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"What's this guy playing at? How could he possibly know the secrets of the Jia Shen Rebellion? Is he just messing with me?"
As George stepped into the arena, Zhang Chulan sank into deep thought.
"Chulan, what's going on?"
Noticing Zhang Chulan's odd demeanor after speaking with George, Xu San asked while puffing on a cigarette.
Zhang Chulan didn't hold back and repeated everything George had just said.
"This Jin Baobao is really something," Xu Si muttered, furrowing his brows.
Zhang Chulan's mind stirred.
"What do you mean, Fourth Brother?"
"After your heads-up last time, we launched a detailed investigation into Jin Baobao. This is the report we just received—I hadn't had time to share it with you yet."
Xu Si sent the report to Zhang Chulan's phone.
Zhang Chulan's expression changed several times as he read through it.
"If he really is that powerful, then maybe what he said wasn't just bragging. But how does he know about the Jia Shen Rebellion?"
"Honestly, I'm starting to think he might not even be Jin Baobao. His strength and behavior are completely different from what the report says about his time in school.
If someone is impersonating him, things might get complicated."
Xu San stepped forward and offered his opinion.
Zhang Chulan nodded.
"Let's observe for now. If he truly knows the secrets of the Jia Shen Rebellion, then a lot of things can be put on the table."
Things like the Qi Body Source Stream and the Eight Miraculous Skills—he didn't really care about them.
If giving up the Qi Body Source Stream could guarantee his safety and uncover Feng Baobao's origins, he would've handed it over long ago.
But until he confirmed whether Jin Baobao was bluffing, he wouldn't admit to inheriting the Qi Body Source Stream.
It had taken them so much effort to finally shake off the burden of being tied to that legacy—they couldn't afford to get dragged back to square one.
"Match: Jin Baobao versus Zhang Lingyu. Begin!"
As the referee's voice echoed across the arena, Zhang Chulan and the others quickly made their way to the stands.
By now, almost everyone involved in the Luotian Dajiao tournament had gathered to watch.
Dragon Tiger Mountain's Thunder Techniques versus Innate Thunder—who would come out on top?
"Mr. Jin, please."
Zhang Lingyu bowed respectfully to George, his entire body soon wrapped in golden light.
George returned the bow.
"Realman Lingyu, go all out."
Zhang Lingyu was a righteous person—a good man. Plus, George had just obtained several valuable teachings from Tian Jinzhong, including Dragon Tiger Mountain's Taoist arts.
So for this match, George decided to give him a little face.
"Northern Azure Pool!"
Zhang Lingyu had watched George's previous matches and didn't dare hold back. Right from the start, he gave it everything he had.
Dark, shadowy lightning thundered toward George from all directions.
Thirty minutes later, Zhang Lingyu looked at George—who stood completely unscathed—and slowly lowered his head.
"I admit defeat."
At first, because he couldn't accept his own imperfections, he had avoided fully embracing the Yin Thunder within him, continuing to fight as he usually did.
But when he realized that level of effort couldn't even scratch George, he finally overcame his inner conflict and unleashed his full Yin Thunder.
However, no matter how many times he struck, even when he completely depleted his internal energy, he still hadn't managed to injure George at all.
So, it was just like his master had said that morning—he probably couldn't win this match.
"Realman Lingyu's Yin Thunder is really impressive. I was stuck on defense the whole time. If I didn't have more internal energy than him, I wouldn't have held out. Close one, really close."
Seeing Zhang Lingyu surrender, George laughed and loudly explained to the audience.
The spectators, who had been stunned by Zhang Lingyu's unexpected surrender, finally snapped out of it and began talking animatedly.
"I thought Realman Lingyu's attacks had no effect at all—but now it makes sense. He was just slightly behind."
"Yeah, I was thinking there's no way the gap could be that huge."
"Still, what a match! Realman Lingyu's full-force Yin Thunder was incredible. But Jin Baobao's even more incredible—he actually endured all of it until Lingyu ran out of energy!"
"Is that really true?"
Zhang Lingyu lifted his head and looked at George with a suspicious expression.
It didn't feel like George had been struggling at all.
"Of course. Don't let appearances fool you—I was holding out for dignity's sake."
George winked and grinned at him.
In truth, with his understanding of lightning, Zhang Lingyu's attacks couldn't even get close to him. Only the Old Heavenly Master's thunder could pose any real threat.
So everything George had just said was, naturally, a lie.
Just a little emotional comfort for a junior.
Since Zhang Chulan likely wouldn't become the Heavenly Master, Zhang Lingyu was the probable next in line. George didn't want to leave any lingering trauma.
Of course, a few people did notice something was off.
The Old Heavenly Master, whose lightning arts had reached perfection. Feng Zhenghao, who already knew George's power wasn't normal. Zhang Chulan too.
As for everyone else, most still believed George's explanation. At most, they assumed he was holding something back—but not much. After all, Jin Baobao was only seventeen.
That "everyone else" included Wang Ai of the Wang family.
"Looks like the Tongtian Talisman is going to this kid. Time to head down the mountain—there's about to be trouble up here. Let's avoid the mess and prepare to deal with him ourselves."
Leaning on his cane, Wang Ai's eyes gleamed with murderous coldness as he looked at George in the arena.
Quanxing was about to make a major move against Dragon Tiger Mountain—this much was certain. A large number of Wherever Corps employees were already converging on the mountain. Wang Ai had no intention of getting involved or helping Dragon Tiger Mountain.
He'd be thrilled to see Dragon Tiger Mountain wiped out. That way, the Exorcist World wouldn't have a mountain looming over everyone's heads, and people could act more freely.
Besides, since there was no hope for the Qi Body Source Stream, the Tongtian Talisman couldn't be allowed to slip away.
Especially since Jin Baobao—the one who would receive the Talisman—had also injured his most beloved grandson.
"Don't worry, Family Head. We've got elite forces on the way. As soon as he's alone, we'll make him vanish—without a trace."
A middle-aged man beside Wang Ai bowed respectfully.
"What's Feng Zhenghao's stance on this?"
If Jin Baobao joined Tianxia Society and Feng Zhenghao decided to protect him, things would get complicated.
"Feng Zhenghao said Jin Yuanyuan declined to join Tianxia Society, so he won't get involved."
"Perfect. No need to kill him, then—just cripple his meridians, break his limbs, and let him spend the rest of his life as a disabled man."
Upon hearing that Feng Zhenghao wouldn't interfere, Wang Ai's wrinkled face folded into a smile—but the cold glint in his eyes didn't lessen.
As long as the target was left alive, even if Wherever Corps found out it was the Wang family, they wouldn't make a big deal out of it.
After all, Jin Baobao wasn't a regular person—he was an Exorcist. And as long as Exorcists didn't harm civilians or disrupt the balance of the world, Wherever Corps could tolerate a lot.
And besides—who could prove it was the Wang family?
Jin Baobao was just a rogue cultivator who happened to get the Tongtian Talisman. Many factions would be eager to make a move. Why assume it was their hand?
These kinds of blame games were Wang Ai's specialty. And Jin Baobao? He was a lone wanderer. Once he was dead, no one would bother to avenge him.
As for his strength—so what? Stronger than one guy, maybe. But what about ten? A hundred? You think you're the Old Heavenly Master?
In the Exorcist World, personal strength wasn't everything. Sometimes, background was what truly mattered.
Just like in those gangster movies the regular folks watch:
"You fight well? Who cares. Out in the world, it's not about how hard you hit—it's about who's got your back."
In this cutthroat world of Exorcists, things weren't much different from the gangsters in those old crime flicks—just with stronger individuals.
To survive, you need two things: money and people.
With money, connections, and power—you fear nothing.
(End of Chapter)