About an hour later-

.

Leroy picked up the people a little with his Metal Seed but it was too hazy in his current condition. If he was in top form her would have been able to identify someone meeting with Chu Xue before returning to camp.

Not only did Chu Xue get a pill to help him recover and take over the Ice Overlord Trident, but he was also promoted to another rank in cultivation.

"Are you going to tell them what you found?" Leroy asked. No use in subtly with this one and the look of the brat was disgusting. Especially since he just looked down unable to meet the Champion's gaze. The other was not injured in the slightest and hadn't been forthcoming on what he found so far. "I see."

"It's safe now, but we should move somewhere else." Chu Xue said trying to change the focus elsewhere. Having run into them after leaving the cloaked figure that helped him, he still didn't know what to say.

"I've been injured so badly." Jasmine wanted to test to make sure Leroy and herself were both wrong about what he said before. "You're a Life Martial Artist, can you heal me now that the situation is more stable?"

"I think I'll pass on that sort of thankless task, not only is it too much effort, but I could end up getting tangled up with someone I shouldn't." Chu Xue continued to look down not meeting any of their eyes. Leroy smiled at the big emotional change. Sometimes he wished he was more of a Psychologist instead of a Surgeon. Definitely would have let him understand this himself and them more. "So pardon me that I don't do so."

"Is it such a bad thing to get tangled up with me?" Jasmine asked pensively. She gave Leroy a small glance who kept a neutral expression on his face while shaking his head. Considering he treated her with bandages and herbal remedies, this was a little insulting. "I am the daughter of the North King after all, surely you can see the benefit in helping during this time!"

"Right, right! You are the Beast Princess of the North, such a noble status, and a lowly noble house that is barely even that.." He bit his lip as this was just causing him more grief. "..someone like me definitely can't hold a candle to you. Your ladyship, please keep far away from me." Chu Xue gave a salute but it came off slightly mocking.

Whether he was mocking himself or really her was the real question. Leroy wondered if the kid ate some funny mushrooms that's why he spiraled like this.

Unknown to them all it was a slight deviation from the pill he took and his own emotional turmoil. As a Life Martial Artist, it was not to bad and he was already back right in his cultivation itself.

"Ok, ok, let's not argue." Victoria looked at Leroy and Tang Bo who just watched and said nothing so far. The latter looked as if he was ready to do something about the flippant commoner. "Chu Xue, what's wrong with you? Quickly treat Jasmine's wounds!"

"Humph who needs his help!" Jasmine pouted as this was one of the few times someone beneath her acted like this. She looked away but her eyes kept going between Chu Xue and Leoy. 'Leroy cannot be right about this, can he? Know way is Chu Xue's mental state that fragile to be changed so easily with a few bribes or threats. I refuse to believe it!'

She was in for a rude awakening as the young boy didn't have the experience to make real decisions in his own. Even though Chu Xue did not take any bribes intentionally a good oral manipulator messed his head up and clouded the young naive fool's judgment.

"She doesn't have any serious injuries, just superficial ones." Chu Xue said somewhat callously and detached when he looked Jasmine over. "Some rest and she'll recover! There isn't a need for treatment!"

"Chu Xue.. you.." Victoria couldn't get over the change in him and shook her head in denial.

"I really hate this sort of pampered person the most." Chu Xue continued on as this was not the Qi Deviation but his emotions getting the best of him just from utter confusion itself. "I for one can't be bothered to let my lowly self-deal with it! I am not worthy of what can go wrong!"

The situation turned worse and was quite quiet besides the shifting of trees. If only there were some Demon Beasts or killers to make it less awkward.

"Pfft, her personality has been like that since you met her. Yet now you find fault with it?" Leroy expression was still neutral but his words came out kind of whimsical.

It was mostly because he was doing his best to keep from laughing. Seeing this in person hearing it in person was something else.

"Have you not dealt with higher nobles' families your entire life and took everything like a little cur? Yet North Princess Jasmine and Victoria who are both nobles of a higher station never treated you badly. All it took were a few words to mess with your mind and feelings. I do believe you are what they call loony."

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

"After we get back safely, I think it best we each walk our own paths in the future!" Chu Xue still kept his head down as he talked. His fingers were now gripped in frustration as he tried to make sense of everything. They had treated him with kindness this entire time before and even gave him pointers. Minus Leroy of course. "After all, I'm not the same as all of you. I'm only here thanks to the sacrifice made by my family after all."

"Family can't be worth shit if they put their hopes on a mental case like yourself. Who does that really?" Leroy stepped towards Chu Xue. Qi directed towards his finger. The thought of killing him lingered in his mind just a bit. "If the noble status is the only justification for separating from them, then it is not a problem considering your trash lineage. I am sure you know a little about it?"

"Do not disrespect my Family members!" Chu Xue was angry when came to family despite all this.

"You forget who you are talking to.. boi." Leroy got right in his face provoking a confrontation. "I talk about whoever I damn well please and whenever I damn well please. Your Family puts that pressure on you it is ok. Princess Jasmine receives pressure from the North Kingdom and the Emperor Nobles and even that dumb-ass Victoria receives pressure from her family in case you forgot. So fucking what? You are not the only one who has difficulties brat. Either man up to change or.."

Victoria and Jasmine could see the translucent energy building around Leroy. Particularly his hands and feet. Giving each other a look, they confirmed they weren't seeing things. But it was so formless that they could only assume it was pure Martial Intent, the easiest of all the ones formed.

"Or what!?" Chu Xue swung his hand to the side not knowing what to do really. "The Light Lion-ice Family can not afford to offend anyone! I, Chu Xue, am aware enough of the consequences if I misstep! And I don't want to bring any trouble to the others in my Family!"

"Then shouldn't you have just shut up and healed her already then? Shouldn't you keep your mouth shut when any matter pops up involving higher nobles since you can not afford to offend anyone? You are basically nothing!" Leroy's face went from neutral to one of disgust. "The very notion of colluding with and entertaining rebels... you should know what that entails! Yet you decide not to share with three noble Family members gathered! One who comes from the North Kingdom at that! Tell me how that protects "those" Family members of yours?"

Chu Xue deflated a little. He looked back down at the ground unable to meet Leroy's gaze. Part of him wanted to hit him and another part wanted to just run far away from everything and take a deep breath. His trembling hands caused Jasmine and Victoria to feel bad.

Tang Bo just blinked and was glad the yelling stopped.

"Chu Xue," Victoria spoke first. "your status or background is not important. I can guarantee that I will not give your Family any trouble." Her voice came out somewhat shaky as she knew that she had no real say so in what the Dark Rose House chose to do. "All I'm asking is that we don't become strangers in the near future."

"That's right!" Jasmine chimed in a little bitterly. She of course did not forgive what he said so far.

"Ok, so be it." Chu Xue shook his head lightly in agreeance. He moved over to heal the princess. "I can do this in a few minutes really well..."

"Chu Xue, do you know where the enemy wenr?" Victoria asked. Leroy walked away not wanting to deal with them anymore for now. His sudden movement caught the attention of the girl of course. "Where are you going, senior brother?"

"Girl, it is called minding my damn business, you try it sometimes." Leroy snapped at her. The four were slightly taken aback by his outburst. "Just talk amongst yourselves, I am going to handle something else since that little shit won't tell us anything."

There were resources out there for the grabbing after all. Tang Bo looked at his friend and wondered if he really felt Martial Intent earlier or not.

.

Another Group-

.

Leroy had met up with another group of students and teacher Hiroshi after pilfering a few bodies and reading a few Manuals that he found in the deceased belongings. The amount different Cultivations out there just kept increasing.

"What's up?" Leroy asked cheerfully.

"We are looking for the Beast Princess?" Someone dressed in official clothing stated. However, something was off about the coat. Its color didn't match the interior age-wise.

Teacher Hiroshi was another new teacher and hadn't many instances of dealing with any nobles or officials really. In fact, he came from a Hamlet and rose up through the ranks to make it as a teacher once graduating the Akademy.

"Eh, whatever for?" Leroy still had Qi focused in his finer tips. His control was improving more and more as time passed. Passing a look over some of them, he made eye contact with a student he couldn't quite remember about in the group. "Who are you again?"

"He is a member of the Dark Tiger-fire family." Teacher Hiroshi said.

"I am not a part of that fucking Family!" The rage in his eyes was very apparent. "Don't spread freaking rumors like that!" He did not care it was a teacher or the situation itself.

Hiroshi was somewhat surprised as he was of the people who believed that Leroy was from that Family. Now he was not that sure.

"Came in to deliver a message before the bridge and other passages became disabled." He and a few others were pretty nervous about something.

A few darting looks from the students in the back let Leroy know something was up.

"You are kidding right?" Leroy shook his head at a loss for words really. "What could he possibly have to deliver that he was allowed to slip into the Test without an escort?" Walking forward he tried to get a look at the person.

The stranger just stood there as he approached. When he was close enough a simple move was made. A shadowy hand reached out to strike Leroy quickly and decisively. It was an Undead Summon from an Artifact hidden by the clothes really.

The body was a complete fake and guided by something far off in the distance.

*Fwish!* A flame beam went out making contact with the figure that was now known more than a hand. Burning it to smithereens in an instant. The undead smell was quite disgusting.

"Ok... so what the hell is going on really now?" Leroy asked. The explanation was pretty lackluster and just served to make him angry as everyone voiced their concerns in a panic.