Void Wraith

Early in the morning, Zhou You left home and hurried to Jianxiong Martial Arts School.

He had already made up his mind. Today, he would apply to Senior Disciple Brother Lu Qiang for the full apprentice assessment.

The martial arts school's internal system weeded out the weak and kept the strong. The capable rose while the mediocre stepped aside; there was no room for keeping a low profile.

Once he became a full apprentice, one portion of Tiger Bone Paste every seven days would become one every three days. Only a fool would miss out on such a benefit.

What was more, Zhou You needed the martial arts school as backing if he wanted to stand against the enormous Wild Fox Gang.

Nothing was more important than the status of a genuine apprentice. It could protect his family and intimidate petty rats and vermin.

"Quickly, go!"

The moment Zhou You stepped through the martial arts school gates, he saw many new disciples hurrying in a certain direction.

"What happened?"

"Fang Guiqi applied for the full apprentice assessment. They say he developed Martial Force last night."

Zhou You's heart pounded several times, and an urgent sense of danger rose within him.

This mysterious roommate had been hiding an enormous secret. He had actually chosen this day to apply for full apprentice status.

Zhou You had clearly seen him throw away all his Tiger Bone Paste. Yet he had still developed Martial Force?

That was far too strange!

There were only two possibilities. Either he possessed extraordinary talent and could break through into Martial Force without secret medicine, or he had another channel for obtaining it.

Either way, this roommate's existence was far too dangerous.

Zhou You's heart stirred. He quickly pushed through the crowd and ran forward. He had to see what was going on.

On the open grounds of the Outer Court, Lu Qiang looked at Fang Guiqi before him and confirmed once more, "You wish to undergo the assessment?"

"Reporting to Senior Disciple Brother, I have developed Martial Force and qualify to be listed as a full apprentice."

Fang Guiqi usually kept a low profile, never showing his mountains or revealing his waters. Now, with only three or four days remaining before the hundred-day deadline, he had broken through at the very last juncture.

There were quite a few apprentices like him. After all, not every apprentice was like Li Hao, possessing both talent and wealth, able to shorten the time needed for a breakthrough.

"Good..."

Suddenly, an aged voice came from the Inner Court. "Cough, cough, wait!"

Hearing that voice, Lu Qiang shuddered and turned to bow respectfully behind him.

"Master!"

All the new disciples were stunned. What was happening today? Even the school master, Wang Jianxiong, was appearing?

Many among them had only seen Wang Jianxiong once since joining the martial arts school.

This renowned martial artist of the city usually trained disciples in the Inner Court and rarely showed himself.

Under everyone's astonished gazes, Wang Jianxiong, carrying a smoking pipe, passed through the Inner Court gates and stepped onto the open grounds of the Outer Court.

Several Inner Court disciples followed behind him, while even more full apprentices filed out from the side. Among them was Li Hao, who had only recently become a full apprentice.

"Master, why have you come personally? This is only a trivial matter."

Wang Jianxiong waved his hand. "Ignore me. Continue."

Lu Qiang turned to Fang Guiqi. "Fang Guiqi, you say you have developed Martial Force. Verifying it is simple."

"Choose a Hardwood Stump and break it. Then you can become a full apprentice."

Fang Guiqi clasped his fists toward him, then walked before a Hardwood Stump and gathered his breath. His body temperature rose, and his fists instantly swelled to the size of Large Bowls.

The wind all around surged violently. This was the effect caused by Martial Force circulating.

Zhou You stared at Fang Guiqi's limbs, tendons, and bones. That was right—it was the sign of Martial Force erupting.

With a tiger's roar, he threw a punch like the wind, its rumble like thunder. The fist infused with Martial Force blasted the Hardwood Stump apart!

"Cough, cough, cough. Not bad!"

Wang Jianxiong spoke, and there was actually a trace of approval in his tone.

The apprentices all revealed envious looks. Fang Guiqi had caught the school master's favor—his future was boundless!

But in the next instant...

"Lu Qiang, you saw it too, didn't you?"

"Martial Force is stimulated by flesh and blood. It best reveals a person's inner essence."

"Look at how impure his Martial Force is—empty on the outside, unable to resonate with the flesh. He is clearly a... Void Wraith wearing a layer of human skin."

Wang Jianxiong's words left the others baffled, but by the end, the atmosphere had become tense as drawn swords and bent crossbows, killing intent spilling forth.

This was bad!

Hearing the words "Void Wraith," Zhou You felt all the hairs on his body stand erect, while goosebumps spread across his skin.

Danger descended in an instant, without the slightest warning.

In his sight, Fang Guiqi was like a wild mountain cat with its fur blown up, his silhouette exploding outward into a spiked ball.

His skin, clothes, fingernails, and hair all instantly sprouted countless sharp spikes like needles.

In the span of a breath, he had become completely inhuman.

An ominous aura filled the air, and a suffocating sensation blanketed the martial arts school's Outer Court from all directions.

"Master, please stand aside. Let this disciple deal with him."

Lu Qiang respectfully sought Wang Jianxiong's permission.

Wang Jianxiong shook his head. "These old bones have not moved in a long time. It is just the right time to loosen my muscles and bones."

He rose and took a few steps forward. "Did you really think that a tiger had turned vegetarian? A mere Void Wraith dared sneak into my martial arts school just by putting on a layer of human skin."

"This is my territory. Did you sneak in here to deliver yourself as a dish?"

The aged voice suddenly soared, like a dry thunderclap exploding from level ground. Everyone's eardrums buzzed from the shock.

Fang Guiqi's features had twisted beyond recognition. His body hunched like a beast's as he crouched on the ground, then suddenly leaped, the sound of tearing air like silk ripping apart.

That leap made the surrounding apprentices' expressions change drastically, whether in speed or power.

Even Li Hao, who had developed Martial Force, could not help retreating several steps. If that thing pounced on him, he would surely die.

"Good!"

Wang Jianxiong raised his withered right hand and pushed toward the empty air. His skin swelled as if inflated, silver patterns surfacing across it.

In the blink of an eye, his right hand expanded into a silver tiger claw. Swift as lightning, it struck Fang Guiqi in midair without the slightest error.

Fang Guiqi flew backward, smashing down a wall and sending dust soaring several meters high.

"Master is mighty!"

Several close disciples spoke up to flatter him.

But the danger had yet to pass.

Suddenly, a phantom shadow shot out from the dust.

It was Fang Guiqi.

That low-key new apprentice no longer resembled a human at all. Most of the flesh over his body had peeled away, exposing writhing slime beneath.

"A Void Wraith... what kind of monster is that?"

Zhou You's worldview suffered a tremendous shock. So this world held even more mysterious existences.

He had thought Fang Guiqi was, at worst, a spy. Yet the result was that he was not even human.

For the past while, what sort of thing had he been living with for three months?

"Watch out!"

Fang Guiqi darted left and right. Several apprentices were accidentally grazed by him, and their flesh and bones, brittle and thin as paper, were easily torn apart.

With every pounce and charge, "he" wielded at least a thousand jin of force. New disciples who had yet to develop Martial Force were simply incapable of facing him head-on.

Yet Fang Guiqi suddenly made a sharp turn and actually charged toward Zhou You.

Zhou You noticed that within those seemingly crazed eyes, there was a trace of cunning.

Fang Guiqi had been heavily wounded by Wang Jianxiong's blow. He was pretending to have lost his mind, but in truth, he was searching for a chance to escape.

Wang Jianxiong and the Inner Court disciples had firmly guarded one side. Though the remaining new disciples were numerous, they were instead the weakest point.

Therefore, his ultimate goal was to carve out a path of flesh and blood and escape the martial arts school's Outer Court.

"Ferocious, cunning, cruel, deceitful... what kind of creature is this?"

Zhou You took a deep breath. His body temperature rapidly rose, Martial Force rushing into both hands as he prepared to strike.

At this moment, only by fighting desperately to save himself would he have a sliver of hope.