CHAPTER 77: BAM

The Next Morning – Training Field

The sun was already high, casting a warm glow over the open training ground.

The sounds of weapons clashing, spiritual beasts roaring, and disciples sparring echoed across the air.

Everyone was present.

Everyone—except Lin Fan.

Mu Qianxue stood at the center of the training grounds with her gourd of wine lazily in one hand and a crooked frown spreading across her lips.

She took a long sip, smacked her lips once, and muttered, "Alright, where is that idiot?"

Her gaze swept across the disciples.

Hei Long was standing with his arms crossed, a knowing smirk playing on his lips, while Bai Luoluo sat cross-legged, tinkering with her bazooka-like contraption.

"...Don’t all look so innocent," Mu Qianxue said, narrowing her eyes. "Where’s Lin Fan?"

"Wasn’t he with you, Master?" Bai Luoluo replied, shrugging. "He seemed unusually... sweaty yesterday."

"He’s always sweaty," Hei Long added.

Mu Qianxue’s eyebrow twitched.

"That dumbass is going to give me gray hair. We’re supposed to start coordinated combat training today and he’s not even here?!"

She threw her gourd into the ground with a thunk, making several nearby disciples flinch.

"Alright! Change of plans—"

She turned to her disciples with fire in her eyes.

"Everyone, split up and find him. I don’t care if he fell down a well or got abducted by spirit chickens, bring him back."

"Yes, Master!" rang out.

.

.

.

Lower Slopes of the Mountain

It didn’t take long for the shouting to begin.

"Master! I found him!"

Mu Qianxue, Hei Long, and Bai Luoluo—rushed down the path,

Birds scattered into the air as wood splintered and trees—entire trees—were flying out of the ground one after another.

BOOM!

Another tree shot into the air like a toothpick, crashing far away with a thunderous crash.

There, in the center of the devastation, stood Lin Fan.

His robes were in tatters, his hands wrapped in makeshift cloth bandages.

His chest heaved with effort.

His eyes glowed faintly.

Around him, a dozen destroyed tree stumps lay shattered across the ground.

"...I AM POWERFUL!!" Lin Fan roared, driving a punch into the next tree.

BOOM!

It exploded into a cloud of splinters.

He turned dramatically.

"You’re here to see my power, right?! I bet you’re shocked! Go ahead, Master, praise me! I’ve trained all night! No breaks, no rest! Look at me!"

Everyone just... stared.

Mu Qianxue stepped forward slowly, arms crossed, face unreadable.

"...You missed class."

"Huh?"

"You missed training."

"But—" Lin Fan’s smug smile wavered.

"Didn’t you see? I’m like... ten times stronger now! Look at this destruction!"

He waved at the broken trees like a proud gardener showing off a dead lawn.

"You missed my training."

The air grew cold.

Lin Fan’s pupils shrank. "I... I was training on my own!"

"With trees?" Bai Luoluo asked flatly, glancing at the wreckage.

"Yes! I was doing self-tempering and endurance striking! Look!" He ran to a nearby tree and punched it.

BOOM!

Another one went flying.

"See that? I call that the Heaven-Defying Tree Breaker Fist!"

There was a long, long pause.

Then Mu Qianxue took a deep breath, walked up to him slowly... and smacked him upside the head.

WHAP!

"OW—!"

"Tree Breaker Fist my ass! You’re supposed to be cooperating with your teammates during combat drills, not deforesting the damn mountain!"

"But Master—!"

"No buts! You’re doing ten extra laps around the mountain."

Lin Fan’s face fell. "...Again?!"

"You want it to be twenty?"

Lin Fan whimpered.

Behind her, Hei Long let out a short laugh.

"Maybe he can knock down the trees along the path to make his running easier."

Bai Luoluo smirked. "At least he’s finally good for some manual labor."

Lin Fan’s fists trembled. "I was just trying to get stronger... Why does no one appreciate greatness when they see it?!"

Mu Qianxue turned and started walking back up the hill.

"Clean up this mess after your laps," she called over her shoulder.

"And if I find one less tree standing when I come back—you’re replanting the entire forest."

"Wha—?!" Lin Fan looked around at the carnage. "You can’t be serious!!"

Hei Long clapped him on the shoulder as he walked past.

"Nice technique," he said casually. "You almost made that tree cry."

Lin Fan nearly bit his own tongue from rage.

’Why... why is this my life?!’

"Lin Fan."

He stiffened. "Yes... Master?"

"You’re angry."

"...I’m not." His tone was brittle.

"You are," she said flatly.

"You’re angry... and arrogant. And that’s dangerous. You think knocking over trees means you’ve become strong enough to ignore your master’s instructions?"

Lin Fan bit his lip. "I just... I thought I could finally prove myself. That maybe someone would—"

"Then prove it." Her tone sharpened.

"Huh?"

Mu Qianxue casually pulled her hair back, lifting her sleeves as she turned fully around to face him.

"You want to prove something?" she said. "Then fight me."

The entire group went silent.

Lin Fan blinked. "...You’re serious?"

Mu Qianxue’s smile was lazy, but her eyes had a glint that could cut steel.

"You’ve skipped my training, disrespected your peers, and acted like you’ve reached the heavens just because you punched a few trees. So yes—dead serious. Come at me. No holding back."

Lin Fan’s lips slowly curled into a confident grin.

"Alright, Master... you said it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you..."

Hei Long leaned over to Bai Luoluo. "This is going to be good."

Mu Qianxue stood relaxed, hands behind her back, not even entering a fighting stance.

Lin Fan, however, stood tall—shoulders back, spiritual energy humming faintly around his arms.

"This is my chance," he muttered. "Show them I’m not a joke."

He shot forward—his foot smashing against the dirt with a boom as he used a new movement technique he’d practiced all night.

He appeared before her in a flash and threw a punch straight toward her face.

FWUMP!

He hit air.

"Wha—?!"

Mu Qianxue was behind him already.

"You’re slow."

Lin Fan spun with a backfist.

She ducked.

He kicked.

She caught his leg and twisted.

"AAAGH!"

BAM.

Lin Fan slammed into the ground face-first, then bounced up—and was immediately kicked back down.

WHUMP-WHUMP-WHUMP!

His body was thrown into a flip, then rolled across the dirt like a sack of potatoes.

The disciples winced.

Mu Qianxue yawned. "I’m literally not using Qi."

Lin Fan staggered to his feet, bloody-nosed, face swollen. "Th-That was just round one..."

He pushed forward again, this time releasing a blast of spirit energy with both palms.

Mu Qianxue flicked her finger.

The blast dispersed with a light pop.

Lin Fan screamed in frustration and lunged in again with a spinning high kick.

Mu Qianxue stepped on his leg mid-spin and pinned him into the dirt.

"I haven’t even used a technique."

"GAAAHH—!!"

SLAM.

He was face-first in the grass again.

Hei Long whispered to Bai Luoluo, "Should we start digging his grave now or later?"

Bai Luoluo snorted and tried to hide her grin.