Meng Kuohai didn't take Zhao Mu seriously at all.
Right in front of Old Master Meng and Meng Qiuqiu, he openly mocked Zhao Mu's E-rank Spiritual Energy Talent without the slightest restraint.
In his eyes, Zhao Mu wasn't worth respecting.
More importantly, opportunities to suppress Meng Qiuqiu didn't come around every day.
Naturally, he had no intention of letting this one slip away.
The Meng Family had a complicated internal structure.
Old Master Meng had three sons.
His eldest son, Meng Dafu, and his youngest son, Meng Fugui, were born to his legal wife. The second son, however, had been born to a concubine.
Because of this, the future inheritance of the Meng Family's vast business empire would ultimately be decided between the descendants of the eldest and third branches.
Meng Kuohai was the son of the eldest branch.
Meng Qiuqiu belonged to the third.
The two had been rivals since childhood.
Competition among the younger generation wasn't discouraged in the Meng Family—it was encouraged.
Old Master Meng firmly believed that only through competition could truly capable successors emerge.
As a result, every achievement became a comparison.
Every success became a contest.
And today was no exception.
Zhao Mu frowned slightly.
Being mocked to his face wasn't something he usually tolerated.
However, before he could respond, Meng Qiuqiu exploded first.
"What do you know?"
Meng Qiuqiu sneered.
"Have you forgotten the Meng Family motto?"
"'Rare goods are worth hoarding.'"
He pointed proudly at Zhao Mu.
"My Brother Mu is a heaven-sent genius!"
"In the future, he'll become the Empire's second Marquis Changfeng!"
"You people simply lack the vision to recognize true talent."
The moment those words left his mouth, Meng Kuohai and the two young men beside him burst into laughter.
The laughter was so loud that it echoed across the courtyard.
"The second Marquis Changfeng?"
Meng Kuohai wiped tears from the corners of his eyes.
"Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?"
"In the Empire's thousand-year history, there has only been one Marquis Changfeng."
"An E-rank Talent becoming a top powerhouse is already a theoretical possibility."
"The chances of another one appearing in the same era are practically zero."
The two youths behind him nodded repeatedly.
Clearly, they shared the same opinion.
Zhao Mu calmly observed them.
Without needing introductions, he had already guessed their identities.
They were most likely students from Sharp Metal Camp brought back by Meng Kuohai.
Judging by their confidence, they were probably among the stronger recruits.
After listening long enough, Zhao Mu finally spoke.
His voice was calm and indifferent.
"So, are all the students of Sharp Metal Camp only good at talking?"
The courtyard instantly fell silent.
The smiles on Meng Kuohai's face disappeared.
The two students beside him also narrowed their eyes.
Their gazes carried ridicule and contempt.
It was as though they were looking at a clown who didn't know his place.
Meng Kuohai laughed coldly.
"So you're Zhao Mu."
"Don't misunderstand."
"I'm not targeting you personally."
"I'm simply being honest."
He pointed directly at Zhao Mu.
"Awakeners with E-rank Talent are everywhere."
"A collapsing billboard on the street could probably kill several."
"If you weren't standing beside Meng Qiuqiu, you wouldn't even qualify to enter the Meng Family estate."
Zhao Mu shrugged.
Now he understood everything.
Meng Qiuqiu had brought him here as support.
Unfortunately, nobody believed he was worth anything.
Since that was the case...
There was only one way to settle things.
He smiled faintly.
"If you don't believe me, then let your friends fight me."
The atmosphere instantly changed.
Meng Kuohai froze.
The two students stared at Zhao Mu as though he had gone insane.
Then all three burst into laughter.
One of the youths stepped forward.
He had messy hair and sharp eyes.
"My name is Li Hanshan."
"B-rank Talent."
"Combat Level Eight."
His tone was filled with pride.
Then he pointed toward the tall youth beside him.
"That guy is Tang Ziyi."
"Also B-rank Talent."
"Also Combat Level Eight."
"We're both special-class students."
He looked Zhao Mu up and down.
"Now tell me."
"Where exactly did an E-rank Talent find the confidence to challenge us?"
The surrounding spectators couldn't help but nod.
After all, B-rank Talents were genuinely exceptional.
In any camp, they belonged to the elite.
Even among the strongest students, they would rank near the top.
Zhao Mu spread his hands helplessly.
"If you're afraid, just say so."
"I won't force you."
The smile on his face widened.
"But when I return to Qingfeng Camp, I'll make sure everyone hears that Sharp Metal Camp students only know how to boast."
"When it comes to fighting, they're as timid as mice."
The expressions of all three instantly darkened.
Sharp Metal Camp was the pride of Jiangnan Province.
For years, it had been recognized as the strongest military academy in the region.
Although Qingfeng Camp had once rivaled it, everything changed after the Demon Sealing War ten years ago.
Lujiang City's talent pool declined significantly.
Since then, Qingfeng Camp had gradually fallen behind.
To be mocked by an E-rank student from such a camp was a humiliation they couldn't accept.
Li Hanshan's eyes turned cold.
His gaze resembled that of a hungry wolf.
"You are asking for death."
Meng Kuohai immediately seized the opportunity.
"Grandfather."
"Since my cousin and I have both brought friends home today, why don't we let them spar?"
"It'll add some entertainment."
Old Master Meng smiled knowingly.
His sharp eyes moved between Zhao Mu and the others.
Then he looked toward Meng Qiuqiu.
"What do you think?"
Meng Qiuqiu glanced at Zhao Mu.
The two exchanged a brief look.
Months of training together had created a natural understanding between them.
He knew Zhao Mu's personality well.
Once Zhao Mu decided to act, nobody could stop him.
Meng Qiuqiu immediately nodded.
"No problem, Grandpa."
Meng Kuohai nearly laughed out loud.
Everything was proceeding exactly as he had hoped.
Meanwhile, Meng Qiuqiu lowered his head to hide his grin.
The fools standing opposite them had no idea who they were provoking.
Did they really think Zhao Mu was an ordinary E-rank Talent?
This was the same monster who could hunt Combat Level Thirty mutated beasts.
Compared to that, these so-called geniuses were nothing.
Soon, everyone followed the old butler toward an open field beside the lake.
Old Master Meng settled comfortably into his chair.
A bowl of fish food rested in his hands.
His expression suggested he was looking forward to the show.
Meng Kuohai pulled Li Hanshan and Tang Ziyi aside.
"Make sure you teach him a lesson."
"If you do a good job today, I won't forget it."
The two young men smiled knowingly.
"Don't worry."
"Beating someone like him isn't even a challenge."
Tang Ziyi stepped forward immediately.
"I'll handle this."
Li Hanshan sighed dramatically.
"You stole my chance."
"Fine."
"Just finish quickly."
Tang Ziyi nodded and walked toward the center of the field.
At the same time, Meng Qiuqiu approached Zhao Mu.
A mischievous grin spread across his face.
"Brother Mu."
"I'm counting on you."
"If you win, I'll prepare a huge reward."
Zhao Mu glanced at him.
"What would I do with money?"
Meng Qiuqiu immediately understood.
"Right."
"Mutated beast materials."
"Spirit sources."
"I'll prepare everything."
Only then did Zhao Mu nod with satisfaction.
A moment later, he calmly stepped into the arena.
The two fighters stood roughly ten meters apart.
Everyone else retreated to a safe distance.
Since both participants were Spirit Power users below Battle Rank, the affected area would remain relatively small.
For higher-level battles, special arenas were required.
Tang Ziyi studied Zhao Mu carefully.
Then he rotated the ring on his finger.
A flash of light appeared.
A battle saber materialized in his hand.
The weapon gleamed sharply under the afternoon sun.
Tang Ziyi pointed the blade toward Zhao Mu.
"If I were you, I'd surrender now."
"It'll save you from serious injuries."
The moment he finished speaking—
Whoosh!
Flames erupted around his body.
Fire surged upward like a blazing inferno.
The temperature in the surrounding area immediately began to rise.
Spiritual Energy gathered rapidly.
A Fire Attribute Ability.
The spectators couldn't help but nod in approval.
Tang Ziyi's control over his elemental power was clearly impressive.
Meanwhile, Zhao Mu simply stood there calmly.
His expression remained unchanged.
As though the flames before him were nothing more than a child's campfire.
The battle was about to begin.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)