Starry Sky University

Starry Sky University

"Protected by law?" Wan Xiao froze for a moment, then gave a thumbs-up. "Li Yuan, I'm impressed."

"To accomplish great things, you first have to study the law." Li Yuan smiled.

Then, Li Yuan changed the subject. "Lin Lanyue and Gu Qianghan are siblings?"

"Yeah." Wan Xiao said, "They seem to be cousins. Anyway, they don't share a surname, but they're very close. Gu Qianghan fears no one except his sister."

"According to him, he only fears her because he can't beat her. Once he can, he definitely won't be afraid anymore." Wan Xiao laughed. "But I think he'll never beat his sister in this lifetime."

"Even against you, in Full-Armor Combat, I don't think I'd be Lin Lanyue's match." Wan Xiao spoke seriously.

Li Yuan nodded slightly.

If his own name was merely somewhat known among the Grade 3 students, then Lin Lanyue was someone everyone knew.

Her beauty was only a small part of it.

Across all of Guanshan District No.1 High School, with its several thousand students, could they not find a few pretty girls? As a provincial key school, it had never had such notions as school belles or school hunks.

Most students did not pay much attention to others even within their own class, much less those from other classes.

Lin Lanyue was the sole "public figure," chiefly because her Martial Arts Score stood at a cliff-like lead over everyone else.

The absolute number one.

From her first year onward, whether major or minor exams, whenever martial arts were involved, she had almost always taken first place.

In the final exam of Grade 2, she scored 875 points before bonuses, with a total score of 962.5, more than fifty points ahead of second place.

There had been only one exception: the individual Martial Arts Technique score in that Grade 2 final exam.

For the first time, it had been taken from her by Li Yuan.

"Full-Armor Combat?" Li Yuan considered it briefly. "What level is her physical fitness?"

"Probably above Level 8.0." Wan Xiao said. "That's only my guess. Since I entered the Elite Class, our class hasn't had a minor assessment yet."

Li Yuan nodded slightly.

Based on Lin Lanyue's physical fitness score last semester, along with her rate of improvement, he could roughly estimate it... She should be between Level 8.0 and Level 8.3.

That was already terrifying.

By National College Entrance Examination standards, full marks for physical fitness were 500 points, and reaching Level 10.0 meant full marks.

Level 9.0 was 470 points.

Level 8.0 was 440 points.

Level 7.0 was 400 points.

Level 6.0 was 360 points.

Level 5.0 was 300 points.

"At least Level 8.0? At her rate of improvement, she has a chance of reaching Level 9.0 in physical fitness by the National College Entrance Examination." Li Yuan sighed inwardly. "No wonder everyone says she has a chance of being admitted to Starry Sky University, one of the world's three top martial arts schools."

"The world's three major martial arts schools—Starry Sky University, Spark University, and Black Stone University—are even better Martial Arts Universities than Xia Country's five prestigious schools."

Li Yuan had never dared underestimate anyone else.

In terms of talent, Lin Lanyue was among the strongest of Guanshan District's more than ten thousand Grade 3 students. Her family background was excellent as well, and the crucial thing was that she herself trained diligently... She was a true hard-working martial arts genius.

"Xu Ban uses your spearmanship as a comparison in the Elite Class." Wan Xiao smiled. "But he never mentioned your score, and I never revealed your spearmanship score from the previous minor assessment. Lin Lanyue probably doesn't know yet."

Li Yuan nodded slightly.

Martial Arts Technique was worth 400 points at full marks. By National College Entrance Examination standards, 320 and 360 were both huge thresholds, extremely difficult to cross.

"To exceed 320 points, one's Martial Arts Technique should need to reach the Second Stage." Li Yuan pondered silently. "To exceed 360 points, both spearmanship and movement techniques should need to reach the Third Stage."

As for the requirement for full marks? Li Yuan did not know.

Nor had Li Yuan asked Teacher Xu Bo, lest the man think he was aiming too high.

"In Full-Armor Combat, her physical fitness is nearly two levels higher than yours. Your chances of winning are slim." Wan Xiao was somewhat excited as well. "But in a virtual battle? Heh heh! I believe in your spearmanship."

"When you fight on Sunday, I'm coming to watch. Remember to send me the room number." Wan Xiao said.

"Alright." Li Yuan nodded.

After seeing Wan Xiao off, Li Yuan closed the door to the Martial Arts Room.

It became completely quiet.

"Xiaoyu, connect via Bluetooth and take over the intelligent management permissions for the 4011 Martial Arts Room. The authorization code is..." Li Yuan suddenly said.

Very quickly.

"Master, I have taken over the Martial Arts Room permissions. I am delighted to serve you." A gentle female voice sounded.

"Activate the Martial Arts Technique Evaluation System."

"Activate the Recording Analysis System." Li Yuan spoke in quick succession, then opened the weapon cabinet beside him.

A large number of weapons were stored inside. There were six long spears alone, varying in length and weight.

Li Yuan took out the standard long spear type he used most often and placed it on the weapon rack to one side.

Then, he silently began practicing the Rock Cultivation Method.

"A wager of two thousand Blue Star Coins?" Li Yuan followed the flow of his intent, sensing the faint changes in his muscles, bones, and flesh while considering the events of the day.

Li Yuan had not taken this match to heart at all. He had never worried about losing.

Losing was not shameful.

His opponent was the top student of the grade, a martial arts prodigy.

Win or lose? So long as it could improve his martial arts and cost him nothing, what did victory or defeat matter?

"Dongfang Ji, Human Civilization's strongest person, lost more than once on his path to growth as well." Li Yuan thought. "Martial Dao is Me; external things cannot disturb my true heart."

"Failure will only become accumulation on the road to growth."

Li Yuan had read many biographies of Dongfang Ji.

The phrase "Martial Dao is Me" proposed by Dongfang Ji did not mean that he himself represented martial arts. It meant, rather, that "Martial Dao is my Dao."

"So long as one devotes oneself wholeheartedly to martial arts, one should not care about others' judgments, nor about their praise or disparagement." Li Yuan's eyes were clear. "Practice one's own path. What my heart desires and what I think are the true essence of martial arts—this is my Dao."

Simply put, walk one's own road and let others talk.

In martial arts, the one to surpass was oneself.

"However."

"National College Entrance Examination admissions are based on rankings. Sparring with Lin Lanyue once can also let me learn what level the Martial Arts Techniques of these top Grade 3 students have currently reached." Li Yuan pondered.

Inside the 4001 Independent Martial Arts Room.

"Sis, are you really going to fight him? Even if he loses, he won't lose anything." Gu Qianghan stood nearby, shouting.

"Two thousand Blue Star Coins mean nothing to me." Lin Lanyue's voice was cool and clear, like pearls falling onto a jade platter.

She was practicing a set of fist techniques. As her fists and palms rolled and moved, faint bursts of air rang out.

"It isn't about the money."

"It's about face." Gu Qianghan shook his head. "You're the top student of the grade, while he's only ranked in the twenties. Wouldn't losing be humiliating?"

"Face?"

Lin Lanyue abruptly drew in her palms, her sharp gaze locking onto Gu Qianghan. "Is face what you pursue in cultivating martial arts?"

Gu Qianghan hurriedly shook his head. "Of course not, but..."

"Shut up."

Lin Lanyue frowned. "Aunt has spoiled you rotten. You challenge people to spar every day just to flaunt your strength, for the sake of face? No wonder you even dared engage in private fights."

"Sis, I really won't dare do it again." Gu Qianghan hurriedly said, though inwardly he muttered, Aren't you looking for someone to duel too?

"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking."

"I want to spar not because I want to defeat him, but because I want to see just how formidable the spearmanship Teacher Xu praised is." Lin Lanyue said coldly. "As for winning or losing?"

"If I lose, will that stop me from getting into Starry Sky University?"

"It's two o'clock. Get back to your Martial Arts Room and train." Lin Lanyue frowned.

"Right away." Gu Qianghan turned and slipped away, unwilling to stay another second.

Near the end of class, inside the 4011 Martial Arts Room.

[Your spearmanship realm has risen from Third Stage 47% to Third Stage 48%]

Li Yuan suddenly noticed the notification in his field of vision and immediately withdrew his spear.

"It improved by another one percent?"

"Ever since I created the Hidden Dragon in the Rocky Ravine strike, my spearmanship seems to be improving faster." Li Yuan thought. "Still, it will probably take some time before I can create the envisioned move, 'Qunshan Wanxiang.'"

After creating one or two ultimate moves that could perfectly coordinate the body's force, it became relatively easier the further one progressed.

Until one day, when every move could reach perfection, that would be Fourth-Stage Spearmanship.

Not long after.

Li Yuan walked out of the Elite Building. Before he reached the cafeteria, he saw a group of classmates gathering around him from afar.

They were Zhou Qi, Yan Zhou, and the others. It seemed they had been waiting for quite some time.

"Brother Yuan, I heard you're fighting Lin Lanyue to determine who's number one in Martial Arts Technique?"

"No, I heard it's to determine who is truly the number one student in the grade."

"Huh? Why did I hear that Brother Yuan was the one who challenged Lin Lanyue..."

"I heard that if Brother Yuan wins, Lin Lanyue will agree to date him..." The crowd chattered all at once.

Li Yuan: "..."

"Stop!" Li Yuan suddenly shouted, and the surroundings immediately fell silent.

"Who did you hear that from?" Li Yuan asked.

"Wan Xiao, probably. He was the first one to say it in the class group. Brother Yuan, didn't you see the group messages?"

"Anyway, it's spread everywhere." Zhou Qi grinned. "Brother Yuan, tell us. Are you really going to pursue Lin Lanyue?"

Everyone around them was equally curious.

"There is indeed a wager." Li Yuan frowned. "But it's just a normal spar. There's nothing else."

"I'm going to eat first. I still have to train afterward." Li Yuan turned and headed toward the cafeteria.

The others looked at one another.

A normal spar?

"If it were a normal spar, would Brother Yuan need to hide it? And leave so quickly?" Zhou Qi shook his head. "There's definitely something going on."

"Yeah, I think so too."

Weekend, 1:50 p.m.

Blue Star Virtual Net, Starry Sky Fighting Net.

Personal Challenge Match platform, Room 8673795.

"Three hundred and sixty-nine spectators?" Li Yuan's consciousness avatar stood on the arena platform with a long spear in hand, looking at the displayed spectator count on the overhead screen and the densely packed virtual figures in the surrounding stands.

Li Yuan's brows furrowed into three deep vertical creases.

"Brother Yuan, go! Take down Lin Lanyue!"

"Brother Yuan, get her!"

"Class 2, Grade 3—Brother Yuan is the strongest!"

"Lin Lanyue, beat Li Yuan to death!"

"Li Yuan looks so arrogant and full of himself. He could use a beating."

"I think he's pretty handsome—more handsome than both my boyfriends." All sorts of chaotic voices rose from the spectator stands.

In the virtual world, people's words and behavior were usually more uninhibited than in reality.

Li Yuan had no idea why an ordinary virtual battle spar had turned into this.

But now, Li Yuan only felt that the Virtual Network's realism being too high did not seem like such a good thing.

"Li Yuan, get ready." Lin Lanyue stood at the other end of the arena, holding a longsword.

Her virtual avatar looked quite similar to her real appearance.

Only, her long hair had become short and been dyed red, leaving her with less solemnity and more wildness.

(End of chapter.)