Mu Zhenfei's eyes shot daggers, but he surrendered. Di Ming offered him a hand but the bigger boy slapped him aside and limped of the sparring stage. He took a shirt and stuffed it in his mouth, before violently popping his knee back into place. He only let out a muffled groan. A few moments and a bottle of low-quality nanomachine fluid later, he was as good as new.
The entire time, he intensely glared at Yunfan with a deep-seated bitterness.
He's acting like I'm the one who dislocated his knee, Yunfan grumbled internally. What the hell is wrong with him?
Meanwhile, the people around Chu Yunfan moved past their silent shock. Some of then nodded amongst each other, acting like they had known all along that Di Ming was going to win. Some of them simply balefully stared at Yunfan, their pride slighted by the fact that they had been "beaten" by someone who hadn't even reached fifth stage cultivation. He could almost imagine what they were thinking: It was just a lucky guess!
The only one who was unbothered by Di Ming's victory and Yunfan's correct analysis was Gao Hongzhi. "How did you know?"
Yunfan shrugged. How could he explain his supernatural senses?
The glares on all sides intensified. Now he's being intentionally mystifying to attract attention!
What will it take to satisfy these idiots? Yunfan rolled his eyes.
His exasperation only grew as he noticed Mu Zhenfei stalking over to where the crowd had gathered.
"He's radiating bloodlust," the Emperor commented mildly. "What a short-tempered fool."
Chu Yunfan agreed. Before he could formulate a response to the Alchemy Emperor, Mu Zhenfei stood before him with a dark expression.
"You. Fight me."
"Wow, you're so intimidating. Going around bullying people two cultivation stages below you for being right," Yunfan drawled while picking at his ear. "Sorry, but you're going to have to speak in complete sentences you fucking neanderthal."
"What are you doing?!" Gao Hongzhi whispered at Yunfan. "He's going to rip you to shreds!"
Mu Zhenfei recoiled, shock flitting across his face at Yunfan's disrespectful response. His scowl deepened as he stared at Gao Hongzhi.
He didn't dare to initiate a brawl; Gao Hongzhi had already been in the seventh stage of Physical Refinement for a month. Instead he pointedly returned his gaze to the smaller boy.
"Stop hiding behind your boyfriend and fight me," he snarled.
"Hm." Yunfan tapped his temple with a look of deep contemplation. He smiled lazily. "No. I don't think I will."
"Are you a coward? Fight me like a real man!" Mu Zhenfei growled threateningly.
"My masculinity is less fragile than yours, so I think I'll pass. What's in it for me?"
He scowled. For a moment, he seemed conflicted. In the end, his stupidity won out.
"Two bottles of B-ranked nutrient fluid."
The ring on Mu Zhenfei's finger glowed with blue light, which gathered in his hands. The light quickly dissipated and revealed two glass bottles about the size of his thumb. Within these bottles was a iridescent golden fluid that shimmered like sunlight.
Yunfan's eyes widened. The crowd, which had backed away from them, had similar reactions.
B-ranked nutrient fluid was a top shelf cultivation supplement. Unlike Nutrient Pills, nutrient fluid used spirit food and special herb concentrates that increased the user's Internal Energy by leaps and bounds. While others had probably used at least one bottle of nutrient fluid before, Yunfan had only ever seen it in advertisements.
"Are those the real deal?" he quietly asked Gap Hongzhi. His friend only nodded, too flabbergasted to speak.
Two whole bottles of nutrient fluid. Furthermore, they were B-ranked nutrient fluid! One bottle alone could elevate someone from initial level to the peak level of any Physical Refinement stage! Each one was worth almost 10,000 credits! The Nutrient Pill that Yunfan had purchased that morning was only 25 credits!
However, he didn't let his surprise show. He glared at the two bottles with disdain.
"Where's your proof?" He snorted, suppressing his greed. "How can I trust that you'll actually give me it?"
"It's on my honor as a man," Zhenfei tsked, insulted by Chu Yunfan's skepticism.
This guy needs to get his head checked... He's clearly lacking some key mental faculties...
He licked his lips hungrily as he eyed the two bottles in his hand. He had nothing to lose.
Not that I'm complaining.
"You drive a hard bargain," Yunfan smirked. "Then, allow me the honor of challenging you to a spar."
"I accept," Zhenfei grinned viciously, revealing pointed canines.
They both stepped onto the sparring arena.
"I'm impressed," the Alchemy Emperor whistled. "I've never seen someone fire up an idiot that skillfully before."
"It's an acquired skill," Yunfan chuckled as he stretched his arms above his head. "I was looking forward to test out my new skills anyways."
Zhenfei cracked his neck, all the while staring at Yunfan with bloodlust. "Talking to yourself, now? Did the fear cause any brain damage?" he mockingly sneered.
"Worry about yourself," Yunfan snapped back. He sucked in a deep breath, before slowly letting it out. His eyes sharpened into predatory slits.
Mu Zhenfei settled into a fighting stance.
Yunfan mirrored his opponent.
The two boys stared at each other, waiting for even the slightest flinch. The smallest opening in each others' guard.
At almost the exact same second, they both exploded into motion.
Almost the exact same second.
Yunfan had reacted marginally faster, so despite Mu Zhenfei's larger build and longer arms, he managed to move into Zhenfei's guard and deliver a powerful uppercut into Zhenfei's lower jaw.
The bigger boy rocked backwards, regaining his footing in the span of a breath. He spat to the side, the spit flecked with small speckles of blood.
"First blood," Yunfan chirped, dancing on his toes.
"Lucky shot," Mu Zhenfei hissed, before leaping into action again.
Yunfan didn't react, simply watching Zhenfei's palm strike get closer and closer.
He's so slow.
Mu Zhenfei had infused an inordinate amount of Internal Energy into his attack. The hairs on the back of Yunfan's neck stood up instinctively; his heightened senses told him that taking that blow head-on would be a recipe for disaster.
Unfortunately for Zhenfei, he wasn't planning on taking it head-on.
With calculated movements, he deflected the palm strike and pushed the bigger boy's guard wide open. He followed the motion, turning full-circle in a split second. His body twisted into a spinning kick, the back of his foot cracking into his opponent's temple. Mu Zhenfei staggered back, his face pale and his eyes slightly unfocused.
Yunfan saw that he had split skin, despite not wearing shoes. Blood trickled down the side of Zhenfei's head, spattering across the sterile sparring area.
"Second blood. You seem to be doing an awful lot of bleeding."
Mu Zhenfei roared in incoherent rage, before charging at Yunfan recklessly.
"Oops. I might've killed too many of his braincells," Yunfan grimaced. "I think he's gone full retard."
He sighed with mock-sadness.
"Guess I'll have to put him down."
The moment Zhenfei was about to reach him, Yunfan seemed to disappear right before him.
What?
That was the only thought Zhenfei had time for before Chu Yunfan dropped an axe kick on his head.
***
"Hey. Hey. Hey."
An annoying voice pierced through the fog of unconsciousness.
"Wake up. You owe me two bottles of B-ranked nutrient fluid."
Mu Zhenfei groaned, stirring as his eyelids fluttered open. His vision was still blurry, but he could make out Chu Yunfan standing over him. A smug grin was plastered on his face as they prodded his forehead with an extended finger.
Irritation flared through him like a jolt of electricity, his muscles tensing instinctively. Before he could fully register the surge of anger, a sharp wave of pain followed. It radiated through his skull and down his spine. A bout of nausea forced another groan out of him. His mind felt sluggish, scrambling to piece together what was happening.
"What…?" He managed, his voice a low rasp.
Chu Yunfan folded their arms, leaning closer with a mocking smirk. "You lost. Now hand over the nutrient fluid."
The words hit him like a splash of cold water. Mu Zhenfei's grogginess evaporated in an instant, and he bolted upright. His eyes darted around and looked to the people that had gathered around the sparring area for some sort of denial. This can't be true! It can't! I was beaten by... a fourth stage weakling?!
The crowd around them was completely shocked. The moment his piercing glare swept over them, they quickly looked away, avoiding his gaze.
His jaw clenched and for a few moments, all he could hear was the grinding of his molars. With a bitter scowl, he reached into his spatial ring, pulling out two small vials filled with shimmering golden liquid. He shoved them into Chu Yunfan's waiting hand, his eyes narrowing.
"There," he muttered through gritted teeth, before turning sharply on his heel. Without another word, he stalked off, heading for the nurses' office with his shoulders slumped.