Trouble Comes Knocking Again

Three days later.

Riding in the Carriage once more, the holiday had passed in the blink of an eye, and it was time for school to begin again. Accompanied by his Parents, Shi Quan returned to Notting Academy.

Although he had gone through many partings with his Parents, each farewell still carried a hint of reluctance.

The familiar Dormitory, followed by the familiar Opening Ceremony on the second day.

The new semester brought many new faces, and naturally, some old ones were gone as well. For instance, Boss Xiao, Xiao Chenyu, had graduated from the sixth grade.

After the Opening Ceremony, Shi Quan had just arrived at the Back Mountain to cultivate when he suddenly heard a sharp feminine shout behind him.

"Shi Quan, stop right there!"

Hearing Xiao Wu's familiar voice, Shi Quan immediately furrowed his brows. School had not even started, yet Xiao Wu was already impatient to cause him trouble. It seemed that over the past two months, she had learned quite a few things from Tang San.

Stopping in his tracks, Shi Quan said impatiently, "Do you know how annoying you really are?"

For once, Xiao Wu did not get angry. Instead, she proudly raised her head and puffed out her chest. "Shi Quan, I'm giving you a chance today. Call me Sister Xiao Wu and admit you know you were wrong. From then on, we'll leave each other in peace. Otherwise, don't blame me for making you suffer today!"

This only made Shi Quan more certain. After carefully recalling the plot, his gaze instinctively fell upon Xiao Wu's wrist.

Sleeve Arrow!

Tang San had given the Sleeve Arrow to Xiao Wu. The conflict between Shi Quan and Xiao Wu could currently be considered no more than classmates disliking each other, with a bit of hostility between them. But if Xiao Wu used the Sleeve Arrow, that would be a completely different matter.

That would mean tearing off all pretenses, because the Sleeve Arrow was a Hidden Weapon meant for killing enemies.

Shi Quan's expression shifted slightly, and his gaze toward Xiao Wu gained a trace of chill. "A person's patience is limited. I'm warning you one last time: don't provoke me!"

Xiao Wu looked at Shi Quan mockingly. "What? Scared? If you're scared, call me Sister Xiao Wu."

"Trying to provoke me?" Shi Quan looked at Xiao Wu calmly. "That might work on others, but not on me."

With that, Shi Quan turned and headed straight toward the academy's Back Mountain.

"Trying to leave? That depends on whether you can." Xiao Wu did not care about any of that. She pushed off with the tips of her feet, leaping into the air as she launched an attack at Shi Quan.

Hearing the movement behind him, Shi Quan moved at once, shifting sideways to evade Xiao Wu's attack. He flicked his hand back, and blue light flashed as it extended into a long whip that lashed toward Xiao Wu like a giant python.

Just as the whip came down, a hand as white as jade suddenly reached out and grabbed the whip formed from Blue Silver Grass.

"Are you stepping in too, Tang San?" Shi Quan's voice was low and forceful.

Tang San held the Blue Silver Vine Whip in his hand, a faint purple glint surfacing in his eyes. "Sorry. I promised Xiao Wu that I wouldn't let her suffer even the slightest injury."

"Heh." Shi Quan gave a cold laugh. "So as long as I fight back, you'll intervene? I'm supposed to let Xiao Wu chase me around and beat me?"

Tang San said nothing, because the hand tightly gripping the Blue Silver Vine Whip had already given Shi Quan his answer.

"What a fine Tang San."

Shi Quan sneered inwardly. During the previous year of getting along, he had not particularly disliked Tang San. He had merely found Xiao Wu extremely irritating. But Tang San's little stunt now thoroughly disgusted him.

Left with no choice, he could only withdraw his Martial Soul.

Looking at Tang San beside her, Xiao Wu's little face flushed slightly. She said softly, "Xiao San, you don't need to step in. I can handle it."

Tang San smiled. "What? Have you forgotten how you used to cry out in pain?"

Xiao Wu shot Tang San an indignant glare and was about to say something when Tang San interrupted, "Isn't it satisfying to beat up a living target? Want to give it a try?"

At Tang San's words, Xiao Wu's eyes immediately lit up as she looked toward Shi Quan.

"Today, I'll make you concede wholeheartedly. You won't use your Martial Soul, and neither will I."

Xiao Wu gave a sharp cry. Then, both hands reached into the pouches at her waist. As they emerged, she flicked her arms, sending two flying stones shooting out at high speed.

Both of Xiao Wu's hands had their thumbs tucked inward, palms facing down, with her four fingers held together and extended forward. The motion was simple yet highly effective. It was the most basic Hidden Weapon technique, the Flinging Hand Arrow, which used the inertia from swinging the arm to launch Hidden Weapons.

This technique was the most direct, the clearest, and the easiest to learn. For someone like Xiao Wu, who had no foundation, it was the simplest Hidden Weapon technique to study and the quickest to grasp.

It was also the only Hidden Weapon technique Tang San had taught Xiao Wu during the two-month break.

Looking at the incoming stones, Shi Quan's expression carried a trace of disdain. If it had been Tang San's Hidden Weapon techniques, he would have been wary. But Xiao Wu had only practiced these techniques for two months. How could she dare show off beneath his Nine Shadows Shift? She was simply flaunting her skills before an expert.

Though the flying stones were fast, Shi Quan merely twisted his waist twice and easily dodged them.

Xiao Wu was in no hurry. As she quickly pursued Shi Quan, her hands continuously pulled stones from the pouch at her waist and hurled them at him. As long as even one stone struck Shi Quan, his movements would definitely be affected, giving her an opportunity to close in. Once she got close, she would use her Soft Technique to teach Shi Quan a proper lesson.

Shi Quan looked at Tang San, who was standing nearby and ready to strike at any moment. A trace of mockery and coldness appeared in his eyes. You could block the Blue Silver Vine Whip for Xiao Wu, but what about everything else?

He raised his right hand. Tang San originally thought Shi Quan was going to use the vine whip again, but Shi Quan instead reached toward the flying stones with his right hand. His five fingers curved slightly into a palm, and he drew a semicircle with one hand. In the next instant, the force within the stones seemed to vanish, and he caught them directly in his palm.

The next second, the stones flew out again.

The difference was that this time, Shi Quan had thrown them, and their target was Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu's movements paused for a moment before she swayed right to evade. Although she had learned the Flinging Hand Arrow technique, two months was nowhere near enough to master it completely. As she dodged, Xiao Wu's Flinging Hand Arrow technique visibly became somewhat distorted.

Shi Quan seized the opportunity, reaching out to easily catch the Hidden Weapons Xiao Wu had thrown. He tossed them backhandedly, and as Xiao Wu dodged repeatedly, Shi Quan's nimble figure did not take the chance to widen the distance between them. Instead, he stepped forward and actively chose to close in, striking toward Xiao Wu's chest with one palm in a sky-supporting stance.

Tang San, watching from the side, smiled at the sight. In his view, Shi Quan was trying to use the stones to catch Xiao Wu off guard and quickly end the fight once he got close. But Xiao Wu's Soft Technique was incredibly formidable. Even Tang San himself could not gain an advantage against it, let alone Shi Quan.

He could practically picture Shi Quan being viciously thrown away by Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu had not expected Shi Quan to close in on her. But once she noticed his intention, a confident smile immediately rose on her lips. There was not the slightest hint of panic in her expression as she twisted aside to dodge the incoming stones.

Xiao Wu understood that Shi Quan was agile. If this attack missed, Shi Quan would most likely widen the distance again and never give her another chance to get close. Therefore, she had to seize this opportunity tightly.

She flicked her head, and the Scorpion Braid behind it turned into a black shadow as it coiled toward Shi Quan's arm. Xiao Wu's hands moved along with her braid. As Shi Quan struck out with one hand, both of Xiao Wu's hands pressed downward at the same time.

The moment Tang San, watching from not far away, saw Xiao Wu's hands touch Shi Quan's arm, his tense body finally relaxed. In his eyes, the battle was already decided.

Yet the smile on Xiao Wu's face had vanished. She was shocked to discover that although she had clearly touched Shi Quan, she could not Bind him.

Xiao Wu's Soft Technique was known for using four ounces to move a thousand pounds. In close combat, it specifically targeted the vulnerable parts of the human body, locking them down and restraining the opponent until they were powerless to resist, before violently throwing them down to inflict severe injury.

The prerequisite was getting close enough to Bind and restrain the opponent. But now, if Xiao Wu's hands were compared to cotton, then Shi Quan's arm was like air. She had clearly touched it, yet she could not grasp it.

She was already soft enough, but Shi Quan was even softer than her, like Flowing Water, like air.

This was Star Shift. By shifting force and momentum, it could deflect an enemy's techniques and strength.

As the saying went, softness overcame hardness. Xiao Wu's Soft Technique was certainly the embodiment of softness, but when faced with something even softer than it, her Soft Technique became hardness instead!

Shi Quan's arm suddenly trembled in a strange manner. The palm that had been supporting upward flipped downward. Xiao Wu had intended to end the fight in one move, so she had placed all her center of gravity on Shi Quan's arm. Not only had she failed to Bind him, she was dragged downward by his arm, causing her entire center of gravity to shift.

As Shi Quan lowered his right hand, his left hand pressed down as well. Xiao Wu only felt a powerful force strike her back, and she immediately lost her balance, getting pressed straight to the ground.

With a thud, Xiao Wu slammed face-first onto the ground. Shi Quan stepped on the area around her neck and looked coldly toward Tang San.

"Do you really think I'm that easy to bully?"

After Tang San's disgusting behavior, Shi Quan had figured it out. He and Tang San were destined never to be friends in the future, because there could only be one Emperor of Blue Silver Grass!

He intended to take the Emperor that belonged to him from Tang San, the innate Emperor. How could they possibly become friends?

With the system, his life was destined to be extraordinary and different from everyone else's.

Shi Quan had deliberately chosen the Sports Field every day for cultivation because he wanted those around him to know that he was different and special. Otherwise, why would he cultivate so conspicuously on the Sports Field? If he had wanted to hide himself, he could have gone to the Back Mountain to cultivate all along.

The fundamental reason Shi Quan wanted to appear different was that his Innate Soul Power was only level one!

His rise was bound to be something extraordinary, so he had to create an extraordinary persona for himself, making his rise appear as understandable as possible.

Before, he had felt that he needed to be special, but not too special. After weighing it all, Shi Quan had not chosen to compromise when Xiao Wu picked fights with him. Instead, he had revealed his Light Body Technique. Even when she repeatedly came looking for trouble afterward, he had always held back, and the same was true when he used his whip techniques.

Every Martial Arts technique meant for killing enemies was a genuine killing technique. If Shi Quan had truly been ruthless, Xiao Wu would at least have been left with torn flesh and broken skin, bedridden for one or two months.

Shi Quan had also come to understand that perhaps the true purpose of the Destiny Treasure Chest was to help him fight for destiny. If he let those two suppress him like this, he himself would feel uncomfortable. An unsettled spirit was a great taboo in martial cultivation.

Since that was the case, he might as well tear off all pretenses.

"Shi Quan!" Tang San was so enraged by the sudden change that his eyes nearly split apart. How could he endure seeing his sister being stepped on by someone else? Just as he was about to step forward, he immediately halted.

"Try moving." As Shi Quan spoke, he exerted force beneath his foot. The neck was one of the most vulnerable parts of the human body. The moment he pressed down, Xiao Wu immediately let out a pained cry. "Ah!"

Tang San's eyes turned red. He lightly tapped his right hand against his left wrist, releasing the safety on the Sleeve Arrow on his left hand. At this moment, he truly harbored killing intent!

"Tang San, from beginning to end, you were the ones who came looking for trouble with me. I never provoked either of you. I've told you many times that I'm busy and that you should stop bothering me. Are you deaf, or are you stupid? Why can't you understand something so simple?"

Shi Quan looked coldly at Tang San, his gaze falling on Tang San's left hand. Since he had already decided to tear off all pretenses, he no longer feared Tang San becoming hostile toward him.

Tang San said coldly, "Let Xiao Wu go."

"Let her go?" Shi Quan stared straight at Tang San. "Then let me ask you this: did you understand what I said?"

Xiao Wu, furious, shouted from where she lay on the ground, "I don't accept this! If you've got the guts, let me go first, then we'll do it again!"

"Looks like you didn't understand." Shi Quan smiled faintly and pressed down with his foot again. Xiao Wu cried out in pain once more.

How could Tang San bear to let Xiao Wu suffer? He hurriedly said, "We understand!"

"And you?" Shi Quan cast Xiao Wu a casual glance.

Xiao Wu knew that she had no choice but to bow her head under the eaves. She could only grit her teeth and say, "I understand."

Shi Quan continued calmly, "Understand what?"

"I know you're busy, and we shouldn't bother you!" Xiao Wu's angry voice came from beneath his foot.

"So you're not deaf after all. You can still hear what others say." Shi Quan looked mockingly at Tang San and Xiao Wu. If he had not possessed strength, he would have been the one lying on the ground.

"I hope this is the last time. Otherwise, don't blame me for truly showing no mercy!" As he spoke, blue light flickered over Shi Quan's right hand. With a flick of his wrist, the Blue Silver Vine Whip lashed against a nearby tree trunk like the tail of a giant python.

Crack!

The surface of the trunk immediately split apart, leaving behind a clearly visible whip mark. If that strike had landed on a person, it would absolutely have torn flesh and skin.

Tang San's expression changed again and again as he looked at Shi Quan.

Before, he had always believed Shi Quan merely possessed some special soul skills, much like Xiao Wu's Soft Technique—surprising, but still understandable. But now, it seemed that Shi Quan's true strength was far from as simple as what he had displayed on the surface.

It was as though they had never known Shi Quan's exact strength from the beginning. Compared with the Shi Quan of the past, today's Shi Quan seemed like a completely different person, shrouded in a veil of mystery.