Su Wanqing's Speculation

In an empty wilderness outside the market.

Su Yuanpeng performed a secret art, and before long, the aura around him truly dropped to the level of the 6th level of Qi Refining.

Xiao Chen's eyes lit up. "Wait."

Su Yuanpeng sneered. "What, are you scared now?"

Xiao Chen shook his head. "No, I want to raise the stakes. I want that technique of yours for concealing your cultivation. Name your terms too."

"No need. What good could you possibly have to wager?" Su Yuanpeng shook his head disdainfully. "Still, since you can't win anyway, I'll agree to your added bet."

Oh?

Xiao Chen had originally been wondering what equivalent wager he could put forward.

Who would have thought the other side would be this arrogant? It was like running into a money-dispensing boy.

As he spoke, Su Yuanpeng formed a hand seal and summoned a sheet of golden light. Yet instead of covering himself with it, he condensed it into a gleaming golden mirror before him.

Then, with another wave of his hand, he spread a pale blue Water Curtain in front of himself. Only then did he beckon smugly. "Come on. Don't say I'm bullying the weak. I'll let you attack first."

The Golden Mirror was an advanced application of the Golden Light Art. By reducing the area it defended, it could concentrate mana to a greater degree and provide better protection.

That Water Curtain was the Water Curtain Art, a yellow-grade defensive spell. Su Yuanpeng had specifically cultivated it to hinder an enemy's attacks during spell duels and compensate for the Golden Mirror's shortcomings.

Though his realm had been suppressed to the same level, his wide variety of spells and carefully prepared combinations were precisely where his advantage and confidence lay.

Seeing this, Su Wanqing grew even more worried. This kind of spell duel tested a cultivator's overall offensive and defensive capabilities the most.

Yet according to her previous investigation, Xiao Chen had never fought another person in a spell duel since joining the sect.

Over the past few months, he had been busy raising his realm and had had little time to practice spells. He had only visited the training room once, and even left halfway through.

Therefore, he absolutely could not have had enough time to master sufficient spells to deal with this sudden duel.

She looked toward Xiao Chen, only to see him invoke a simple Fireball Art and send it roaring forth.

Su Yuanpeng, standing opposite him, practically wanted to laugh.

A rookie at a glance. Identification complete.

He was actually using an antiquated spell like the Fireball Art. It was enough to make one die laughing.

And one had to know that the Water Curtain Art was one of the Fireball Art's classic countering spells.

Under such circumstances, stubbornly using the Fireball Art meant either he lacked knowledge or lacked ability. In short, one word—rookie!

Not to mention that he had not even cast a defensive spell around himself first, launching directly into an attack from the start. That was another classic beginner's mistake.

When it came time for Su Yuanpeng to counterattack, he would surely be left scrambling.

Thinking this, Su Yuanpeng even felt a little disappointed.

He yearned for spell duels, for worthy opponents.

He did not enjoy crushing rookies. After all, defeating such a novice brought no sense of accomplishment at all.

Yet in the very next instant, that seemingly ordinary fireball passed straight through the Water Curtain Art, shattered the Golden Mirror, and then exploded with a thunderous blast.

The secret art on Su Yuanpeng's body shattered along with it, and the mana of Late-Stage Qi Refining surged out, blocking most of the attack's force.

Even so, the powerful impact knocked him straight to the ground.

"Second Brother!" Su Wanqing cried. "Are you alright?"

Only when she saw Su Yuanpeng sit up, dusty and disheveled, did she finally let out a breath of relief. Then she turned to look at Xiao Chen, her large eyes filled with shock.

Even if he cultivated an Earth-grade Technique, there had to be some basic logic, right?

Ignoring a restraining relationship, breaking through two defensive spells in a single strike, and even shattering a concealment secret art—was that reasonable?

Su Wanqing knew very well that the concealment secret art also possessed a certain defensive effect. Its purpose was to prevent the humiliating situation where, while pretending to be a pig, one truly became a pig.

Xiao Chen shattering the concealment secret art meant that his attack just now had been enough to instantly kill an ordinary cultivator at the 6th level of Qi Refining.

No wonder he had not cast a defensive spell. He simply had no need for one. If he could finish things in one strike, why waste mana? Sitting in meditation to recover would take time too.

Furthermore, although this was hardly an appropriate moment, Su Wanqing even felt a little happy inside.

Xiao Chen had promised her that he would support her bid to become Chief Disciple.

Therefore, the stronger Xiao Chen proved to be, the more beneficial it would be to her in the future.

On the other side.

Su Yuanpeng was completely dumbfounded. He simply could not understand why an apparently ordinary Fireball Art possessed such tremendous power.

Fortunately, he had three layers of protection. Relying on his years of spell-dueling experience, he had decisively poured out his mana to offset most of the flames, narrowly avoiding injury.

But even after sitting on the ground for ten breaths to recover, his head was still buzzing.

He had practiced spells for several years as well.

In his past spell duels, he had seen every conceivable kind of Fireball Art—if not a thousand, then at least eight hundred.

But never mind the Fireball Art; even advanced spells such as the Fire Snake Art and Spirit Fire Palm, or even fire-element talismans like Exploding Flame Talismans, were absolutely not this powerful.

If you don't understand, ask.

Su Yuanpeng stood while supporting his head and asked curiously, "What spell did you use just now?"

Xiao Chen told the truth. "The Fireball Art. It should be easy to recognize, shouldn't it?"

"Impossible!" Su Yuanpeng retorted. "I know the Fireball Art too well. That was absolutely not the Fireball Art! Tell me honestly, what spell was that?"

"Second Brother, what are you doing?" Su Wanqing interrupted. "Spells concern a cultivator's secrets. It is far too rude of you to press him like this."

Then she looked at Xiao Chen. "Senior Brother Xiao, I understand what you mean. I believe what you used was the Fireball Art. From where I stood, it looked exactly the same as the Fireball Art."

Huh?

What exactly had she understood?

Xiao Chen felt that she had gotten the wrong idea, but after thinking it over, he did not refute her and instead tacitly accepted her explanation.

Otherwise, if they asked why his Fireball Art was so powerful, that would be even harder to explain.

So he revealed a friendly smile. "You're right."

Although I have no idea what you're thinking, things are indeed just as you think.

Seeing this, Su Wanqing instantly understood and returned a knowing smile.

At the same time, she could not help exclaiming inwardly, I guessed right, I guessed right!

As expected, it was the legendary Heaven-grade Spell!

In Su Wanqing's understanding, only a Heaven-grade Spell could display such inconceivable might beneath an apparently plain and ordinary disguise.

She had initially thought Xiao Chen had obtained an Earth-grade Inheritance and had felt somewhat envious, though it had been manageable.

Who would have thought that the truth was actually a Heaven-Grade Inheritance!

Xiao Chen's record-breaking Breakthrough Speed and that seemingly ordinary yet truly terrifying fireball were both ironclad proof that he was anything but ordinary.

This was absolutely not an effect that a mere Earth-grade Technique could produce.

Though it sounded utterly unbelievable for a Chore Disciple to accidentally obtain a Heaven-Grade Inheritance.

But were strange and extraordinary things rare in this world?

Just speaking of this little patch of Li Province.

Whether it was Lin Ping'an, who always happened to pick up Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, or Old Ancestor Song, who had started from nothing yet revived the Song Family within a mere fifty years, which one of them was not extraordinary?

With that thought, Su Wanqing looked Xiao Chen over once more, her beautiful eyes seeming to sparkle.

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