Chapter 4

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Chapter 4: The Word ‘Compete’

A series of popping sounds echoed from within the Ironback Blue Bull’s body.

Before their eyes, the bull visibly grew larger, its steel-like blue hide shimmering with a faint glow.

Then, to their astonishment, the blue light began to flow like water, concentrating entirely on the bull’s head while the rest of its body lost its glow.

“Hehe, looks like Zhang Yang isn’t perfect in every way,” Yuluan remarked with a relieved chuckle. “For a moment, I thought he was a genius in absolutely everything.”

Zhang Yang blinked. “What do you mean?”

Yuluan smirked. “The brilliance of a blood contract lies in the impact of the bloodline. If your bloodline were truly powerful, the Ironback Blue Bull’s transformation would have been immense. With a Qilin bloodline, for example, it could have evolved into a half-Qilin, at the very least gaining Qilin bone structure. But in your case, the transformation is minor and concentrated in the head, meaning your bloodline isn’t particularly special. It mainly boosted the bull’s intelligence, which might allow it to understand human speech and express emotions. But that’s fairly common—most blood contracts achieve similar results.”

“Oh.”

Zhang Yang didn’t dwell on it. Having a monster as a mount was already exciting enough for him. His mindset had recently shifted; he no longer sought a master purely for survival but had yet to develop a deep passion for martial arts.

“Don’t feel discouraged, junior brother. The fact that the bull’s intelligence improved at all suggests your bloodline isn’t ordinary,” Xue Feishuang reassured him.

Zhang Yang nodded.

A short while later, the blue glow around the bull’s head faded.

When they looked at it again, its outward appearance remained the same, but its eyes now gleamed with intelligence. It scanned its surroundings before fixing its gaze on Zhang Yang. With a low rumbling sound, it nudged his hand with its head.

Zhang Yang was astonished—he could faintly understand its intentions.

He marveled at the wonders of the blood contract, feeling his curiosity about martial arts deepen.

Eager to test out his new mount, he rode the Ironback Blue Bull around, enjoying the novel experience.

Watching his enthusiasm, Xue Feishuang couldn’t help but smile. He looked a bit foolish, yet oddly endearing.

“Yuluan.”

“Yes, General? What can I do for you?”

Yuluan stepped forward.

Xue Feishuang’s expression turned serious. “From the earlier wolf pack attack, it’s clear that someone is trying to prevent me from becoming a martial lord. They’ll likely attempt to obstruct me again. However, my main concern is the Blood Fox thieves. They’re cunning. If they catch wind that their extermination is part of the title battle and choose to flee, eliminating them within ten days will be nearly impossible. That’s why I need you to leave immediately. Get to their hideout as fast as possible, keep an eye on their movements, and report back to me. I’ll deliberately slow my pace for half a day to throw them off.”

“Understood, General. Leave it to me,” Yuluan promised confidently.

Xue Feishuang trusted Yuluan’s abilities completely.

As Yuluan prepared to set off, she noticed Zhang Yang approaching on the Ironback Blue Bull. She grinned.

“General, why don’t we take Zhang Yang along? It’ll be good training for him. With his keen hearing, vision, and sense of smell, he could be a valuable asset in critical moments.”

Xue Feishuang thought for a moment before saying, “That’s fine, but you must take good care of him.”

Yuluan was overjoyed and immediately waved Zhang Yang over.

Zhang Yang rode the Ironback Blue Bull closer.

After Yuluan explained the plan, Zhang Yang was thrilled. His desire for martial arts deepened, and he yearned for new experiences unlike anything he had encountered before.

Before they set off, Xue Feishuang specifically instructed Zhang Yang to prioritize his own safety above all else.

Just as they were about to leave, Yuluan grinned and said, “Monster, how about a race? Let’s see if your bull is faster than my horse!”

“Alright!” Zhang Yang agreed eagerly. He had never ridden a monster at full speed before and was excited to experience it.

The Ironback Blue Bull and Yuluan’s horse stood side by side, ready to sprint.

“I’ll count to three, then we start,” Yuluan announced.

Zhang Yang nodded, anticipation gleaming in his eyes.

Secretly, Yuluan smirked and placed her right hand on her horse’s back, channeling a surge of elemental energy into it.

Xue Feishuang shook her head slightly, amused by Yuluan’s cheating. Enhancing her horse’s speed this way could double or even triple its pace, depending on how much energy she infused. However, Xue Feishuang chose to remain silent, watching with interest.

“One!”

“Two!”

“Three!” Yuluan shouted. “Go!”

A blur shot forward.

Gasps rose from those watching by the stream.

Xue Feishuang’s eyes widened in surprise as the Ironback Blue Bull surged ahead, leaving the others in the dust. Even with Yuluan’s trick, her horse was trailing by ten meters, its hooves pounding frantically against the ground.

“So, the Ironback Blue Bull’s physique has improved significantly,” Xue Feishuang mused. “Junior Brother, you really are a monster.”

Zhang Yang, exhilarated, glanced back briefly to see Yuluan pressing her hand against her horse’s back, clearly trying to push it beyond its limits.

But soon, he became fully immersed in the sheer thrill of the race. The wind howled past him as he urged the Ironback Blue Bull forward, reveling in the speed.

After half an hour, the bull finally tired and came to a stop.

Zhang Yang looked around and found himself completely alone—Yuluan was nowhere in sight.

“Let’s rest here and wait for Yuluan,” he muttered. He found a patch of lush grass, letting the bull graze and drink while he stretched his limbs. Strangely, he didn’t feel tired at all.

Today’s experience had been exhilarating in a way he couldn’t quite describe.

Deep down, he suspected his transformation had something to do with the lightning strike.

He hadn’t told anyone about it—an instinctive act of self-preservation.

Zhang Yang was simple by nature, but he wasn’t naive. He understood what to reveal and what to keep to himself.

Lying back on a rock, he folded his hands behind his head, crossed his legs, and began reflecting on the martial arts knowledge Xue Feishuang had shared with him.

One key lesson stood out—something she had urged him to ponder deeply:

The meaning of “competition.”

She had told him, “Martial arts is like countless boats racing downstream, or a thousand troops fighting to cross a single narrow bridge. If you don’t understand competition, you will achieve nothing. But if you take it too far, you will face disaster. How to compete is something you must comprehend for yourself.”

The more Zhang Yang thought about it, the more intriguing the idea became. He found himself lost in contemplation.

Time passed without him noticing.

Eventually, he snapped back to reality and thought of Yuluan. Climbing to a higher spot, he scanned the path behind him but saw no sign of her. He chuckled to himself.

“Mooh~~”

The Ironback Blue Bull let out a low sound.

Zhang Yang, surprisingly, understood its intent. He followed the bull’s gaze toward the northwest, where he spotted six or seven people engaged in a fierce battle.

One man sprinted ahead, clutching an object tightly while the others chased him down.

“Leave the item behind!”

“You can’t escape! If you don’t drop it, you’re dead!”

The pursuers wielded swords and daggers, their killing intent palpable.

Zhang Yang squinted, sharpening his vision to focus on the fleeing man’s hands.

He was holding a palm-sized token. One side bore the inscription “令,” while the other featured a lifelike carving of a giant elephant.

“It looks like they’re all fighting for that token,” Zhang Yang observed.

The group was heading straight toward him.

The man with the token was struggling under relentless attacks. Finally, a young pursuer lunged forward, delivering a powerful kick to his waist. The man let out a cry as he was sent flying, and the token slipped from his grasp, landing just two meters in front of Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang instinctively stepped forward and picked it up.

“Kid, hand over the Giant Elephant Token!”

“That’s mine! Give it back, or I’ll kill you!”

“Drop it now, or you’ll regret it!”

The group of fierce-looking men rushed toward him, their eyes burning with greed.

Zhang Yang’s heartbeat quickened.

Without thinking, he tossed the token away.

They hadn’t expected this and immediately rushed after the flying token, completely captivated by its allure.

Once they were gone, Zhang Yang pulled his left hand from his sleeve, revealing the giant elephant token with a triumphant smirk.

“Let’s go.”

He leaped onto the Ironback Blue Bull, which took off at a gallop, disappearing into the distance in a cloud of dust.