Cluru didn’t like sunlight.
After living in a basement for so long, she had almost forgotten what the sun and light even were.
She needed boxes.
But now, the boxes were gone—burned.
Forced into the sunlight, she felt like a fish stranded on a beach, surrounded by suffocating anxiety and discomfort.
And within that unease, a hot, restless flame seemed to be spreading in her heart.
“You… uh… cough!”
The gang leader, upon seeing Cluru’s face, was first stunned by her breathtaking beauty, his mind momentarily blank.
He had thought his cousin had sent him to deal with some ordinary girl.
Who would’ve guessed that when the flames cleared, it was like a seal had been broken—the girl inside radiated an overwhelming, soul-stirring aura.
So beautiful… almost on par with that legendary Qilin Master.
No, wait—not comparable, their styles were totally different.
Maybe I could get her WeChat… No! I’m here to pick a fight! That dumbfounded look is so embarrassing!
Alright, I’m the enemy here—back to business!
“Tch… see this tree?”
The gang leader raised his fist.
In his spirit-bound state, his arms were covered in pale, dry, leathery skin.
Boom!
One punch.
The small tree, as thick as his fist, snapped in two!
“Next, I’m gonna lift this fist—and this tree’ll be your fate… huh?? Where’d she go?!”
When the gang leader turned back, the girl was already gone.
Only a brand-new cardboard box remained.
[Imported Wild · Chilled Octopus]
Seal reestablished.
“Where’d this box come from? …Burn it!”
He furiously breathed fire again, igniting Cluru’s box.
A little octopus summoned a water-bubble barrier to shield the girl inside, keeping her completely unharmed.
This time, the gang leader saw it clearly.
Right as the box was about to burn up, the girl slid her small hand down her leg—
A brand-new cardboard box appeared in front of her.
Then, with practiced ease, a tentacle flipped open one corner of the box, the girl got down on all fours and crawled in.
Closed the lid.
—A space storage artifact, worth a fortune.
Cultivators filled it with battle gear; Xin Yue filled it with pretty clothes.
Everyone stored their most precious possessions inside.
Cluru was no exception.
“There’s more. Lots more.”
A relieved voice came from inside the box.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to do… but the boxes—I’ve got plenty.”
“……”
The gang leader was stunned.
The girl had completely shut herself off—this pick-a-fight storyline couldn’t even get off the ground!
A proper bullying sequence had to start with trash talk, pushing the target into a mental corner with verbal abuse.
Once they snapped and started fighting back, that’s when you hit them—make them feel the physical gap in strength.
Then came the combo of mental and physical humiliation.
Watching the target suffer in shame, unwilling to give in yet totally helpless—that was the peak moment of school bullying.
Finally, you slapped them around, made some threats, scared them into silence so they wouldn’t dare tell teachers or parents.
Job done.
That’s how school bullying was supposed to go.
But Cluru just wouldn’t play along.
She didn’t even retaliate—the script couldn’t move forward!
“Screw it. Let’s just beat her up and bounce.”
The gang leader was tired.
His fire-breathing was a fae technique called “Flame Surge.”
To show off, he’d already used it twice in a row— both his spirit and himself were worn out now.
“You guys go first. Just break her arms and legs—don’t kill her.”
In this world, as long as nobody dies, money could clean up just about anything.
As a disciple of a crafting master, the gang leader liked hanging with gangs, but his family was loaded.
Besides, his master was incredibly powerful, with connections all over Kang City. Even if the girl died, it might not lead to anything serious.
“Come out and die!”
The gang members raised their swords—two of them flanking the box, thrusting their weapons toward it!
“Are you guys done yet?”
I’d been watching this farce from the sidelines long enough.
Seeing that these guys were actually going in for the kill, of course I couldn’t just stand by.
These weren’t like those elite squad members from the other day.
Those guys, to show restraint, hadn’t summoned their spirits—making them barely stronger than regular people.
But these guys had not only bonded with their spirits, they were also wielding artifact-bound weapons.
Their threat level was already on par with “Ishida (injured version).”
Cluru was only at the Qi Refining stage—this could be dangerous for her.
I sat on the cardboard box, lightly extending two fingers.
The moment the two sword tips touched my fingers, lightning surged from my palms.
Crack—!
The two gang lackeys were instantly paralyzed all over, their spirit weapons flying from their hands.
“Hmm? This forging technique…”
I looked at the spirit weapons I’d seized.
Both swords had identical designs, the same details, same inlays—clearly the work of the same person.
And this kind of flashy, over-the-top forging—I had just seen it not long ago.
“What are you guys doing?!”
The three punks were about to get up for another round when a sharp female voice stopped them.
It was Teacher Xiao Yuan.
“Our school might be small, but that doesn’t mean anyone can bully my students!” Chi Xiao Yuan angrily summoned her Qingluan. “If you wanna fight, come at me! Grown-ups should fight grown-ups—bullying kids makes you nothing but scum!”
“……”
Who’s bullying who here? the gang leader thought bitterly.
“So the school’s stepped in… huh. Doesn’t matter.” The gang leader sneered. “You’d best stay out of this. This is between us and that treasure box freak.”
“Looks like no one’s taught you manners,” Chi Xiao Yuan cracked her knuckles. “Fine. Then I’ll do it for your parents today—time for a proper lesson, you little thugs who bully the weak!”
“Teacher, are you sure you want to get involved in Master Lu’s affairs?” the gang leader asked calmly as he drew his sword, “Are you planning to go up against Master Lu?”
Master Lu?!
Teacher Xiao Yuan’s expression shifted slightly.
There wasn’t a soul in Kang City who didn’t know Master Lu’s name.
As the number one forging master in the city, owning a piece of gear personally crafted, enchanted, and inlaid by Master Lu was every Spirit Master’s dream!
Chi Xiao Yuan didn’t want anything to do with that man, but his complicated web of connections… offending him might ruin this hard-earned travel opportunity.
“So you’re Master Lu’s disciples?” I said, realization dawning as I raised the two swords in my hands. “No wonder your stuff’s all the same flashy junk. You and your master—just a bunch of style-over-substance hacks.”
“Hahaha… What? You’re saying Master Lu’s work is junk? Cough—cough cough—” The gang leader laughed so hard he choked. “Did I hear that right? Someone’s actually trashing my master’s craftsmanship?”
“Oy, senior brother, you heard right. This little brat just said our master sucks! Hahaha—!”
In Kang City, Master Lu ranked himself second in the forging world—because no one dared to claim first. That was common knowledge.
“Hmm? He really is that bad,” I said, sitting cross-legged atop the cardboard box, tilting my head slightly. “Why don’t you call him up and ask?”
Call him?
The gang leader hesitated for a moment—he’d come here to hassle Cluru.
This had nothing to do with his master; he’d only mentioned him to scare the schoolteacher a bit.
But now someone was insulting his master, questioning his skill.
This was no longer just a personal grudge with Cluru.
If he called his master here, he could settle both issues at once.
Decision made, the gang leader raised his phone with pride.
“I’m calling right now! You’re done for, daring to insult my master!”