The reeking wind that rushed at him carried a nauseating stench—the mingled smell of rotting flesh and decayed wood.
The gale stirred up by "Fang Guiqi" lashed across his face, sharp as knife cuts.
Zhou You knew he stood at the razor's edge between life and death.
As "Fang Guiqi's" roommate, he would inevitably be implicated afterward and had to publicly prove his innocence.
The other apprentices could retreat, scrambling to flee for their lives, but he alone could not.
On the contrary, Zhou You had to stake his life on stopping "Fang Guiqi."
"Hu, hu, hu."
Zhou You gulped in great breaths, with no time to think of anything else as the Martial Force throughout his body twisted into a single cord.
With a tiger's howl, a wild gale rose from level ground, and mottled phantoms like a tiger's silhouette surged up from beneath his feet.
Zhou You sprang into the air, facing "Fang Guiqi" head-on beneath everyone's astonished gazes.
"Martial Force."
Lu Qiang was racing over when his eyelids twitched twice at the sight.
How could he fail to recognize that the astonishing power Zhou You had unleashed was clearly Martial Force?
He remembered this kid—the one who liked practicing the Imperial Strike Hand and Square Step. How had he succeeded without a sound?
No sooner said than done!
Zhou You's fists collided with Fang Guiqi's body, and every hair on his body stood on end as a mountain-toppling, sea-overturning force pressed his joints until they creaked.
That savage, twisted face was right before him, and every breath was filled with a thick, fishy stench.
It was not merely not a living person—it was not even a living creature of flesh and blood.
"Black Tiger Seizes the Heart."
Zhou You erupted with the peak state of his attributes raised to 20 points. A punch that gathered strength, speed, and defense slammed into Fang Guiqi's chest.
The two tangled figures instantly separated in midair.
"Fang Guiqi's" plan to charge out through the crowd had failed. Zhou You's desperate blow knocked him back into the center of the grounds, where he rolled several times across the ground.
And Zhou You?
When his fist struck "Fang Guiqi," he felt several slick, icy droplets splash onto his face, like the spray that leapt up when stones struck water.
The ensuing chill swept through his entire body in an instant, leaving him unable to move.
"A mere lowly phantom wraith dares infiltrate my Jianxiong Martial Arts School? You are courting death."
Iron-gray patterns spread over Lu Qiang's body as he seized Fang Guiqi and tore him in two.
A gust of wind dispersed the thick stench. The corpse fell to the ground with a dull thud, black liquid flowing everywhere.
The Outer Court fell into deathly silence. No one dared move, and no one dared speak.
School Master Wang Jianxiong coughed, breaking the silence. Pointing at Zhou You, he asked, "What is the name of this boy who risked his life to stop the phantom wraith?"
"Reporting to Master, his name is Zhou You. He is a youth from the city and only recently joined the school."
Lu Qiang paused before explaining, "Perhaps he has only just cultivated Martial Force and has not yet had time to apply for full admission."
Suddenly, a young disciple behind Wang Jianxiong spoke up.
"Master, I heard that Zhou You shared a room with the phantom wraith disguised as Fang Guiqi. He cannot be cleared of suspicion."
"Better lock him in the dungeon of the Inner Court."
Upon hearing those words, Zhou You's heart sank. The worst outcome had still come to pass.
Within Jianxiong Martial Arts School, the school master was supreme and held the power of life and death over apprentices like them.
If Wang Jianxiong became suspicious and threw him into the dungeon, he feared he would never see daylight again for the rest of his life.
His parents were honest, law-abiding common folk. How could they possibly save him?
"Master, I do not agree with Zhong Shaoying's view."
The one who objected was a refined young gentleman. Zhou You recognized him as Senior Disciple Shen, the one who had distributed four sets of clothes to every apprentice.
At the same time, Senior Disciple Shen was the Young Master of Old Man Zhou's trading company.
"Zhou You joined the school later. Before him, several other apprentices had also lived in Fang Guiqi's room, and nothing unusual ever happened."
"Phantom wraiths are cunning and deceitful. Since it disguised itself and infiltrated the school, it naturally would not leave any trace. Even sharing a room with it, one could not possibly discover it."
"I believe Zhou You is brave and has cultivated Martial Force. He is a promising talent."
From the moment Senior Disciple Shen spoke, Zhou You knew there was hope for him.
Sure enough...
Lu Qiang called over several apprentices in succession and sent them out of the martial arts school to gather information. Before long, reports began coming back one after another.
"Master, Fang Guiqi's brother-in-law's entire family died long ago. Their organs and bone marrow had been hollowed out."
At those words, the crowd erupted in uproar. It was too vicious. Assuming another's identity was not enough—the creature had not even spared the original owner's relatives.
Wang Jianxiong neither confirmed nor denied it. "The usual tricks of wraiths. Nothing surprising."
"Song Fugui, Liu Bing, and..."
Zhou You's heart stirred. Those were all his former roommates. They had actually been investigated as well.
Lu Qiang explained that those people were currently clear of suspicion, and their families were safe and sound.
"Zhou You's parents are alive and well, with nothing amiss."
Zhou You's heart stirred. They had even investigated his family. Senior Disciple Brother was truly meticulous.
Based on the investigation results, suspicion against Zhou You had greatly diminished.
That same Zhong Shaoying raised another objection. "Don't you find it strange, sir?"
"Fang Guiqi applied for full admission, and Zhou You immediately revealed that he had cultivated Martial Force. That is far too much of a coincidence."
"There must be a connection between the two."
Zhou You looked at Zhong Shaoying. He was certain that before today, he had never met this man.
Why did the other man bear such great malice toward him, targeting him at every turn?
Every word Zhong Shaoying spoke was a deadly accusation. If any of them were proven true, Zhou You would be smashed to pieces.
At the crucial moment, Senior Disciple Shen spoke. "Master, it is merely a coincidence."
"Zhou You has been here for over two months. It is perfectly normal for him to cultivate Martial Force at this time."
"You said yourself that Martial Force feigned by phantom wraiths differs from that of ordinary people."
Wang Jianxiong coughed twice. "Sijing is right."
So Senior Disciple Shen's full name was Shen Sijing.
He glanced at Zhou You. "I examined him just now. His Martial Force is pure and flawless, the ability one gains only after beginning to cultivate the Tiger Subduing Fist."
Finally, Lu Qiang stepped forward to speak a fair word.
"Master, the phantom wraith feared exposing its identity, so it had always kept to itself in the Outer Court and had never been close to anyone."
"This boy Zhou You has also trained diligently and had no dealings with it. Everyone saw it just now—he truly used his life to block the phantom wraith."
Wang Jianxiong nodded, delivering the final verdict on the matter with one decisive blow.
"Correct. Listen carefully, all of you: Fang Guiqi was a phantom wraith in disguise. It has nothing to do with anyone else."
"Train in peace as usual, and do not spread wild rumors outside."
"And..."
Wang Jianxiong glanced at Zhou You. "He was injured by the phantom wraith just now and may suffer lingering harm. Grant him half a Mountain Lord Life-Replacing Pill."
"Master, he is only an apprentice. How is he worthy of enjoying a spiritual pill?"
It was Zhong Shaoying again, trying to dissuade him.
Wang Jianxiong waved a hand, signaling him not to say any more.
"Farewell, Master."
Under the apprentices' admiring gazes, Wang Jianxiong returned to the Inner Court with his trusted disciples.
"Someone come and help Zhou You back to his room."
Lu Qiang took out a medicine bottle from his robes, sliced half a pill with his fingernail, and stuffed it into Zhou You's mouth.
"You have turned disaster into blessing. A heaven-sent fortune has fallen upon your head."
"The Mountain Lord Life-Replacing Pill is a blessing reserved for Inner Court disciples."
The pill dissolved upon entering his mouth, becoming torrents of scorching heat that washed through his limbs and bones.
Zhou You's numb, stiff fingers twitched twice without warning, and two thoughts rose in his heart.
First, he had finally survived.
Second, Zhong Shaoying, this isn't over between us!
Before you continue