Zhao Mu had only practiced the Introductory Halberd Technique a dozen times.
Yet astonishingly, his proficiency had already reached a level that would normally require several months of hard training for an average trainee.
The realization struck him deeply.
A solid foundation…
It truly made all the difference.
By now, his body was drenched in sweat. Every muscle ached faintly from exertion, and his breathing had grown slightly heavier.
Still, compared to others, his condition was nothing short of extraordinary.
In his hands, the fifty-jin halberd moved like a living thing—swift, precise, and forceful. It cut through the air with sharp whistles, each strike carrying both speed and power.
If it had been any other trainee wielding such a heavy weapon, they would have long since collapsed from exhaustion.
But Zhao Mu?
Aside from sweating profusely, he showed no real signs of fatigue.
He stepped out of the training area and walked to the edge of the field.
Without hesitation, he pulled off his training uniform, twisted it tightly, and wrung it out.
Water poured down like rain, splashing onto the ground beneath his feet.
His upper body was revealed.
His skin was bronzed, his physique lean yet powerful. His muscles were well-defined—not the exaggerated bulk of a bodybuilder, but the kind of balanced strength forged through real combat and relentless training.
Every line of his body seemed built for efficiency.
Zhao Mu picked up a bottle of water and took a long drink.
Then he exhaled slowly.
"The speed is still a bit slow…"
He muttered to himself, his brows slightly furrowed.
"At this rate, it'll take at least three days to fully master a single elementary combat technique."
"And I still need to learn multiple techniques before I can integrate them into my Seven Kills Battle Method…"
He shook his head lightly, a faint sigh escaping his lips.
"The path of cultivation is truly long and arduous…"
If anyone else had heard these words, they would have been furious.
Three days to master an elementary combat technique—and he was complaining?
That kind of speed was already monstrous.
Yet Zhao Mu still felt dissatisfied.
What he lacked most right now… was time.
If only a single day could be stretched into forty-eight hours.
Jiang Jiu's Discovery
From a distance, Jiang Jiu had been observing Zhao Mu the entire time.
At first, his interest had been mild.
Zhao Mu, after all, only possessed an E-rank talent. Though his determination was admirable, his potential seemed limited.
There had even been a hint of pity.
But now—
That pity had vanished completely.
Jiang Jiu's eyes gleamed with intensity.
Without hesitation, he took out his communicator and contacted Instructor Xie Yingxue.
"Hey, Xiao Xue. It's me, Jiang Jiu."
"There's a new recruit this term—Zhao Mu. Send me his file."
On the other end, a light laugh sounded.
"Brother Jiu, you noticed him too? I was wondering when you'd call."
"I'll send it right away."
Moments later, Zhao Mu's personal file appeared.
Jiang Jiu quickly scanned through it.
Then—
He froze.
[Demon Clown]
Special-type ability.
Capable of digitizing skill proficiency and continuously increasing it through practice.
Awakening Combat Level: 1
Talent Rating: E
Jiang Jiu took a slow, deep breath.
From a purely numerical perspective, the E-rank rating wasn't wrong.
But—
The actual effect of the ability…
Was terrifying.
"His growth rate…"
"It's too fast."
Even someone as experienced as Jiang Jiu felt a flicker of shock.
Still, he forced himself to calm down.
"Fast proficiency alone isn't enough," he murmured.
"If his combat level rises too slowly, and he can't access higher-level techniques, then this ability won't truly shine."
He paused, his gaze returning to Zhao Mu.
"I need to observe him further."
"If possible… I should guide him."
A talent like this—
It would be a waste to let it fade into obscurity.
Trouble Approaches
Meanwhile, Zhao Mu sat quietly on a stool near the training field.
A towel hung loosely around his neck as he wiped away sweat.
His mind, however, remained immersed in the halberd technique he had just practiced.
Every movement…
Every angle…
Every subtle flow of power…
He replayed it all in his mind, refining and deepening his understanding.
But suddenly—
His instincts flared.
A faint sense of hostility approached.
Zhao Mu's eyes snapped open, sharp and alert.
Not far away, two figures had been watching him for quite some time.
One of them, a young man with short, choppy hair, stood with his arms crossed, a mocking expression on his face.
"The so-called top ranker of the Entrance Trial…"
He spoke coldly.
"This is it?"
They had observed Zhao Mu's entire training session.
At present, Zhao Mu's proficiency in the Introductory Halberd Technique was only at 29.
Naturally, his execution wasn't perfect.
But to these two—
It looked clumsy.
They had assumed Zhao Mu was practicing some inherited combat technique.
After all, it was only the second day of boot camp.
It never crossed their minds that he had built everything from scratch.
Because of this misunderstanding—
They looked down on him.
Beside the short-haired youth stood another trainee with a buzz cut.
He chuckled lightly.
"I don't know how he got first place. I only know he beat Golden Elephant City."
The short-haired youth, Song Siqi, snorted.
"The Entrance Trial? Worthless."
"He's just a brute with some strength."
"In the domain of spirit power users… he's nothing."
A trace of irritation flashed across his face.
As a lone wolf, he had been eliminated by a coordinated team during the trial.
It had left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Let's go," Song Siqi said coldly.
"Let's have some fun with him."
Behind him, Chen Tang called out casually.
"Hey, don't go too far. This is still boot camp."
Song Siqi smirked.
"That's exactly why."
"He needs to learn his place."
"An E-rank trash… shouldn't act so arrogantly in Qingfeng Camp."
There was another reason for their hostility.
Earlier that day, Zhao Mu had dominated the weighted run, leaving many trainees behind.
And now—
He ranked first in boot camp points.
To them, he was an easy target.
A "soft persimmon."
Someone to crush.
The Confrontation
The two walked toward Zhao Mu.
Zhao Mu watched them approach calmly.
Years of experience had honed his instincts.
These two—
Were not here with good intentions.
"You're Zhao Mu, right?" Song Siqi asked with a faint smile, hands in his pockets.
Zhao Mu nodded slightly.
"What do you want?"
Song Siqi spread his hands casually.
"Nothing much."
"I just saw you training alone."
"Got bored."
"How about a spar?"
Zhao Mu's lips curved into a faint, cold smile.
"A spar?"
"And how exactly do you plan to spar?"
Song Siqi's smile widened.
"Simple."
"You stand there…"
"And I beat you up."
The atmosphere instantly turned cold.
There was no pretense anymore.
Only naked hostility.
Zhao Mu's eyes sharpened.
Without another word, he stood up.
He pulled on his training uniform again, his movements calm and unhurried.
"I'm not interested in getting beaten up," Zhao Mu said lightly.
"But…"
A faint gleam appeared in his eyes.
"I do enjoy beating people up."
"My hands have been itching."
"Why don't you come over…"
"And be my sandbag?"
A cold glint flashed in Song Siqi's gaze.
"Confidence is good," he said.
"But blind arrogance…"
"Is stupidity."
Meanwhile, Chen Tang had already gone to notify Instructor Jiang Jiu.
According to the rules of Qingfeng Camp, sparring between trainees required supervision.
Otherwise—
Things could easily get out of hand.
Gathering Storm
As news spread, trainees began to gather around.
Training halted.
Whispers filled the air.
"A fight?"
"Zhao Mu vs Song Siqi?"
"This should be interesting…"
Such scenes were not uncommon in Qingfeng Camp.
Competition.
Conflict.
Strength.
This was the law of survival here.
Zhao Mu stood calmly at the center of the field.
Opposite him—
Song Siqi.
The air grew tense.
The battle—
Was about to begin.
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