Chapter 256

After Lin Mo left.

Yan Lie also brushed the dust off his body and spoke to the senior figures:

"Master Feng, Principal Gu, Master Nie."

"I should be going too."

Feng Cangqiong looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"You just got beaten senseless—why not rest a while longer?"

Yan Lie shook his head:

"No, I'm still far from enough—I can't stop."

Watching Yan Lie's demeanor,

Feng Cangqiong nodded with a smile, his eyes filled with approval.

"Go on, go on."

"Young man."

"You should have this kind of drive!"

Yan Lie nodded, then turned and left.

Gazing at the direction where Yan Lie vanished,

Feng Cangqiong stroked his chin and let out a soft laugh.

"Hmph."

"This kid…"

Gu He stood nearby, unable to hold back a burst of laughter.

"Hahahaha…"

"Look at Yan Lie now."

"I feel like I'm seeing that brash kid who first stepped through the gates of our Jingda campus all those years ago."

Hearing Gu He's remark,

Feng Cangqiong nodded in deep agreement.

"Yes."

"Since this kid joined the Youth Association, he's surged forward, crushing every peer of his generation."

"Since then,"

"though he's grown more composed, I can feel his edge has dulled considerably."

Speaking of this,

Feng Cangqiong sighed with emotion.

"Thankfully, Lin Mo appeared. Under the shadow of that little monster, the boy's old fire has finally returned."

"That beating was worth it!"

Nie Zhenguo, listening beside them, couldn't help laughing out loud.

"Hahahaha!"

"Isn't this the best thing possible?"

"Our Long Nation not only produced Lin Mo—a unprecedented national prodigy—but also reignited the fighting spirit of another top talent!"

"This is what they call…"

"A lion awakening a pack of wolves!"

Nie Zhenguo laughed heartily.

Then his smile faded, his expression turning serious.

He turned to Gu He.

"Enough."

"Principal Gu, let's go to your office."

"The Ten Nations Arena opens the day after tomorrow—I need to discuss some matters with you."

Gu He nodded.

"Understood. Master Nie, Master Feng, this way, please."

…

The next morning.

Lin Mo woke up from the heat.

He snapped open his eyes to a blinding crimson glow.

The Wu Xiang Tai Xu Beast, wreathed in flames, sat beside his bed, its expression haughty.

As if boasting of its victory.

Seeing this,

Lin Mo instantly came fully awake.

Damn.

So Xiao Hu got first place again last night?

Thinking of this,

Lin Mo glanced at his panel.

Sure enough, last night's rankings: Xiao Hu first, Xiao Lei second, Xiao Bing third.

As for Xiao Tu…

Never mind, don't even bring it up.

Lin Mo sat up on the bed and stretched.

"Uh…"

"Xiao Bing?"

In the skill bar,

【【Ice Spike Technique】, hearing its master call its name, immediately replied in a sweet, girlish tone: "Master, your lady is here!"】

Lin Mo sighed.

"You're not doing well either. Didn't you always take first before? How come you can't even hold onto second now?"

"Are you slacking off?"

Hearing Lin Mo's words,

【【Ice Spike Technique】panicked instantly.】

【"Master! It's all because of the third one—it—it—it's not playing fair!"】

【"I worked hard to gather all the monsters, and then it just blasted them all down with a lightning strike and stole them!"】

【"Master, you have to stand up for me…"】

Hearing Xiao Bing's complaint,

【【Lightning Strike Technique】spoke in a cold, detached tone.】

【"Just because you gathered them, they're yours?"】

【"When did I ever agree to such a ridiculous rule with you?"】

【"On the battlefield, everyone fights for themselves."】

【"If you can't even hold onto your prey, it only proves you're too slow."】

Hearing this cold, merciless mockery from 【Lightning Strike Technique】,

【【Fireball Technique】burst into laughter.】

【"Hahahaha! The third one's right!"】

【"Fourth, if you're outclassed, just accept it!"】

【"You even learned a high-grade skill beyond the third one—and still you can't beat it for prey? And you dare come crying to the master? Aren't you ashamed?"】

【Fireball Technique】, using Da Bai's body, tilted its head up arrogantly.

【"Hey, you guys—you'll just have to fight for second place from now on."】

【"After all…"】

【"The top spot is mine from now on!"】

Hearing Xiao Hu's arrogant declaration,

Lin Mo frowned slightly.

This won't do.

If Xiao Hu keeps dominating like this,

these guys will eventually lose all motivation to compete.

If first place becomes permanently fixed, it'll hurt family harmony.

Thinking of this,

Lin Mo quietly said in his mind:

"Xiao Lei."

【【Lightning Strike Technique】flickered slightly: "I am here."】

Lin Mo sighed:

"Hey, I heard that the Thunder element represents heavenly wrath—the ultimate destruction..."

"But now, how come this mighty heavenly thunder is being ridden by a ball of fire? That doesn't make sense, does it?"

【The "Lightning Strike" skill fell silent for a moment, then its cold voice spoke.】

【"Hmph... that fellow is merely a petty clown, enjoying a fleeting moment of glory and pretending to be invincible."】

【"I, the King, have no interest in arguing with a barking dog."】

【"Fireball": "???"】

Listening to Xiao Lei's words.

Lin Mo was somewhat satisfied.

It seemed Xiao Lei was still full of fighting spirit.

Then,

Lin Mo reached out and gently stroked Bai Bai's fiery red fur.

From the crown of its head, he trailed his hand down along its mane.

In the skill bar,

【"Fireball" suddenly stiffened.】

【"Wait..."】

【"Being stroked by the Master... why does it feel kinda nice?"】

【"No! I am destined to become a forbidden spell! How can I be treated like a pet...?"】

"Mmm~"

Bai Bai closed its eyes in pleasure.

A soft, rumbling purr emerged from its throat.

As Lin Mo leisurely stroked it, he murmured slowly in his mind:

"Xiao Bing."

"Look how comfortable Xiao Huo is now."

"Tsk tsk... don't you envy it?"

At these words,

【"Ice Spike" instantly panicked.】

【"No!!!"】

【"Master! Take your hands off!"】

【"You're only allowed to touch me! Only me, the young lady!"】

Lin Mo's lips curled slightly as he chuckled softly:

"I want to touch you too."

"But you've got to be touchable first."

At these words,

【"Ice Spike" descended into total frenzy.】

【"No! The Master's strokes belong to me!"】

【"No one else can take them!"】

【"No one at all!!!"】

【"You hot-tempered brute! Cold-hearted guy! Just wait, you two!"】

【"I'm going to fight you both tonight!!!"】

【"Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!!!"】

Watching the skill bar, where Xiao Bing's murderous intent boiled over,

Lin Mo nodded in deep satisfaction.

Hmm.

For some reason,

he just loved seeing his subordinates so fired up.

Perhaps this was what they called a wolfish team.

At this moment,

"Earth Shield" waited quietly for a long while, but Lin Mo never called it.

"Earth Stealth Technique" timidly said: "Master... what about me? Did you... forget your second brother?"

Hearing this,

Lin Mo raised an eyebrow.

"You?"

"A perennial fourth-place loser? Why would I mention you?"

At these words,

"Earth Shield" was struck as if by lightning.