When Aryan punched that wall, he was deeply convinced that he should be stronger than even the top experts at **Martial Spirit Gathering Level 7**. In his mind, he had already surpassed that level. However, little did he know that this belief was about to be shattered brutally.
The moment his fist struck the wall, it trembled violently for a few seconds. Then, a number appeared on the display embedded into the wall. That number was **400 tons**.
Aryan's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What? Four hundred tons?" he muttered, staring at the number as if trying to make sense of it. "Could the wall be malfunctioning?"
He couldn't believe it. He had already unlocked **all 108 energy points** in his body, yet his strength was only at 400 tons? That seemed impossible—utterly illogical.
His heart filled with confusion and disappointment.
Aryan had been a die-hard fan of the web novel *Library of the Heaven's Path* in his previous world. He had read every single chapter of that story, and was so obsessed with it that he almost worshiped its protagonist, **Zhang Xuan**. Aryan often fantasized about living in a world just like the one in the novel, where cultivation reigned supreme and strength determined everything.
So, when he had arrived in this new world—a world that bore many similarities to the one Zhang Xuan had traveled in—he was ecstatic. Here, every cultivation stage had unique techniques and pathways. This made Aryan feel as if he had finally found a world where he truly belonged.
In the novel, when Zhang Xuan had unlocked all his energy points, his strength had increased **by one ton for each point**, giving him **108 tons of power**. But Aryan's strength had exceeded even that benchmark. With 400 tons of force, something clearly wasn't adding up—but instead of being happy, he was bewildered. He had expected far more, perhaps **a thousand tons** or beyond.
So his frustration was natural, and his confusion was justified.
Still, despite his inner turmoil, Aryan understood that there was nothing he could do about it now. What had happened had already happened. Whether he liked it or not, he had to accept this reality.
Reluctantly, Aryan accepted the truth, though it felt like swallowing a bitter pill. He walked away from that testing room and headed back to his small, dimly lit room in the academy dormitories.
As soon as he stepped inside and glanced at his worn-out bed, disappointment hit him once again.
"When will I finally get a proper room?" he murmured, shaking his head.
He had no hope that the academy authorities would assign him a better place to stay. He was almost certain of it. That's why he had started thinking about renting a place **outside** the academy grounds.
"But for that, I'll need gold coins," he muttered to himself. "And in my current situation, I don't even have a single **silver coin**, let alone a gold one."
Aryan had earned **ten gold coins** after working hard for an entire month—equivalent to **1,000 silver coins**. But in the Kingdom of Rudrapur, especially outside the capital, **silver coins** were the standard currency used for all everyday transactions. In the capital, however, things were different. The cost of living was abnormally high. Items that could be bought for a single silver coin in rural areas often cost **five or even six silver coins** in the capital.
That gave Aryan a harsh realization of just how expensive life was in the capital city.
Clenching his teeth in frustration, Aryan acknowledged that he desperately needed **more gold**. But how could he earn it? He had no idea.
Earlier, he had worked at a small restaurant, doing odd jobs to survive. But now, working there was no longer an option.
After all, Aryan had become **powerful enough to rival the top experts at Martial Spirit Gathering Level 7**, and the restaurant's manager was barely at **Level 5's initial stage**. It wouldn't be right for someone of Aryan's level to keep working under such a weak cultivator.
Now, you might be wondering: why am I referring to **stages as levels**? The truth is, it simply feels more natural to me at this point. Maybe I'll change the terminology later. Who knows?
In any case, Aryan **never looked down** on that manager. On the contrary, he **held deep respect** for him. That restaurant manager had given Aryan shelter when no one else even spared him a glance. That act of kindness had created a special place in Aryan's heart for the man—something no one could ever take away.
It wasn't that Aryan didn't **want** to return to the restaurant. He simply couldn't, because the restaurant couldn't pay him enough to meet his growing needs.
He thought about his situation for a long time, trying to come up with ideas to earn gold, but no clear solution emerged. In the end, he resigned himself to the fact that he would have to figure it out **somehow in the future**.
But for now, his **most immediate concern was where to sleep**.
His current bed was uncomfortable and broken. Sleeping there again was not an option. So he made a quick decision: he would sleep **outside the room**, with his back against the wall.
He wasn't worried about the cold. First of all, it was **spring**, so the weather was mild. And second, he was now a **Peak-Level Martial Spirit Gathering Level 3 cultivator**, strong enough to match a Level 7 expert. His body had already adapted to harsh conditions.
With that thought, Aryan stepped out of the room, leaned against the outer wall, closed his eyes, and allowed sleep to slowly take over.
Before long, he drifted into slumber.
---
Morning came quickly.
Aryan woke up, rubbed his eyes, and stretched a little. After finishing his morning rituals, he made his way to the **mess hall**. There, he finished his breakfast quietly and returned to his room.
After practicing for a short while, he left for his teacher's class. Upon entering, he immediately began cleaning the classroom.
Aryan was still cleaning the classroom when the door suddenly burst open with a loud *bang*, and a girl walked in with determined steps. She wasn't just any girl—she was **Lavanya Rathore**.
The night before, Lavanya had overheard rumors that Aryan had defeated **Avinash** in a single move. At first, she refused to believe it. It sounded absurd—how could someone like Aryan overpower Avinash, one of the most promising martial talents?
Unable to suppress her curiosity and disbelief, she had made up her mind to personally test Aryan's strength. And that's why she had come storming into his class, eager to issue him a direct challenge.
Aryan, who was diligently sweeping the floor, looked up and saw a girl around his age standing at the door. At first, he was confused. But more than confusion, his expression betrayed shock—and perhaps a hint of awe.
The girl in front of him was **breathtaking**.
Her figure could put even the finest modern-day actresses to shame. Her face, devoid of makeup, radiated a natural beauty that would give Miss World an inferiority complex. Her lips were so irresistibly pink that anyone could be tempted to simply kiss them endlessly. Lavanya was, without exaggeration, a walking, talking **atomic bomb of beauty**.
She possessed the kind of allure that could bring empires to their knees.
Aryan found himself staring at her for far too long. Noticing his gaze, Lavanya furrowed her brows in irritation and shot him a look filled with disdain.
"What are you staring at? Haven't you ever seen a girl as beautiful as me before?" she snapped.
Embarrassed, Aryan looked away for a moment—but he quickly recovered his composure. Then, with a charming smile, he looked back at her and replied, "Yes, I've seen many beautiful girls... but never anyone quite like you. You're not just beautiful, you're **divine**. I could write a thousand love songs just to describe your beauty."
Lavanya turned her face away in annoyance, unwilling to meet his flirtatious gaze.
*"Hmph. Like master, like student,"* she thought bitterly. *"A rapist's disciple will obviously inherit his twisted humanity."*
Still, she wasn't here to engage in flirtation. She had a clear purpose—and she wasn't going to let herself get distracted.
"I'm not here for your nonsense," Lavanya said sharply. "I heard you defeated Avinash. I'm here to **test that claim**. I'm challenging you, Aryan. Do you have the courage to accept it?"
Aryan was a bit startled at first, but then he calmly responded, "Look... I'm really not interested in fighting you. If it means that much to you, I can declare you the winner right now. Don't worry—I'll announce it in front of everyone. Just let me finish my work in peace."
His casual refusal only made Lavanya **more furious**.
"So now you want to hand me victory as **a gift**?" she snapped. "I don't want charity. I want to win on my own strength. That's why I'm here—to earn my victory through battle!"
Aryan remained unmoved by her anger.
"Then go show your rage to someone else," he said plainly. "Right now, I'm cleaning this classroom, and that's more important to me. If you really want to fight, come back later. But for now, please leave."
Lavanya's eyes narrowed in rage, her fists clenched. She marched forward.
"Fine!" she snapped. "Then let's clean—**through combat**."
She stepped closer to Aryan and made him an offer.
"If I lose this fight, I'll clean **this entire classroom** myself. But if I win... you will confess, in front of the whole academy, that I'm **stronger than you**."
Aryan paused. He considered her challenge in silence for a moment.
Then, placing the broom down slowly, he nodded. "Alright. Let's do it."
With that, Aryan led Lavanya to his usual training ground. The two of them stood face-to-face, drawing an invisible line of battle between themselves. As they both prepared to unleash their first move, Aryan made a conscious decision—he **restrained his power** to match Lavanya's level.
He looked at her, just as she looked back at him.
"Think this through one last time," Aryan warned. "Recklessness may cost you more than you expect."
Lavanya clenched her teeth and hissed, "You don't need to worry about me. Just fight. Enough with the talk—let's see whose strength is greater."
And with that, she **launched her first attack**.
As the attack flew toward him, Aryan activated one of his secret techniques. In his mind, he whispered a single word:
> **"Flaws."**
The moment he spoke the word in his consciousness, a mystical book materialized within his mind.
He opened the ethereal pages and began to read.
> **Name:** Lavanya Rathore
> **Age:** 16
> **Body Type:** *Extremely Yin* (Dormant)
> **Condition:** Yin energy is unawakened, causing physical imbalance and emotional instability.
Aryan silently mused, *So... this girl has finally entered my life.*
As Lavanya's powerful attack came crashing toward him, Aryan calmly raised his hand to block it.
*Boom!*
The attack **shattered instantly**, without even making him flinch.
Lavanya was stunned. Her strike had been completely neutralized, as though it had struck a mountain—and **the mountain didn't even notice**.
But more than shock, **rage** filled her heart.
"How is this possible?" she muttered angrily. "Where did this guy get so strong?"
She clenched her teeth, furious. *I was the top scorer in the academy entrance exam. And this guy? He barely passed! He ranked dead last! How can someone like him... defeat someone like me?*
She glared at Aryan again.
But this time, as she stared into his face, her anger began to fade.
Her heart began to **waver**.
Aryan's calm expression, his radiant presence... it felt otherworldly. As if he were a divine being, mistakenly born into a small mortal nation.
The more she looked at him, the more she became lost in his gaze.
She realized that until now, she had never **really looked at him properly**. Their encounters were brief and hurried. In truth, she had only seen him **twice**—once during the entrance exam, and now today.
She had dismissed him too quickly.
But now\... having seen his strength and his face up close, she found herself unexpectedly captivated.
A corner of her heart—a place unknown even to herself—had silently begun to surrender.
Just as Lavanya was caught in this internal turmoil, Aryan's voice jolted her back to reality.
"Lavanya, where's your focus? Let's continue the fight."
She snapped out of it immediately and launched another attack as if nothing had changed. Her face betrayed **no emotion**, no hint of what had just stirred in her heart.
Aryan, once again, effortlessly blocked her strike.
Then he said with a sigh, "Alright... let's end this."
He raised his arm and prepared a powerful punch. As his fist surged forward, it sliced through the air with such intensity that **the atmosphere itself trembled**.
It felt as if a divine sword had cleaved the sky.
Lavanya, sensing the terrifying pressure of the blow, suddenly panicked. Her body screamed in alarm, and she instinctively reached for the emergency **spirit token** she had been given for protection.
She was ready to **break it**—to escape.
But what happened next... left her completely **stunned**.