Breakthrough

To win against Liu Qingmeng, Lin Hao had to find her weak point. He decided to strike first, instantly activating Thunder Prison Instant Space Flash and appearing right before her in a flash. Lin Hao wasn't about to go easy on a girl—especially not against someone as eerie as Liu Qingmeng. Without mercy, he threw a punch straight at her face.

But just as Lin Hao was about to land the hit, Liu Qingmeng flickered and appeared behind him, while Lin Hao himself stood frozen in place.

Liu Qingmeng had her back to Lin Hao, and Lin Hao was still holding his punching pose. A full five seconds passed. Everyone was baffled.

Just as the crowd was utterly confused, a jaw-dropping scene unfolded. Lin Hao suddenly dropped to one knee, gasping for air.

"What?" Everyone from Shancheng Martial University shot to their feet, faces full of disbelief. Even Duan Yue from Longcheng Martial University stood up.

The entire audience erupted in gasps. What the hell just happened? To everyone watching, Lin Hao had simply thrown a punch that missed, and Liu Qingmeng had dodged it.

Even Jiang Tianhai on the judges' panel couldn't sit still. He had no idea what had happened either.

"How is that possible?" Duan Yue's face was full of shock. He had personally fought Lin Hao and knew exactly how tough he was. And no one had seen Liu Qingmeng make a move.

"How did she do it?" Even the principals of the various martial universities were completely lost.

Lin Hao's expression was priceless. "Damn, that hurts like hell." That punch he'd thrown had been purely probing. But after swinging it, not only had he missed, but his stomach felt like it had been hit by a truck. It caught him completely off guard, and he dropped straight to his knees.

"Shit, this is damn creepy!" Lin Hao got to his feet and turned to face Liu Qingmeng.

Liu Qingmeng gave a faint smile. "Not bad. For a mere Bronze rank to take a hit from me and still be standing, you're impressive."

Lin Hao's expression was complicated. She was looking down on him. But he really hadn't seen her make a move. Close combat wasn't working—time to try ranged. With that thought, Lin Hao didn't hesitate. Black Lightning erupted around him as he used Thunder Prison Instant Space Flash to create distance, then activated his Martial Art, Endless Thunder Prison. Bolts of lightning as thick as a bowl's rim gathered around him and instantly expanded to cover the entire arena.

But Liu Qingmeng's expression remained calm as the overwhelming lightning approached her. The moment the thunder touched her, it vanished eerily. She walked toward Lin Hao at a leisurely pace. The scene was bizarre. Everyone watched as she strolled through the endless Black Lightning as if taking a casual walk.

Just as Lin Hao was about to make a move, Liu Qingmeng's calm voice rang out. "It's over." Her words were unhurried, utterly flat. Then she flickered again, appearing behind Lin Hao. His Black Lightning vanished instantly, and within three seconds, he collapsed face-first onto the arena floor.

No one had expected this outcome. Lin Hao, who could fight two ranks above his own, had been one-shot by Liu Qingmeng. And the key point was—no one had seen how she did it.

Jiang Weiwei, Su Xiaorui, Fang Yao, Lin Yueyue—everyone on the field hadn't seen this coming. The entire venue fell silent.

Fang Wei, acting as the Referee, walked onto the arena. He shot a strange glance at Liu Qingmeng, then announced, "I declare the champion of this Hundred Schools League..." But before he could finish, a pained voice cut in. "General Fang, I haven't lost yet."

Gasps rang out from the audience. Lin Hao, his face twisted in pain, forced himself to his feet. Fang Wei looked at him. "Can you still go?"

Lin Hao nodded. "Of course!"

Fang Wei didn't waste words. "Match continues!" He vanished from the arena.

Liu Qingmeng was genuinely surprised. He could still stand. She had to admit, she admired Lin Hao's tenacity.

Lin Hao raised his hand, and a pitch-black spear materialized in his grip. His aura exploded outward at full force.

"Intent. It's intent!" The audience below shouted in unison. The memory of Lin Hao's match against Duan Yue the day before was still fresh in their minds. The stone tiles beneath Lin Hao's feet began to crack, and the Thunder Prison Sky Splitting Spear in his hand trembled slightly. His eyes were shut, as if he had entered a state of complete absorption.

Liu Qingmeng watched him curiously. "Tch, still not giving up." She flickered and vanished from her spot.

The moment she disappeared, Lin Hao moved. Without any grand motion, he simply turned his back and held his spear horizontally. Liu Qingmeng reappeared right in front of him. Her small, pale fist struck squarely against his spear shaft. Lin Hao slowly opened his eyes. Finally, I've caught you.

Liu Qingmeng's expression tightened. She hadn't expected Lin Hao to figure out her ability after just two hits. She flickered and vanished again. When she reappeared, her smooth calf was caught in Lin Hao's grip. Not daring to be careless, she swung her other leg at him.

To her surprise, Lin Hao didn't press the advantage. He sidestepped her attack and let her go. Then the two of them launched into a close-quarters brawl, trading dozens of blows with neither gaining the upper hand.

When Liu Qingmeng vanished again, Lin Hao suddenly threw a punch at an empty space. The blow landed solidly on Liu Qingmeng, who materialized and flew backward, her pristine white dress instantly covered in dust.

Lin Hao still didn't press the attack. Liu Qingmeng's heart pounded. "How did you find me?"

The audience below, including the teachers and principals, were all utterly confused.

Lin Hao gave a faint smile. "Liu Qingmeng, you're a rare genius. If I weren't as tough as I am, those first two hits would've finished me. But I didn't take those hits for nothing. If I'm not mistaken, you're an Ability User with both space and time attributes!"

The moment he said it, the entire venue was stunned.

Lin Hao continued. "Your time Martial Art is impressive. It can stop time for almost two seconds. To us martial artists, two seconds is an eternity—enough to do a lot. In those two seconds, you can dodge my attack and counter. But to everyone else, what you do in those two seconds is invisible. That's why it looks like you did nothing, while I seem to take heavy damage."