"...???"
Lu Yinghua munched on his peach, eyeing Haru's distracted expression with confusion.
What's up with him?
All he did was report the investigation results, and now his little shishu looked like he'd just swallowed a lemon.
It's just some random Japanese kid, right?
If Haru really wanted to deal with the guy, Lu Yinghua wouldn't even need to lift a finger—just a single word from him, and plenty of people would jump at the chance to handle it. Hell, if Haru asked, he wouldn't mind taking care of it himself.
Sure, that Japanese kid's grandfather had connections to some decently powerful figures, but in front of his master? They were all trash.
Want me to wipe out that grandfather-grandson pair? Japan wouldn't even dare squeak in protest.
In fact, if he so much as hinted at it, Japan would probably off them themselves just to stay on his master's good side. Her reputation was that terrifying—a being so fearsome that even nations tread carefully around her.
That's the weight of a Campione's name.
Forget deciding a person's fate with a word—she could erase entire countries on a whim. A tiny island nation like Japan? They wouldn't dare risk her wrath.
"Little Shishu…"
"It's fine. Let's meditate first."
"…Alright."
He wanted to press further, but seeing Haru's closed-off expression, Lu Yinghua let it go. Together, they moved outside the hut, settling eastward to begin their breathing exercises.
Dawn's Radiance
Morning light spilled over the land, painting the peach blossoms in a soft, golden glow. A breeze stirred, sending petals fluttering like butterflies—or snowflakes dancing in the wind.
The horizon blushed with warmth, the sun's first rays piercing through the trees, scattering shadows and painting the sky in hues of fire.
In that moment, the world held its breath.
"Inhale… Exhale…"
The two youths sat cross-legged, bathed in the dawn's embrace. Haru's arms slowly moved—his right index finger pointing skyward, his left toward the earth.
With each breath, a faint white mist curled around his head, thickening until it shrouded his entire body in a swirling veil.
"Crack! Snap!"
The sound of popping joints echoed like firecrackers.
"What the—?!"
Lu Yinghua's eyes flew open, his jaw dropping as he stared at the enshrouded figure beside him.
No way.
He knew what this meant.
Little Shishu… he's mastered the Eightfold Path of Divine Supremacy?!
That was impossible.
Lu Yinghua had trained under his master since childhood, and even he hadn't managed to grasp the basics of this technique. Yet Haru—after just one year—not only grasped it but perfected it?!
The mist expanded, forcing Lu Yinghua to scramble back as it engulfed the entire peach grove.
Stunned, he could only watch the hazy silhouette within the fog, his mind reeling.
Just… how?
"Whoosh—!"
A graceful figure suddenly appeared, snapping Lu Yinghua out of his daze.
"Master!"
"Mn. Starting today, double your training."
"...Yes."
No explanation needed—it was Luo Hao.
Her eyes flickered with rare delight as she gazed at the swirling mist before turning to her disciple. With a single indifferent glance and a command that instantly darkened Lu Yinghua's mood, she vanished back into the fog.
"Sigh…"
Let's leave the despairing Lu Yinghua aside for now and focus on Haru.
After exhaling deeply, the urgency weighing on him earlier had lightened—replaced by the exhilaration of mastering the Eightfold Path of Divine Supremacy.
That's right—that infamous technique from a certain wuxia novel!
Also known as the Eternal Youth Art of Tianshan, though in this case, it came with a "Luo Hao Special Edition" label.
Who knew if this world's ancient history had somehow crossed paths with that martial arts universe—or maybe the Sect Leader had once ventured into the Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils realm herself? Whatever the case, among her vast arsenal of skills, this particular technique had made the cut.
But unlike the original wuxia version—where this technique granted immense power and eternal youth at the cost of regressing into childhood every thirty years (with one's strength resetting daily until fully restored)—Luo Hao's version had a different twist.
Instead of decades-long cycles, her modified method allowed the practitioner to rapidly accumulate two months' worth of magical energy in a short burst, with the only side effect being a temporary physical de-aging.
Probably her own refined variation, Haru mused. The Sect Leader never settles for mediocrity.
But that wasn't the shocking part.
The real miracle was that he'd mastered it in just one year!
This technique demanded a foundation of supreme internal energy just to begin cultivation—something even Lu Yinghua, after years of training, still couldn't achieve.
Why? Simple: his inner strength fell short.
Yet Haru had shattered that limitation, leaving Lu Yinghua gaping like a fish out of water.
Not that Haru was surprised.
Between his relentless effort over the past year, the Sect Leader's meticulous guidance, and the inherent advantages of being an otherworlder, defying expectations was practically his job description.