Chapter 135: They’re Right to Target You

"The academy is also planning to make a large banner for your Heavenly Lord Team. What do you all think?" Li Changkong asked.

"No! Please!" the five boys answered in unison.

Just the mental image of going to the World Academy Tournament with a banner reading "Heavenly Lord Team" above their heads was enough to make them want to die of embarrassment.

"Alright, in that case, we'll scrap the banner," Li Changkong said in a merciful manner, much to the relief of the five boys.

Fang Che was very amused to see this.

It seemed that the best way to assuage embarrassment was to present an even more embarrassing option, thereby making them realize that things could be even worse.

It seemed that Li Changkong was beginning to learn Gao Qingyu's sly tactics.

Just as Li Changkong said, the rosters had already been finalized, so they had no choice but to accept their humiliating reality.

"Also, there's something I have to tell you all. Rumor has it that Master Bing Qianshan will be overseeing the tournament for its entire duration."

Everyone's eyes instantly lit up upon hearing this.

"Master Bing is coming?!"

"Why would he personally come to a mere academy tournament?"

Bing Qianshan was someone that all five boys heavily idolized, and they certainly weren't alone in that regard.

"Once again, it's just a rumor, but apparently, the reason why Master Bing has decided to personally oversee the tournament is because he wants to pick a disciple among the competing students," Li Changkong continued.

"Master Bing is choosing a disciple?!"

"My god..."

The five boys were completely stunned by this massive bombshell, and they were barely able to suppress their excitement.

"What are all of you getting so excited for? Firstly, this may not even be true, and secondly, even if he does come, how do you know he'll choose you? There will be countless prodigies at the tournament trying to catch his eye!"

"That's not the right attitude. The question we should be asking is why can't it be one of us?"

"It's a good thing I'm a sword user," Yu Zhongge chuckled.

"Me too," Qiu Yunshang said.

Mo Ganyun and Jing Shuanggao: "......"

Shit! Is it too late for me to switch to the sword now?

In the end, everyone turned to Ding Jieran.

There was also an expectant look of excitement in his eyes, but that quickly turned to surprise when he realized everyone was looking at him.

"What?"

"Our chances of catching Master Bing's eye are very slim, but you have a decent chance," Yu Zhongge said.

"Why?" Ding Jieran asked, and everyone else was also rather perplexed, including even Li Changkong and Huang Yifan.

"Because just like Ding Jieran, Master Bing also possesses an innate swordsman constitution," Yu Zhongge declared.

Everyone was stunned to hear this.

This was highly confidential information that even the instructors of White Cloud Warrior Academy weren't privy to, and only someone from a super clan like Yu Zhongge would be aware of this.

Fang Che thought back to his conversation with Dongfang Sansan, and it suddenly made sense to him why Dongfang Sansan also seemed to have been very interested in Ding Jieran.

"This is not a common trait, right?" Mo Ganyun asked.

“Not at all!" Li Changkong said. "Only a handful of people were known to have been blessed with the innate swordsman constitution over the past one thousand years, but most of them are dead. Apparently, one of them was an enforcer for the Church of the Self-Righteous. He slew many of our powerful warriors, but ultimately fell to his demise at the hands of Master Bing.

“Prodigies with such exceptional aptitude are very prone to falling early because they face envy and pressure from all sides. That applies to all of you as well, so make sure to be careful."

"Yes, Instructor Li."

"You still have twenty-eight days before you must set off! Make sure to make the absolute most of these twenty-eight days!"

The five boys nodded firmly in response, and their resolve had never been stronger.

"Fang Che, your mission is to beat them down as much as possible within these twenty-eight days to help them tap into more of their latent potential!"

"I'll do my best!"

From there, Fang Che continued to go all-out in their sparring matches, even using his baleful qi to his advantage.

Mo Ganyun suffered immensely at his hands, but they were also reaping great benefits.

After another three days, Fang Che reached the second-rank General tier.

There were still twenty-one days left of the one-month period stipulated by Yin Shengong, while Mo Ganyun and the others were set to depart in twenty-three days.

At this point, all of them had reached the first-rank General tier.

"Pope Yin, I have just reached the second rank. My progress has slowed significantly after reaching the General tier compared with the Great Grandmaster tier."

Yin Shengong was speechless upon seeing this message.

You expected to maintain the same rate of progress? Do you know how much more spirit qi you have to absorb in order to progress up a rank in the General tier compared with the Great Grandmaster tier? There's no comparison between the two! You should be ecstatic that you were able to go up a rank in such a short time!

However, he decided to play along as he replied: "That is indeed a little slow. You need to work even harder."

"Pope Yin, I have some news to report. Apparently, Bing Qianshan will also be in attendance at the World Academy, and he's also going to be choosing a disciple among the participating prodigies."

Fang Che was eager to report this information to highlight his own usefulness.

Yin Shengong was very much taken aback by this message.

Bing Qianshanwill be in attendance? And he's picking a disciple? I have to report this to the main church right away!

"This is a very important piece of information. Well done!"

After receiving this praise from Yin Shengong, Fang Che decided it was time to do a bit of complaining.

"The World Academy Tournament clashes with the Parasite Ascension Project, so I would've never been able to take part in the former, but it still doesn't sit right with me that they've unfairly targeted me and prohibited me from partaking in the tournament.

“All those that are selected for the tournament get free cultivation resources, while I still have to spend merit points on everything. They get all types of natural treasures to eat, while I have nothing. Maybe I should just go back to the One Heart Church."

"You can't do that! You've finally established yourself in the academy, you can't just give up so easily and come back! Their suspicions about you are correct, so it's only fair that they're targeting you. Besides, they're not the only ones who get free cultivation resources, we've been supporting you this entire time as well!"

"But they're not targeting me because they know I have ties with the One Heart Church. Instead, it's all because of that report."

"But you are a member of the One Heart Church, so they're right to target you, no matter for what reason. If you want someone to complain to, go to Elder Mu!"

Fang Che didn't dare to complain any further, but he had already accomplished what he had set out to achieve.

As Fang Che made his way back to the Virtue Manor, it occurred to him that things had been far too peaceful of late.

He was walking on the street all on his own, yet there wasn't even anyone to assassinate him!

Right as this thought sprang into his mind, he suddenly realized that something was very wrong.

Where am I? Why is there mist everywhere all of a sudden? This is definitely the way back home, so how have I ended up in the wilderness? Where are all of the buildings?

He immediately channeled his Cool as Ice mental technique and his Boundless Sutra in unison while simultaneously sending Yin Shengong a message: "Pope Yin, I've fallen into an ambush!"

However, despite the Five Spirit Parasite's best efforts, it was unable to send out the message.

It was as if this entire space had been completely isolated.

Fang Che took a deep breath, doing his best to compose himself as he grabbed onto the hilt of his saber.

Up ahead, a white-robed figure suddenly emerged from the heavy mist.

Fang Che felt an almighty aura wash over him from the white-robed figure, but the aura was then immediately suppressed.

"Are you Fang Che?"

"Who are you?" Fang Che asked in a wary manner.

"You wield the saber?"

"Yes."

"Take this!"

The white-robed man abruptly drew his saber and lashed out at Fang Che without any warning.

Fang Che was astonished to see that the white-robed man's movements were all perfectly executed, as if they had been pulled straight out of a textbook.

The forms enclosed in the Boundless Sutra ensured that one could execute the most proper technique under any and all circumstances. Once those forms were deeply ingrained through countless repetitions, they became like second nature, allowing one to respond in the most efficient and effective way possible to attacks from direction or angle.

Even though the white-robed man had only drawn his saber here, the same principles still applied.

There were ways to ensure that one drew their saber in the fastest, most consistent, and most efficient way possible, allowing one to attack or retaliate in the most effective manner.

No one in the history of this world had broken down every single possible situation that one could face in battle down into the most fundamental forms, yet that was exactly what the Boundless Sutra had accomplished.

To Fang Che's astonishment, the white-robed man had just perfectly executed one of the saber drawing forms enclosed in the Boundless Sutra.

He immediately reacted by taking a step backward while drawing his own saber, and the two sabers clashed with a loud clang.