Fair Challenge

"Finally, some peace. Damn that troublesome kid! Can't hit him, can't scold him, it's really annoying!" After advancing to a three-star warrior, Shen finally managed to shake off Sharp. 

Now, Shen had taken only two and a half years to go from an ordinary person to a three-star warrior, while Tammo had taken three years and nine months. As for Sharp, he had spent over two years just to reach the two-star level within those three years and nine months. At his current pace, it would take him at least two more years to advance from two-star to three-star!

So it was understandable that Shen felt relieved to have finally shaken off that annoying pest.

With Sharp out of the picture, Shen finally entered a peaceful cultivation environment. He had no idea how the Sandy family currently viewed him. If he had known, he would have been shocked because when Sharp used to constantly bother him, it was like having several flies buzzing around his exposed skin, unable to swat them away. That kind of situation would drive anyone crazy, even if it happened for just one day, let alone every day.

This constant annoyance had driven Shen to want to leave as quickly as possible, causing him to overlook the difference in their battle qi training techniques.

In fact, if not for Elder Arto's deliberate mention, Thor and others might not have noticed the oddity even now. Shen's quick advancements, despite his ordinary talent, were already considered unbelievable. Many still found it hard to believe, and it was only with great difficulty that they accepted it. Thinking any further into it, such as realizing Shen's advancement speed was actually twice as fast as they thought, was something they instinctively resisted.

As a result, it wasn't until three or four years later that someone finally realized the truth!

And when they did, it was shocking and astounding. For example, in the months following this realization, Thor's gaze toward Shen was filled with naked enthusiasm! A burning passion, no less!

That kind of look left no doubt that Shen was his favorite. If anyone dared to harm Shen, or even just look at him disdainfully, Elder Thor would risk his life to defend him!

"Cotton, I was right about you. You truly are the most outstanding disciple I've ever taught. Keep it up, you must continue to excel!"

Faced with Thor's attitude, Shen felt a chill. Had his performance aroused suspicion? Otherwise, why would Thor, usually as cold as ice, suddenly become so enthusiastic?

"Yes, Elder." Although he agreed woodenly and firmly, Shen secretly resolved that he must not maintain the same advancement pace as Tammo in the future, or it would only arouse greater suspicion.

No matter what Shen thought, Thor's appreciation and favor for him only grew, even to the point of scolding Tammo for his sake.

This, of course, fueled immense jealousy in Tammo, who had been pampered by the family since childhood. Tammo had not been happy these past few years. With his immense pride, he could not tolerate an "idiot" like Shen advancing at the same rate as him in cultivation!

Even as fewer and fewer people dared to call Shen an idiot within the Sandy family due to his continuous advancement, Tammo's anger only grew. Whenever Tammo called Shen an idiot now, Elder Thor would rebuke him. This made Tammo's resentment even stronger.

With his arrogance, Tammo could not accept that the elders who once doted on him would change their attitude because of Shen. This humiliation was worse than death to him!

"Just wait! The previous advancements were only because I wasn't using my full potential. Back then, I was still young and just wanted to play! Hmph, next time, I'll leave you far behind!! I will prove to everyone the vast difference between a genius and an idiot!!" Nearly fourteen years old, Tammo gritted his teeth viciously, making a firm decision.

From then on, he would devote as much time as possible to cultivating!

With this resolve, Tammo did just that. Previously, he trained for only twelve hours a day. Feeling the threat from Shen, he added several more hours to his daily training and maintained this regimen.

Such rigorous training was solely to prove his superiority over Shen and reclaim his rightful honor and status within the Sandy family. After two years of relentless effort, Tammo broke through and became a four-star warrior!

It took him two years to advance from two-star to three-star, and another two years to advance from three-star to four-star! This showed just how hard Tammo had worked during those two years.

Feeling the power of a four-star warrior, Tammo smiled grimly. Two years later, the fourteen-year-old had grown into a sixteen-year-old. Although his face still had traces of youth, he had the air of a young man.

These two years of hard training had not dispelled Tammo's sense of injustice and frustration but had instead intensified them!

"A four-star warrior! The difference between four stars and three stars is more than double! Damn it, that idiot must still be a three-star! Fine, I'll challenge him and humiliate him in front of everyone! I'll show everyone that compared to me, he's nothing!!"

However, Tammo's plan to disguise himself as a three-star warrior and challenge Cotton to a "fair" duel was quickly seen through by Thor.

"No way! I won't allow it!" Thor coldly rejected the plan. He was surprised, realizing that having Shen around had indeed been beneficial. Tammo's advancement from three-star to four-star in just two years was ahead of schedule by at least six months.

But Tammo hadn't hidden his aura, so Thor could clearly sense his four-star warrior aura.

"Why?! I want a fair duel with him! Didn't you often compare him to me, saying he's not worse than me? Then why not let us duel?!!" Tammo angrily retorted.

"No reason! You and Cotton are both family disciples with no enmity, so why duel?" Thor shook his head, unwilling to expose Tammo's scheme and embarrass him.

After all, Tammo was Tancer's son and had excellent talent, destined to be the future family patriarch. While Cotton might have perfect cultivation talent, the family would never give the position of patriarch to an outsider. Otherwise, would it still be called the Sandy family?

"Hmph! You're biased! Cotton, you coward, come out!!" Tammo shouted in anger, standing in the training room.

His shout attracted the attention of many in the three-star training room. Soon, over ten three-star practitioners poked their heads out.

"What's wrong? Why is Young Master Tammo so angry?"

"You'd better not get involved in their affairs."

As the other practitioners pondered silently, Shen walked out of the training room. Seeing the furious Tammo, Shen immediately sensed something different about him. Tammo had... broken through to four stars?

With one glance, Shen realized Tammo's change! Because Shen himself had already advanced to a five-star warrior!! Although he had ordinary talent, the gap between ordinary and excellent talent widened with cultivation depth. However, his soul abilities in training grew stronger as he advanced, not to mention the genuine Galan Battle Qi, which was far superior to the low-level advanced battle qi manual Tammo practiced.

Thus, Shen had advanced from two-star to three-star a year and three months earlier than Tammo! He only took a year and a half to advance from three-star to four-star! In other words, when Tammo became a three-star warrior, Shen had already reached four stars. After another year and a half of continuous training, Shen had become a five-star warrior three months ago!!

But outwardly, Shen still exuded the aura of a three-star warrior.

"Cotton!! Didn't you always say you're not worse than me? Well, I'm giving you a chance to prove it! I hereby challenge you! Do you dare accept?! If you're not worse than me, and we're both three-star warriors, then as a man, accept this duel! Don't keep hiding behind Grandpa Thor!! Coward!!" Tammo, with a grim expression, challenged Shen upon seeing him.