In the Martial Arts School.
Xiao Peng stared at the long blade resting against his neck, his face filled with confusion.
He had imagined he might lose, but he never expected to lose so quickly!
His sword had barely left its sheath when the outcome was decided.
"I didn't expect you to have practiced such a fast blade technique. I underestimated you!" Xiao Peng said stubbornly. "If you dare to fight me again, I might accept my defeat."
Jiang Ning replied, "If you were my enemy, your head would already be on the ground with that one strike."
With that, Jiang Ning sheathed his sword.
"You lost!"
He then turned the hilt of his sword downward and bowed to Wang Jin. "Greetings, Master!"
"Good!" Wang Jin nodded with satisfaction.
Jiang Ning's strike had been stunning, leaving everyone in awe.
The speed of that strike had delighted Wang Jin and made him proud.
At this moment, Shi Xiaoyuan's eyes gleamed as he watched the scene.
"This kid's strength is truly remarkable."
"That strike was so fast that even I would struggle to block it if caught off guard."
"No wonder Hong Chengtao ended up defeated by him."
"It seems this kid isn't as simple as he appears."
As he pondered, his expression shifted slightly.
A small compass appeared in Shi Xiaoyuan's sleeve.
The needle of the compass pointed directly at Jiang Ning.
"A naturally gifted spirit!"
"This kid is a naturally gifted spirit!"
His eyes widened in surprise, and a look of astonishment crossed his face.
Then, a fiery desire flashed in his eyes.
Naturally gifted spirits were rare. So far, he had only discovered three in Luoshui County.
The first was Wang Jin, whom he had immediately dismissed as a target.
He knew very well that Wang Jin was not someone he could afford to provoke.
The second was an ordinary commoner he had discovered some time ago.
He had killed that person, used the compass to devour their soul, and offered it to the Flesh God worshipped by the Cult of Worship.
As a result, he received a divine blessing, which significantly boosted his strength and granted him a powerful ability.
With this ability, he was confident he could contend with an ordinary seventh-rank martial artist.
Even Wang Jin had become a potential target in his eyes.
In his view, although Wang Jin was a seasoned seventh-rank expert, his age and declining physical condition meant his strength had likely diminished.
In a short battle, Wang Jin might still be stronger than an average seventh-rank martial artist.
But in a prolonged fight, his condition would inevitably deteriorate.
This was why Shi Xiaoyuan had come to the Canglang Martial Arts School today to attend the disciple initiation banquet.
After experiencing the effects of the divine blessing, he had begun to entertain the idea of targeting Wang Jin.
Shi Xiaoyuan was certain that if he offered another naturally gifted spirit to the Flesh God, he would receive another divine blessing.
After absorbing the second blessing, he would advance to the seventh rank of martial arts.
Once he reached the seventh rank, he would become a true top-tier expert in Luoshui County.
The Green Snake Gang would no longer be under the control of the Cao family.
He would no longer have to obey the Cao family like a dog.
For these reasons, Shi Xiaoyuan's desire had grown stronger day by day. He was increasingly tempted to take the risk, ambush Wang Jin, devour his soul with the compass, and offer it to the Flesh God.
However, Shi Xiaoyuan knew that attacking Wang Jin was a gamble, with only a fifty-fifty chance of success.
This uncertainty had kept him hesitant.
But now, as the compass in his hand pointed at Jiang Ning, Shi Xiaoyuan realized that Jiang Ning was also a naturally gifted spirit.
At this moment, he felt a surge of joy.
Wang Jin was difficult to deal with, but Jiang Ning was an easy target.
By offering Jiang Ning's soul to the Flesh God, Shi Xiaoyuan would receive another divine blessing, greatly enhancing his strength.
With this boost, he could then target Wang Jin.
After offering Wang Jin's soul, Shi Xiaoyuan felt his future was bright and full of promise.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ning noticed Shi Xiaoyuan's intense gaze.
His eyes shifted toward Shi Xiaoyuan.
"Who is this person?" Jiang Ning wondered. "Why is he looking at me with such a fiery gaze, as if I were some rare treasure?"
"Moreover, his gaze carries a deep killing intent."
With his enhanced senses, Jiang Ning could detect strong emotions and killing intent with great clarity.
Even the gazes from behind him were perceptible.
Thus, despite Shi Xiaoyuan's efforts to suppress his killing intent, Jiang Ning could still sense it.
Not to mention, Shi Xiaoyuan's gaze was far from subtle.
As Jiang Ning pondered, Wang Jin's voice suddenly rang in his ears.
"Be careful!"
At the same time, Xiao Peng swung his sword horizontally.
"Jiang Ning, I demand a rematch!" he shouted.
As his voice echoed, the blade of his sword gleamed.
In the next moment, Jiang Ning's expression remained unchanged.
With his heightened senses, he had detected Xiao Peng's movement the instant it began.
Suddenly, Jiang Ning pivoted from his waist, drawing power from his feet as his body turned in place.
His long blade adjusted its position and slashed horizontally.
This strike landed squarely on the blade of Xiao Peng's sword.
Clang
The sound of metal clashing rang out.
Xiao Peng felt an overwhelming force transmitted through his sword.
His hand went numb, and his right arm lost all strength, causing him to drop his sword.
With his weapon disarmed, Xiao Peng's defenses were wide open.
Jiang Ning raised his foot and kicked.
His foot struck Xiao Peng's body.
A moment later
Thud
Xiao Peng was sent flying several meters, landing with a heavy thud.
On the other side, Wang Jin's tense expression relaxed as he watched the scene unfold.
The pebble he had been holding between his fingers fell to the ground.
"Well done, kid!" Wang Jin praised.
Then, his gaze turned stern as he glared at Xiao Peng, who was slumped against the wall.
"Xiao Peng! As a fellow disciple, you attempted to ambush Jiang Ning. This is a grave breach of righteousness!"
"From this moment on, you are no longer my disciple, nor are you a disciple of the Canglang Martial Arts School."
"Do you have any objections?"
Hearing Wang Jin's stern rebuke, Xiao Peng struggled to his feet.
"Cough"
The movement aggravated his injuries, causing him to clutch his chest and cough up blood.
After a few breaths, Xiao Peng recovered slightly.
"I have no objections," he said weakly, his face ashen.
The ambush had been driven by his unwillingness to accept defeat.
But even then, he couldn't withstand a single move from Jiang Ning.
One strike had disarmed him, and a single kick had left him severely injured.
Now, Xiao Peng truly understood the vast gap between himself and Jiang Ning.
It was a complete and utter defeat, not just in terms of raw strength.
Then, Xiao Peng looked at Jiang Ning.
"I admit defeat!"
With that, he staggered out of the courtyard.
Meanwhile, the onlookers began to murmur among themselves.
"I never expected Senior Brother Jiang to be so powerful!"
"Right? With just one strike, he disarmed Xiao Peng. The difference in strength is staggering!"
"Senior Brother Xiao Peng brought this upon himself."
"Who would have thought Senior Brother Jiang would be this strong? To reach this level in just a few months is unbelievable!"
"The most impressive part was Senior Brother Jiang's strength. It was completely overwhelming."
"..."
The disciples exchanged their astonishment, each voicing their amazement.
Even Li Qing was stunned.
She realized that if she were in Xiao Peng's place, she wouldn't have fared any better.
That strike had been as fast as lightning, and she wouldn't have been able to block it either.
And the second strike, which had disarmed Xiao Peng, would have done the same to her.
After all, both she and Xiao Peng had reached the ninth rank of martial arts.
There wasn't much difference in their strength, and she had only reached the ninth rank a month or so before Xiao Peng.
"It's truly unbelievable! No wonder Shen Congyun and Master Wang have shown such favor toward Jiang Ning. His talent is monstrous!!" Li Qing thought to herself.
Zhou Xing, standing nearby, was equally shocked.
As someone stronger than Li Qing, he understood Jiang Ning's prowess even more clearly.
The speed of that strike had been like a flash of light, clearly the result of Jiang Ning mastering a fast blade technique.
Under such circumstances, Xiao Peng, caught off guard, had no chance.
But the second strike was even more astonishing.
Disarming Xiao Peng with a single strike meant Jiang Ning's strength far surpassed Xiao Peng's.
Only with such a vast difference in strength could such a result be achieved.
"Such incredible strength must be the result of consuming some rare and precious treasure. A normal ninth-rank martial artist couldn't possibly possess such power or deliver such a devastating strike!" Zhou Xing thought to himself.
Meanwhile, the prominent figures standing beside Wang Jin also expressed their amazement.
"Brother Wang, you've truly found a remarkable disciple. How enviable!" Yu Yuan, the head of Shenwei Martial Arts School, said with a hint of jealousy.
Wang Jin laughed heartily.
"Master Yu, your disciple Chen Geng is the one to be envied! At just twenty years old, he's already reached the eighth rank of martial arts. In time, he will surely surpass his master!"
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