Zhao Yunxiao might have been dumbfounded by Fei Weng's actions, but he would soon realise that Fei Weng had not been exaggerating the change in the mines.
After he went down to the mines, Zhao Yunxiao quickly noticed that the atmosphere was indeed completely different from usual.
"Help me take a look, is this a piece of rare ore?"
"Stop bothering me and go over there!"
"I came to this spot first, don't pretend that you don't know that!"
"Stone divination service! Come and ask where the next hotspot could be!"
"Damn, it's inferior again!"
"Over there! I heard that somebody found traces of rare grimiron ores!"
"Tch! Another bust! Damn these people who are calling random stones rare ores!"
Not only were the disciples working at the mines far chattier today, but they were also working much harder than usual.
In the mines where everyone usually silently endured the exhaustion as they toiled away at the rocks drenched in sweat, people were in uncharacteristically high spirits and were even joking around with one other.
It was almost as though Zhao Yunxiao had been transported to a completely different world, where these people he knew all had their personalities flipped around!
There was no doubt that Nie Hanchang's success had indeed become some sort of motivation for the rest of the disciples.
In fact, it was not just the existing disciples who had become more motivated.
Zhao Yunxiao even noticed quite a few unfamiliar faces here – disciples who had been drawn to the Yellowshell Mine after hearing about Nie Hanchang's success!
It was to the extent that Yellowshell Mine had become packed with disciples, all of them hard at work while trying to vie for what they considered the prime spots.
This might be a welcomed sight in Fei Weng's eyes, but the overcrowded atmosphere was nothing but disruptive to Zhao Yunxiao who saw the mining activity as personal training.
Someone would pass him by every other minute while asking him to excuse them, making it such that Zhao Yunxiao could no longer focus as much.
While Zhao Yunxiao would have no issue with just mindlessly excavating the ore, that was definitely not what he signed up for.
And upon realising that the number of disciples in the mine was only increasing as time passed, Zhao Yunxiao immediately understood that he was not going to get anything done today.
In the end, Zhao Yunxiao gave up and left Yellowshell Mine within an hour of his arrival, intending to make up for it in the weeks to come.
***
Outer Disciples' Quarters – Jun Chuan's residence.
The outer disciple nicknamed the Importer had been busy sorting through his goods when an unexpected guest suddenly arrived at his doorstep.
"Why are you here?" Jun Chuan looked at Zhao Yunxiao in surprise. "Isn't today a workday for you? Or rather, isn't everyday a workday for you?"
"You know I do have rest days too, right?" Zhao Yunxiao shrugged.
"Do you?" Jun Chuan raised an eyebrow. "And why do you have your halberd with you? Are you going for a hunt?"
"Not today," Zhao Yunxiao shook his head. "How long has it been since your last fight?"
"Heh," Jun Chuan immediately understood what Zhao Yunxiao was trying to get at. "It's been pretty long, but still not nearly long enough for me to lose to you."
"Really? Even if we are at the same cultivation level?" Zhao Yunxiao smirked.
Unlike Zhao Yunxiao who was at the Intermediate Essence Gathering realm, Jun Chuan had already broken through to the next cultivation level and was now at the Primary Essence Physique realm.
With such a difference in cultivation level, it would be a miracle for Zhao Yunxiao to win under normal circumstances.
However, the outcome would definitely be a lot less predictable if Jun Chuan had to suppress his cultivation level to match Zhao Yunxiao's!
"It's been a while, so maybe you have forgotten just how big the gap is between the two of us," Jun Chuan stretched his limbs with a smirk on his face. "Since that's the case, let me remind you of exactly that!"
Jun Chuan went into the house and reappeared a minute later with a sword hanging by his belt.
The duo then left the Outer Disciples' Grounds and headed to quite a popular area in the Outer Grounds – the Snow Moon Arena.
Disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect had always been encouraged to have friendly spars with one another. After all, the easiest to learn combat techniques was none other than through experiencing combat itself.
However, unsolicited fighting among disciples was strictly prohibited in the sect.
In order to draw the line between fights and spars, that was where the Snow Moon Arena came into play.
The Snow Moon Arena referred to a huge clearing in the Outer Grounds, within which several separate stages had been erected with a safe distance between each of them.
As long as both parties agreed, disciples could simply walk up to any empty stages here to proceed with their spars.
At this time, there were several other disciples present, but they were mainly sitting around and having casual chats among themselves.
As for the stages, none of them were in use right now.
Zhao Yunxiao and Jun Chuan did not dally, heading up one of the many stages the moment they arrived.
"Are you ready?" Zhao Yunxiao got into his battle stance after leaving his halberd aside for now.
"Please do enough to give me a proper warm up," Jun Chuan said confidently. At the same time, he also entered his battle stance.
"Be careful what you wish for, Senior Martial Brother Jun," Zhao Yunxiao's eyes focused. "Here I come!"
It was fortunate that Jun Chuan had returned to the sect yesterday.
Even though Zhao Yunxiao was not able to get much done at the Yellowshell Mine today, being able to spar with a senior martial disciple like Jun Chuan was a good way to spend the day as well.
Zhao Yunxiao shot forward.
He did not use any movement techniques either.
With purely his physical ability as the frame and his energy control as the fuel, Zhao Yunxiao rushed towards Jun Chuan.
"Not bad, seems like you have been working hard!" Jun Chuan commented in a relaxed manner while preparing his counter.
But just as Zhao Yunxiao was about to enter his attacking range, Jun Chuan could not help but furrow his brows.
[Xuanwu Movement Art – Snapping Burst]
Zhao Yunxiao accelerated all of a sudden, disrupting Jun Chuan's rhythm with the change of pace.
However, Jun Chuan quickly adjusted and sent a punch straight towards Zhao Yunxiao's forehead.
[Xuanwu Movement Art – Shifting Sands]
Zhao Yunxiao changed directions to go around Jun Chuan, but the latter's fist followed him perfectly.
[Xuanwu Movement Art – Redrawing Neck]
Jun Chuan's punch hit nothing but air as Zhao Yunxiao slipped away from Jun Chuan's attacking range in the blink of an eye.
"Your mastery of the Xuanwu Movement Art is as good as always," Jun Chuan complimented. "Unfortunately, it is still not good enough to throw me off. Now then, what will you do?"
"Are you not intending to suppress your cultivation level?" Zhao Yunxiao asked bitterly.
Due to the difference in their cultivation levels, Zhao Yunxiao would always be at the disadvantage if they exchanged blows.
That was the reason why Zhao Yunxiao had tried to sneak in and out with his movement techniques, just that Jun Chuan was far too alert to fall for that.
"Have more confidence in yourself. Maybe your fist arts will work?" Jun Chuan smirked.
Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch.
Have more confidence in myself?
How about YOU have more confidence in your technique mastery and stop relying on just your superior cultivation level?
Nevertheless, Zhao Yunxiao understood that Jun Chuan was right.
Since movement techniques alone were not enough to win him the fight, he definitely had to try mixing in his combat techniques as well.
If he did not even dare to try something different, then this spar would become absolutely meaningless.
Zhao Yunxiao rushed at Jun Chuan once more.
Just like the previous time, Zhao Yunxiao made sure to vary the rhythm of his approach, not allowing Jun Chuan to get a clear shot while closing in.
And when he finally got in range...
[Xuanwu Fist Art – Invisible Snap]
This was the fastest strike in the entire Xuanwu Fist Art.
If he wanted to ever stand a chance of hitting Jun Chuan, the only way was to sacrifice power for speed!
Unfortunately for Zhao Yunxiao, even that was not enough.
Thud-!
Zhao Yunxiao's clenched fist met Jun Chuan's open palm.
The physical impact was unimpressive, but the clash of their essence energy was enough to create a small gust of wind around them, causing their hair and robes to flutter.
"Not bad, you got faster," Jun Chuan praised.
"Getting hit would have been a better compliment."
"You wish."
Jun Chuan threw out another punch without warning – the exact same technique that Zhao Yunxiao had just executed.
[Xuanwu Fist Art – Invisible Snap]
But his punch hit nothing yet again as Zhao Yunxiao deftly got out of the way, only that he no longer chose to retreat this time.
Instead, Zhao Yunxiao dodged to the side and lowered his body, effectively moving himself into Jun Chuan's blind spot by using Jun Chuan's own outstretched arm as cover.
"Damn!" Jun Chuan cursed as he hurriedly retreated.
However, it was too late.
[Xuanwu Fist Art – Invisible Snap]
Bang-!
It was the same move yet again, but the sound of the collision was no longer as light as before.
Despite the compromising position that he had found himself in earlier, Jun Chuan somehow managed to move his other arm over just in time to guard his torso.
But while he managed to block a direct hit this way, it was after all still a haphazard defence put up at the last minute.
That was not nearly enough to neutralise the essence energy imbued in that strike from Zhao Yunxiao.
"Tch!" Jun Chuan clicked his tongue while taking a few steps back.
He felt that one hurt.
"Nice one, Junior Martial Brother Zhao!"
"Give it to him!"
"Don't let us down, Senior Martial Brother Jun!"
Shouts from around them caused Jun Chuan's face to turn red.
Without them realising it, the other disciples at the Snow Moon Arena had begun gathering around their stage to watch their spar.
From Intermediate Essence Gathering to Advanced Essence Gathering.
From Advanced Essence Gathering to Peak Essence Gathering.
And then finally from Peak Essence Gathering to Primary Essence Physique.
That was three full boundaries that Jun Chuan was ahead of Zhao Yunxiao by.
Yet in front of all these people present, Zhao Yunxiao was actually the first between them to land a clean hit!
"You got really lucky there, but you need more than luck to win," Jun Chuan said bitterly while rubbing his arm.
It felt a little numb after getting hit earlier, but it was not a big issue.
"What do you mean luck? It was all calculated!" Zhao Yunxiao smirked while getting back into his battle stance. "Even after going on your trip, your habits still haven't changed. If you don't fix those habits of yours, I will continue to read you like a book, Senior Martial Brother Jun!"
"Nonsense," Jun Chuan got into his battle stance as well.
This time, the look on his face was much more serious than before.
In fact, Jun Chuan's heart was slightly shaken after hearing what Zhao Yunxiao just said.
He knew Zhao Yunxiao fairly well, and thus understood just how much of a psychopath this junior martial brother of his could be when it came to getting any bit of advantage possible.
This should have been evident just from the number of sect jobs that he was willing to take up, but that alone was not enough to tell the full story.
Apart from working hard on his sect jobs, Zhao Yunxiao had also always been one who did plenty of research before taking on any assignment, and that included looking up on the opponents that he had to fight as well.
There had even been several occasions when Zhao Yunxiao had helped Jun Chuan to analyse a target, letting him know what to do under different circumstances, even to the extent of predicting moves that could potentially follow certain subtle actions.
Therefore, while everyone else present thought that Zhao Yunxiao was merely bluffing, Jun Chuan understood that there was a serious possibility of it being the truth.
After knowing each other for so many years, Zhao Yunxiao would have had plenty of time to gather information on Jun Chuan.
With that in mind, there was nothing stopping Zhao Yunxiao from analysing Jun Chuan the way he had analysed all those other targets of his, breaking Jun Chuan's habits down into data and predicting his next moves with the power of probability.
Or... Zhao Yunxiao might just be bluffing and was simply trying to get into his head right now.
Either way, Jun Chuan was not about to let himself lose this spar, even if it was just a friendly one.
Initially, he was still thinking of testing Zhao Yunxiao a little before suppressing his cultivation level to have a proper spar to test their techniques.
But that thought had completely gone out of the window.
The current Jun Chuan knew that he had to get more serious now.
If he happened to lose this spar somehow, he would surely be teased by the other disciples for weeks, or perhaps even months to come!