Light of the Commoners!

"Brilliant! That punch proved he was holding back earlier, and those words that seemed to be guilt-tripping the moralizers were actually the most direct warning to Zhao He and his gang!"

"This guy named Lu Jue is quite interesting. The East City Martial School has produced a notable figure."

In a secluded corner of the spectator stands, a woman in a black, form-fitting dress elegantly crossed her legs. Her slender fingers brushed her chin, and a hint of admiration flashed in her eyes.

The attendants standing on either side quickly bowed in agreement.

Just then, a voice with a hint of lazy laughter came from behind:

"Miss Qin Shuang, what a surprise visit. Why didn't you inform us in advance?"

Zhao He had appeared behind everyone at some point, his hands casually stuffed into his pockets. Though a smile played on his lips, his eyes were as sharp as knives.

Qin Shuang didn't turn around, her gaze still fixed on the arena. Her voice was cool, "Zhao the Stubborn, it's been a year. Now you're resorting to such unsavory tricks, not even sparing men?"

"Miss Qin, you jest. What do these low-class matters have to do with me? It's you, a renowned master from the city's martial school, who has time to visit our humble backwater?"

"I'm just passing by to see my senior disciple."

"Your senior disciple, Su Li, is currently swamped with work."

Zhao He's tone shifted abruptly. "Oh, right, the news from yesterday. You must have heard about it, haven't you?"

Qin Shuang's expression grew serious. "What about it?"

"I know what you're planning!"

The smile on Zhao He's lips completely vanished, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes. "But the East City Martial School is my territory. All the quota spots for the disciples behind me can only be mine!"

"If you try to interfere, even if you are a direct descendant of the Qin family, I don't mind falling out with you!"

A cold light flashed in Qin Shuang's eyes, and the dark jade ring on her fingertip glowed faintly.

"Zhao the Stubborn, it's been a year, and you've learned to boast!"

She slowly stood up, her black skirt flowing like the dark night. "Do you think I, Qin Shuang, need your permission to get what I want!?"

Their gazes clashed in the air, the tense atmosphere causing their subordinates to involuntarily take half a step back.

The commotion caused by the Jiang Youwei incident did not subside; instead, it spread like wildfire.

On the stage, the debris from the stone sculpture had not yet been cleared, and the bloodstains were still fresh. In the spectator stands, angry whispers rose and fell.

"Did you see that? The power of that punch!"

A student in an old school uniform excitedly gestured, "He could shatter that stone sculpture with one punch. Lu Jue must have held back, otherwise Jiang Youwei would be dead by now!"

"Exactly! It must be those rich nobles! They don't see us as human at all!"

However, there were also hesitant voices in the crowd.

"But didn't someone testify earlier? Maybe Jiang Youwei's matter really has nothing to do with them?"

"I heard his father really owed a lot of gambling debts."

"Lu Jue is strong! I feel like he could fight those monsters in the top ten!"

"Don't be ridiculous! Lu Jue is indeed not weak, but even I know the weak point of his Hardening Technique. It's enough to crush someone like Jiang Youwei, but if he encounters an opponent of the same level, it'll be risky!"

"Stop talking, he's coming!"

Lu Jue walked through the crowd, and wherever he passed, the clamor seemed to be separated by an invisible barrier.

However, at this moment, his heart was not entirely calm.

Seeing a living person die so tragically before his eyes still weighed on him.

But he didn't regret his choice on the stage.

Showing mercy to an enemy is cruelty to oneself!

If he could do it again, he would at most choose to change his combat strategy and incapacitate Jiang Youwei in one go, rather than pitying him and allowing himself to be injured.

"Brother Jue, you were so cool just now!"

Liu Ga appeared from somewhere and quickly caught up with Lu Jue, his face still flushed with excitement.

He deliberately lowered his voice, but couldn't hide the excitement in his tone. "That punch, and those words, were so satisfying! Did you see the faces of those people trying to guilt-trip you?"

Lu Jue didn't stop walking, merely nodding in acknowledgment.

Liu Ga immediately understood, put away his exaggerated expression, and moved closer, his voice even lower. "By the way, the information about your next opponent is out..."

Just then, the broadcast voice echoed through the arena again, delivering news that invigorated most people:

"Next match for the Sixth Grade, Arena Two, Fan Jun versus Chen Qianqian!"

This announcement was like dropping cold water into boiling oil, instantly igniting the entire venue!

"Here they come! It's our Light of the Commoners!"

"Fan Jun! Fan Jun! Let those rich kids see the strength of us commoner students!"

"Senior Fan Jun! Go!"

The crowd, which had been angry about the Jiang Youwei incident moments ago, seemed to have found a rallying point, erupting in cheers several times more fervent than before.

The crowd surged towards Arena Number Two like a tide. It wasn't just sixth-graders; a large number of younger students were rushing over, especially the girls whose eyes were shining. They were screaming and pushing forward, trying to get closer to the arena.

Even the angry protest group outside the gate was stirred up at this moment.

Many people temporarily put down their signs, gathered at the edge of the isolation belt around the duel area, and took out their phones. They adjusted their angles, preparing to record this highly anticipated duel.

Under the focus of countless eyes, a tall and upright young man calmly walked towards Arena Number Two.

His face was handsome, and his eyes carried a sunny disposition. His steps were steady, and his gaze was radiant. Wherever he passed, cheers and screams erupted, as if welcoming an international superstar.

Lu Jue glanced down at the duel schedule in his hand and noticed that this match had started more than ten minutes earlier than originally planned. He immediately understood.

This student, named Fan Jun, was a unique presence at East City Martial School.

He came from a commoner family, but thanks to his astonishingly handsome appearance and his outstanding talent in Sword Dao, he had amassed millions of fans online in just a few years.

Unlike other commoner students who struggled for resources, Fan Jun's income from the internet alone was enough to easily cover his expensive martial arts training expenses.

This gave him a confidence that most commoner students could only dream of, allowing him to truly focus on Martial Arts without bowing to the pressure of earning a living or being forced to kowtow to powerful figures like Jiang Youwei.

His strength and sunny image naturally made him a spiritual banner and a beacon of hope for many commoner students, earning him the title "Light of the Commoners" from many.

The fact that this match was moved up clearly indicated the referee's intention to use the immense popularity and positive image of this "commoner idol" to dilute the negative impact of the Jiang Youwei incident and stabilize the almost out-of-control emotions at the scene.

However, Fan Jun's influence was ultimately limited. While he might temporarily capture some of the audience's attention, he couldn't truly quell the undercurrent of unrest.

Lu Jue's gaze swept past the noisy arena and turned towards the distant protest crowd, who were still chanting slogans.

At some point, more than ten reporters, carrying professional cameras, had managed to blend into the school grounds, cleverly concealed by the protest group.

The storm surrounding this Quota Competition had clearly extended beyond the boundaries of the competition grounds.