Who Dares to Mess with Me

……

Ye Chuan saw Lan Xiaoke crouching on the ground, looking half-dead, and explained,

"I won't hit you, and I won’t let anyone bully you either."

Lan Xiaoke froze for a moment. She raised her face, streaked with bloody tears dripping onto the floor—a sight that was downright eerie. "Really? You won’t hurt me? Is this... love? Some kind of ghostly romance?"

"You’re handsome and all, but I think we should get to know each other first," she said after sizing him up, then added seriously, "I’m not that kind of girl... or ghost."

"Love my ass," Ye Chuan rolled his eyes. "I’m a one-woman man."

"Waaah, then you must be lying! Why else would you help me for no reason?" Lan Xiaoke slumped in resignation, covering her eyes with her hands.

"Just do it already. But I’m scared of pain—can you make it quick? Next life, I just wanna be a hamster," she muttered.

Ye Chuan: "..."

Just as he was about to speak, a shrill scream echoed from outside. "AHHHHHHHHH?!!!!!!"

Ye Chuan paused. That sounded like the girl who’d run off earlier.

A rustling came from behind him. He instinctively turned and saw Lan Xiaoke now curled into a trembling ball in the corner. "I-Is there a ghost out there?"

Ye Chuan fell silent again: "..."

Aren’t you the ghost here?

What a scaredy-cat. A total coward—probably all the bravery nutrients got stolen by her chest.

Realizing something was happening outside, Ye Chuan decided to check it out first. At the very least, he needed to assess the danger.

Pushing open the classroom door, he was met with darkness. His gaze swept the hallway until he spotted—

A middle-aged man standing face-to-face with Wang Yanran. The man gripped her arm, a cold smirk on his face.

"Yanran, my dear niece, how careless of you."

"Wang Li?!" Wang Yanran hadn’t expected to see him here. Her voice trembled. "Aren’t you afraid my grandfather will find out?"

Now she understood why she’d felt uneasy entering this building.

"That old man won’t know a thing. This round of the trial belongs to my son," Wang Li sneered. A shadowy figure, pitch-black and as tall as the man, materialized behind him. Its crimson eyes glowed, accompanied by a sinister screech.

The shadow lashed out, claws clamping around Wang Yanran’s throat.

"Ghk—!" She choked, struggling in vain.

She fumbled for the talisman at her waist, but the shadow’s claws sent both it and her phone flying.

Wang Li watched her struggles weaken, his grin widening—until it froze. Because at the classroom door, a guy was filming everything on his phone.

Ye Chuan leaned against the wall, phone in hand. Noticing Wang Li’s stare, he casually waved. "Hey, old man."

"Don’t mind me. Carry on."

Wang Li’s expression darkened. "Who the hell are you?"

"A dude," Ye Chuan said.

Wang Li’s face twitched. He flung Wang Yanran aside—she crashed to the floor, her phone and talisman crushed under the shadow’s foot.

"Kid, I don’t care who you are. Hand over that video!" Wang Li threatened.

"No can do. How’s this for a title? ‘Late-Night School Horror: Middle-Aged Man Attacks Lone Girl—Shocking Footage!’" Ye Chuan wiggled his phone.

Wang Li’s glare turned murderous. Meanwhile, Wang Yanran coughed violently, barely recovering enough to gasp:

"R-Run! His bonded ghost is a Tier 3 Transcendent! You’re no match!"

Tier 3 Transcendent?

Ye Chuan blinked. What level was that?

Eh, maybe he should just bail.

"Too late!" Wang Li barked. The shadow lunged at Ye Chuan.

It’s over.

Wang Yanran’s heart sank. Tonight’s events would never see the light of day. She’d never imagined a family elder like Wang Li would ambush her—much less rig the school’s surveillance.

But then—

Ye Chuan’s hand shot out, seizing the shadow by the throat.

"What?!" Wang Yanran and Wang Li gasped in unison.

Impossible!

Ye Chuan tested the shadow’s strength and scoffed. "This is it? A Tier 3 Transcendent is only early Qi Condensation realm?"

He activated his Azure Dragon Saint Body. Lightning crackled around his palm—then, with a deafening BOOM, the shadow exploded into nothingness under their stunned gazes.

"Pathetic ants." Ye Chuan clasped his hands behind his back, his T-shirt billowing despite the lack of wind. His aura surged unrestrained.

"I am a Qi Condensation Grandmaster. Who dares challenge me? Who can challenge me?!"

"H-How can a youngster have such power?!" Wang Li stammered in terror.

Without hesitation, he bolted. No way was he dying here.

"Senior, stop him!" Wang Yanran urged.

Before Ye Chuan could respond, Wang Li vaulted out the window—vanishing into the night.

"Just saying, I don’t do window jumps." Ye Chuan eyed the five-story drop.

Wang Yanran cursed inwardly but wobbled to her feet. Her gaze at Ye Chuan—who’d nearly punched her earlier—was complicated. Still, she bowed.

"I am Wang Yanran of the Spirit Taming Wang Clan. Thank you for your aid, Senior."

"Mm." Ye Chuan grunted and turned toward the classroom.

When he ignored her, Wang Yanran bit her lip and limped after him.

……

Back inside, Ye Chuan scanned the room until he spotted Lan Xiaoke in the corner, doodling circles and muttering curses.

"Oi. You’re coming home with me." He nudged her butt with his foot.

"Home? You’re not gonna kill me?" Lan Xiaoke blinked up at him, teary-eyed.

"Why would I kill you?" Ye Chuan chuckled.

Just then, Wang Yanran spoke up. "Senior, could you send me that video? And lend me your phone?"

"Why should I?" Ye Chuan side-eyed her. "Weren’t you about to fight me earlier?"

Wang Yanran flushed, remembering how even Wang Li had fled. "I..."

"You got money?" Ye Chuan cut in.

"Money?" She blinked.

"This much, and the video’s yours." He held up one finger.

"A million? Deal!" Wang Yanran agreed instantly.

Ye Chuan choked, bracing against the wall. He’d only meant ten grand.