At this thought, Ling Lan's lips could not help but curve up into a slight smile. Since she now had a way to resolve Luo Lang's injuries, then there was no reason for her to be merciful and hold back.
Ling Lan clasped her hands together tightly, her fingers emitting the sounds of cracking joints. This action made Transcendent Cold's gaze shift, because he had sensed that his initial plans were likely to be useless now ... still, could the other really bear to be vicious? If that was the case, then, for the primary identity to have acknowledged such a person as boss, wasn't he too bad at judging character and also too pitiful?
Before the Transcendent Cold personality could ascertain Ling Lan's true thoughts, Ling Lan leapt forwards. This time, she was prepared to initiate attack. A fist was sent flying straight at Luo Lang's face. The force behind the punch was fierce and domineering — even before it could touch him, the Transcendent Cold personality could already feel the horrific power contained in the fist.
His countenance shifted, and with a quick slide step, he dodged this attack of Ling Lan's.
There was a loud boom as Ling Lan's fist struck the floor of the private room. The ground instantly split apart under the tremendous force.In fact, the private room was built with high-tech ultra-durable materials, capable of withstanding attacks of Qi-Jin below Domain stage. The effect being displayed right now was also a product of the technology — after 10 seconds, the ground would be restored to normal.
Seeing this great crevasse appear on the private room's floor, the Transcendent Cold personality confirmed that this person across from him was now truly determined to be ruthless. At this moment, he could not help but scorn his own primary identity once more, thinking that his primary identity really had bad judgement. His boss must not care much for him at all; otherwise, how could he have switched over to become so vicious so easily? Damm*t, what a failure of a primary identity.
Since he could no longer count on the other's mercy, the Transcendent Cold personality abandoned his original plans without any hesitation, beginning to look for other openings to exploit.
Meanwhile, the two of them could be seen darting around each other, one attacking one evading, actually fighting on pretty even ground. It had to be said that Transcendent Cold was the strongest among all the alter egos because he utilised Luo Lang's physical body to its maximum ability — whether it was in terms of speed or power, he had pushed it to the limit. For Ling Lan to defeat the other, it was likely impossible within a short period of time.
This was because the other was calculating the best evasion path for himself under his body's constraints. Transcendent Cold's formidable calculation ability had allowed him to escape by a hair's breadth several times already.
"Looks like it's impossible without using Domain," thought Ling Lan.
Frankly, with Ling Lan's capabilities, it was not impossible to take the other down if she went all out physically. However, she did not dare to use all her strength at optimal peak Qi-Jin, much less the threefold version of One-Inch Punch. This greatly restricted Ling Lan's attack range, which was why Transcendent Cold could escape so many times.The strength Ling Lan was currently using was carefully calculated so that even if she hit Luo Lang, Luo Lang would only be heavily injured, but no great tragedy would occur. If she added an extra share of strength, she was afraid she might accidentally snuff out Luo Lang's little life.
Right then, the Transcendent Cold personality was finding that even if he schemed a lot, it was futile against Ling Lan who was several times stronger than him. Once strength reached a certain degree, all schemes would become useless.
The Transcendent Cold personality experienced the emotion called hopelessness for the first time ... however, it was not in his character to admit defeat just like that. So, he decided to trade injury for injury; this was an extremely helpless kind of ploy — if he was not at his wits' end, he would not resort to this willingly.
Both fighters intended to bring this fight to a close — when Ling Lan attacked again this time, the Transcendent Cold personality did not dodge. He immediately raised his right fist and with a loud bellow, the 4th form of One-Inch Punch was executed without hesitation ...
Seeing this, rage flickered in Ling Lan's eyes. Without any hesitation whatsoever, she yelled out, "Domain, activate!"
In the private room, a super mini Domain appeared, instantly wrapping around Luo Lang's entire body. In the midst of performing the 4th form of One-Inch Punch, Luo Lang was frozen in that stance just like that, suspended in the air, immobile.
The smaller the Domain, the longer Ling Lan could maintain it. Of course, even with the smallest Domain, Ling Lan could only hold it for no more than one minute. As for this tiny Domain, Ling Lan could hold it for approximately 40 seconds. Although it was not very long, it was more than enough to subdue the Transcendent Cold personality.
"D*mn it!" Ling Lan roared, her fist hurtling over to strike the immobile Luo Lang squarely. At the instant her fist struck, Ling Lan dismissed the Domain holding Luo Lang secure.
Still, the Transcendent Cold personality no longer had any way of dodging her attack. The fist landed squarely and Luo Lang's entire person was sent flying to crash heavily against the wall of the private room and then bounce off it to crumple to the ground.
A heaving sound, and Luo Lang was spewing out several mouthfuls of blood on the ground. Ling Lan had not held back in this strike; her finely calculated internal energy had been borne by Luo Lang in its entirety. It was unsurprising that Luo Lang had received severe damage.
"Do you know? I really hate you right now. With Luo Lang's current abilities, using the 4th form of One-Inch Punch will cause the Qi-Jin in his body to run rampant. An unlucky chance could cause his combat realm 1 to fall. The first time, on the arena stage during the wagered fight, you did not want to lose to an outsider and used it. Even though you paid the price of your right arm, I tolerated it ... but now, just because you did not want to lose to me, you chose to use this type of move that would deal 100 damage to the opponent but deal 1000 damage to yourself 2 . Are you a godd*mn bloody idiot? What Transcendent Cold? You are just a freakin' brainless blockhead! Calm and level-headed my ass!"
Ling Lan, who was extremely incensed by the other's actions, had a stony expression on her face as she grabbed the Transcendent Cold personality off the ground and began rapping him smartly on the head with her fists, berating him fiercely all the way.
This attitude of Ling Lan's made the Transcendent Cold personality instantly descend into a confused stupor. Perhaps, in his world, this type of fire-breathing dragon behaviour was completely incomprehensible ... wasn't he the one who had gotten injured? Why was the opponent so enraged? Perhaps he had been tricked from the start ... perhaps the other's affection for his primary identity was in fact sincere, and the other had not been utterly merciless?
Taking stock of his own injuries, Transcendent Cold believed his judgment was accurate. He should have been dejected by the discovery, because he had actually been fooled by the opponent and had lost his chance to win. But for some reason, his heart actually felt lighter, as if this was how things should be.
Transcendent Cold's stunned gaze had never shifted from Ling Lan's face — fuming, Ling Lan did not have any patience to speak of. With an angry glare, she said, "What are you looking at? Do you godd*mn submit or not?"
"..." Transcendent Cold let his silence speak for him. He was already having his head rapped while he was in the other's hold — how could he not submit?
Seeing Transcendent Cold's cooperative attitude, Ling Lan's mood improved. She patted Luo Lang gruffly on the head and said, "If you had just done so from the start, wouldn't things have been better?" Perhaps noticing the Transcendent Cold personality's dejected expression, Ling Lan added, "Also, I'm your boss. What's there to be discouraged about in losing to your boss? How pathetic."
He was pathetic? Well, at least he's still better than the primary identity, right ...? The Transcendent Cold personality could not help but scrunch his brow; he was unwilling to accept this critique. "But the primary identity being so weak, won't Boss look down on him?" Subconsciously, the Transcendent Cold personality had actually begun to worry about the place his primary identity held in their boss's heart.
"Why don't you let the primary identity out now?" Ling Lan sent another fist flying to beat away Transcendent Cold's gloomy emotions. Transcendent Cold did not want to suffer any more of Boss's fists, so he could only obediently let the primary identity out.
"Boss, you've settled yet another personality?" The moment Luo Lang came out, he asked happily. Gathering one personality after another under his control, Luo Lang could feel himself becoming stronger. His innate talent was also beginning to feel increasingly easier to wield.
"Yes, congratulations on escaping from your abyss of misery." Seeing Luo Lang appear, Ling Lan's initial wrathful expression calmed into cool stoicism once more, and her tone was as indifferent as it ever was. Luo Lang, as the primary identity, did not sense anything out of the ordinary, but the Transcendent Cold personality on the other side could sense the subtle change in Ling Lan's aura. It was still cold, her voice just as cool, but compared to when she had been fighting with him, her aura was actually considerably warmer. So apparently even this icy attitude of their boss would change when interacting with the different personalities.
For the first time, the Transcendent Cold personality felt the emotion called jealousy. He actually began to feel envious of his primary identity, who was able to receive Boss's care and affection.
Luo Lang was a clever babe — hearing Ling Lan's words, he instantly reacted with joy, "You've found the Transcendent Cold personality?"
"Hn. Go subdue it quickly. Your aphrodisiac is also mostly settled," said Ling Lan calmly.
"Don't try to resist. A gentleman should never go back on his word!" Ling Lan's tone shifted abruptly, becoming extraordinarily frigid. Transcendent Cold knew that these words were directed at him. He was just another personality in the same body, but the treatment he received was so different. This tone now and that tone earlier were so obviously worlds apart ... Transcendent Cold thought to himself dejectedly 3 .
Luo Lang could not know Transcendent Cold's thoughts; heeding Boss Lan's words, he pounced at the Transcendent Cold personality beside him. The moment he touched the other, the primary identity could sense how powerful the other was. There were no openings for him to attack, so he could only stare at the other helplessly.
"What an idiot!" Transcendent Cold saw this pathetic display of the primary identity, and barked reproachfully. Still, he did not plan to go back on his promise with Ling Lan. Thus, he could only suppress his spiritual power as much as he could, squeezing it down smaller and smaller, until the point where the primary identity could overpower him.
The two personalities began to merge — the Transcendent Cold personality was experiencing everything the primary identity had been through, including those experiences as the other grew up and his bonds with those companions of his ...
D*mmit, the primary identity was really too bloody weak. If he had been the primary identity, the prized seat of Boss's first follower would definitely belong to him 4 and not that simple-minded Qi Long ... Transcendent Cold thought moodily to himself.
This time, the process of subduing the Transcendent Cold personality took much longer than with the other personalities. Day was upon them, and the combat hall was beginning to become crowded. Some were there to enter Closed Door Meditation and seek out insight, while others were there to practise their combat arts. All the students selected their own private rooms and went off to do their respective things. There were also those students who had no classes today, who did not want to log on to the Mecha World, who had come to the combat hall looking for a spar or two.
Finally, Luo Lang's tightly shut eyes opened. A gleam of cold light came and went, and then Luo Lang could be seen to laugh and say, "Boss, it's done."
"How does your body feel? That is, the aphrodisiac ..." This was what Ling Lan was most concerned about.
