Arthur's Progress

Du Chen sneered: "In three months, countless High-level Battle Gods will converge upon Battle God Isle. Do you, father and daughter, truly intend to slay Rogliff right under the noses of so many powerful figures?"

"No, Your Peerless Eminence, we do not possess your formidable strength. Therefore, we must resort to certain... unconventional methods!" Helen continued, "Sulan's friends have been tracking Rogliff for a considerable time. They've discovered that he rarely ventures out, spending most of his days confined to his ship, interacting only with his subordinates. This leaves us no opportunity to strike! While the Assembly of Battle Gods in three months will be crowded, the sheer scale of the event will create much chaos. There will surely be many chances then. Our preliminary plan is for Sulan to find an opportunity to poison him!"

Hmm, a good plan indeed! If Sulan's snake venom can even fell Zigurd, then Rogliff will likely not escape its grasp.

However, Du Chen wasn't concerned with the methods of Helen and her father; his true interest lay in Rogliff's identity!

Helen asked, "Your Eminence, that is the situation. Will it conflict with your plans?" In truth, she desperately wanted to ask if he would help them, but Helen had witnessed Du Chen's temperamental nature as a peerless expert many times. Knowing how volatile his moods could be, a single careless word might invite mortal peril! Thus, she dared not voice her true request immediately.

Du Chen rubbed his nose, speaking indifferently, "Proceed as you wish. Just don't bother me in the future! However, there is one matter that currently piques my interest..."

Du Chen, employing subtle tactics, began to leverage his persona as a reclusive master to extract information.

"Pray tell, Merciful Eminence!"

"A few days ago, I found myself with time on my hands and indulged in a casual wager with Rogliff. I won a ship from him—the Ross," Du Chen recounted the situation with feigned nonchalance. He continued, "However, though I saw through Rogliff's Art of Disguise, I still don't know his true appearance. I dislike that. I dislike it intensely... I prefer everything to be within my control!"

Helen hastily replied, "When he murdered my mother, Rogliff appeared as an old man in his sixties, with purple eyebrows and a saber scar above his left eye."

"Hmm, that is excellent!" Du Chen raised his wine cup once more.

Helen hesitated, pondering the implications of Du Chen's inquiry into Rogliff's true identity. Could Francis also be interested in Rogliff? If so, she would be incredibly fortunate.

Realizing this, she quickly continued, "Furthermore, when Rogliff appeared as an accomplice to my enemy back then, he did not reveal his name. He was wielding a ring-shaped sacred artifact!"

"Understood. You may leave now!" Du Chen waved his hand dismissively.

Helen did not leave immediately. Instead, she continued, "Your Esteemed Eminence, if you are interested in Rogliff, I can provide you with all future intelligence we gather about him! After all, since we intend to deal with him, we must thoroughly investigate his background."

Du Chen smiled, shaking his head. "I dislike people speaking idle chatter to me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand!" Helen quickly stood and walked towards the door, speaking as she went, "Before the Assembly of Battle Gods, I will conceal myself within the academy under the guise of a Student Council official. My father and Sulan are also..."

Dismissing Helen, Du Chen stared at the wine cup on the table, lost in thought. "Harry, you and the young master may come out!"

Shieb emerged from the side hall, covering his mouth. He wisely asked no questions. The Alex he held grumbled impatiently, "Boring! Release me quickly, I need to continue washing clothes. They're filthy! How can a master's clothes be so dirty?"

"Harry, let Alex play by himself. Go close the main door, then use your nose to monitor the surroundings. Let no one disturb me!"

Du Chen hurried to the backyard and, from a small house, entered a secret underground chamber—where Deboning was recuperating.

The secret chamber was pitch black, devoid of light. Only the iron hook beside Deboning flashed with a cold glint the instant Du Chen opened the hidden door. The room reeked of blood, its scent akin to a slaughterhouse.

"Young Master, why have you come?" Deboning, who was sitting cross-legged in the center of the room, opened his eyes in confusion.

"I've discovered something very important, and I must discuss it with you!" Du Chen took out a fire starter and lit the lamps in the room. He continued, "Purple eyebrows, a saber scar above the left eye, and wielding a ring-shaped sacred artifact! Is there such a person within the Church?"

Deboning's sinister eyes flickered with a strange light. His face, illuminated by the flickering flames, appeared exceptionally eerie. "Young Master, what have you uncovered?! There is indeed someone who matches your description!"

"Who?"

"The Left Elder of the Sacred Hall, Luoning, who disappeared alongside the Old Grand Pontiff!"

Du Chen rubbed his nose. "Damn it, Rogliff is Luoning!"

"Luoning has appeared?!" Deboning, disregarding his injuries, abruptly stood. "Young Master, if Luoning has reappeared, then the Old Grand Pontiff..."

"There's no news of my Maternal Grandfather!" Du Chen pondered for a moment before saying, "Luoning and my Maternal Grandfather disappeared together back then. Now, he has appeared with my Maternal Grandfather's ship! Mister Deboning, I first need to ascertain if Left Elder Luoning is friend or foe. What is your assessment?"

Deboning shook his head slightly. "The intelligence is too scarce. The Left Elder was indeed loyal to the Grand Pontiff back then, but so much time has passed. If Philip could betray the Old Grand Pontiff, then Luoning's loyalty cannot be guaranteed..."

"Precisely! Continue your recuperation. In three months, Rogliff—that is to say, Luoning—will return to Battle God Isle! At that time, I will need your Deboning Hook to help me find the answers!"

Deboning nodded gravely.

Du Chen, originally about to leave, recalled something and paused, asking, "There's one more thing I need your help with. I'm close to advancing to a Three-Star Fighter. Although you hail from a Metal Martial Fighter background, you still possess knowledge of basic water-element techniques, correct? Could you give me some advice regarding a unique battle technique?"

...

During this period, Du Chen had been asking anyone he could about unique battle techniques, even Shieb. Though Harry possessed no battle qi, as a Shieb, he had an innate sensitivity to water-elemental variations like ice and snow.

Meanwhile, a concept had already formed in Du Chen's mind—a truly dashing, incredibly arrogant concept...

Now, Du Chen sat upon the Precious Lotus Scripture, turning over the two sacred artifacts in his hands. The Storm Dagger was obedient and effective, its power astonishing when channeled through his Lotus Internal Force. However, it was of the plant element, and Du Chen now required a water-element sacred artifact to refine his battle qi!

The Cloud Mist Chains were water-elemental, and even a Ninth-tier water-element sacred artifact, yet Du Chen could not utilize them!

Just recently, Du Chen had believed that by transforming the Cloud Mist Chains into the shape of a sword, he could then use them, thus dismissing the need to search for a sword-type sacred artifact. But when he actually tried to do so, he was dumbfounded.

After he reshaped the Cloud Mist Chains into a sword, the cursed sacred artifact lost all its abilities, becoming completely inert. Not even his Lotus Internal Force could activate it. It was only after Du Chen restored it to its original chain form that the Cloud Mist Chains recovered their abilities.

Du Chen racked his brain, concluding there was only one reason for this outcome: the Cloud Mist Chains were a Soul Artifact, imbued with an 'artifact spirit,' a sophisticated concept he didn't quite grasp yet! It was precisely due to the existence of this spirit that he had acquired the 'Cloud Mist' as an item, but not her true essence or cooperation.

"Damn it, I still need to find a sacred artifact!" Du Chen emerged from his lotus-seat, scratching his head in frustration. Sacred artifacts were things to be stumbled upon, not sought after. Many High-level Battle Gods didn't even possess a suitable sacred artifact; where was he supposed to find one?

"Steal!? Even a rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its burrow! Stealing sacred artifacts from his classmates and teachers would only lead to trouble sooner or later, and he'd feel guilty about it! If he couldn't resort to 'forcibly submitting' them after theft... sigh, he'd better go ask Aunt Sherine!"

Du Chen tidied his clothes. Just as he stepped out of his dormitory, he saw Arthur approaching, accompanied by Leonardo.

"Francis!" Arthur called out to Du Chen from afar. Compared to two days prior, Arthur's expression was much brighter, and his physique appeared far more robust. He now had fifty-catty sandbags, compressed with battle qi, strapped to his body, yet he showed no sign of exertion.

Arthur quickly took a few steps, arriving beside Du Chen, his handsome face alight with a joyous smile. "Francis, I've done everything you told me! Quickly, tell me what to do next!"

Adapted so quickly? Du Chen was utterly astonished. The self-abusive training regimen he had suggested to Arthur two days ago was utterly monstrous! A normal human being couldn't possibly adapt so rapidly!

"Is Arthur even human?!" The thought suddenly flashed through Du Chen's mind, then he chuckled at his own absurdity. "Very well, Arthur, let's test your progress!"

Saying this, Du Chen led them to the training ground in his backyard, then chuckled, "Arthur, remove all your weights! Mister Leonardo, would you be so kind as to hold this wooden plank, imbued with One-Star battle qi?"

Du Chen handed Leonardo a wooden plank, asking him to infuse it with the most basic level of battle qi. Then, with a knot of anxiety in his stomach, he said, "Arthur, strike this plank with all your might!"

To be honest, Du Chen wasn't entirely confident, but if he didn't push through this now, Arthur would likely revert to his former despondent state.

"My body..." Arthur removed all his weights, first startled, then overcome with immense joy. "Leonardo, here I come!"

He leaped violently, his speed and height already surpassing the peak of normal human capabilities. Du Chen was just thinking that Arthur must have been an all-around sports star in his previous life, when suddenly, Arthur delivered a heavy punch squarely to the wooden plank.

With a resounding "THUMP," Leonardo stumbled back a step. Earlier, he too had harbored doubts, not placing much hope in Du Chen's method, but the power behind Arthur's punch...

"You, why are you stepping back?!" Arthur stared at Leonardo in disbelief, then suddenly roared, "I don't need your pity! I don't need you to fake it and deceive me!"

"No, Royal Grandson!" Leonardo instantly knelt, staring at Arthur dumbfounded. "Royal Grandson, I truly did use One-Star battle qi just now! If you don't believe that your current strength can contend with One-Star battle qi..." He abruptly pointed at a small, bowl-sized tree in Du Chen's courtyard. "This humble general can fake it, but this tree will not!"

Arthur stared blankly at Leonardo, then suddenly ran towards the tree like a madman, lifting his leg and snapping the bowl-sized trunk with a sharp "CRACK!"

"I, I..." He looked at his own body, his heart filled with disbelief.

"He could contend with a One-Star Fighter? He was no longer a useless waste?!"

"Haha! I, the Royal Grandson of the Renault Empire, heir to the Lionheart King, am no longer a good-for-nothing!"

He slowly turned his head, staring wide-eyed at Francis. "Fra..."

Du Chen waved his hand, signaling that Arthur didn't need to say anything, then stepped forward and patted his shoulder. "Congratulations, Arthur! However..." He chuckled, "You owe me for this tree!"

Though Du Chen's words were a jest, his heart was pounding. Heavens, what was Arthur's body made of? Du Chen swore to the heavens that if a normal human being were to follow his instructions, there would only be three outcomes: either they'd be unable to endure and quit, they'd be tormented to injury, disability, or death, or their strength and speed would be enhanced, but never to Arthur's current degree!

"Was Arthur even human anymore?" The ridiculous thought surfaced in Du Chen's mind once more!

"A normal human could absolutely not achieve this!"

"If he continued this training, what heights would he reach?"

Arthur finally recovered from his ecstatic state, gripping Du Chen's hand tightly, his eyes unexpectedly reddening. He knew Du Chen's mention of the tree was just a joke, but he still declared, "A single tree is nothing! I will certainly compensate you, Francis. When I inherit the Renault throne, I'll even give you all the mountains and forests of the entire Renault Empire!"

Leonardo, standing by, subtly frowned. What did he mean, "give all the mountains and forests to Francis"? Your esteemed Royal Grandson, you should know perfectly well how much territory all the mountains and forests of the Renault Empire represent!

However, Leonardo knew Arthur was overly emotional right now and had merely spoken thoughtlessly, so he made no further comment. Then, he looked at the tree Arthur had kicked down, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"What if I were to promote this training method throughout the entire army?"

Du Chen also understood that Arthur's promise was simply a momentary surge of excitement, so he didn't take it to heart. He chuckled, "Arthur, since you've adapted to this stage of training, next, increase your weights to sixty catties, then add ten catties every ten days! But be extremely careful; you must advance gradually. If you feel your body can't handle it, come find me immediately!" Du Chen already regarded Arthur as non-human, so he immediately proposed an even more insane method!

"Good, good!" Arthur nodded repeatedly, his face now brimming with hope, while Du Chen felt a mischievous thrill.

"Giving hope to a Royal Grandson—surely this counts as a great good deed! After all, Arthur's state directly affected the stability of an entire empire."

After jotting down the training plan, Arthur eagerly rushed off to continue his regimen. Du Chen had Arthur meet his daughter, then escorted Arthur and Leonardo to the door.

"Farewell, Francis! I'll continue to work hard! Haha, goodbye, Little Beibei!" Arthur waved goodbye. The moment he turned, he suddenly pointed at the gravel path in front of the dormitory and gave Du Chen a suggestive smile. Then, he and Leonardo discreetly departed.

In the direction Arthur pointed, a person gracefully approached, her hazy eyes fixed on Du Chen, her face filled with... adoration? Infatuation? Longing?

Whatever it was, her suggestive expression sent a shiver down Du Chen's spine. It was terrifying!

It was Annie!

"Fr-Francis, hello!" Annie timidly approached Du Chen, lowering her head, her face flushed as she extended a hand.

Du Chen slightly furrowed his brow, angrily asking, "Helen, what are you doing back here?" Wait, Helen had returned to Battle God Isle a second time using the identity of a female Student Council official!

So this Annie... Heavens, this was the real Annie, not Helen impersonating her!

Du Chen gave an awkward chuckle. Out of habit, he had assumed Annie was still Helen, and had unconsciously adopted the air of a powerful master, even sternly yelling at Annie... This was incredibly rude and utterly inconsistent with his magnificent image!

Du Chen apologetically extended his hand and shook Annie's—a purely ceremonial gesture.

But after Annie grasped Du Chen's hand, she seemed to have no intention of letting go...

"What's going on? Is Annie trying to take liberties with him!?"

...

At this very moment, in a dormitory somewhere on Battle God Isle, Ted, who was meditating to heal his injuries, opened his eyes and mused, "Helen, will the Annie you controlled with your Soul-Ensnaring Art last time affect our plans?"

"Father, absolutely not. I have thoroughly erased Annie's memories!"

Ted shook his head slightly. "No, your Soul-Ensnaring Art is not yet perfected. It's highly probable you've left traces in Annie's memories, Sulan. Go monitor Annie!"

The serpentine Sulan asked, puzzled, "Master, Young Miss's Soul-Ensnaring Art is already very powerful. Such a situation shouldn't occur..."