The armored beast rampaged in the river for a while, only returning to its den on the riverbank after satisfying its hunger and thirst. It laid inside, resting and digesting.
Withdrawing his consciousness, Chen Chu looked up and realized it was already past five in the afternoon. The orange-red sun cast slanting rays into the room, creating patterns of light and shadow on the floor.
"It's already so late." Chen Chu sighed softly.
Since releasing the beast, with his consciousness split between two bodies, Chen Chu always felt that time passed swiftly. In the blink of an eye, a day would go by, as if he hadn't had time to do anything.
Across from him, Luo Fei closed her book and glanced at the time. She softly asked, "It's about time, shall we go back together?"
"Sure." Chen Chu nodded.
As usual, the two of them placed their books back in their original positions and took the elevator out of the building.
Under the tree-lined walkway on campus, the setting sun pierced through the branches, casting dappled spots of light. Walking side by side, Luo Fei suddenly said, "After overwhelming so many geniuses today, do you have any feelings about it?"
Chen Chu pondered for a moment. "Well... I feel that those people are actually quite strong."
Luo Fei tilted her head slightly and asked, "Why do you say that?"
Chen Chu explained, "Didn't you notice? Even though I completely overwhelmed them in terms of absolute strength during the battles, they all remained calm and composed. They didn’t panic even when they got caught off guard by a sudden burst of my power.
"This indicates that their willpower and mental resilience are quite strong. As long as they accumulate more combat experience and enhance their strength, they can’t be underestimated."
"If you hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have noticed that," Luo Fei said, a bit surprised.
Reflecting on Chen Chu's battles today, she realized that it had indeed seemed to be similar to what Chen Chu mentioned. Even when facing Chen Chu's overwhelming strength, those people had maintained their focus.
At the same time, she couldn't help but admire Chen Chu for being clear-headed enough to notice such things in those situations.
Chatting as they walked, the two of them exited the school and followed the road...
Suddenly, thunder roared, even though the sunset was still visible on the horizon, and there were no thick dark clouds in the sky. Yet, pea-sized raindrops fell from above, densely covering the area.
The sudden thunderstorm caught everyone off guard. People on the streets were running in all directions to seek shelter from the rain. It was nearly impossible to find a taxi, especially with the strong wind making it difficult for people to keep their eyes open.
Chen Chu and Luo Fei also got caught in the downpour. The main road stretched ahead and behind them, and the nearest shelter was dozens of meters away.
"That way, there’s some shelter!" Chen Chu quickly led Luo Fei through the howling wind and rain to a small roadside park with a pavilion, built for cooling off during the summer.
By the time the two of them reached the pavilion, their clothes were already soaked through. Chen Chu, not minding it too much, wiped his face and shook off the water droplets from his head.
But Luo Fei was a bit disheveled. Her long, wet hair clung to her back, entwined with the white butterfly ribbon, revealing a clean and beautiful face. Her pants clung tightly to her body, accentuating her well-proportioned and slender legs.
"Don't look!" Luo Fei's face blushed slightly. She turned slightly, avoiding Chen Chu's direct gaze.
Chen Chu withdrew his admiring gaze and smiled. "Can't blame me for that. It's just that you're so beautiful, and your figure is so good."
There was no trace of the typical shyness one would expect from a young man on his face. His frankness actually eased Luo Fei’s embarrassment, making her feel less nervous.
Casually, Chen Chu remarked, "I wonder how long this rain is going to last."
That diverted Luo Fei’s attention and she looked up, pondering slightly. "These thunderstorms usually don't last too long. It might stop in half an hour or so."
Sudden thunderstorms weren’t uncommon in the summer. One moment, it could be a clear and sunny sky, and in the blink of an eye, dark clouds would cover the horizon. Sometimes, even when the sun was shining brightly, a sudden downpour would catch people off guard.
Luo Fei’s estimation proved to be close. The heavy rain lasted for a little over ten minutes before gradually subsiding to a drizzle. It wasn’t even half an hour before it stopped completely.
The streets were filled with small puddles, and leaves covered the ground. In the fading light of the setting sun, there was a poignant beauty, typical of the aftermath of a storm.
Watching the sun, which hadn't completely set on the horizon, Chen Chu shook his head. "This darn weather."
As he spoke, he began unbuttoning his clothes, startling Luo Fei. She quickly took a few steps back and asked cautiously, "What are you doing, Chen Chu!?"
Chen Chu replied, a bit exasperated, "What do you think? Do you think you can walk home in your current state?"
He took off his shirt, revealing his muscular upper body. His well-defined eight-pack abs were clearly visible, exuding a strong masculine aura.
Thankfully, getting a little wet in the rain was no big deal. With the two being true martial artists, they wouldn't catch a cold at all.
"Stop staring, hurry up and put this on to cover yourself." This time it was Chen Chu who said these words.
Luo Fei, feeling a bit embarrassed, averted her gaze and took Chen Chu's shirt, putting it on over her own.
On the way back, Chen Chu's bare upper body and well-built physique caused several passersby to cast curious glances in their direction.
Especially the women. The younger ones seemed to feel a bit shy, but the married ones would continue to gaze with fiery eyes.
As they reached the intersection where they would go in different directions to their homes, Luo Fei, feeling embarrassed, said, "I'll wash the shirt and give it back to you tomorrow."
"Sure." Chen Chu nodded.
Back at home, Chen Hu curiously asked about Chen Chu not wearing a shirt, only for Chen Chu to casually dismiss the question.
After dinner, Chen Chu practiced the Dragon Elephant Art and Insightful Blade before taking a shower. As he laid in bed, his consciousness sank, shifting over to the armored beast.
It was already eleven at night, and he was planning to have a hearty meal before resting.
However, just as Chen Chu had the armored beast crawl out of the cave and enter the river, he suddenly heard vibrations and explosive roars from above, so intense that even the water's surface rippled.
The sudden change made the armored beast pause, and it lifted its head slightly above the water surface.
On the sloping bank about a hundred meters away, eight figures were chasing two more. Their speed was so fast that it was nearly impossible to see with the naked eye. In a blink, they appeared not far from where the armored beast was watching.
Several armored vehicles closely followed behind them. Their high-powered searchlights illuminated the area in front of them as if it were daytime.
Just at that moment, one of the pursuers leaped high like a giant roc and thrust a palm down.
In an instant, the air exploded with a deafening roar. A violent force surged from the pursuer’s hand in the direction of their thrust, hitting the ground like a tangible hurricane and knocking over the grass within a dozen meters, displaying a terrifying and awe-inspiring might.
Facing this attack, the two individuals at the forefront had no choice but to turn around and face the others. Their bodies emitted a crimson blood glow, and two transparent blood pythons, each as thick as a water bucket, rose up from the ground in front of them.
Under the tyrannical palm strike, the two blood python illusions exploded with a thunderous roar. The red shockwaves swept violently over a dozen meters, shaking the ground and sending sand and stones flying.
With the palm strike obstructing the two’s escape, the rest of the figures had caught up by now. They moved like lightning, and in a split second, the two were surrounded on all sides..