Chapter 140: The Resourceful Man

The dense jungle was swept by chilling gusts of wind from time to time, startling the birds and beasts lurking within. In the vast expanse of the forest, an eerie silence now reigned.

"Kid, how much further?"

The quiet atmosphere was shattered by an impatient voice.

"Almost there. My big brother is just ahead; we'll be there soon." Zhang Dabao turned back and smiled at Hu Hai, though a cold glint flashed in his eyes. *You dog, just wait and see how you die.*

After walking a bit further, Zhang Dabao pointed to the mouth of a cave and said to Hu Hai, "Big brother, this is the cave where that kid is hiding. There are so many essence cores inside, and I hear there are even a few from third-tier demonic beasts."

"If it weren't for the fact that you’re a good man, I wouldn't have told you about such a heaven-sent opportunity." Zhang Dabao feigned a look of intense regret.

Seeing how sensible Zhang Dabao was, Hu Hai laughed heartily. "Haha, kid, it seems you have a good sense of things. Serve as my lackey from now on, and I'll make sure you eat and drink well."

"Heh heh, naturally." Zhang Dabao replied happily, while cursing inwardly. *Be your lackey? Pfft, you aren't worthy. Master Zhang Dabao is a man of wit.*

Hu Hai swaggered toward the cave and shouted arrogantly, "You kid inside, get out here now! Hand over the essence cores you’re carrying, and I might just spare your life."

Inside the cave, Li Jiansan stood with his back to them, hands clasped behind his back. "Say that again."

Hearing the icy tone, Hu Hai’s heart trembled. *This kid is even more arrogant than me?* He took a breath and roared, "Kid, are you looking for death? Hand over your essence cores—I don't want to say it again."

*Swish!*

A cold light streaked through the darkness, a sharp, chilling sword beam striking viciously toward Li Jiansan.

Still with his back turned, Li Jiansan swayed nimbly, easily dodging the strike.

Hu Hai was deeply dissatisfied with this result. He furrowed his brows, leapt forward again, and unleashed even fiercer, relentless sword strikes. Countless cold glints flashed and hooked through the darkness. Yet, no matter how sharp or swift the blade was, it could not graze Li Jiansan in the slightest.

Now, it was Hu Hai who was left panting heavily. He stared at Li Jiansan’s back and barked, "Who exactly are you?" Even a fool would realize by now that the person before him was no ordinary character.

"You don't need to know!" Li Jiansan turned slowly, revealing his harmless, youthful face in the dim light.

"You... you are Li Jiansan!" Hu Hai froze upon seeing those delicate features.

"Heh, I didn't expect you to know me."

Hu Hai gripped his sword tightly and shouted, "Hmph, you only managed to defeat a piece of trash at the Freshman Tournament. What’s so impressive about that? Don't think that makes me afraid of you."

*So that’s all he knows.* Li Jiansan felt a sense of relief. He had previously worried that Hu Hai had witnessed him killing the elders, but it turned out he only knew of the events at the tournament. Since that was the case, he would give him a lesson today.

Li Jiansan smiled. "Since that’s the case, hand over all the essence cores you have. While I'm still in a good mood, I might let you go."

Hu Hai roared, "Li Jiansan, what are you? Just some garbage admitted through external recruitment. Do you think defeating one or two weaklings makes you special?"

"Li Jiansan, let me tell you, no matter how hard you try, you will never compare to me. Because a genius is always a genius, and trash will always be trash, no matter how hard they struggle!"

"Sometimes, the price for being insolent is a slap, sometimes a brutal beating, and sometimes the loss of limbs. In front of me, the price for insolence is death!"

"You lot who think you’re so high and mighty—go to hell."

Li Jiansan’s expression turned cold. He clenched his palm, and a surge of True Essence condensed instantly, transforming into a sharp, piercing burst of energy that shot toward Hu Hai like lightning.

The energy carried a freezing chill as it tore through the air. Even though Hu Hai dodged in time, a bloody gash was carved into his shoulder.

"You trash, how dare you hurt me! Since you’re seeking death, I’ll deal with you right now." The scent of his own blood triggered a surge of intense killing intent within Hu Hai. He cracked his neck, and a massive aura erupted from his body. "Angering me today is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done."

Fuming with rage, Hu Hai entered combat mode. He grinned coldly, then stomped his foot into the ground; the rock beneath him cracked instantly and was pulverized into gravel.

"Die!" Like a wild beast, Hu Hai charged toward Li Jiansan with terrifying force.

Li Jiansan’s hand opened slightly before clenching into a fist, and a formidable surge of True Essence flooded his arms. He watched Hu Hai coldly, then sprang upward, easily landing above him.

"Get lost!" As the authoritative voice fell, the True Essence in Li Jiansan’s hand converged and erupted from his fist, slamming into Hu Hai with ferocious power.

*BOOM!*

A dull thud echoed as Hu Hai was slammed into the ground, skidding back over a dozen meters and carving a deep trench before finally coming to a halt.

"Cough, cough..." Hu Hai coughed violently, his bloodthirsty aura dissipating. He looked at Li Jiansan with a hint of gravity. *Could it be that this kid didn't even use his full strength at the tournament?*

"I practice body-refining techniques; my physical body is practically invincible among Martial Spirits. Kid, you can't break my defense. So, you’re the one who will die today, haha!"

Hu Hai attacked again, his power even fiercer and more savage than before. Sensing the wild force, Li Jiansan leapt behind him, gathered immense power, and struck his back with a heavy blow.

*Boom! Boom!*

Despite the dull thuds, Hu Hai’s body remained unscathed.

"Heh, so you only won at the tournament by relying on brute strength. Your power isn't bad, but it's completely useless against me!" Seeing Li Jiansan fail to land a hit, Hu Hai laughed.

Li Jiansan frowned and moved with lightning speed. *Boom! Boom!* He struck Hu Hai repeatedly, the sounds of impact echoing through the cave.

"Keep hitting, hit all you want! When you get tired, I’ll take your life!" Hu Hai gathered a massive amount of power and swung out, forcing Li Jiansan back. "I told you, you trash, you can't break my defense. You garbage don't belong in the Azure Dragon Academy!"

"Trash? I can't break your defense?" Li Jiansan looked at Hu Hai and sneered. "Did I ever say I couldn't break it? It seems like you’ve been the only one barking like a mad dog."

"Trash, I’m going to kill you now!"

Hu Hai let out a sinister laugh, his power surging to its peak. He flashed in front of Li Jiansan, his massive fist striking out with a sonic boom.

Feeling the immense pressure, Li Jiansan smiled slightly and let the fist land squarely on his body.

Seeing Li Jiansan motionless, Hu Hai laughed, "Haha, kid, were you scared witless by my strength? Too bad, it's too late to beg for mercy now."

*BOOM!*

A sound like a fist hitting a copper wall rang out. After the strike, Hu Hai felt as if he had punched a fortress of solid gold. Not only that, but several bones in his hand had shattered!

Others might not know, but Hu Hai knew full well—the body-refining technique he practiced not only gave him a powerful defense but also tempered his physique. His fist could usually shatter stone walls, but now, striking Li Jiansan had shattered his own hand. It was unbelievable!

"Are you done?" Li Jiansan’s calm voice drifted out while Hu Hai was still stunned.

"You... you’re completely unharmed!" Hu Hai was shocked again. His punch carried twenty or thirty thousand pounds of force; how could this kid catch it so easily and remain unscathed? *Could it be that he also practices body-refining? How strong is his physical body? It's unimaginable!*

"Now, watch closely as I break your defense."

Li Jiansan sneered, took a step forward, and exerted force through his body like a leaping panther. In the blink of an eye, his fist slammed down toward Hu Hai! Terrifying power surged through his meridians and flowed into his knuckles.

*BOOM!*

A muffled explosion rocked the cave. Dust and debris flew as a violent storm of energy erupted, shattering the nearby boulders instantly.

"Pfft..." The immense force turned Hu Hai’s face pale. He looked down at his chest, which had been caved in, and collapsed in terror. He looked up at Li Jiansan, gasping his final words, "How... how could you... break... my defense... I am... invincible... among Martial Spirits..."

"Invincible among Martial Spirits? That was only until you met me. Trash like you isn't even worth the dirt on my shoes." If Li Jiansan had used his full strength from the start, Hu Hai’s body would have exploded in a single blow. Li Jiansan’s physical body was now strong enough to clash with Martial Monarchs; Hu Hai was not even worth mentioning.

"Counting him, that’s three Martial Artists from the internal recruitment I’ve killed today..."

As the words left his lips, Li Jiansan moved again. A sharp sword light danced like a viper, and with the sound of a throat being slit, another life was harvested. These people all thought they were superior, and Li Jiansan would kill every one of them he encountered.

"And now four. Four pests removed today."

As Li Jiansan spoke, his blade submerged into the next man's throat, blood spraying out in a violent stream, filling the air with the metallic stench of carnage.