The previously unified shouts of practice instantly turned as chaotic as a marketplace. The group of boys split into three factions—one led by Li Fang, son of the wealthy Li family, another centered around Li Pingfu, while the remaining children stood aside watching the commotion.
Li Yuan beside Li Pingfu angrily shouted, "Why did you trip Pingfu?!"
Li Fang sneered, "Who tripped him? Show proof!" He turned to his followers, "Did any of you see me trip someone?"
"Nothing of the sort! That's slander!"
"Watch your mouth over there!"
"Brother Fang's conduct is impeccable—he'd never resort to underhanded tricks like that scheming Li Pingfu!"
Li Pingfu grabbed the fuming Li Yuan, who stamped his feet in anger. The two were close friends of similar age, having grown up together through thick and thin. Such genuine childhood friendships nurtured through shared experiences were precious, unaffected by adults' prejudices. Yet human bias remained an immovable mountain.
Under his father Li Dahu's influence, the arrogant Li Fang had always looked down on outsiders, especially Li Pingfu who showed astonishing martial talent. At merely twelve years old, he was already catching up to Li Fang's skills and had become Teacher Zhou's favorite. The proud Li Fang couldn't stomach this, deliberately tripping Li Pingfu to vent his frustration—only for the lucky brat to dodge at the last moment.
"Enough commotion! Everyone run ten laps around the village!" Zhou Enxian's command treated both sides equally. Given Li Fang's connection to a minor official through his father's cousin and his rebellious nature, suppressing this incident was actually the safest approach for Li Pingfu.
Young and hot-blooded, how could Li Fang tolerate the insinuation of cowardice? His foot drew a perfect half-zhang circle in the dirt. "Who's afraid of you!"
With matters reaching this point, Zhou Enxian couldn't intervene. Sparring among students was after all a valid training method. Better to supervise their clash than let them fight secretly where accidents might happen. Still, he worried Li Pingfu might suffer—Li Fang's wealthy family provided constant tonics and he had two extra years of training.
"This Pingfu boy is too competitive," Zhou Enxian's furrowed brows gradually relaxed. "Well, better he learns his lesson now than lose his life later."
Within the circle, the two adolescents collided like fighting cocks upon the signal, kicking up dust in their fierce exchange. Fueled by rivalry, their normally brutal Black Tiger Fist technique grew even more vicious—fists and feet clashing, bones cracking—exciting the more combative spectators.
Li Fang's supporters kept shouting to disrupt Li Pingfu's rhythm, a permitted tactic. Surprisingly, against expectations of quick defeat, Li Pingfu held his own against Li Fang.
Zhou Enxian's eyes gleamed with approval. "Some stroke of fortune has improved Pingfu's skills—no wonder he dared issue the challenge."
Then Li Pingfu suddenly roared, seemingly desperate for victory as he launched a reckless straight punch that left his guard open.
"I win!" Li Fang's eyes flashed as he moved to counter—only for Li Pingfu to feint mid-strike! By the time Li Fang realized the trick, his momentum carried him forward uncontrollably. Startled by Li Pingfu's sudden groin grab feint, he stumbled and rolled out of bounds.
"I win!" The younger victor struck a triumphant pose, looking down at the fallen Li Fang with incomparable satisfaction—failing to notice the dark fury in his rival's dust-covered eyes.
"Big brother's martial talent is incredible!" Li Pingcan marveled through his mushroom surveillance. Their father had taught Li Pingfu to conceal his intentions in combat—hence the deliberate opening to lure Li Fang into a trap. Though two years younger and less skilled, the gap wasn't insurmountable with proper tactics. Such quick comprehension—what else could this be but natural genius?
"But that Li Fang..." Li Pingcan didn't miss Li Fang's ugly expression, sensing something sinister that needed monitoring. He immediately grew five additional gray mushrooms, deploying them with Little Black for full coverage of the training grounds—his LV6 Spore Sense could only maintain six "cameras" simultaneously.
Three days later, the surveillance paid off—Li Fang was caught sneaking near Li Pingfu's laundry, pouring from a bamboo tube a centipede as thick as a finger and long as a forearm! Its black carapace bore crimson legs, with dark purple fangs glistening wetly under black light.
"That's deadly poison!" Li Pingcan gasped. More venomous than the centipede was Li Fang's malice! To plot harm over bruised pride—even with prompt treatment, such a bite would cause agonizing pain for weeks. Without antidote, the hand might become crippled, or worse—toxic shock could be fatal!
"Centipedes prefer dark quiet places. If big brother doesn't touch his laundry on the way home, he'll be safe!" Calculating rapidly, Li Pingcan sprinted toward his brother while urging Little Black to fetch their father—antidote would be needed if the worst happened. To hasten his short legs, he used Dance of the Wind—some gusts pushing from behind while others cut air resistance ahead. Mastery allowed such fine control.
Gasping for breath in his fastest run ever, time seemed to crawl until—thankfully—his continuously cast Nature's Gift must have helped, as the centipede remained motionless in the mushroom feed. Soon his brother appeared on the path.
"Little brother, what brings you here?" The recently victorious Li Pingfu smiled cheerfully.
Li Pingcan's face was grave. "Big brother! Drop your clothes bundle NOW!" The rare seriousness triggered their father's words in Li Pingfu's memory: "Your younger brother possesses unique gifts. When he speaks seriously, trust him without question—we're family." Without hesitation, he flung the bundle down.
As it unraveled in the dirt, a dark purple centipede emerged. Chilled to the bone, Li Pingfu wondered aloud, "How did poison get in my clothes?" Before he could ponder further, the startled centipede darted straight toward Li Pingcan.
"BROTHER!" Li Pingfu's eyes nearly burst from their sockets in terror.