Gold Rank Expert

Gold Rank Expert

"Wan Xiao and Zhou Qi, those guys had big mouths." Li Yuan felt rather helpless.

On the day he arranged the match with Lin Lanyue, the news had spread throughout the entire Grade 3 before evening self-study had even ended.

Lin Lanyue was well-known, and Li Yuan had some fame as well.

All kinds of rumors were flying around.

Most importantly, Lin Lanyue had never arranged a match with any other student these past few years. Li Yuan was the first.

At first, Li Yuan had thought that the clear-minded had nothing to fear and couldn't be bothered to explain. Later, he realized how naive he had been.

Today, more than three hundred people had come to Starry Sky Fighting Net to watch their battle, and they were basically all classmates.

And the number was steadily closing in on four hundred.

That was already astonishing, considering it was merely a private arranged match and no one was streaming it.

"Brother Yuan, impressive, right? I dragged the whole class here to cheer for you!" Zhou Qi, with his yellow explosive hairstyle and leather pants, waved and shouted from the stands.

With the Virtual Network's seventy percent realism, the entire arena was nearly identical to reality. Hundreds of people gathered around the ring made it exceptionally lively.

"Go!"

"Brother Yuan, your big spear must already be thirsting for battle."

Amid the noisy clamor, many people had even pulled out banners and glow sticks, all free props provided by the system.

Quite a few supported Li Yuan.

But most of the audience supported Lin Lanyue instead. She had good grades and was pretty, making her very popular... mainly among the boys.

Most boys were highly devoted; they only liked beautiful eighteen-year-old girls.

And Lin Lanyue was only seventeen.

...On the arena.

"Ready." With a thought from Li Yuan.

The lights around the roughly thirty-meter-diameter arena instantly changed from red to green.

Li Yuan and Lin Lanyue's virtual bodies vanished instantly.

At the same time, a massive countdown appeared above the arena: 30, 29, 28...

"The ranks of both parties are below Meteor Rank. The system has set the physical attributes for this battle at Level 8.0."

"You have twenty-four seconds remaining. Please select your weapon. If time expires, one will be automatically selected based on your usual preferences."

Within the preparation space, the system's voice echoed beside Li Yuan's ears.

"Level 8.0 physical attributes." Li Yuan felt the changes in his body's strength. He was already accustomed to it.

"Weapon plan Number One," Li Yuan said directly.

As a veteran who had fought thousands of matches on Starry Sky Fighting Net, he chose different weapon plans for different types of battles and different opponents.

Li Yuan had set up a total of five weapon plans.

"Selected weapon: Standard Model No. 9 spear, length 2.3 meters, weight..."

"Protective gear: Standard Model No. 4 light armor, weight..." A vast amount of data flashed before Li Yuan's eyes.

A 2.3-meter spear was considered fairly short. If Li Yuan faced another spear expert, he would be at a severe disadvantage.

An inch longer, an inch stronger.

Lin Lanyue used a sword, however. A spear that was too long lacked flexibility and might not offer an advantage... a slightly longer weapon was enough.

"A lion uses its full strength even when hunting a rabbit. Besides, there are two thousand Blue Star Coins on the line." Li Yuan thought to himself.

Li Yuan never wasted anything.

The crowd surged around the arena. The number of spectators had already exceeded four hundred, and not all of them were students. There were also a few outsiders.

For example—Teacher Xu Bo and Principal Tan Zhenlong.

"Quite lively."

Principal Tan stood in a corner, wearing a hat. His appearance differed from his real face, so no student could recognize him.

"It is lively." Xu Bo smiled. "Look, it's starting."

Principal Tan nodded. Xu Bo had dragged him here mainly because he had nothing better to do.

As the number one seed in Grade 3, Lin Lanyue naturally received some of Principal Tan's attention.

On the arena.

The countdown reached 3, 2, 1... Whoosh! Whoosh!

Li Yuan and Lin Lanyue reappeared at opposite sides of the arena, both already clad in battle armor and holding their weapons.

The most eye-catching thing was the golden insignia above their heads.

"Gold Rank?"

"Gold Rank experts?"

"Both of them are Gold Rank?" In an instant, cries of shock arose all around the arena.

"Brother Yuan reached Gold Rank? The last time we played battle royale together, he was still Silver Rank." Zhou Qi, Wan Xiao, and the others all stared wide-eyed.

"He secretly climbed rank behind our backs?" Yan Zhou said. "Next time, we need Brother Yuan to carry us in battle royale."

"Gold Rank expert? Both are Gold Rank?" Li Tianyou stood in a corner, staring at the insignias above the two people in the arena. "Lanyue reached Gold Rank too?"

Lin Lanyue did not know Li Tianyou.

But that did not stop Li Tianyou from falling in love with Lin Lanyue at first sight—more accurately, being attracted by her looks.

There were quite a few Grade 3 boys secretly in love with Lin Lanyue like him, but few of them dared to truly confess.

"Damn, Li Yuan is Gold Rank too?" Gu Qianghan stared at the symbol above Li Yuan's head. "No wonder Teacher Xu praised Li Yuan so highly."

With both combatants at Gold Rank, the atmosphere instantly peaked.

"Oh? Both Gold Rank?" Principal Tan was slightly surprised as well. "I wonder whether they've reached five hundred points. If they have, both qualify for special admission."

"Old Tan, I told you these two students are extraordinary." Xu Bo smiled. "Otherwise, why would I drag you here?"

Not to mention Grade 3 students.

Even among martial arts university students, many had yet to reach Gold Rank.

"You reached Gold Rank?" Li Yuan held his spear and stared at the red-haired Lin Lanyue, rather surprised.

Starry Sky Fighting Net divided ranks into nine stages: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Meteor, Bright Moon, Sun-Eclipsing, Transcendental, Legendary, and Martial Saint.

It was extremely rare for a minor to reach Gold Rank.

Even among major streamers who claimed to be martial arts experts, most were only Bright Moon Rank, and few reached Sun-Eclipsing Rank.

Transcendental Rank and above? Those who could reach that level were already top-tier martial arts powerhouses in reality. There was no way they would stream.

At least, Li Yuan had never seen a Transcendental Rank expert while browsing streams.

At most, he had seen them in certain combat videos.

"Only you're allowed to break through?" Lin Lanyue looked at Li Yuan, her voice icy.

Lin Lanyue was not surprised that Li Yuan had reached Gold Rank. She had expected it long ago.

"You're hostile toward me?" Li Yuan faintly sensed it.

The next instant.

Boom! Lin Lanyue moved.

Her light armor was also fiery red. Her entire body was like a blazing flame as she charged at Li Yuan like lightning.

With Level 8.0 physical attributes, the burst speed was eighteen meters per second, while standard punching force was eight hundred kilograms.

And the arena's diameter was only thirty meters.

From starting to closing in, Lin Lanyue needed at most 2.2 seconds to reach Li Yuan.

Hiss~ A fiery-red longsword shot toward Li Yuan like lightning.

Riiip~

Li Yuan grinned, clenched his spear, shifted his body in an instant, and thrust forward fiercely.

Centered Level Stance!

Clang! The fiery-red longsword collided with the spear. The spear actually shuddered and was knocked aside, while the sword turned in midair like a venomous snake looking back and stabbed toward him again.

This swordsmanship...

It's somewhat strange. Its explosive force is actually so powerful—stronger than the direct thrust of my spear technique. Is this a move that comes with an Advanced Cultivation Method? Li Yuan was astonished.

He had long heard that Lin Lanyue cultivated one of the Seven Great Advanced Cultivation Methods, the Blazing Heaven-Burning Cultivation Method.

Every cultivation method was divided into many components, such as stance training, breathing techniques, fist arts, and more.

Li Yuan had never encountered an Advanced Cultivation Method.

But he knew this was the advanced version of one of the Seven Great Basic Cultivation Methods, the Blazing Cultivation Method.

The Blazing Cultivation Method excels at offense, so this Advanced Cultivation Method should be the same. Head-on exchanges aren't my strength, and her swordsmanship is also at the third stage. Li Yuan's spear technique changed in an instant. I need to be careful.

His spear snapped back. Rather than attacking proactively, he braced it to block.

At the same time, Li Yuan began moving, using his footwork to deflect the force.

Clang! Clang! Sword light and spear shadows collided and shifted. In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged more than ten moves.

"How can his footwork and foundation be so stable?" Lin Lanyue was shocked as well. Even when I use Sea of Fire Sinking Boat, he can redirect its force with a single spear movement?

To Lin Lanyue, Li Yuan, focused entirely on defense, was like a turtle.

She simply could not break through.

"So fast!"

"In this kind of exchange, Lin Lanyue's sword keeps coming one after another. How is Li Yuan blocking it?"

"Damn, that's awesome!"

"His footwork is so exquisite."

"Li Yuan's spear technique is so steady." Most of the students watching stared in amazement.

Most of them had watched higher-level streamed duels and recorded battles.

But subconsciously, they regarded those as martial arts experts. Their own classmates should not have been this strong.

"Do you know what it means to be first in the grade in Martial Arts Technique?"

"I told you long ago Lin Lanyue wasn't a match for Brother Yuan."

"Brother Yuan, hurry up and take her down."

"Brother Yuan's big spear has always had endurance!"

"Brother Yuan can block several moves even from Xu Ban's attacks, let alone Lin Lanyue's?"

The students of Class 2, Grade 3 shouted excitedly.

Their skill levels were not high, but they still knew one simple martial arts principle: the side that attacked for a long time without success often expended more stamina.

"His defense is indeed good."

"This sword technique should have evolved from Sea of Fire Sinking Boat. Its attacks are fierce and forceful." Principal Tan commented as well, somewhat amazed. "Li Yuan actually blocked it. His spear technique is indeed steady; he should have comprehended a defensive killing move."

"Xu Bo, you've taught a fine disciple." Principal Tan smiled.

"Old Tan, since you say so, hurry up and approve his first-class scholarship." Xu Bo smiled.

Principal Tan immediately shut his mouth.

"Hm?" Xu Bo smiled and said no more, continuing to watch. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, then he shook his head repeatedly. "Lin Lanyue was careless."

On the arena, Lin Lanyue continuously unleashed sword techniques. Her sword was like surging flames, pressing forward step by step.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Li Yuan's spear either swept horizontally, hooked and cleaved, or retreated with footwork. Occasionally, he thrust forward to force her back.

Lin Lanyue could never close in.

After cultivating the move Bedrock Pillar, once Li Yuan focused wholeheartedly on defense, he already possessed the bearing of a rock-solid mountain.

Fifty-seventh sword.

Li Yuan silently counted. She has been attacking the whole time, consuming a great deal of stamina. Her sword momentum is weakening.

She's getting anxious.

In a life-and-death struggle, once someone gets anxious, mistakes become easy to make. Wait.

On the fifty-ninth sword, Li Yuan sharply caught the faint change in the power of her sword technique.

The sixty-third sword.

Whoosh! Sword light blazed like fire, swift and incomparably fierce.

Lin Lanyue was still attacking fiercely, determined to break through Li Yuan's defense. Her swordsmanship was sharp, but without realizing it, she had already relaxed her defense somewhat.

After all, from beginning to end, Li Yuan had never attacked. He had been defending the entire time.

Now! Li Yuan's eyes suddenly lit up.

Boom!

Li Yuan completely ignored Lin Lanyue's sword. His spear shook violently, like a giant dragon hidden amid ten thousand rocky ravines, suddenly bursting forth in a straight thrust.

Spear technique killing move—Hidden Dragon in the Rocky Ravine!

Not good! Lin Lanyue instantly sensed something wrong. Li Yuan's aura had changed in an instant, as though a sleeping beast had bared its fangs.

Its might was terrifying.

There's no time to retreat. Lin Lanyue realized this, cold light bursting from her eyes. She did not hesitate in the slightest.

Instead of retreating, she thrust her sword even more fiercely.

Pfft!!

The spear was like a dragon. It pierced through her armor and directly penetrated Lin Lanyue's chest. Blood streamed everywhere as her body instantly dissolved into nothingness.

Light armor simply could not withstand Li Yuan's big spear.

Riiip!

The next instant, the violent longsword also struck Li Yuan's shoulder, sending blood spraying.

Clang~ The longsword fell to the ground.

On the arena stage, only the injured Li Yuan remained.

"The spear is longer than the sword, so I had an extra 0.1 seconds to react." Li Yuan shook his head, then a faint smile appeared on his face.

"One minute, and two thousand Blue Star Coins were mine."

"Feels great!"

(End of chapter)