“Whoa there! That was close!” Tang’s self-proclaimed maker exclaimed as Tang just narrowly missed decapitating his head with his boomerang.

  Tang smirked as his attack wasn’t completely avoided. A long gash appeared on the side of the cocky bastard’s face. This nearly sent him into an uncontrollable rage. Only nearly though, he soon rushed towards Tang with his body encased in a golden aura. His fist punched out with enough force to completely tear through the chest of any regular 1st stage Qi Consolidator. Something that Tang Wuying was definitely not. He was still a 9th stage Qi Gatherer.

‘This guy isn’t your average trash.’ Tang thought as he effortlessly dodged the powerful blow.

“Before I kill you, tell me what you know about the spirit stones.” Tang demanded.

“You didn’t think that I was done just because I missed, did you!?” He reared his fist back and let off another punch with jut as much deadliness as his first one.

  Tang didn’t even look as if he was trying as he avoided that one as well. But then he threw another punch and another one. Seemingly hundreds of fists flew towards Tang Wuying. The fists took the shape of mighty dragons and ruptured the very air. Tang clicked his tongue, this bastard was actually going to force him into wasting his energy on him. He was going to need all the energy he had if he wanted to make it back home with those spirit stones. He would have no issue progressing in the Qi Consolidation stage with the rumored hundreds of spirit stones.

  This little rumor even brought out his First Senior from his training and there was rarely anything that could accomplish that. Only the big events held by the elders could do something like that.

“What’s wrong Tang!? Can’t keep up!?” His opponent shouted.

“Just the opposite in fact. It’s all so slow that it’s just annoying to dodge.” A golden flame ignited from Tang’s figure.

  With an incredibly quick spin that looked like just a single spin but was actually 3 full spins, Tang slashed out with his boomerang. The many dragons were ripped apart by the single attack of Tang and the creator of those dragons was nearly split in half. An outcome that would’ve come to fruition if it wasn’t for the life-saving treasure hanging around his neck. Once he saw that he nearly died in one hit from someone one stage below himself, he immediately began to flee. Realizing that he was far outclassed by Tang Wuying. A filthy commoner that somehow was better than a noble cultivator like himself!

“Where are you heading off too so slowly, trash?” Tang’s boomerang’s tip smashed into the fleeing young noble’s gut as he appeared in front of him.

  He was sent flying in the opposite direction before crashing into Tang’s boomerang once again. Tang appeared behind him in the time it takes a person to blink! By this point, the confident young man was broken beyond repair. He couldn’t even utter words of contempt or forgiveness. Even asking Tang Wuying for mercy wasn’t an option as he could only gargle blood.

  Not that Tang would’ve accepted such words in the first place. The handsome youth with deeply red hair and ancient yellow tattoos on his skin held up his boomerang over the incapacitated braggart.

“You weren’t anywhere near my level, idiot.” His boomerang came down and a sickening crunch was heard as his head went rolling off into the distance.

  He looked towards Gong Jun after finishing off his opponent and clicked his tongue. Gong might’ve been covered in blood with his opponent separated in two halves on the ground behind him but that annoying smile on his face tells him everything he needed to know. The bastard finished his opponent before he did. How annoying...

“I think I might know where the stones are buried.” Gong said when he walked over.

“Speak then.” Secretly Tang was glad that Jun didn’t gloat about the fact that he killed his enemy faster.

“Before I killed him, he revealed that a friend of his was heading towards the Mission Hall. That friend was a talented sensor. I believe we should head there next.” Gong suggested.

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“Let’s get moving then.” Tang started walking.

“Before you young gentlemen go... I have a few words to say to the one with the boomerang.” A mysterious masked man suddenly appeared in front of them.

  Gong Jun brandished his blade immediately after spotting the strange man. Where did he come from? Why couldn’t he sense him? And why was figuring out his strength bordering on the line of impossibility?!

“Hello senior.” He politely bowed despite being confused and slightly frightened of this masked person’s true strength.

“Hello Young Master Jun. Possible future king of the Jianhong kingdom.” The masked man gave a small bow back.

“Possible?” He muttered in confusion. The only problem standing in his way of becoming the prince or king of Jianhong is if he or Liu Lan died.

“Oh, it seems you are unaware. Never mind me then.” The masked man laughed with a jolly tone.

“What do you-” His question was interrupted by his junior brother.

“It’s you... I suppose it's time for me to fulfil my end of our partnership?” Tang guessed.

“That’s exactly why I'm here Young Master Tang.” The masked man revealed.

“For what you’ve done for me, I have no choice but to accept.” Tang was deeply grateful to the mysterious merchant. Without him gifting him this boomerang, who knows how far behind he would be in comparison to his peers. He would’ve never known the greatness and true god of this world which is Lord Tyanir and received his blessings.

“Ohoho those are certainly words I like to hear.” He happily laughed. “What I'm going to ask of you isn’t too outrageous. A fairly simple task for someone of your stature.”

“Ask away.”

“I need you to kill or cripple a disciple named Bingwen Huan.” He requested.

“Consider it done. But I will have to get started on it after I'm done with my current circumstances.” He replied.

“No problem. Just make sure it gets done before the start of the Grand Tournament for me.” He turned away. “Oh, before I leave, a little birdie told me that some cute little blue gems might be hiding near the home of a certain Head Elder. I figured you two would be acquainted with this elder more intimately than others.”

“Wait! Before you leave, what did you mean possible?! Is someone going to try to assassinate me or Lan?” Gong Jun asked.

“Far from it unless you mean in matters of love and affection. I might be willing to tell you who is successfully trying to come between you and Princess Lan for a price...” The masked man turned back around and looked deeply into the eyes of Gong Jun.

  His swirling violet eyes seemingly beat upon the heart of Gong Jun like a drum. Was what he saying was true? It couldn’t just be nonsense if his junior brother was treating him with such respect. It must be said that the amount of people that Tang Wuying showed respect to could be counted with a single hand. This masked senior had to be someone of great importance to have his junior brother act so cordially with him. He didn’t even treat his own father with the respect a son should show to their father.

“I’m willing to accept your task.” Gong decided.

“Before the start of the Grand Tournament, Cripple Chaun Huan. It doesn’t matter if you cut off his arm, take away a leg, or somehow force his cultivation to drop. Weaken him in some way and I'll tell you what you wish to know.”

“Understood senior. But how should I get in contact with you when I complete the deed?” Gong asked.

“Don’t worry about that boy. I’ll find you.” He laughed in that whimsical voice of his that acted as if the world was his toy to play with as he pleases.

  The masked man soon disappeared and the two students of Elder Mo were left alone. They looked toward each other and thought of the same question.

‘Just who the hell is that guy?’

  Tang Wuying had more time to think about the identity of the masked man as he knew him longer. He’s always thought of the day when he was to meet the man again. Many thoughts and possibilities flew through his head about what their partnership would consist of. And so far, really nothing. Killing some person wasn’t that big of a deal. The masked man also didn’t regularly contact him and ask him to do things. So, all in all, this was a beneficial partnership for Tang. He didn’t understand what the masked man got out of it, but did it really matter?

“Is he the man who you made the deal with?” Jun cleverly asked.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Tang didn’t answer him. It was possible the masked man could make a deal with Gong and give him a similar weapon. That was something he couldn’t accept.

  He was already a little bit ahead of his senior because of his lacking spirit weapon. If he gained a weapon similar to the one he has then they would become equals or he would be left in the dust by his senior. One of those outcomes was something he couldn’t accept. Not until he found better ranked martial arts. Tang doubted he’d ever find a martial art meant for his boomerang which meant his other martial arts needed to be superior enough to carry him along. Even his master, a head elder, doubted he’d even find a mortal-ranked martial art for his weapon. It was a weapon he’s never seen used before by any cultivator.

“I guess we should return home then and start digging.” Gong smiled.

“What else would we do? Fool.” Tang scoffed and started walking off.

“We’re splitting the stones! Don’t forget little Tang! Don’t be asking for a fight for my stones!”