C12 You Are Asking Me to Act Cool

Meng Yang sharply inhaled and, with a swift turn, redirected his Soul Stealing Palm.

Instead of dodging or flinching, he braced himself to take the hit head-on.

As the Whip Sword barely grazed him, creating a wound, Meng Yang's vision blurred, and a message appeared before his eyes:

Attack resisted successfully. Flesh puppet proficiency increased by 40.

Current proficiency: 40/15000.

Then, the familiar sensation of warmth returned, and the wound healed instantly before any blood could spill.

This enhanced defense halted the Whip Sword mid-slash, as if it were lodged in solid rock, unable to slide even slightly against Meng Yang's tensed chest muscles.

The sight made onlookers' eyes widen in shock, and Gao Yubo's scalp tingle with horror.

The training partner disciples and guards around them inhaled sharply in disbelief.

"It looks like I bet on the right horse!"

"Level two flesh puppet is still so formidable..."

Meng Yang's lips quirked upward, but there was no time for excitement.

In the moment he withdrew the Whip Sword, he took two quick steps and launched the Soul Stealing Palm towards Gao Yubo's shoulder.

"Puff..."

Gao Yubo, his face ashen, spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying, crashing down at the edge of the sparring platform.

With a look of relentless fury, Meng Yang charged forward, unleashing the Soul Stealing Palm once more.

He was determined to ensure Gao Yubo's demise, to extinguish any flicker of life that remained.

In Meng Yang's eyes, Gao Yubo was already a dead man.

A single blow to the head would silence everything.

"Gao Yubo, your life is mine..."

His shout echoed as his palm closed to within a foot of Gao Yubo's head.

Suddenly, an unexpected change occurred.

A powerful presence, heralding immense danger, surged from behind, accompanied by a whistling sound as the air itself seemed to compress.

Meng Yang's eye twitched, and without a word, he stomped his left foot. Twisting in mid-air, a weapon sheathed in its scabbard whistled dangerously close, grazing the hair at his temple and flying between his legs to embed itself at Gao Yubo's feet.

The force of the scabbard's impact sent shockwaves through the sparring platform, causing it to crack in countless places.

"You can't kill him..."

A deep, emotionless voice suddenly filled the air.

Meng Yang turned, his face darkening. He saw a man dressed in a black brocade robe, with a gold medal at his waist and a black veil on his head. Holding a pen in one hand and a book in the other, the man floated down from a nearby building and approached.

Ignoring everyone else, Meng Yang's gaze remained fixed on the man in black. This was the first person since his arrival who had given him such a sense of danger. Just standing there, he seemed like a sheathed spear, its edge hidden but palpable.

Gao Yubo, gravely injured, saw the newcomer and relief washed over his pale face. He struggled to his feet, his eyes filled with venomous resentment as he glared at Meng Yang.

"Who are you?"

"I am the deacon of the Lin family, tasked with overseeing minor affairs in the Sparring Courtyard..."

Meng Yang clenched his jaw and spoke again, "Why didn't you stop him when he drew his sword to kill me, yet you interfere when I try to kill him?"

"Gao Yubo used a weapon against the flesh puppet during practice, which is against the rules. The Lin family's Disciplinary Hall will deal with him accordingly. But you, you are not permitted to act!"

"What if I say that today, even if the gods themselves descended, I would still kill Gao Yubo?"

Meng Yang narrowed his eyes, holding back the rage boiling within him, and pressed on.

"Then go ahead and kill him. I won't stop you again..."

The deacon's blunt response caught Meng Yang off guard.

After a moment's pause, Meng Yang gave the deacon a measured look. With a decisive glint in his eye, he no longer hesitated and charged toward Gao Yubo. He had to ensure Gao Yubo's death; without it, there would be no peace for Meng Yang in the days to come.

But just as Meng Yang initiated the Soul Stealing Palm, before he could land the blow on Gao Yubo, the brocade-clad man spoke again, his words nearly causing Meng Yang to buckle.

"However, before you attempt to kill Gao Yubo, you should know that he has an older brother who has mastered the First Strike."

"If you're not concerned about retaliation, I'd be delighted to witness a spectacle of regret."

At these words, Meng Yang paused, taking several deep breaths to quell the rush of emotion within him.

He turned to face the other man's mocking smile.

Meng Yang realized that the jerk was clearly taking pleasure in his embarrassment.

With this in mind, Meng Yang's expression shifted several times before he managed a sleazy laugh, "We were merely sparring. It would never escalate to a real fight. Since the deacon is present, perhaps we should call it a day?"

Upon hearing this, the onlooking guards and training partners couldn't help but roll their eyes.

They had been watching the two engage in a fierce battle. Without that context, they might have actually believed Meng Yang's words.

Before the deacon could respond, Gao Yubo burst into wild laughter.

His piercing gaze fixed on Meng Yang's apologetic face, he sneered, "A dog is still a dog, no matter how strong it becomes."

"Dreaming of becoming a Lin family disciple? Hahaha, maybe in your next life. As long as I, Gao Yubo, am here, you can forget it. You don't have the qualifications..."

"Oh!"

"So you're saying..."

"That someone who was beaten by a dog is qualified?"

As these words were spoken, everyone at the training ground turned to see who had interjected.

But it wasn't Meng Yang; it was Lin Zitong, arriving amidst a throng of supporters.

Meng Yang looked over, and upon catching Lin Zitong's supportive glance, he was torn between laughter and tears.

The phrase "someone who was beaten by a dog" left Meng Yang with a tumult of feelings, yet he dared not show any sign of annoyance.

"Greetings, Miss..."

"Li Xian pays respects to the third young lady."

Gao Yubo and Deacon Li Xian's faces fell as they quickly bowed in respect.

Meng Yang, with a twitching smile, also offered a bow to Lin Zitong.

"I'm not concerned with who's right or wrong. All I know is that you, the fool, were defeated."

"If he doesn't even qualify to be a core disciple of the Lin family, then it's high time for you, Gao Yubo, to head back home."

"Do you agree with what I'm saying?"

"Yes, Miss, you're correct," Gao Yubo replied, his head bowed and his face clouded with gloom.

Li Xian, who had just exuded an air of unrivaled confidence, didn't dare utter a word, nodding vigorously instead.

"If there's nothing else, you may leave."

Gao Yubo's face twisted into an ugly scowl as he hung his head in defeat.

He couldn't fathom why Lin Zitong would take Meng Yang's side.

Angry but unable to voice his frustration, he could only nod and slink away, not even daring to shoot Meng Yang a threatening glance.

"Today, you've done well. I'm quite pleased," Lin Zitong said as she approached Meng Yang, who was awkwardly chuckling with his head down. She patted his shoulder with the satisfaction of a mentor.

"Thank you, Miss. I, Meng Yang, will forever remember your kindness and never dare to forget it."

"Hmph, I didn't do it for you. I simply can't stand the malevolence emanating from Gao Yubo."

"Oh, then I know what to do..."

Meng Yang's eyes sparkled with resolve. Without another word, he approached Gao Yubo, who had barely taken a few steps. Without employing the dark strength of the Soul Stealing Palm, he struck Gao Yubo on the back of the head before he could react.

What appeared to be a light flick was powerful enough to knock the severely injured Gao Yubo unconscious, his shoes flying off in the process.

The move left Lin Zitong and everyone in the Sparring Courtyard wide-eyed with shock.

Meng Yang, however, spoke calmly as if he were simply ridding the people of a menace.

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