"Who won?"
The question lingered in everyone's minds. Even the principals in the conference room widened their eyes and peered into the thick cloud of dust.
Only Shen Donglin remained seated calmly.
A gratified smile rested on his face, as though he were pleased. He murmured, "He can't lose."
Whether that "can't lose" referred to Ai Ning or Jiang Yan, only he himself knew.
"Ai Ning has A Grade talent and is already at the Blood Coagulation Mid Stage. He should... be unable to lose, right?"
"Hard to say. That young man performed just as impressively. The outcome is difficult to determine."
"By the way, Principal Liu, Ai Ning is your student. Based on what you know about him, who do you think will win this battle?"
Someone tossed the question to Liu Hair-Ren.
Liu Hair-Ren smiled, his words watertight. "I respect the actual result."
Though he said that, the smile on his face was impossible to hide.
Seeing his expression, the principal who had asked knew the answer was probably certain. He sighed. "Then congratulations, Principal Liu."
This time, Linjiang First High School had truly stolen the limelight.
Within the thick smoke, Jiang Yan stood high above, looking down at Ai Ning, who was covered in wounds. Blood streamed all over him, and not a patch of skin on his body remained intact. He looked gravely injured—the complete opposite of what everyone outside had expected.
"You have completed a splendid duel. The Battle Saint Armor has improved slightly, your realm has improved slightly, and your comprehension of blade techniques has improved greatly."
Battle was a subject that never ceased, something Jiang Yan had pursued his entire life.
The golden cape behind Jiang Yan snapped in the wind. The sacred radiance gradually withdrew, its divine gleam fading away. Jiang Yan had emerged from this battle completely unscathed.
Ai Ning had given him a surprise, but not much of one.
Ai Ning's eyes had lost their focus. He stared dully at Jiang Yan's toes as the emotion called defeat surged into his heart. Parting his lips slightly, he asked unwillingly:
"Who... are you?"
"Jiang Yan."
Rumble—
The name exploded in Ai Ning's mind like thunder. He did not dare admit it, yet he had no choice but to accept it.
"You're Jiang Yan, the one expelled by Linjiang First High School?!"
Jiang Yan spread his hands and smiled. "You guessed it."
The smoke dispersed, completely exposing Ai Ning's dejected figure to everyone.
The other students stared in disbelief at the person who had effortlessly defeated them, now kneeling at the feet of that blood-clad youth.
Ai Ning's lackeys could not believe that their arrogant, invincible boss had lost to this youth who had appeared out of nowhere in such a miserable fashion.
In the conference room, the old principals who believed the outcome had already been decided rubbed their glasses again and again, yet the shocking scene on the screen remained unchanged.
Liu Hair-Ren slumped in his chair, staring blankly at the glaring ceiling. His mouth hung open in an O, and for a while, he could not recover from Ai Ning's defeat.
Only Shen Donglin rose from the seat of honor. Completely disregarding the feelings of the surrounding principals, he shouted:
"Good! This is the prodigy I wanted to see!"
"Masterful control of Blade Momentum, talent comparable to S Grade, and a steady temperament! Investigate! Send people to investigate! I want every piece of information on that young man!"
All the principals were startled. They could not believe such an unsteady outburst had come from the highly respected Shen Donglin.
What astonished them even more was:
Blade Momentum? S Grade talent?
Could Shen Donglin be referring to that blood-clad youth?
"Right, Blade Momentum!"
"What that child released just now was the legendary Blade Momentum!"
A man shouted, and all their doubts were unraveled at once, making everything suddenly clear.
Why could a battered alloy blade so easily shatter an expensive treasured sword?
Why could the "Basic cultivation technique" recognized at a glance actually rival the high-level martial skill Ai Ning had mastered?
All of it could only be explained if that youth had mastered Blade Momentum.
"A genius! A genius in the truest sense! Which school is that child from? Huangshui Middle School announces once again that we will offer the best possible terms to bring him to our school!"
"Fuck off, you old bastard. How could a genius who controls Blade Momentum be wasted by you? Zeshui Middle School is the place most suited for that child to study."
"Mingshan Middle School refuses to accept this!"
These old foxes had all caught the scent of blood.
Entering the Wilderness at this time—what did that mean?
It meant that child was not attending school!
Coupled with what Liu Hair-Ren had said about expulsion...
No!
Many people came to their senses. Why would a genius who had mastered Blade Momentum be expelled from Linshui Middle School?
Could there be some hidden truth behind it?
The principal of Huangshui Middle School, whom Liu Hair-Ren had previously mocked, was the first to press the attack. Smiling, he looked at Liu Hair-Ren.
"Principal Liu, could you explain to everyone why that child was expelled?"
Liu Hair-Ren's heart skipped a beat. He knew what was coming had finally arrived.
At that moment, regret gnawed at him endlessly. Why had he summoned Wang Zhong for a talk out of fear of taking responsibility? His tone that day had been exceptionally vile. If Wang Zhong learned of this and revealed even a fragment of the truth...
Liu Hair-Ren did not dare imagine it.
Faced with the questioning of so many people, Liu Hair-Ren stammered. Even an old fox like him had no idea how to fabricate a lie and muddle through.
If this matter was handled well, it would count as a work mistake.
If it was handled poorly, it would be bending the law for personal gain.
"Hmph. I will investigate this matter myself. All of you are acting so righteously indignant here now—have you forgotten how you rebuked that child just moments ago?"
Shen Donglin angrily berated them, calling out their ugly behavior of kicking a man when he was down when Jiang Yan had damaged the surveillance equipment.
Now that they saw the child soaring into the heavens, they all wanted to claim kinship and cling to his thigh?
Utterly ridiculous!
With people like these, who chased power and fawned over the influential, how could humanity ever grow into a truly great race?
"And you!" Shen Donglin's icy gaze swept mercilessly across Liu Hair-Ren. "I will personally question that child about this matter. If you truly did something unfair to him, do not blame me for showing no mercy."
Liu Hair-Ren truly felt as though the sky had collapsed.
With Shen Donglin speaking, Liu Hair-Ren's fate had already been pronounced.
With Shen Donglin involved, once the matter was set in stone, there would absolutely be no room for Liu Hair-Ren to turn things around.
Liu Hair-Ren knew Shen Donglin's status all too well. He was the renowned Seventh Grade True Profound Martial Artist, one of the most powerful and influential figures even in the province. Crushing a mere Principal of Linjiang First High School like Liu Hair-Ren would be as simple as crushing an ant.
Even if he did not follow procedure, if Shen Donglin killed Liu Hair-Ren on the spot, no one would dare utter a word of objection.
Fortunately, Shen Donglin was a man who followed rules, albeit somewhat rigidly. No longer bothering with Liu Hair-Ren's miserable state, his figure flashed, and he vanished directly from the conference room.
"Tsk, tsk. Some people are truly lofty, letting an S Grade genius who controls Blade Momentum wander outside."
"Hey, how can you say that? Principal Liu has a top-tier genius like Ai Ning. Maybe Ai Ning will be admitted to Shendu Martial University this year and soar into the skies from then on."
"That's true. Then he really can afford to look down on others. Hahahahaha..."
The more arrogant Liu Hair-Ren had been at first, relying on Ai Ning to disdain the other principals, the more miserably he was mocked now.
Only those who had experienced it could truly understand the feeling of falling from the clouds into the depths of the earth.
He said nothing. Streams of mockery rang in his ears as his eyes turned hollow, and he quietly awaited the final judgment.
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