Love Rival

When a voice rang out outside, Zeng Fan, who had been cultivating, opened his eyes, confusion flashing through them.

I've been busy cultivating lately and haven't gotten into conflicts with anyone. Why is someone calling for a duel outside my room? Could it be Zhou Bao? Zeng Fan walked out, astonishment flickering across his eyes.

A man he had never seen before stood before him. He was tall and slender, with a rugged face, sharply defined features, and a hint of stubble on his chin. At that moment, his eyes were bloodshot as he stared at Zeng Fan, as though he had not slept for several days.

Seeing Zeng Fan, the man sensed his cultivation and could not help feeling puzzled. "Body Tempering Bone at Major Accomplishment? Why would Ling'er like someone weaker than me? Forget it, forget it! As long as I defeat you, Ling'er will definitely realize that I'm the man most suited for her!"

As his words fell, the aura around him spread outward. He was clearly at Body Tempering Bone perfection, likely only a thread away from Body Tempering Blood, and he brought Zeng Fan a faint sense of pressure.

However, Zeng Fan was not powerless against someone at Body Tempering Bone perfection. He simply could not understand why this man wanted to fight him. As his cultivation surged, he shouted coldly, "Who are you? I don't even know you. Why are you attacking me?"

The man's expression changed. "Ling'er didn't tell you anything? Am I really that unimportant in her eyes?" Pain appeared on his face. Then he drew a deep breath. "Then I'll let you lose with your eyes open. My name is Gao Shi. I'm Ling'er's suitor, and I've pursued her for a long time. Yesterday, she suddenly told me that she already had someone she liked. You! I thought you would at least be stronger than me. Only someone stronger than me would be worthy of Ling'er's heart! But your cultivation is actually lower than mine. So I'll defeat you first, then pursue Ling'er again!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Gao Shi prepared to attack, but Zeng Fan interrupted him again. "Which Ling'er are you talking about? I have no idea what you're saying. You must have mistaken me for someone else!"

Gao Shi grew even more furious. "Which Ling'er? You bastard, how many Ling'ers do you have? You're driving me mad! How could she have found such a heartless man?" He stamped both feet against the ground, and his entire body shot toward Zeng Fan. When he reached him, Gao Shi's aura suddenly surged, and he slammed a fist forward.

"Bastard!" Zeng Fan's nameless anger flared as well. For no reason at all, he felt as though he had been saddled with the blame, and now he was even being cursed out. Even a clay figurine had three parts anger. Zeng Fan gathered Spiritual Energy into his hand, the muscles in his arm rippling as he rapidly focused the strength throughout his body. He also punched toward the man.

With a soft thud, Gao Shi remained rooted to the spot while Zeng Fan took a step backward. Although Gao Shi seemed to have suppressed him, the punch made him take Zeng Fan seriously. Zeng Fan had retreated only one step and had not suffered any injury. Gao Shi was an entire minor realm above him, which meant that if they were at the same realm, Zeng Fan's strength might instead overwhelm him.

"I underestimated you." Gao Shi held his breath and focused his mind before charging at Zeng Fan again. After that exchange, Zeng Fan also gained a rough understanding of his current cultivation. He was now equivalent to a fairly ordinary Body Tempering Bone perfection disciple. Within the Body Tempering Bone Major Accomplishment realm, he could be considered accomplished.

Seeing Gao Shi charge once more, Zeng Fan met him head-on. It was just right—he had found someone to help him become familiar with using his strength. As for why this fellow wanted to fight him, he would beat him into submission first and worry about the rest afterward.

The two collided again. Their styles were worlds apart. Gao Shi swung his bare palms in broad, powerful arcs, skilled at using force against his enemies. No matter how endlessly varied his opponent's moves were, he would meet them with sheer strength, each strike splitting the air with a sharp whistle.

Zeng Fan, on the other hand, fought in the opposite manner. Because of Fish Dragon Dance, whenever Gao Shi attacked, Zeng Fan did his utmost to avoid meeting him head-on, searching from the side for the weakest point in his strength and breaking through it. He followed the principle of using softness to overcome hardness.

Zeng Fan's style made Gao Shi feel thoroughly uncomfortable. His character was naturally rash, and the opponents he had encountered in the past had always fought him head-on. This was the first time he had met an opponent as slippery and impossible to grasp as a loach.

"If you've got the guts, stop dodging, bastard!" Gao Shi shouted in exasperation.

"If you've got the guts, hit me!" Zeng Fan found his reaction somewhat amusing. Although the man had called for a duel, he had not used any vicious moves during the fight. He was merely a little too straightforward. Zeng Fan's anger had also subsided considerably.

"It's time to end this." Zeng Fan felt the strength within his body surging without pause, and all his muscles had begun to swell. It was the sign that his power had accumulated close to its limit.

"Big guy, let's decide the winner with one move!" Zeng Fan called to Gao Shi. He stopped suppressing the strength in his body. His muscles seemed to cheer as they rapidly trembled, continuously gathering power into his fist.

"Fish Dragon Dance!"

Gao Shi was delighted when he heard that. He finally would not have to keep playing hide-and-seek with this fellow. "Good!" Gao Shi took up a strange stance. Starting from the bones of his spine, a series of continuous cracks rang out. Then the muscles in his waist and back abruptly tightened, and he struck toward Zeng Fan with a palm.

"Through-Back Palm!"

Their fist and palm met. Zeng Fan's strength was already no weaker than Gao Shi's, and with the power he had accumulated through Fish Dragon Dance, he completely overwhelmed him. Gao Shi's Through-Back Palm held for only an instant before his entire body was sent flying backward and crashed to the ground. However, Zeng Fan had not used a vicious hand; he stopped after merely knocking him away.

Gao Shi climbed to his feet with a bitter expression. "I can't believe I was defeated by a love rival whose realm is lower than mine. You're qualified to be with Ling'er. I won't go to the Alchemy Hall to look for her anymore, but I won't give up. Sooner or later, I'll come looking for you again!" Before Zeng Fan could say anything, Gao Shi had already strode away.

"Ling'er, the Alchemy Hall? Yao Ling'er! I was used to block this man." The instant Gao Shi mentioned the Alchemy Hall, all the memories in Zeng Fan's mind connected. Yao Ling'er's strange smile when she asked him for help, her expression when she heard that he was Zeng Fan—this was why she had asked him to block her suitor after hearing about him!

Zeng Fan's anger shot through the roof. It was true that he had no Spirit Stones on hand, but fighting someone for two hundred Spirit Stones had not been worth it either. Gritting his teeth, he headed straight for the Alchemy Hall. He absolutely could not let that girl off easily!

When he reached the Alchemy Hall, he went straight to the front desk and learned that Yao Ling'er was still in Alchemy Room Six. With a dark expression, Zeng Fan made straight for the room. He pushed open the door and saw Yao Ling'er flipping through a medical text. Today, she wore a blue robe. It seemed that everyone who practiced alchemy liked wearing long robes. She was engrossed in the book, her lively eyes fixed in place and her slender brows slightly furrowed. To make reading easier, she had tied her hair into a simple ponytail, revealing her fair, smooth neck and forehead. Hearing the door open, she did not even raise her head.

"What do you need refined?"

"I need you to enter the bridal chamber with me!" Seeing how calm she was, Zeng Fan's nameless anger flared again, and he sneered.

"What? Ah!" Yao Ling'er thought she had misheard. She raised her head and saw Zeng Fan looking at her with a cold smile, immediately realizing that the truth had come out. Whether or not Zeng Fan had blocked that fellow Gao Shi, judging by his current appearance, he had clearly come to settle accounts with her. She hurriedly rose and ran toward the interior of the room.

Seeing that, how could Zeng Fan fail to understand that she had orchestrated everything? When Yao Ling'er rose and headed for the rear door, his figure flashed, and he was already behind her. He reached out and grabbed the back collar of her robe.

Yao Ling'er desperately tried to run backward, but Zeng Fan still held onto her clothes, outlining a breathtaking curve. Seeing her continue to struggle, Zeng Fan exerted force and turned her to face him. He seized both her hands and firmly pinned her against the wall.

"What are you trying to do? Weren't you the one who agreed back then? You don't look injured, so just consider this favor done!" Seeing that everything had been exposed and there was nowhere left to run, Yao Ling'er stiffened her neck and spoke to Zeng Fan.

"Nothing much. I have no objection to helping you. You said you would become my Dao companion, after all. I'm very excited now. When are we entering the bridal chamber, Ling'er?" Looking at the slight panic on the young woman's face, Zeng Fan could not help wanting to tease her. He bent down, blew gently beside her ear, and spoke slowly.

At his words, Yao Ling'er's petite, exquisite ear immediately turned scarlet. Her whole body trembled, and she hurriedly cried, "Zeng Fan! No, Brother Zeng! I was wrong, I was wrong. Let me go first. We can talk this out." Her voice carried a hint of sobbing.

Zeng Fan wore a frivolous expression, while he was already laughing wildly inside. That's what you get for messing with me like this, little girl. But his expression remained unchanged. "What were you wrong about, my dear wife?"

Yao Ling'er was nearly about to cry. In all her life, she had never been pressed so close to a man. Zeng Fan's two hands gripped her tightly like eagle claws, leaving her unable to move. Waves of masculine scent kept wafting into her nostrils.

Seeing that tears were about to spill from Yao Ling'er's eyes, the anger in Zeng Fan's heart finally began to ebb. Only then did he catch the unique fragrance of the young woman mingled with the scent of herbs and wood. Yao Ling'er's wrists were slender and fair, and because she kept struggling in his hands, the delicate, yielding sensation continuously passed into his mind. How could a young man withstand such stimulation? Zeng Fan's breathing gradually grew heavier, and his eyes began to redden.

Yao Ling'er immediately noticed the change. Her little face went pale, and she shrieked at once.

"I'm sorry! I apologize! I'll give you an opportunity to break through. Let me go first!"