The Gap and the Truth

"Boss, be careful—"

The lackeys beside Xiao Chenyu looked frightened and hurriedly retreated into the distance.

"Hmph, what a bunch of cowards."

The chill in Xiao Chenyu's eyes deepened, and he immediately used Martial Soul Possession.

The next moment, Xiao Chenyu's body shot up to over two meters tall. His short hair turned into long strands gleaming with a cold light, black scales surfaced across his handsome face, and his once-arrogant features transformed into bloodthirsty red eyes.

Not only that, his arms were covered in black scales. His right hand curled downward slightly, and a black bone blade protruded from his elbow, its edge glinting with icy coldness.

"Jiang Lin, don't think awakening a High-grade Martial Soul makes you anything special. My Night Wolf Martial Soul isn't weak either, and I obtained my first Soul Ring long ago. Let's see whether you're all bark and no bite!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Chenyu vanished. While everyone searched around for him, he somehow appeared directly behind Jiang Lin and raised his bone blade, slashing viciously toward Jiang Lin's heart from behind!

"Heh, a special Martial Soul ability?"

Just as delight filled Xiao Chenyu's eyes and he thought he was about to succeed, Jiang Lin reacted in an instant and swung the King's Power Sword behind him!

With a ringing clang, although Xiao Chenyu's bone blade was several times tougher than Kus's bone claws, the King's Power Sword was no longer what it had been. Empowered by the King's Power Sword Intent, its edge possessed a trace of the ability to cut through anything, slicing straight through the tip of the bone blade!

"How is that possible?!"

Xiao Chenyu's pupils contracted, but before he could remain stunned for long, the King's Power Sword continued toward his head without losing momentum.

"First Soul Skill, Shadow Form!"

Xiao Chenyu let out a low shout. His towering half-wolf body immediately turned incorporeal, causing the King's Power Sword to strike nothing but empty air.

"That Soul Skill is pretty good. It actually negated my attack outright."

Jiang Lin looked somewhat surprised at Xiao Chenyu, who had reformed in the distance, and a hint of approval appeared on his face.

How is this brat's reaction speed so fast? He actually reacted to that?

Xiao Chenyu's face was full of gravity as he concealed himself once more.

Yet Jiang Lin remained relaxed, not taking him seriously at all. He even had the leisure to joke with Xiao Wu nearby.

"Hmph, how arrogant. But that's exactly my chance!"

The next moment, Xiao Chenyu seized an opening and appeared one meter to Jiang Lin's side. The bone blade in his hand once again chopped viciously toward Jiang Lin's neck from an extremely tricky angle!

"Is this all the strength you have? You've really disappointed me."

Jiang Lin merely tilted his head slightly before thrusting the King's Power Sword diagonally outward, striking directly against the middle of the bone blade. With a faint exertion of force, a small hole suddenly burst through the center of the blade!

"How can that be? You reacted again?!"

Xiao Chenyu's face was filled with shock. Just as the tip of the King's Power Sword was about to stab him, he used his Soul Skill once more and vanished from where he stood.

"One time could have been a coincidence, but twice is real skill. This Jiang Lin—"

"Could it be because of his Martial Soul? But isn't the special ability of his Martial Soul supreme sharpness? Why does it also boost his reaction speed so much?"

"This brat hasn't even obtained a Soul Ring yet. Is this the difference between a High-grade Martial Soul and a Mid-grade Martial Soul?"

Xiao Chenyu furrowed his brow deeply and no longer dared to attack proactively.

After all, with Jiang Lin's inhuman reaction speed, his sneak attacks were completely useless. One careless mistake and he would be struck by Jiang Lin's King's Power Sword.

Though he could evade in time with his Soul Skill, he was only a level 19 Soul Master. The Soul Power in his body could support at most five uses of the skill.

He had already used it twice, leaving only three uses. And if he wanted to maintain Martial Soul Possession, his remaining Soul Power would only support one more use.

"What's wrong? Are you scared?"

A teasing look appeared on Jiang Lin's face.

"Hmph—"

Xiao Chenyu wanted to retort, but as someone born into nobility, he had received extensive practical combat training from childhood. He was good at controlling his emotions and would not be provoked into revealing an opening like Kus.

"Heh, since you won't attack, I will. But if you don't use your Soul Skill against this strike, it'll probably hurt a lot."

Jiang Lin smiled faintly. Without using any movement technique, he charged in a straight line toward Xiao Chenyu and slashed down with his sword!

Not good. If I can't block this strike, I'll be severely injured even if it doesn't kill me. But my Soul Power—

Feeling the extreme sharpness of the blade, hesitation appeared in Xiao Chenyu's eyes. After weighing his options again and again, he chose not to use his Soul Skill. Instead, he flashed away, retreating into the distance at high speed.

"Run? Can you get away?"

A trace of mockery appeared in Jiang Lin's eyes. He halted, then swept the King's Power Sword forward.

The next moment, countless tiny golden sword energies transformed into miniature swords and flew off the blade, shooting toward Xiao Chenyu!

"Damn it, what are these things?!"

Feeling the sharpness at his back, Xiao Chenyu's face instantly filled with terror. He gathered all his Soul Power in his calves, and his speed surged once more.

But he had clearly underestimated those sword energies. Although Jiang Lin could now only wield one-millionth of the King's Power Sword's power, under the enhancement of the King's Power Sword Intent, even Soul Grandmasters would find these sword energies troublesome, much less a mere Soul Master like him.

In just half a minute, Xiao Chenyu's face was drenched in sweat, and more than half the Soul Power in his body had been consumed. Just as he thought he had escaped the sword energies, he failed to notice the stunned looks everyone else was giving him.

Fortunately, at least one lackey was loyal to him and spoke up hesitantly.

"B-Boss—"

"What is it?"

Xiao Chenyu turned toward that lackey in confusion.

"Boss, y-your back is covered in blood!"

"What?"

Xiao Chenyu immediately frowned and reached behind himself. A slick, cool sensation met his hand, but before he could examine it carefully—

The next moment, excruciating pain flooded his mind like a tidal wave.

"Ah!"

With a scream, Xiao Chenyu writhed on the ground in agony, no longer retaining any of his previous arrogance or lofty bearing.

That was because the sword energies had caught up to Xiao Chenyu long ago. They had worn away the scales on his back and silently seeped into his flesh.

Xiao Chenyu's back was now a mangled mass of blood and flesh, white bones exposed amid the wounds. He had clearly lost all ability to continue fighting.

Seeing Xiao Chenyu in such a miserable state, his lackeys were about to step forward and carry him away when Jiang Lin walked over.

"What's the rush? This isn't a place where you can come and go as you please."

He casually swept his gaze over the few of them. They immediately did not dare move again and could only stand there fearfully.

"Jiang Lin, w-what else do you want? Don't tell me you really dare to kill me!"

"My father is the Lord of Notting City, and my uncle is an academy teacher. If you dare lay a hand on me, they'll never let you off!"

Xiao Chenyu's face was deathly pale. Though he knew that, with his father and uncle backing him, Jiang Lin probably would not dare harm him, his body still trembled uncontrollably as Jiang Lin approached.

"Kill you? It hasn't come to that. I just want to ask you something."

With a smile in his eyes, Jiang Lin crouched before Xiao Chenyu and patted his cheek.

"Tell me. Who exactly sent you to cause trouble for me? I don't think I've ever offended you."

"I-I came on my own. I heard people saying that a genius had arrived at the academy, so I came over out of curiosity to take a look."

"Heh, do you believe that yourself?"

A cold smile appeared on Jiang Lin's face. Before everyone's horrified eyes, he grabbed Xiao Chenyu by the throat.

"Tell me and you live. Refuse and you die. I'll count to three. If you still don't answer, or if you try to lie, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"Jiang Lin, y-you dare—"

Feeling the tightening grip around his throat, terror immediately appeared on Xiao Chenyu's face. He tried to struggle, but he could not break free from Jiang Lin's hand at all.

With no other choice, Xiao Chenyu could only submit.

"L-let go. I'll talk."

Jiang Lin loosened his grip slightly but did not release him completely, merely giving Xiao Chenyu enough room to breathe.

"It was my uncle. My uncle told me to come cause trouble for you!"

"Xiao Yan? I don't even know him. Why would he want to cause trouble for me?"

"It was Suke, the gate guard. My uncle is his brother-in-law. You broke his leg when you enrolled, so he went to my uncle to vent his anger."

Before leaving, Xiao Yan had sternly warned Xiao Chenyu not to reveal his involvement. But now Xiao Chenyu's life rested on Jiang Lin's whim. Naturally, he would not gamble with his own life for Suke's sake, and he spilled everything.

"Him?"

"Heh, looks like he thinks his other leg is unnecessary too."

Killing intent flickered in Jiang Lin's eyes.