Delay

Douluo Continent

Skyorder City

Fan was waiting for the four craftsmen who crafted his battle armor pieces for obvious reasons.

He had graduated from grade 1 in Shrek and after his one month holidays, he would be a grade two student.

He came to the Skyorder City to get another two pieces of his three word Battle Armor. As for the cost?

After the betrayal of Shi Hun, Fan Lin decided to stop the massacre and turn into a new leaf... in his dreams.

He was angry and rageful, and after asking the information handlers for the some criminals related to trafficking and abduction, he did killed them all but he didn't take any money.

It was just a simple mood freshner for him and he had decided against using black money for the meantime.

So once again the federation has some new killer group who were killing for unknown reasons except all this was kept under wraps and none of the normal population knew about it.

So where did the money came from?

Yeah I have money, enough to get the complete set of Battle armour but I have another purpose for them.

So for now, I planned to spend some on just two pieces of it.

But that doesn't answer where did the money came from?

I was getting to that. I earned it. Fair and square.

Huh?

I created thousands of my own soul circuits designs and sold them to the Mecha Designing Association. I also took on various Mecha Designing jobs for and after rank 5, the pay is quite well since the orders are usually of Black Rank Mechas or Two word Battle Armors.

?

The Old man taught me about the higher end stuff, along with the fact that I am a genius in this, I learnt it quite easily. I also got inspiration from my classmates as talking to them made me realise of the various demands and enhancements that the customers usually have regarding their soul circuits.

Since everyone has a different Martial Soul and different resonance with their Mechas, every soul circuits of the customers had to be customised but most of the stupid teens doesn't even have a concrete idea of what they want or the things they want are too much for Rank 3 or rank 4 Mecha Designers.

All in all, I just learnt about products advertising, sold circuit design templates to the association, did some practical work and created 144489 designs in total. All successful designs.

So I got the money and raised my Spirit Power as well.

...?

Will you be able to do the job that I gave you?

Yeah I will.

Good.

...

Fan Lin recalled his talk with the handler as he suddenly transferred more than 9 billion Federal credits to his account.

That was the money that he got from the Mecha Designing Association and his various tasks.

Students in Shrek lacked contribution points but their family didn't lack Federal credits and since Fan Lin did the job for not contribution points but Federal credits, he was actually quite popular among all the grade 4 students with rich families.

Even some grade 3 and grade 5 students booked appointments with him for their circuit designs.

Since Fan Lin's main customers were the Grade 4 and above students, he also didn't have any clash with his classmates who were also Mecha Designers and everyone was happy.

They still didn't like him though. They didn't dislike him as well. It was quite in the middle.

"Why are they late?"

Fan Lin looked at the streets outside the cafe near the Skyorder City Spirit Pagoda.

Toot toot toot toot toot toot toot

His soul communicator rang. Fan Lin picked it up.

{Lad, did you have any enmity with the President of the Spirit Pagoda?}

The Old man's voice came from the other side of the receiver.

"Sort of. Did they threaten you guys to not help me?"

Fan Lin asked, it didn't take him much thinking to arrive at this conclusion.

{Yeah. Not just me but all three of them as well... sorry.}

The Old man explained the situation while apologizing to Fan Lin.

"You don't need to. I am currently at the peak of Rank 6 in my secondary profession and I am young. I can wait a few more years till I reach a higher level."

Fan Lin said while leaving the cafe. He had no need to stay there.

"I also have a really good blacksmith in mind, his group might be able to create the rest of my Battle Armor."

A certain Tang Wulin felt fear at this time.

"So don't be sad, I am pretty sure that sadness leads to premature death."

Fan Lin said while using his Crystallokinesis to form a simple Armor on his body. With a thought of his, the armour lifted his body and he flew straight towards the soul train station while talking to the old man.

This was a cheaper and faster way of traveling than the soul cab.

{... Lad, are you trying to console me while joking? You should just talk as you normally do, apathetic, dead and in an emotionless manner. You really don't know how to joke.}

The Old man said after some silence because it took him some time to realise that Fan Lin was trying to console him in a joking manner.

He was wrong though.

"I know about that. Someone said that to me a long time ago. And I wasn't joking, it's a fact. You can die if you are sad."

Flying Fan Lin replied while flying(obviously).

{... I am not sad about you kid. It's the three times the amount that you pay us that I won't get now. That saddens me.}

The Old man couldn't help but silently smile while saying that. He still couldn't believe that just three and a half years ago, a certain Psycho kid came to them for his three word Battle Armor.

{And why wouldn't you be Rank 6, I taught you well, for free at that... Bye and stay at Shrek. The person you have offended seriously wants you for something.}

The Old man changed the topic and kindly advised Fan Lin. There was just a small problem. Fan Lin wasn't at Shrek to begin with. When he called for them, he was already departed from the academy.

"I am Skyorder City now, let me buy a flying soul car and return to Shrek."

Fan Lin said as the soul station came in sight. He didn't came here to ride the soul train though.

He was there to either rent or buy a flying soul car, a latest invention of the era, for himself.

The Flying soul car was reportedly faster that the Soul train that the public used and was costly as well.

'I hope my Shrek's student ID card helps me in that.'

{Just asking kid, are you a bastard child of the wife of the current President of Spirit Pagoda?}

As Fan Lin was sealing the deal with the dealer of the Flying soul car, the Old man's question made even him blank out for a second.

He immediately paid the rent amount to the dealer, got into the soul cab and drew off towards Shrek. Only after sometime did he ask the question that was in his mind.

"... Where did that thought even came from?"

The Old man got the reply after nearly ten minutes of silence and 'understood' the 'situation' and the reason why Fan Lin was so hellbent of becoming powerful that he even went as far as to get a three word Battle Armor piece and had lost 70+ years of his lifespan.

'So that's how he was so rich.'

A realisation dawned to the Old man as if the pieces of the puzzles now set together and creating a full picture.

He solemnly said to Fan Lin and cut the call.

{Forget about it. Return to Shrek or another safe place as soon as you can, with your talent, Shrek would definitely help you if you ask for help.}

"Nah tell me about it? Why did you think that? Where did you hear that?"

Fan Lin asked again but his voice reached empty ears.

"He cut the call."

'How? Who? What the heck?'

'My body has that kind of origin?'

'That can't be true, right?

'The only reason why I can even cultivate is due to the gift from the God to begin with, otherwise I had close to zero soul power. Zero.'

"Must either be a rumour started by someone who hated the President of the Spirit Pagoda because even Shi Hun isn't that stupid."

Fan Lin didn't believe the statement because he knew about his body's past.

'Fan Lin' had two parents and a grandmother in the Silverlight town. All are dead though.

His parents died in a skirmish between two gangs and his grandmother died of an illness due to old age, all before Gloomy Forest came to possess his body.

And secondly, his new body was newly created as it didn't have any previous DNA signatures of anyone.

He is basically Adam. A freshly baked human by the hands of God himself.

Hence he can't be related to anyone in the whole world by his blood.

Fan Lin put aside his thoughts and sped past to the Shrek City.

Two hours later, the patrolling officer of the Shrek City stopped him from entering the city with a flying car and only let him go after he showed his Shrek's ID. On foot that is.

His flying soul car was apparently taken by the patrolling officers because flying soul cars in Shrek wasn't allowed.

'That must be why I never saw a single thing flying in Shrek Academy, except the birds of course.'

He will get the car two days later though.

[Trivia ---

Flying a soul car was one of the classes in the second academic year of grade 1.

Tang Wulin was the weird one to be able to proficiently use it in his first year.]

Fan Lin safely returned to Shrek and decided to earn some more money by doing some secondary profession jobs.

Because he did returned to Shrek but due to the holidays, everything was closed in the Outer Courtyard, the Dining Hall was closed, the training areas were closed, the teachers were also enjoying their happy times away from the students.

Presently, the Shrek was just a boarding house for the lonely and remaining students where the only active groups were the students. The students were too active to be more blunt.

Fan Lin went to his Designing association and put his job status as accepting.

By the night, he task tab was full of different jobs ranging from Purple Mecha soul circuit designs to two words Battle Armor designs.

Apparently, the Designing association of Shrek Academy didn't just catered to Shrek's students, it also had a wide variety of other customers and had joints connections with the Mecha Designing Associations of the rest of the world.

So Fan Lin never had a time where he lacked jobs, despite the fact that the Mecha Designer jobs were too saturated.

That statement only applied to the beginning of the Mecha Designer secondary profession. Afterwards, it was the same as other occupations.

It was still the most easiest occupation though.

"Exactly whom am I even giving my justification to?"

Fan Lin whispered while finishing the last batch of designs. If the customers liked it, they will later come with the product they want the design engraved upon and after doing the job, Fan Lin will be paid.

Fan Lin looked at the ceiling and smiled, his thoughts unknown.

26 days later.

Fan Lin stopped accepting new jobs and finished the old ones before leaving the Designing association.

Two days later was going to be the start of grade 2 and the Lecturer had a small job for him.

....

"You want me act as fighting dummy for the new students in the examinations tomorrow?"

Fan Lin said to the Lecturer.

"Yeah. We need to show the strength of the previous generation and you are the strongest in your grade."

"Don't wanna."

"Okay, listen Student Fan, you have spent your whole previous grade doing most of the things half heartedly and I won't say that it's wrong since you are clearly different than others but please. Please just one time take this job."

"Why are you begging me?"

"I am not begging you, I am requesting you."

"Why?"

"In terms of strength, you represent the grade 1 best. The upcoming test will be to showcase the strength of the previous generation while judging the strength of the new one."

"I still disagree. I am too overpowered for the little kids that will be coming."

The Lecturer looked at the emotionless face of Fan Lin and replied.

"You don't need to use your second soul skill, that should make you less overpowered for the new students."

"That's the only usable soul skill that I have though. Except that, I would have to just go and brawl with the new students. I am not a brawler. I am a mage."

"You have the physique rivaling Soul Saints, that is enough. You are taking part in the comprehensive battle test and we will give you a suitable price to compensate."

The Lecturer said and left the area without waiting for Fan Lin reply.

"Have I been silent for too long? Does everyone thinks they can toss me around wherever they want?"

"Let's see."

...

The next day.

"Today was the day of the entrance examinations of the Shrek Academy. Shrek Academy enrolls students every three years. Every region in the Federation are given quotas. These quotas are divided among the academies in each region. The quotas are for students to take the entrance exam for the Outer and Inner Courts."

"The Shrek Academy entrance exam had three requirements. First, examinees had to be sent by a major city. Second, examinees could be no more than fifteen years of age. Third, the soul power of an examinee had to be rank 25 at the very least."

"How much more time till the first group of students come? It's been an half an hour already."

Fan Lin said while looking towards the gate in his usual apathetic calm self.

Beside him, 9 other students talked among each other. They were discussing the best strategies to allow the new students to showcase their abilities to the fullest while fighting them.

It was a comprehensive battle assessment!

The students ignored Fan Lin as he was nonchalantly lying down on the floor while using his first soul skill to meditate. If someone saw him from afar, no one would say he was cultivating or taking his life seriously.

Despite his indifferent attitude, his classmates knew that he was cultivating. They all knew that the first and fourth soul abilities of Fan Lin were actually cultivation increments skills.

They knew it especially after Fan Lin asked for permission to use his first soul skill during classes to cultivate as he wasn't getting enough time due to his secondary profession.

It was also at that time they were introduced to the fact that the hateable Fan Lin who spammed his green spirit ring only had his green spirit ring as the usable ability.

His other abilities were passive. Three abilities of his were passive and two of which were even useless outside battle.

At that time, they felt just a tiny bit of pity which was completely gone when he defeated them using his second spirit ability the same day.

But it wasn't like Fan Lin was disliked by all. He had some fervent supporter in the form of his patrons.

But it wasn't like he was completely liked by all as well. He had some fervent haters who had secretly started the anti Lin group with its leader being the class President Yuanen Yehui.

This group only had a single motive, it was to get in Fan Lin's way whenever he did something that wasn't beneficial to the rest of the students or whenever he flaunted his wealth. Which was basically most of the time since Fan Lin talked once in a while and whenever he did, he always said some unlikable words like the others students are weak(true), they would be a bother to him(true) he didn't want to group with kids(true) and lastly he was rich (true)

This group was formed by the 14 children who were killed by Fan Lin in his ninth trial.

On that day when Fan Lin went into a Flashback.

Yuanen Yehui had made two partners and was able to change the mind of the other students about killing the lion cub with some pep talk and show of strength.

All 14 of them had decided to lay down the knife and be a good person.

Just as all the 14 students were going to ask about Fan Lin's decision on this matter and try to persuade him if he thought otherwise, Fan Lin killed all of them.

Without even considering or asking about the situation.

The fourteen students came back to their senses after their deaths and thought that maybe he was a greedy person and had lost to his greed and killed the beast.

It was later when they hear him say that he killed them because he thought the lion cub was cute, and that he had no thoughts of taking the life of the cub, the fourteen students had an extremely deep grudge in them.

They died without any chance of struggle and for a stupid reason as well.

After that, every single moment they saw Fan Lin talk, he always either showed his contempt (?) for them or flaunted his wealth. Be it when he said that he will create a battle armor himself or his three word Battle Armor piece.

All were things that made them jealous and angry of him. To them, he was like a snotty prince who was born with an gold adamantium spoon.

Later down the path, the fourteen of them decided to group together with Yuanen Yehui as the leader and started to openly oppose Fan Lin's snobbish complaints.

It was due to this group that Fan Lin was never even given a chance to be forgiven even though he did some really good acts like extravagantly paying his classmates for their work, never interfering in the matters of others, always finishing his job on time, provided free customised Mecha circuit designs for all his patrons and also the fact that he shared his points in all three terms.

Although his marks couldn't save some students at the end but it did save some of them.

Fan Lin knew about the Anti Lin group but he didn't care about them. Except for spreading rumours and talking behind his back, they could do nothing to him even if all of them were to attack him at the same time.

This however infuriated the rest of the classmates as a group of children can endure the sharp words in an argument but the fact that the person they were giving their all to anger wasn't even acknowledging their existence made them go full anger dime.

Meanwhile the Lecturer was silently observing the situation with a smile and adding fuel to the fire at times.

All in all, it was a great year for the Anti Lin group as most of them passed.

Why were we talking about this?

Because some unlucky students had picked Yuanen Yehui as their first choice.

Some minutes ago.

While the students were reminiscing about their grade 1, the first batch of students came.

All the grade 2 students(now they are grade 2) got in a straight line and Fan Lin was also among them.

The first batch of the students were arrogantly marching towards them as the examiner took them near the students.

"The eighth trial is a comprehensive battle. You will fight a current student of Shrek Academy. The available opponents are random, so your luck will also be a factor. Last ten minutes against your opponent to pass. Defeat them, and you will receive full points. Alternatively, marks between six and ten will be awarded based on your performance." The examiner continued.

"There will be ten opponents for you all to choose from, so it isn't just your strength being tested, but also your judgement. There are both strong and weak people hidden among the ten. Some may naturally restrain you, while others may be restrained by you. This means a large portion of your performance will be determined by your choice of opponent."

The examinees looked at the ten people and someone, without any thinking, chose Yuanen Yehui.

The result was a single handed beatdown as the 9 students from grade 2 and the examinees watched in silence how the Titan Ape Martial Soul destroyed the arrogant tiger martial soul student.

"Someone pick him up from the arena."

The examiner flatly said as Yuanen Yehui casually returned to his place.

Someone came and dragged the unconscious student from the fighting area as the rest of the students finally planned to choose seriously.

All the thirteen examinees chose their opponents. Some won and many lost but no one chose Fan Lin. No one. Mainly because in the eyes of the students, he was the most carefree student among all the grade 2 students.

It took an hour for all the fights to end and just when the 13 examinees were finished and taken by the Examiner.

Another 14 examinees came from the other side. It seemed like they had been waiting for them to finish the first batch of students.

Thirty minutes later.

This batch was easily downed as well and not a moment later, another batch came of examinees came.

This happened for five more times as afternoon was in its wake and Fan Lin had silent frustration in him.

His classmates were feeling tired by the repeated fights but he didn't know why, No one chose him.

Not just him, even his classmates didn't know why?

They all looked at him and Fan Lin didn't have the dashing and handsome face that others will feel pained about hurting.

He was completely looking harmless with dead eyes and an emotionless face.

'''Why is no one picking him(me)?"'

A thought that rang in the mind of everyone present.

One more hour later.

It was 2 in the afternoon and the grade 2 students fought their final batch of students.

And finally someone chose Fan Lin. Fan Lin was so bored and irritated at this point that he kneed her on the face and knocked her out in a sec.

His Soul Saint level physique wasn't a joke. Nor was his burst speed.

The whole room silently watched him retuned to his place as his classmates looked him with stares that was asking: what about the chance to showcase their skills? You knocked her out in a sec, she won't even get any points for that you psycho!!

Fan Lin ignored their gazes and looked straight ahead at the rest of the examinees. His dark green eyes that were devoid of emotions finally arousing fear in the examinees.

Soon the exams ended and they were all allowed to take a break.

"Are you stupid? Our duty was to test the students combat abilities not one shot them to show our might."

"It might be a simple brawl for you but her chances to attend Shrek depends on this, what if she failed due to your tactless actions."

Yuanen Yehui complained to Fan Lin as soon as their duties ended.

"Real life isn't fair."

Fan Lin replied to him.

"This isn't about real life. This was a test to check their combat experience and abilities. Not a real life and death fight! Don't mix them up."

Yuanen Yehui angrily said to him while the other classmates tried to calm him down.

"... then I will ask the teach to gave her some marks."

Fan Lin said and left.

"You! It because of reason like this that no one likes you!"

Yuanen Yehui screamed. Fan Lin stopped dead in his tracks and the students of grade 2 heartbeats increased due to fear.

"They don't need to."

Fan Lin smiled at them and left.

His smile creeped them to the bones though.

"Scary!"

"That guys is definitely plotting for something later on. Be on your toes guys."

"Yeah. This was the first time that I have seen him smile though. Wonder why he smiled though?"

"Who knows, let's leave." [Yuanen]

Yuanen Yehui, now calmed down after witnessing his smile, said and left with the rest of the students.