Sparring

"As expected, a genius with a haughty heart!"

Wesport returned to the Delihua Hotel, looking furious.

"What happened, Lord Wesport?"

"I went there personally, yet that guy wouldn't even show his face. Being so decisive, it seems the Dark Church has absolutely no chance of recruiting him."

"But you are a Magus of the ninth rank! Should I—"

"No, now is not the time."

Jonathan remained silent for a moment before saying, "How about I go in your stead? As fellow geniuses, I am interested in him, and I imagine he would be quite interested in me as well."

Wesport glanced at Jonathan, his brows twitching. After pondering for a moment, he felt there was some logic to it. A genius like Linley, even when facing a Magus of the ninth rank, would at most be respectful on the surface.

In his heart, there might even be a hint of disdain.

But with a genius of his own caliber, it would be different; there would surely be a sense of competition.

"I see you have the same intention, haha. Then tomorrow, you shall go on my behalf to express my apologies and try to recruit him once more. If he still cannot be swayed, then the Dark Church can give up on him entirely."

"Yes, Lord Wesport."

The next day.

Jonathan arrived, and as soon as Linley heard from Hilton that he had come, he immediately went out to greet him.

"We meet again." Jonathan smiled slightly.

Linley said, "Indeed. Last time I could only look up to you, but now..."

Bebe rushed out from his embrace and ran onto Linley's shoulder. He stood on his hind legs, folded his short limbs across his chest, and stared at Jonathan with rolling eyes, looking as if he were looking down on him.

"Little mouse, what is it? Do you want to taste my Anti-Gravity Spell again?"

"Squeak squeak! (Who's afraid of you!)"

Jonathan looked at Linley and sized him up. "Seeing you this time, your temperament has truly changed. You are much more confident and mature; you must have experienced a lot."

Linley nodded. "I have experienced a few things."

He did not elaborate, as their relationship had not reached that level.

"Did you come here on your own accord, or on behalf of the Dark Church?"

"Both. Lord Wesport asked me to apologize for him. Last time, the Dark Church simply wanted to invite you as a guest. Furthermore, if you are willing to join the Dark Church, no matter what conditions you set, the Dark Church will agree to them."

Linley did not hesitate in the slightest and replied immediately, "No need!"

"I have no intention of joining any faction right now. As for you, I am quite surprised that you are willing to join the Dark Church. However, I feel you must have your own plans, and you aren't as respectful toward the Dark Church as you appear on the surface."

Jonathan smiled without answering.

After a while, he said, "I see you seem to have the intention of challenging me. You are the second-greatest genius in history, having broken through nearly a year faster than I did, and I am only two years your senior."

At this moment, Linley suddenly heard Doering say from the side, "Linley, his strength has increased significantly. Even if you expose your Dragon Transformation, you might not be his match."

"Do not be in a hurry to challenge him. Besides, he is a member of the Dark Church; he might take the opportunity to cripple you."

"Grandpa Doering, just what level has his strength reached?" Linley asked.

Doering sighed. "His spiritual energy has reached at least the peak of the eighth rank. As for his battle qi, I am not sure, but I imagine it is at least the early stage of the eighth rank."

"How is that possible? So fast?!"

"It has only been two years. Not only did he break through to the eighth rank, but he also raised his spiritual energy to the peak of the eighth rank?"

"Didn't you also go from the early stage of the sixth rank to the seventh in just a few days? Are you the only one allowed to have fortuitous encounters, while others are not?"

"That is not what I meant, but I just find it too incredible!"

"It is indeed incredible. Your cultivation is already very fast, but for you to reach an eighth-rank mage, it would take at least four or five years. As for the peak of the eighth rank, it would likely take another four or five years."

"I thought that you breaking through to a Magus of the ninth rank before the age of thirty would be an unprecedented feat for a mage, but seeing him—if I am not mistaken, he could break through within a year or two."

"A Magus of the ninth rank at twenty or twenty-one years old... I do not even know how to evaluate such a person. Perhaps he has the aptitude to become a god."

"Become a god?"

Linley felt a sense of longing. Last time he went to the Magical Beast Mountain Range, he discovered a mysterious magic array in the Mist Valley and found the divine artifact Purple Blood. He had also learned about the four supreme planes from Doering.

"Grandpa Doering, I have decided to challenge him. I have a gut feeling that he holds no malice toward me. Besides, do you think that with his talent, he would truly work for the Dark Church?"

"The fact that he hasn't revealed his true strength to the people of the Dark Church does indeed suggest they are together in name only, but... never mind. Since you have decided, then go ahead. If there is danger, I can intervene. With Bebe, even if we cannot defeat him, he will not be able to do anything to us."

Linley's eyes were bright and spirited; he looked straight at Jonathan without a hint of fear.

"I do indeed have that intention. I wonder if you would be willing to offer me some pointers."

"No problem, I would be happy to oblige!"

Linley told Hilton not to barge into the backyard no matter what sounds he heard.

In the backyard, the two of them stared at each other.

"I will go all out. I hope you will not hold anything back!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a hint of dark gold flickered in Linley's eyes. In an instant, the Dragonblood battle qi within his body erupted, and black scales immediately emerged on the surface of his skin. Sharp spikes protruded from Linley's elbows and knees.

Then, a dragon tail resembling a steel whip emerged from his tailbone, and sharp spikes sprouted from his forehead.

"Is this Dragon Transformation?!"

Looking at Linley across from him, the pair of dark golden eyes devoid of any emotion made Jonathan feel a slight chill in his heart; they were terrifyingly cold.

"Level eight?"

"So this is the Dragon Transformation of a Dragonblood Warrior."

"It seems the world has underestimated you."

"Aren't you the same? To the outside world, you are a level seven dual-element mage and a level seven warrior, but you are hiding more strength than that, aren't you?"

A flash of purple light streaked by, and a soft purple sword appeared in Linley's hand.

The moment it appeared, Jonathan's expression turned completely grave. This was a Highgod Artifact; even if Linley could not unleash much of its power, its sharpness could easily shred Jonathan's body.

"Swish."

Linley kicked off the ground, causing it to crack instantly, and he transformed into a phantom, charging straight at Jonathan.

After his Dragon Transformation, his strength reached the early stage of level eight, but his speed had absolutely reached the peak of level eight.

Jonathan held nothing back, unleashing his full speed as well, turning into a black shadow and leaping to dodge.

The two chased each other around the courtyard, occasionally producing the sounds of weapons clashing and impacts.

Relying on a dagger inscribed with three miniature magic arrays, he temporarily withstood the sharpness of the divine sword Purple Blood.

Linley wanted to use the unique nature of Purple Blood to influence Jonathan with its baleful aura, but he discovered that Jonathan was completely unaffected. Instead, he accidentally let his own scales get grazed by the dagger.

What Linley did not expect was that his scales, which ordinary weapons could not even leave a mark on, were torn directly, nearly wounding his flesh.

He actually possesses such a special weapon as well. The sharpness of this dagger is close to that of an artifact!

Linley dared not be careless any longer!