Conflict

In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed. This was the area where the Profound Vein disciples lived.

Inside a thatched hut, Zeng Fan was meditating with his eyes closed. The injuries on his body had vanished, and the splints on both his hands were gone as well. It seemed that he had completely recovered over the past ten-odd days.

As if sensing something, Zeng Fan opened his eyes. "Today's the day we enter the Quenching Body Pool, right?" He flexed his hands, unable to hold back a sigh of emotion. The two pills rewarded by Disciple Hall had indeed been highly effective. In just over ten days, his injuries had almost completely healed. Though the bodies of those in the Body Tempering Realm were already different from ordinary people's, injuries like these would normally take at least twenty days to recover from. This pill had forcibly cut that time in half.

"And..." Zeng Fan felt around inside his body. "The battle, combined with the Spiritual Energy in this pill, has loosened the bottleneck in my cultivation. If I cultivate for a few more days, I might be able to break through to Body Tempering Muscle Perfection. Now this is what you call a pill. How could those little pellets we receive every month possibly have this effect?" After grumbling a little, Zeng Fan jumped off the bed and walked outside.

He glanced at Yuan Jin's room. The door was tightly shut, and Zeng Fan knew Yuan Jin must have gone out to cultivate. With that Healing Spirit Pill, Yuan Jin's injuries had recovered even faster, and his progress in Body Tempering Bone had accelerated as well. He had been clamoring to cultivate harder and break through, leaving early and returning late these days.

With Yuan Jin absent, Zeng Fan headed toward Disciple Hall. He did not know the Quenching Body Pool's exact location, so he needed someone from Disciple Hall to lead the way.

When he arrived at Disciple Hall, Zeng Fan looked around. The disciples had split into two groups. One was made up of Profound Vein disciples, and it was clearly much larger. After all, the advantages of Profound Vein disciples were substantial. As long as even one Profound Vein disciple participated, the top ten spots were practically guaranteed.

The other group consisted of the remaining disciples. It was clearly much smaller, and Zeng Fan naturally headed toward it. Although he knew Murong Xue and Wang Beichen among the Profound Vein disciples, the others still looked down on ordinary disciples. Zeng Fan had no interest in currying favor with them.

Just as Zeng Fan began walking toward where the ordinary disciples had gathered, a figure stepped out from among them and came toward him. It was a proud-looking young man. His facial lines were hard, his cheekbones slightly raised, and his sharp eyes slanted upward. A long scar stretched from the corner of one eye, adding a few traces of gloom and danger to his appearance.

"You're Zeng Fan, right?" The young man stopped in front of him, his tone hostile.

Zeng Fan thought for a moment. This fellow had a hostile tone, cultivation roughly at the Body Tempering Bone Perfection Realm, and a grudge against him. At that thought, Zeng Fan's expression turned cold as well.

"Zhou Bao?"

At his words, the young man narrowed his eyes slightly. He had not expected Zeng Fan to guess his identity immediately, though it did not matter to him. A cold smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I've already dealt with that kid surnamed Yuan. You'd better watch yourself too!"

Zeng Fan's expression turned icy at that. He was just about to speak.

"Watch yourself for what? You want to fight? This old lady will be your opponent! What kind of man bullies someone just because their cultivation is lower?" A provocative voice rang out, followed by hurried footsteps. Zeng Fan turned his head and saw that it was actually Murong Xue and Wang Beichen. The girl stood beside him with her arms crossed, looking up at Zhou Bao like a tigress protecting her cub.

Zhou Bao's expression immediately became wonderfully complicated. He knew that Murong Xue was in the same realm as him. He had watched her matches as well; that woman was truly formidable, and if they really fought, he definitely would not be her match. He had not expected Zeng Fan to know her. Zhou Bao glanced at Zeng Fan. "You need a woman to stand up for you? What a good-for-nothing!"

"Are you fighting or not? If not, then get lost! Why are you shouting here? If you don't dare fight me, shut your mouth!" Zhou Bao had just been about to continue when Murong Xue rudely cut him off. Her gaze had already turned dangerous, and Spiritual Energy began to ripple around her.

Many people nearby noticed the commotion and looked over. Zhou Bao's expression grew even uglier. Today was the day they entered the Quenching Body Pool. If he really fought here and got injured, it would be a poor bargain. With a cold snort, Zhou Bao turned and left.

Only after Zhou Bao had left did Murong Xue turn around. The ferocity from before had vanished without a trace, and she smiled sweetly at Zeng Fan. "How was that? Were you happy that I stood up for you just now? How are your injuries?"

Zeng Fan had originally wanted to say something to Zhou Bao, but seeing him suffer a setback at Murong Xue's hands made him want to laugh. He knew the two had formed a grudge, and there was no point saying more. "Very happy, very happy... (ˊωˋ*) ... My injuries have almost healed. Thanks just now."

The girl's lips curved upward slightly, revealing her white teeth. She waved at Zeng Fan, signaling that he did not need to say anything else.

"Hey! Did you two forget about me?" A voice full of resentment rang out. Only then did the two notice Wang Beichen beside them.

The child was glaring at them with puffed-up cheeks. He kept lifting and lowering one foot against the ground in displeasure.

Murong Xue rubbed Wang Beichen's head. "Of course not. Weren't you going to apologize to Zeng Fan? Hurry up and say it."

"I know, I know. Don't rub my head! I won't grow any taller!" Wang Beichen raised his hand to block Murong Xue's demonic claws, voicing his displeasure.

"Apologize?" Zeng Fan was stunned.

Unexpectedly, Wang Beichen really did clasp his fists and bow to Zeng Fan. "I was too heavy-handed in our earlier match. Brother Zeng, please forgive me."

Zeng Fan's expression became strange. In a match, fists and feet had no eyes, and he had nothing to say about sustaining that injury. Besides, Wang Beichen did not seem like the sort of person who could apologize.

He turned to look at Murong Xue. Unless someone had forced him to do this... When Murong Xue saw Zeng Fan looking at her, she grew a little guilty and unconsciously twisted her small hands together.

Unexpectedly, Wang Beichen noticed Zeng Fan's gaze and immediately shouted excitedly, "Big Sis Murong! He figured it out himself. I didn't say anything!"

Murong Xue's face immediately darkened. She smacked Wang Beichen hard on the head. "It's all your fault. You don't even know how to act!" Then, she slowly explained the matter to Zeng Fan.

As it turned out, Wang Beichen was the descendant of a certain elder in the sect. After his cultivation talent had been discovered in his youth, his elders were overjoyed and began nurturing him from childhood. Because of his cultivation talent and age, he had run wild through the sect without restraint. Then, after Murong Xue entered the sect, the boy provoked her. Given Murong Xue's fiery temper, how could she tolerate that? She had thoroughly beaten him.

As a result, the boy seemed to have a penchant for being abused. After Murong Xue beat him, he clung to her and refused to let go, even insisting on acknowledging her as his big sister. With Wang Beichen pestering her until she had a headache, Murong Xue had no choice but to agree.

Before this match, Murong Xue had also warned him that if he encountered Zeng Fan, he was to hold back and not hit too hard. Wang Beichen had readily agreed.

Zeng Fan understood at once. No wonder that kid had acted so strangely beneath the stage. After getting onstage, he had repeatedly asked Zeng Fan several times and even tangled with him for a while, allowing Zeng Fan to use Fish Dragon Dance and turn the tables.

"I really did hold back at first, but I never intended to let you win. Who knew you'd hit so hard afterward?" Wang Beichen muttered. As if recalling Zeng Fan's headbutt that day, he touched his forehead with lingering fear, feeling a little pain there again.

"All right, all right. Now that everything's explained, that's enough. We'll be entering the Quenching Body Pool soon, so stop grumbling." Murong Xue waved impatiently at Wang Beichen. The boy immediately fell silent and put on a well-behaved expression.

Zeng Fan could not help laughing. Truly, everything had its match. That boy had run rampant for so long, only to be tamed completely by Murong Xue. But when he heard that Wang Beichen would also be entering the Quenching Body Pool, he could not help staring.

"Wasn't he outside the top ten? How can he enter the Quenching Body Pool to cultivate too?" Zeng Fan asked, puzzled.

"When you have someone in the government, things get done easily. He did lose this time, but because of his talent, his elders found someone to arrange a place for him anyway." Murong Xue glanced at Wang Beichen, who was beaming with pride after hearing Zeng Fan's confusion, and explained.

Zeng Fan felt sour inside after hearing that. Wasn't this exactly what it meant to be a "second-generation immortal"? He had to follow the rules honestly, while this kid lost the match and still got a place arranged with a single word from his family. Comparing people was enough to make one sick with anger.

Just as Zeng Fan was feeling sour, a dignified voice rang out.

"All disciples, assemble! Prepare to enter the Quenching Body Pool!"