"Junior Brother Li is so domineering. He was injured in a sneak attack by a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, yet he still wants to keep fighting for his class. I admire him."
"Wasn't it said that the Li family's second young master was a dissolute good-for-nothing who never sought progress and only knew how to seek pleasure among flowers? Why do I feel that he is immensely powerful and possesses extraordinary bearing? He is completely unlike the rumors."
"I think Junior Brother Li Mu is so handsome. Big Sister loves him..."
"Do you think Junior Brother Li Mu learned all that strength at Twin Phoenix Tower? Looks like we need to visit more often too."
"To hell with that. I think your strength would only decline if you went there. Our class monitor has a special method, understand? A method!"
At first, hearing the students below the stage praise him made Li Mu rather pleased. But as the discussion quickly veered further and further off course, he could only marvel, black lines filling his face, at the wild imaginations of these seventeen- and eighteen-year-old boys and girls.
The pain from his waist pulled Li Mu's thoughts back to the arena. That old bastard Nangong had been sinister, but his strength was indeed terrifying. His sword-controlling technique had reached a miraculous level. That was the power of the Nascent Soul Realm. If his cold-faced elder brother had not saved him, his second life would probably have ended right then and there.
Thinking of Li Yue standing before him at that critical moment, Li Mu's heart warmed. Compared to the loneliness of his previous life, he now had family who cared about him and friends who shared his ideals. This immense spiritual abundance had made Li Mu deeply accept this new life.
"But how is Big Brother so formidable? At only twenty-two, he has already broken through to Core Formation Realm Perfection. His actual combat ability can even be mentioned in the same breath as an entry-level Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. He truly is a monster."
One hand tightly covered the wound at his waist while the other pulled out a large handful of healing and hemostatic pills, which he swallowed in one gulp. After two or three breaths, the sword wound at his waist gradually stopped bleeding, and Li Mu let out a sigh of relief.
"Earth Tier Class, choose your next student. The Class vs. Class Competition will begin immediately."
Seeing that no student from the Earth Tier Class had come forward for a long time, Mu Bai urged them. This Class vs. Class Competition had been fraught with unexpected twists. An attack on a student had actually occurred under the watch of an elder from the Xuantian Sword Sect. As the academy's actual manager, he bore an inescapable responsibility.
Moreover, both sides of the conflict belonged to Qinglan City's foremost Lineages. He only hated that Nangong Wuqing, a dignified Nascent Soul Realm expert, had actually retaliated against a student—and the student he targeted was Li Yubai's son. Thinking of the famously protective Dean Li, even Mu Bai, an old hand who had roamed the Immortal Realm for many years, felt a headache coming on.
"Who's going? Qian Feng, you're the vice class monitor. Why don't you go first?"
"I ate something bad this morning. It's not very convenient right now. Why not let Junior Brother Nie go instead?"
"Senior Brother, I just saw you wolf down another ten buns. How did your stomach suddenly start hurting?"
After exchanging looks, the Earth Tier Class students began to display their own special talents, like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea. Some claimed they were unwell, while others insisted a different senior brother was more suitable. After arguing for half the day, they still could not decide who would fight the next match.
In the end, under Mu Bai's repeated urging, a chubby youth reluctantly stepped onto the arena. It was none other than Qian Feng, vice class monitor of the Earth Tier Class.
The Qian family was one of Qinglan City's wealthiest families. Their businesses spread through many industries across the city, making them true commercial giants.
Qian Feng had perfectly inherited his family's talent for business. Though his cultivation was not particularly outstanding within the academy, he had his own ways when it came to management and networking. To make it easier to expand his social circle, Qian Feng had even spent a fortune bribing Nangong Qi, thereby securing the position of vice class monitor of the Earth Tier Class.
But at this very moment, Qian Feng wished he could slap himself several times. Of all positions, why had he chosen vice class monitor? Now he had been driven up Liang Shan. Thousands of eyes were fixed upon him, leaving him nowhere to run.
"Senior Brother Qian, I have heard that your strength is exceptional and that your reputation within the academy is illustrious. This junior is honored to be able to spar with you. I will certainly go all out, so please do not hold back, Senior Brother."
Seeing Qian Feng's miserable expression, Li Mu could not help but laugh. These scions of noble families from the Earth Tier Class really were living treasures. Still, they usually strutted about before the Profound Tier Class students with their noses in the air. Today, they had to cough up at least some of that arrogance.
"Exceptional strength, my ass. All that reputation was bought with money. Wasn't it all just so I could worm my way into the circles of those monstrous geniuses?"
Hearing Li Mu's words, Qian Feng truly wanted to cry without tears. But Li Mu's next sentence made him curse outright.
"Still, Senior Brother, our Profound Tier Class is not like your Earth Tier Class. In our daily sparring, we are used to stopping at the right point. After all, we are all commoners. If we get injured, treatment and pills all cost money."
Looking at Li Mu's utterly sincere face, Qian Feng could not help wanting to curse him to high heaven. Stopping at the right point? Of the three Earth Tier Class students who had taken the stage, one was gravely injured and on the verge of death, while two were unconscious. And he was saying that the Profound Tier Class was used to stopping at the right point? Besides, both he and Hao Meng ate pills like candy, and the weapons they used were genuine immortal artifacts. Yet he was saying the Profound Tier Class had no money?
"Then, Senior Brother, I'll make the first move. Take this."
Seeing that Qian Feng's expression had become uglier than if he had eaten shit, Li Mu decided to administer an even stronger dose. The Shadowless Sword instantly left its sheath. With a flick of his wrist, black sword blossoms bloomed in the air, and powerful sword intent directly shrouded Qian Feng.
"Wait! I surrender! I surrender!"
Seeing those familiar sword shadows, Nangong Qi's fate surfaced in his mind. Qian Feng could not summon even the slightest thought of resistance. He directly raised his hand toward Teacher Mu Bai at the side, signaling that he surrendered outright.
Since the Qinglan Academy Class vs. Class Competition had begun, there had never been a case of a student taking the stage only to forfeit. After all, those chosen to represent their classes were all dragons and phoenixes among men. Someone like Qian Feng, who directly cast aside face and dignity to save his own life, was truly the first in history.
At this moment, Mu Bai felt that his mind was no longer enough. He even began to wonder whether he had truly grown old and could no longer keep pace with the times. Every action of these children today had completely exceeded his understanding, in every possible way.
Before Mu Bai could announce the result, Qian Feng twisted his fat waist and jumped straight off the arena. What a joke. What cultivator's dignity? What class honor? What could be more important than his life? Nangong Qi had been so powerful, yet Li Mu had beaten him unconscious. With his merely ornamental cultivation, if he fought, his life would absolutely be in danger.
Qian Feng's surrender directly shattered the psychological defenses of everyone in the Earth Tier Class. They had all witnessed what had happened to Wu Sheng, Fang Yan, and Nangong Qi. Most of them were scions of noble families who had never experienced life-and-death combat. After seeing such a brutal competition, every one of them had been scared out of their wits. Seeing even their vice class monitor surrender, they too declared forfeiture one after another.
Thus, for the first time since Qinglan Academy's founding, the class strength rankings changed. The Heaven Tier Class remained first, followed by the Profound Tier Class, while the Earth Tier Class became the lowest-ranked.
Likewise, the academy's cultivation resources for the next half year would be distributed according to this new order. When Mu Bai formally announced the news, the Profound Tier Class erupted once more. What countless senior students and predecessors had failed to accomplish over so many years had actually been achieved by Li Mu.
The cheers and jubilation below the stage filled Li Mu with soaring pride. He had truly done it. He had led the Profound Tier Class to defeat the powerful Earth Tier Class, rewritten Qinglan Academy's rules, and given these commoner students hope of improving their strength.
Suddenly, Li Mu spotted several figures in the Heaven Tier Class camp preparing to leave. He did not know where the courage came from, but he stepped forward and pointed the Shadowless Sword toward those powerful auras.
"Senior Sister Liu Yu, we did not have the chance to fight you this time. Next year, our Profound Tier Class will definitely challenge the Heaven Tier Class's position. When that time comes, I hope Senior Sister Liu will not begrudge me your guidance."
Liu Yu stopped and turned back toward Li Mu on the arena. The white-robed youth's gaze blazed. Though his body was covered in bloodstains, the confidence radiating from him at that moment was dazzlingly clear.
"Junior Brother Li, I believe that next year, you will possess such qualifications. When the time comes, I, Liu Yu, will be your opponent."
The girl in green was not displeased by Li Mu's words. Holding her sword, she cupped her hands toward him and answered earnestly, then turned and left with the Heaven Tier Class students.
"Senior Sister Liu, this Junior Brother Li is truly overconfident. He actually issued us a challenge before everyone. Senior Brother Hao Meng will most likely achieve Core Formation smoothly this time. Once he graduates and leaves, what will their Profound Tier Class use to compete with us next year?"
A yellow-robed girl behind Liu Yu could not help leaning close to her ear and speaking. Clearly, she felt that Li Mu's high-profile challenge was somewhat impulsive and arrogant.
"I don't know why, but I always feel that he can bring me a surprise. I am very much looking forward to him truly standing before me next year and receiving my sword."
Hearing her companion's words, the girl in green neither agreed nor disagreed. Yet deep down, she actually acknowledged Li Mu. Although even she could not explain the exact reason, she simply believed that Li Mu was not merely talking big. Perhaps this was the mutual appreciation heroes felt for one another.
The turbulent Qinglan Academy tournament thus came to an end, but everyone in the city was still immersed in this epoch-making competition. News of the event spread through the entire city as though it had grown wings. In restaurants, theaters, and every place where people gathered, discussions of this Class vs. Class Competition could be heard almost everywhere.
Names such as Li Mu, Hao Meng, and Fang Yan became the words most often spoken by everyone. Naturally, this also included Nangong Qi, who had been overwhelmingly defeated, and Nangong Wuqing, who had flown into a rage from humiliation and bullied the young with his seniority. However, the comments involving them were far from positive.
Meanwhile, within a quiet room at Qinglan Academy, a figure radiated wave after wave of powerful aura. Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi was continuously drawn into his body, then absorbed by the golden vortex in his dantian. Within that vortex, a dazzling golden Core Formation was growing larger and larger.
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