By the time Jiang Yuan arrived at the nearby Apricot Blossom Park, it was already 9:10 PM.
The park was empty at night, with hardly anyone around.
From within the children's play area, came the creaking sound of a swing swaying.
Jiang Yuan followed the sound with his gaze.
A slender, small figure was sitting on it.
Hearing footsteps behind her.
The girl with the bun hairstyle's ears twitched slightly. She turned her head to look and saw Jiang Yuan, wearing casual pants and a baseball cap, walking towards her.
"You're late."
"I forgot the time while exercising."
When Jiang Yuan got closer, Guan Xiaoxiao was slightly taken aback.
Compared to before, Jiang Yuan's spirit and vitality had undergone earth-shattering changes.
Although his 1.7-meter frame was still thin, he exuded a powerful aura of qi and blood. You could feel the astonishing vitality without even getting close. His light golden eyes beneath the cap brim were like lightning in the cold night, giving off an extremely strong sense of pressure.
Guan Xiaoxiao was a little dazed.
Was this still the dull teenager in her memory who only knew how to exercise?
Only one or two days had passed, how could he have changed so much?!
"Did you get plastic surgery?" Guan Xiaoxiao couldn't help but ask.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Your face doesn't seem to have changed... but why do I feel like you've become a completely different person?"
Although the two of them hadn't talked much throughout their three years of high school, there was no awkwardness or distance between them now.
"Didn't you want to challenge me to a duel? Are we still fighting?"
"What's the rush? You don't think you can beat me just because you beat Huang Yi with martial arts, do you?
Let me tell you, even without using my talent and professional skills, my current qi and blood value has already surpassed 4, far exceeding yours."
Looking at the girl in front of him, who was 1.55 meters tall, with her arms crossed, head tilted up, and her delicate little face full of pride.
Jiang Yuan couldn't help but smile and said, "Did you achieve that by taking supplements?"
"Mind, mind your own business!"
"I knew it, you simply can't endure the hardship of training."
"Hmph, less talk, watch me defeat you in one move!"
The girl let out a soft cry, pushed off the ground, rushed in front of Jiang Yuan, and delivered an elbow strike to his chest.
The move was fierce and effective. It seemed she was using some kind of practical combat martial art.
A flash of rainbow light flickered in Jiang Yuan's eyes, instantly analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, and over a dozen counter-measures for this martial art.
But in the end, he did nothing but block the strike with his palm.
"Bang!" Dust flew up from under Jiang Yuan's feet, but his body didn't budge.
Guan Xiaoxiao was stunned.
"?" Her small head was filled with great confusion.
"Blocked it? That shouldn't be possible. How did you get so strong?!"
"Maybe your strength is too little," Jiang Yuan said with a smile, letting go. "Nonsense!"
Guan Xiaoxiao didn't believe it. "Watch this, Rocket Punch!"
It was another straight punch, wrapped in qi and blood, bringing gusts of wind. It looked like some kind of entry-level one-star martial art.
Alas, it had too many flaws, executed poorly. Jiang Yuan sighed in his heart.
This girl's combat experience was really too little...
Without any surprise, Guan Xiaoxiao's punch was once again blocked by Jiang Yuan's palm, and he even grabbed it with a backhand.
Her fist was small and smooth, feeling very comfortable.
"Impossible!" Guan Xiaoxiao couldn't believe it.
She had used her full strength this time, yet it was blocked again.
If Jiang Yuan had used an Assassin skill to dodge, or some martial arts technique to neutralize the force, she could understand. But he had completely taken her attack head-on.
Guan Xiaoxiao struggled hard, her fist unable to break free from Jiang Yuan's large hand.
"What's your qi and blood value now? How do you have so much strength?"
"I don't know, probably between 3 and 4."
"What did you say?!" Guan Xiaoxiao cried out in surprise, forgetting to struggle, and stared blankly at Jiang Yuan.
"How is that possible!"
"When you were last tested, wasn't it only 2.3?"
"It hasn't even been two days, how did you improve so much?"
She stared blankly at Jiang Yuan with her small mouth slightly open and round, sparkling eyes, looking adorable.
Jiang Yuan let go of her hand and smiled, "No need to be so surprised... Maybe I've been eating more beast meat recently, and took some supplements, so my qi and blood increased faster."
"Nonsense! My mom is a pharmacist, how could I not know? The effects of supplements accumulate over time. It's impossible to fully digest all the medicinal effects in such a short time."
Guan Xiaoxiao shouted.
"Then your strength increased after changing professions."
"Is that so? But the Assassin profession is supposed to increase speed, right? How did your strength and cultivation speed increase too?"
Guan Xiaoxiao was a bit confused.
"I know! You must have had a secondary Awakening!"
Secondary talent Awakening is extremely rare, but not unheard of, so there are quite a few geniuses in the world who possess two talents after changing professions.
Jiang Yuan didn't refute, while Guan Xiaoxiao became excited.
"I guessed right, didn't I? You definitely had a secondary Awakening, and it's a talent that can enhance cultivation speed!"
"No wonder you've changed so much recently!"
Looking at her excited expression from guessing the secret, Jiang Yuan said, "If you don't use your skills, you're going to lose."
"Heh heh, don't think you've definitely won. I haven't used my full strength yet."
Guan Xiaoxiao said, full of fighting spirit, and used her ability.
"Come out, Shadow!"
A black shadow rose from her shadow under the street lamp's illumination. It was two meters tall, with arms hanging down, and stood respectfully behind Guan Xiaoxiao.
A-rank Sequence Talent, Shadow Summon: Summons a shadow servant immune to physical attacks, possessing 100% of the user's strength, and fearing light-based abilities.
"Watch my move!"
The shadow servant merged into the shadows, and the next second, it appeared beside Jiang Yuan, opening its arms to embrace him.
Jiang Yuan threw a punch, scattering it, but it quickly reformed.
At the same time, Guan Xiaoxiao extended her hand towards Jiang Yuan, clenched it, and used a skill.
"Shadow Bind!"
Several black lines quickly spread from the shadow beneath her feet, heading towards Jiang Yuan's shadow.
Jiang Yuan immediately flashed, disappearing instantly.
"So, so fast!" Guan Xiaoxiao exclaimed, turning her head to look around. "Where did he go?"
Jiang Yuan appeared behind her, reaching out to grab the back of her neck. "I win."
Guan Xiaoxiao, however, didn't turn her head, and her lips curved slightly as she said, "You're the one who fell for it."
"Shadow Clone."
Her body turned into a black shadow, while the black shadow not far away turned into her. The two swapped places.
Jiang Yuan was startled and was embraced by the black shadow. The dark shadow bound him tightly like a form-fitting suit.
Guan Xiaoxiao, standing not far away, smiled triumphantly, "Didn't expect that, did you?"
Jiang Yuan nodded, "It is a bit unexpected."
"I didn't expect you to use your brain too."
Her talent combined with her professional skills were indeed quite strange. You could easily fall for them if you weren't careful, but unfortunately...
"I win..." Guan Xiaoxiao hadn't finished speaking.
Jiang Yuan's body trembled. The crimson qi and blood fluctuations shattered the shadow bind. Pushing off the ground, he rushed to Guan Xiaoxiao and grabbed her.
The young man smiled faintly, "I won."