was submitted by the head of the department of soul. He's looking to recruit a student for a special training program. Essentially, it's an experiment with a new cultivation method."

"Don't worry, Soong. If it were a proven technique, why would they call it an experiment?"

"Hmm?"

Upon hearing this, Soong Sanjin's face lit up with an idea. After a moment's thought, he slapped his little brother's shoulder with approval.

"Good, you handle this. Make sure you do it right!"

"And keep it under wraps! We can't let Su Wei catch wind of this!"

"Since when have you ever had to worry about me, Brother Soong? Hahaha."

"Come on, let's go! Hot pot for dinner tonight, brothers, let's roll out!" In an instant, Soong Sanjin felt his anger dissipate and his spirits lift.

...

The next day, at four in the afternoon during the break between classes.

A classmate suddenly darted back into the classroom after stepping out. He rushed up to Su Wei and exclaimed, "Su Wei, Su Wei! Teacher Tu Lei needs to see you, he's asked for you in his office!"

This classmate was typically a middle-of-the-road student, introverted and not one for jokes. After delivering his message, he returned to his seat.

It seemed as though all other matters were now irrelevant to him.

Upon hearing the instruction, Su Wei left without hesitation.

Over the past few days, Su Wei had come to realize that his future would likely be dedicated to the path of a Soul Master, leading him to disregard his cultural studies.

As a result, Su Wei was exceptionally proactive in his Soul Power classes and was even appointed as the class representative by Teacher Tu Lei.

The Soul Power department office at Moontown High was located on the second floor of a large auditorium adjacent to the academic building, a space that was formerly used for group activities.

Once Su Wei had exited, a classmate covertly signaled to Soong Sanjin at the back of the room. Soong Sanjin responded with a nod and a thumbs-up, pleased with their successful scheme.

Beside Soong Sanjin, his loyal desk mate, who had long been under his wing, curiously inquired, "Brother Soong, what's up? Did you serve Su Wei an extra helping today?"

The term 'extra helping' was a euphemism they both understood.

"Hehe, think you can mess with me and get away with it?" Soong Sanjin said through clenched teeth. Just then, his desk mate enthusiastically slapped Soong Sanjin's shoulder, proclaiming, "Brother Soong is invincible! I knew you wouldn't let Su Wei off the hook."

The slap was meant to strengthen their bond, but it inadvertently hit Soong Sanjin's sore spot, causing him to gasp in pain and yell, "Don't touch me!"

Unaware of the injury, the desk mate had poked right where Soong Sanjin was hurt.

Soong Sanjin winced and his face turned beet red with pain.

His desk mate stood there, stunned and confused about what had just occurred.

Though Soong Sanjin's wounds were already bandaged, the pain was still intense, a testament to the severity of flesh wounds.

The injuries were not critical, but they would certainly leave a lasting impression.

With this thought, the malice in Soong Sanjin's eyes grew even more pronounced, his bitterness deepening.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

"Come in."

Su Wei pushed the door open and stepped inside. Last year, Moontown High had invested a considerable sum to reinforce this area, which now served as the exclusive rest area for the department of soul's teaching staff.

Soul Masters, as the elite of society, enjoyed a plethora of social privileges and high status.

Even Su Wei, a teacher within the department of soul, along with Tu Lei and the other instructors, were merely second level Soul Masters. Yet, their influence in the academic realm was substantial, rivaling or even surpassing that of department heads.

"Teacher, were you looking for me?"

Upon entering and offering a greeting, Su Wei noticed that Tu Lei was absent. Where could Tu Lei be?

Instead, there was an unfamiliar figure in the activity room—a slender, white-haired male teacher who appeared to be in his sixties.

After a brief glance, the teacher spoke, "You must be Su Wei!"

"I've heard good things about your performance!"

While speaking, he booted up his computer and displayed a document—it was Su Wei's final test results from the Moontown Culture and Sports Center.

"My experimental application has been with the school for a week now, and time is running short. I'm glad you could make it at this juncture."

"We're short on time, so let's get straight to work."

"Ah? Teacher, I'm not familiar with you. What are you talking about...?"

Before Su Wei could finish, the teacher, whose name Su Wei didn't even know, suddenly rose and strode towards him with a determined gait.

"You may resist with all your might, but I will determine the outcome!"

As Su Wei looked on, bewildered, the white-haired teacher offered no explanation, choosing instead to communicate through action—he threw a punch with surprising force.

Su Wei hastily retreated two steps, staring at the elderly teacher, utterly confused about what was happening.

"This punch is to make you take things seriously. I won't be holding back this time, so be prepared!"

The frail figure belied the tremendous force it contained, a force that seemed incongruous with his advanced years.

The punch, heavy with tremendous atmospheric pressure, grazed Su Wei's cheek.

Alarms blared in Su Wei's mind. Through Mr. Blade's intuition, he noticed the teacher before him radiating with unmistakable Soul Power fluctuations. It was clear that the teacher meant business, and Su Wei went on high alert.

This was no time to question why!

Besides, even if he did ask, he wasn't expecting any answers!

The teacher launched another punch. Su Wei focused intently on the teacher's form, but try as he might, he couldn't pinpoint the exact trajectory of the punch!

It was supposed to be a straightforward punch, yet Su Wei saw not one, but three fists before him!

And then, everything went dark for Su Wei.

...

"Hiss, why does it feel a bit chilly?"

"Something's off, where's the teacher?"

With that thought, Su Wei snapped to full alertness, his senses heightened, as he scrambled to his feet.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My last name is Shi, just call me Shi Yutang!"

"I'm the head of the department of soul at our school."

"You've got decent talent. You came to quite quickly. You're still just a regular person, aren't you?"

"There's no evidence of training on your body, yet you've achieved such strength. That's quite impressive. Not many people must know your real skill level. You've kept it well hidden; I wouldn't have known if I hadn't checked!"

"No need to be so tense, I mean you no harm."

The elderly teacher with white hair chuckled as he observed Su Wei, who was still rooted to the spot, staring intently at him.

"You don't look like you came to find me of your own accord. Did your teacher ask to speak with you?"

"Speak with me?"

Su Wei echoed the question.

"Yes. Someone's out to get you. It's up to you to handle it!"

"But now that you're here, I can't possibly let you go back."