Teacher by day, Farmer by passion
Chapter 275 - 275: Backstab [12] (BONUS)

Shan Yifeng's hands rested on his knees, fingers curled, muscles taut.

Bit by bit, the inferno inside began to coil, to slow, like a beast recognizing its master.

At the same time, the image of a ring flickered behind his eyes: a ring set in dragon bone, etched with a flame crest so intricate it seemed to move when looked at directly.

He focused, shaping the flame with his mind, taming it until it no longer raged but pulsed in sync with his own heartbeat.

A faint red aura shimmered around his body as the fire settled, and his breathing evened out.

Angie watched him in silence, arms crossed, a smirk slowly creeping across her face.

"Not bad… half-blood," she murmured, her eyes glowing with a touch of pride.

Shan Yifeng's eyes then fluttered open. A faint red glow faded from his pupils, leaving a vibrant clarity in their wake.

He inhaled sharply and looked down at his palms, flexing them slowly.

"…I actually feel stronger, like a lot," he said in surprise. "And.. and not just in energy… but in focus too. Like my body's finally syncing with my thoughts. Can you believe that? It's like I've got a whole new upgrade!"

A breath of joy slipped from his lips, but it was short-lived.

"Stop overthinking," Angie said, arms crossed as she leaned against a nearby pillar of stone.

"You're not ascending into the heavens just yet. Start crafting the ring."

Shan blinked, then gave a sheepish nod. "Right."

He reached into his spatial ring and pulled out a slab of enchanted wood, dark, firm, and responsive to soul essence.

With a flick of his fingers, he summoned a thin carving knife, and glowing formation lines began to spark at his fingertips.

He sat cross-legged and exhaled, then pressed his thumb into the wood.

Chhk!

A glowing sigil ignited along the surface as his fingers moved in precise, practiced gestures.

Each stroke was measured, the shape forming slowly, elegant and deceptive.

Around him, tiny threads of formation energy whirled like fireflies, drawing into the seams of the false ring.

Symbols embedded into the core, mimicking the resonance Angie had shown him.

While he worked, Angie watched quietly from her perch, eyes narrowed, a clawed finger resting beneath her chin.

Too smooth.

She narrowed her eyes further.

That blood... it wasn't just accepted into the body, it was welcomed easily. His body didn't show any signs of rejection at all. That shouldn't be possible for a mere half-blood. What secrets are hiding inside that body of yours?

Her tail twitched with unease.

He's learning too quickly. Dragon memory imprint is dangerous to mortals, even more so for half bloods. But not him, he showed not even a groan of pain.

Her expression darkened, a shadow crossing her gaze.

Is he just gifted… or is something else inside that blood of his?x

Still, she said nothing as she wait for him to finish the ring.

She gave him a smile instead. Sweet. Supportive.

Fake.

"You're nearly done?" she asked gently.

"Just about," Shan replied, eyes flickering between the glowing sigils and the mental imprint he'd drawn from the memory flame.

The fake ring began to shimmer faintly, its form elegant, seamless, and nearly indistinguishable from the real one.

He gave it a final tap, an infusion of calming qi to seal its core and then exhaled, smiling.

"It's done."

Angie stood up, arms still folded as she approached. Her golden eyes scanned the replica.

"…It's good. Very good," she said, voice smooth. "This might actually be enough to fool her."

Shan looked proud, unaware of the quiet wariness behind Angie's praise.

Angie smiled again, but this time to herself.

Yes… you're learning far too well too...

I'll need to keep a much closer eye on you.

Test him now!

Her muscles coiled. The next moment—

Boom! Angie lunged without warning.

Shan Yifeng's eyes widened. "Wha—Wait, what?!"

Her fist was already mid-swing. Boom!

It slammed into his chest, the impact detonating like a cannon.

His body launched backward, smashing through one tree—crack!—then a second, bark and branches erupting in his wake.

He finally skidded across the dirt in a trench of broken roots and dust.

Angie stood tall, brushing her knuckles with the back of her palm.

"Well, we still need to make it look like a training session. Gotta sell the part of we want to fool her."

She rolled her shoulders with a crack of muscle and bones.

"…and a little beating helps speed up blood assimilation."

From the rubble, Shan coughed, a wet, crimson splatter hitting the dirt beside him.

He groaned, his body shaking as he began to rise, when suddenly he went poof! His form burst into smoke and vanished.

"A clone?" Angie muttered, her tone impressed but annoyed.

A breeze whispered past her right side. She twisted.

Another Shan dropped in from behind, striking fast with a downward heel aimed at her shoulder.

She shifted her weight, sidestepping at the last second. The kick struck air, then poof! another clone dissipated.

Angie smirked. "Always the same tricks, huh?"

From above, another dive.

This time, a low punch cut toward her gut.

She pivoted her hips, letting it graze past her side before retaliating with a roundhouse kick.

But—poof!—another one of his clone.

Her eyes flicked downward a split second too late. The earth beneath her cracked.

Boom! A fist exploded upward from the dirt with seismic force—

Crack!

Angie's breath hitched, her body recoiling as Shan's punch slammed deep into her ribs.

The ground beneath her feet fractured.

Dust lifted in a spiral from the shock.

But as she twisted to retaliate, the Yifeng in front of her flickered and vanished again.

Another clone.

She exhaled slowly, her hair fluttering from the sudden motion.

"You're not above trickery, I'll give you that," she muttered.

Her pupils narrowed, glowing faintly. "But you're hiding in the void, aren't you?"

She smiled—not sweet, but regal.

"You want to hide?"

She raised her hand slowly.

"Then let me show you how we dragons walk between worlds."

"VOID WALK."

The air shimmered, warping around her as if the world flinched..

Her body shimmered.

Reality bent around her as her frame phased sideways, like water skipping through light.

In that space between seconds, between thought and motion, she reached in.

Shan Yifeng, who had been hidden deep in the void, crouched mid-formation with glowing sigils dancing between his hands, was caught off guard.

His eyes barely widened in time to register her hand grabbing his collar.

"Found you," she whispered.

Crack!

She slammed her forehead into his.

The void trembled.

The sigils burst apart like scattered glass.

Shan reeled back, the hit ringing through his skull. Blood traced down the side of his cheek as he staggered, eyes unfocused, but on his feet.

Angie landed across from him, her breathing steady but her skin glistening with sweat.

"You're getting faster," she said, tone approving. "But not faster than a dragon."

Shan wiped his mouth, grinning despite the bruise forming over his jaw.

"Then I'll just have to be better than one."

Angie's smile returned, faint, but less condescending now.

"We'll see," she murmured.