Chapter 051: The Ultimate Sparring Partner (Vote Request)

Xin Lang thought to himself, “It seems I must leave this forest as soon as possible! If those three report my whereabouts to Ouyang Feiyun, Ouyang Feiyun definitely won’t let me off, and will send even more people to hunt me down!”

“Stop right there!” Xin Lang had only taken a few steps when the trio—Eastern Invincible and his companions—turned back.

Xin Lang grinned. “What’s this? Have you come to your senses and decided to come back and catch me?”

“Heh heh!” Eastern Invincible replied with a sheepish smile, “Little brother, well, the thing is… we’re lost in this forest. We were hoping you could tell us how to get out.”

“Uh…”

Xin Lang was truly impressed by these three oddballs. After a moment’s thought, he said, “If you want to get out of this forest, just follow me.”

This time, Xin Lang’s main purpose was to advance as a martial artist by training his hidden strength. Now, with three martial artists who practiced hidden strength right in front of him, it would be a pity not to use them as sparring partners.

“You know the way out?” Linghu Unbeaten asked anxiously.

“Of course I do! You’ve only been here a few days, but I’ve been wandering around for more than ten days!” Xin Lang replied.

“That’s right! Big brother, if we follow him, we’ll definitely find our way out!” Dugu Ever-Victorious chimed in.

Having suffered enough hardships in the forest and finally completing their mission, the three were eager to return to Jiuyang City to hand in their report. In the end, they let themselves be persuaded by Xin Lang and set off with him.

They walked for half the morning before the tall Dugu Ever-Victorious, lagging behind and dragging his spiked club, called out, “Big brother, give me another bite of food, will you? I haven’t eaten in almost two days, I really can’t go on!”

“No way. You already borrowed your rations from today the night before last! Hang in there. Once we’re out of the forest, I’ll buy you steamed buns,” Eastern Invincible replied.

At these words, a sly smile crept up Xin Lang’s lips. He quietly took a meat bun from the “backpack” of his upgrade device and began to eat as he walked.

As soon as he bit into the bun, the aroma of meat wafted into the air, blending with the surrounding floral scents and becoming even more intoxicating and mouthwatering.

Dugu Ever-Victorious sniffed the air hard, following the savory scent to the bun in Xin Lang’s hand. Sensing Dugu’s gaze, Xin Lang quickly pretended to be afraid of being discovered and gulped down the entire bun in one bite.

“Bun! A meat bun!” Dugu Ever-Victorious cried out.

Eastern Invincible and Linghu Unbeaten also caught the scent of meat. Eastern Invincible blocked Xin Lang’s path. “Kid, how do you have meat buns?”

Xin Lang took out his food pouch and waved it in front of the trio. “I’ve got plenty more here.”

“Little brother, give me a meat bun, will you? No, no, sell me one! The wild fruits in this mountain taste awful, I want a meat bun!” Dugu Ever-Victorious pleaded, clutching a handful of copper coins.

“Uh… well… I need to eat too,” Xin Lang replied.

“I’ll pay more! Fifty copper coins, all right? If not, a silver coin!” Dugu Ever-Victorious begged.

Xin Lang clutched the food pouch tightly. “I only have a few buns left, and I still need to collect some rare herbs in this forest—I’ll be here a while longer, and I’m not sure if these buns will last me.”

“Ten silver coins! Ten silver coins should be enough!” Dugu Ever-Victorious exclaimed.

Ten silver coins could buy a whole pile of buns in town, but no matter how much Dugu offered, Xin Lang refused to sell.

“Little brother, you have so many buns in your pouch, just sell my second brother one,” Eastern Invincible pleaded for Dugu.

“Yes, just sell one to my second brother!” Linghu Unbeaten added, swallowing audibly.

Xin Lang thought to himself, “Don’t they know how to just take it by force?”

Yet after all his tempting, these three eccentrics wouldn’t cross the line; they insisted only on buying, not robbing.

In the end, Xin Lang said in exasperation, “If you want a bun, that’s fine, but you have to challenge me. Whoever beats me gets a bun!”

“Alright! For the sake of a bun, I’ll challenge you right now!” Dugu Ever-Victorious suddenly found his strength.

“I… I’ll challenge you too!” Linghu Unbeaten stepped forward.

Eastern Invincible stroked his mustache. “Then I’ll be the last to challenge you.”

Xin Lang watched as his upgrade device popped up three side quest notifications in a row, and he was overjoyed. “Experience to gain, sparring partners to train with—these three eccentrics really are good people!”

The four of them found a spacious clearing. Xin Lang and Dugu Ever-Victorious stood in the center, with Eastern Invincible and Linghu Unbeaten watching from the side.

“Little brother, bring out your weapon—I won’t take advantage of you,” Dugu said, hefting his spiked club.

“My fists are my weapons! Come on, let’s get started,” Xin Lang replied.

For the sake of a bun, Dugu Ever-Victorious wasted no more words. He swung his club at Xin Lang, shouting, “Watch my self-created Earth-level technique—Dugu’s Nine Strikes!”

Xin Lang was startled by Dugu’s technique. He could sense that Dugu’s hidden strength had already been infused into the wooden club. “Penetrating Strength! At least a level-three martial artist!”

Bang! Xin Lang dodged Dugu’s club. The club smashed into a tree trunk, blowing a large hole in it.

“Damn, this big guy looks simple-minded, but he’s actually a level-three martial artist!” Xin Lang thought. “There are countless countries on the Jiuzhou Continent, and people with all kinds of talents. Who’d have thought this tall oaf could cultivate to level three!”

Although Dugu was a level-three martial artist, his self-created technique was monotonous and lacked variety.

Dugu’s “Dugu’s Nine Strikes” was a long-range attack. Xin Lang seized the opportunity to slip in close, dodged the club, sidestepped, and slammed his elbow into Dugu’s chest. Hidden strength exploded, sending Dugu flying with a thud.

Eastern Invincible, stroking his mustache, was startled by Xin Lang’s elbow. “He’s already trained hidden strength to his elbows? Good heavens, what level is this kid?”

Ordinary martial artists could only channel hidden strength to their elbows, legs, and feet after reaching level ten and entering the “strength moves with your will” realm. But thanks to the daily quests from his upgrade device, Xin Lang could already use hidden strength in other parts of his body.

Xin Lang had clearly used only level-two hidden strength, yet his elbow could unleash it. This left Eastern Invincible completely baffled!

The tall Dugu Ever-Victorious was sent flying by Xin Lang’s elbow and landed hard on the ground. Xin Lang laughed, “You lost! No bun for you today!”