Chapter 28: Araki: Que Bu, You Truly Disappoint Me!

"Huangmu! You must never fall into depravity like this! Lord Yuan Liuzhai has great expectations for you!"

Chief Jiro Que Bu anxiously addressed Huangmu. It seemed that Jiro, who considered himself Huangmu's close friend, was more concerned about Huangmu's health than Huangmu himself! He feared Huangmu was spending his days lost in women, lacking drive, thereby needlessly squandering the great talent housed in his body and ultimately delaying the high expectations that Shan Ben Yuan Liuzhai Zhongguo had placed on him!

"You call me degenerate? Que Bu, are you kidding me?! Do you think I'm the type who doesn't know restraint?!"

"The reason my eyes have become like this isn't because of what you said, but because of other, more important reasons…"

Huangmu heard this, furrowed his brows, glared at Chief Jiro Que Bu, and said irritably.

"Well…"

Chief Jiro Que Bu hesitated slightly, his mouth half open as he looked at Huangmu, about to speak but holding back.

"I really think you are the kind of person who lacks restraint."

In the end, Que Bu chose to follow his heart and nodded at Huangmu.

"Heh…"

"I get it, you came looking for a fight!"

Huangmu laughed outright; he was amused to the point of anger by Que Bu's words…

Then, with a faint smile, Huangmu pointed at Chief Jiro Que Bu's nose and said coldly.

"Um. How should I put it?!"

Chief Jiro Que Bu's expression froze.

"Huangmu, actually your words aren't accurate! I'm not here to pick a fight! In truth, I came to the Eleven Squad to see you because I hope you can give me some guidance so I can improve myself…"

"That day, after you and Lord Yuan Liuzhai discussed in the conference room, Lord Yuan Liuzhai seemed like a different person! From then on, no matter how busy he was each day, he set aside at least two hours to practice the 'Slash', 'Fist', 'Run', 'Ghost', and even training with the Soul‑cutting Blade!"

"Seeing Lord Yuan Liuzhai constantly advancing, I clearly knew I could not keep sinking like this! Otherwise, I feared that before long I would no longer be fit to continue serving as Lord Yuan Liuzhai's right‑hand man, appearing at his side!"

"Therefore I hope you, Huangmu, can help me! Make me stronger so I can live up to the status of a follower of Lord Yuan Liuzhai!"

Chief Jiro Que Bu explained his purpose for visiting to Huangmu while correcting the errors in Huangmu's words.

Yes. Ever since Huangmu admonished Shan Laotou at the squad leader's meeting, Shan Laotou apparently, irritated by Huangmu's chatter, expelled Huangmu from the Eleven Squad's dormitory and issued an order that neither Huangmu nor Mao Zhi Hua were allowed to set foot in the squad's dormitory! It was an explicit ban.

However, in reality, Shan Laotou had taken all of Huangmu's words to heart; not only that, he had been secretly training for several months, waiting for the arrival of the Eradicator Master, ready to give the Eradicator Master a proper lesson~

"Haha…"

Huangmu merely gave a light smile; he seemed not at all surprised that Shan Laotou had taken his words completely to heart.

"Simply put, Que Bu, you want me to train you, make you stronger, right?"

Huangmu looked at Que Bu and asked.

"Yes!"

Que Bu, upon hearing, bowed slightly toward Huangmu in respect.

"Hehe, I understand! Since you earnestly begged me, as your 'close friend' I can't not help you; that would be indefensible~ However, my training is very harsh, so I hope you can endure…"

Huangmu gave a light chuckle at Que Bu's sincere attitude, then continued speaking to him.

"I know! Rest assured, no matter how painful it gets, I will persevere."

Que Bu, hearing this, spoke to Huangmu earnestly.

"Very well…"

"Just as I said before! In fact, training you, making you stronger, and fighting you are essentially no different. To learn how to hit others, you must first learn how to take hits! Come! Let's spar properly right now…"

"Coincidentally, the arena we were to spar in has already been cleared by Lie and the squad soldiers under her command~"

Huangmu said, walked to Chief Jiro Que Bu's side, grabbed his shoulder, and together they headed toward the doorway of the Eleven Squad leader's chamber.

"Eh?!"

Que Bu's expression flickered; he felt something off in Huangmu's words, but in the short time he couldn't pinpoint what was wrong.

When Huangmu led Que Bu to a large open area outside the Eleven Squad's dormitory, Que Bu finally realized the source of the problem…

"Huangmu, this open space—originally the Eleven Squad shouldn't have been here, right?!"

Que Bu glanced at the clearing and asked Huangmu cautiously.

"Prepared especially for you."

Huangmu had no intention to deceive Que Bu and answered truthfully.

"Prepared especially for me?! How did you know I'd come looking for you?"

Que Bu was stunned, followed by a wave of confusion.

Que Bu couldn't understand how Huangmu knew he would come to visit?!

"I already said my eyes are this blood‑red because of other reasons…"

Huangmu merely gave a slight smile.

When he looked back, Huangmu's eyes seemed to flash crimson electric threads, stretching into fine strands. To seize the initiative in a possible Yuhabach invasion! The future‑foreseeing ability of Huangmu's Advanced Insight Color has never been shut off…

Compared to the Third‑rank Spiritual Might period, when Huangmu could only foresee a few dozen seconds ahead, now that his spiritual pressure has risen to Second‑rank Spiritual Might, he can even see several minutes into the future!

Thus, before Que Bu arrived, Huangmu had already foreseen this and had Mao Zhi Hua Lie prepare the arena in advance, and went outside to meet Que Bu…

Mao Zhi Hua Lie had previously told Que Bu that she still had unfinished Eleven Squad matters to handle…

Because time was so rushed, the cleanup was a bit sloppy, so she took advantage of Huangmu's conversation with Que Bu, used her Soul‑cutting Blade to re‑clean the open area outside the swordsmanship dojo.

"Um."

Yet as those words reached Que Bu's ears, countless beads of sweat sprang on his forehead; he felt as if he were caught in a huge net, controlled by invisible threads wielded by Huangmu.

"Huangmu, you truly remain as terrifying as before! Lord Yuan Liuzhai indeed did not misjudge you!"

Que Bu smiled helplessly; deep down, his admiration for Yuan Liuzhai's choice of Huangmu as heir grew stronger! Indeed, Lord Yuan Liuzhai had long recognized Huangmu as a person excelling in mind, skill, and body!

"Enough! Que Bu, stop dithering and attack quickly~"

"Let me see, after a hundred years apart, what progress you've made, Que Bu!"

"Of course, if the degree of your improvement differs from my expectations, you'll get hit! Prepare yourself mentally~"

Huamu ignored Quebu's boasting, instead hooking his finger at him, signaling Quebu to attack boldly.

Today, Huamu had a clear training focus for Quebu: to train Quebu's ability to withstand blows.

After all, Huamu still remembered how, in the Blood Battle, Quebu was instantly defeated after an Exterminator seized his Complete Release.

As for Quebu's 'slash,' 'fist,' 'step,' and 'ghost,' Huamu won't talk about them first!

Solely regarding the ability to withstand blows, in Huamu's view, it is Quebu's greatest weakness!

Although Quebu's Complete Release is strong, in terms of withstanding blows, it completely cannot compare to the later Fifth Division Vice Captain Husen Tao……

Cough cough……

"Then I won't hold back!"

After hearing Huamu's words, Quebu no longer hesitated, directly drew his waist-worn Slashing Spirit Sword and aimed it at Huamu.

"Pierce him, Severe Spirit Pill!"

As Quebu softly chanted the release phrase, a Western Sword instantly appeared in his hand.

"Watch out!"

At the moment Quebu released his Slashing Spirit Sword, he had already arrived before Huamu.

"Hehe."

Facing Quebu's Western Sword-like Severe Spirit Pill, Huamu merely gave a light smile and then seized its slender blade with one hand.

"What?"

Seeing this expression, Quebu was greatly startled.

"Bang!"

Unfortunately, before Quebu could recover, Huamu had already lifted his foot and kicked toward Quebu's abdomen.

"Oh no!"

By the time Quebu came to, it was already too late; he could no longer dodge Huamu's attack.

"Thud~"

With a soft sound, Quebu was kicked flying by Huamu.

"If Quebu, you only have this level now, then I am truly somewhat disappointed!"

"Dealing with you as you are now, perhaps I don't even need to use this Slashing Spirit Sword."

Huamu watched Quebu fly backward, then untied his waist-worn Slashing Spirit Sword and casually stuck it into the ground.

"Do your best to force me to draw my sword! Quebu……"

Huamu looked at the fallen Quebu and spoke lightly.

(End of chapter)