“Sigh, what a waste. I’ve idolized her for so long, and my biggest wish has always been to XX with her just once. I never thought you… sigh, what a waste!”

“……”

Damn, what kind of people are these! Furious, I stormed off to a quiet corner and sat there in a daze. To say I’m not afraid would be a lie. I don’t know any martial arts, nor do I have any magic or spells. To fight that world-famous Skyfire Lion—am I just asking for death?

“Gavin Ford, what are you doing sitting here?”

A familiar voice reached my ears. I quickly stood up and turned around, only to see Carter had somehow appeared behind me. He looked at me with a slightly strange smile on his face.

I immediately stood up straight and answered loudly, “Reporting, sir! I wasn’t doing anything, sir!”

“At ease!” Seeing my reaction, Carter laughed. That icy expression vanished instantly, and the previous air of severity was swept away, replaced by a scholarly elegance.

“I heard you’re going to spar with the Skyfire Lion?” Carter said with a faint smile.

“Yes, sir!” Hearing Carter’s question, I couldn’t help but feel discouraged. At the same time, a wave of resentment surged in my heart: if it weren’t for this smiling guy making me a squad leader, the Skyfire Lion probably wouldn’t have challenged me to a duel!

“Why are you fighting him?”

“Because I didn’t know who he was, sir!”

“And now?”

“Now I know, sir!”

After a moment of silence, Carter suddenly asked, “So do you still want to fight?”

“No, sir!” I answered loudly, but after saying that, I changed my tone helplessly, “But if I don’t fight, I’ll end up even worse.”

Carter laughed at my words. He patted my shoulder, and I felt his palm was warm and soft, instantly steadying my anxious and dejected heart.

“If I told you he’s not actually that scary, and that you can beat him, would you believe it?”

I was stunned for a moment, glanced at Carter, and then said loudly, “Sir is always right! If you say I can beat him, then I can beat him!”

“Haha, you’re quite an interesting kid!” Carter couldn’t help but burst out laughing. After laughing for a while, he suddenly looked at me seriously and said in a deep voice, “Actually, when the Skyfire Lion was sent here ten years ago, almost all his power was destroyed. Back then, he struck the number one master of the Buddhist Sect, Master Grant, with thirty corpse-shattering claws, but Master Grant used the Formless Prajna technique to return his shattered claws to his body. The power of his corpse-shattering claws was immense, but after being neutralized by Master Grant’s Formless Prajna, all the malice in those claws was dissolved. However, his body was sealed by his own power at thirty meridian points.”

“What?” I was shocked when I heard this. Looking at Carter, it took me a while to say, “That Miles Grant is really that powerful?”

“Heh, Master Grant is known as the number one master of the Four Realms. His mastery of Buddhism is so profound, it’s said to rival the gods. For a hundred years, he’s held the top spot on the Four Realms Power Rankings, and no one in the world can match him. The Skyfire Lion is a prodigy, and with a single book, he mastered the Fire Lion Clan’s seventh-ranked Corpse-Shattering Claw, but he didn’t know how to neutralize the malice in those claws. After Master Grant’s guidance, although he lost all his martial power, the malice pent up in his body was completely dissolved. As long as he can unlock the thirty meridian points sealed by Master Grant, his skills could place him in the top thirty of the Four Realms Power Rankings.”

I thought for a moment and asked tentatively, “So how many meridian points has he unlocked now?”

Carter chuckled, “Seventeen! But even so, don’t underestimate him. Not to mention a month—even in a year, you couldn’t catch up to half his level!”

Hearing this, I couldn’t help but lose heart. “So, does that mean I’m definitely dead in this match?”

“Not necessarily!” Carter said confidently. “The Skyfire Lion’s practice of the Corpse-Shattering Claw has left him with injuries. After Master Grant’s guidance and ten years of cultivation, all his injuries are concentrated about three inches above his right ventricle. If you can find a way to hit that spot, just like this—”

As he spoke, Carter suddenly struck, punching a huge boulder beside me. There was no sound, no aura at all—it looked even weaker than the street thugs fighting in our town.

I looked at Carter in confusion and reached out to touch the boulder. But before I could touch it, I heard a series of cracking sounds. Countless cracks appeared on the boulder, spreading from the inside out in an instant. In the blink of an eye, the man-sized stone turned into a pile of rubble.

I stood there in a daze for a long time before I finally came to my senses. Without any hesitation, I dropped to my knees in front of Carter, tears streaming down my face: “Master, I’ve finally found you, Master! Please teach me this technique—whatever you say from now on, I’ll do…”

Hearing my words, Carter trembled. He pulled me up and said in a deep voice, “Since I’ve shown you, of course I’ll teach you. You’re the captain I appointed—I won’t let you fail!” With that, he waved to a guard standing in the distance, then struck another huge stone beside me with a powerful punch.