Meng Qiuqiu's body stiffened the moment he heard the accusation.
Slowly, he turned his head, his expression darkening with irritation.
The voice had come from behind the crowd.
Zhao Mu glanced over and found the speaker somewhat familiar. After a closer look, recognition dawned—it was Chen Tang, one of Shao Han's loyal followers.
Song Siqi was absent today due to hospitalization, but Chen Tang had clearly come in his place.
And judging by the expression on his face—
He wasn't here for anything pleasant.
Chen Tang stared at Meng Qiuqiu with undisguised hostility.
"That's cheating!" he shouted. "How can that count?!"
Zhao Mu frowned slightly.
It didn't take much to understand the situation.
Chen Tang wasn't really targeting Meng Qiuqiu.
He was venting his frustration at Zhao Mu—
Using Meng Qiuqiu as an outlet.
Instructor Zhang Biao raised an eyebrow, his thick brows knitting together.
"Cheating?" he said slowly. "Explain."
Chen Tang immediately pointed at Meng Qiuqiu.
"He used Ember Remains!" he said through gritted teeth. "Isn't that cheating?"
At those words, several trainees turned their attention to Meng Qiuqiu.
Only then did they notice—
His fingers were adorned with multiple rings.
Each one embedded with Ember Remains.
Most were enhancement-type relics.
Some even functioned as semi-living storage units, capable of holding spiritual energy.
By tapping into that stored energy, Meng Qiuqiu had activated a strength-enhancing effect—
Which allowed him to lift the massive stone with ease.
Zhang Biao glanced at him briefly.
Then—
He shrugged.
"The rules allow it."
Silence.
Then—
A ripple of dissatisfaction spread through the crowd.
Several trainees clenched their fists.
Chen Tang's expression twisted.
"Even in Qingfeng Camp training… privileges are allowed?"
Zhang Biao laughed.
Not kindly.
Not mockingly.
But with cold certainty.
"This world," he said, "has never been fair."
His gaze swept across the crowd.
"If it were, why are you here—training in Qingfeng Camp—while ordinary people without Spiritual Energy Talent are sent straight to the battlefield?"
No one answered.
Because no one could.
Zhang Biao's voice hardened.
"Stop talking about fairness like it's something you're entitled to."
"If you want fairness—fight for it."
"Strength is the only thing that can give you that right."
His eyes locked onto Chen Tang.
"Weakness…"
"…is the original sin."
The words hit like a hammer.
No one spoke.
No one dared.
Meng Qiuqiu wiped the sweat from his forehead, then grinned smugly at Chen Tang.
Without another word, he hoisted the stone higher onto his shoulder and jogged forward.
Provocative.
Deliberate.
Unapologetic.
The queue fell into silence.
Many of the trainees came from decent families.
But compared to true elites—
They were nothing.
Ember Remains were luxury items.
Most of them couldn't afford even one.
And now—
They understood.
Qingfeng Camp wasn't just about training.
It was about reality.
A brutal lesson—
Delivered without mercy.
Zhao Mu's eyes flickered.
"Right…"
He murmured inwardly.
"Fairness is something you create for yourself."
He continued waiting in line.
But his attention shifted.
Toward—
Mo Guanguan.
Her expression was off.
Subtly.
But noticeably.
Zhao Mu observed her for a moment.
Then—
He understood.
This morning—
She had competed with him.
A twenty-kilometer run.
Without using spiritual energy.
For Zhao Mu—
That was nothing.
Years of training, combined with the enhancements from the Demon Clown, made such distances trivial.
A warm-up.
At best.
But for others—
It was exhausting.
Draining.
Even punishing.
Mo Guanguan stepped forward.
Her movements were steady.
But her breathing—
Wasn't.
She approached a stone.
Paused.
Then—
Gripped it.
It was rough.
Jagged.
Heavy.
The sharp edges dug into her palms.
Pain shot through her fingers.
She remembered her first day at the academy.
Watching senior trainees run with stones on their backs.
She had thought—
What's so difficult about that?
Now—
She understood.
"It's nothing…"
She muttered under her breath.
"I can do this."
With a sharp inhale—
She lifted.
The stone rose.
Barely.
She forced it onto her shoulder.
Her legs trembled.
Just slightly.
But enough.
Fatigue.
Accumulated.
Relentless.
Zhao Mu watched silently.
He rubbed his nose.
There was nothing he could do.
Not here.
Not during training.
"She's an A-rank genius…"
He thought.
"She'll manage."
Mo Guanguan took a step forward.
Then another.
Then another.
Each one heavier than the last.
Behind her—
Other trainees followed.
One by one.
Shen Moran nearly fell when lifting her stone.
Her balance faltered.
Her footing slipped.
But—
She didn't give up.
Gritting her teeth—
She pushed forward.
Soon—
It was Zhao Mu's turn.
He stepped forward calmly.
Reaching for a stone—
A foot blocked his path.
Zhao Mu looked up.
And saw—
Zhang Biao.
"Instructor?" Zhao Mu said, slightly speechless.
Zhang Biao grinned.
Then pointed.
"To that one."
Zhao Mu turned.
And saw—
A much larger stone.
It wasn't just heavy.
It was awkward.
Elliptical.
Rough.
Covered in jagged protrusions.
Unlike the others—
It had no flat surface.
No balance point.
Carrying it—
Would be difficult.
Running with it—
Even more so.
But Zhao Mu didn't complain.
He walked over.
Bent down.
And—
Lifted.
Effortlessly.
His proficiency in [Strength – Innate Divine Power] had reached 177.
His maximum load exceeded 400 jin.
This stone—
Barely weighed 100 jin.
To him—
It was nothing.
He placed it on his shoulder.
Adjusted his stance.
And stepped forward.
Zhang Biao watched.
Expecting struggle.
Expecting strain.
Instead—
He saw calm.
"Demon Clown…"
Zhao Mu murmured inwardly.
"Light and Agile Steps."
Skill activated.
[Light and Agile Steps – Proficiency: 185]
His body lightened.
His movements sharpened.
And then—
He ran.
Fast.
Too fast.
One by one—
He overtook the others.
Trainees stared in disbelief.
Carrying a heavier stone—
Moving faster—
Without visible effort.
At this moment—
There was no need to hold back.
This was a competition.
And Zhao Mu—
Intended to win.
Zhang Biao's eyes widened.
"This kid…"
He muttered.
"…is a monster."
Even he—
Would struggle under those conditions.
But Zhao Mu—
Was accelerating.
Zhang Biao glanced at his own arms.
Thick.
Muscular.
Powerful.
Then back at Zhao Mu.
Not overly bulky.
Not exaggerated.
Yet—
Stronger.
"Is this what they mean…"
Zhang Biao murmured.
"…by strength hidden in the bones?"
He laughed.
Interest flared in his eyes.
"This Zhao Mu…"
He said quietly.
"I need to test his limits."
Far ahead—
Zhao Mu ran.
The wind rushed past him.
The mountain path stretched forward.
And on his shoulder—
The stone remained steady.
Like it weighed nothing at all.
A humanoid beast.
That was the only way to describe him.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)
50% Offers are ending in 3 days claim yours as soon as possible