The Smart Fighter Jet quickly returned Chen Yuan to the Training Camp.
Chen Yuan stepped out of the cabin, turned back to watch the dark-blue fighter jet rise into the air, and saw it off into the distance.
Afterward, Chen Yuan called Jiang Fang and canceled his leave.
Once everything was done, Chen Yuan headed toward Jiangnan Pavilion.
He had just reached the entrance when a figure suddenly sprinted out of the pavilion and gave Chen Yuan a firm bear hug without another word.
"Chen Yuan! I've waited so painfully for you!" Luo Hai said in an exaggeratedly aggrieved tone.
Chen Yuan was rather baffled. "What's going on? I've only been gone for eight days. You don't have to miss me this much, do you?"
"Also, let go first. Do you know how strong you are?" Chen Yuan rolled his eyes and said irritably.
"Well, it's because the people in the Training Camp are all too weak." Luo Hai released him, looking utterly depressed. "They call themselves global elites, but not one of them can even take a single move from me."
"The gap is that huge?" Chen Yuan was somewhat surprised. Since entering the camp, he had barely interacted with trainees outside Jiangnan Pavilion. "Even Lu Yuan, who's ranked first, isn't good enough?"
"Lu Yuan's passable. He can last around ten moves against me, but compared to you, he's far behind." Luo Hai shook his head, then mysteriously lowered his voice. "But the one who lasted the longest wasn't Lu Yuan. It was someone else. Guess who??"
"I don't know anyone else in the Training Camp, so how would I guess?" Seeing Luo Hai wiggle his brows, Chen Yuan had a thought. "Judging by your expression, I should know this person. Don't tell me it's Senior Sister Yu Qinglan from Jiangnan Pavilion?"
"That's right, it's her." Luo Hai slapped his thigh. "Lu Yuan can't even last ten moves, but Senior Sister Yu can exchange thirty moves with me. What's even more incredible is..." He deliberately drew out his words. "Senior Sister Yu's fighting style is practically a copy of yours!"
"What do you mean, a copy of mine?" Chen Yuan laughed, feeling that Luo Hai was exaggerating. "Are you saying Senior Sister Yu has also comprehended Wind Artistic Conception?"
"It really is Wind Artistic Conception, but the way she uses it is astonishingly similar to yours." Luo Hai paused. "How should I put it? Senior Sister Yu's abilities are strange. Her moves and techniques are at least seventy percent similar to yours, but the core power feels different."
"Oh?" Hearing Luo Hai say that, Chen Yuan became curious instead. Was there really someone similar to him? After all, his swordsmanship had been optimized by the system. In theory, it should have been unique in the entire world.
Just then, Chen Yuan's heart stirred. He smiled at Luo Hai. "Come to think of it, we haven't seen each other in so long. Want to practice with me?"
Luo Hai's eyes lit up. He had been pestering Chen Yuan precisely because he wanted to spar, so he nodded repeatedly. "Sure, let's enter the Virtual Space."
"No, I mean, how about sparring in reality?" Chen Yuan stopped Luo Hai from taking out his Consciousness Helmet. "How about the Training Ground?"
"You mean in reality?" Luo Hai's eyes widened slightly. "Isn't the difference in our strength a little too big? I'm already at the War God Peak."
"I've already used Dragon Blood. My base strength has reached the Elementary War God level, and with my current 4.6-fold exertion, I'm right at the Advanced War God level." Chen Yuan smiled. "As long as you don't use exertion techniques, the difference won't be too great."
"4.6-fold exertion? Looks like you've improved quite a bit recently." Luo Hai had not sparred with Chen Yuan for some time, and he immediately rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "Fine, let's spar at the Training Ground. The arena there is bigger too."
The two of them promptly left Jiangnan Pavilion. Before leaving, Chen Yuan seemed to casually glance back.
A moment later, a figure stepped out of Jiangnan Pavilion. It was Yu Qinglan.
Inside the Training Ground, Luo Hai booked the largest arena and even invited a Planetary Level instructor to serve as referee. The two then selected their weapons.
Unlike battles in the Virtual Space, the weapons in the Training Ground were all blunt. Attacking vital areas was also strictly prohibited, all to ensure the trainees' safety as much as possible.
Even so, injuries and deaths still occurred at the Training Ground every year.
After all, once people truly fought with red eyes, who cared about such rules? A Martial Artist's instincts would make them subconsciously strike at their opponent's vital points.
In actual combat between Martial Artists, life and death could be decided in an instant, so quickly that even the referee might not have time to intervene.
But Chen Yuan and Luo Hai had no such concern, because they were both wearing the Black God Set. With Apprentice Level strength, it was practically impossible to break through the Black God Set's defenses, greatly ensuring their safety.
Seeing the flowing black Battle Armor covering Chen Yuan's body, Luo Hai suddenly understood and laughed loudly. "So that's it! With the Black God Set protecting us, we really can fight without holding back."
Wrapped in black Battle Armor from head to toe, Chen Yuan nodded. "Other than exertion techniques, use your full strength. That includes Hundred Fierce Blades."
Luo Hai nodded heavily. "Fine, you said it."
Because of Luo Hai, the crowd outside the arena continued to grow.
As a renowned powerhouse in the Training Camp, Luo Hai was virtually undefeated throughout the camp. Who present had not been beaten by him? Naturally, everyone remembered him vividly.
When they saw that someone actually dared to fight Luo Hai in reality, they were all shocked. They gathered around, eager to see who was so fearless of death.
"Who is that fighting Luo Hai? I don't think I've seen him in the Training Camp before."
"His name is Chen Yuan. He's the guy ranked second. He entered the Training Camp with Luo Hai."
Some were confused, while others provided answers. Soon, everyone knew the identities of both sides in this battle.
With a wave of the referee's hand, the battle officially began.
Just as before, Luo Hai charged straight ahead. A sonic boom erupted in an instant, and he reached Chen Yuan in almost the blink of an eye.
As the long blade in his hand carved out a fierce arc, Luo Hai had already rehearsed his next moves in his mind. He knew Chen Yuan too well; the two of them were thoroughly familiar with each other's techniques.
Based on Luo Hai's past experience, Chen Yuan should have retreated to open the distance against this strike, then looked for another opportunity to draw his sword. Thus, as Luo Hai swung his blade, his feet had already prepared in advance. The instant Chen Yuan retreated, he intended to stick to him immediately and deny him the chance to maneuver calmly.
Yet this time, Chen Yuan merely shifted slightly to the side, and the blade swept past the edge of his clothes.
"How could this be?!" Luo Hai's heart jolted. He could not tell whether Chen Yuan was being overconfident or had complete confidence, but his movements did not stop. As Chen Yuan dodged, Luo Hai turned the blade and instantly slashed toward Chen Yuan's waist at close range.
Unexpectedly, Chen Yuan spun lightly as though he had foreseen it, evading the strike again.
Luo Hai was stunned. Refusing to believe it, he continued his pursuit. Yet against his storm-like assault, Chen Yuan dodged every strike by the narrowest margin, as if dancing on the edge of a blade.
Micro Level!
At their level, Micro Level was already an unimpressive technique, something only used when bullying weaker opponents.
Because those of equal combat ability had many ways to counter Micro Level techniques. Anyone who dared use that trick in front of them had to be prepared to be relentlessly hacked at.
But Chen Yuan had done it. Not only did he use Micro Level techniques to evade Luo Hai's attacks, he also calmly avoided the follow-up pursuit. Luo Hai slashed more than a hundred times without landing a single hit.
Chen Yuan smiled. His mental power spread throughout the entire arena, and every movement Luo Hai made was under his control.
The moment his opponent began to swing his blade, Chen Yuan had already predicted the trajectory that would follow. He then calmly avoided it, even playing around with Micro Level techniques.
Luo Hai was seeing red!
His attacks were dodged one after another, making him increasingly agitated. The more he fought, the more alarmed he became. He had already used Hundred Fierce Blades!
Yet even Thousand Calamities, with its unparalleled blade speed, could not stop Chen Yuan from dodging with ease. Luo Hai could not understand how Chen Yuan was doing it no matter how hard he thought.
Luo Hai grew anxious and instinctively used an exertion technique. Planetary Level strength erupted with a roar, and the blade light slashed toward Chen Yuan like a streak of silk.
The crowd cried out in alarm. Even the referee's expression changed, and he immediately moved forward.
Yet Chen Yuan remained calm in the face of that strike. The moment Luo Hai exerted his strength, Chen Yuan lightly tapped the ground and retreated a step in an instant. The blade swept past the tip of his nose without even touching the corner of his clothes.
However, Luo Hai did not continue his pursuit. He stood frozen in place, staring blankly at his blade with a bewildered expression.
Because Luo Hai knew that the moment he used strength beyond their agreement, the victor had already been decided.
"Luo Hai violated the rules by using excessive strength. Chen Yuan wins this battle," the referee announced according to the rules the two had agreed upon.
The crowd cried out in shock again at this result.
Luo Hai had actually lost!
Before you continue