Although all ten captains had similar levels of strength, there were still gaps between them.
To motivate these people to improve, each house had slight differences in treatment.
Naturally, the gap was not so big as the gap between the three stratums.
The treatment ascended from the tenth to the first.
Zhang Yuan was a Peak Rank Six Martial Vein martial artist with a cultivation base equivalent to the tenth captain’s. He came from a city similar to Heavenly Peak City and had been the number one genius there.
It was inevitable for him to be arrogant.
However, he still didn’t dare to challenge the higher-ranked captains and chose the comparatively weakest tenth captain.
Naturally, according to him, this was just a test. If he succeeded, he would go challenge the next ranks.
“Do you want to challenge me?”
The door of a house opened, and a man and a woman emerged.
The man was the tenth captain named Yin Ran, while the woman was his maid.
Generally, the maids here were carefully selected by the general residence and weren’t weak. Furthermore, they were very loyal to the General.
Yin Ran was a thin and tall man who it seemed the wind could blow away.
He looked pale as if he had no blood, and he never smiled once. He even coughed continuously like he was at death’s door.
Seeing this, Zhang Yuan relaxed and answered with a smile: “This subordinate is Zhang Yuan, a newly recruited disciple of the Hidden Dragon Battalion. I’ve come to ask for advice.”
Zhang Yuan didn’t have Ling Xiao’s insight, so in his view, Yin Ran was just a listless and sick man.
However, Ling Xiao could tell that this Yin Ran was very powerful and not any weaker than Lin Chen. His sickly appearance was likely related to his incomplete martial soul and had nothing to do with his body.
Beneath his surface appearance, Ling Xiao could see that this person’s vitality was vigorous in contrast to his exhausted appearance.
“Ask for advice? There’s no need to be so polite. Get ready! If you win, this house and this maid will be yours!”
Yin Ran coughed as he put on a pair of gloves.
Obviously, these were no ordinary gloves and had been knitted from heavenly silk and other precious materials. When coordinated with gang qi, its toughness wouldn’t lose to many swords.
“That’s good!”
Zhang Yuan had challenged Yin Ran for his house and maid as well as better treatment and instructors.
Since Yin Ran was being direct, they didn’t need to talk more nonsense.
His figure suddenly swayed, and his sword trembled as he displayed an exceptionally beautiful sword technique.
Floating Cloud Nine Swords!
This sword technique was an Entry-level Peak Martial Art, and his movement technique was also an Entry-level Peak Martial Art.
Moreover, both had been cultivated to the perfection realm.
No wonder this person had dared to challenge a captain-level martial artist: his strength was not to be underestimated.
Placing this level of strength in Heavenly Peak City, no one other than Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue could suppress him.
Yin Ran watched indifferently. Without changing his complexion, he lightly shot out a palm.
Bone Transformation Soft Palm!
This palm technique was very peculiar. Although it seemed light without any power, wherever the palm wind passed, a death aura appeared.
A fallen leaf accidentally came into contact with this palm wind and instantly withered away.
This was also an Entry-level Peak Martial Art at the perfection realm, but Yin Ran’s understanding of martial skills was obviously better than Zhang Yuan’s.
This palm hit the weakest point of Zhang Yuan’s sword technique.
“Clang!”
“Boom!”
When these peak martial arts collided, Zhang Yuan’s complexion faltered as he retreated. Even like that, his right hand holding his sword trembled, and he almost dropped it.
Not only that, but his sleeve was also corroded.
Shocked!
Horrified!
It was hard to tell his feelings now. Two same realm martial skills actually had such a big gap, revealing a huge gap between these two people’s martial skill techniques.
Ling Xiao’s eyes shone.
Yin Ran didn’t have a Landscape Martial Soul but could still see an opponent’s flaws. This kind of opponent was very terrifying.
Bone Transformation Yin Wind!
Yin Ran didn’t give Zhang Yun time to recover. After one move, a second move immediately followed.
It was still his Bone Transformation Soft Palm, but it had some differences. The palm wind had become cold and ghastly as vague black gang qi gushed out from his palm.
This aura made the onlooking martial artists shudder.
Some people even had auditory hallucinations of a ghost wailing or a wolf howling.
90% sword intent!
Break for me!
It was too late for Zhang Yuan to dodge, so he advanced. He raised his sword intent to 90%, and the mental blow from the Bone Transformation Soft Palm disappeared without a trace.
He thrust his sword forward, attempting to win this round.
Yin Wind Steps!
However, Yin Ran had expected this. His figure suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind Zhang Yuan.
Blood Transformation Explosion!
An even more terrifying martial skill was used. Yin Ran’s right hand was wrapped in a ball of blood-red light, and people could vaguely see a faint skull.
A terrifying aura spread, forcing many spectators to retreat.
Because of this, Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue who had been standing behind the crowd became the front.
“What a fellow! This Blood Transformation Explosion should be a certain kill skill he comprehended from Bone Transformation Soft Palm.”
“Ai, there is no chance! All those ten captains are monsters. Their talent and comprehension are too frightening!”
“This palm, I fear no one can withstand it.”
“Don’t forget! So far, Yin Ran has yet to use his Ghost Incomplete Soul.”
That Yin Ran had a Ghost Incomplete Soul surprised no one.
From Yin Ran’s attack methods, he must be skilled at evil ghostly martial skills.
However, there was no distinction between good and evil in martial arts. If an evil martial skill were used for good, it would naturally be a good martial art.
But if they were used in evil and crooked ways, they would become an evil martial art.
This was also why Yin Ran was not driven out of the Hidden Dragon Battalion.
“This palm! Zhang Yuan can’t stop it!”
Ling Xiao sighed.
Now, he somewhat understood why there were so many living quarter disciples, and why this Zhang Yuan had dared to recklessly challenge a captain-level martial artist.
The longer you stayed in the Hidden Dragon Battalion, the more you would understand the terrifying might of these captains.
Zhang Yuan was a newcomer who had arrived here three days ago, so he didn’t know this. Thus, he was daring like newborn calves were not afraid of tigers.
But daring was one thing, strength another.
It was normal for newborn calves to be eaten by tigers.
90% Sword Intent!
Floating Cloud Burial!
At a critical moment, Zhang Yuan also erupted with his latent potential.
100% Sword Intent: close to a 10% incomplete soul.
Floating Cloud Burial was the strongest move in the Floating Cloud Nine Swords.
This sword thrust seemed to pierce the sky.
Terrifying sword intent condensed on the sword, forcing the surrounding disciples to retreat several steps more.
Now, Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue were noticeably ahead of the crowd, giving them a lofty aura.
Boom!
A palm blocked this sword tip.
Force met force again.
At that moment, Ling Xiao noticed the sudden appearance and subsequent disappearance of a ghastly thing behind Yin Ran.
The instant that thing appeared, Yin Ran’s attack suddenly strengthened significantly.
That thing had resembled a skeleton wearing a cloak.
With a red light flickering in its eyes and a book in its hand, it looked very evil.
It must have been Yin Ran’s incomplete martial soul——Ghost Incomplete Soul.
With a loud explosion, a crater appeared.
