Taunt

The Su Family's Training Ground.

At dawn, dozens of Su Family disciples were sweating profusely in the Training Ground, their fists and palms slicing through the air as sword shadows crisscrossed.

Su Yu stood at the edge of the grounds, watching the others practice. A thought stirred in his mind.

"Strange..."

He murmured to himself.

In the past, when he watched others practice martial arts, their techniques and changes were complicated. He could remember them, but always found them obscure and difficult to understand.

But today, as he watched again, the sword techniques and palm arts seemed crystal clear to him. He could even spot their flaws and the key points behind their force at a glance.

"Is it because my soul fused with this body?"

Su Yu pondered silently.

His eyesight and comprehension seemed to be several times better than before!

The Su Family's martial arts focused mainly on palm arts and sword techniques. On the Nine Heavens Continent, martial skills were divided into five grades: Heaven, Earth, Profound, Yellow, and Human, with the Human grade being the lowest.

Most Su Family disciples practiced Human-grade Low-tier Martial Skills, such as Mountain Splitting Palm and Gale Sword Style. Talented disciples who reached Qi Refining Level 7 could practice Human-grade Mid-tier Martial Skills, while only those who reached the Spirit Condensation Realm qualified to practice High-grade Human-tier Martial Skills.

Su Yu practiced Gale Sword Style. But because his comprehension had been lacking, despite five years of hard work, he had only reached the Lesser Accomplishment stage.

Yet now, as he watched this sword technique again, a sudden sense of enlightenment washed over him!

"With this move, Wind Sweeps Clouds, if I rotate my wrist just a little further, its power will increase by at least thirty percent!" he thought. His fingers moved slightly on their own, as if the essence of the sword technique had been etched into his mind.

Just then, a grating voice rang out from behind him—

"Well, if it isn't our Su Family 'genius,' Su Yu! What, after five years without a breakthrough, you've finally remembered to practice martial arts?"

Su Yu turned around and saw a youth in fine clothes approaching with his arms folded and a mocking look on his face.

This was Su Hao, the Third Elder's son. He was sixteen, at Qi Refining Level 5, with mediocre talent. His Mountain Splitting Palm had only reached the Lesser Accomplishment stage.

And yet Su Hao loved nothing more than picking on Su Yu.

Perhaps bullying a former genius gave him a warped sense of accomplishment.

Su Yu gave him a cursory glance, couldn't be bothered to engage, and turned to leave.

Seeing this, a flash of anger crossed Su Hao's eyes. He hurried forward and blocked Su Yu, sneering. "What, has this piece of trash lost the nerve to even speak? You really think you're still the genius you used to be?"

Quite a few disciples stopped their practice and turned to watch the show.

Su Yu frowned slightly. If this had been the former owner of his body, he might have swallowed his anger.

But now he was at Qi Refining Level 4, the spiritual energy in his body flowing smoothly. And with his greatly improved comprehension, he was no longer a soft persimmon for anyone to squeeze!

"Move," he said calmly.

Su Hao scoffed. "And what if I don't? What can you do? A piece of trash who hasn't made a breakthrough in five years thinks he can throw his weight around in the Su Family?"

As he spoke, he suddenly swung a palm at Su Yu's shoulder. The wind howled around his hand—he was using Mountain Splitting Palm!

If that palm landed, Su Hao's Qi Refining Level 5 strength would be enough to make Su Yu drop to his knees on the spot!

But just as the force of his palm was about to reach Su Yu—

"Stop!"

A clear shout rang out. Then a figure darted over like the wind and blocked Su Hao's attack with a palm, stopping it dead in its tracks!

"Bang!"

Their palms collided, and Su Hao staggered back several steps, his expression shifting.

The newcomer stood firmly in place, straight as a pine.

"Su Yan!"

Su Hao gritted his teeth, a trace of apprehension flashing in his eyes.

The newcomer was Su Yan, the son of the Su Family Head. Though he was only fourteen, he had already reached Qi Refining Level 7, ranking among the top three in talent among the Su Family's younger generation!

More importantly, his Gale Sword Style had reached the Greater Accomplishment stage. He was far beyond Su Hao.

Su Yu and Su Yan had been close since childhood. Even after Su Yu went five years without breaking through to Qi Refining Level 4, Su Yan had continued to call him Brother Yu affectionately, and his attitude toward him had never changed.

"Su Hao, are you picking on Brother Yu again?"

Su Yan said coldly.

Su Hao's face darkened, but in the end, he didn't dare clash head-on with Su Yan. He could only snort. "Su Yan, don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong! This piece of trash has no ability, and now no one's allowed to say it?"

Su Yan's gaze turned icy. He was about to speak when Su Yu suddenly reached out and pressed a hand to his shoulder.

"Su Yan, let me handle this myself."

Su Yu said calmly.

Su Yan froze and turned to look at Su Yu, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

In the past, when people provoked Su Yu, he usually chose to endure it. But today, his gaze was unusually calm, and even carried a hint of... fighting spirit?

"Brother Yu, you..."

Su Yan hesitated.

Su Yu smiled faintly and looked toward Su Hao. "Didn't you want to test my strength? Fine. I'll give you what you want."

The entire Training Ground fell silent.

Su Hao stared for a moment, then burst into laughter. "You? A piece of trash at Qi Refining Third Layer, and you dare challenge me?"

Su Yu didn't answer. He simply raised a hand and made a gesture inviting Su Hao to attack.

A ruthless look flashed in Su Hao's eyes, and he grinned viciously. "Fine! Since you're asking to die, I'll grant your wish!"

Before the words had even left his mouth, he lunged forward. His right palm came down like an axe splitting a mountain, slamming toward Su Yu's chest!

"Mountain Splitting Palm—Stone Splitting!"

The wind roared around his palm as spiritual energy surged. If this blow landed, it would be enough to make an ordinary Qi Refining Level 4 martial artist cough blood and collapse!

Yet Su Yu stood where he was, not moving an inch.

Just as the force of the palm was about to hit him—

"Whoosh!"

His figure abruptly shifted half a foot to the side, like a gust of wind, precisely evading the blow!

"What!"

Su Hao's pupils contracted. Before he could react, Su Yu had already swung the edge of his hand back at him, striking straight for his wrist joint!

Crack!

"Ah—!"

Su Hao let out a scream. His entire arm went numb and limp, and the flow of spiritual energy was forcibly cut off!

But Su Yu's movements didn't stop. He shifted his footing and closed in on Su Hao like a ghost. His right hand curled into a claw, seized Su Hao's shoulder, and abruptly flipped him—

"Bang!"

Su Hao was slammed hard onto the ground, dust flying everywhere!

The entire Training Ground fell deathly silent.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what they had just seen.

Su Hao, at Qi Refining Level 5, had actually been knocked down by Su Yu... in a single move!

Su Yu slowly lowered his hand and looked down at Su Hao. "So, who's the piece of trash now?"

Su Hao's face was deathly pale, his eyes filled with shock.

Yesterday, he'd still been a piece of trash at Qi Refining Third Layer. How had he become so strong overnight?

Su Yan was stunned too. It took him a moment to recover before he exclaimed in delight, "Brother Yu, you broke through!"

Su Yu smiled faintly and nodded. "Mm. Qi Refining Level 4."

Su Yan was overjoyed. He put an arm around Su Yu's shoulders and laughed. "That's wonderful! I knew you wouldn't stay down forever, Brother Yu!"