By afternoon, the students of Spirit Wielding Class 2 had all headed for the school gymnasium.

  The gym had been turned into an exclusive training ground for the Spirit Wielding classes, off-limits to all regular students.

  The fifty-one members of Class 2 quickly lined up, waiting for their instructor to arrive.

  Many of them kept glancing at John at the back of the line, their eyes brimming with quiet provocation.

  “Looks like I’ve got something to do during combat training…”

  John’s expression stayed calm. He knew exactly what they were thinking.

  Everyone in the class was young, hot-blooded and impulsive. No one could stand the idea that an ordinary human was stronger than them.

  Just then, Ron stepped to the front of the line.

  Confusion crossed the students’ faces.

  Ron explained flatly, “Instructor Zhang, who normally runs your combat training, is busy. I’ll be taking over both Class 1 and Class 2 for now.”

  “What was Instructor Zhang’s usual lesson plan?”

  “We paired up in twos and sparred using our bound spirits.”

  “Then keep doing exactly that.” Ron nodded. “Class 1 has some business to handle first. You all practice on your own for the time being.”

  He turned to leave, then paused as if remembering something, and called John outside the gym.

  “I can’t watch you guys today. Go easy on them, you hear?”

  “Instructor, what are you talking about?”

  “Cut the act.” Ron shot him a look. “If they challenge you to a spar later, don’t go all out.”

  These kids were the reserve force for fighting vicious ghosts.

  If one got beaten to death at school, that would be beyond ridiculous…

  John shrugged, helpless. “Instructor, I’m not a professional sparring dummy. I can’t really control my strength. Unless you tell them not to mess with me.”

  “You little brat…”

  Ron got his hint at once, and said directly, “How much for a professional sparring partner?”

  “Not expensive. Ten vials of high-concentration nutrient solution a day.”

  “??? ”

  Ron’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Why don’t you just rob a bank?!”

  “Sparring’s legal. And way easier.”

  “…”

  Ron’s mouth twitched. “Two vials, take it or leave it. I just need you to spar with them today, show ’em the gap. That’s it.”

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  “Fine.”

  John agreed, already pleased with the extra gain.

  He hadn’t expected there was a welcome gift after all…

  “Alright, get back inside.”

  Ron breathed a sigh of relief, not even minding the cost. It was worth it for insurance.

  John whistled happily and strolled back into the gym.

  By now, Class 2 had already started their sparring matches.

  Every student had summoned their bound spirit: a black ring, a blood-stained broadsword, a ghostly rope that let out low moans, even a brick made of human bones!

  In that moment, John got a real look at just how diverse bound spirits could be.

  He muttered to himself, “People come in all shapes and sizes… guess ghosts do too.”

  As he was muttering, a lazy voice cut in from ahead.

  “New kid? Stunned speechless?”

  “Huh?”

  John raised an eyebrow.

  He had been caught off guard by the bound spirits—seriously, a brick? That was ridiculous.

  A tall, muscular boy was staring at him with a mocking smirk.

  “Instructor Ron said you’re stronger than us? Wanna spar?”

  The boy held a blood-stained long knife in his hand, stepping toward John slowly, like a butcher closing in on his prey.

  An ordinary person would’ve been terrified, too scared to even look him in the eye, let alone fight.

  “Yang Quan! The instructor didn’t say you could fight him!”

  William stepped forward, even though unease was written all over his face.

  “You gonna stand up for him?”

  Yang Quan’s face turned cold, his gaze locking onto William.

  William said nothing, but hoisted his black coffin onto his shoulder.

  “I’ll handle it.”

  John shook his head at William.

  He’d gotten paid for this, so he was gonna do his job as a sparring partner.

  Though given the guy’s attitude, he decided to turn up the intensity a little.

  William saw how confident John was and didn’t try to stop him, only warned, “Boss John, Yang Quan’s one of the top two in our class. He’s the closest to becoming a Grade 1 Spirit Wielder. Don’t underestimate him.”

  “A hassle, but not that much of a hassle.”

  John looked at Yang Quan and curled his finger at him, beckoning him over.

  He didn’t say a word, but Yang Quan swore he could hear the unspoken line loud and clear:

  Come at me, then.

  Rage flared in Yang Quan’s eyes. He gripped his blood-stained ghost knife and charged forward, the blade scraping against the floor with a piercing, menacing sound.

  “Take my slash!”

  Yang Quan stabbed forward violently.

  Even though it was a ghost knife, it wasn’t sharp in the normal sense. It relied on the supernatural power coating it to attack. Even a direct hit wouldn’t kill a person.

  But while it wouldn’t be fatal, it would hurt like hell—supernatural power couldn’t be resisted by flesh and blood.

  John’s expression didn’t shift. He twisted his body slightly and dodged the strike with effortless ease.

  Clang!

  He clenched his right fist and slammed it straight into the flat of the blade.

  In an instant, Yang Quan felt a monstrous force slam into him, so strong he could barely hold onto his knife.

  John moved again, darting forward in a flash. He grabbed the wrist holding the knife with pinpoint precision.

  Terrifying strength exploded out!

  Yang Quan only had time to cry out in pain before his fingers involuntarily sprang open.

  The ghost knife fell right into John’s hand.

  The whole fight had lasted less than ten seconds, and the winner was already decided. Yang Quan had even lost his weapon.

  Stunned disbelief spread across every face. They couldn’t believe what they’d just seen.

  Ron had warned them about John’s strength, but they’d all doubted him.

  An ordinary human being stronger than a Spirit Wielder? It went against… the very laws of the supernatural!

  “You…”

  Yang Quan finally snapped out of it, his eyes wide with utter shock.

  John smiled faintly and said, “C’mon. With strength like yours, you wanna spar me?”

  “…”

  Rage boiled in Yang Quan’s eyes. He focused his mind, trying to recall his bound spirit to fight again!

  But the ghost knife in John’s hand didn’t move at all, as lifeless as an ordinary piece of metal.

  “You want it back?”

  John raised an eyebrow, sensing the faint resistance from the blade.

  An ordinary person couldn’t hold back a bound spirit, but John had taken his medicine. His entire body was a living weapon medium, so he could suppress it easily.

  “Give me back my Blood Ghost Knife!”

  Yang Quan’s fury grew even fiercer. He threatened, “Don’t make me use my trump card!”

  “What, you gonna beg for it too?”

  John wasn’t about to back down, not with the guy acting so cocky.

  Yang Quan shot a look at the boys beside him.

  The three of them exchanged a glance, then all charged forward, their bound spirits in hand.

  Of course he ran the class like he owned it—he had his own little crew.

  Yang Quan snarled viciously, “You dare steal my Blood Ghost Knife? Then I’ll show you the power of our Overlord Squad!”