47: You fight yours and I fight mine, I'll make you mad to death!

The last time Li Dong publicly humiliated Manager Liu and Lin Fan in the mission hall by using the rules and regulations, they completely lost face.

This incident was like a stone thrown into the not-so-calm waters of the New Recruit Camp, and the ripples it caused lingered for a long time.

Lin Fan and his group naturally wouldn't let the matter rest.

Since open obstruction wouldn't work, they decided to resort to underhanded tactics.

Soon, an undercurrent targeting Li Dong began to surge within the New Recruit Camp.

Lin Fan and his followers, Brother Zhao and Brother Sun, were secretly very active.

They didn't directly trouble Li Dong; after all, the rules were there, and no one wanted to be caught.

But they began to send signals to other new recruits, subtly hinting, either overtly or covertly, to stay away from that 'country bumpkin' named Li Dong.

"Hey, have you heard? That Li Dong, his background isn't clean, and his recommendation slot came from an improper source."

"Yeah, yeah, and he even stole other people's credit. That Wolf King in Blackwood Forest last time, someone else discovered it first."

"His Heart-Nature is crooked; such a person won't go far. Don't get involved with him."

"Young Master Lin and his group don't like him, so we should be sensible."

This kind of Yin and Yang tone was the most vexing. Some new recruits, who were already quick-witted and eager to curry favor with scions like Lin Fan, immediately understood and began to subtly distance themselves from Li Dong.

In the cafeteria, when he walked by with his tray, the usually lively tables would suddenly fall silent. Some people would Move their chairs, pretending not to see him. On the training ground, when team practice was required, he was often the last one left, or simply no one wanted to be in a group with him.

Rumors, you know, always spread faster than the wind. Within a few days, Li Dong became the 'lucky dog,' the 'scheming' troublemaker who 'offended Young Master Lin' in the eyes of many. Isolation, silent ostracism, like a net, quietly tightened around him.

Of course, not everyone was a sycophant. Some new recruits, from ordinary backgrounds or with more straightforward personalities, disdained Lin Fan and his group's actions. They might not dare to speak up for Li Dong publicly, but occasionally they would cast a sympathetic glance or whisper a reminder when passing by: "Brother Li, be careful, Lin Fan and his group have ill intentions."

Brother Qian, a Loose Cultivator, was one of the few who still willing to talk to Li Dong. He approached Li Dong more than once, worriedly: "Brother Li, this... Lin Fan and his group are going too far! How about we go talk to Manager Wang?"

Li Dong just shook his head and patted Brother Qian's shoulder. "It's nothing, just a bunch of clowns. Let them be." He knew perfectly well. Go to Manager Wang? Manager Wang might handle it impartially and reprimand Lin Fan, but could it solve the fundamental problem? No. Behind Lin Fan was a faction, a web of interests, not something Manager Wang's few words could settle. These minor antics now were just an appetizer.

He continued to go his own way. Cultivate, take on missions, earn Merits. It was as if all external disturbances had nothing to do with him. Li Dong remained silent, only focused on Cultivating and earning Merits. This little old man just wanted to earn Merits points right now, and no one could stop him. This unyielding attitude, impervious to persuasion, only made Lin Fan and the others even more furious. They felt like they were punching cotton, unable to exert their strength.

This afternoon, it was the New Recruit Camp's collective training session, focusing on combat practical exercises. The instructor was a Manager surnamed Zhou, whose attitude was relatively fair and impartial.

Halfway through the training, Manager Zhou announced free sparring in self-organized teams. As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Fan, accompanied by Zhao and Sun, walked directly in front of Li Dong.

"Li Dong!" Lin Fan's chin was slightly raised, with a hint of provocation. "The last time in the mission hall, you got lucky. However, in the Demon Suppression Division, just being a smooth talker isn't enough. Do you dare to spar with me? Let me see how much real skill your 'Exceptional Rating' truly has!"

His voice was not quiet, and the surrounding new recruits immediately gathered, ready to watch a good show. Everyone knew that Lin Fan and Li Dong were at odds, and now the main player had personally stepped into the arena.

Brother Zhao and Brother Sun chimed in from the side: "Exactly, Li Dong, don't be a coward! Let's see if you're a mule or a horse!"

"Brother Lin is at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase; for him to give you, a newcomer, some pointers is your good fortune!"

The atmosphere instantly became tense. Brother Qian, on the side, was anxiously wringing his hands, wanting to say something but not daring to.

Li Dong looked up, calmly observing Lin Fan. He naturally knew what Lin Fan intended: nothing more than to use his slightly higher Cultivation Realm to thoroughly teach him a lesson in front of everyone, regain face, and ideally leave him injured and utterly humiliated.

Accept or not accept? If he accepted, it would play right into his opponent's hands, guaranteeing a fierce battle and potentially exposing his strength. If he didn't accept? Wouldn't that confirm his reputation as a 'coward' and make Lin Fan and his group even more smug?

Li Dong quickly calculated in his mind. A fight was definitely going to happen, but how to fight was the question. Go head-to-head? No need. His true trump card was the Heavenly Pill Rifting Demon Seal. If he unleashed it with full power, let alone the peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase, he was confident he could even contend with someone in the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment. But exposing it now was too soon.

Alright, this was a good opportunity to gauge Lin Fan's true capabilities. And also to show certain people that Li Dong was not someone to be easily manipulated.

"Alright." Li Dong nodded, his tone indifferent.

Lin Fan hadn't expected him to agree so readily, and he paused for a moment before a sneer appeared on his face. "Good! You've got guts! Manager Zhou, we're just sparring, we'll stop before anyone gets seriously hurt!" He deliberately called out, indicating that he would abide by the rules.

Manager Zhou frowned but didn't stop them. Sparring among new recruits was normal, as long as it didn't go too far. "Mind your limits," he reminded them, then stepped aside.

The two walked to the center of the training ground and stood facing each other. The surrounding new recruits automatically formed a circle.

"Li Dong, watch closely!" Lin Fan growled, launching the first attack. He pushed off the ground, his figure like lightning, and threw a punch straight at Li Dong's face. The punch whistled through the air, carrying the spiritual energy fluctuations of the Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase, clearly serious and intending to give Li Dong a harsh lesson from the start.

Facing this fierce strike, Li Dong neither dodged nor retreated. He merely shifted his body slightly, his right foot planted firmly on the ground like a nail, and his left hand casually lifted, gently deflecting the blow.

"Clap!"

With a soft sound, Lin Fan's powerful punch was ingeniously deflected by Li Dong, grazing his shoulder and missing its target.

Huh?

Lin Fan was stunned. He felt as if his punch had struck a slippery loach, and most of its force had been neutralized. This kid, his reaction is quite fast, and his technique is good too?

He refused to believe it and intensified his attacks. Fists and feet flew, spiritual energy surged, creating gusts of wind. His Moves were wide and open, with a certain aristocratic flair.

However, Li Dong was like a reef in a turbulent current. No matter how fierce Lin Fan's attacks were, he always managed to neutralize them with the smallest movements, the most precise timing, and the most ingenious force-deflecting techniques. His footwork seemed simple, yet he always managed to perfectly evade Lin Fan's sharp edges; his blocks seemed effortless, yet he always precisely found the weak points in Lin Fan's force.

He didn't use the suppressive power of the Heavenly Pill Rifting Demon Seal, nor did he even take out his Mystic Iron Demon Suppressing Ruler. He merely relied on his exquisite control over his own strength, and his combat awareness and experience, which far surpassed others at the same Realm, to contend with Lin Fan. He steadily controlled his strength to the level of an ordinary Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase Cultivator.

The onlookers outside the arena were dumbfounded.

"This... what's going on? Lin Fan doesn't seem to be gaining the upper hand?"

"That Li Dong, his movement technique is so flexible, and his technique is so exquisite!"

"Why do I feel like Lin Fan is fighting a bit... clumsily?"

What was expected to be a crushing victory had turned out like this.

Lin Fan was like a strong man wielding a sledgehammer, while Li Dong was like a nimble dancer, always gracefully evading just before the hammer fell, and occasionally extending a finger to lightly tap the strong man's joints, causing him to stumble.

Manager Zhou also nodded secretly in approval.

He had originally thought that Li Dong had killed the Wolf King by relying on some explosive secret art or luck. He hadn't expected his fundamentals to be so solid, and his control over his strength to be almost microscopic. This composure and technique far surpassed that of ordinary new recruits. This kid was a promising talent!

Lin Fan grew more and more alarmed, and more and more frustrated, as the fight progressed.

He felt like he was punching air, every punch thrown with full force, yet always failing to connect. The opponent was as slippery as a fish, and always managed to interfere with him using small, clever Moves when his old strength was exhausted and new strength had yet to form, making him feel so uncomfortable he wanted to vomit blood. This was practically tearing his old face off and throwing it on the ground, then savagely trampling it a hundred times with shoes that had stepped in dog poop!

"Ah!" Lin Fan roared, no longer holding back. His spiritual energy, at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase, erupted without reservation. His fists were covered in a faint blue light, clearly indicating the use of a Cultivation Technique that amplified his punching power. "Get down!"

He unleashed a fierce punch, its speed and power significantly increased from before, aiming directly for Li Dong's chest.

Facing this full-force strike, Li Dong still didn't meet it head-on. He slid his feet again, his figure retreating sideways and backward like a ghost, while simultaneously bringing his index and middle fingers together on his right hand, pointing them at Lin Fan's wrist with lightning speed.

The timing, angle, and force were all perfectly executed.

Lin Fan only felt a numbness in his wrist, and the power in his punch instantly dissipated. Li Dong had already used the momentum of his retreat to widen the distance.

"You!" Lin Fan's face turned green with anger. He felt like an idiot, being played around with by his opponent. He had strength but couldn't use it; it was infuriating! Too infuriating!

"Do you want to continue?" Li Dong stood still, asking calmly.

Lin Fan stared intently at Li Dong, his chest heaving violently. If he continued to fight, he wasn't confident he could defeat his opponent, and he might even make a bigger fool of himself in front of everyone. This kid, his scheming was denser than a hornet's nest, he was hiding too much!

"Hmph!" Lin Fan snorted coldly, dropping his stance. "Consider yourself to have some skill! But don't get too smug! There's still a long time left in the New Recruit Camp!" After leaving a harsh threat, he turned and left, his face pale, accompanied by Zhao and Sun, whose expressions were equally grim.

A highly anticipated sparring match thus ended anticlimactically.

Lin Fan failed to regain face and instead appeared even more pathetic.

As for Li Dong, although he didn't display overwhelming strength, his effortless, in-control demeanor, as well as his terrifyingly solid foundation and techniques, left a deep impression on all the onlookers.

This guy is not to be trifled with! This was the common thought of many new recruits at that moment.

Manager Zhou walked up to Li Dong and nodded approvingly: "Not bad, your foundation is very solid, and your Heart-Nature is steady. Work hard, and you have a boundless future."

Li Dong bowed slightly: "Thank you for your guidance, Manager."

This sparring match was undoubtedly a minor setback for Lin Fan's faction. They realized that trying to deal with Li Dong with simple overwhelming strength probably wouldn't work. This kid from Mu Shi County was more slippery and troublesome than they had imagined. It seemed they would have to think of more 'effective' methods, such as during missions... For Li Dong, this sparring match also achieved its goal. He had probed Lin Fan's general strength, which was indeed stronger than an average Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase Cultivator, but if they were to truly fight, it wouldn't be difficult for him to resolve it if he went all out. More importantly, by 'hiding his true abilities,' he both responded to the provocation and avoided exposing his trump cards too early, while also improving his evaluation in the Manager's eyes.

Of course, he also knew that this was only a temporary calm. Lin Fan and his group, having been humiliated, would definitely retaliate with greater intensity. The real trouble, he feared, was yet to come. The System's reminder about the connection between the Lin family faction and Zhao Zhen was like a thorn, constantly pricking his heart. What exactly was hidden behind this?

He had to improve his strength and accumulate Merits faster. Only by standing higher and seeing further could he dispel the mist before his eyes and cope with the approaching storm.

After training, Li Dong walked back to the dormitory area. Brother Qian quickly followed him, his face filled with both admiration and worry.

"Brother Li, you were truly... amazing just now! You made that Lin Fan kid's face turn green with anger!" Brother Qian gestured excitedly, "But, they definitely won't let it go. In the future, you..."

Li Dong didn't stop walking, merely turning his head to glance at him.

"When soldiers come, we block them; when water comes, we cover it with earth."