My classmates chose martial arts and fantasy, but I chose the prehistoric world.

"Only slightly better than him?"

Xiao Yan was somewhat disappointed.

He originally thought that Meng Chuan, having survived the primordial wilderness where death was almost certain, must be far superior to Shi Hao, who had returned from the demon realm.

The result was only slightly better?

That's impressive, but it feels like it's missing something... a sense of awe?

Luo Feng said speechlessly, "Don't you even consider that the mortality rate in the Demon Realm is over 95%, close to 100% in the Primordial World? Besides, do you think Shi Hao is weak?"

Xiao Yan was taken aback.

"That Shi Hao caused a great disturbance in the Sakura Kingdom half a year ago, set up the national protection formation, and escaped unscathed from the siege of more than a dozen Xuanxian. He even declared, 'Unless the Sakura Kingdom goes far away to seek the return of a Xianjing expert who has broken through to the next realm, no one can stop me.'"

Luo Feng looked at him and said, word by word, "An existence of this level could probably wipe us out with just a slight breath!"

Xiao Yan opened his mouth, wanting to say something in rebuttal, but found that he couldn't find the words at all.

Yes, someone of Shi Hao's caliber could wipe them out with a single breath...

Meng Chuan, who is slightly stronger than Shi Hao—

Xiao Yan's face turned deathly pale instantly.

He turned his head sharply to look at Meng Chuan, his eyes filled with a sense of fear and re-examination.

"Doesn't that mean... Meng Chuan could wipe us out with a single breath?"

The moment these words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent.

The surviving students in the class, along with the second-year high school students from other classes who were eavesdropping on the conversation, all turned to look at Meng Chuan.

That look was like looking at a ferocious beast in human skin!

Then, they tacitly took a few steps back in unison.

Even Chen Beixuan, who had been gloomy and immersed in the pain of "missing the era," was startled back to his senses by these words.

He glanced at Luo Feng, then at Meng Chuan, his expression changed, and then—he also took a few steps back.

Although he was proud and arrogant, he wasn't stupid!

His cultivation level is not weak, so he might not be able to be killed by Meng Chuan's breath, but he will definitely be seriously injured even if he doesn't die!

After all, he was only a Celestial Immortal, and above the Celestial Immortal were the True Immortal, the Mysterious Immortal, and then the Golden Immortal!

Meng Chuan looked at the large empty space around him and couldn't help but laugh and cry.

"Are you sure you want to go this far?"

"As for it!"

Xiao Yan hid behind Luo Feng, only his head peeking out, and said righteously, "This is a matter of life and death, it's always better to be cautious!"

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the playground.

"Holy crap! Look at the trending topics!"

What's wrong with trending topics?

"Meng Chuan! Meng Chuan is trending! No, the entire No. 2 High School is trending!"

"What? What?"

Except for a group of students who had just returned and didn't have phones, everyone else took out their phones and opened various social media platforms.

On the trending topics list, a row of bright red "Explosive" characters is shockingly prominent.

#The first primordial being to return to Earth's history#

#That man has returned from the primordial era#

#How strong do you think he is? How does he compare to Shi Hao?#

#I was there, and I heard him tell his classmates that he was a little bit better than Shi Hao#

#Yuncheng No.2 Middle School#

#Golden Teleportation Beam Brings People Back#

……

One after another, they practically dominated the top ten spots on the entire trending topics list!

Clicking on any of these posts reveals an uproar in the comments section:

"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! The Primordial Era?! That Primordial Era with a 100% mortality rate?! Someone came back alive?!"

"Really? Is this just a publicity stunt? A place where no one has survived for eight hundred years, and you just say you're coming back?"

"Upstairs, there's video footage! A golden beam of light! It's real! My relative was there and saw it with their own eyes!"

"Slightly stronger than Shi Hao?? Shi Hao has the combat power of an early-stage Golden Immortal!! If someone is slightly stronger than him, then they must be at least a mid-stage Golden Immortal??"

"I can't even imagine it, I absolutely can't think about it!"

"Yuncheng No. 2 High School! I remember a news story last year about a student from Yuncheng No. 2 High School who chose the 'prehistoric era' as his inspiration, which even trended on social media and was ridiculed for a long time... and he actually came back alive?!"

"I saw that news too! At the time, the comments section was full of people criticizing him for being reckless, selfish, and letting his parents down... Looking back now, I realize I was the clown myself?!"

"My mom asked me why I was kneeling while looking at my phone..."

"I don't believe it! Unless he demonstrates making a black hole by hand right here and now!"

……

Parents on the sidelines of the playground looked at their phone screens and couldn't help but chatter amongst themselves.

Hearing their discussion, all the students on the playground turned to look at Meng Chuan.

That look in his eyes was even more complicated than before.

Meanwhile, at Yuncheng No.1 Middle School.

The return ceremony on the playground was not over yet. Parents were still waiting for their children to come out of the playground, and reporters were preparing to interview the few prodigies who had returned from the world of immortals.

Everything was in good order, just like in previous years.

Then, someone shouted:

"Holy crap! Our No. 2 High School has produced someone who's practically returned from the brink of madness! It's trending on social media!"

The entire playground fell silent instantly.

The reporters paused for two seconds, then all looked down at their phones.

A few seconds later—

"Hurry! Hurry! Let's go to No. 2 Middle School!"

"Bring your equipment! Don't forget anything!"

"Where's the car? Where did you park it?"

"Forget about the car! Run! Run!"

A group of reporters carrying cameras and microphones scattered like a startled swarm of bees, rushing headlong toward the Second Middle School.

Those who remained were a group of parents, students, teachers, and school leaders looking at each other in bewilderment.

The principal of No. 1 Middle School stood on the podium, holding a microphone in his hand. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, it only turned into a complex sigh.

He glanced in the direction of No. 2 Middle School, his gaze carrying an indescribable meaning.

The school that was publicly criticized and used as a negative example last year has produced a student who has returned from the brink of disaster.

And their No. 1 High School, a school that consistently produces the top students in the city and is teeming with geniuses, was abandoned by the reporters today!

……

The Great Xia Dynasty, its capital.

In a windowless conference room, a dozen people sat on either side of a long table.

The large screen on the wall is playing live footage of the playground at Yuncheng No. 2 Middle School.

The image freezes on the tall, upright boy wearing a gray cloth robe.

"Is it confirmed?"

The elderly man in the Zhongshan suit, sitting in the main seat, spoke in a calm voice, revealing no emotion.

"Confirmed."

A middle-aged man who looked like a technician replied, "Our people were there. They saw the golden pillar of light descend and saw the student named Meng Chuan walk out of it. His identity has been verified; he is the same Meng Chuan who chose the Primordial World last year."

There was a few seconds of silence in the conference room.

"What about his abilities? Has there been a preliminary assessment?"

The elderly man in the Zhongshan suit asked again.

The technician shook his head: "Our people haven't arrived yet... but according to the information transmitted from the scene, he didn't exude any aura when he returned; he looked just like an ordinary person."

"Ordinary people?"

Another middle-aged man in military uniform sneered, "Having returned alive from the primordial era, he wouldn't be an ordinary person, would he? The more so, the more it proves his strength is unfathomable!"

"agree."

An elderly man in a Taoist robe slowly spoke, "True strength lies in returning to simplicity! Furthermore, he admitted that he was slightly stronger than Shi Hao… probably at least a mid-stage Golden Immortal, or even possibly a late-stage Golden Immortal!"

"The problem now is, how do we make contact with him?"

The elderly man in the Zhongshan suit tapped on the table. "He is a citizen of Great Xia, so theoretically we should prioritize establishing contact with him. But he just returned from the prehistoric world, and his mindset and attitude towards Great Xia are all unknown."

"If I make contact rashly, what if it offends him..."

"Then let's not contact each other for now."

The middle-aged man in military uniform interrupted him, "Send people to secretly protect his family and improve their lives, but don't disturb him. Wait until he contacts us on his own, or until we understand his situation better, before making a decision."

"agree."

I second that.

"That's settled then."

The elderly man in the Zhongshan suit summarized, "In addition, we must closely monitor international reactions. The news of the return of the Primordial One cannot be kept secret. Other countries, especially the United States and the United Kingdom, will certainly not stand idly by."

He paused, his gaze sharpening: "Be prepared!"