Huangchen Hall, Main Chamber.
This far more spacious hall than its exterior suggested was usually deserted. Only Fan Xinglou's disciples could enter Huangchen Hall, and Xinglou had just over fifty disciples. Normally, these elite students of the academy rarely gathered here unless summoned by their master.
Zhao Hufeng held a towel, meticulously polishing an antique rosewood corner table at the head of the hall. His movements were precise, as if tending to a beloved.
"How many times must I say it, Hufeng? Leave such trivial tasks to the other disciples!"
Without a sound, Fan Xinglou appeared beside him, patting his shoulder with an exasperated expression.
Zhao Hufeng, long accustomed to her sudden appearances, immediately turned and bowed respectfully.
"Welcome back, Master. Other areas can be handled by junior disciples, but this table must be polished by me personally."
"You're so rigid—it takes all the fun out of things."
Fan Xinglou muttered under her breath before striding forward and plopping herself onto the rosewood table.
Her petite frame made her perch seem almost playful, like a child at leisure, rather than disrespectful—it suited her perfectly.
Zhao Hufeng's ears twitched as footsteps approached from behind. He looked up, slightly taken aback.
"And this is...?"
Before him stood a black-clad figure wearing a mask of a mythical beast, the Jie Long school emblem pinned to his chest—clearly a Jie Long disciple. Yet his build and aura were unfamiliar, unlike any fellow disciple he knew.
"That's Chaofeng. Picked him up myself."
Fan Xinglou waved a hand dismissively, clearly unwilling to elaborate.
Zhao Hufeng nodded in understanding. The Jie Long's covert operations division, the Ryuusei Kyuushi, had been established by the first-generation "Banyuu Tenra." Each member was personally selected by the Banyuu Tenra, and this generation was no exception—every operative in the Ryuusei Kyuushi had been handpicked by Fan Xinglou.
Given Fan Xinglou's love for battle and disciples with a warrior's temperament, the operatives she chose were all combat enthusiasts, earning the Ryuusei Kyuushi a notorious reputation for brutality.
The position of Chaofeng had long been vacant. Presumably, their master had found a suitable talent to fill the role. If Fan Xinglou had selected him, there was no need for doubt.
Zhao Hufeng harbored no suspicions, showing absolute trust in Fan Xinglou's judgment. He didn't ask Roy to remove his mask—the Ryuusei Kyuushi of Jie Long operated in secrecy, never revealing their faces.
Well, there was one exception.
"So, Master, why have you brought Chaofeng here?"
"I'm going to train him."
"A new junior disciple?"
Zhao Hufeng looked at Roy with surprise.
But Fan Xinglou immediately shook her head, denying it outright.
"No, he's not my disciple. At best, we have a cooperative relationship."
Cooperative relationship?
This time, Zhao Hufeng's shock was unmistakable. He stared at Roy with undisguised disbelief.
He had been serving Fan Xinglou for two or three years now and knew she was the type to go wild in the presence of others, capable of doing anything. Yet, the only ones who could form a cooperative relationship with her were the conglomerates at best—others merely had transactional ties at most. Just who was this person that their master would treat him as an equal?
Roy pondered silently. Although Fan Xinglou didn't fully believe his words, she was clearly somewhat tempted, hence acknowledging their relationship as cooperative. This way, there was some hope of luring her away when the time came.
"In that case, I shall be the one to face Chaofeng!"
After some deliberation, Zhao Hufeng volunteered. With the eldest senior brother and second senior sister absent, and not daring to let their master take action—lest someone die—he stepped forward to be the newcomer's training opponent.
Roy took the opportunity to size up Zhao Hufeng. The man had a slender frame and delicate, almost feminine features. The name "Zhao Hufeng" sounded domineering, and Roy had initially imagined a muscular brute—never expecting someone so refined-looking.
Still, fifth in Jie Long's rankings.
Not that he looked down on Zhao Hufeng, but could he really be a match for him?
"No, you're not qualified."
Before Roy could even speak, Fan Xinglou rejected the idea without lifting her head.
"Hufeng, your strength is decent—top-tier even in Asterisk City—but it's far from enough. I suggest you treat Chaofeng as someone on Xiaofei's level."
"What?"
Zhao Hufeng was stunned.
Who was Wu Xiaofei?
Known as the Hagun Seikun, he was currently ranked second in Jie Long's hierarchy, surpassed only by Fan Xinglou herself!
As Fan Xinglou's eldest disciple, he had followed her even before she came to Jie Long. His strength eclipsed all her other disciples. Zhao Hufeng, ranked third among Xinglou's disciples and leader of the Wood Faction martial artists, couldn't defeat Wu Xiaofei even if he teamed up with the second-ranked disciple, the Water Faction's leader, Cecily Wong!
The only reason Wu Xiaofei was second was because Fan Xinglou held the top spot. In truth, he possessed strength worthy of Jie Long's number one, and his power was among the very best in all of Asterisk City. Had he participated in last year's Gryps Festa, he could have easily competed with Sylvia Lyyneheym for the runner-up position.
And this Chaofeng… was personally acknowledged by their master as being on par with the eldest senior brother?
Did such a person even exist in Jie Long?
Where had their master picked up such a freak?
No—could freaks like this really just be found lying around?
"Oh ho, speak of the devil!"
Just as Zhao Hufeng was lost in doubt, Fan Xinglou suddenly laughed.
At that moment, a door at the back of the hall swung open, and a tall man stepped out.
His gaze was sharp, his features rugged, and his physique visibly powerful even through his clothes. His posture was flawless, exuding an overwhelming aura that made anyone who saw him feel pressured.
"T-The eldest senior brother?!"
Snapping back to reality, Zhao Hufeng hastily bowed in greeting.
The man's name was Wu Xiaofei, the second-ranked in Jie Long's sequence throughout the entire Six Flowers, an opponent rarely matched!
"It's alright."
With a single sentence, the man stopped his action. He walked to the corner table and carefully set down the tray he was carrying. Upon closer inspection, the tray held a set of traditional Chinese tea utensils.
His gaze was unwavering—neither directed at Zhao Hufeng nor at Roy—but firmly fixed on the tea set in his hands. With practiced yet meticulous movements, he poured hot water into the teapot. The tea leaves visibly unfurled and floated, releasing a faint floral fragrance.
"Chaofeng, Xiaofei will be your training partner!"
Fan Xinglou pointed at Wu Xiaofei while smiling calmly at Roy.
Behind his mask, Roy raised an eyebrow slightly but neither agreed nor disagreed with Fan Xinglou's arrangement.
After a brief moment of contemplation, he uttered a sentence that nearly scared Zhao Hufeng to death.
"What if I wanted you to be my training partner instead?"
***
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