The boy, however, didn’t take the chance to secure a victory strike, but ran to Cheng Yannan, extending his hand to care for her. “A… are you okay? I was afraid to use my full power just now. That was… just half of my power, as using more was useless. You’re too weak, and I didn’t do that on purpose.”

Puff…

Cheng Yannan was flustered and exasperated. It was such a mental attack that made her spurt a mouthful of blood.

She was already dumbfounded at this moment. She could still have an excuse if this little guy took the initiative to come out and defeat her. She thought that Tang Xiu must have brewed up some dirty tricks secretly if it was the case. But she picked this boy herself this time. And yet, how come his strength was so powerful? As she punched him it felt like she was hitting a steel plate, and the impact made her whole arm go numb.

“YOU—”

The boy hurriedly grabbed Cheng Yannan’s other arm, pulled her up until she stood and spoke with concern, “You’re not injured, are you? We’re not enemies, and I don’t want to hurt you since we’re on the same side.”

Cheng Yannan’s lips shivered. She looked up at Tang Xiu and asked, “What level of cultivation has he reached, exactly?”

“Tell her, little guy,” said Tang Xiu with a light smile.

“I just reached the late-stage of Qi Refining, but I’m afraid it will be a while before I advance to the Foundation Establishment Stage,” answered the boy. “But I’ll definitely work hard to practice and have a breakthrough earlier later, Boss.”

Tang Xiu smiled and nodded at him. He then waved at him and looked at Cheng Yannan, asking, “Well, how was it? You kept being hit and sent upside down, can your body still endure it? If you still can withstand, stand up once more and pick your new match. That’s right, you haven’t yet used your special ability, so you can try unleashing your special abilities and see which one is more powerful in the next spar, your special abilities or these children soldiers.”

Cheng Yannan took a deep breath and looked at a five-year-old girl. This little girl was very thin and seemed like she had malnutrition. She hooked her finger toward the girl and said, “Little girl, it’s not like Big Sis wants to bully you. But Big Sis just lost her face, so I want to win at least once. You can go all out to attack me, and I’ll be sure to be careful on my part.”

The little girl smiled, revealing her two small tiger teeth, and said innocently, “It doesn’t matter, Big Sis. Boss already told us that we must go all out when fighting no matter what kind of enemies we face. I just got enlisted into the team for six months and I’m the weakest among my companions.”

“Ehh? What do you mean, Lil Sis?” asked Cheng Yannan with a frown.

“That means you’re already very powerful if you can win me, Big Sis.” The little girl laughed and said, “But if you can’t defeat me, you don’t have to challenge the rest anymore because you won’t be able to defeat anyone else.”

Cheng Yannan’s face turned black. She almost couldn’t resist punching the girl. It was crystal clear to her now that none of these seemingly harmless and innocent little guys were weak and easy to deal with as they seemed.

“Let’s fight!” Cheng Yannan didn’t bother speaking anymore. She needed to defeat one of them and gain back her dignity.

The little girl slightly bowed. “Please enlighten me.”

In order to gain back more of her dignity, Cheng Yannan directly spoke, “You move first!”

“Okay!”

The little girl hesitated for a moment. Then, she observed Cheng Yannan’s left and right face and seriously said, “Big Sis, I think the bruise on your face isn’t symmetrical and kind of ruins your attractive face. But worry not, I’m going to help you, and you’ll look pretty again.”

As her voice faded away, her fresh, reddish fist had already appeared in front of Cheng Yannan. Just as the latter’s pupils shrunk and had no time to block or dodge it, that pink fist had already hit her right eyelid. Just as she felt blurry after getting punched in the head and tried to retreat backward, the little girl’s shadow closely followed her and sent a barrage of punches on the right half of her face. Only then did this little lassie step back, looking satisfied.

“Umm?!”

The little lassie looked dull and halted as she saw Cheng Yannan fall to the ground and cover the right side of her face.

Tang Xiu looked at Cheng Yannan with a strange face and shifted to the little girl with a similarly bizarre expression. He suddenly laughed and said aloud, “Hahaha, I made you stay here to train without any malice toward you whatsoever, Cheng Yannan. Those three kids, regardless of how tender their age is, are equally qualified to be your teachers. You should understand the principle of those who deserve to be called teachers regardless of any profession, shouldn’t you? So, stay here and train well. I’ll send someone to feed and strengthen you later, hahaha.”

Mo Awu and Kuwako Yamamoto’s faces were also flushed at this moment. They quickly rushed out of the training ground. They wanted to laugh but then remembered that they would work with Cheng Yannan in the future, so they could only hardly suppress the urge until they rushed out of the training ground and finally burst into laughter.

Crawling up difficultly from the ground despite the burning pain in her face, Cheng Yannan felt that her self-esteem was just hit harder now.

She had lost! Completely and thoroughly in just one blow!

She originally didn’t want to bully these three little guys, but it resulted in her losing three fights and getting beaten by these three kids. No… she got beaten thrice.

Only now did she finally realize clearly how narrow her previous thoughts were. She had looked down on these children, but it turned out that it was she who was ignorant to the extreme. It was very likely that any of these children could defeat her.

“Tang Xiu! … Sect Master!”

With an apologetic face, Cheng Yannan glanced deeply at the direction where Tang Xiu just vanished. Then, she shouted, “You’re back, Mo Awu.”

After spending some time laughing, Mo Awu returned to the training ground and looked at Cheng Yannan’s swollen face. He tried hard to restrain himself from laughing, saying, “What’s up? You don’t feel training with them is a shameful thing now, right?”

“I was wrong for misunderstanding Sect Master,” said Cheng Yannan bitterly. “Anyhow, I wanna ask you to train me well and make me as powerful as these children, Mo Awu.”

“Those who know and admit their faults will be able to reform themselves.” Mo Awu gave a thumbs up and praised. “You finally realized it, so we’ll officially begin! Anyhow, lemme warn you first. The next training will be very painful and tiresome. You’ll realize later that every minute and second is very difficult for you to hold on, so what I want from you is to stick with it. Can you do it?”

“I can and I will!” replied Cheng Yannan while shooting a look at the thousand children.

Mo Awu nodded in response and shouted, “Everyone, dismissed! Cheng Yannan, go to the equipment room and take your equipment. Report to me here in five minutes!”

“Where’s the equipment room, though?” asked Cheng Yannan.

Mo Awu stared blankly first, then immediately ordered aloud. “Tang Jin, take her to the equipment room and take each set of equipment. Starting today, you’re responsible for her training, so carry it out according to the training you got when you just started. But keep in mind not to delay your own cultivation.”

“Roger that, Sir!” Tang Jin rushed over.

The corner of Cheng Yannan’s mouth twitched a few times. She felt ashamed to be trained by a 7-plus years old kid. However, she then recalled Tang Jin’s strength and felt much better.

****

On the ninth barren island.

After Tang Xiu brought Kuwako here, he began special training for her. His training method was very brutal since he sealed up the acupoints on her body, causing her unable to use her True Essence energy. Further, he personally cut ten blocks of stone from a rocky mountain, the lightest one being 150kg and the heaviest one being around two tons, which he ordered Kuwako to lift the giant obelisk and do various kinds of training on the ninth barren island.

However, the dozen peripheral members of the Tang Sect stationed on the island joined the training after seeing Kuwako grit her teeth and persevere on the bitter and painstaking training. Even though their cultivation was lower, their physical strength and constitution were not weak either.

The training was torture, yet it made them grow!

These people, like Kuwako Yamamoto, continually improved their strength by following Tang Xiu’s training program. There were even two outer disciples who made a breakthrough in their cultivation and became Foundation Establishment Stage experts and therefore, became official disciples of the Tang Sect.

Seven days later, Kuwako Yamamoto succeeded in absorbing all the accumulated medicinal energy in her system and, after breaking the limit of her physique, successfully advanced to the late-stage of the Golden Core Stage.

In these seven days, apart from supervising her cultivation routine, Tang Xiu didn’t fall back in his own cultivation. He had also made big progress this week, though he had yet to activate any astral supernatural abilities.

“No need to rush.”

After consoling himself, Tang Xiu returned to Nine Dragons Island and spent two days tending to some issues. Then, he arranged Tom Reggie and Kuwako Yamamoto to leave, whereas he grabbed Tang 28 and left for China.

****

Back to Shanghai.

Tang Yunde was sitting in the study of the villa at Bluestar Villa Complex. He was holding a book and silently reading it. In front of him were two middle-aged men in black suits, standing like stone statues with respectful faces.

Ring, ring, ring…

The ringtone of a cell phone interrupted Tang Yunde’s train of thought and reading. After putting down the book, he picked up the phone and saw the caller on the screen. His face immediately shifted as he connected the phone call and spoke, “How was it? You got any news?”

“We’ve clarified the news. He’s in the Y country,” a low and deep voice replied from the phone.

A chilling light flashed in Tang Yunde’s eyes as he said in a deep voice, “Send me his specific coordinates and keep tabs on him.”

“Understood!” the voice answered and then hung up.

Tang Yunde drew a deep breath. He then looked at the two middle-aged men and said in a deep voice, “Immediately go to Y country. Remember, Xiao Wu will cooperate with you and keep a close tab on that bastard. Also, find some underground forces and pay them some money to move them out.”

“Understood!” the two middle-aged men replied and strode out of the study.

Outside the villa.

Tang Xiu had just taken out the door card from his interspatial ring when the villa’s door was opened from the inside and two stalwart men came out.

“Who are you?”

Tang Xiu was sure he had never seen these two men, but they appeared in his own home now. This was not normal.

“Young Master Tang!”

The two stalwart men had seen Tang Xiu’s photos and thus recognized his identity, and called out respectfully.