Chapter 25 - Cruelty

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---Three months later---

Today's sunshine was especially bright, the blue sky without clouds as far as the eye could see. Although it was still early, the sunlight already burned somewhat.

Yu Xiaogang's shadow was lengthened by the sunlight, standing there with both hands folded across his chest, waiting for the seven to line up. He then said, "It has been three months since I came here and started teaching all of you. Under the supervision and aid of the teachers, your bodies already have some foundation but if you want to become outstanding Spirit Masters, this is still far from sufficient."

Tang San and the others were trained evilly for the past three months but they all endured all their suffering just to get stronger. For the past three months, Ning Rongrong already fit into the group. Tang San still hates Lev, but it doesn't to the point where he wanted to kill him unlike the past as he just wanted to get strong and beat the shit out of him once. On the other hand, Dai Mubai's hatred of Lev escalated as he couldn't still accept Zhu Zhuqing's relationship with him and this hatred became his driving force to get stronger.

Yu Xiaogang continued, "Consequently, starting today, I will advance you to the second stage of your education. According to Flender, you have already gone to Suotuo Great Spirit Arena, and that is where you will receive your education for some time. This time, the education doesn't have a time limit, whenever you've obtained a Silver Spirit fighter badge is when the training ends. For this time, I will arrange for you to stay at the inn closest to the Great Spirit Arena. You will provide lodging and board yourselves and as long as you have the ability, your income from Great Spirit Arena should be considerable."

On the other hand, Lev and the others just listened to his instruction as Yu Xiaogang also said that they also needed to fight in a group and bear the name Seven Shrek Devils.

Yu Xiaogang then lastly said, " Withdraw. Prepare the things you need and let's set off later. Lev, please stay, I want to say something to you."

Following Yu Xiaogang's orders, everyone then left as even Zhu Zhuqing decided to help Ning Rongrong upon seeing Lev had been ordered to stay.

After seeing everyone leave, Yu Xiaogang then finally looked at Lev. For the past three months, Lev was the idlest and most relaxed of them all. It's not because he wasn't doing any task but because he completed his training very fast and with ease.

"Lev, how was my training?" Yu Xiaogang asked.

Lev looked at Yu Xiaogang and was not surprised after hearing his question. He was actually very bored for the past three months and the only thing that made him excited was because of Zhu Zhuqing and Sia. Lev then replied, " Hmmm, Grandmaster's training program was very normal I guess."

Yu Xiaogang frowned and then sighed as he already anticipated this answer from Lev.

"Lev. This might be shameless of me to ask. Will you allow me to become your master? I may not be as powerful as the others but I'm confident that my knowledge would be of great help to you." Yu Xiaogang directly asked as there was no need to take the conversation any longer as he was still hoping that Lev would accept him as his master.

Lev laughed inwardly and looked at Yu Xiaogang before replying, "I'm sorry Grandmaster but I can't find my future in following you as my master."

Yu Xiaogang wasn't surprised by Lev's reply as he was already prepared to get rejected but actually hearing it made him a little bit angry, but he could just keep it inside him as he could no longer do anything about it.

Yu Xiaogang wanted to say something when suddenly Tang San and the others were already back with their things. He then just sighed and said, "Looks like everyone was ready. Then, let's set off."

With that, Yu Xiaogang then immediately brought them out leaving for Suotuo City together with Flender and Zhao Wuji while the other three teachers stayed behind to take care of the Academy.

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Suotou City,

After arriving inside the city, the group immediately finds an inn to stay for which Yu Xiaogang then calls them up to Tang San's room for a meeting since he still has something to explain.

Right after that, Yu Xiaogang then gave them instructions on what they were going to do. He explained that it's up to them which battle they want to participate but the premise is that they all need to wear a mask and use another name to hide their real age and identity from others.

It was only after half an hour did everything was finally settled and so decided to remain in the inn to cultivate their spirit power, waiting for nightfall to come.

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---Night---

As everyone had planned, each one of them then went to participate in some battles. The most surprising of all was Lev and Tang San forming a team making their opponents no match at all. Dai Mubai and the others also had good results but the happiest of them all was Lev, as every second, new spirit abilities were being added to his skill section.

After participating for a while, the Seven Shrek Devil's momentum caused the audience to cheer and shout every time their victories were announced. This wasn't the first time they had seen participants like it, but their performance was the most interesting to watch by far.

......

Contestant's lobby,

Later that night, Yu Xiaogang called them once again telling them that they also needed to join team battles to improve their teamwork and the group then headed off towards the team battle arena. Following their arrival, they found the contestants' lobby was larger and bustling as they could see at least thirty spirit masters waiting inside.

Meanwhile, as the people around were bustling with confidence and arrogance, trouble was something very normal from which a more than two meters tall, an extremely sturdy large man suddenly walked in their direction.

"Hey, little miss, with your figure, what are you doing covering your face, let big brother have a look." The man said while looking at Zhu Zhuqing with great lust in his eyes. No matter how he sees it they only consist of youth so he wasn't feeling afraid of them.

"Get lost." Zhu Zhuqing coldly replied.

"Is it that your face is shameful? Little girl, don't you know who I am? You dare talk to me that way." As the man spoke, he already raised his big hand. Thinking that things didn't go the way he wanted, he decided to go the hard way.

"Old man, you better get stop now." Lev coldly said while looking at the man. This wasn't the first time he had seen Zhu Zhuqing being harassed, since the three months they were living together, all kinds of people continued to flock with her as she was really that seductive despite her age.

Hearing how cold the voice was, the man immediately looked at Lev. He was about to say something when suddenly when he saw his gaze which he felt as if he was about to get devoured. Feeling an incredible fear coming from Lev, he could not help but take a step back and left immediately without looking back causing the people inside to feel surprised at what just happened.

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---Thirty minutes later---

After waiting for half an hour, the announcer on the stage finally announced, "The fourth bout, team battles. The two sides ready to fight are the Mad Battle Team and Shrek Seven Devils."

Right after that, the announcer then describes the two teams and orders them to come on stage making them immediately assume their formation however, when the leader of the Mad Battle team saw their opponents, he was completely shocked, and fear drowned him upon seeing Lev smiling on the other side of the arena.

On the other hand, the man's action was caught by his teammate. A flirtatious woman in the center looked at him and asked, "Is there any problem?"

"N-Nothing." The man replied and persuaded himself on how he could feel fear over a youth who still hasn't lived long enough in the world.

"Take care of the rest. Leave that man to me." Lev, upon seeing the man, smiled faintly and decided to teach him how people would end up every time his woman has been harassed.

Tang San and the others looked at Lev with curiosity and they then immediately felt sorry for the man who had provoked Zhu Zhuqing earlier as for three months they had living, it was already enough time for them to tell that the two had already established their relationship.

Seconds later, the announcer then separately asked both sides if they were ready. The team captain then simultaneously indicated their preparations were complete.

"Starting countdown from five, four, three, two, one. Team spirit battles, fourth bout. Begin!", The announcer excitedly said.

After the word, the battle then started from which Lev directly flicked his finger and used one of his supernatural skills, Sonic Minimum. Using the skill, he immediately, with the speed of sound, appears right in front of the man.

"What a coincidence." Lev said before his hand grasped the man's head and slammed it on the floor creating a massive crack on it. He hasn't finished him off as he controlled his strength as he only getting started.

…. Bang….

With the sound, everyone around the arena woke and felt shocked to see how fast Lev especially the spirit masters around the place as even they weren't expecting such a thing to happen.

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In the waiting room,

"W-What!! Did you see his movement, Flender!??" Yu Xiaogang stood up with his eyes popping out from what just happened. He watched them without blinking and yet the speed from which Lev had used was completely out of his league.

"N-No, he was too fast that my eye could not follow him." Flender was also shocked by what just happened whereas Zhao Wuji also commented the same. Though both of them were still away from being called invincible, their strength was still something not to be belittled however, even with that, Lev's speed was still something they couldn't match.

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In the arena,

Lev's actions shocked both teams as they did not know when and how he did it as even. They were actually still preparing and yet Lev was already on the enemy's side and finished off their captain in a blink of an eye.

"Nature's Heal." Lev looked at the man before using an ability and with that, a light then covered him and miraculously, the bleeding stopped and healed of his injuries.

Seeing this, Lev smiled evilly before grabbing his arm as he threw him off towards the other side but before his feet could land on the floor, Lev was already behind the one once again and kicked him off crashing his head once again on the floor.

Seeing this, the arena became dead silent once with some saying, "Too cruel."

Meanwhile, the other members of the Mad Battle Team could only see how their leader was being played by Lev however, no matter how strong they were, they didn't have the courage to say something because they started feeling great fear towards Lev who was smiling while doing it.

Tang San and the others, on the other hand, could only look at Lev as they remembered something back then. Training with him for three months, they started getting used to him to the point that they forgot about his cruel side which made them shudder a bit just by recalling it.

Doing it a couple of times, Lev finally stopped leaving the man on the ground totally unconscious with his bones completely broken. He then just looked at his team members and said with a smile, "This is something he deserved after crossing the line back then."

"W-We s-surrender" Hearing Lev, the Mad Battle Team members stepped back and the flirtatious woman fearfully and hurriedly announced their surrender as she was afraid that they would also end up like that.

With that, Lev then walked away and headed back to his team. He smiled awkwardly and said, "Looks like their fighting spirit only amounts to that."

Lev then just gives Zhu Zhuqing a glance before they head towards the exit making Tang San and the other wake up and follow them behind. On the other hand, Oscar and Ma Hongjun all thought that no matter what happens, they should not be on the opposite side of Lev, or else they would be as miserable as the leader of the other team.

Meanwhile, Tang San and Dai Mubai were thinking of something else. After building and getting stronger for the past three months, their mind started hesitating again on whether to still take revenge on Lev upon seeing his display of strength from which both of them thought the same that he was still hiding his full strength.

After they left, the opponent team breathed out while the flirtatious woman fell to the ground. It was only for a moment that they immediately went to check on their leader and saw that he was still alive. Seeing this, the group sighed in relief as they helped him and immediately went to the other exit.

Seconds later, a single clap could be heard in the arena. The sudden clap woke the audience around and immediately aroused the others to clap too making the place then become filled with cheers and shouts from the one-sided battle.

Seeing the excitement of the people, the announcer also wakes up and then declares the result with a shout, "The victory goes to the Seven Shrek Devils!!!"

With that, shouts and cheers then can be heard all throughout the arena. Everyone was very excited and surprised to see such a battle as they shouted their name repeatedly, "Seven Shrek Devils."

On the other hand, when Lev and the others walked off the platform, the first to welcome them was the somewhat complicated look of Flender and Zhao Wuji while Yu Xiaogang was wearing a smile as he welcomed, "I don't know what to say upon seeing you won without any effort but still congratulations on your first team battle."

"Next time, do a little teamwork." Yu Xiaogang followed as he looked at Lev and then sighed since this time, it was pretty much his overwhelming strength that caused the other team to surrender leaving the others no way of showing their skills.

"Grandmaster, I think that is enough for now and continue this tomorrow." Lev, meanwhile, wasn't interested in their gazes as he thought that he already had enough for today and planned on resting.

Hearing Lev, Yu Xiaogang looked at Lev with a frown before thinking that maybe he also exhausted his spirit power upon using that unbelievable speed earlier. He then just replied, "Then you can all withdraw. I will call you all tomorrow in Tang San's room. Dismissed."

Upon hearing Yu Xiaogang's words, Lev together with Zhuqing then left together as there was still someone waiting for them back in the Rose Hotel.

Following that, Yu Xiaogang then looked at Tang San's group and started asking, "Now, just what really happened that caused Lev to act like that?"

Hearing Yu Xiaogang, Tang San and the others looked at each other first before explaining what happened in the lobby earlier making not just Yu Xiaogang but also Flender, and Zhao Wuji surprised to know that the reason behind Lev's cruelty was just because the opponents' team leader wanted to hit on Zhuqing.

Yu Xiaogang sighed and then said, "You can now all go back and rest."

With that, Tang San and the others then leave since they are pretty much also exhausted from battling non-stop.

"From what Lev did earlier, we can confirm that he was still hiding all his power from us. First, was his peculiar skill which he could use others' spirit ability, and now his abnormal speed which cannot be followed even by a spirit saint like you. Heh, I can't believe that for these three months, we still don't know a thing about Lev." Yu Xiaogang seriously said with a sound of defeat.

"Mmm. We did not even know how he got his spirit rings and why they were all white." Flender followed with Zhao Wuji nodding after having the same thought as them.

'Which clan does he really come from?' Yu Xiaogang and Flender still have the same question until now. They have actually asked about it from Lev, but the latter still didn't answer anything leaving his identity remains a mystery.

As they were finding answers, they shook their heads and then decided to leave and rest, and with that, the night passed normally with everyone having difficulty sleeping aside from Lev, Zhu Zhuqing, and Sia embracing each other in the hotel.