C37 He Was so Angry That He Was about to Die

Bang!

The man in black was sent flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground.

He had talked a big game, puffing himself up with arrogance, yet his combat skills left much to be desired.

Zhou Mu had defeated him thoroughly, not even breaking a sweat as the man failed to withstand a single move.

"Truth be told, I'm quite disappointed. I was expecting a decent challenge, but turns out you're all bark and no bite," Zhou Mu said, shaking his head, a hint of longing in his voice as he remembered his fierce battle with Zhao Qianqian.

Despite being on the losing end, that fight had been exhilarating.

"How can this be? Why are you so strong? It's not possible!"

The disbelief was etched across the face of the man in black. "I grew up alongside the Earth-Armored Dragon, using a secret art to fuse with its bloodline. That's how I managed to forge a pact with it in adulthood, to avoid bloodline corruption and gain twenty percent of its power. I've been through hell and back to get here. How can you be so strong? Why?!"

His face twisted with rage, he seemed on the brink of madness.

He couldn't stomach the outcome—his hard work was nothing compared to Zhou Mu's effortless strike. The cruelty of it all was unbearable.

"Why? Maybe because my dad is the wealthiest man in Ambergrasp, and my uncle commands the area's military forces. Does that answer your question?" Zhou Mu taunted, finding the man's weakness laughable.

His opponent's strength was lacking, and his resolve was even weaker.

But to unravel after one defeat? Was it really necessary?

True strength isn't about an unbroken streak of victories; it's about the courage to stand up and fight on after every defeat.

"You... you... you..."

The man in black was so enraged he nearly passed out, his finger trembling as he pointed at Zhou Mu. It took him a moment, but he finally spat out, "Show some real skill—stop hiding behind your family!"

"Not rely on my family? Fine by me," Zhou Mu retorted, closing the distance with deliberate steps. "I possess two Lord-grade spirit animals, one of the dragon species and one of the phoenix species. My martial arts prowess is unmatched, and I can take you down with a single move. I'm better-looking than you, I have a childhood friend who's dear to me, and I'm wealthier than you could imagine. Spending money? I do it on a whim."

Every word struck his heart like a hammer blow.

If he could once stand firm, now there was no need for even a pretense of struggle.

He was utterly overwhelmed, without a sliver of hope for a comeback.

"You... you... Puff!"

The man in black pointed at Zhou Mu, a gush of blood spilling from his mouth before he collapsed lifelessly.

The shock was too much for him; he was literally fumed to death!

"Are young people really this fragile nowadays?"

Zhou Mu sighed, his expression one of feigned innocence.

All he did was land a punch and share a bit about his family and possessions.

Young, yes, but with a temper to match!

With the man in black's demise, his body dissolved into twinkling lights, his spirit animal, the Earth Armored Dragon, vanishing with him.

Without their leader's command, the fiend beasts ceased their aggression.

As Zhou Mu retracted his imposing dragon aura, they scattered in disarray.

The man in black's scheme was nothing if not thorough. Employing an unknown technique, he had neutralized the mode on the Tyrant Beast Iron Dragon, drawing it here to occupy Zhou Mu's spirit animal.

He orchestrated a horde of lesser fiend beasts to encircle the fight, aiming to overwhelm Zhou Mu and cut off his escape.

Yet, he had sorely miscalculated the prowess of both Gator and Zhou Mu, grossly underestimating them.

Zhou Mu, in particular, proved an unforeseen force.

Effortlessly, with a single move, Zhou Mu dispatched his foe, leaving no opportunity for counterattack.

All plans crumbled to dust, compounded by Zhou Mu's relentless assault.

Those brief seconds would likely take a lifetime to recover from.

Upon the man's death, the iron-armored dragon grew agitated.

Its intellect was inferior to humans, certainly, but it was far from the simpleton that Blazing Wind was.

Sensing the tide turning, the dragon knew danger loomed.

And just as it decided to flee, Blazing Wind's pitiful cries echoed as it crashed to the ground.

Goldie unleashed his full might, swiftly dispatching Blazing Wind.

Against a dragon species and a phoenix species, the iron-armored dragon stood no chance, especially not outnumbered.

The Iron Armored Dragon didn't last long, succumbing to the combined assault of Goldie and Gator. With its fall, only four of the six tyrant beasts remained.

Zhou Mu remained unfazed after slaying two formidable lords, but Hai Ming was petrified, rendered speechless by fear.

There was a time when Zhou Mu was as delicate as a young girl. Now, in what seemed like no time at all, he had transformed into a formidable warrior.

Hai Ming felt a pang of nostalgia as he glanced at the old hen cradled in his arms.

"Cluck cluck!"

The old hen gazed up at Hai Ming with endearing eyes before proudly laying an egg.

Hai Ming was speechless.

"Let's move on to the next target," Zhou Mu announced, leading the way to the nearest point on the map.

...

In the square, the man in black's eyes snapped open, his complexion ashen, his mind in turmoil. Defeated in a single blow and infuriated by Zhou Mu's taunts, he was seething with a desire for revenge. He scanned the area, eager to locate Zhou Mu.

Should he find him, his vindictive nature would surely drive him to strike.

Observing the man's state, Liu Shibin quickly teleported his disciple to his side. His actions were not born of generosity or enlightenment, but out of fear of the principal's intervention. In such a public setting, the principal had every right to retaliate against an attack on the new students, disregarding the rules.

Liu Shibin knew that if he were in the principal's shoes, he wouldn't hesitate to punish the enemy's disciple.

The man in black's surroundings blurred, and in an instant, he was whisked away to a different location.

"Teacher!" he cried out, overwhelmed by his emotions, he collapsed into Liu Shibin's embrace, weeping.

"Rest assured, I won't let him off easily. I'll make sure he pays dearly, his body dismembered and his ashes scattered to the winds," Liu Shibin vowed, his eyes ablaze with murderous intent. He had already condemned Zhou Mu in his heart.

For years, he had worked to secure a spot in the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth for his disciple, aiding in the enhancement of his soul intensity.

By breaking the spell the principal used to restrain the Iron Armored Dragon and using the bloodline of the Earth Armored Dragon—a spirit animal of leader quality—as bait, the Iron Armored Dragon was briefly deceived into believing the Earth Armored Dragon was its offspring. This ruse would prompt the Iron Armored Dragon to attack other tyrant beasts, leading to mutual destruction and leaving the man in black to reap the benefits.

With the boost from the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth and the rewards from the New Students' Ranking Competition, the man in black had plenty to keep him occupied for a good while. Yet, he hadn't anticipated Zhou Mu's unexpected intervention, who stole the spot for the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth right from under his nose.

Fuming with humiliation, the man in black resolved to take action during the New Students' Ranking Competition. After all, when someone decides to dig their own grave, there's often another eager to hand them a shovel, helping them dig deeper.

Just before the competition kicked off, the man in black encountered Zhao Qianqian, who handed him a compass that could pinpoint Zhou Mu's location. Despite finding it odd that Zhou Mu would clash with Zhao Qianqian, the man in black was too consumed by vengeance to ponder the complexities of their dispute.

Astride the Earth Armored Dragon, flanked by his minions, he set out on a vengeful quest, only to be infuriated to his demise. In comparison to Zhou Mu, the man in black was nothing but a mere footnote.

​