"Situ Zhan Ye, I challenge you to a duel!"
In the northern part of Yaowang City, at Feixue Martial Academy, a young boy's angry roar echoed like thunder, stunning the whole academy.
Feixue Martial Academy did not prohibit duels. As long as both parties agreed and no one was killed, the academy would not interfere. The academy had seen several duels erupt over the past couple of years. However, this time it was different.
In past duels, all were a show of displaying bravado between arrogant young masters, vying for attention. But this time, it was the first challenge from a martial practitioner of a humble background against a martial practitioner from a noble family.
From ancient times, the poor do not contest with the rich, nor do the commoners challenge the officials!
On the Divine Soul Continent, the distinction between martial practitioners from humble backgrounds and those from noble families was as vast as heaven and earth!
When numerous people heard this news, their first reaction was to wonder if Xiao Lang had lost his mind, perhaps kicked too hard by his donkey?
Let's not even mention Xiao Lang's strength as a Warrior. He was no match for Situ Zhan Ye, a Master Fighter. Even if you won against him through despicable means and vented your anger, could you still mix within the Academy afterward? Though Situ Zhan Ye was not the legitimate master of the Situ family, the two words – Situ, in Yaowang City, represented a certain power!
When the cause of this event spread, countless martial practitioners from humble backgrounds started to feel sorry for Xiao Lang and, of course, they also became more interested in this inexplicable duel.
The duel between the two, started over a woman, the first beauty of the academy, Bu Xiao Man, the young lady of the Bu family.
After being injured by a third-level mystical beast during a training excursion to the Devil Mountain, Bu Xiao Man, who has been resting for half a month, visited the academy on the first day and seemed to lose her mind.
She, who usually did not give men a single glance, blocked Xiao Lang at the entrance of the academy in front of everyone in the morning. She even let the people from the Bu family openly collect Xiao Lang's information?
Bu Xiao Man and the eldest master of the Situ family, Situ Zhan Tian, were already engaged, which is well-known in Yaowang City.
Bu Xiao Man's actions undoubtedly slapped a loud slap in the face of Situ Zhan Tian. Although Situ Zhan Tian was still training on Devil Mountain, the people of the Situ family were not to be trifled with.
Therefore, Situ Zhan Tian's clan brother, Situ Zhan Ye, boldly stepped forward. He did not dare to provoke Bu Xiao Man, thus Xiao Lang, being a martial practitioner from a humble background, naturally became the target for him to vent his anger...
After enduring a barrage of provocations from Situ Zhanye, which culminated in crude insults towards his female relatives, Xiaolang, who had only been in the martial arts academy for half a year and had always maintained a good-citizen appearance, finally couldn't help but slam his hand on the table and roar in rage.
"Miss, they've gone to the small grove!"
Bu Xiaoqi, a somewhat anxious member of the Bu family, tugged at the beautiful, blooming Bu Xiaoman who was sitting in the study. In truth, Bu Xiaoqi, another distant relative of the Bu family, suspected—could Bu Xiaoman's mind have been broken on Demon Mountain? Otherwise, she would never have done something so absurdly unrestrained today.
If Xiaolang were to become crippled today, it wouldn't be a big deal. However, if word spread about this event, the Situ family wouldn't care, but the Bu family would be shamed. Rumors can kill!
"Stop everyone from spectating and causing a commotion, I'll...I'll go check in a bit!"
Bu Xiaoman sat quietly in her white attire, looking like a budding lily. She lifted her eyelids and softly issued an order. She did not move, but in her beautiful eyes, which made countless young hearts in the academy flutter, a hint of amusement flashed.
The young Miss Bu had spoken, so the many eager-to-watch young boys and girls could only awkwardly gather outside the grove, awaiting the triumphant emergence of Situ ZhanYe, or for Xiaolang to crawl out covered in blood.
"Kid, some women...aren't for the likes of you to...touch!"
Inside the academy’s small grove, Situ ZhanYe, dressed in brocade, a menacing smile on his face, scorned Xiaolang, who was cloaked in an inferior warrior's outfit and could be considered at best, unremarkable. He felt particularly manly today and believed that once he left the grove, countless women would scream for him.
Xiaolang looked about sixteen years old, of average height, standing around 5 foot and 9 inches. His body under his black warrior suit was well proportioned. His features were plain, the kind that would not be given a second glance in a crowd.
"Could it be that no one followed?"
When he entered the grove, to his surprise, there wasn't a hint of anger in him. Instead, he glanced around the grove twice and upon confirming that nobody was watching, a cryptic smile suddenly curved up on his lips.
Just merely a smile, his otherwise average face took a stunningly dangerous turn.
In one word, bewitching!
His aura was now filled with enchanting charm!
It's hard to imagine, but a person's face can actually change dramatically because of a certain curvature, and his aura totally changes!
Situzhan Ye was initially annoyed when Xiaolang didn't pay attention to him. But now, seeing this enchanting face, he was a bit confused. Is this a change of faces? How could a person's aura change so quickly and so dramatically?
Then he felt a sudden burst of intimidating aura from Xiaolang that made his heart tremble. His face instantly changed!
He had felt this kind of aura in many people in his family. However, they were all experienced fighters, stained with countless blood. This aura is called murderous intent, a quality that is absolutely impossible to occur in a sixteen-year-old teenager!
The next second!
Situzhan Ye had no time to ponder over these things, because Xiaolang started to move, rushing at him like a tiger, a punch in his eyes rapidly magnified.
This is absolutely not a middle-rank fighter!
Situzhan Ye's eyes were full of terror. As a member of a venerable family, although he was not the best among his generation, he still had a good insight. The speed of Xiaolang, and the enormous power contained in that punch that broke through the air, were things he admitted he could never accomplish as an early stage war master.
"Hyah!"
Although Situzhan Ye knew he was doomed, he instinctively threw a punch to block Xiaolang!
"Boom!"
The two fists collided, but the scenario was quite different, Xiaolang was unmoved, while Situzhan Ye was thrown backward. If it weren't for the huge old tree a few meters behind him, he believed he would have ended up in a dog-eating-dung position.
The power of forty tigers!
His fingers were burning with pain, Situzhan Ye realized his right hand was temporarily disabled, and he was clearer that Xiaolang's punch held the power equivalent to forty tigers. In other words, Xiaolang's strength was not of a middle-ranking fighter, but... a middle-ranking war master!
The levels of fighters in the God-soul continent are explicit and exceedingly clear. A first-level fighter, practicing to the peak, has the power of one tiger. A second-level fighter has the power of one to ten tigers, and as for war masters where Situzhan Ye stands, they possess the power from ten to a hundred tigers.
Situo Zhenye has the strength equivalent to twenty tigers, but during a recent test at the academy, Xiaolang, who only has the strength of a few tigers, suddenly exploded with a power of forty tigers. He was defeated in a single move!
A martial artist from a lowly family can actually progress faster than the genius martial artist of a prominent family!
"It can't be, it just can't be..."
Situo Zhenye was a bit dumbfounded. He knew very well that reaching this stage today was thanks to his family, which had invested a great deal of resources into his cultivation. How could Xiaolang, a martial artist from a lowly family, cultivate so quickly?
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
While Situo Zhenye's mind was in chaos, Xiaolang moved again, waving his left hand casually. Then three sonic booms resounded, completely scaring Situo Zhenye silly.
"Drip, Drip!"
The look of confusion on Situo Zhenye's face disappeared, replaced by a face full of fear, completely pale. Underneath his expensive gown, drops of a yellow liquid with a peculiar odor were continuously dripping.
He had been scared to the point of wetting his pants...
Situo Zhenye's eyes widened in disbelief, staring at the two flying daggers that brushed past his ears and directly entered the old tree, and a third one that nearly castrated him. He felt an urge to cry.
This was no fun, he didn't want to play anymore. He couldn't mess around with this kind of madman...
"Situo Zhenye, a collateral member of the Situo family. Your father manages the Situo family's weapon shop, and you have a younger brother, six years old. Your family lives at number sixty-eight in the south alley next to the Situo Mansion! Is this information correct, Young Master Situo?"
A cold voice echoed, pulling Situo Zhenye's thoughts back by the hand that was lightly slapping his face. His head sways as he looks at the enchanting and imposing face before him, his heart filled with even more fear.
Xiaolang had thoroughly investigated his background!
He swallowed, nodding vigorously while his voice trembled, "Xiaolang, Young Master Xiao, I was wrong, don't kill me. I swear to the heavens that I won't mess with you again..."
Slap! Slap! Slap!
Shaolong repeatedly smacked Situ Zhanyue’s face. Upon looking at this abscess-like young master, his heart flashed a hint of disgust, and the strong killing intention in his eyes subtly vanished. He sneered and said,
"Don't call me young master. I'm but a lowly commoner with an insignificant life. I’m unworthy of such appellation. A paragon like Buxiaoman, I indeed cannot touch, and I’m not interested in it. Listen carefully—I just want to quietly cultivate at Wuyuan and get an approval letter from them. I don't want to cause trouble and I have no intention to oppose the Situ family either, but if you dare to pester me in the future, or let your Situ family revenge on me, I can assure you that as long as you can't kill me, I will… annihilate your entire family, understand?”
"Understood, understood, understood!"
Situ Zhanyue nodded vigorously like a pecking chicken. He exceedingly believed that the young man in front of him, who was about the same age as him, would do as he said. Because he had seen this kind of look in the eyes of the Situ family head. It was the eyes of someone determined to kill, treating human lives like grass!
"That's good. You be your young master, and I live my life. Isn't it good for everyone to mind their own business? It's quite boring to fight and kill for a woman, isn't it?"
Shaolong laughed again, his face filled with wickedness. He easily pulled out the three throwing knives from the ancient tree and tucked them into his wide sleeves.
"Brother Xiao is right, absolutely right!"
Situ Zhanyue giggled along, though his laugh was more distressing than crying. He glanced at Shaolong’s wide sleeves and flinched again, for he saw Shaolong's wrist tied with a small crossbow, the bolt on it shone faintly, apparently soaked in poison. Who's this guy? An assassin from the underground world?
Suddenly--
Before Situ Zhanyue had time to express his astonishment, Shaolong shaped his hand into a claw, grabbed his fist and pulled towards his chest. As soon as Situ Zhanyue made contact with his body, he flung backwards more than two meters, crashing onto the ground. Crying out in horror and pain: “Ah, Young Master Situ, stop hitting me! I promise I will never approach Miss Bu again!"
Situ Zhanyue was confused. What was Shaolong playing at? This performance was so convincing, had he actually won this fight?
When he saw Shaolong constantly winking at him, he suddenly realized, subtly swept his eyes towards the path on the left. Sure enough, he saw a white figure flash out, hiding behind a big tree.
Buxiaoman had arrived!
Indeed, Xiao Lang had no feelings for her; all he wanted was to peacefully improve his qualifications in the Martial Academy.
Situ Zhan Ye was no fool and quickly figured out the trickery. He was more than willing to take this escape route. So, he took a deep breath and forcefully kicked at Xiao Lang. However, the moment before his foot could touch Xiao's clothes, he gradually retracted his strength, giving Xiao a fierce look and grumbled, "Let this be a lesson to you. Dare to repeat this, and I will not let you off easily!"
With that, Situ Zhan Ye, without bothering to clean the yellow fluid on his robe, walked away with his head held high and his chest thrust out, like a triumphant general. His right hand hidden in his sleeve was, however, still trembling…
Xiao Lang "agonizingly" got up, his face filled with dismay and fear, his clothes disheveled. Grimacing in pain, Xiao limped away.
When the two of them had left the grove, a slender white figure appeared from under an ancient tree in the distance. Bu Xiaoman, who had entranced countless young boys in their dreams with her pretty face, was overwhelmed with surprise. Her beautiful eyes blinked, she murmured, "Could it be that the one who saved my life in the Devil's Mountain half a month ago wasn't him? But…Why does this silhouette look so familiar?"