Five minutes passed quickly.
Bai Zixi, elegant and refined like a handsome young gentleman from a troubled age, rose and smiled.
"Time's up. Please take the stage, both of you."
Luo Yan immediately stood and picked up Star Splitter.
He seemed exceptionally tense, to the point that the knuckles of the hand gripping the scabbard had turned white.
Luo Beichen noticed this detail and narrowed his eyes.
The two arrived at the arena at the same time.
Bai Zixi looked at them both and nodded. "Begin."
On the arena.
Neither of them was the first to charge.
They both opened up some distance and observed their opponent.
Luo Yan activated the Obstacle Breaking Dharma Eye. Specks of silvery white flickered around his crimson pupils.
Luo Beichen's condition was instantly laid bare before him.
His blood vitality was 268, while his Primal Energy was 154 Jun.
Clearly.
Luo Beichen had broken through again.
He was now at the same level as Luo Yan.
Both were at Primary Level Three.
And after this week's cultivation.
Luo Yan now had 426 blood vitality and 178 Jun of Primal Energy.
He had improved again compared to when he had first broken through.
At this level.
The advantages of Observing Mountains and Seas gradually began to emerge.
In terms of blood vitality alone, it already surpassed that of cultivators practicing other techniques.
His Primal Energy was also somewhat deeper.
These were all advantages.
Luo Yan blinked.
He stopped using his Divine Treasure.
Activating the Obstacle Breaking Dharma Eye continuously consumed Primal Energy.
The longer it remained active, the greater the consumption.
Thus, after obtaining his opponent's basic information, Luo Yan stopped using it.
He then drew his long sword and tossed the scabbard off the stage.
Luo Yan's gaze suddenly turned sharp.
"Here I come!"
On the other side of the arena.
Luo Beichen immediately focused.
At the same time, Gao Lin's words from that morning flashed through his mind.
"According to the information you provided, that Classmate Luo is a ruthless character. Moreover, he has experience killing people on the surface."
"Whatever you do, don't underestimate that experience."
"There's a huge difference between having killed and never having killed."
"That wolf cub has seen blood. When he makes a move, he definitely won't hesitate."
"It was right for you to choose a long spear as your weapon."
"With weapons, every inch of extra length means an inch of extra strength."
"Since firearms can't be used, choosing a long weapon will give you an advantage."
"If my judgment is correct."
"The moment the match begins, he'll launch an all-out attack while his physical strength and Primal Energy are at their peak."
"And he might even choose a fighting style that trades injury for a kill."
"Since you've never killed anyone, you'll hesitate when dealing with certain situations."
"What you need to do is maintain as much distance as possible and wear down that boy's physical strength and Primal Energy."
"Use the Dragon's Roam Step I taught you to feint. Once you've baited out all his combat skills and Mystic Arts."
"That will be your chance to use your 'All Under Heaven'!"
These words.
Flashed through Luo Beichen's mind in an instant.
He made his decision at once, dragging his spear as he retreated.
But he did not retreat blindly.
The long spear sprang upward, swift as lightning, and thrust toward Luo Yan's face!
Not only did Luo Yan fail to retreat, he accelerated instead.
He merely tilted his head as he watched the flat, sharp spearhead pass right before his eyes.
He did not even blink.
He allowed the spearhead to slice a bloody groove across his cheek.
Taking advantage of the opening.
He lunged forward like a specter.
In an instant, he arrived beside Luo Beichen.
Luo Beichen swiftly drew back his spear and raised the shaft vertically.
At that moment, Star Splitter transformed into a streak of black lightning.
In that brief instant.
It swept across the side of Luo Beichen's neck.
Sword Skill: Thunderclap!
Clang!
The long sword slammed into the spearshaft, sending sparks flying in all directions.
Luo Beichen's tiger's mouth went numb and sore, and he nearly lost his grip on the spear.
The force of Luo Yan's strike knocked him off balance. He staggered three steps to the left before finally steadying himself.
Cold sweat broke out all over him.
Gao Lin's words flashed through his mind again.
"Remember, a true expert must learn to predict."
"Not merely react to moves."
"You must learn to analyze your opponent's mentality."
"Understand his patterns of movement."
"If you see your opponent carrying a sword today, then he's most likely using Di Zheng's Thunderclap."
"And given that Classmate Luo's temperament, once he gets the chance to use a combat skill."
"He most likely won't waste his strength attacking your joints."
"He'll go straight for your neck or your face."
"When he closes in on you, don't think about anything. Immediately raise your spear and block."
Luo Beichen's heart pounded wildly.
If Gao Lin had not given him those pointers.
That last sword strike.
The victor might already have been decided.
The Assembly Hall fell utterly silent.
From the moment Luo Yan launched his attack to the moment Luo Beichen was knocked back several steps.
The entire process.
Had lasted only a brief instant.
Yet even outsiders could see the danger within it.
If Luo Beichen had raised his spear just a little slower.
The head of the Luo Family's young master would probably already have fallen onto the arena.
"Good!"
Someone shouted in praise!
Drawing the attention of the entire audience.
It was Colonel Liang Jian of the Surface Legion.
He revealed a row of white teeth and shouted, "Now this is a fight to the death!"
"Life and death are decided in a single instant."
"Refreshing!"
On the other side of the spectator stands, the Conservative Faction, led by Lu Cheng, all wore gloomy expressions.
Especially the Minister of Education.
Just moments ago, Lu Cheng had still been telling the people beside him that Gao Lin's student was certain to win.
Yet less than a minute after taking the stage.
Luo Beichen had nearly had his head sliced off.
Lu Cheng's face immediately burned red.
He felt as though his reputation in his later years was about to be ruined.
On the arena.
Luo Yan did not hear the colonel's praise at all, nor did he care what anyone else thought.
All his attention was focused on Luo Beichen.
Seeing his combat skill blocked, he did not become discouraged.
He charged forward in several quick steps, Star Splitter unleashing a fierce offensive.
He took the initiative and attacked.
The arena rang with clanging metal, the sounds of collisions echoing without end.
Luo Beichen was beaten into a purely defensive position for the moment.
His expression dark, Luo Beichen steadied himself and defended with all his strength.
At the same time, he recalled Gao Lin's instructions.
"That wolf cub is vicious by nature."
"After Thunderclap fails, he'll definitely launch an offensive."
"At that time, don't do anything."
"Just focus on defense."
"An attack sustained for too long will inevitably expose an opening. When he reveals a flaw, that will be your chance to counterattack!"
Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!
Star Splitter and Luo Beichen's spear collided countless times.
Sparks flickered across the arena.
Luo Beichen noticed that the hand Luo Yan used to grip the long sword.
Its knuckles were growing paler and paler.
Finally.
After the sword and spear collided once more.
Luo Yan seemed to lose his grip, and the long sword nearly slipped from his hand.
The opportunity had come!
Luo Beichen immediately erupted with a surge of Primal Energy.
He stepped forward fiercely.
The long spear thrust toward Luo Yan's right foot.
Luo Yan hurriedly pulled back.
The spearhead stabbed into the arena and sank into the wooden boards below.
Luo Beichen spun around and braced the long spear against his shoulder.
Then he suddenly exerted force.
The long spear seemed to be lifting a mountain.
The spearhead abruptly surged upward.
It shattered one wooden board after another.
All of them came crashing toward Luo Yan.
This was a combat skill.
Spear Skill: Mountain Lift!
Luo Yan hurriedly circulated his sword and raised it to block.
Luo Beichen charged forward in a single stride and thrust his spear.
Luo Yan narrowly dodged to the side.
Luo Beichen changed the thrust into a sweep.
The long spear roared through the air as it swept toward his opponent.
Luo Yan raised his longsword, preparing to block.
Luo Beichen's lips curled upward, his hands gripping the shaft of the spear.
At the same time, they twisted in opposite directions.
The spear shaft clattered, astonishingly separating piece by piece.
Only then did it become clear that beneath the alloy shaft was the true spear body, woven from strands of flexible metal!
Thus, when the spear was blocked by Star Splitter, it did not stop there.
Driven by inertia, the front half of the spear, whose body had now become "soft," swung out in a great arc.
The spearhead pointed toward Luo Yan's throat.
This was another combat skill.
Spear Technique: Snake's Tongue Strike!
Before you continue