Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

The impact sent vibrations up Yifeng's arm, his dagger screeching against Red Bone's shin guard. The force of the blow sent him skidding backward, his boots digging into the charred ground.

The crowd was in an uproar.

Yifeng exhaled sharply. His side ached, his arm tingled from the force of the block, but his eyes gleamed with something sharp, calculating.

Red Bone was strong—but strength alone wouldn't win this match.

He adjusted his grip on the dagger, shifting his stance.

The battle was far from over.

Red Bone took a step back, lifting his hand high as a deafening roar shook the arena.

A massive bear materialized behind him, its thick fur glistening with an earthy glow, each step it took causing the ground to tremble. The sheer weight of its presence sent shockwaves through the battlefield.

The commentator gasped. "A mature rare Spirit Beast! This bear is the Brown Spirit bear, a powerhouse in its own right—formidable, resilient, and nearly unstoppable in battles!"

The crowd erupted into murmurs, their excitement rising.

But then—to everyone's shock—Shan Yifeng raised his hand as well.

A radiant glow burst forth, and a smaller figure emerged beside him.

It was unlike anything they had ever seen.

The commentator's voice faltered. "This… What spirit beast did Hua Feng summon? I—I've never seen this creature before!"

Even the esteemed Old Master Black, who had seen countless battles in his lifetime, furrowed his brows in curiosity. "This is also the first time I'm witnessing such a creature. It looks infantile, yet…" His eyes narrowed as he observed the fluctuating energy. "Although Its level… seems to already be at epic rank."

The entire arena held its breath.

Shan Yifeng grinned, tilting his head. "Meet my partner, Bryan."

The name alone sent a wave of confusion through the audience. Bryan?

Even Red Bone snorted, shaking his head. "You still think you have a chance to win? A beast like that—" he gestured toward the small creature, "—stands no chance against my Spirit Bear."

He didn't waste another second.

With a snap of his fingers, his Spirit Bear lunged forward, its claws glinting like sharpened steel, ready to tear through anything in its path.

Shan Yifeng didn't move.

Bryan moved.

A blur.

One moment, the small creature was standing beside Yifeng—the next, it had vanished.

The Spirit Bear froze mid-attack. Its massive body tensed—eyes widening—as a sudden force smashed into its side. A powerful impact sent it reeling backward, claws scraping against the arena floor as it fought to maintain balance.

The crowd erupted.

The Spirit Bear—a rare, mature beast—was pushed back.

Red Bone's face darkened. "What—?!"

Before he could react, Shan Yifeng dashed across, appearing beside him in a blink.

A dagger pressed against Red Bone's throat.

His body froze.

Shan Yifeng's voice was eerily calm. "It was fun while it lasted."

And then—in an instant—a wave of energy surged through his body.

The exhaustion in his stance vanished.

The weariness in his breathing disappeared.

His eyes gleamed with newfound power.

It had all been an act.

Shan Yifeng had been holding back.

A calculated game.

The realization dawned on Red Bone just as Yifeng's smirk widened.

Checkmate.

Still, Red Bone refused to surrender.

With a sudden burst of speed, he twisted his body, retreating faster than Yifeng could react.

Then—a surge of energy erupted around him.

His body expanded, muscles thickening, bones shifting. His form grew larger, darker, more monstrous. With a deep, guttural growl, he merged with his Spirit Bear.

A towering half-man, half-bear beast now stood in his place.

The crowd gasped.

"This… this is his fused form!" the commentator shouted.

But just as everyone thought Yifeng would counter with his own spirit beast—he did the opposite.

With a flick of his wrist, he recalled Bryan.

Silence.

Confused whispers rippled through the stands.

"Why did he recall his beast?"

"Was he underestimating his opponent?"

"That little thing, although cute, packed a freaking monstrous punch! Why is he not using it?"

Yet Yifeng remained calm.

He took one single deep breath.

Then, without warning—he ran straight ahead.

Red Bone, now fully transformed, let out a thunderous roar.

His clawed hand swung down, aiming to crush the boy beneath him.

But Yifeng's movements were swift—too swift.

He stepped onto the massive claw mid-air, using it as a platform to propel himself higher.

At the peak of his jump, his blade flashed.

One clean, decisive slash through empty air.

A razor-sharp projection shot forward—invisible, silent, merciless.

Red Bone's body stiffened.

A moment later—his beastly form unraveled.

His transformation—undone.

He staggered, his mind racing. What… what just happened?!

Yifeng landed gracefully, his sword still humming from the strike.

With slow, measured steps, he walked toward Red Bone, his expression unreadable.

"Surrender now," Yifeng said, voice eerily calm. "I don't want to get my hands bloodied."

The words sent a chill through the crowd.

How could a mere ten-year-old speak with such weight?

But normal human logic couldn't be applied to this little boy.

This was the boy who had endured endless beatings, all for the sake of a chance at learning cultivation. He had been ready to lay his life down, dumb, stupid but Ace admired that deeply.

Shan Yifeng had a clear goal, although he took the approaches in questionable ways.

Maybe he hadn't suffered the most tragic past compared to many others, but his sufferings shouldn't be something a ten year old should be burdening himself with.

And now, on the battlefield, he stood—not just as a fighter, but as a force to be reckoned with.

The arena was a storm of emotions—excitement, disbelief, awe.

Yet Red Bone—he did not yield.

His lips curled into a snarl. "What, you a kid gonna—"

His words never finished.

A thin red line split down the center of his body.

Silence.

His torso parted, cleanly severed in half.

A single, small marble-like core rolled free from his collapsing form, its surface gleaming under the stadium lights.

Yifeng bent down, picked up the core, and—without a second glance at the dead body—walked off the battlefield.