Section Forty-Eight: Somewhat Cute

The heavy rain had lasted for four days before finally stopping.

The sun rose high into the sky, parting the curtain of rain as if to usher in summer.

The scent of summer was already faintly in the air.

The weather grew increasingly clear, sweeping away the lingering melancholy of spring, and the temperature gradually rose.

In the spring nights, the active Dragon Pill Crickets retreated, burrowing deep underground to lay their eggs. The unique Green Spear Bamboo of Qing Mao Mountain began to grow rapidly, increasing noticeably almost every day.

The leaves of plants and trees started to shift from emerald green to a deeper shade. The rolling green mountains looked even more lush and verdant.

The sky was clear for miles, blue as crystal.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

In the academy's training ground, the sound of fists and feet striking each other echoed.

After exchanging over a dozen blows, Gu Yue Mo Bei was kicked in the abdomen by Fang Yuan, staggering back five or six steps before retreating out of the circle drawn on the ground.

The Punch and Kick Instructor, who had been overseeing the proceedings from the sidelines, immediately announced upon seeing this, "Gu Yue Mo Bei has been kicked out of the ring! Gu Yue Fang Yuan has won thirty-three consecutive matches!"

"Hmph, I lost to you again this time," Gu Yue Mo Bei gritted his teeth, staring intently at Fang Yuan. "But don't get arrogant. One day, I will defeat you. And I can feel that day is getting closer and closer!"

Fang Yuan glanced at him expressionlessly before lowering his eyelids. "That kick just now caused internal bleeding. You should focus on treating your injury first."

"What's this minor injury?" Gu Yue Mo Bei retorted for half a sentence before his expression suddenly changed. He felt a lump in his throat and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

His face turned deathly pale. This was the first time he had sustained such an injury! Fear was unavoidable in his eyes.

The Punch and Kick Instructor quickly walked over and comforted him, "It's nothing serious. With treatment and a few days of rest, you'll be fine. You'll just have to pause your training for a few days and avoid strenuous activity."

As soon as he finished speaking, two healing Gu Masters who had been waiting outside rushed over and carefully helped Gu Yue Mo Bei away.

Gu Yue Mo Chen dared not speak further. He cast a deep look at Fang Yuan, his eyes filled with anger, resentment, regret, and unwillingness.

"Mo Bei's fist and kick skills are good, but he still couldn't beat Fang Yuan."

"Fang Yuan is too strong, no one can defeat him!"

"It's terrifying that Mo Bei was actually beaten until he vomited blood. I really don't want to fight that guy."

"Sigh, but the instructor said today is practical combat training, a leitai! Everyone has to go up and fight at least once."

The students stood outside the arena. Some looked at Fang Yuan with fear, some sighed, some had pale faces, and some were filled with anxiety.

Among them, several were already injured. Some covered their bruised and swollen faces, some clutched their arms, gasping in pain. Others lay directly on the ground, massaging their thighs.

"Next!" The instructor called out as no one stepped forward for a long time.

But there was no response. Normally, the only ones brave enough to challenge Fang Yuan were Gu Yue Mo Bei, Gu Yue Chi Cheng, and Gu Yue Fang Zheng. However, all three of them had already been defeated.

Silence fell over the students, some even subtly backing away.

The instructor frowned deeply, looking at the timid and hesitant expressions of the students.

He couldn't help but recall the Academy Elder's words to him: "Fang Yuan's momentum has been too strong these days, it needs to be suppressed. All the other students are being crushed by him, unable to lift their heads. If this continues, their courage will be eroded. Our academy cultivates wolves that dare to confront strong enemies, not timid lambs."

"What's wrong with all of you? No matter how strong Fang Yuan is, he's only fifteen years old, he's your peer! He's the same age as you, eats the same food, drinks the same water. He doesn't have three heads and six arms, he's not a monster! Summon your courage, let me see the pride of the Gu Yue clan hidden within you!" the instructor roared, trying his best to rouse the students below.

"But he's really too strong, we just can't beat him."

"The classmates who fought him all suffered terribly. Mo Bei was even beaten until he vomited blood."

"Fang Yuan's attacks are getting heavier and heavier, instructor, we don't dare to fight him."

The students retorted in low, cowardly voices.

The instructor was so angry he almost stomped his foot. These ignorant brats!

He could see clearly from the sidelines that Fang Yuan had fought thirty-three consecutive matches without any rest. Although Fang Yuan had been adjusting his breathing, his stamina was almost depleted.

Fang Yuan's increasingly heavy blows further indicated that he was no longer as comfortable as before and was gradually losing control of the situation.

If they pushed a little harder, they could force him to show signs of fatigue. If a few more people went up, they could defeat him on the spot!

Once Fang Yuan was defeated, his intimidation would plummet, the students' courage would be ignited, and the goal of suppressing Fang Yuan would be achieved.

But now, the students were all intimidated by the tiger skin Fang Yuan had put up.

Sometimes, what defeats you is not a strong enemy, but your own heart.

The instructor was anxious and continued to encourage them.

However, he was not good with words. He had said the same things before, which had ignited the students' passion and spurred some challengers. But now, he had said it too many times, and the students had become numb to it.

Fang Yuan crossed his arms and watched everything with cold eyes. Although he stood in the center of the arena, he seemed like an unrelated outsider at this moment.

The instructor had been trying to motivate them for a long time, but the students still looked at each other, and no one moved.

The Punch and Kick Instructor was both angry and helpless. He turned to face Fang Yuan and reprimanded him with dissatisfaction, "Fang Yuan, you are also at fault. Your attacks are becoming more and more ruthless. When sparring with classmates, you should be more gentle and friendly. How could you strike so heavily? From now on, you need to be more careful with your attacks. If you hit a classmate until he vomits blood again, I will rule you as defeated and disqualify you!"

"Instructor, you are mistaken."

Fang Yuan let out a cold snort, his gaze unwavering as he met the Punch and Kick Instructor's eyes. "When sparring and fighting, one should naturally go all out. Otherwise, how can it serve as training? In the future, when fighting in battle, can we also ask the enemy to be gentle and friendly?"

The Punch and Kick Instructor was furious. "Hmph, your attacks are malicious, you harm your classmates, and you still dare to argue!"

"Instructor, you are mistaken again."

Fang Yuan sneered, "You arranged this sparring match and raised the first-place reward to twenty primeval stones. Would these people have gotten hurt without your instigation?"

"You scoundrel!" The Punch and Kick Instructor, not one for eloquent words, pointed at Fang Yuan and roared, "Do you still want the first-place reward? If you try to quibble any further, even if you win first place, I'll declare you defeated! How can you be worthy of a twenty primeval stone reward if you're so disloyal and dare to talk back to your elders!"

Fang Yuan laughed heartily, "It's just a win or loss, a mere twenty primeval stones, do you think I care about that?"

As he spoke, he turned and walked away, exiting the central arena under the astonished gazes of the crowd.

Although the shadow screen hadn't been sold, Fang Yuan still had hundreds of primeval stones in hand. Moreover, he hadn't entered this match for the primeval stones.

"You!" Seeing Fang Yuan truly step off the stage, the instructor was stunned on the spot, his expression a mixture of surprise and confusion.

Shouldn't fifteen-year-old youths be full of youthful vigor, eager for a fight?

With Fang Yuan's combat talent, his temperament should be even more so. Why did he just withdraw directly?

Furthermore, Fang Yuan had no financial backing, so his primeval stones should be tight. How could these twenty primeval stones not even tempt him?

For a moment, the Punch and Kick Instructor stood frozen, unsure of what to do.

Fang Yuan didn't fall into the trap and simply left the stage.

The instructor suddenly realized: he truly had no way to deal with Fang Yuan. With his status, he couldn't openly pick a fight and force Fang Yuan to participate, could he?

The surrounding students retreated, keeping their distance from Fang Yuan. Fang Yuan stood offstage, with no one beside him. With him as the center, a five-step radius around him formed a circular empty zone.

What a pity.

If they had stood beside Fang Yuan, they would have heard his heavily suppressed gasps for breath.

"My stamina is running out," Fang Yuan sighed inwardly. While he appeared full of energy on the surface, his body beneath his clothes was trembling slightly.

His body was only fifteen years old, and he lacked the assistance of relevant Gu worms. Fighting thirty-three consecutive matches had pushed him to his limit.

Despite his rich combat experience from his previous life, the pugilistic skills of the other youths had improved significantly during this period. Fang Yuan could feel an increasingly strong pressure emanating from them.

This pressure directly affected Fang Yuan's attacks. His blows became heavier, and he gradually lost control. In past matches, the students were too weak, so he handled them with ease, and the youths would at most suffer minor injuries. But now, his control over the situation was weakening, and he had to strike hard to maintain order.

"Experience isn't everything after all. Any power in thought needs a material foundation to manifest," Fang Yuan narrowed his eyes. In fact, he had seen through the Punch and Kick Instructor's intentions long ago.

He was not surprised and had long anticipated suppression from the academy.

Ever since he killed Gao Wan, fewer people dared to challenge him. When extorting them, more people, intimidated by his presence, dared not resist and obediently handed over their primeval stones.

If this continued long-term, Fang Yuan's image of invincibility would be established, casting a shadow over the other youths and making them lack confidence in their pugilistic skills from the start. This was something the Academy Elder absolutely did not want to see. He needed Fang Yuan to spur the students' progress, but he didn't want Fang Yuan to completely extinguish the students' fighting spirit.

He wanted to see Fang Yuan fail.

Once Fang Yuan failed, the invincible image he had built up early on would crumble and be destroyed.

Simultaneously, this would awaken the fighting spirit of the other students. Furthermore, after experiencing setbacks, it would forge their unyielding fighting will.

However, for Fang Yuan, he needed such deterrence to facilitate his primeval stone extortion.

If he were to lose, the youths would realize his weakness and attack him collectively. Although Fang Yuan had plenty of primeval stones on hand, robbery and extortion were his main sources of income. If he lost this source, he would become like water without a source.

Therefore, Fang Yuan's participation in thirty-three consecutive matches was not truly for the twenty primeval stones reward, but to maintain his deterrence.

If he avoided the fights from the beginning, it would only reveal his weakness. But if he kept fighting, he might eventually expose himself.

"What are you all standing around for? Who hasn't been on the stage yet? Continue. The first place reward is twenty primeval stones, don't you want it?" After a long pause, the Punch and Kick Instructor roared.

The remaining students immediately became enthusiastic.

With Fang Yuan having left the stage, an invisible giant boulder had been lifted from their hearts.

"I'll go!"

"I'm next!"

Two youths eagerly jumped onto the stage, exchanging blows with thuds and bangs.

"Alas, if I had known, I would have waited too. I wouldn't have rushed onto the stage and been knocked down by Fang Yuan."

"What a shame, I didn't expect Fang Yuan to step down."

"He really dared to do it, look, even the instructor couldn't do anything about him."

Hearing the whispers behind him, the instructor felt his authority constantly diminishing. He was extremely annoyed and wished he could severely punish Fang Yuan. But Fang Yuan had committed no offense; voluntarily stepping down was a permissible action.

Frustrated and helpless, the instructor finally looked at Fang Yuan and shot him a fierce glare.

The corners of Fang Yuan's mouth curled up slightly as he thought, "Such a crude tactic, this instructor is actually quite amusing."

(PS: Sanjiang tickets can be claimed every day at 2 PM. The second update of this book is at 2 PM daily. Generally, after reading the second update, you can claim and vote for tickets. Sanjiang tickets are only valid for one day; they expire at 2 PM tomorrow, and you'll need to claim them again.)