'Urgh… What happened...' Dingxuan's mind asked itself as it continued to be enveloped in darkness. From a distance, there were two lines of light, each one flickering faintly. Slowly, the man's consciousness started to stabilise, and his five senses were returned to him.
"Senior Dingxuan! Senior Dingxuan!" A faint voice called out to him, and he gradually opened his eyes. There, Dingxuan saw the same black hair and azure lake eyes that he had right in front of his face. Everything was coming back to him now. He had summoned the Sovereign Koi phantom to protect him against Shin's dangerous-looking attack. It was his most potent defensive ability and had protected him religiously throughout his career as a Lieutenant of the Longyu Navy. However, the Sovereign Koi phantom may be strong, but it wasn't formidable enough to resist Shin's partially ignited Shard.
"Shin… Iofiel?"
When Dingxuan came to his senses, he unconsciously muttered the name of the youth he was supposed to spar with. Shin's tense face instantly relaxed a little, and his shock had turned into relief. At the very least, he didn't mortally wound someone from the clan on the first week he had been here.
"Dingxuan, are you okay?" Longyu Tian walked over to the young man and checked him for any injuries. With the light returning back into his eyes, Longyu Dingxuan immediately stood up, his legs a little wobbly and limbs a little flimsy. Still, he forced himself into attention and saluted the Spirit Saint.
"Yes! I'm completely fine!" The Spirit Spectre tried to put on a mean front, but Shin could tell that he was slightly concussed. He leapt right next to the man and supported Dingxuan by the shoulders.
"I'm terribly sorry! I didn't mean to knock you out like that! Please forgive me!" Shin bowed down his head to apologise for his blunder. If he had better control over his Shard ignition, only Dingxuan's phantom would have been destroyed. It was his ineptness that caused the man to hit himself on the head.
"No, I was the one who is inexperienced," replied Dingxuan, his head angled at an arc. "I wasn't strong enough to stand on the same stage as you, that's all. Thank you for showing me that I still have a lot to grow." The Spirit Spectre didn't blame Shin. Whether he meant his words or not, Shin didn't know. After all, the Longyu Clan members had been kissing his ass from the first second he got here. However, Shin did understand the concept of making amends.
"I'm sorry. I owe you one. Although a favour from me might not mean much now, I promise that I'll make it up to you."
"Ah! You really don't have to!" Longyu Dingxuan waved his hands about. His fuzzy mind was clearing up, and he could begin to think much more clearly now. It would be wrong to exploit the youth right in front of the entire family. Also, Dingxuan didn't want to seem too vain in defeat. Still, it would be dumb to pass up such a golden opportunity to form relations with the Longyu Clan's new hot talent. "However, if you really insist, how about you buy me lunch?"
"Deal!"
Shin didn't even think twice. He slapped Dingxuan's hand with a firm handshake, sealing their gentlemen's agreement. Shin was here to make allies, not enemies. Gaining one more connection was in his benefit, and Longyu Dingxuan wasn't that bad of a place to start.
The cordial exchange between winner and loser warmed the hearts of the spectators, all of whom had feared that Shin might be in over his head and might be an arrogant prick that thought of others weaker than him to be inferior. Fortunately, Shin wasn't raised to be that sort of person. The Longyu Clan Master was especially moved. He saw Shin's expression when Dingxuan was slammed into the wall. Shin wasn't smug or disdainful of his opponent, he was genuinely concerned over Dingxuan's health and wanted to treat him as soon as he possibly could.
'Just as the reports say… His character is quite exemplary...' Longyu Dao stroked his gorgeous beard while reflecting on the character analysis Meijing Bingying and all of the other Lantis Republics operatives had sent over. 'So we don't have to worry about him being a thorn in our side, character-wise at least. However, we still have to test him for his loyalty… The High Elder Council is adamant in ensuring he's at least loyal to the Longyu Clan before allowing him to go for the Trial of the Celestial Dragon. How are we going to test that?'
Longyu Dao was still bewildered on the best course of action to take. Forcing hordes of women onto Shin hadn't worked and giving him all the fame and fortune in the world had only backfired on them. The current training exercise that they were doing was a good first step in winning Shin over, but it wasn't enough. At least in the eyes of the High Elder Council.
"Grandpa! Brother Shin is really strong, huh?!" Longyu Hai gripped on her grandfather's hands tightly, as if she had seen the most mystical circus act ever. "He can defeat Uncle Dingxuan in one hit!"
"Yeah… He's stronger than I'd ever imagined. Normal Spirit Spectre wouldn't do it for him… We'll need to send in Rank 50 Spirit Lords if we want to have a chance to beat him."
"Spirit Lords?!" Longyu Hai gasped. She was just eight-years-old and hadn't even awakened her Spirit. Rank 50 was an abstract concept to her and yet, this young man who looked only ten years older than her, was capable of reaching that realm. "Wow… If only I can become as strong as him one day..."
That unconscious statement from Longyu Hai perked the Clan Master's ears up as his eyes sparkled with enlightenment. Right, if Shin wasn't going to be moved by traditional methods, Longyu Dao had to think outside of the box. "Hai'er, do you really want to be as strong as your Brother Shin?"
"Hmmm? Of course!" The pure young girl was oblivious to her grandfather's schemes and nodded her head profusely. "I want to help Daddy and Mummy! Grandpa as well!"
"Haha, Hai'er sure is filial!" Longyu Dao bellowed out in laughter and hugged the girl's shoulders, bringing her closer to his chest. "How about this? I will ask your Brother Shin to take you in as a squire. Either way, you're about to take on your first mission for the clan. Let this be your mission. You'll tend to his daily needs and aide him in his cultivation. In return, he'll train you accordingly. What do you think?"
"Ah! That sounds like a great idea!" Longyu Hai raised her hand in joy. Then, she switched her gaze to the handsome young man who was already preparing for his next fight.
The Clan Master's plan was simple. Make Shin feel attached to the Longyu Clan via his precious little granddaughter. If Longyu Hai could take a place in Shin's heart as a cherished little sister figure, the Longyu Clan would have won. Based on Shin's character, he wouldn't betray the clan so long as Longyu Hai remained loyal to it. Still, it was going to be an uphill battle. No one knows if Longyu Hai could complete her 'mission' and it was a gamble.
There weren't many spectators that were harbouring crafty thoughts though. The majority of them were still in awe that Shin was capable of taking down Longyu Dingxuan in one move. Particularly those who grew up with the young Spirit Spectre.
Longyu Linji, who was the sole Luminary from the Longyu Clan, gnawed down on his teeth. 'How did he grow so much in four years?' The young man thought. Back in the Summit, Shin showed promise, but in the end, how gifted one was didn't matter if it didn't translate to results. Shin delivered on his promise and was now a Spirit Spectre that could match Spirit Lords. There was no comparison between Linji and him. To make matters worse...
"I think that we shouldn't let Shin spar with the Spirit Spectres," Longyu Tian suggested. "The lot of you can disperse now. Dao'er, send some Spirit Lords down!" The Spirit Saint of the Longyu Clan casually dismissed the Spirit Spectres that were handpicked to face Shin, as if they were cannon fodder for the youth.
It was a blow to their pride, especially for Linji, who was slated to become the most prodigious Longyu Clan member of his generation. He was sidelined like the other lesser beings he stepped on to reach this height. It was a shame that he couldn't stand for. Just as he was about to challenge Shin to a duel to the death, his voice of reasoning pulled him back, warning Linji of the consequences of facing Shin in front of the Saint of Time.
'Calm yourself, Linji… The time isn't right yet,' he warned himself as he walked up to the audience stands alongside the other Spirit Spectres.
'There are still plenty more opportunities to strike...'
Five Spirit Lords jumped down from the stands. Three men and two women. Some of them looked scholarly, while some looked as roughened up as the Instructor. However, no matter what shape or size they were in, Shin was confident of one thing…
'They're strong...' The aura that they were emitting was suffocating, even for the Rank 40 Spirit Spectre. To combat the pressure, Shin had to cast his Spiritual Body Enhancement and Mana Strengthening, just to keep his posture upright.
Smiling, the first Spirit Lord from the Longyu Clan came to the centre stage. He was holding on to a Fairfrozen harpoon. The spearmaster's poise reminded Shin of his treasured buddy back in the Himmel Empire. Indomitable and untouchable by usual standards.
"Longyu Qiangshe. Rank 54. Please advise me." Evidently, the man before Shin had studied his homework. Longyu Qiangshe knew that Shin was a spear-wielder and was an eternal student of martial arts. So, to get into the good books of Shin, Qiangshe opted to display all of the Lantis Republic's best spear arts for the youth to see.
Shin chuckled to himself and brought his Sovereign Koi back as a courtesy. A stream of water emerged out from Shin body and condensed itself into the trusty Spear of Aiglos that Shin favoured. He spun the weapon around twice before finally extending his greetings. "Shin Iofiel. Rank 40. Please advise me."
"Hehe..." Longyu Qiangshe grinned. Then, he pointed his harpoon at Shin and said: "I'm attacking, prepare yourself."
"..."
That was all the warning that Shin got. In a split second, the Spirit Lord disappeared from his position, seemingly like a ghost. Shin couldn't keep track of him, but his battle instincts warned him of danger from the left.
CLANK!!!
The two spears collided midair, sending a devastating shockwave all over the arena. Shin held on tightly, even after his biceps folded and fingers turned sore. However, his strength was no match for the far more experienced and technical Qiangshe. In but an instant, Shin was flung ten metres in the other direction, requiring a series of somersaults to break the inertia.
'Strong...' Shin's hands were nearly taken out by that one hit. His enhanced healing factor kicked in, giving Shin back some motor functions as he changed stance to prepare for the next hit.
Once again, the Spirit Lord charged at Shin with all of his might. Shin may be a Spirit Spectre, but his earlier match showed that no one was safe from his attacks, even if they were Rank 54 Spirit Lords. So Qiangshe didn't dare to underestimate the youth. Shin took on the massive attacks, barely parrying them. The exchange continued for twenty moves until Qiangshe finally stopped his barrage and jumped back for a breather. He had executed a full set of his most potent moves. Even for a spearmaster like Qiangshe, there was a need to rest for a few seconds.
'How is it that his strikes are so strong?' With the load off of Shin, the youth could get to what he did best… Analysis.
'His power is similar to that of the Instructor's! And he's a spearmaster that specialises in dexterous movements and speedy strikes. How is he hitting so hard?' Shin's mind immediately got to work. He pictured the moves of the Spirit Lord in his mind, deconstructing it to the slightest muscle contraction. Shin wanted to know the secret to the Spirit Lord's limitless power.
Then… He saw a pattern.
'There's a sequence! The attacks never lose their power because they move in like waves! This senior would use the momentum of his first attack to spin around and add more weight into his next attack!' Shin unlocked the code. There was a reason why Qiangshe needed to stop and take a breather. The relentless sequence that continued to pile on from the first attack used up all of the muscles in the body to create that tsunami effect.
'Alright let me try it! If I'm not wrong, the first stance is like this...' Shin mimicked Qiangshe's stance, bringing time in the stadium to a halt. Everyone who recognised that famed spear art, which should have never been taught outside of the Lantis Republic, was now with hanged jaws and trembling fingers.
"Is he going to execute the Infinite Tsunami Spear just from seeing it once?" One Rank 60 Spirit King in the audience gasped.
"No way… The Infinite Tsunami Spear needs years of practice! There's no way that he can copy it just like that!" Another shook his head, unable to believe that the boy would execute that move.
"..."
Longyu Qiangshe was perhaps the most shocked one of them all. Being the spearmaster in the room, he knew how difficult it was to pull off the Infinite Tsunami Spear. Still, what Shin was imitating was precisely the first stance of that legendary technique. The Spirit Lord gulped as Shin's distinguishable sharp voice echoed inside the stadium.
"Senior Qiangshe… I'm attacking."
✵✵✵
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