Liao Ruyan

Chapter 5: Liao Ruyan

Inside the Gravity Tower at this moment, some disciples sat cross-legged, struggling to circulate their techniques. Others swung heavy hammers with vigorous, tiger-like gusts of wind, while still more carried massive boulders on their backs, hopping in frog leaps around the perimeter.

The moment Xu Zimo and his companion stepped inside, a tremendous force surged at them from all directions.

Xu Zimo fared well enough—the crushing pressure only slowed his movements slightly, nothing more.

But for Lin Ruhu, it was like being rammed by a galloping carriage; the full weight slammed him flat to the ground, nearly squeezing the breath from his lungs.

"Don't try to resist the gravity with your body," Xu Zimo reminded him from the side. "Take deep breaths. Let your body adapt to the force first, then relax your mind, find the rhythm of the gravity, and merge your body with it."

Hearing Xu Zimo's words, Lin Ruhu quickly shut his eyes and took several long, slow breaths before gradually beginning to adjust.

Not long after Xu Zimo began using the gravity to temper his foundation, a group of disciples gathered around.

Leading them was a young girl, surrounded like stars around the moon. She strutted up to Xu Zimo with her chin high and demanded, "Xu Zimo, Lin Ruhu, what are you two doing here? Trying to cause trouble again?"

Xu Zimo glanced at her. She was Liao Ruyan, granddaughter of the True Martial Sacred Sect's First Elder.

"None of your business," Xu Zimo replied flatly.

"That's right! Women are always sticking their noses where they don't belong. Brother Zimo isn't going to marry you anyway," Lin Ruhu chimed in from the side.

The First Elder and Vice Sect Master Xu Qingshan had always been at odds. Back when the Sect Master had left, the First Elder had hoped to take control himself.

But in the end, Xu Qingshan had seized authority, and the First Elder had held a grudge ever since.

In recent years, two factions had naturally formed within the True Martial Sacred Sect.

One was the Youth Faction, led by Vice Sect Master Xu Qingshan; the other was the Elder Faction, headed by the First Elder.

Now, hearing Xu Zimo's words, Liao Ruyan fumed. "Xu Zimo, if you've got the guts, let's have a match."

"Not interested," Xu Zimo yawned, waving a hand dismissively. "Go play somewhere else. Don't bother my training."

"If you're scared, just say so. Admit defeat, and I'll let you off," Liao Ruyan said smugly.

Xu Zimo shook his head helplessly. She really was like a spoiled little princess!

Then again, she was the First Elder's granddaughter—everyone scrambled to curry favor with her. Not so different from his own Previous Life.

He spoke slowly. "It's not that I'm scared, but matches usually have stakes, don't they? Can you offer a wager that satisfies me?"

Liao Ruyan paused, then thought for a moment. "If you win, I'll tell you a secret."

"No deal," Xu Zimo shook his head at once. "How do I know if that secret is useful to me? What if you're about to tell me you've secretly had a crush on me all along?"

At Xu Zimo's words, the crowd of youths burst into loud laughter.

"You're shameless!" Liao Ruyan's face flushed red with anger as she pointed at Xu Zimo. "If you win, I'll tell you that my grandfather's Medicinal Dao Sacred Chicken laid two chicks a few days ago. Deal or not?"

Emmmmmm...

Xu Zimo's forehead lined with black streaks. He paused, then said flatly, "I've suddenly lost interest in that secret. How about we swap it for something else?"

When Lin Ruhu heard the words "Medicinal Dao Sacred Chicken," his eyes went wide. He licked his lips, his gaze shifting as if scheming.

The Medicinal Dao Chicken was a rare celestial fowl, an extremely uncommon breed. In the outside world, it was the kind of thing you couldn't buy for ten thousand gold.

They were excellent caretakers for spirit fields and medicinal herbs—fertilizing, loosening soil, catching pests—like perfect gardeners.

And the Medicinal Dao Sacred Chicken was the cream of the crop among them.

Like the king of beggars—still a beggar, but on a completely different level from those common, flashy types.

Medicinal Dao Sacred Chickens were raised from birth on spirit herbs. Every piece of their flesh, every drop of their blood, was saturated with dense spiritual energy.

It was said that if a mortal ate the meat of a Medicinal Dao Sacred Chicken for the first time, a single chicken could extend their lifespan by a year.

"Then what wager do you want?" Liao Ruyan asked hesitantly.

"I heard your grandfather's mount, the Dark Sky Tiger, had a fling with the Reincarnation Heavenly Ox a while back and birthed a litter of cubs," Xu Zimo said with a sly grin.

"What are you planning?" Liao Ruyan asked warily. "My grandfather said he's giving those cubs away as favors. I wouldn't dare touch them."

"I want two Dark Sky Tiger cubs," Xu Zimo stated directly. "If you won't agree, then forget it. No need for a match.

Besides, aren't you always your grandfather's precious darling? Sneaking out two cubs shouldn't be a big deal.

Or does he value those two cubs more than you?"

"Who said that?" Liao Ruyan shot back quickly. "My grandfather dotes on me! I, I, I—fine, I agree."

"Good. What do you want to compete in?" Xu Zimo asked with interest.

"Simple. We'll fight. Win or lose, it's clear," Liao Ruyan replied, a smile in her eyes.

"Not fair!" Lin Ruhu shouted from the side. "She started Body Tempering training half a year ago. Brother Zimo just began his cultivation. How could he possibly beat her?"

"Then what do you propose we compete in?" Liao Ruyan shot Lin Ruhu a glare, revealing her little tiger fangs as she spoke.

"I do have an idea, though I wonder if I might be allowed to serve as the referee," a voice suddenly came from the second floor of the Gravity Tower.

The crowd looked up and saw a man slowly descending from the upper level.

The man wore a long blue robe, his face resolute, nose high and straight, all his hair tied up atop his head, with a green longsword hanging at his waist.

"Senior Brother Zhong Xin," Liao Ruyan called out joyfully, quickly running over as she spotted his arrival.

"Little junior sister, the world outside is full of treacherous hearts. Try to keep your distance from those with ill intentions," Zhong Xin replied with a smile.

Xu Zimo glanced at him. The man was the First Elder's personal disciple, known in the jianghu as the "Flowing Light Swordsman."

The surrounding disciples, upon seeing Zhong Xin's arrival, hurried forward to greet him, whether they knew him or not, hoping to make a favorable impression.

"What's your idea?" Xu Zimo asked flatly.

"No rush," Zhong Xin said with a calm smile, shaking his head. "Just now, Ruyan agreed that if you beat her, she'd give you two Dark Sky Tiger cubs."

"But what if you lose? You haven't stated your stake yet!"

"If I lose, I'll unconditionally fulfill one request within my ability. How about that?" Xu Zimo replied.

"Fine. If you lose, I won't make things hard for you. Just bark three times like a dog within the sect. How does that sound?" Zhong Xin said with a light chuckle.