Chapter 537 - 183: Origin, Blood Feud (4)

But Chang Xiaoyu acted as if she didn’t understand. She continued to come every day, rain or shine, bringing him meals, doing his laundry, and quietly keeping him company, never once wavering.

Ma Guoliang set down the large spear from his back and stepped into the house. The aroma of a hot meal immediately washed over him, dispelling the fatigue from his cultivation.

Chang Xiaoyu was already waiting for him with a wooden basin of warm, clean water.

Ma Guoliang didn’t stand on ceremony. He plunged his hands into the water and scrubbed them a few times, washing away the sweat and dust.

By the time he had dried his hands and walked to the table, Chang Xiaoyu had already deftly unpacked the food container and arranged the dishes on the table.

A plate of green vegetables, a bowl of braised Exotic Beast Meat, a platter of Rare Exotic Beast Meat, and a bowl of steaming white rice. It was a simple meal, but it had a comforting, home-cooked feel.

Ma Guoliang picked up his chopsticks and began to eat, keeping his head down.

He ate quickly but not crudely—a habit clearly formed from years of arduous cultivation.

Chang Xiaoyu sat across from him, her elbows propped on the table and her chin resting in her hands. She watched him with a gentle, smiling gaze.

"Tomorrow is the fourth round of the Fushan Competition," Chang Xiaoyu said suddenly, her voice soft. "Senior Brother Ma, your opponent is Yang Jing from Lingxi Peak."

"I already asked around," she said, pausing for a moment before continuing in a hushed voice. "That Yang Jing only broke through to the Qi Eating Realm a short while ago. His ranking is so high mainly because his previous opponents were too weak. He just had to show off a little, and his rank naturally climbed. He doesn’t have any real skill to speak of."

Ma Guoliang paused, his chopsticks halfway to a dish. He then shook his head, not replying, and went back to eating with his head down.

Seeing that he wasn’t talking, Chang Xiaoyu continued, "I also heard that he cultivates a Mid-grade True Skill called the Mountain-Breaking Seal. They say its offensive power is incredible, comparable to a high-grade True Skill. Even though he just broke through to the Qi Eating Realm, he should still have a trick or two up his sleeve. You’ll need to be careful when you face him tomorrow, Senior Brother Ma."

Ma Guoliang finally stopped eating and looked up at Chang Xiaoyu. The coldness in his eyes softened, and he gave a small, gentle smile. "Thank you for your hard work, Xiaoyu," he said, nodding.

’He knew she must have gone out of her way to gather information on Yang Jing for him.’

’Her words might have sounded casual, but he knew she was carefully trying to encourage him. She hadn’t praised him so much that he’d grow careless, yet she hadn’t forgotten to warn him about Yang Jing’s Mountain-Breaking Seal. Her thoughtfulness touched him.’

Hearing this, Chang Xiaoyu’s cheeks flushed red as a ripe apple. She quickly waved her hands and said with a laugh, "I just asked around a bit, I didn’t go out of my way to find anything out. Others might not know, but I know what you’re capable of, Senior Brother Ma."

"You just spend all your time buried in your cultivation and don’t like the spotlight, Senior Brother Ma. Otherwise, with your skills, your name would have spread throughout the Xuanzhen Sect long ago! There would be no room for anyone else to show off. Even if that Yang Jing has some talent, he’s no match for you!"

In Chang Xiaoyu’s eyes, Ma Guoliang simply lacked an opportunity to reveal his true strength.

He was a recluse, wholly dedicated to his training and rarely sparring with others, so no one knew the true depths of his power.

But she knew his true strength was easily enough to rank in the top ten of the Fushan Competition—perhaps even the top seven or eight. Dealing with a newly promoted disciple like Yang Jing should be a piece of cake.

Ma Guoliang, however, just chuckled and shook his head. He set down his chopsticks, his expression slowly turning serious.

He looked at Chang Xiaoyu and said earnestly, "I’ve been paying close attention to the matches of the top ten experts in the previous rounds, including Yang Jing’s."

He paused, his tone growing more solemn. "Yang Jing is not to be underestimated. He’s nowhere near as weak as people say. If I really have to face him, I can’t guarantee a victory. Even if I do win, it will likely be a brutal, head-to-head fight."

The smile on Chang Xiaoyu’s face faltered. She clearly hadn’t expected Ma Guoliang to rate Yang Jing so highly.

A part of her didn’t believe it, thinking Ma Guoliang was being overly cautious. But she knew him well. He was always composed and reserved, never arrogant. If he said something like this, he must truly believe Yang Jing was a powerful opponent.

Seeing Ma Guoliang’s grave expression, Chang Xiaoyu felt a knot of unease form in her own stomach, and she wondered silently.

’Is this Yang Jing really that strong?’

Ma Guoliang saw the doubt on Chang Xiaoyu’s face and sighed inwardly.

The mention of Yang Jing made him think of Peak Master Lingxi, that breathtakingly beautiful, yet ice-cold woman.

Everyone said Peak Master Lingxi was indifferent by nature, taking a hands-off approach with her disciples and rarely involving herself in their affairs.

But Ma Guoliang knew that despite her cold exterior, the Peak Master had actually been very good to him.

During the year he spent on probation at Lingxi Peak, Peak Master Bai Bing had rarely offered him direct instruction or resources. However, whenever he hit a bottleneck in his cultivation, she would always provide some crucial guidance. He had never forgotten that quiet, unspoken support.

Furthermore, Peak Master Lingxi had known his mother. If he had just stayed obediently at Lingxi Peak back then, it would have been a fine choice for his future.

But all of that was predicated on him not having a blood feud to settle.

’Those wolves of the Ma Family... they killed my mother. I must repay this blood debt. I will make the entire Ma Family pay for her life with their own!’

Peak Master Lingxi was aloof and detached, maintaining a hands-off approach with her disciples. She rarely offered guidance on their cultivation, and the resources she bestowed were extremely limited.