The ten single rooms, representing the ten captains, didn’t differ too greatly in strength, though there were certainly some gaps.
To better motivate these individuals to improve, the treatment between the ten single rooms also varied slightly.
Of course, the difference wasn’t as vast as between the three tiers.
From the tenth to the first, it was a gradual progression.
Zhang Yuan, a peak Sixth Level Martial Vein martial artist, was on par with the ten captains in terms of cultivation. He came from a town similar to Tianfeng City, where he was considered the top genius.
A certain arrogance was inevitable.
Even so, he didn’t dare carelessly challenge the higher-ranked captains and instead chose the weakest, the tenth captain.
Of course, in his words, this was a “test of his sword.” If he succeeded, he’d move on to challenge those ranked higher.
“You want to challenge me?”
The door to the single room opened, and a man and a woman stepped out.
The man was the tenth captain, Yin Ran, and the woman was his maid.
These maids were carefully selected by the General’s Mansion, possessing decent strength and unwavering loyalty.
Yin Ran was a tall, thin man, so frail-looking that it seemed a gust of wind might blow him away.
His face was pale and bloodless, devoid of any smile, and he coughed incessantly, appearing as though he were terminally ill.
Seeing this, Zhang Yuan relaxed inwardly and smiled, “I’m Zhang Yuan, a new disciple of the Hidden Dragon Camp, here to seek your guidance.”
Zhang Yuan lacked Ling Xiao’s discerning eye, so to him, Yin Ran was just a sickly weakling.
But Ling Xiao could see that Yin Ran’s strength was terrifying, no less than Lin Chen’s, and he likely possessed a broken martial soul.
His frail appearance was probably tied to that broken martial soul, not a genuine illness.
Through the surface, Ling Xiao could tell that this man’s vitality was extraordinarily robust, showing no signs of decline.
“Guidance? No need to be so polite. Make your move. If you win, this room and this maid are yours!”
Yin Ran put on a pair of gloves mid-cough.
Clearly, they weren’t ordinary gloves—likely woven from precious materials like celestial silk. When paired with Gang Qi, their toughness rivalled blades.
“Very well!”
Ling Xiao was challenging Yin Ran for the room, the maid, better treatment, and a better instructor.
Since Yin Ran was so straightforward, there was no need for further talk.
Zhang Yuan’s figure suddenly blurred, his longsword quivering as he unleashed a stunning sword technique.
Nine Swords of Flowing Clouds!
His swordsmanship was a top-tier basic martial art, as was his movement technique.
And both had been cultivated to perfection.
No wonder he dared challenge a captain-level martial artist—his strength was undeniably impressive.
In Tianfeng City, aside from Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue, no one could suppress him with such power.
Yin Ran merely glanced at him, his expression unchanging, before lightly striking out with a palm.
Bone-Dissolving Soft Palm!
His palm technique was peculiar—seemingly gentle and powerless, yet wherever the palm wind passed, it carried an aura of death.
A stray leaf fell into the path of the palm wind and instantly rotted away.
It was also a top-tier basic martial art, also perfected, but Yin Ran’s mastery of the technique clearly surpassed Zhang Yuan’s.
This palm struck precisely at the weakest point of Zhang Yuan’s swordplay.
“Clang!”
“Boom!”
When top-tier martial arts of the same level clashed, Zhang Yuan’s face paled as he hurriedly retreated. Even so, his sword-wielding right hand trembled uncontrollably, nearly dropping the blade.
Not only that, but part of his sleeve had visibly corroded.
Shock!
Fear!
It was hard to pinpoint Zhang Yuan’s emotions. For martial arts of the same level to produce such a vast gap in power, it could only mean an enormous disparity in their technical skill.
Ling Xiao’s eyes lit up from the sidelines.
Without his Mountain and River Martial Soul, Yin Ran could still pinpoint his opponent’s flaws. This man was truly formidable.
Bone-Dissolving Yin Wind!
Yin Ran gave Zhang Yuan no time to process his shock. After landing one move, the second followed immediately.
It was still the Bone-Dissolving Soft Palm, but the technique had shifted slightly. The palm wind grew even more sinister, and through his hands, faint traces of black Gang Qi could be seen surging.
This aura sent a chill through the watching martial artists.
Some even began to hallucinate, hearing ghostly wails and howls in their ears.
Ninefold Sword Intent!
Break for me!
Zhang Yuan had no time to dodge. Instead of retreating, he advanced, raising his sword intent to ninety percent. The mental pressure from the Bone-Dissolving Soft Palm vanished instantly.
He thrust his sword forward, aiming to turn the tide.
Yin Wind Step!
But Yin Ran seemed to have anticipated this move. His figure suddenly vanished, reappearing behind Zhang Yuan.
Blood-Dissolving Blast!
A more terrifying technique erupted. Yin Ran’s right hand was enveloped in a blood-red glow, within which a faint skull could be glimpsed.
The horrifying aura spread, startling many onlookers into stepping back.
This shuffle left Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue, who had been at the back of the crowd, now standing at the front.
“Good grief, this Blood-Dissolving Blast must be a killing move derived from the Bone-Dissolving Soft Palm.”
“Ugh, no surprise there. The ten captains are all monsters—their talent and comprehension are terrifying!”
“This palm—no one here could block it.”
“Don’t forget, Yin Ran hasn’t even used his Yin Spirit Broken Soul yet.”
At the mention of Yin Ran’s broken soul, everyone’s expressions shifted.
From his fighting style, it was clear that Yin Ran specialised in sinister martial techniques.
Martial arts had no inherent good or evil. If used for righteous purposes, such techniques were upright; if twisted for nefarious ends, they became wicked.
This was why Yin Ran hadn’t been expelled from the Hidden Dragon Camp.
“This palm—Zhang Yuan can’t block it!”
Ling Xiao sighed.
Now he understood why, with so many dorm disciples, only Zhang Yuan had recklessly challenged a captain-level martial artist.
The longer one stayed in the Hidden Dragon Camp, the more they’d grasp how terrifying the ten captains were.
Zhang Yuan, being new and only here for three days, didn’t know this. He had the fearless bravado of a newborn calf unafraid of tigers.
But bravado was one thing—strength was another.
It was normal for a newborn calf to be eaten by a tiger.
Tenfold Sword Intent!
Flowing Cloud Burial!
In this critical moment, Zhang Yuan unleashed his full potential.
Tenfold sword intent, nearing a one-percent broken soul.
Flowing Cloud Burial—the strongest move in the Nine Swords of Flowing Clouds.
This strike seemed poised to pierce the heavens.
The terrifying sword intent gathered on his blade, forcing the surrounding disciples to retreat a few more steps.
Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue’s positions became even more prominent, standing out awkwardly.
Boom!
The sword tip met the palm.
The two clashed head-on once more.
In that instant, Ling Xiao noticed something eerie appear behind Yin Ran for a fleeting moment before vanishing.
When it emerged, Yin Ran’s attack surged in power.
It resembled a cloaked skeleton, its eyes glowing red, clutching a book—an utterly malevolent sight.
That must be Yin Ran’s broken martial soul—the Yin Spirit Broken Soul.
Amid the massive explosion, a deep crater was blasted into the ground.
