Although Ding Zhiyuan said that, the disappointment in his eyes was still plain to see.
He knew that all his hard work here ultimately couldn't compete with the martial arts talent some people were born with.
No matter how skillfully he handled things among the students or how friendly he was to everyone, even regularly treating Miao Ping and the others to meals, when it came down to it, what mattered was martial arts potential.
Before long, Guan Lie led a large group of inner-court disciples out the gate and onto the bus waiting outside. Everyone watched them go with envy.
With the academy master and the inner-court disciples gone, the students immediately lost some of their focus.
Before long, some of them left for the dining hall to watch the broadcast on television. One by one, the others followed. When Ding Zhiyuan left, he called out to Fang Mo, but Fang Mo declined. In the end, Fang Mo was the only one left in the courtyard, sweating as he practiced his stances and punches.
Pharmacist Xie watched Fang Mo practicing in the sunlight through the window. He gave a slight nod, admiration in his eyes.
He knew Fang Mo wasn't especially gifted, but he had astonishing perseverance and determination. Pharmacist Xie was growing more and more interested. Perhaps this young man could create some unexpected miracles.
Fang Mo kept practicing until the clapper sounded to announce mealtime. Only then did he stop, wash his face, and head to the dining hall.
At that moment, more than twenty students had gathered around the television, watching the live broadcast.
"Fang Mo, come over here! You're late, but you made it just in time for the final match—the fight for first place!" Ding Zhiyuan saw Fang Mo approaching and waved excitedly.
"Coming!"
Fang Mo walked over with a smile and looked at the television. Onscreen, a young man and woman, both around seventeen or eighteen, stood facing each other in fitted martial arts clothes, one blue and one white. The young man was handsome and carried himself with an extraordinary air.
The young woman was even more beautiful, with fair skin, delicate features, willow-leaf brows, almond-shaped eyes, and long lashes curved like a new moon. Her white martial arts outfit made her figure look even more slender. Her dark hair was tied up behind her head, and she carried herself with spirited confidence.
Fang Mo paused, his expression complicated. He knew both of them.
The young man was Shen Songyang, a direct descendant of the Shen Family, one of the Five Great Martial Arts Families of Yunyang. He had excellent bone structure and was already a peak Bright Force expert at eighteen. He was a well-known prodigy in Yunyang, far more famous than Fang Mo, the useless young master.
The young woman was none other than his fiancée, the Qin Family's genius, Qin Muxue.
Perhaps because of the influence of Fang Mo's original soul, he still lost himself for a moment when he saw Qin Muxue.
Over the years, Fang Mo had given her all the dividends he received from the Fang Family. Back when he hadn't yet been suppressed so badly, he could use tens of millions in funds each year. When the matter came to light, Fang Xiaolian took away his dividends, and from then on Hu Yuehua withheld his allowance, never even giving him the full amount.
He had even secretly stolen a Thousand-Year Purple Ginseng worth over a hundred million from the Fang Family and given it to Qin Muxue. Hu Yuehua had nearly beaten him to death over it. Otherwise, his grandmother wouldn't have given up on him completely, and Fang Xiaolian wouldn't have lost all regard for him.
And yet Qin Muxue, along with the Qin Family, had taken so many benefits from the Fang Family, only to coldly break off the engagement in the end, making him a complete laughingstock throughout Yunyang. Otherwise, he wouldn't have hanged himself at Moon Lake.
"Quiet! It's starting!"
Everyone immediately held their breath. On the television, Shen Songyang and Qin Muxue had already saluted and were preparing to begin. The atmosphere instantly grew tense.
"Brother Shen, I'm determined to take first place!" Qin Muxue said, her beautiful eyes full of resolve as she looked at Shen Songyang.
"Sorry, Muxue, but I'm determined to take first place too. I'll have to offend you!" Shen Songyang replied with an apologetic smile.
"Then let's settle it with our fists!" Qin Muxue's eyes sharpened. She took up the Shattered Jade Fist's offensive stance, and her bones rang out. Shen Songyang said no more, but raised his hands into the starting stance of Thunderclap Palm. His bones roared just as loudly.
"Go!" Qin Muxue suddenly cried. She pushed off the ground and shot forward, driving a punch toward Shen Songyang. Her fist burst with a sharp report—seven rings in a single punch.
"Bring it on!" Shen Songyang's tiger eyes flashed. With a booming shout, he swept out his palm like wind and thunder. His palm struck with seven rings as well.
Both of them were incredibly fast. In an instant, they crossed several meters and their fists and palms collided with a thunderous thud. The air rippled where they met, and both retreated several steps. Qin Muxue was clearly at a slight disadvantage, forced one step farther back.
"Again!" They shouted almost in unison and charged at each other once more. Their exchanges came fast, their fists, palms, and legs leaving afterimages. Every clash landed with a dull thud as the two figures darted around the arena.
The Qin Family's Shattered Jade Fist was quick, precise, and ruthless, its hidden force potent and its angles tricky. The Shen Family's Thunderclap Palm was broad and powerful, each strike heavy with force. Both were peak Bright Force fighters, and the match was so evenly balanced that gasps kept rising from the arena. The crowd watching in the dining hall gasped from time to time too, and Fang Mo was just as shaken.
These two really were Yunyang's great prodigies. Peak Bright Force was astonishingly strong. They were the same age as him, but if he faced either one now, he wouldn't be able to fight back at all. He couldn't withstand a single strike.
Their fists and palms met, powerful energy bursting outward as both of them retreated several steps.
They were breathing hard, sweat already glistening on their foreheads. Sweat steamed above their heads, making it clear they had both spent a great deal of energy. Even so, everyone was astonished. For Qin Muxue to hold her own against Shen Songyang for so many exchanges as a woman was already remarkable.
"Little Sister Muxue, you're impressive, but I won't go easy on you!" Shen Songyang said, his eyes gleaming.
"I won't go easy on you either. Let's settle it with one strike!" Qin Muxue stared at Shen Songyang with unwavering eyes.
"Good!" Shen Songyang gave a low shout and suddenly pressed both hands together, his blood and qi surging. "Take my Thunderbolt Barrage!" He stepped forward and thrust out his palm, unleashing a string of explosive reports.
"Oh my god, eight rings in one punch!"
"That's incredible! He's already infinitely close to Dark Strength. This is the pinnacle of peak Bright Force!" The people in the dining hall cried out in astonishment, their eyes wide. The audience on television cheered even louder.
"Good! Take my Shattered Jade Chain!" Qin Muxue cried. She stepped forward and drove out a punch. There was no explosive report, no sharp ring, yet her slender palm seemed to radiate a chill.
Their fists and palms collided with a dull thud, like a strike against a drumhead.
Qin Muxue's delicate brows suddenly shot upward. She stamped her foot and thrust her palm forward again, her clothes fluttering.
"Break!" Her slender palm trembled violently, and a rumble like muffled thunder shook the air.
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