Getting Stronger By Fighting

Suddenly, Wang Zhan felt his heart stir and turned back abruptly.

Similarly, he instantly spotted that figure standing far away, its aura bubbling with intense energy.

After swiftly assessing the newcomer's aura, Wang Zhan's focus sharpened, and his muscles tensed involuntarily.

A Grandmaster?

Wang Zhan believed he had been harmless enough, mild-mannered, and kind to all.

But who was this damn bastard? Even if he hid at the ends of the earth, they wouldn't let him be, always chasing him down, as if courting death. Did they really think he, Wang Zhan, was a pushover?

This was outrageous!

Thinking this, Wang Zhan's face turned ice-cold.

After a moment of hesitation, he placed the ancient book on his person. Even if he couldn't understand it, it didn't matter. As long as it was something good, he would eventually figure it out.

But... he wondered if this Grandmaster, whatever their realm, could decipher that book.

"Who are you?" Wang Zhan, lost in thought, asked coldly.

Unbeknownst to him, the newcomer twitched their nose slightly, as if sniffing a scent wafting through the air.

This action immediately stirred a volatile, ruthless flame within Wang Zhan.

Again with these damn dog-noses!

Wang Zhan realized that ever since he had provoked the original organization, these damn dog-noses seemed to have a vendetta against him, haunting him like tenacious ghosts, appearing everywhere.

It was utterly infuriating! Wang Zhan even began to suspect that after experiencing some colossal rotten luck, he had directly made an enemy of that wondrous creature, the dog, for life.

No more words needed. Wang Zhan inwardly vowed to tear off that dog-nose later; he'd had enough of it for a long time.

Couldn't they just act like decent human beings?

But this was good too. This way, he had no reservations and could act according to his heart, and no one could blame him.

And so, while Wang Zhan seethed internally, his expression remained cold and indifferent.

The mysterious person remained oblivious, unaware that they had unintentionally offended Wang Zhan.

Finally, the newcomer spoke. His voice was somewhat hoarse and youthful. He sounded young, yet it was filled with an extreme, savage arrogance, and one could feel the ferocious aura within it.

"Your body... has her smell! You dare approach her... don't you know... she is mine?"

Wang Zhan was baffled. What was all this 'her' and 'mine'? He had merely drifted in here by chance, hoping to find some opportunities. He wasn't looking for a relationship, so how had he gotten dragged into a love triangle?

"Who is this 'her' you speak of?" Wang Zhan asked in a grave tone.

The newcomer looked at him, somewhat confused. "You... don't know her?"

"I don't know who you're referring to." Wang Zhan shook his head.

He was now starting to suspect that those people had just randomly found an idiot to mess with him. If a fight really broke out over this, it would be utterly baffling, and he would just end up benefiting others, used as a pawn.

The newcomer walked slowly toward Wang Zhan, seemingly completely unguarded.

Only then did Wang Zhan clearly see his face: somewhat ferocious, quite terrifying. His complexion was reddish-purple and mottled with black patches, his nose was sunken, making him look like a grotesque creature. Yet, his eyes, blood-red as hell, were enough to make one's blood run cold.

But Wang Zhan could sense that this was a young lad. Although his frame was as robust as an adult's, his mind was likely still immature.

Quietly, though Wang Zhan's expression remained unchanged, his Essence Energy was already fully mobilized within him, poised and ready to strike.

Moreover, Wang Zhan once again condensed his long-unseen clone using a handful of Pure Yuan Liquid, hiding it within his body and secretly linking it to the Liyun Blade.

If the newcomer dared to make the slightest reckless move, Wang Zhan would immediately unleash a fierce, overwhelming strike, one ensuring irrevocable doom.

Within two breaths, the newcomer had reached Wang Zhan.

Almost in the same instant that Wang Zhan tensed his entire body, the newcomer, as if completely oblivious, sniffed at Wang Zhan, taking in his scent.

Then, he suddenly exploded in rage, roaring furiously, "You lied to me! Your body has her smell, and... lots of it!"

ROAR!

It was like an awakening lion, or a thunderbolt from heaven.

Wang Zhan could feel a violent and powerful tide of mental energy continuously assaulting his mental defenses.

Then he caught a glimpse of the cunning in the youngster's blood-red eyes and realized it was a trick.

For him, with his 140,000 points of mental energy, to be unable to see through this kid's disguise—that was simply impossible.

The only explanation was that, in the instant he approached, he indeed had no killing intent and no thought of bullying. However, all of this was due to the kid's hunting instincts.

Who knew how many had become aggrieved souls at his hands.

Seeing an iron-claw-like strike about to land on him, a faint smile touched Wang Zhan's lips, a hint of disdain.

Even if you managed to deceive me, or it's just your nature, so what? Did you really think I was unprepared?

Fortunately, Wang Zhan was, after all, a veteran of countless battles; he would never be so arrogant as to be careless!

So, even as the kid's fist was about to land on his face, Wang Zhan focused on a single movement, a single hand sign.

CLANG!

"Fatal---One Slash!"

Did you really think you could best me in close combat? Utterly foolish and laughable.

A figure abruptly retreated, reappearing a hundred paces away from the confrontation. Hands clasped behind his back, he watched the two combatants with an indifferent gaze.

In the center of the field, the Wang Zhan clone held the Liyun Blade high, his aura erupting, all the energy from the Pure Yuan Liquid condensed into the imposing force of this single slash.

The brilliant radiance of the blade shone, rivaling the bright moon in the sky, perhaps even surpassing it.

Even the radiance of the Pure Yuan Pool was momentarily outshone by the sharp glint of the Pure Yuan Sword, illuminating the splendor of this technique.

At this moment, the ferocious and terrifying monster standing before Wang Zhan finally felt a sliver of pressure, and behind it, the terrifying blade gleam, carried on a wave of fear that washed over him.

Then, he caught sight of the other Wang Zhan in the distance, who seemed to be watching a show.

"You have... two of you?"

It might have sounded like a nonsensical sentence, but in this situation, only he, Wang Zhan's opponent, understood. What he said was actually true!

By the tranquil Pure Yuan Pool, two Wang Zhans had indeed appeared: one before him, raising a blade against him, and another watching their battle from afar.

Wang Zhan glanced at him. Surprised? Shocked? One should know that although he had been stirring up trouble everywhere in this Small World, so far he had only used the Fatal One Slash. Absolutely no one knew he possessed a bloodline talent.

It was just a pity those losers during the day... not a single one of them had been able to force out his trump card.

As if sensing Wang Zhan's disdain, the youngster suddenly laughed. Even though he was moments from becoming a casualty of Wang Zhan's blade, an aura of utter madness and complete fearlessness erupted from him.

With a hint of deranged madness, he declared, "Then I... will kill one of you first! Then... I'll kill the other you! Anyone who dares approach her... must die!"

He was just like a madman obsessed with love.

In the blink of an eye, a layer of crimson red appeared on his body, resembling armor.

Facing Wang Zhan's Fatal One Slash, he neither dodged nor evaded. Instead, he did the opposite, choosing to meet it head-on.

Wang Zhan watched, his face a mask of astonishment and speechlessness, even feeling a touch of pity.

I didn't steal your woman, is it necessary to fight so desperately?

He had already seen his clone's blade descending upon the enemy's head.

His undefeated record since his debut allowed Wang Zhan to foresee the outcome early on.

Although he found it somewhat dull, he showed not the slightest mercy.

Besides, it was just one of his clones, possessing little awareness. Even if its master wanted to show mercy, the clone itself lacked that capability.

Then, with a loud RUMBLE followed by a BANG, the situation in the arena suddenly became clear.

'Power +30'

'Agility +28'

'Physique +32'

However, to Wang Zhan's surprise, the kid hadn't died. Instead, Wang Zhan himself suddenly felt a tremor.

Immediately after, BOOM!

The clone was ripped apart by him, and wild laughter echoed across the field.

"HAHAHAHA! You can't kill... me! Now... it's... your... turn... to die!"

Like shattered fragments, like dust and smoke, Wang Zhan's clone was utterly destroyed. The Pure Yuan Liquid, its vessel and energy source, dripped silently onto the sea's surface, reforming into one.

However, Wang Zhan wasn't concerned about how the clone perished. After all, for him now, clones were merely consumables.

But the feedback from the clone to his main body, and that armor on the kid, gave Wang Zhan more to consider.

Does an increase in realm actually strengthen the connection between the clone and the main body? Is this a form of counterbalance? Also, can one now gain extreme attributes merely by injuring someone?

That last point was the most critical. It pertained to Wang Zhan's future plans and arrangements, and also to his combat strategies.

Previously, Wang Zhan had to deliver the killing blow to obtain extreme attribute points, but now it seemed unnecessary. This meant the difficulty of his future advancements would be significantly lower.

Meanwhile, that extreme attribute value, which had always remained at zero, also sparked some theories in Wang Zhan's mind.

But before that, his gaze returned to the youngster's armor.

That red armor…

He hadn't thought much of it before, but now Wang Zhan understood instantly.

Bloodline Talent!

Although he had never encountered it before, nor seen anyone display one, it was clear such talents weren't unique to him. At least, he had encountered one now.

And by the looks of it, his Fatal One Slash had only managed to tear a large gash in the armor, without harming the flesh and blood beneath at all. It was very strong.

This meant that, for Wang Zhan, the Fatal One Slash lost its intended effectiveness against this person, even though his mastery of the technique was still incomplete.

"Now... die for me! She... is mine!"

When someone who clearly felt very young stood before you, repeatedly professing love while desperately trying to fight you to the death, anyone would surely feel the sheer absurdity of it.

But as he charged toward him, Wang Zhan just chuckled.

Just a mere clone! Even though we're in the Pure Yuan Pool, combat, in the final analysis, still comes down to the control of power.

And on this point, Wang Zhan had never been outdone.

Thinking of this, a surge of heroic spirit welled up from deep within him, an intense, fierce resolve rose in his chest, and he stomped hard on the ground, sending water droplets splashing high.

You want a fight? Then bring it on!