Hu Zhou pursed his lips, unbothered. He was used to it by now.
After her victory, Gao Junyu, still eager, glanced around, clearly itching for another round.
Seeing his parents and master at the edge of the plaza, Hu Zhou leapt to their side, scratching his head sheepishly. “I lost. Couldn’t beat her.”
Gao Xiu laughed heartily. “You’ve only been cultivating for so long. Losing is normal. Winning would be strange. Wouldn’t that mean my daughter, trained for over a decade, is less than what your master and father taught you in a year?”
Everyone chuckled. Hu Zhou understood the logic but said, “It’s my poor aptitude. My master’s only been cultivating for two years, yet he’s far stronger than me.”
“Hm?”
All eyes turned to Lu Zheng.
“Brother Lu’s only been cultivating for two years?” Hu Yijun asked, surprised.
He hadn’t known Lu Zheng’s cultivation history, assuming it was at least a decade to reach his current level.
After all, when they met, Lu Zheng had already mastered qi refinement, practiced martial arts, and wielded flying sword techniques. He didn’t seem like a novice.
Hu Zhou, having spent much time with Lu Zheng, had overheard him and Liu Qingyan discuss such matters casually. Back at Dingfeng Mountain, he hadn’t mentioned it, so Hu Yijun was unaware.
It was Gao Xiu’s comment that prompted Hu Zhou to blurt it out, revealing Lu Zheng’s prodigious talent.
Lu Zheng smiled humbly. “I’ve only recently joined my sect. Fortunately, I’m suited to cultivating qi, and thanks to Brother Hu’s jade essence pills, my progress has been swift.”
His cultivation time wasn’t a secret. Anyone curious could find out easily, so there was no need to hide it.
He stayed quiet to remain low-key. Did he need to announce his genius to everyone?
Gao Xiu and Wang Muran looked at Lu Zheng with astonishment.
Young, with strong cultivation, he was already a rare talent among the new generation. But only two years of cultivation?
That wasn’t just rare, it was top-tier.
Barring accidents, in a century, Lu Zheng would surely be among Baiyun Temple’s revered elders.
Previously, they valued him for his status and demeanor. Now, his strength and potential added to his worth.
Wang Muran felt a twinge of envy. He’d used far more resources than Lu Zheng, yet after decades, his cultivation barely reached a century’s worth.
Cultivation was truly mysterious.
“Remarkable, remarkable!” Hu Yijun laughed loudly. “Excellent, excellent!”
Lu Zheng patted Hu Zhou’s shoulder. “Don’t sell yourself short. Since returning to Dingfeng Mountain, your strength has at least doubled. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have lasted so long against Miss Gao. Brother Hu’s guidance is truly effective.”
Lu Zheng could see Hu Zhou’s strength was now close to Yuan Jing’s.
Hu Zhou scratched his head, grinning. “Mainly because I’ve eaten a lot of spirit pills and fruits. Still digesting them.”
Lu Zheng was speechless.
Gao Junyu joined them, overhearing the conversation.
She had initially dismissed Lu Zheng’s cultivation, though his generous gift earned her gratitude and respect. Still, his modest cultivation was a fact, wasn’t it?
Now, learning he’d only cultivated for two years, she couldn’t hide her shock, but it also sparked her competitive spirit.
“Master Lu…” Gao Junyu gripped her spear, eyes gleaming. “Um…”
Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow, smiling. “Want to spar with me?”
Gao Junyu blinked, silent.
Wang Muran frowned. Though Lu Zheng’s cultivation wasn’t weak, two years was short. Losing to Gao Junyu, as an elder, might be embarrassing.
Hu Yijun and Gao Xiu said nothing. As demons, they cared little for such niceties. Sparring was sparring. Status, friendship, and strength were separate. Friends weren’t judged by gain.
Lu Zheng’s cultivation was far below theirs, yet he treated them as equals, composed and at ease.
Hu Zhou, however, had faith in Lu Zheng. Constantly losing to Gao Junyu, he hoped his master could curb her arrogance.
Seeing Gao Junyu’s pure, eager gaze, Lu Zheng nodded, smiling. “Alright. Just martial arts, or anything goes?”
Gao Junyu’s brows lifted, her face lighting up. “Anything goes!”
Lu Zheng was a Baiyun Temple Taoist, with martial arts as a side practice. How could she limit him to martial skills?
That would be unfair.
“Is that so…”
Lu Zheng rubbed his chin. In pure martial arts, he might not best Gao Junyu. His current martial skills, “Mountain-Bearing Eighteen Forms” and “Tiger Roar Blade,” weren’t advanced.
He considered boosting his Tiger Roar Blade experience temporarily.
But if anything was allowed…
Lu Zheng began weighing what to reveal and what to conceal.
Gao Junyu leapt back to the plaza.
Lu Zheng followed, tapping his gourd. A Xiuchun blade extended with the wind, landing in his hand.
“Jade Seal, enhance!”
A hum resonated.
Lu Zheng brandished his blade, laughing. “Come!”
Gao Junyu’s eyes narrowed. With a sweep of her spear, a thousand shadows danced like a dragon’s claw, striking swiftly.
“Well done!”
Lu Zheng unleashed a mountain-cleaving strike, a tiger’s roar echoing in the air. The tiger’s might merged with his blade’s wind, clashing with Gao Junyu’s spear.
Unlike Hu Zhou’s evasive tactics, Lu Zheng was superior, meeting Gao Junyu head-on without dodging.
His Xiuchun blade grazed past the dragon-coiled spear, pressing close, limiting Gao Junyu’s full strength.
The elders watched from above.
Gao Xiu remarked, “Young Master Lu’s blade technique has reached mastery. And this is just a side practice?”
Hu Zhou nodded eagerly. “A side practice. Master said his martial skills are his weakest. He taught me martial arts because other paths like cultivation and swordsmanship were already claimed, and my temperament suits martial arts.”
“Indeed,” Gao Xiu nodded. “His blade technique isn’t even as good as the one you used.”
At Dingfeng Mountain, Hu Yijun hadn’t held back, teaching Hu Zhou superior cultivation methods and stronger martial secrets, surpassing “Tiger Roar Blade.”
Yet Lu Zheng, using only “Tiger Roar Blade,” matched Gao Junyu blow for blow.
“Master Lu, watch out!”
Unable to dominate with technique or aura, Gao Junyu got serious.
“Roar!”
A bellow, and Lu Zheng seemed to see a raging black bear.
Gao Junyu gripped her spear with both hands, slashing down. The spearhead cut like ice, a chilling wind threatening to cleave all.
Lu Zheng had no interest in wrestling a bear, but…
He tested the ground. The plaza’s surface was enchanted with seals, hard and thick, blocking his earth-travel technique.
So…
“Golden Palace Heart Sword, strike!”
A true spirit attack dazed Gao Junyu briefly.
“Wind rise!”
A gust surged, scattering Gao Junyu’s spear momentum and bear aura.
Lu Zheng’s blade deflected the weakened spear, closing in. His palm pressed lightly against Gao Junyu.
“Supreme Infinity, Three Purities’ decree, hold!”
The fight ended.
KO!
