The snowy mountain mirage faded, and the giant palm dissipated along with it. Francis scrambled up from the ground, his eyes fixed on Wu Heng. “I lost.”
Wu Heng said flatly, “Good that you know. Don’t forget our bet.”
Francis turned and walked away, and the rest of his team followed behind him, slinking off in disgrace.
“Whoa, that was way too cool!” Xia Qingqing’s eyes were practically sparkling with admiration. Only Zhuge Zhi rushed over to steady him—and as luck would have it, the moment Francis and his crew left, Wu Heng just happened to stumble and fall right into Zhuge Zhi’s arms.
“Man, that’s my Heng-ge for you. That was freaking awesome.” Zhuge Zhi cradled him in a princess carry, gazing down at him with utter adoration.
“Put me down.” Wu Heng caught his breath, then his face immediately darkened. “We’re both guys here. If you’re gonna help me up, just help me up—no need to carry me like a damsel in distress.”
Zhuge Zhi chuckled. “If I don’t carry you, how else am I supposed to show just how much I admire you right now?”
“Whoa…” Xia Qingqing’s eyes curved into little crescent moons as she bounced excitedly on the spot beside Huo Jingshu. “So sweet, so sweet—this is way too sweet!”
Huo Jingshu wasn’t like them. She didn’t know whether it was cool or not—all she knew was that Wu Heng’s strike just now had been incredibly powerful. If she’d been in his place, she probably wouldn’t have stood a chance either.
Only then did she realize that what Zhuge Zhi had been hinting at earlier was exactly this—Wu Heng hadn’t just condensed a fifth snowy mountain; he’d also mastered such a formidable technique.
Wu Heng coughed. “Let’s head back first and talk.”
Just then, all four of their phones buzzed at once. They exchanged glances, opened their messages, and saw it was from Yang Jie.
“Instructor Yang is back,” Zhuge Zhi said with a wry expression.
Those six words meant that their inhuman training was about to start all over again.
It wasn’t until they met up with Yang Jie that they learned Su Mo and Ye Qingyi had also returned.
The moment Zhuge Zhi saw Ye Qingyi, he started pouring out his grievances: “Bro Mo, you’ve gotta stand up for us! Francis and his crew took advantage of us when we were outnumbered—look at Wu Heng, he’s all worn out!”
Ye Qingyi shot him a glare and said flatly, “Save the act for outsiders. Do you really think I don’t know how strong you guys are? If you actually got pushed around by them, you might as well pack your bags and go home.”
Zhuge Zhi grinned and fell silent.
Xia Qingqing’s face lit up with joy when she saw Su Mo and Ye Qingyi. “You’re finally back!”
By “back,” she didn’t just mean returning to the Genius Camp—she meant Su Mo returning in his current identity, not as Lin Qianye or Chiba Zhenxiang.
Huo Jingshu was just as happy, though she didn’t say anything—she just smiled and gave a small nod.
Wu Heng looked at Su Mo wearily. “I heard even S-ranks are no match for you, and that Weil and Blake both lost to you.”
Su Mo gave a helpless laugh. “Who told you that?”
“Everyone’s saying it,” Wu Heng said, his eyes burning with intensity, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice.
“I just used a few tricks here and there. If we’re talking about real strength, I wouldn’t even qualify to fight them.”
“Still, that’s insanely strong. Right now, your legend is spreading all over the Genius Camp. You’ve completely overshadowed the three former prodigies—everyone’s calling you the Rose War God.”
At those words, Yang Jie’s expression shifted almost imperceptibly, and the corner of his mouth twitched. He gave a light cough, turned, and started walking out. “You guys catch up for now. Training starts bright and early tomorrow.”
Everyone acknowledged him and immediately swarmed Su Mo with a flurry of questions—mostly asking him to tell the story of how he’d beaten an S-rank powerhouse.
After giving a brief rundown, Su Mo pulled out several bundles of medicinal herbs and several large crates of exceptionally high-quality spirit stones from his white jade ring.
“Whoa, Qingyi, did you raid some island nation big shot’s stash or something? How do you have so much good stuff?” Xia Qingqing couldn’t hide her astonishment, covering her mouth as she gasped.
“No way—I got all of this through ‘legitimate’ means,” Su Mo said. “They’re extremely beneficial for your cultivation, and everyone gets a share.”
He’d brought back quite a haul from the island nation, especially the medicinal herbs he’d obtained at the shrine secret realm—by sucking up, of all things—which were especially rare and precious.
After voluntarily handing over a portion to Beidou and setting aside some health-boosting ones for his master, he’d brought the rest to the Genius Camp. He picked out what suited his own people, then donated another portion to the camp, hoping to boost everyone’s overall strength through rewards.
Of course, he’d made sure to save a share for his senior brother—he’d carefully selected several herbs tailored to Yang Jie’s cultivation needs. Then he watched as Yang Jie, with a look of disdain, swiftly stashed them away, grumbling even as an uncontrollable smile tugged at his lips…
After everyone had received their share, Su Mo didn’t forget to remind them: “These things are good, but they’re ultimately external aids. Don’t become too dependent on them, or they’ll end up doing more harm than good.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll keep that in mind. Who knows—maybe after using all this stuff, I’ll actually grow taller!” Xia Qingqing said cheerfully.
She was already eighteen, about to turn nineteen, but she was still so tiny—under five-foot-three, and flat as a board to boot.
Even Wu Heng looked more well-endowed than her.
And Zhuge Zhi? Forget it—he was practically monstrous in that department!
Seeing her gaze enviously at herself and Huo Jingshu, Su Mo felt incredibly awkward. He quickly said, “It’s okay—short girls are cute too.”
Xia Qingqing: (°ー°〃)
Ye Qingyu stepped in to change the subject. “The annual assessment is in a month. Use this time to make the most of these resources and push your strength to the next level before then.”
…
Bug Island.
In a high-tech underground laboratory, the one-eyed Immortal Lord stared intently at a set of experimental data.
Suddenly, he shot to his feet, barely containing his excitement. “After all these years—I’ve finally succeeded!”
The Doctor appeared behind him with a sigh. “Bao’er, do you have any idea what this research of yours could bring to Earth?”
The Immortal Lord said, “Father, I know what you’re worried about. Don’t worry—I’m not handing this research over to them.”
The Doctor’s heart tightened. “Then why are you studying it…”
“Naturally, to satisfy my curiosity. It’s so fascinating.” The Immortal Lord let out a manic laugh and walked over to a glass tank beside him.
Inside the tank was nutrient fluid, and submerged in it was a small, tiny figure.
Hearing the Doctor fall silent, the Immortal Lord continued, “Father, you’re worrying too much. Look—this base’s coordinates have been exposed for so long, and nothing’s happened to us. Do you think it’s because those human higher-ups are kind? Or maybe—just maybe—they happen to need the technology I’m developing?”
The lab filled with the Immortal Lord’s eerie laughter. Only when the figure inside the glass tank began to writhe and twist did he lower his voice. “My precious little one, you’d better grow up well. Once you become a god, my research will truly be complete.”
