Even Glenn found the enthusiastic boldness of northern Dragon Kingdom people somewhat difficult to accept. He quickly changed clothes and strode to wait beneath trees by the creek until everyone finished washing and dressing, then returned to camp with the main group.
"Hey, man, what's there to be shy about? Such magnificent, well-proportioned muscles! I could tell at first glance these are results forged through your day-and-night, never-ceasing training. Though they don't appear large, I can sense extremely powerful explosive force within them. Tsk tsk, I truly don't know how you developed them. Glenn, you're simply a natural-born warrior!"
Feng Lian draped his wet towel around his neck, laughing heartily several times while praising Glenn thus. Among those who had earlier attempted hands-on examination of the latter's musculature, this fellow had been the ringleader.
"You flatter me, though I dislike others touching me."
"Relax, my sexual orientation is normal."
"I don't believe I mentioned anything regarding that aspect."
"Let me tell you, my intuition proves quite accurate. Although you didn't voice it, I believe that's precisely what you were thinking, so I must correct your impression of me."
Following the bathing incident, Feng Lian's interest in Glenn had obviously increased considerably from initially. Clearly, this resulted from Glenn's somewhat slender appearance actually concealing such battle-hardened physique.
Based on Glenn's assessment of this individual, Feng Lian should be a sorcerer majoring in combat arts. His entire body displayed robust musculature, brimming with strength, while his aura proved more fierce than ordinary young sorcerers.
During the journey, Glenn had utilized rest periods to inquire about information concerning all young sorcerers in the group. When facing Feng Lian, Glenn had attempted wielding his heavy halberd.
It was genuinely heavy—Glenn required both hands to wield it properly.
And Feng Lian?
"Ah, spiritual power? I don't need any spiritual power wielding this thing—muscle strength alone suffices easily."
This constituted Feng Lian's response, and he even improvised a complete halberd technique set, achieving with one hand what Glenn accomplished with two.
Terrifying indeed.
However, through observation, Glenn discovered Feng Lian seemed insufficiently skilled in magical arts. Regarding this point, Glenn had specifically inquired of Feng Lian personally.
"Haha, you're asking about that? Cough, embarrassingly speaking, I once practiced dark arts and demonic paths. Becoming too obsessed, I experienced qi deviation, remaining confined in the school's cultivation chamber receiving treatment. Upon regaining consciousness, all meridians throughout my body had severed. Only now have I recovered somewhat, though spiritual power circulation within my body remains quite sluggish. Sigh, embarrassing, embarrassing!"
"Your school permits open elective study of dark arts?"
Following this, Glenn sought Lin Yu with his inquiry.
"Mm, calling it 'elective' isn't entirely accurate. So-called dark arts actually constitute merely a branch within combat arts and spell-casting courses. Whether you study them depends upon your willingness and interest."
"Naturally, precisely as you're considering, the cultivation methods those dark arts practitioners train in are the dark arts I mentioned. Though the dark arts we master fall far short of those possessed by civilian dark arts practitioner groups, we still possess six or seven parts out of ten."
"Our philosophy maintains that provided you don't employ dark arts for malevolent purposes, practicing dark arts actually differs not at all from practicing other cultivation methods."
"Power itself bears no fault—what's wrong are people who utilize that power for malevolent purposes."
Lin Yu spoke thus while casually retrieving a dark purple-covered book from his pocket, handing it to Glenn.
After briefly perusing it, Glenn raised his eyebrows slightly.
"Such cultivation methods are genuinely permitted in Dragon Kingdom?"
Lin Yu shrugged, regarding Glenn.
"Why not?"
"In public perception, these methods all constitute 'unconscionable' acts."
"What era is this? We won't continue employing those antiquated, corrupt cultivation methods from before. Our predecessors have already explored new paths for us that can achieve identical original effects."
"Human blood required for cultivation can be self-provided—merely requiring consuming more blood-replenishing foods and proper rest. Observe that fellow, the weak-faced one who particularly enjoys eating."
"You mean Yao Lin?"
Based on Lin Yu's description, Glenn immediately identified his target, having already grasped everyone's general information through observation and inquiry.
"That fellow constitutes a thorough dark cultivator. Learning orthodox magical arts merely disguises his dark cultivator identity. That Yao Lin kid proves quite sinister—corpse refinement, blood magic, and such. He's progressed furthest among peers along those cultivation paths, yet doesn't he still observe righteous laws? Daily he pitifully employs preservation containers collecting his own blood, maintaining perpetually anemic appearance. Regardless of consumption quantity, he cannot recover nor gain weight. During field mission execution, he slaughters dark arts practitioners like a rabid dog to refine his yin corpses. His purpose joining our team this time probably follows identical motivations."
Lin Yu counted upon his fingers, providing Glenn several examples before finally indicating himself.
"Including myself—I also studied dark arts from combat arts and spell-casting courses."
"Oh, what constitute your achievements in this area?"
Glenn proved quite interested in this aspect. In correspondence between Glenn, Hermione, and Lin Yu, the other party had never mentioned this matter.
"Don't mention it. I studied quite miscellaneously—only know slight amounts of everything."
Glenn naturally wouldn't completely believe Lin Yu's words.
Not because his cousin deliberately concealed anything, but because Lin Yu's excessive strength caused inaccurate self-assessment.
Someone capable of wildly selecting over ten courses at Dragon Kingdom's magical arts school, achieving perfect first-place results in every course, and continuously finding after-class leisure time to participate in field missions assigned from above with 100% success rates—could such a person be ordinary?
Lin Yu was a genius—a well-deserved genius lacking self-awareness. This remained beyond doubt.
Therefore when he claimed his abilities in certain areas amounted to only "slight amounts," one should believe merely half that statement.
Returning thoughts from recent scenes to reality, automatically filtering Feng Lian's thunderous voice beside him, Glenn couldn't help feeling somewhat emotional.
Indeed, he should take Hermione out more frequently to expand horizons and encounter more people and situations.
Only thus could she understand her genuine strength and deficiencies while gaining stronger motivation and ambition.
"...So, permit me to touch them—your perfect muscles."
Feng Lian's voice continued resonating in his ears.
"I refuse."
Glenn expressionlessly accelerated his pace.
Such people and situations were better left unencountered.
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