The Measure of Those with Spirit Roots

Without waiting for Fang Shu's response, the Lone Pavilion Master spoke in a deep voice:

"Min'er, it's just helping out; what's wrong with giving Fang Shu?"

Even though the Lone Pavilion Master had said that, Qin Min just lowered her head, pursed her lips, and remained silent, not taking back what she had just said.

This made the Lone Pavilion Master frown even more.

She wasn't dissatisfied with Qin Min's temper this time. It's normal for capable people to act this way. What she vaguely sensed was that a conflict had probably arisen between her two disciples.

"Could it be that his recent interactions with outsiders have made him more arrogant?" the Lone Pavilion Master pondered to himself.

Just as she was pondering whether to force Qin Min back, Fang Shu took a half-step forward.

He responded calmly:

"I never need anyone to give me this. Since Junior Sister Qin Min wants to test my skills, then come on."

Upon hearing this, Qin Min's eyes snapped open.

"Alright!" She shouted first, without waiting for the Lone Pavilion Master to agree or disagree.

"Fang Shu has guts."

Smack!

The woman's vital Qi and Blood, nearly three zhang in length, suddenly surged upwards, burning like a torch before everyone's eyes. It was clear that she was not far from passing her third tribulation.

With a sudden surge of Qi and Blood, Qin Min simply raised her hand and pressed down on Fang Shu.

Upon Fang Shu, Fang Shu's Qi and Blood and qi immediately surged.

His Qi and Blood was not the two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) that he had just broken through to the second tribulation stage, but more than two zhang and four chi (approximately 6.6 meters) in height. Moreover, its texture was solid, indicating that he had been breaking through for a long time and had been painstakingly honed.

Bang! The two bodies collided, like two giant rocks, making a loud noise.

Lone Pavilion Master suppressed her other thoughts and kept a close eye on the scene.

To her relief, both Qin Min and Fang Shu knew that today's match was just a friendly sparring session within the gym, not an opportunity to help someone fight outside.

Therefore, both of them only gathered their Qi and Blood, without using any magic or other Law Technique.

Bang bang bang!

After testing each other for a while, Qin Min and Fang Shu clearly saw the other's Qi and Blood and vitality. The former revealed an arrogant smile, while the latter's expression turned slightly serious.

"Two zhang and four chi?" Qin Min exclaimed with a smile.

"His Qi and Blood levels are so-so. Now, it all depends on whether Fang Shu Brother Fang Shu's physique can handle it!"

This fellow took a deep breath, assumed a fist-fighting stance, his arms like whips, his Qi and Blood gathering in his hands, exploding the air with a crack, and then lunged fiercely at Fang Shu's chest.

Judging from her stance, although she didn't use any Law Technique in this attack, she clearly used at least 90% of her strength, intending to give Fang Shu a hard time.

Roar! Even the Qi and Blood in her body condensed into a python phantom, emitting an invisible shriek.

This scene shocked the other disciples around them.

They were not only shocked by Qin Min's Qi and Blood level, but also by Qin Min powerful aura, which could not have been cultivated in a short time.

A disciple at the scene thought to himself, "No wonder Junior Sister Qin Min is so enthusiastic about sparring with people outside the school; it seems she has truly learned something from these exchanges."

Even the Lone Pavilion Master, upon seeing the aura emanating from Qin Min, relaxed her brows slightly, realizing that Qin Min had not neglected her cultivation these past few days.

On the other side...

Even though Qin Min's aura was like a python, Fang Shu's expression remained unchanged, and he didn't even glance at the serpentine phantom surrounding Qin Min.

He didn't dodge; instead, he also mustered his Qi and Blood, his eyes blazing, and inwardly roared, "Weigh me? Let me see just how good this so-called Spirit Root cultivator really is!"

Whoosh!

Fang Shu's Qi and Blood were purplish-red and blackish, with a metallic silver light, converging into a shape like a raging flame.

He faced Qin Min's attack head-on, meeting her head-on.

Boom!

Like a muffled thunderclap, followed by the sound of sizzling soybeans, the two collided head-on, their Qi and Blood exploding, and their bones crackling and popping.

In an instant, all the stone bricks within a ten-foot radius beneath their feet shattered.

Many of the inner disciples standing in the hall felt their minds go blank, their eardrums trembling from the impact of the Qi and Blood surge.

But they stared wide-eyed at the arena, eager to see who was more skilled between Fang Shu and Qin Min.

The two were less than an inch apart, their arms clasped together, their vital Qi and Blood spreading outwards like exploding candle flames.

Both Qin Min and Fang Shu maintained a tense expression, showing no signs of defeat.

However, after a three-breath stalemate, Qin Min finally withdrew her hand swiftly and returned to her original position with a calm and collected demeanor, leaving Fang Shu still standing there, his body stiff, continuing to calm his breathing, without immediately getting up to finish his practice.

These signs undoubtedly highlight the gap between the two, with Qin Min ultimately emerging victorious.

A disciple in the hall exclaimed in a low voice, "Junior Sister Qin Min is truly remarkable!"

"The strength of that Qi and Blood just now is something even an ordinary third-tribulation Immortal cultivator might not be able to achieve."

Some disciples were also astonished by Fang Shu's performance. "This Fang Shu usually doesn't show off, but now he can fight Qin Min in the ring. He's truly remarkable."

"Hmph! Maybe Junior Sister Qin Min was just giving him face and held back a bit."

The hall was in a state of chaos for a while.

The Lone Pavilion Master sat in a grand chair, watching the two closely. Seeing that they separated and did not escalate the conflict, she breathed a sigh of relief.

She immediately noticed the satisfaction and joy in their eyes.

Qin Min's strength of Qi and Blood made her quite expectant, and coupled with her Spirit Root, it should be no problem for her to join Immortal Sect.

Fang Shu's performance today also demonstrated his considerable strength, making him a rising star. If we also consider his Gu techniques, he is a potential candidate for an Immortal Sect!

However, she didn't show it, and simply instructed, "Now that we've tested our skills, that's enough for today. You may all return to your rooms to cultivate."

The disciples wanted to discuss it further, but after hearing the Lone Pavilion Master speak, they dared not retort like Qin Min.

The crowd responded in hushed tones, "Yes, disciples take their leave."

Inside the hall, Fang Shu took a deep breath and slowly put away his boxing stance.

He felt every muscle in his body trembling, especially his arms, which had blocked Qin Min's attack; the bones in his arms were faintly cracking.

Fortunately, he possessed the White-Mercury Venom Marrow, so his bones, though fractured, did not break and he was otherwise unharmed. He could recover completely after a night's rest.

On the contrary, his internal Qi and Blood were significantly depleted in that short time, and he needs to go back and take some medicine to replenish it.

"So this is what it means to possess Spirit Root... Not only is their cultivation speed excellent, but the strength of their condensed Qi and Blood is also no less than mine, which was refined after consuming a large number of precious Qi and Blood."

Fang Shu secretly processed the punch he had just sparred with, and judged. "This woman's aura is strong but not fierce, somewhat weak and wasting her Qi and Blood. It's probably because she's never seen blood before."

However, regardless of the circumstances, Qin Min is indeed someone highly regarded by the Lone Pavilion Master, and she should not be underestimated.

Fang Shu currently lags behind his opponent in terms of Law Power cultivation.

However, after understanding this, Fang Shu was not discouraged at all; on the contrary, he was invigorated!

Today he finally saw the true quality of those with Spirit Root; they were only temporarily a step above him, not someone unattainable.

The difference between Spirit Root and mortal roots is completely different from what everyone in the academy thinks. The former is too much like the pride of heaven, too high and mighty, while the latter is humble, as different as heaven and earth!

These numerous thoughts flashed through Fang Shu's mind at lightning speed.

In the main hall, he calmly finished his practice, let out a long breath, and then spoke:

"This disciple will also take his leave."

The Lone Pavilion Master nodded to him and added an extra instruction:

"It's just helping out. Outsiders are impatient, but we're not. We'll rest for a few more days before we go."

"Yes, Master," Fang Shu replied, bowing respectfully.

He lagged behind the other disciples, walking steadily towards the exit.

Inside the hall.

Qin Min maintained a calm and composed expression as she stood beside the Lone Pavilion Master. Her demeanor remained arrogant, as if Fang Shu's performance had barely caught her eye and earned her some approval.

But even after Fang Shu disappeared, her gaze remained fixed on the doorway, refusing to leave.

At this moment, the Lone Pavilion Master couldn't help but smile. After shaking his head, he flickered and disappeared from the spot, leaving Qin Min alone in the hall.

After everyone had left, the woman let out a muffled groan, her face showing a troubled and serious expression.

"Well done, Fang Shu. I truly underestimated you."

Her eyes seemed to be burning with fire, and there was a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth.

Clearly, during the test of her punches just now, her actual situation was not as calm and collected as she appeared.

It could even be said that her internal organs and musculoskeletal system suffered some internal injuries because she had overexerted herself and failed to properly release her energy, making her condition even worse than Fang Shu's.

"Pah!" Qin Min spat out a mouthful of saliva tinged with blood.

She took a deep breath, feeling a slight stinging pain in her lungs, and her eyes blazed with even more fire, along with a hint of shame and annoyance.

Despite her self-proclaimed reputation in the town, she never expected that someone would dare to challenge her in her own restaurant.

Looking back at their exchange of blows, Qin Min vaguely sensed that Fang Shu possessed an even more sinister and vicious magical Law Power that he hadn't yet unleashed. If he had, she feared she would truly make a fool of herself today.

Suppressing her emotions, Qin Min walked silently toward the quiet room in the backyard.

On the other side...

After returning to his room, Fang Shu didn't think too much about it.

He calmly honed his Qi and Blood, repaired his muscles and bones, put the matter of testing his fists out of his mind, and began to prepare for the real fist-fighting battle to come.