Chapter 13：Call me 'Brother” (II)

"Be a sport. Reply to me," Ji Shan growled, not leaving Ji Mo a single ounce of dignity. 

"Ji Shan, we are cousins, no matter what. You're helping an outsider bully me, and that's too much. Today, I'm not giving this name slot up!" Faced with Ji Shan's incessant belittling, Ji Mo felt enraged. Since Ji Shan had completely stepped all over their brotherhood, he had nothing left to say to him. 

"Oh, Ji Mo, you've grown some balls. You even dare to raise your voice at me?" Ji Shan responded through gritted teeth. "I know you've been sparring with Senior Sister Huo Lin'er recently. Do you think that just because Senior Sister Huo Lin'er is on your side, you have the authority now? With a bug like you, even if there were ten of you, I wouldn't give a damn. I'm ashamed to have a cousin like you!" 

"I won't give up the name slot. What do you want to do?" Ji Mo was adamant about not giving in. 

"You…Very well! Since you humiliated me today, I'll also humiliate you!" Ji Shan was truly angered. A thick vein on his forehead throbbed, and a powerful aura seeped out of his body, similar to the aura of a wild beast. 

This was the Body Tempering Art cultivated by Ji Shan, the Wild Bull Tempering Art. This Body Tempering Art could train one's muscles to become as tough as a wild bull, as well as cultivate the brute strength of a bull that could tear down fortresses and level boulders. It was very brutish. 

"What? You can't out-argue me, so you're resorting to physically attacking me? Ji Shan, your temperament is still the same." Ji Mo smirked. 

Ji Shan had sixth-tier body tempering abilities. Before this, if he were to initiate an attack, Ji Mo would have found an excuse to escape because he was no match.

Now, however, things were different. Ji Mo's Celestial Devil Tempering Art had been cultivated to a small success. Although he was still far from achieving the true Celestial Devil Body, based on his current abilities, his Celestial Devil Power could still exert more than a thousand kilograms of force. If they were to fight, the winner might not have been so easily determined. 

"Ji Shan, let it go. After all, both of you are cousins and causing a scene wouldn't be great." Nan Gongye pretended to intervene. Nevertheless, everyone could see the malice in his eyes as if he could not wait for Ji Shan to attack Ji Mo. 

Senior Brother Ling's lips also spread into a smile. Folding his arms, he stood by the side and waited for the scene to unfold. 

"Ji Mo, come off it. You aren't his opponent. Evaluate the situation rationally," Du Jia opened her mouth to advise Ji Mo in a cold tone. 

"Shut up. I don't want to talk to you." Upon hearing Du Jia's voice, Ji Mo turned around and regarded her with a dark expression. His steely gaze was so murderous that even Du Jia could not help but sense goosebumps. 

Without realizing it, Ji Mo was emitting the aura of the Celestial Devil.

"I don't know what you're thinking about, but facts are facts. How long are you going to act this childishly? With your abilities, you're neither a match for Ji Shan nor are you suitable for participating in the Hunting Competition. Why don't you give up your name slot like a good boy? Once your time limit in Tianyuan Academy is up, you can return to the clan and live a peaceful, ordinary life. That isn't necessarily a bad thing." Du Jia gave Ji Mo a pitiful look. 

"Du Jia, don't pretend to be a good person. Once I teach this ungrateful bloke a lesson, I'll settle our grudge," Ji Mo replied with a sideways glance. 

"You…you wouldn't dare!" Du Jia gnashed her teeth and snorted. 

"Teach me a lesson? Haha, this is the best joke I've ever heard in my life. You, teach me a lesson? I'm going to break your legs. Even if your old man shows up, he can't do anything to me." Ji Shan was unbelievably arrogant. 

Ever since Ji Shan entered Tianyuan Academy, his talents had been recognized. He had the potential to be recruited by the Tianshan Sword Sect. As long as he was accepted as a disciple of the Tianshan Sword Sect, even Ji Mo's father would not be able to harm him. 

"Beg for forgiveness on your knees!" Ji Shan bellowed with the vigor of a wild bull, swinging a slap toward Ji Mo. The slap was completely merciless as Ji Shan put almost all his strength into it. 

Fwoosh!

A loud gust resounded in everyone's ears as Ji Shan swung his palm towards the left side of Ji Mo's face. 

Ji Mo's narrowed his eyes. He watched Ji Shan's palm grow bigger and bigger before his eyes. Then, just as the palm was about to hit his face, he raised his right arm and caught Ji Shan's wrist with a snap. 

Ji Mo completely blocked the slap which contained inconceivable strength.

"Heh!" Ji Mo grinned. Underneath his skin, there was a faint crimson glow as the Celestial Devil Power easily dissolved all of Ji Shan's strength. 

Ji Shan's expression changed. There was a look of surprise in his eyes. 

At first, he thought that a single slap was enough to hit Ji Mo to the ground, or perhaps even knock him out, but he did not expect Ji Mo to possibly block his attack. Furthermore, an extraordinary force came from Ji Mo's hand. Ji Shan felt as though Ji Mo's hands were a pair of iron pliers wrapped around his wrist. He was completely unable to shake Ji Mo's hand away. The grip was so tight that he felt like the bones in his hands were going to be crushed. 

Seeing the triumphant look on Ji Mo's face, Ji Shan snorted in derision. Biting his teeth, he said, "What? Don't be happy just because you managed to block a single blow! I was simply sparing you some dignity, but you even dare to resist. In that case, I won't hold back anymore!" 

Ji Shan was a talented disciple of their clan, so naturally, he had a litany of tactics up his sleeve. The massive power contained in his punch was not to be taken lightly. 

Ji Mo's pupils contracted tightly. It was unknown whether the changes in his body were caused by the Celestial Devil Tempering Art, but his senses were extraordinarily sharpened. At this point, Ji Mo was surprised to find that Ji Shan's movements were almost like slow motion. Although his punch was fierce, it was extremely slow. 

Thus, Ji Mo turned his body sideways, and Ji Shan's fist merely glided across his chest. In Ji Mo's eyes, all of these events unfolded at a snail's pace. 

Afterward, in a flash, Ji Mo stretched his hand out and pressed his palm against Ji Shan's face. He activated the Celestial Devil Power and shoved Ji Shan onto the ground with a loud splat. Ji Shan fell face-first into the ground like a dog eating its own poop. 

"That was fast!" 

This was what most people in the square thought. Perhaps, to Ji Mo, the scene unfolded as expected, but to the outsiders, his retaliation was truly remarkable. Faced against Ji Shan's vicious punch, Ji Mo's movements were as graceful as flowing water. His response was extremely fast and instantly knocked Ji Shan to the ground. 

In fact, it looked almost sophisticated.

Many people were shocked, including Du Jia, Nan Gongye, and Senior Brother Ling. Everyone wore similar looks of disbelief. 

"He actually evaded Ji Shan's attack, easily dissolved the energy contained and managed to make a counter-attack. His movements are completely fluid like an experienced warrior's." 

"Ji Mo is well-known to be a nerd and a cowardly shrimp. Since when did his abilities improve so much?" 

"It's just a coincidence, definitely just a coincidence. Ji Shan possesses sixth-tier body tempering. How could he lose to a cowardly shrimp? Ji Shan must've just been extremely careless!" 

Many people held the same opinion as though they were unable to accept the truth before their eyes.