Peerless Bodyguard of a Stunning Beauty

Upon hearing that he had not only leveled up but had also jumped three levels, Zhao Rong almost fainted with happiness.

He looked at Tao Hua and said, ”Tao Hua, is that level detector of yours broken? I just took a nap in this Ice Lake. How could I have possibly increased by three levels?”

Upon hearing this, Tao Hua put down the level detection device and used her Inner Strength to sense Zhao Rong’s cultivation level. When she perceived that he was now a twenty-fifth-level cultivator, she looked at him with a mix of admiration and astonishment. ”Zhao Rong, you really did advance three levels. There’s no mistake.”

Hearing that he had truly advanced three levels, Zhao Rong beamed with joy. He immediately threw a punch toward a massive boulder not far away. The moment his fist connected, the boulder, previously solid as a rock, was instantly reduced to rubble.

Next, Zhao Rong turned his attention to the stalactites hanging from the roof of the cave. With a light jump, he easily plucked one from the ceiling. He then casually lifted a twenty-five-ton boulder nearby. After showing off his new strength, Zhao Rong wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, ”No doubt about it. I indeed advanced three levels. I am now a twenty-fifth-level cultivator.”

When Tao Hua heard that Zhao Rong had advanced three levels just by soaking in the Ice Lake for half the night, she was immediately tempted. She jumped into the small Ice Lake, saying, ”Zhao Rong, if you can advance three levels in this Ice Lake, then I can soak in here to level up too!”

With that, she leaped into the water. Tao Hua had expected the Ice Lake to be unbearably cold, but upon entering, she was completely stunned. Touching the warm, comfortable water, she asked, ”Zhao Rong, when did this Ice Lake turn into a hot spring?”

Hearing her words, Zhao Rong said awkwardly, ”Tao Hua, actually, I didn’t level up by cultivating in the icy water. I did it by refining an Elixir and then consuming it.”

Hearing Zhao Rong say he leveled up through refining and consuming an Elixir, Tao Hua looked at the environment of the small Ice Lake and thought to herself.

Zhao Rong’s alchemy requires not only a pressure cooker but also a fire to heat it from below. There’s no way to do alchemy here in this Ice Lake. So if that’s not possible, why would he lie and say he leveled up through alchemy instead of through his own rigorous cultivation? It can only mean that Zhao Rong is a modest, prudent, and kind man who doesn’t want others to become jealous.

So, as Tao Hua soaked in the warm water, she looked at Zhao Rong and said, ”Zhao Rong, I know why you told me that white lie. You’re afraid I’ll feel inferior, right? I know you have extraordinary talent and an exceptional constitution, so cultivation must be easy for you. Don’t worry about me. Tao Hua will always be your biggest fan. As long as you become stronger, I’ll be happy.”

Listening to her, Zhao Rong desperately wanted to tell her that he wasn’t some kind of prodigy; he really had just relied on an Elixir to level up. However, no matter what he said, Tao Hua was convinced that he had endured rigorous cultivation and extreme cold to jump three levels.

Just as Zhao Rong was about to take out the Perseverance Fire from his Magic Ring to prove he had indeed performed alchemy, Tao Hua’s phone buzzed with a WeChat notification.

When Zhao Rong saw that her phone had a signal in such a secluded cave, he exclaimed in surprise, ”Tao Hua, what kind of phone are you using? How does it still have a signal in here?”

Tapping open WeChat, Tao Hua replied, ”It’s a domestic brand. I just installed a router in the cultivation cave, so now my phone can connect to the Wi-Fi.”

Hearing that this mystical cultivation cave had Wi-Fi, Zhao Rong nearly fainted from shock. He had never imagined that the internet had truly permeated every corner of life.

When Tao Hua opened WeChat, she saw a message from the sect’s gatekeeper. He informed her that Hector, the young prodigy from the Wild Wolf Sect, had arrived to challenge the True Martial Sect. Since no one in the True Martial Sect could face him, he was currently at the main gate, taunting everyone.

Upon hearing that Hector had arrived so early, Tao Hua immediately said, ”Good, let him come. Zhao Rong came all the way from Xijing University just to deal with you.”

Hearing this, Zhao Rong paused.

I didn’t come from Xijing University to the True Martial Sect specifically to deal with Hector. I came to cultivate with Tao Hua. Still, since I stumbled into this, how can I back down?

So, Zhao Rong puffed out his chest and declared to Tao Hua, ”Don’t worry, Tao Hua. Leave this Hector from the Wild Wolf Sect to me. If I, Zhao Rong, could kill Achilles, the first-generation prodigy of the True Martial Sect, then I can certainly kill Hector, the second-generation prodigy of the Wild Wolf Sect.”

Listening to Zhao Rong’s words, Tao Hua said with complete confidence, ”I know, Zhao Rong. Wherever you are, victory is sure to follow.”

With that, they descended the mountain to confront Hector.

At the entrance of the True Martial Sect, Hector was running rampant.

He was casually beating any True Martial Sect disciple who passed by, sneering, ”Doesn’t the True Martial Sect have anyone who dares to fight? You’re all a bunch of cowards hiding in your shells! Tao Hua, get out here! After I thrash you, I have to go to Xijing University to kill a little security guard. So, please don’t waste my time!”

Hector had calculated everything carefully. He would first come to the True Martial Sect and use his strength as a level-thirty cultivator to defeat Tao Hua, humiliating the entire sect. Then, he would go to Xijing University and, in front of all the students and staff at the school gate, humiliate that little security guard.

Just as Hector was arrogantly shouting and causing a scene, Zhao Rong and Tao Hua arrived at the gate.

When Hector saw Tao Hua, he mocked her, ”Beauty, if you kneel on the ground now in front of everyone and submit to me, I’ll let you and your True Martial Sect off the hook. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being rude. I’ll defeat you first, then force myself on you, and finally, strip you naked in front of all the True Martial Sect disciples and humiliate you!”

Hearing the vile words spewing from Hector’s mouth, utterly devoid of a great warrior’s demeanor, Zhao Rong leaped forward. He pointed at Hector and cursed, ”You fucking moron! You call yourself a man, yet you challenge a woman? Are you even a man? To me, you’re just an animal—no, you’re worse than an animal!”

Hearing a security guard insult him, Hector instantly pointed at Zhao Rong’s nose and sneered, ”A little security guard? Aren’t you just security for the True Martial Sect? Who the hell do you think you are, challenging me, the young prodigy of the Wild Wolf Sect?”

When the nearby Tao Hua heard Hector fail to recognize the great man standing before him—the renowned King of the True Martial Sect, Zhao Rong—she immediately jumped in. ”Hector, don’t underestimate him! He is the famous Zhao—”

Before Tao Hua could finish, Zhao Rong stopped her. ”Don’t tell him who I am yet,” he whispered. ”Let me toy with him a bit as a humble security guard.”

Hearing this, Tao Hua smiled, then looked at Hector and said, ”Hector, forget about challenging me. I doubt you could even defeat our True Martial Sect’s security guard.”

At this, Hector erupted in fury. ”Damn it! I, Hector, the prodigy of the Wild Wolf Sect, can’t even defeat one of your security guards? What a joke!”

After speaking, he thought to himself.

The only person in the True Martial Sect I fear is that legendary figure, Zhao Rong. After all, he killed Achilles, the strongest young prodigy of our Wild Wolf Sect. Other than him, I, Hector, fear no one.

Seeing that Hector had taken the bait, Zhao Rong prepared to play the wolf in sheep’s clothing. He immediately provoked Hector, saying, ”Hector, since you’re so confident, how about I, this humble security guard and the most useless person in the True Martial Sect, have a little spar with you?”

Hearing a mere security guard want to spar with him, Hector roared with laughter. ”Little security guard, since you’re so eager to die, I, Hector, will be happy to oblige.”

Hearing this, Zhao Rong pretended to be terrified. ”Hector, I… I’m just a little security guard. I’m not a cultivator, and I’ve never even learned Martial Arts. I’m so scared…”

Seeing the genuine fear on the guard’s face, Hector said arrogantly, ”Little security guard, I, Hector, especially enjoy killing posers like you who have no real skill. You deserve to die.”

With that, Hector threw a punch at Zhao Rong.

As his fist flew toward Zhao Rong, Hector thought, This little security guard is neither a cultivator nor trained in Martial Arts. One punch is all it will take to end his life.

However, as the punch arrived, Zhao Rong sidestepped and delivered a high roundhouse kick directly to Hector’s face. The impact kicked him so hard he spun a full 360 degrees in the air before crashing heavily to the ground.

As Hector struggled to get up, he clutched his broken nose and muttered, ”Damn it! What’s wrong with me today? How can I not even handle a pathetic security guard?”

Still holding his shattered nose, he growled, ”Little security guard, I didn’t expect you to have a few tricks. That last move doesn’t count. I was going easy on you. This time, I’m coming at you for real.”

When the crowd saw a simple security guard break the nose of the great prodigy Hector, they erupted in a chorus of jeers.

A True Martial Sect disciple who had been provoked by Hector earlier taunted him, ”I thought Hector of the Wild Wolf Sect was supposed to be some great expert. Turns out, he’s nothing but a fraud! Otherwise, how could a lowly security guard have broken his nose?”

A vendor selling meat sandwiches had just seen a security guard take down the level-thirty cultivator Hector. While stuffing meat into a bun, he jeered, ”A level-thirty cultivator who can’t even beat an untrained security guard with no Martial Arts? What a disgrace to your ancestors! Hector, instead of embarrassing yourself here, you might as well go home and eat shit!”

Finishing his tirade, the vendor burst into raucous laughter.

Hearing the mockery from all around, Hector trembled with rage. ”Little security guard,” he seethed, ”I was really going easy on you just now. Now, I’m going to use a Martial Technique! You just wait!”

With that, Hector unleashed the low-level Yellow-rank Martial Technique, Stone Fist. He chose such a basic technique because he figured that since the guard had no cultivation or Martial Arts, a simple move would be enough to deal with him. There was no need to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

However, what Hector never expected was that to counter his low-level Yellow-rank Stone Fist, Zhao Rong would immediately use his own trump card: the high-level Mysterious-rank Martial Technique, Punch Across Mountains…