Chapter 97: The Head‑Shrinking Tortoise

You can totally be more flexible, focusing your mental power on the flying dagger about to launch an attack, instead of wasting mental power on the other two!

Dong Ningxue controlled the ice cones as they danced in the air, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, neither real nor illusory: "This will raise your attack power by a notch, but it requires you to be absolutely proficient in using your mental power."

Hao Pengjie watched the ice cones, under Dong Ningxue's control, darting like fish, and fell into thought.

The next moment, his eyes lit up.

I understand, thank you for the guidance, instructor!

Hao Pengjie said excitedly.

This is what I should do; your progress is fast, if I recall correctly, you could previously control at most two flying daggers.

Dong Ningxue couldn't help but praise, her face showing an appreciative expression.

In a week, the training camp will hold a ranking match; then you can challenge Lu Jing to test your recent progress.

Lu Jing?

Hao Pengjie heard Lu Jing's name, suddenly shuddered, and a flash of surprise appeared on his formerly confident face.

For no reason, a sudden stab of pain shot through his mind, as if a heart demon had arisen.

"What's wrong?" Dong Ningxue noticed Hao Pengjie's oddness, frowned and asked: "I've noticed that every time you see Lu Jing, it's like you see something terrifying—is he really that scary?"

She still thought it was Lu Jing's performance in the Huāngshén Cónglín that shocked Hao Pengjie, leaving a psychological scar in his heart.

Hao Pengjie swallowed, stammering: "He really is terrifying......"

"Instructor Dong, if I say this you might not believe it, but Lu Jing should also be a Spirit-system Talent Endowed."

"What? Are you sure?"

Dong Ningxue suddenly sat up, a flicker of surprise and doubt crossing her face.

"I can't be completely sure...... Earlier I used my mental domain to probe him, but I ended up colliding with another mental domain—it was terrifyingly strong; if I hadn't withdrawn in time, I might have injured my very foundation!"

Hao Pengjie bit his lip, his face full of fear and dread; facing Lu Jing head‑on, he truly lacked that courage.

This is pressure from the mental level, more terrifying than pure realm suppression.

Seeing Hao Pengjie's dazed expression, Dong Ningxue sighed, no longer able to bear asking further, she patted his shoulder and left.

She had just stepped out of the training room when she happened to run into Zhu Xingyao passing by.

"Xingyao, you've looked into Lu Jing before—could he possibly be a Talent Endowed?"

Zhu Xingyao fell into thought, suddenly recalling something, she looked at Dong Ningxue and said: "Quite possible! Lu Jing's Blood Qi has surged exaggeratedly; I suspect he, like Yao Rong, is also a defensive or offensive type Talent Endowed."

Dong Ningxue narrowed her eyes: "You say he could possibly be a Spirit-system Talent Endowed?"

"Spirit system? You're joking!"

Zhu Xingyao stared for a moment, then laughed: "Have you ever seen a Spirit system that clashes head‑on with a Defense system?"

"Also......"

Dong Ningxue nodded; Hao Pengjie wasn't completely certain—maybe he mistook someone else's mental domain for Lu Jing's.

The Huāngshén Cónglín isn't sealed off, so it's perfectly normal for other Spirit-system Talent Endowed to appear.

Zhu Xingyao suddenly said with some frustration: "That Lu Jing, a few days ago I personally went to notify him to test his Blood Qi, but he ignored me, and I don't know what he does all day holed up in the dorm—does he just masturbate?"

She regretted a bit that after the meeting that day she didn't keep Lu Jing behind; even if she couldn't teach him anything, at least she could have kept him from staying holed up in the dorm.

"You girl, do you not think before you speak?"

Dong Ningxue replied unhappily: "I said it myself earlier—the training camp allows absolute freedom; this is his own choice, and he must bear the consequences."

"What should we do, just ignore him? After all, he's a genius—letting him go to waste like this is a real shame......"

"It's fine, don't worry," Dong Ningxue said after thinking: "This session's training camp ranking battle is about to start; everyone must participate. Once he's successfully avenged by his former defeated subordinates, he should shake off his lazy habit."

She didn't want to talk more about Lu Jing, lest she get annoyed.

Thus she asked: "How's Yao Rong lately—have you been giving her proper guidance?"

(Inside the dorm.)

Lu Jing changed into a clean martial arts uniform and stretched.

"Time to go out and test my strength."

This was his first time leaving the dorm building in a week.

"Huh——"

He took a breath of fresh air, Lu Jing lifted his head to look at the sky.

South‑bound geese swept across the sky, forming a lightning‑like shape, tracing black lines in the clear air.

Now it's late autumn, the weather gradually turning cold, a thick layer of fallen leaves has piled up along the streets.

Lu Jing watched the bustling crowd outside the dorm for a long while before withdrawing his gaze.

"Time really flies......"

Lu Jing lowered his head, fists clenched.

Now he is quite different from before his seclusion.

Under the effect of the Immovable King Sutra, his height increased a bit more and his muscle contours became clearer.

However, his demeanor became more restrained.

If one said that when he first arrived at the training camp he was a drawn sword, sharp and exposed,

then now he is a piece of polished raw jade, with inner grace concealed.

"All today's tasks have been snatched up; how about we go to the testing room to watch a bit?"

The Anwu City clique gathered again.

A girl sighed: "Now the tasks are harder to snatch; other places' trainees all have big brothers covering them, we who lack a big brother can only pick up the tasks they don't want......"

And you haven't noticed? Because Lu Jing's earlier performance was too dazzling, he offended many, and those guys are specifically targeting us from Anwu City—it's really suffocating!

The youth, who already held a grudge against Lu Jing, flared up, gritting his teeth: "Exactly, he puts on a show then runs off, dumping the mess on us while he goes off to hide like a tortoise—we don't need him to sacrifice anything; at least he could back us up!"

Leng Yueyue stood silently to the side, listening without speaking, her full attention focused on the Pressure Test Room.

The Pressure Test Room is square all over, made entirely of a special transparent material that allows a clear view of the interior from outside.

This is also to protect the safety of the test trainees, allowing any abnormality to be detected immediately when an accident occurs.

Inside the Pressure Test Room at that moment, a strongly built female trainee was standing there, gritting her teeth.

She looks under twenty, her appearance rugged; without her long hair, it would be hard to tell her gender.

The trainee clenched her fists, her chest rising and falling rhythmically, a bronze-colored glow emanating from her body as she stubbornly resisted the pressure coming from all sides.