A Good-for-Nothing

170. You Don’t Scare Me (2)

Translator: Dragon Rider

The rumble of thunder died away and the sheets of lightning vanished. Chen Qianlin and He Zheng were a sorry sight. The force of their attacks had been elemental, but to their astonishment, Xiang Hailou was totally unharmed.

Everybody was nonplussed, their mouth hanging open.

“What make the two of you think you need to have a competition to show your strength when you’re at such a pathetically low level?”

All trainees were despondent, particularly Chen Qianlin, who was a top disciple of the Tigers and Dragons Mountain and also unarguably the most competent one of this batch of STTP trainees. None of the other trainees would stand a chance of winning if Chen Qianlin and He Zheng joined hands to fight them, but Xiang Hailou had come to no harm whatsoever.

They all bowed their heads in shame. He Zheng and Chen Qianlin, though frustrated, couldn’t utter a word.

The strength gap was very stark. Although it was the two of them who had fought Xiang Hailou, every one of the other trainees had been badly bruised by their defeat.

The second remark of Xiang Hailou’s shamed them even further.

“In terms of powers, I but rank second among the three group leaders, and I’m not really an outstanding staff member in SMB.” Xiang Hailou’s face was impassive. “Given that you can’t cause me the most minor injury, none of the three action groups will accept you. Back then when I was recruited to SMB, Li Zong’s daily amount of training was triple mine. If you think you’re as talented as Li Zong, you may keep wasting your time; if not, I suggest you focus on your training and never start any pointless quarrel like this again.

I hope to see your improvement in the next session. If you don’t feel like changing your attitude, my advice is you pack your bags and quit right away. That’s it for today.”

After saying this, Xiang Hailou went downstairs.

This session was more about their realizing the strength gap between them and a top cultivator than about Xiang Hailou displaying his skills.

Xiang Hailou’s tone hadn’t really been harsh or severe, but all of them were still standing with their heads down, feeling terribly ashamed. They found themselves unable to raise their heads, as if there were something weighing a ton on the shoulders of every one of them.

After Xiang Hailou dismissed them, none of them leave the training ground. They all silently took their weapons and started practicing Qi-gathering or meditation or sword strikes.

If the other trainees had felt deep shame after hearing Xiang Hailou’s words, then He Zheng and Chen Qianlin who had fought Xiang Hailou had been filled with both shame and awe. The two of them had distinctly felt how much more powerful their opponent was than them, and the difference between their aptitude was by no means the only reason for this gap of strength.

Ever since He Zheng had broken the seal in him, more than once had people complimented him on his great cultivation endowments. What with his fairly unfirm determination to cultivate and external influences, He Zheng, though having been practicing earnestly, was far from assiduous. After this fight with Xiang Hailou, He Zheng gradually came to realize that Li Zong, Xiang Hailou, Zhang Jingqiu and the leaders of SMB were all uncommonly powerful and extraordinarily talented.

But their gift was definitely the sole reason for their success. They’d succeeded, to a greater degree, by dint of their efforts and perseverance.

He Zheng deeply introspected about it. After that, he took up the Shadow Sword, now having no intention to duel with Chen Qianlin. Just like Xiang Hailou had said, putting more efforts into practice would be a better use of time.

Reliving Xiang Hailou’s and Chen Qianlin’s attacks, He Zheng practiced every maneuver with rapt attention: upward slash, thrust, hack… Gradually, his arms went numb, but he didn’t stop.

He Zheng’s sword strikes were just avenge, and he had all along been regarding the Shadow Sword as a tool for conjuring lightning, but after he concentrated his mind and started practicing basic skills, he gradually found that previously he had underestimated the Shadow Sword and hadn’t been making full use of its power.

As the saying goes, ‘God help those who help themselves, and diligence is the means by which one makes up for one’s dullness.’ If he was to keep pace with Li Zong some day, he must make greater efforts.

Chen Qianlin had also found this session quite enlightening. After a while’s practice, seeing He Zheng’s sword strikes growing increasingly steady, Chen Qianlin sheathed his sword and walked out of the training ground.

…

There had been one meeting after another. Though Li Zong had been dismissed from his post as vice-superintendent, his workload was just as heavy as before. Zhang Jingqiu and his group had been progressing very slowly in the search, and Li Zong had to keep a close watch on the developments. Moreover, ever since that shadow-demon had been killed, there had been fewer and fewer traces of the Demon King. The couple of top-ranking officials of SMB worried that the Demon King had located the other four demon seals and been plotting to sabotage them, which was why he and his minions had been laying low. Therefore, top-ranking officials of SMB had covertly set off for the locations of the four demon seals, leaving Li Zong in charge of almost everything in the bureau.

Busy as he was, somehow Li Zong still managed to carve out time to have dinner with He Zheng.

After a quick glance at his watch, Li Zong put down the papers he’d been reading and rose from his chair, intending to go to the training ground to pick up He Zheng.

At this moment, someone gently knocked at the door of his office. Li Zong lifted his eyebrows and said, “Come in.”

Chen Qianlin pushed the door open. Though having just adjusted his clothes, he still cut a fairly sorry figure. Faced with Li Zong, Chen Qianlin, instead of being haughty, appearing a trifle cautious.

Li Zong said, “What’s up?”

Chen Qianlin sincerely lowered his head, put his sword down onto Li Zong’s desk and began in a faintly beseeching tone, “Supt. Li, I know you’re very powerful, and you’ve never apprenticed anybody before. I’d like to recommend myself to you. In the belief that I’m the best among this batch of STTP trainees, I petition you to take me as your apprentice.”