The front courtyard of Dragon Shadow Manor, the Dragon Shadow Academy. Blue sky, white clouds, and grass as soft as velvet. It was already autumn in September, yet this place still presented a picturesque scene of gentle spring sunshine, completely lacking the bleakness and decay characteristic of the season. Perhaps this was due to the altitude; Dragon Shadow Manor seemed perpetually enveloped in a mild spring atmosphere year-round.

Ding! A sharp, brief clash of metal, silver sparks flying, dazzling under the blue sky and white clouds.

Roar! Thud! Two blue streaks, fast as lightning, collided instantly before recoiling swiftly, each settling lightly onto the ground.

A closer look revealed two youths, perhaps seventeen or eighteen years old, locked in combat. Both were skilled with the sword. Although they wielded black wooden swords, the killing intent and ferocity displayed in their movements mirrored that of sworn enemies fighting for their lives. Every move was a fatal strike, every stance exuded a chilling, tragic sense of impending death.

Around the lawn, similar intense combat training sessions were underway. For a time, the entire field resembled a grim battlefield, filled with shouts of battle. Around the periphery of the grassy area stood numerous youths clearly identified as Priests, continuously casting Sacred Armor, Ghost Shield, and Healing spells. It was hard to fathom that at their age, they possessed Daoist arts comparable to Long Qi’s level.

Yan Luo and I secretly marveled. Compared to Garro and the others back in the village, the proficiency of these youths far surpassed them; every single one was significantly stronger than Garro.

“Dragon Shadow Manor truly lives up to its name. One only needs to witness the disciples’ training to see it,” Yan Luo exclaimed admiringly. “Their strength, speed, and technique all far exceed any peers I’ve ever seen.”

“Indeed!” I nodded subconsciously. “Most terrifyingly, they all carry a potent killing aura. Such an aura is impossible to cultivate without extensive real combat experience, without being baptized by blood and fire.”

“Precisely. I expect that before long, these youths will become the foremost figures among the younger generation on the continent,” Yan Luo remarked. “The sheer effort invested in the disciples of Dragon Shadow Manor is astonishing to witness.”

“Talent is hard to find. The best method is undoubtedly cultivating useful people yourself,” I analyzed. “These youths must have undergone specialized, elite training from a very young age; otherwise, they wouldn't possess this level of skill.”

“Dragon Shadow Manor’s perpetual prosperity is clearly no accident,” Yan Luo concluded. “Perhaps only in an environment like this can top masters such as the Sword God be born.”

As Yan Luo and I walked, observing the disciples training on the field, we unconsciously moved toward another practice area where the scene was entirely different.

This section was populated exclusively by Mages, currently engaged in fierce magical combat drills. Fireballs danced everywhere, and surging waves of Blaze magic erupted, resembling celebratory fireworks that completely enveloped the entire arena. From a distance, it looked like a massive, colorful fireworks display—brilliant and dazzling.

As a Mage herself, Yan Luo was immediately captivated. She insisted on pulling me closer to the edge of the field for a better view.

Not far from the spell demonstration area, a group of Mages, all around twenty years old, were instructing a dozen or so youths roughly my age.

“Although the Fireball spell is the most fundamental of all Fire element magic, higher-tier spells like Greater Fireball, Blaze, and Hellfire all evolve from it. Therefore, mastering the application of the Fireball is absolutely crucial.” The instructor, a young man with blue hair and blue eyes who looked about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, explained. His high cultivation level was hard to gauge from his attire, as he wore only a simple, light Mage robe. However, anyone instructing students within Dragon Shadow Academy could not be ordinary. As he spoke, he casually condensed a fist-sized fireball. The fist-sized orb rotated ceaselessly, yet he held it steady in his palm, not releasing it. “There is technique even in casting the fireball. A newly conjured Fireball lacks full cohesion and isn’t very powerful. Only about two seconds after its formation is the magical energy at its peak density. A fireball released at that moment possesses the greatest destructive force.” As the young man finished speaking, he flicked his wrist, sending the fireball flying.

Whoosh! Perhaps due to the extreme speed, the fireball streaked across the air. Boom! It struck a magic target thirty meters away, shattering it into dust.

“Ah! What astonishing magical control!” Yan Luo praised.

“Really? I didn’t notice,” I questioned, confused.

“An expert sees the underlying method,” Yan Luo said gravely. “Though he only cast a Fireball, that sphere hovered in his hand for a full seven seconds. That requires formidable magical control. Remember, among all elements, Fire is the most volatile. To condense the Fire element so tightly without dissipation—that’s beyond most people. If nothing else, this single feat proves the young man possesses magical control equivalent to the Mid-stage Crimson Moon level.”

“It’s just a simple fireball, yet you glean so much knowledge from it,” I admitted, deeply impressed.

“Of course,” Yan Luo continued without modesty. “Given the power of that Fireball, unless the target possessed Battle Qi energy equivalent to a High-Rank Warrior or above, even wearing heavy armor, they would have been instantly incinerated.”

“What! That’s an exaggeration,” I gasped, startled. “It seems Dragon Shadow Academy truly harbors hidden masters.”

“Stop right there, the two of you,” a crisp female voice suddenly called from behind. Yan Luo and I turned to see three men and two women. They appeared to be around my age. The girl who spoke seemed to be their leader, evident from the respectful demeanor of the four accompanying her. At the moment, however, the girl regarded us with an intensely scrutinizing gaze: “You are not from the Outer Court, are you?”

“No,” Yan Luo and I nodded slightly, while secretly wondering about the girl’s identity. Was she a student here?

“My name is Liu Yun, I am a student here…” the girl introduced herself.

“I am Lan Xing! This is my sister, Lan Yue!” I quickly replied. In front of outsiders, Yan Luo always maintained an icy, impassive expression.

“So you are brother and sister. No wonder you look so alike,” Liu Yun laughed.

“............” Yan Luo and I stared blankly. However, this was something Yan Luo and I had already noticed. After disguising ourselves, both our eyes and hair color had turned green. Coupled with the subtle similarity in our facial structures, if we claimed to be siblings, few would doubt it.

“But I must warn you, this is the Academy’s practical training ground. If you have nothing specific to do, you should leave quickly, or it could become dangerous.” Liu Yun cautioned.

“Dangerous!” Yan Luo and I were utterly bewildered.

“Ah, watch out!” Liu Yun exclaimed, her face frozen in horror as she stared past my shoulder.

Whoosh! A sharp sound of air being violently torn pierced the quiet. Years of combat instinct allowed me to instantly analyze the sound: it was likely a high-speed projectile spell, perhaps a Fireball or Greater Fireball, given the whistling noise. And it wasn't just one or two; it was a dense cluster, targeting the exact spot where we stood.

Instinctively, I prepared to dodge, but I noticed Liu Yun and her companions staring back in alarm. If I moved away, those spells might strike them instead.

I could only channel my Battle Qi, intending to withstand the attack head-on, but Yan Luo reacted faster. With a mere wave of her hand, a Magic Shield sprang up.

Bang bang bang bang! A series of violent concussions and blinding flashes instantly enveloped Yan Luo and me.

Simultaneously, several cries of alarm arose from nearby.

“Damn it, we hit someone!”

...........

The intense explosion lasted only two or three seconds before the obscuring smoke dispersed.

Yan Luo and I stood unharmed, but the area was instantly surrounded by people—all the Mages who had been training earlier.

“It’s Liu Yun’s group.”

“Hey! Are you two alright?”

“We’re fine, thanks to them blocking all the attacks!” Liu Yun stammered, still shaken.

“...........” Yan Luo and I were a bit bewildered. It was just a volley of Blaze magic; surely, it didn’t warrant such a fuss.

“Did I see that right! She just used a Magic Shield!”

“Yeah, and that short guy didn’t even move a muscle; he just shook off the Blaze with his Battle Qi alone.”

“No way, that’s unbelievable.”

“That was a combined magical bombardment from Qian He and Qian Yu, and they simply withstood it.”

“Magic Shield, Guardian Battle Qi—aren’t those skills exclusive to High-Rank Mages and High-Rank Warriors?”

“Does that short guy actually possess the strength of a High-Rank Warrior?”

...........

The surrounding crowd buzzed with discussion. Yan Luo and I finally realized what had just happened. In our eyes, it was nothing significant. But Yan Luo appeared no older than twenty-three or twenty-four, and I looked even younger due to my naturally boyish face, appearing perhaps fourteen even after disguise. In reality, my true physiological age should be sixteen, though if one counted my previous and current lives, I was nearing twenty-four, similar to Yan Luo. But who knew that?

Normally, reaching the level of Intermediate-Rank Novice by age sixteen was considered exceptional. Few could even master Guardian Battle Qi at that stage.

“Well, that’s why I warned you about loitering around here,” Liu Yun said apologetically.

“It’s fine, I wasn’t hurt at all,” I quickly said, pulling Yan Luo along as we tried to leave.

“Wait.” Just as we were about to depart, we were stopped by several students dressed in Mage robes and Daoist attire.

“We are very sorry; we accidentally hit you just now.” The leader appeared to be about seventeen, with golden hair and golden eyes, tall and possessing an air of refined elegance. Judging by his attire, he was likely an Intermediate-Rank Mage. He was staring at Yan Luo with wide surprise. “But judging by you two, you seem unharmed.”

“En,” I nodded by reflex.

“Then, can you tell us who you are and why you are here?” The golden-haired young man’s expression turned stern. “You don’t look like students from the Outer Court.”

“Could they be spies sent by the Inner Court?” several Mages standing nearby immediately speculated.

“Indeed! Highly suspicious. The annual Inter-Court Competition is in one month, and these two show up here—it’s definitely suspicious.”

“Damn it, it must be them! Those fellows from the Inner Court are truly unscrupulous.”

“They actually witnessed the combined magical bombardment of Qian Yu and Qian He.”

“We cannot let them leave!”

......................................

What was going on? Yan Luo and I were utterly confused. These youngsters glared at us, looking as if they wanted to devour us whole.

But we quickly understood: they were conducting secret intensive training, which Yan Luo and I had stumbled upon. Worse still, the strength we displayed seemed so formidable that it led them to the wrong conclusion—that we were spies from the Biqi Academy.

“I think you may have misunderstood,” I said quickly, relieved that the situation was clarified. “We are merely guests at the Manor, not affiliated with the Inner or Outer Courts.”

“That is not for you to decide. Since you witnessed our training, you cannot leave until the competition is over,” the leading young Mage declared unequivocally. “This year, we…”

“Hey, you need to be reasonable! I don’t have time to waste arguing with you for so long.” I was starting to panic. In any other place, I would have already forced my way out with martial force, but this was Dragon Shadow Manor, and I dared not resort to violence here.

“Absolutely not!” another Mage snapped irritably. “Even if you aren’t from the Inner Court, you can’t leave.”

“Exactly! We cannot afford to lose again this year, or the Inner Court guys will lord it over us forever.”

Sigh. What was all this nonsense?

“What is happening here?” A commanding male voice sounded from behind. Turning around, I saw a youth about eighteen, dressed as a Warrior. He was tall and broad, a match for Garro. Behind him followed more than a dozen youths dressed as Warriors, Priests, or Mages. By instinct, I clearly sensed that these youths were all battle-hardened masters, possessing strength at least at the Intermediate-Rank Mid-stage level.

“Senior Brother, you’ve arrived at the perfect time,” the leading Mage exclaimed happily. “These two are spies from the Inner Court; they were caught peeking at our training.”

Peeking? What, did they think I was catching a beauty bathing? If I really wanted to leave, what could a few of them possibly do to stop me? I grumbled inwardly.

“Interesting, spies from the Inner Court?” The youth called Senior Brother studied me with curiosity, a strange look in his eyes. “Tell me, little one, are you truly from the Inner Court?”

“Senior Brother, this guy is strange; he actually possesses Guardian Battle Qi,” a Mage immediately reminded him.

“Not only is he from the Inner Court, but he’s an elite expert too,” Senior Brother mused thoughtfully. “Who would have guessed that this unremarkable short fellow harbors such profound skills?”

“Indeed, if we hadn’t stumbled upon this by chance and forced him to reveal his true abilities, he might have truly fooled us,” the Mage said smugly.

These little brats were getting carried away.

“Fine, I’ll give you one last chance. Confess who sent you!” The youth called Senior Brother pondered. “Though, as I recall, the Inner Court doesn’t have any particularly strong short individuals.”

“If I say no one sent me, would you believe me?” I was speechless.

“No!” The one called Senior Brother flatly refused.

“Then why did you ask?” I asked helplessly.

“Heh heh, forget it. Whether you’re from the Inner Court or not, possessing such fine skill means we should have a good spar,” Senior Brother declared, radiating an air of absolute control.

Sigh. A spar? Did this kid think he was someone important? He really deserved a good beating. If it weren’t for the fact that he was a disciple of Dragon Shadow Manor, I would have already laid him out with a few solid punches.

“How about this: you fight me. If you can win, I won’t press the issue further,” the youth flashed a cunning smile.

This guy finally showed his true colors; after all that fuss, he just wanted a duel.

“Fight then, who’s afraid of whom,” I retorted, refusing to back down.

“Heh heh, you better be mentally prepared. My strength is at the Peak of High-Rank,” the youth confidently warned. “Don’t blame me for not giving you a heads-up.”

“What, Peak High-Rank?” I was shocked. This unassuming kid was actually stronger than Chen Feng.

Yan Luo, however, stared at me with astonishment, seemingly confused by my reaction. After all, Yan Luo was well aware of my strength; this youth, no matter his current level, couldn't possibly defeat me. What shocked me was how young this youth was to have achieved such a cultivation level. Among all the opponents I had faced, this young man stood out for having the highest cultivation relative to his age and aptitude. I didn't know Yan Luo's exact age; while she looked around twenty-three or twenty-four, on the Mafa Continent, once someone reached High-Rank professional status, their appearance barely changed. Yan Luo’s current look might be her true face when she reached Peak High-Rank Mage, a face that wouldn't age significantly for a long time. Especially for experts who reached the Crimson Moon level, their appearance remained almost eternally unchanged. Yan Luo might be twenty-three or twenty-four, or she could be thirty-one or thirty-two—it was impossible to say. Of course, I wouldn't be foolish enough to ask her.

But one thing I was certain of: my baby face might never go away, even if I could grow taller in the future. It was the price for reaching Crimson Moon level before I turned sixteen.

“What, scared now?” The youth gloated. “Realistically, at your age, reaching Intermediate-Rank Mid-stage is impressive. When I was your age, I was only Intermediate-Rank Novice. But reality is cruel; I won’t give you a chance to surpass me.”

“..........” I was utterly speechless. How could this guy be so hopelessly self-confident?

“If you want to fight, let’s fight then.”

“Refreshing,” the youth grinned. “Don’t blame me for bullying you. Just survive fifty moves under my sword, and I’ll count it as your win.”

“............” I was speechless. When did I become so weak that an eighteen-year-old brat needed to give me a handicap?

Yan Luo looked at the supremely confident youth as if he were a complete monster.

“Fifty moves?” I murmured. “Shouldn’t be too difficult, right?”