At the Arena
After defeating Chen Ruo, Chen Mo shouted confidently, "Who's next?!"
The arena went silent. No one dared to reply.
A voice from the crowd finally broke the silence, "Who would dare go against Chen Mo right now? After defeating the top genius of the Chen family—no, the former genius of the Chen family—the title of genius should now belong to Chen Mo!"
The referee nodded and declared, "Since no one challenges Chen Mo, I now announce the winner of the family competition—Chen Mo!"
As the crowd erupted in cheers, Hua, Chen Mo's maid, rushed toward him with excitement. "Young master, you were amazing! I knew you could do it!"
Chen Mo smiled gently and placed a hand on her head. "Thank you, Hua."
Back at Chen Mo's Residence
Quickly after the match, Chen Mo returned to his house, deep in thought. Crippling Chen Ruo was only the first step, he mused. Although Ruo was accepted as an outer disciple of the Sword Sect, the sect likely won't interfere over a mere outer disciple. But his acceptance was supported by Prince Tianlong. Whatever Huo offered Prince Tianlong for his favor, I must tread carefully around them.
"System," Chen Mo asked aloud, "is there any way to improve my strength quickly?"
Ding! Ding! The system's mechanical voice replied, Host, I've already been scanning the area to find your next target for absorption. I've detected a clash between Tier 4 monsters in the deep forest of Dense Grove. They're fighting over a treasure. If you take advantage of their battle and absorb their cultivation, you may reach the Master realm—or perhaps even higher—in one fell swoop.
Chen Mo's eyes narrowed. "Tier 4 monsters? They're comparable to peak Martial Grandmasters! Even if my entire family tried to subdue one, we'd suffer heavy losses. I'll need to be extremely cautious."
Ding! Ding! New mission: Reach the Grandmaster realm within six months. Reward: Earth-tier sword. Failure: No reward.
Chen Mo's mind raced. "A mission? So the system can hand out missions too? An Earth-tier sword… even in the Sword Sect, such swords are considered treasures. My father only possesses a Mortal-tier sword. The treasure tiers are divided as follows: Human, Earth, King, Emperor, and Legendary. If that's the case, I must head to Dense Grove immediately."
Determined, Chen Mo began packing only essential items, preparing to leave.
At Master Huo's Courtyard
One of Master Huo's underlings, cloaked in black, standing before him. "Master, Chen Mo is preparing to leave the house. It looks like he's heading to Dense Grove Forest."
Master Huo's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Leaving the house? Ahahaha, good… very good! I was concerned about how to deal with him, but since he's walking into his death willingly, I'll gladly take this opportunity."
He turned to the black-robed man. "Take three Master-realm guards with you. Wait until he's deep in the forest, then eliminate him."
The underling hesitated. "Three Master-realm guards? Is that really necessary for a mere Martial Disciple?"
Master Huo's face darkened as his voice thundered. "You dare question me?!"
The man quickly bowed. "No, Master! I wouldn't dare! I'll ensure it's done swiftly." With a swish, he disappeared into the shadows.
Master Huo leaned back, his eyes gleaming with malevolence. Chen Mo, I've prepared the perfect grave for you. Enjoy your final moments while you still can! His laughter echoed through the courtyard, growing louder and more sinister. "Ahahaha… Hahahaha… HAHAHAHAHA!"