"Ah... oh, okay, okay, okay! No problem."
Wang Hao's eyes widened.
He glanced at Xu Mengyao, who was standing gently to the side, then at Li Ziyu, who remained expressionless.
As if he had seen something unbelievable, he hurriedly got to his feet to give Xu Mengyao his seat.
But before he could stand, Li Ziyu grabbed him and held him back.
Li Ziyu raised his eyes and glanced at Xu Mengyao. Expressionless, he coldly spat out one word:
"Scram."
The bus suddenly fell silent. Wang Hao was dumbfounded, while Liu Yanfang's eyes also filled with surprise.
Xu Mengyao's breathing hitched, and she wanted to explode in anger.
But before she could curse, she met Li Ziyu's icy gaze.
Xu Mengyao immediately felt a bone-piercing chill surge from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
She no longer dared say anything and slunk back to her seat.
"Mengyao? What's going on? Why did you take the initiative to show Li Ziyu goodwill? Aren't you afraid Young Master Bai will find out and get angry?"
After returning to her seat, her best friend An Ya widened her eyes, looking as if she had seen a ghost.
Xu Mengyao wore a bitter expression and spoke in a voice barely above a whisper:
"Li Ziyu... awakened his blood-and-qi talent a few days ago. He's already a Level 1 Intermediate Martial Artist..."
An Ya's eyes widened even further.
Li Ziyu paid no attention to this little interlude. Xu Mengyao wanted to get back together with him?
Dream on.
A Green Tea like her could be as beautiful as she wanted—he still would not touch her.
Besides, Xu Mengyao really could not be considered all that beautiful.
At the very least, compared to the girl named Xia Lin whom he had met at the Martial Arts Association, she fell short by more than a little.
It was only because his former self had been ignorant that Xu Mengyao had toyed with him in the palm of her hand.
In the words of his previous life, Xu Mengyao was a high-level white lotus.
The bus moved slowly, and the scenery outside began changing along with it.
On both sides of the windows, high-rise buildings gradually turned into city walls, which in turn became mountain roads strewn with gravel.
Through the bus window, Li Ziyu saw many soldiers standing guard along the route, carrying Thermal Weapons and wearing camouflage uniforms.
Every so often, there were also people holding cold weapons and wearing combat uniforms. One glance was enough to tell they were Martial Artists, and they were keeping watch in every direction.
It could truly be said that there was a sentry every three steps and a lookout every five.
"Students, we've arrived. Please get off in an orderly fashion."
As Li Ziyu watched the scenery outside, the bus slowly came to a stop. Class teacher Liu Yanfang's voice rang out from the front of the bus.
The students sitting inside all stood up and filed off the bus in an orderly manner.
Li Ziyu followed the flow of people and got off as well.
After getting off, he saw a plaza several times the size of a dozen football fields, its entire surface paved with granite.
By now, more than a thousand students taking the Martial Arts Exam were already waiting there.
Although Xujiang City was not considered a major city in Great Xia, its population was quite large.
With such a massive population, Xujiang City had more than a dozen high schools, and the number of students taking the Martial Arts Exam reached over ten thousand.
The intensity of the competition was obvious.
Li Ziyu, however, was not worried in the slightest.
With his current strength, getting into any of the four famous martial universities would be more than easy.
"The Martial Arts Exam is about putting everyone into a Wilderness Area that has been processed in advance and is relatively safe, then seeing who can kill the most vicious beasts!"
"The vicious beasts inside have all been specially processed by the authorities. After killing them, you don't have to worry about your consciousness being invaded by a vicious beast."
"In other words, in this examination venue, I can kill as many vicious beasts as I want!"
Li Ziyu swept his gaze across the surroundings, his heart surging with excitement.
The vicious beasts inside might be obstacles to others, but to someone like him, who possessed the Martial God System and could raise his blood and qi and improve his martial skills by killing vicious beasts—
The vicious beasts in this Martial Arts Exam were practically a perfect treasure trove!
Third High School was the third school to arrive. A few other schools had yet to show up.
While they waited, the students on the platform formed small groups and chatted with those they were close to.
They described the terror of the vicious beasts and dreamed aloud about how they would bring honor to their ancestors after getting into a good martial university.
Bored, Li Ziyu casually found a spot and sat down.
Wang Hao sidled over stealthily from the side.
After coming up beside Li Ziyu, he first looked around. Finally, his gaze fixed on the direction of No.2 High School in the distance, and he spoke to Li Ziyu in a low, mysterious voice:
"Brother Yu, let me show you something pretty!"
"Hmm?"
Just as confusion appeared on Li Ziyu's face, Wang Hao discreetly pointed toward the students from No.2 High School.
There were three or four slender, beautiful girls wearing tight-fitting combat uniforms. They were gathered together, chatting happily.
From time to time, they let out laughter like silver bells, drawing the gazes of the surrounding students again and again.
The girl Wang Hao was pointing at was one of them.
The girl wore a silver combat uniform. Her cheeks were fair and exquisite, and her curvaceous figure looked flawless beneath the contours of the tight silver uniform.
Looking at the girl, Wang Hao said enviously:
"Tsk, No.2 High School's campus belle, Xia Lin. She's the same age as us, and supposedly she's already passed the Level 1 Beginner Martial Artist certification."
"On top of that, her basic martial skills have even reached the intermediate level!"
"Not only does she have amazing talent, she's also so beautiful. Tsk, wouldn't it be great if she were from our Third High School!"
Wang Hao's face was full of envy, and his tone was filled with longing.
Li Ziyu glanced toward Xia Lin's direction before looking away. He raised his head and gave Wang Hao an amused look.
"So what if she were from our Third High School? Would you actually dare have any ideas about her?"
"Brother Yu, you think too highly of me! Even if I had ideas, I wouldn't dare show them!"
"Who doesn't know that Nangong Ao from First High School is pursuing Xia Lin like a fanatic? Anyone who dares approach Xia Lin will definitely be resented by that guy!"
"Nangong Ao is the top genius among all our high schools. Supposedly, the higher-ups in Xujiang City have high hopes for him this time. Who would dare provoke him?"
As if he had thought of something, Wang Hao involuntarily shuddered and hurriedly waved both hands at Li Ziyu.
"Look at you."
Li Ziyu did not even know how to complain about Wang Hao. He had just been about to mock him for having lust but no courage when Wang Hao's startled cry rang out:
"Holy crap! Why is Goddess Xia walking toward us? I've never heard that she has a best friend in Third High School!"
"Damn! Brother Yu, Brother Yu, Goddess Xia is walking in my direction! She smiled at me!"
"She even has Goddess Zhao Yanan with her! Holy crap, do you think Goddess Xia has taken a fancy to me?!"
Wang Hao's cries of surprise came one after another. The hand gripping Li Ziyu's clothes was clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and he even unconsciously smoothed his bangs.
The gazes of the other boys present also turned toward Xia Lin and Zhao Yanan in astonishment.
When Xia Lin reached Wang Hao, he revealed a mouthful of dazzlingly white teeth, displayed the brightest smile of his life, and waved at Xia Lin and Zhao Yanan behind her.
"Xia..."
"Hi, Student Li Ziyu. What a coincidence. I didn't expect us to meet again."
"Cousin, how can you see your older cousin and not even say hello? Before I came, my mother repeatedly urged me to take good care of you, this expert~"
Before Wang Hao could finish speaking, Xia Lin smiled at him, then turned her gaze toward Li Ziyu beside him. Two small dimples appeared in her smile.
Behind Xia Lin, Zhao Yanan also teased him playfully:
"..."
That left Wang Hao alone, utterly bewildered in the wind. He looked at Xia Lin and Zhao Yanan, then at Li Ziyu, who sat beside him with complete composure, and tactfully slunk away.
Before you continue