C74 Sign a New Contract

"The battle isn't over!" Chu Yan's voice thundered as he suddenly jolted his arm with force.

In a flash, surges of energy radiated outward, echoing the roar of an enraged dragon bursting forth from the sea.

"Furious Dragon Bind!"

BOOM!

The blast repelled Lin Miaoran's palm, while Chu Yan's fingers curled into a claw, lunging for Lin Miaoran's shoulder.

Lin Miaoran's eyes narrowed.

She had already experienced the might of Chu Yan's strike the day before.

But at that time, Chu Yan was nearly spent, so the impact hadn't hit her as profoundly as it did in this moment.

"This claw could rival the prowess of someone at the fifth level of the Genuine Martial Realm. How on earth did he train?" Lin Miaoran marveled inwardly as she swiftly retreated.

With a sharp "snap," Chu Yan's palm viciously struck the empty air, causing it to burst explosively.

The turbulent air currents, like a volley of arrows, shot out in every direction, grazing Lin Miaoran's cheek with a tingling sting.

"Such a pity," Chu Yan lamented internally.

Yet, his offensive onslaught continued unabated.

His body, honed and refined, now moved with greater speed. In the blink of an eye, he tapped the ground with the tip of his foot and, like a thunderbolt, charged at Lin Miaoran.

"Furious Dragon Bind!"

Chu Yan's arm whipped through the air once more, stirring the atmosphere around him as if churning the sea, sweeping toward Lin Miaoran.

"The increase in speed and strength since yesterday is undeniable, and my technique has become even more refined," Lin Miaoran thought, not with alarm but with elation. "You're a different fighter from yesterday. Let's see just how strong you've become."

As Chu Yan's arm approached, Lin Miaoran's figure contorted dramatically, executing an incredibly intricate maneuver.

As Chu Yan's palm made contact with Lin Miaoran's arm, her arm reacted with the swiftness of a striking serpent, a flash of lightning, and her palm landed squarely on Chu Yan's chest.

Bang!

Chu Yan was sent flying, crashing into a humanoid dummy in the distance, reducing it to shambles.

This time, however, Chu Yan barely paused, springing up from the ground almost immediately, his chest devoid of the pain that had plagued him the day before.

"My resilience has significantly improved," Lin Miaoran noted, her gaze flickering as she assessed Chu Yan.

As Lin Miaoran scrutinized Chu Yan, he too was sizing her up.

The astonishment in Chu Yan's heart was nearly on par with Lin Miaoran's.

"My speed, strength, and agility have all seen a massive boost since yesterday. Yet, despite my two furious onslaughts, I haven't managed to land a single blow, let alone injure him. And just like yesterday, he sends me flying with ease," Chu Yan reflected inwardly. "Is this guy truly at the fifth level of the Genuine Force Stage?"

At that moment, Chu Yan felt a sudden chill, his entire body's muscles tensing in an instant.

Looking up, he saw Lin Miaoran charging at him.

"Seven Stars Windstorm Steps!" Chu Yan executed the move.

Whoosh!

Lin Miaoran's leg, swift as a whip, swung into empty space.

But Lin Miaoran appeared to have anticipated this, halting abruptly and swiftly zeroing in on Chu Yan's position, her elbow sweeping through the air like a bar of iron.

Chu Yan moved with rapid steps, his form swift as a gust, dodging Lin Miaoran's attack once again.

Unlike yesterday, Chu Yan wasn't just passively taking hits. In that moment, his speed surged.

He had just evaded her, creating a ten-meter gap between them, but with the next step, the Fourth Star Step, he closed the distance in a flash, his fingers like steel talons, savagely reaching for Lin Miaoran's head and shoulders.

"This is it!" Lin Miaoran's eyes sharpened as her hands fluttered in a blur.

Pah pah pah pah pah!

For a brief moment, the air seemed filled with seven or eight palms.

Three palms landed on Chu Yan's chest, while others struck his chest and lower abdomen.

Chu Yan was once again propelled into the air.

This time, however, it wasn't just a matter of being thrown. Mid-flight, he was struck by several more palm strikes, sending him further through the air until he crashed into the wall with a thud, creating a dent before finally collapsing to the ground.

As Lin Miaoran made to charge at him again, Chu Yan bellowed, "Stop!"

Her gaze flickered but she stood her ground.

"Time's up!" At that moment, Chu Yan gestured toward the distant hourglass.

Lin Miaoran glanced at the hourglass and, just as Chu Yan had claimed, the last grains of sand had trickled down.

The thirty breaths of time had flown by so swiftly that Lin Miaoran was left craving more—a sensation she had never experienced in previous battles.

Despite Lin Miaoran's apparent readiness for another round, Chu Yan cut her off, "Time's up for today. Pay up. I want to exchange it all for Blood Marrow."

Realizing Chu Yan had no intention of continuing their duel, Lin Miaoran reluctantly conceded.

Chu Yan noticed her pull Sixth Madame aside, whispering something that made the woman nod repeatedly.

"He's not mute?" Chu Yan wondered, his confusion quickly giving way to a scowl. "Well, mute or not, I'll make sure to beat you so badly you'll be crying for your parents."

Reflecting on his significant improvement in strength and yet his inability to get the upper hand today, Chu Yan's frustration deepened.

As Sixth Madame approached, he blurted out, "Is that guy really at the fifth level of the Genuine Force Stage?"

"Without a doubt," Sixth Madame affirmed, "I stake the reputation of Langya Pavilion on it."

"Langya Pavilion, the one in the old town ruins, doesn't have much of a reputation to begin with," Chu Yan grumbled.

Sixth Madame was momentarily speechless, feeling a surge of irritation, but recalling Lin Miaoran's instructions, she inhaled deeply and composed herself.

Holding back the urge to lash out, Sixth Madame informed him, "You asked, so I'll tell you. Your performance today was an improvement from yesterday, but you still haven't pushed her to use more than forty percent of her capabilities."

"What? She hasn't even used forty percent of her power?" Chu Yan's eyes widened in shock.

"That's right. And she had a question for you—do you want to sign a new contract?" Sixth Madame asked Chu Yan earnestly.

Seeing Chu Yan's crestfallen expression brought an undeniable sense of satisfaction to her, but truth be told, Sixth Madame couldn't help but be amazed by Chu Yan's rapid improvement.

In just one day, Lin Miaoran had managed to tap into an additional ten percent of her power—a feat previously unheard of and beyond anyone's imagination.

"A new contract, what's that?" Chu Yan, still preoccupied with the recent startling revelation, inquired with a hint of distraction.

"Starting tomorrow, your practice sessions will extend to a full half-hour. The Langya Pavilion will compensate you with ten thousand Spirit Money, and on top of that, you'll receive ten bottles of blood essence daily at no cost," Sixth Madame explained, herself astonished by the generosity of Lin Miaoran's offer.