Fierce competition

Qi Xin, who was currently fighting Long Chen, suddenly had his eyes light up, and a strange pattern appeared on his brow.

As soon as that pattern appeared, the water blade in his hand seemed to come alive, letting out a roar as it slashed towards Long Chen.

Long Chen was startled and hurriedly blocked.

"Boom."

What Long Chen didn't expect was that the water blade in Qi Xin's hand seemed to have been imbued with the force of a great mountain, sending Long Chen flying back.

A sneer appeared on Qi Xin's face. He didn't even glance at Long Chen and rushed straight toward the cave.

Seeing the expression on Qi Xin's face, Long Chen immediately realized he had been tricked, as had everyone else.

Although he didn't know if Qi Xin's anger was feigned, he definitely hadn't lost his reason; it was all part of a plan.

He had deliberately let himself fall into a frenzy and fought fiercely with Long Chen because Long Chen's position was closer to the cave entrance. Once the Profound Spirit Fruit matured, he could be the first to charge into the cave.

After Long Chen reacted, he kicked off the ground, launching himself toward Qi Xin like a cannonball. However, Qi Xin had gotten a head start, and it was impossible to catch up to him.

"Gale Moon Slash!"

Suddenly, a sharp, feminine cry rang out, and a wind blade slashed toward Qi Xin. It turned out that once the Profound Spirit Fruit matured, everyone had instinctively gravitated toward the cave.

Seeing Qi Xin rushing toward the entrance first, Tang Waner abandoned her opponent. Relying on the speed boost from her wind attribute, she shot forward like lightning, completely ignoring the attacks from behind as she channeled a secret technique to attack Qi Xin.

Qi Xin was terrified. That attack was the condensed power of Tang Waner's entire cultivation. If he ignored it, he would be severely injured even if he didn't die, so he slashed out with his water blade.

The wind blade collided with the water blade, producing a loud explosion. The immense force sent Qi Xin flying, and the terrifying power launched him hundreds of zhang away.

In an instant, he went from being the closest person to the Profound Spirit Fruit to the farthest. Qi Xin was so angry he almost coughed up blood. As soon as he stabilized his body, he rushed forward again to see if he could find another opportunity.

"Careful!"

Ye Zhiqiu cried out in alarm. Because Tang Waner had attacked Qi Xin, her defenses were wide open, and Lei Qianshang's fist was already striking, about to land on Tang Waner's body.

"Get lost, you big ape!"

A furious shout rang out, and a long spear slammed heavily into Lei Qianshang's fist, creating a loud explosion.

Lei Qianshang was forced back two steps and was furious. He had finally found an opportunity; if he had injured Tang Waner, the Profound Spirit Fruit would have been theirs.

"Go to hell!"

Lei Qianshang roared, his entire body covered in thunder, and a lightning pattern appeared on his fist as he punched toward Long Chen.

Long Chen hurriedly raised his spear to block, but with a crack, the spear in his hand shattered. Lei Qianshang's fist paused for a fraction of a second before slamming heavily into Long Chen's chest.

Long Chen was immediately sent flying by the violent force, but when Lei Qianshang saw a strange smile appear on Long Chen's face, his expression changed.

"Stop him!"

Because he realized that his own punch had sent Long Chen directly into the cave. He was both shocked and furious and started to give chase.

"You'd better stay here."

By this time, Tang Waner had stabilized her stance, her wind blades dancing as she blocked his path.

After flying into the cave, Long Chen immediately took out a jade box from his spatial ring. He quickly arrived beside the Profound Spirit Fruit tree, wrapped the Profound Spirit Fruit in a handkerchief, placed it in the jade box, and stored it directly in his spatial ring.

One had to admit that it was a waste of talent for Long Chen not to be a thief. From entering the cave to picking the fruit and storing it in his ring, he had gotten it all done in just half a breath.

Long Chen stood beside the small tree and said to the people outside, "The game is over. Do you want to keep fighting?"

Lei Qianshang and Qi Xin, who had just rushed over, turned pale with rage. Even Yue Zifeng stopped fighting, looked at Long Chen with a complex expression, sheathed his long sword, and turned and left without a word.

"What, you two still won't leave? Are you waiting for us to treat you to a meal?" Long Chen said while standing by the Profound Spirit Fruit.

He knew that the area beside the Profound Spirit Fruit was the safest place. Even if they were beaten to death, the two of them wouldn't dare to make a move. If they accidentally damaged the Profound Spirit Fruit tree, their lives would be forfeit, and they would become dead monsters.

Lei Qianshang and Qi Xin exchanged a glance, both seeing the anger and helplessness in the other's eyes. Now that the Profound Spirit Fruit had fallen into their opponents' hands, according to their agreement, they had lost and had to accept their defeat.

However, the excellent situation had been ruined by Long Chen. They hated him to the bone, especially Lei Qianshang, who had had his plans ruined by Long Chen twice in a row.

If looks could kill, Long Chen would have been killed hundreds of times in the blink of an eye.

Unfortunately, things had reached this point, and they could only stare helplessly. Aside from gritting their teeth and glaring at Long Chen, there was nothing they could do.

If they tried to snatch it, the nature of the situation would change. It would no longer be a game but a true battle of life and death.

"A bet is a bet. Do you want to welsh on it?" Tang Waner said coldly.

Qi Xin took a deep breath, pointed at Long Chen, and said, "Long Chen, I've remembered you. I will make you regret coming into this world."

The previously grinning Long Chen's smile vanished instantly, and cold killing intent emerged in his eyes.

"You surnamed Qi, you should be thankful that this is the Branch Academy. If we were outside, I wouldn't let you see tomorrow's sun. I advise you to drop your petty schemes and not bring trouble upon yourself."

Long Chen spoke with great seriousness, without a hint of a joke. At the same time, everyone present could feel the killing intent in Long Chen's bones, which made one's heart turn cold.

Tang Waner's heart couldn't help but tremble. The current Long Chen was exactly the same as when he killed Zhao Wu, as if killing were a daily routine for him. Just how many people had he killed?

"Hmph, just keep talking big. I said it before, I will make you regret coming into this world. Just you wait."

Qi Xin snorted coldly and turned to leave.

Lei Qianshang also narrowed his eyes and looked at Long Chen, saying, "Kid, don't ever fall into my hands in the future, or I will make you wish you were dead."

Long Chen shook his head and said, "You are all just a bunch of willful children, but remember that willfulness has its limits, otherwise the price will be very painful for you."

Long Chen could sense the hatred from the bottom of their hearts, but he asked himself what he had done wrong.

On the very first day they met, Qi Xin had ordered others to humiliate Long Chen and make him kowtow and admit his mistake, which was a more vicious humiliation than killing.

That was why there had been the scene of Xiao Xue attacking and fighting fiercely with Qi Xin. Lei Qianshang was much the same, having sent Zhao Wu to cripple him.

Later, he even resorted to underhanded tricks, planting a Lightning Seed in his body, wanting him to suffer the pain of lightning devouring his body.

To be honest, Long Chen didn't hold too much of a grudge, believing that in the academy, this was just a game. It was normal to win or lose, and there was no need to dwell on momentary gains or losses.

But the signals Qi Xin and Lei Qianshang gave him today were different; they were actually going to use unscrupulous means to deal with him.

If they only targeted him and came at him openly, whatever methods they had, Long Chen would just take it.

But if they went too far and used some despicable methods, then they shouldn't blame Long Chen for being ruthless.

During the bloody battle in the Imperial Capital, for some reason, Long Chen had felt an inexplicable excitement and anticipation for slaughter.

This made him somewhat afraid. He was afraid that he would become a bloodthirsty Devil King, so he had been restraining himself.

But the threats from Qi Xin and Lei Qianshang today had caused his heart of slaughter to start stirring.

"Alright, don't be angry for them. In the Branch Academy, the rules are strict; they won't dare to mess around."

Seeing that Long Chen still had a cold expression, Tang Waner softly advised him.

She didn't know why, but she didn't like Long Chen like this. She preferred the rascally, grinning Long Chen; this Long Chen made her feel like a stranger.

Long Chen took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart, and put on a wronged expression, saying, "My dear Young Miss Waner, I feel like my heart has been wounded. For the sake of my hard battle, could you comfort me? Let's have a pure hug… ah… never mind."

Just as Long Chen opened his arms, Tang Waner was already looking at him with disdain. In her jade hand, a wind blade was spinning rapidly. Judging by that stance, if Long Chen dared to go over, she would dare to give him a taste of it.

"Cough cough, just a joke, don't be so serious." Long Chen gave an awkward smile, reached out, and took the jade box containing the Profound Spirit Fruit from his spatial ring, handing it over.

"Here, who should I give it to?" Long Chen asked, looking at the two of them.

"I don't want it. You two split it," Tang Waner hesitated for a moment and shook her head.

"Why?"

Ye Zhiqiu said with a look of surprise. One had to know that this was the Profound Spirit Fruit, which concerned a person's future. They had been fighting to the death just a moment ago; was she just giving it up like that?

"Originally, I was competing for this Profound Spirit Fruit because I wanted to… um, actually, I have a Gold-grade Spiritual Root, and I have a great chance of a perfect breakthrough even without it. You two should split it," Tang Waner said halfway, her pretty face blushing slightly as she snuck a glance at Long Chen.

"Then I thank you, Waner. I, Zhiqiu, will remember this favor. Long Chen, let's split it between the two of us," Ye Zhiqiu said.

This Profound Spirit Fruit was very magical. You didn't need to consume it when breaking through. As long as you ate it and absorbed its essence, it would automatically consolidate one's Realm. When breaking through, it would increase the probability of a perfect advancement.

Generally speaking, a Genius with a Silver-grade Spiritual Root who ate a Profound Spirit Fruit would have their probability of a perfect advancement increase from the original thirty percent to seventy percent.

However, if the Profound Spirit Fruit was split and each person ate half, the essence would be dispersed, and the probability of a perfect advancement would decrease, to about fifty percent.

However, regardless, even increasing the chance by half a layer was a great thing, which was why everyone valued the Profound Spirit Fruit so much.

This was also why Lei Qianshang and Qi Xin's expressions were so ugly when they left.

For a cultivator, strength was certainly important, but luck was equally important. Often, that half-layer of probability could make a world of difference in a Martial Artist's future achievements.

Long Chen looked at Tang Waner, then at Ye Zhiqiu, and shook his head. "You eat it yourself. I don't need it."

Ye Zhiqiu and Tang Waner were greatly startled. Two pairs of beautiful eyes stared at Long Chen simultaneously, and they said in unison, "Why?"

Long Chen looked at the two pretty faces, his expression full of difficulty. Finally, he sighed helplessly and said, "I will tell you a secret today, but you must keep it for me. Actually, I am a peerless Genius; the Spiritual Root in my Dantian is the legendary… Dark Gold-grade Spiritual Root."