“No need to worry about Hua Nongying,” Ling Xiao said with a smile. “But thanks for the heads-up.”
As he’d always believed, anyone he’d beaten before could never catch up to him, let alone defeat him again.
Now a Seventh-Tier Martial Vein Martial Master, he’d been through enough to understand how terrifying his Mountain River Martial Soul was.
Without that confidence, how could he talk of transcending the mortal realm?
He wasn’t using his realm template anymore, news of his Seventh-Tier breakthrough had already spread through Hidden Dragon Camp, so masking it was pointless.
But realm was one thing, strength another. If anyone saw him as just an average Seventh-Tier starter, they’d be in for a rude awakening.
As the three chatted, three ninja clan teens with headbands strolled into Hidden Dragon Camp.
General September trailed them, guiding and keeping an eye out.
This was Hidden Dragon Camp, after all, they couldn’t let Sky Endurance Academy folks run wild.
“Sky Endurance geniuses are here, we’re screwed, another crushing defeat?”
Sky Endurance disciples wore headbands, instantly recognizable to Hidden Dragon Camp’s talents.
Those who knew last sparring’s score looked grim.
Hidden Dragon Camp wasn’t exactly a tight-knit crew, but against outsiders, they’d band together.
The three teen geniuses, one slightly chubby, one perpetually lazy-looking, and a lively girl.
“Heard Dai Yuling joined the Twelve Tiger Guards. Wonder who’s left to face us? Bet we sweep all three matches this time,” the girl said excitedly.
“Hidden Dragon Camp’s no threat. The real fight’s among us at Sky Endurance, who’ll catch Master White Cloud’s eye?” the lazy boy said, hands behind his head. “Master White Cloud, strongest in White Cloud Province, outranks Governor Wan Ben and General Lin Ze. But he travels, only returns every three years to take personal disciples.”
“If only he’d pick me,” the chubby kid mumbled, munching snacks.
“Don’t worry, Master White Cloud’s not human, so he doesn’t care about race, just talent. Bet he’ll pick from our academy again,” the lazy boy grinned. “He’s already got two personal disciples, both ninja clan geniuses, Zuo Leng and Ming Tian. Ming Tian travels with him, but Zuo Leng stays at Sky Endurance. Stronger than Senior Fish-Flight, I heard he killed a Ninth-Tier Martial Master at Eighth-Tier.”
“I heard that too!” the lively girl chimed in.
“Ming Tian clearly looks down on Hidden Dragon Camp, never bothers with these spars, or Dai Yuling wouldn’t have a chance,” the lazy boy sneered at the watching Hidden Dragon disciples, raising his voice on purpose.
“Outrageous, who dares mouth off in our camp!”
A figure darted out, Hua Nongying, Hidden Dragon Camp’s deputy commander.
“This is who Hidden Dragon Camp sends to spar? Heh, mid Seventh-Tier Martial Master, decent realm, but his aura’s too shaky, foundation’s weak. I’d beat him in one move,” the lazy boy said, eyeing Hua Nongying with a faint smile.
“Don’t steal my fun, let me take him,” the lively girl giggled. “I wanna test Hidden Dragon Camp’s skills.”
“Fine, you just hit mid Seventh-Tier, but more than enough for him,” the lazy boy nodded.
They spoke as if Hua Nongying wasn’t even there.
Hua Nongying, a mole planted by Wan Ben, had planned to throw the fight.
But their words lit a spark in him, he figured he’d give them a quick lesson before faking his loss.
His slender sword flicked, a rose-colored whirlwind tore at the ground, lunging at the lively girl.
The earth split under the gust.
Clearly, while his realm hadn’t advanced, his sword move’s power had spiked, stronger than when he faced Ling Xiao.
A typical Seventh-Tier Martial Master wouldn’t dare shrug off this blow, one misstep could mean death.
Yet the lively girl just smiled, casually swatting her hand.
A faint cyan ripple bloomed from her palm, swelling into a beast’s head, like a boar with twin tusks.
Unimpressive-looking, but the True Essence beast head shredded Hua Nongying’s sword move with ease.
It didn’t stop, charging forward, slamming into Hua Nongying.
“Crap!”
Boom!
Hua Nongying saw it coming too late to dodge, the beast head hit square, sending him flying with a thud, knocking over seven or eight spectators behind him.
General September, watching nearby, looked dark as thunder.
As a Tiger Guard overseeing Hidden Dragon Camp, seeing the deputy commander downed in one hit sank his heart.
Just weeks ago, it took Ling Xiao fifty moves to beat Hua Nongying.
Was this girl stronger than Ling Xiao? Who could stop her?
And by his read, she was the weakest of Sky Endurance’s trio.
“Damn, Sky Endurance is too strong, Commander Hua got dropped in one move.”
“We’re done, total humiliation. Dai Yuling used to hold it down, now, ugh, it’s over.”
The watching Hidden Dragon Camp geniuses shook their heads, some feeling inferior, even toying with defection.
Talented teens naturally gravitated to better prospects, their loyalty to Lin Ze was shaky at best.
The fight caught Ling Xiao’s attention, he was heading over.
In the crowd, Hua Nongying leaped up, wiping blood from his mouth, and said coldly, “I went easy, didn’t think you’d play for keeps!”
As he spoke, denser True Essence swirled around his slender sword, he was burning it now.
Claiming he held back wasn’t a stretch, his last move hadn’t used burning True Essence.
“Heh, bring it on then,” the lively girl said with a smile, unfazed, as if Hua Nongying was nothing to her.
“Fine, Flower Sword: Crimson Storm!”
Hua Nongying might be a mole, but he was still their senior. Their taunts stoked his fire, worst case, he’d school this girl and explain to the Governor later.
This time, his slender sword unleashed an even fiercer move.
