Monarch Night

Yu Zhongge felt the surging power in his body and said confidently to Mo Gan Yun: "Even if ten of Boss Fang were tied together now, they wouldn't be your match."

Mo Gan Yun firmly shook his head: "I have to give him a good beating before it counts. Otherwise, there's a knot in my heart. I want to hit him first, then elegantly and leisurely remove the red cloth in front of him, and wrap it around Boss Fang's head."

Qiu Yunshang smiled as well: "Me too, I dream of giving him a beating."

Yu Zhongge chuckled: "Hey, I wonder how Old Fang is doing now, must be still smug... Oh Old Fang, what a tough fate. Suddenly gained four older brothers."

Jing Shuanggao said: "I actually think Boss Fang's progress is definitely not slow."

"That still can't match our speed."

Yu Zhongge said proudly: "We're practically flying now."

True enough.

Although firmly believing Fang Che wouldn't be slow either, he definitely couldn't match us, that's for sure.

"Old Fang... hahahaha..."

Mo Gan Yun felt refreshed and laughed heartily.

Imagining riding and beating up Fang Che made him overjoyed.

"In a few days, we estimate we'll break through to Emperor Level."

Qiu Yunshang sighed with melancholy: "Old Fang will probably be even more depressed."

"We need to find a way to comfort him."

"..."

The four chatted and laughed, saying: "It's said that outside there's a selection for the younger generation friendship competition. Unfortunately, we're banned from participating, otherwise getting into the top four wouldn't be difficult."

The four spoke with overflowing confidence.

Yu Zhongge said: "I asked yesterday if we could go watch the battle, and the higher-ups agreed. However, we have to disguise ourselves, paint our skin, and blend into the crowd to watch."

"Such a good thing?"

Mo Gan Yun's eyes lit up and said: "Finally, a chance to get out. Being cooped up in here for months has almost driven me crazy. It's like being in jail."

"That's not quite right, what you said."

Qiu Yunshang rolled his eyes and said: "Being in jail isn't as tiring as this."

Yu Zhongge said: "But let's give it another push, strive to breakthrough to Emperor Level in these few days, so that going out as first grade Emperor Level, blending in with the Emperor Level crowd, will be even more low-key and safe."

Jing Shuanggao said: "I wonder how Ding Jie Ran is doing?"

"Ding Jie Ran shouldn't be too slow either. But his foundation is a bit lacking, and he didn't catch this wave of Purple Crystal Soul resources..."

Yu Zhongge sighed and said: "But with Lord Jian's resources, he should be partially compensated, but replenishing his foundation takes time, so in terms of martial progress... he should be the slowest."

"But once Ding Jie Ran catches up, it'll be fine."

Jing Shuanggao said with some envy: "Innate Sword Bone... truly impressive."

"Indeed impressive, especially... the kind of swordsmanship from Lord Jian, it's... supremely impressive."

Qiu Yunshang looked yearningly and said: "White clothes like snow, long sword like frost; like ten-thousand-year-old ice, chilling and intimidating, never speaking lightly, always cold as ice, like a sealed snow mountain... truly suits Ding Jie Ran. That taciturn guy, couldn't get a word out even if you squeezed him for three days."

"Lord Jian... never speaks lightly?"

Yu Zhongge's expression turned a bit strange, coughed, wanted to say something, but remembering this was at the Guardian Headquarters, he swallowed back his words.

He said: "Let's start practicing, start with a duel."

"Let's go!"

"Come on!"

...

At the residence of Ningxue Sword.

Ding Jie Ran's thin figure swung a long sword, the sword qi hissing, sharp to the extreme.

His face was like flying snow, eyes like icy cold.

Pressing his lips, meticulous, incredibly focused.

At this moment, the sword was his everything.

Apart from that, the myriad things of the world weren't in his heart.

Jumping into the air with a spin, his body and sword suddenly merged into one, piercing with a swish towards a huge stone in the courtyard.

That was the Divine Mountain Stone.

Also, the sword testing stone brought by Ningxue Sword.

The sword tip pierced an inch into the stone and could go no further.

But Ding Jie Ran still thrust forward relentlessly.

Crackle...

The long sword shattered bit by bit before the stone, until Ding Jie Ran's hand holding the sword hilt slammed against the stone.

Bang.

His fist collided with the stone.

Ding Jie Ran's thin body remained momentarily suspended in the air.

Then he fell to the ground with a thud.

On his fist, white bone glinted, blood dripping.

"Still not enough!"

Ding Jie Ran casually sprinkled some medicine powder, took out another ordinary long sword, and started again to comprehend sword intent.

Then began anew.

Since arriving here, he had never left through the main gate.

Not even the gate of the courtyard.

Even Ningxue Sword couldn't drive him away. Sometimes, even Rui Qianshan wondered: How could there be such a youth in the world?

Going out to relax a bit, wouldn't that be nice?

But Ding Jie Ran refused.

This courtyard was his whole world.

His family somehow found out and sent people to deliver resources to him, but he didn't even meet them. The items were left outside the gate and brought in by a guard the next day.

Ding Jie Ran didn't even unpack them, just tossed the packages out.

His character grew increasingly solitary.

More and more silent.

But in his eyes, light gradually began to appear.

In his room, aside from a table and bed, there was only a solitary sword.

That was the sword given to him by Fang Che.

It was brought back by Xue Fuxiao from Baiyun Martial Academy.

Every time Ding Jie Ran looked at this sword, a bit of warmth would enter his gaze.

It was also his most precious treasure.

Every night, he used his own blood to nurture it, summoned it with his soul. Sleeping with the sword in his arms, at every moment, he cultivated the compatibility between himself and the sword.