Li Mu Takes the Stage

"Yeah, yeah. The competition is only halfway through. Five more people can still take the stage."

"Senior Hao from the Profound Tier Class definitely can't fight anymore. I wonder who the Profound Tier Class will send out."

Nangong Qi's words also quieted the crowd, who had still been heatedly discussing Hao Meng and Fang Yan's battle. The Class vs. Class Competition was only halfway over, and several more students would still take the stage to compete. They just did not know whether there would be any more duels as spectacular as the previous ones.

The Earth Tier Class had been defeated by Hao Meng's one-against-five sweep. Even after sending out a super-secret weapon like Fang Yan, they had still ended in defeat.

Anyone with eyes could see that if Senior Hao had not happened to begin breaking through to the Core Formation Realm, then this competition between the Profound and Earth Tier Classes would surely have ended with an unprecedented one-against-ten.

Who could withstand the might of that punch?

Yet Hao Meng's brilliance only threw the Earth Tier Class's incompetence into sharper relief. As class monitor, Nangong Qi naturally became the target of everyone's criticism.

As the most outstanding generation of Qinglan Academy students in recent years, Nangong Qi's half-step Core Formation cultivation was indeed enough to make him proud. That achievement already placed him on par with the very best students of the Heaven Tier Class.

He had originally thought that the Earth Tier Class could easily win this Class vs. Class Competition. Nangong Qi had even believed that the battle could end without him needing to take the field, after all, this year's Earth Tier Class was no longer what it had been last year.

But Hao Meng's strength had far exceeded his expectations. Wu Sheng could not even last a single move in Hao Meng's hands, forcing Nangong Qi to send Fang Yan, his hidden trump card, into battle. This had originally been a secret method he planned to use against the Heaven Tier Class in next year's academy grand competition.

What he had not expected even more was that even Fang Yan had ultimately lost to Hao Meng—and that was after taking the Blood Demon Pill.

When Nangong Qi saw Hao Meng begin breaking through to the Core Formation Realm on the spot after defeating Fang Yan, he actually felt a trace of relief. Someone capable of defeating Fang Yan in his berserk state possessed strength far beyond what Nangong Qi could withstand in even a single exchange.

Compared with a crushing defeat, at least the initiative in the Class vs. Class Competition was still in Nangong Qi's hands, because he was confident that among the Profound Tier Class's remaining students, there was absolutely no one who could contend with him.

But before that, Nangong Qi, with rage burning in his chest, still had to deal with Fang Yan, that useless dog. He could not kill him in full view of everyone, but if he did not mete out at least a little punishment, he would never be able to swallow this stifling resentment.

That was how the earlier scene had come about. Unfortunately, not even that had gone as Nangong Qi wished, as Li Mu had abruptly stepped in and stopped him.

Looking at Li Mu before him, dressed in white whiter than snow and wearing an unruffled expression, Nangong Qi felt the rage filling his chest reach the brink of explosion. He should have been the protagonist of this competition. He should have taken the stage last and swept through all opponents, earning the favor of the Xuantian Sword Sect's elders.

But these clownish fools from the Profound Tier Class had ruined his plans, especially Li Mu. From the very beginning, Li Mu had worn an expression as though everything were under his control, as though he had already calculated every last development. How could Nangong Qi not be enraged by the frustration of being toyed with in another's palm?

Nangong Qi was no fool. On the contrary, he was very clever. He had heard of the Profound Tier Class's activities over the past period. If Hao Meng was the most dazzling punch thrown after the Profound Tier Class's earth-shaking transformation, then the mastermind behind that punch had to be this second young master of the Li family.

If I get the chance, I'll definitely kill him!

This was Nangong Qi's truest thought at that moment. He wanted nothing more than to kill Li Mu. This was the Immortal Realm, where human lives were as worthless as grass, and profit was forever the leading role.

"Teacher Mu, the Class vs. Class Competition certainly needs to continue, but I have a suggestion. Since Senior Nangong will be representing the Earth Tier Class in the next match, how about I, as the Profound Tier Class's class monitor, represent us as well?"

Seeing the gloomy look in Nangong Qi's eyes, Li Mu's heart sank. He knew that this senior, who appeared as graceful as jade and as elegant as a tree in the wind, was already brimming with killing intent. If Nangong Qi faced a student from the Profound Tier Class next, he would surely strike ruthlessly. The Class vs. Class Competition had no restrictions. If someone carelessly fell into his trap, they would suffer defeat and injury at best, and perish on the spot at worst.

"This... does not seem to comply with academy rules. New students admitted this year are not allowed to participate in the Class vs. Class Competition."

Mu Bai was a rigorous man, even somewhat rigid. Upon hearing Li Mu's suggestion, he did not immediately agree.

But to Nangong Qi, Li Mu's words sounded incomparably pleasing. He had wanted to teach this arrogant class monitor of the Profound Tier Class a proper lesson, but had lacked an opportunity. Who would have thought Li Mu would deliver himself right to his doorstep?

"Teacher Mu, I agree with Junior Li's suggestion. Senior Hao Meng has already made history just now. Through his actions, he showed every one of us that the path of cultivation is inherently an act of defying the heavens. Without the courage to break the shackles of the past, one will never achieve great things."

"As an older student myself, I am likewise willing to accept the challenge of a talented rising wave like Junior Li. I am also willing to do my utmost to share my cultivation insights from these past years with my juniors."

Nangong Qi cupped his hands toward Mu Bai and spoke loudly. Every word sounded righteous and awe-inspiring, earning praise from countless students who did not know the truth.

"Senior Nangong truly is broad-minded. He is actually willing to offer a new student some guidance in such an important match."

"Of course. Senior Nangong is the Earth Tier Class's class monitor. His cultivation has reached half-step Core Formation, putting him on the same level as Senior Sister Liu and the others from the Heaven Tier Class. Li Mu is truly extraordinarily fortunate to have the chance to exchange moves with him."

Seeing more and more students voice their agreement with the two class monitors' proposal, Mu Bai said nothing further. After reminding the two to stop at the proper point and not let another severe injury like Fang Yan's occur, he leaped back onto the viewing stands.

As Nangong Qi looked at Li Mu before him, he felt that heaven had finally begun to stand on his side. He sized up his opponent from head to toe, continuously calculating how he would make this Class Monitor Li beg for life yet be unable to die once they were on the arena.

Nangong Qi's almost pathological gaze could not escape Li Mu's notice. Qinglan Academy, which appeared so prosperous on the surface, actually harbored someone with such a twisted mind. The other party was only seventeen or eighteen years old. In Li Mu's original world, children of that age were still in their most innocent and carefree years. The cruelty of the Immortal Realm made Li Mu sigh endlessly.

The two said no more and leaped directly onto the arena, standing far apart. Yet their gazes had already clashed through countless exchanges in midair. The scent of gunpowder grew thicker, and a fierce battle was on the verge of erupting.

"Junior, although we are exchanging martial arts and should stop at the proper point, Junior's talent is extraordinary and his strength formidable. If I do not use some of my true abilities later, I fear I will be no match for Junior at all. So if I happen to injure Junior, please forgive me."

Still maintaining his disguise as a modest gentleman, Nangong Qi stood in a purple robe and spoke to Li Mu with a spring breeze smile. His gentle, warm-jade-like image also drew shrieks from many girls of the Earth Tier Class.

"Senior need not worry. In the Class vs. Class Competition, so long as one does not admit defeat, life and death are of no consequence. Those are rules set by my father, and I will naturally abide by them as well."

Li Mu was disgusted by Nangong Qi's hypocritical face, but he still calmly began analyzing every possibility in this battle. After all, he did not possess Senior Hao's deep accumulation built over years of unceasing cultivation. Since crossing into this world and beginning cultivation, only a little more than three months had passed. The only thing he could rely on was still the mysterious Simulation System in his mind.

Yet Nangong Qi did not take Li Mu seriously at all. This most famous wastrel of Qinglan City might possess a little cleverness, but on this arena, strength spoke for everything. As a half-step Core Formation cultivator dealing with a new student who had not cultivated for ten years, Nangong Qi could accomplish it with his eyes closed.

This Nangong really is looking down on me. Fine, this is the perfect chance to make a last-minute pilgrimage to the Buddha and browse the Simulation System's shop.