Journey to become a God

Ye Chen glanced around the classroom and spotted an empty seat at the back. Without hesitation, he walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down. His presence barely attracted any attention, thanks to the human skin mask he wore, effectively making him unremarkable in the eyes of others.

A moment later, the student in front of him turned around with a friendly smile. "Hey, are you new here?" he asked.

"Yes," Ye Chen replied calmly. "Starting today, I'll be in this class."

"Oh, I see. My name's Zhang Liao. You can just call me Liao." Zhang Liao extended his hand.

Ye Chen shook it firmly. "I'm Ye Chen. Nice to meet you."

Zhang Liao leaned in slightly. "Hey, if I were you, I'd move to another seat."

"Why?" Ye Chen asked, raising an eyebrow.

Before Zhang Liao could answer, the classroom door swung open, and a girl walked in. She looked about 17 or 18 years old, with long, silky straight hair adorned with a butterfly bow on the right side. Her elegant yet youthful beauty was captivating—her slender figure, smooth legs, and crisp white blouse only added to her charm. As she entered, every male student's gaze locked onto her, admiration clear in their eyes.

To Ye Chen's surprise, she walked straight toward him and took the seat beside him. He hadn't expected to share a table with someone so striking on his first day. Intrigued, he turned to her with a polite smile. "Hello, classmate. My name is Ye Chen. May I know yours?"

The girl glanced at him before offering a slight smile. "I'm Zhao Yanyan. Nice to meet you."

Ye Chen extended his hand, and she hesitated for a second before shaking it. Her hand was soft and warm, sending a strange, fleeting sensation through both of them. She quickly withdrew her hand, looking slightly flustered, though she masked it well.

After their brief introduction, Zhao Yanyan took out a book and began reading. Ye Chen considered starting a conversation but decided against it when he saw how focused she was. Instead, he quietly absorbed the Yin energy from her while flipping through his math textbook. Thanks to his cultivation abilities, memorizing formulas came effortlessly to him. As he quickly scanned through the pages, Zhao Yanyan occasionally stole glances at him, puzzled by his rapid reading pace.

She had always been the center of attention, used to boys trying to impress her. Yet Ye Chen hadn't once given her the lingering, admiring looks she was so accustomed to. Instead, he was lost in his own world, seemingly uninterested in her. For reasons she couldn't quite understand, this annoyed her.

As the class went on, Ye Chen continued his quiet study while Zhao Yanyan found herself unintentionally watching him. By the time the class ended, Ye Chen was still engrossed in his book, having learned more in one session than most students did in a week.

When the bell rang for lunch, students eagerly rushed toward the cafeteria. Ye Chen stood up as well.

"Hey, where are you going?" Zhang Liao asked.

"To the cafeteria," Ye Chen replied.

"Wait up, I'm coming too!" Zhang Liao quickly followed him.

Zhao Yanyan watched them leave, an irritated expression crossing her face. Usually, boys jumped at the chance to invite her to lunch, yet Ye Chen hadn't even considered asking her. She huffed and muttered under her breath, "Why am I even thinking about this? He's just a classmate."

Deciding not to dwell on it, she got up to go to the cafeteria as well.

As Ye Chen and Zhang Liao made their way down the stairs, they noticed several students struggling to carry a large piano up to the top floor. Ye Chen observed the scene but paid little attention. When they reached the ground floor, Zhang Liao suddenly stopped. "Ye Chen, wait here. I need to use the restroom."

Ye Chen sighed and leaned against the railing, waiting. Just then, he spotted Zhao Yanyan descending the stairs, her movements graceful and poised.

A panicked voice suddenly echoed from above. "Get out of the way!"

Ye Chen looked up and saw the piano slipping from the students' grip, barreling down the staircase—right toward Zhao Yanyan.

Time seemed to slow. She froze, unable to decide which way to run. Realizing she wouldn't make it, she squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact.

In an instant, Ye Chen dashed forward, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close. With his other hand, he intercepted the falling piano. A deafening crash echoed as he feigned being knocked back, tumbling to the ground while shielding Zhao Yanyan.

Gasps and screams erupted around them. The sheer force of the piano could have crushed anyone beneath it, yet somehow, Ye Chen had managed to protect her.

"Hey, wake up," Ye Chen said gently.

Zhao Yanyan slowly opened her eyes, her gaze locking onto his. Realizing she was still in his arms, her cheeks turned pink. She quickly pushed herself away, flustered.

"Y-You… You saved me," she murmured.

Ye Chen dusted himself off as he stood up. "It was nothing. Just be careful next time."

Zhao Yanyan stared at him, her heart beating slightly faster. If it had been anyone else, they would have likely run away instead of risking their life. But Ye Chen had stepped in without hesitation.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, concern laced in her voice.

"Just a minor muscle spasm. Nothing serious," Ye Chen replied nonchalantly.

"Maybe we should go to the infirmary to check," she insisted.

"That's really not necessary," Ye Chen said with a small chuckle.

Zhang Liao returned just then, looking confused. "Ye Chen, what happened? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Let's go to the cafeteria," Ye Chen replied, brushing the incident off.

Zhao Yanyan hesitated as she watched him leave. She still couldn't believe how easily he had handled the situation. With a small sigh, she decided to follow. After all, she had intended to go to the cafeteria anyway.

Or at least, that's what she told herself.