Chapter 131 - Challenge
"Since you're calling me here after all those rumors spread, I'm assuming Senior Brother Fu has a plan in mind?" Leon's tone could barely contain his excitement.
For days, he was plagued with frightening thoughts about that damn sibling duo. His Martial Heart simply wasn't strong enough to fend the terror lying within their Draconic might.
Leon didn't even know what they used on him! To him, it was like they were sneakily leaking their Aura just for intimidation.
For days, he had no way to vent this frustration as their status was virtually the same as him.
But now, with these highly truthful rumors, Leon saw a way payback could be efficiently ensured.
In direct contrast to Leon's excitement, Qiao Fen was sneering as he thought about the sibling duo.
To think he ever thought they were worthy of slight interest. If they took such massive shortcuts, they're evidently not worth his time.
His tone didn't hide his disdain as he said, "The most Brother Fu wants to do with them is to see if they're still worthy or not. We can't have our time being wasted. So, he wants you to pay Adam to fight at least the boy. He seems like the stronger one in any case."
"Ah! This is perfect." Leon's eyes twinkle. "Adam's Aura reading skill is quite good. He'll be able to tell if they're truly not worth it or not. And with their arrogance, it'll be easy to goad them into fighting. I'll get started right away."
Qiao Fen gave a slight snort and was just about to wave Leon away. But as he raised his hand, he suddenly recalled something.
"Right….Adam already reached half-step Profound Soul, right? You can tell he doesn't need to hold back. Brother Fu will deal with all the consequences proceeding. After all, it's not our fault if they let their pride make rash decisions."
"Got it." Leon smiling nodded. In his eyes, he could already see Cain getting humiliated after being goaded into fighting.
That gross, prideful look permanently plastered on his face will get wiped off very soon!
….
A few hours passed.
When the news of their return was at its highest, Cain finally decided to initiate their plan.
As of now, he and Kali were briskly strolling through the Academy, ignoring all whispers and eyes on them.
Their current target was the Martial Challenge Arena Hall. As they neared the Arena Hall, the sibling duo ignored the long line leading to one section of the Arena Hall.
If one wanted to participate in a Martial Duel, average students and even regular geniuses needed to dutifully wait to issue in a challenge.
The numbers within the Academy are great, so naturally, the amount of challenges to be sorted is similarly high.
To keep an orderly record of it, these students needed to wait until their duels got processed into the regular Martial Arena. There, numerous Martial duels occur at the same time, each overseer by a proceeding Elder.
This long and slightly tedious process didn't exist for any of the special Ranking students.
After all, compared to the average geniuses, these youths would undoubtedly be the future paramount of the whole Crimson Sea Academy.
These young Martial Talents are all at least peak Innate Lord to high-level Sky Ruler Talents. Of course, their combat prowess would be a far greater show than an average student.
Cain and Kali had smooth sailing as they reached the special Ranking Martial Challenge Hall.
Compared to the other long line, not many were trailing around here.
It wasn't because special Ranking students didn't have the drive to compete. But that competition between them was much more rigorous.
Combat prowess gets closely decided by a variety of attributes; no one has absolute ease fighting against each other.
Furthermore, losing in a Martial duel means a decrease in their special Rankings.
With too many decreases, that student can lose their special Ranking spot! The weight here is much higher, and no one treated it lightly.
"Hm? Hey….Cain, Kali! It's been a bit, huh?"
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out to the sibling duo.
Kali wanted to keep on going but begrudgingly stopped as she sensed Cain stopping.
At that moment, Cain felt his curiosity get the better of him. He turned back to see a brightly smiling Lei Li strolling up to them.
Unlike Kali, Cain didn't have any prejudice and found Lei Li as a good acquaintance to talk with.
Spouting a faint smile, he greeted back, "Indeed it has. Were you intending to issue a Martial duel before us?"
For Cain, it was certainly refreshing to see a simple, honest look than a gaze of suspicions from another student.
Out of all students, besides Amber, he would expect someone as friendly as Lei Li to not easily buy into the rumors.
And true to Cain's thinking, Lei Li was only suspicious towards the validity of these rumors about the sibling duo.
Certainly, it was shocking seeing that they reached peak Nascent Formation already. But, she couldn't help but feel like it's only to be expected from them.
After they seemingly completed the Demonic Golden Wolf mission without any hardships, she felt like it was pretty obvious to see that the siblings have numerous great means hidden to the public.
Lei Li fully brought into the meaning of Heaven-Defying. If these two genuinely put their minds towards it, they can succeed!
This is why when she heard that they were making their way down towards the Martial Arena Hall, Lei Li needed to see their progress in person.
And as always, the sibling duo emitted a faint, mysterious Aura that almost made it seems like they were untouchable.
As she heard Cain's question, Lei Lie pushed down all her other thoughts, shook her head, saying,
"Actually, I came over just to specifically meet with you. If you two are going to fight, I want to show my full support, unlike what others may think about you as of now."
Her tone was full of simple honesty, having not even the slightest trace of malice.
An effort that certainly didn't go unnoticed in Cain and even Kali's eyes. Cain was just about to speak when another familiar yet far less pleasing voice called out to them.
"Ah, if it isn't Cain and Kali, how wonderful."
Hearing this voice, Cain, Kali, and Lei Li turned around to two young men strolling right up to them.
In this instance, Lei Li's eyes widened a bit.
"Adam! What are you doing here with Leon?" She blurted as her gaze settled on the handsome young man walking right next to Leon.
As Cain and Kali tossed their gaze on this youth, a faint spark of interest alight within them.
This youth carried a far stronger Natural Aura than any other peak Nascent Formation Masters. It had a trace of Energy the sibling duo were familiar with.
This was Energy belonging only to Profound Qi!
At that moment, Cain and Kali instantly judged this youth was a half-step in the Profound Soul Realm. He couldn't fully grasp Profound Qi, but he was on the very borders of an entirely new level of power.
On the surface, it seemed like there was only a tiny gap between peak Nascent Formation and half-step Profound Soul.
However, the power disparity between them is enormous.
Against even the slightest trace of Profound Qi, Nascent Qi would be at an immense disadvantage.
Such power would've caused some worries within Cain and Kali days ago. But now, it was simply child plays.
And Cain knew who this youth was. The number one ranking Inner student genius, Adam Sharp.
"Eh? Is Senior Brother Adam really coming over here? The last time this happened was months ago!"
"And look, he's coming to those supposed Heaven-Defying Talents. Are they possibly going to challenge them?"
"I hope they do. Then we all get to see what cheats they're hiding away from everyone."
As Adam has a high reputation here, the other average students were bound to notice.
Whispers echoed all around as they all paid to avert attention to the upcoming scene.
"Just what the hell do you want, Leon? What stunt you're trying to pull now?"
Lei Li immediately sneered towards Leon. Her intuition was running wild, informing her some devious ploy will try to happen.
In response to her, Leon barely took a glance at Lei Li. He gave only a passing look before settling his confident gaze back on Cain.
Raising his hand in a non-threatening manner, he calmly said, "We're not here for whatever you're thinking of. We simply want to have a little chat without your presence, Lei Li."
Throughout this entire time, Adam kept his gaze squarely on Cain. He didn't bother speaking, not because he didn't think it was worth it, but he sensed something peculiar about Cain.
His eyes shined with a slightly curious light.
From the rumors accumulated, it would seem like this boy should have a weak or at least unstable Natural Aura. However, the reality was quite far from those rumors.
Adam could barely sense Cain's Natural Aura! He undoubtedly is a peak Nascent Formation Master, yet he seems far different from those he previously encountered.
'How interesting….maybe this won't be a complete waste of time.' Adam's thoughts were full-on confidence.
No matter if reality differentiated from the rumors, he's still a half-step Profound Soul genius. Even if Cain still has that Heaven-Defying prowess, Adam wasn't willing to believe it was high enough to cross over even half of a great realm.
"You want to talk with us, huh?"
Cain had finally spoken up after only a moment of silence. Even now, his faint smile didn't leave him.
He casually swept his gaze over Adam, treating him like any other Martial Talent, just another stepping stone.
And with his following words, it jolted all those present.
"Why waste time on useless dialogue when I know exactly what you want? Come on, you want me to duel with Adam, right? Fine, I accept.. In any case, I was planning to challenge the so-called number one Inner Ranking genius to see if he's really up to snuff."