Sorry! I Won This Fight.

The roar shook the heavens, making everyone's eardrums buzz.

But the old man in the Daoist robe remained calm. He smiled and said:

"Don't stand on ceremony. I haven't come to inspect you as the Dean, but to guide your cultivation of Martial Skill as a teacher. So feel free to relax a little later; there's no need to be so formal."

"Yes, Dean!"

The disciples answered, and their nerves eased a little.

Seeing this, the old man smiled and nodded.

"All right! I won't waste any more time. I'll guide you according to the usual rules."

"The top ten in Martial Skill from each class will suppress their strength to Early Ninth Rank and fight one another first."

"I'll focus on guiding them based on their individual situations. The other disciples should listen carefully in the meantime."

"After the top ten have finished, the other disciples will pair up and choose opponents to spar with. I'll give you some general pointers on your weaknesses."

"All right, let's begin the first match. Xiao Wang, pick someone."

"Yes!"

As soon as the old man finished speaking, a towering, muscular man standing nearly two meters tall answered at once. His sharp gaze swept across the many disciples.

After a moment, his eyes settled on a handsome young man with an upright bearing and a greatsword in his hand.

"Wang Kai, your overall results were the best in your class at the midyear exam. You'll go first this time, and set an example for the other disciples and your junior brothers and sisters."

"As for your opponent, choose one yourself."

"Yes, Teacher!"

The handsome youth Wang Kai acknowledged the order. He glanced around the class, then looked at Lin Yi and smiled.

"Lin Yi, our Martial Skill levels are about the same, and we've sparred more than anyone else. How about we fight this time?"

"I'd be delighted!"

Lin Yi's eyes lit up. He strode forward at once.

Seeing this, the disciples backed away in every direction, forming a huge circle in the center and leaving Wang Kai and Lin Yi room to fight to their hearts' content.

"Senior Brother Wang Kai, go for it!"

"Senior Brother Wang Kai, you're the strongest!"

"Senior Brother Lin Yi, do your best!"

"Senior Brother Lin Yi, I believe in you! Beat Wang Kai and win some pride for us Poor Family Disciples!"

The fight had yet to begin, but the atmosphere around the arena was already heating up. Supporters on both sides cheered for Lin Yi and Wang Kai.

Overall, though, Wang Kai had far more supporters than Lin Yi.

After all, Wang Kai was not only handsome and powerful, having already reached Peak Seventh Rank and Minor Accomplishment in a Fifth-Rank Martial Art, but also came from an extraordinary family.

The Wang Family was one of the top lineages in Guangling Prefecture City. Its influence stretched across Guangling and even reached other commandery cities.

Besides, although Wang Kai was the eldest legitimate son of the Lin Family and of noble birth, he showed none of the arrogance common among scions of powerful families. He treated everyone with equal courtesy, naturally earning the support of even more disciples.

Lin Yi was good too, but compared with Wang Kai, he fell far short.

And so, amid the disciples' enthusiastic support,

the two stood facing each other in the arena, one holding a saber and the other a greatsword, more than ten meters apart.

After more than ten breaths, Wang Kai seemed to spot an opening in Lin Yi's defenses and struck first.

Boom!

A violent blast of air erupted. Wang Kai gripped his greatsword in both hands and raised it high, wielding the heavy blade like a giant axe as he brought it crashing down at Lin Yi.

Fifth-Rank Martial Art, Great Mountain Splitting Sword Technique, First Form—One Sword Splits the Mountain!

"Good!"

A flash of light gleamed in Lin Yi's eyes. His right hand moved, drawing a circle in the air with his long saber. It was like a bright full moon, sweeping straight toward the mighty greatsword.

Sixth-Rank Martial Art, Bright Moon Saber Art, Second Form—Embrace the Moon in the Bosom!

Clang!

A thunderous metallic clash rang through the air as saber met sword. A tremendous wave of force surged around them.

Lin Yi stood unmoving, rooted to the earth like an old pine.

Wang Kai, who had attacked with overwhelming force, was driven back three steps by the countershock. A trace of surprise appeared on his face.

"Good! Senior Brother Lin Yi is amazing!"

"Haha! Senior Brother Lin Yi, you're incredible!"

Lin Yi's supporters were overjoyed. They cheered one after another.

"Not bad! This kid Lin Yi has made quite a bit of progress."

Nearby, Vice Principal Li You smiled faintly.

"I remember when I came to the Martial Arts Academy to offer guidance a little over a month ago, this kid's Martial Skill was good, but he still fell short of that boy from the Wang Family, didn't he?"

"Now, in just a little over a month, he's completely closed the gap. He's no worse than that boy from the Wang Family—and even caught him off guard and made him stumble. Not bad! Not bad!"

"Vice Principal, you're right."

Master Wang replied with a smile.

"Lin Yi really is talented, and he works hard too. It's just a shame his physical aptitude is a little lacking."

"His physical aptitude is lacking?"

Li You raised his brows at the words, then nodded.

"That is a bit of a shame."

Leaving Li You's thoughts aside, Wang Kai saw that he had been knocked back and first paused in surprise. Then he smiled.

"Lin Yi, impressive! I didn't expect your Martial Skill to be every bit as good as mine after we'd gone so long without sparring."

"But I was careless with that last move. I'm going to get serious now, so watch out!"

"Don't hold back. Give it everything you've got!"

Lin Yi smiled, a blazing fighting spirit rising in his eyes.

He was at a crucial point in breaking through to perfection in the Bright Moon Saber Art and just happened to need an opponent to help him get there.

At the Martial Arts Training Room, the Bronze Automaton was certainly powerful, but its Martial Skill was too poor to give him a satisfying fight.

Wang Kai was different. His Martial Skill level was about the same as Lin Yi's, and his cultivation was now suppressed to match Lin Yi's. He was clearly an excellent opponent!

"Good! Lin Yi, take another one!"

Wang Kai nodded and swung his greatsword, unleashing another fierce and terrifying sword move at Lin Yi.

This strike was faster and more ferocious than the last!

Lin Yi didn't dare be careless. He raised his saber to block again.

At once...

Clang, clang, clang...

A seemingly endless series of metallic clashes rang across the training ground.

The two moved with each strike, saber flashing and sword sweeping as they unleashed one astonishing move after another—moves that would leave ordinary Seventh Rank Martial Artists gaping in awe. They fought amid flying dust and sand, drawing cheer after cheer from the crowd. Even the weaker teachers among the onlookers couldn't help exclaiming that it was a thrilling sight.

"Incredible! Senior Brother Wang Kai and Senior Brother Lin Yi are amazing! So this is what the top Martial Skill disciples at the academy are like? They're terrifying!"

"Exactly! Wang Kai and Lin Yi are only a hair's breadth away from perfecting a Sixth-Rank Martial Art. Even some weaker Sixth-Rank Martial Artists are at about their level, or even a little below it. The gap between them and us is just too huge."

"They're so strong!"

The Martial Arts Academy disciples marveled at the fight.

But on the training ground, Dean Li's frown deepened the longer he watched.

Only after the two had exchanged more than a hundred moves did Dean Li finally speak.

"You two have got your moves wrong!"

"Boy from the Wang Family, the Great Mountain Splitting Sword Technique you practice is indeed a martial art that emphasizes strength and fierce attacks."

"But as the saying goes, too much hardness makes a thing easy to break. You focus too much on the power of your moves and neglect how they flow and change between strikes. That only brings you down to a lower level."

"If you go on like this, even if you're lucky enough to cultivate this martial art to Great Accomplishment, you'll never reach perfection in this lifetime!"

"And you, Lin Yi: your Bright Moon Saber Art is well practiced, but you focus too much on defense."

"Though this saber art does excel at defense, its core meaning isn't limited to defending. It's about creating a lethal opening between your defensive moves—one that lets you kill your enemy with a single strike!"

"Once you understand that, your Bright Moon Saber Art will reach perfection."

"Fierce attacks? Changing moves even as you strike fiercely?"

"Defense? Creating a lethal opening while defending?"

Hearing Vice Principal Li's words, Lin Yi and Wang Kai both changed expression. It was as if a bolt of lightning had flashed through their minds.

The next moment—

Boom!

The air exploded. Wang Kai's greatsword moved, and like a divine mountain split open by an axe, it came crashing down at Lin Yi.

It was the first form of the Fifth-Rank Martial Art, Great Mountain Splitting Sword Technique—One Sword Splits the Mountain.

Compared with his earlier strike, this one looked identical at first glance, just as fierce and unstoppable. But the moves beneath the surface had changed, as if they now carried a touch of flowing, waterlike softness.

And the effect of that change was—

Clang!

Their weapons met, and Wang Kai's strike was easily blocked by Lin Yi, just like before.

But unlike before, Wang Kai didn't retreat to gather strength after the strike. His move shifted, and he immediately swung again.

Clang!

Their weapons clashed once more. Lin Yi's expression changed. This sudden strike caught him off guard, and he was nearly thrown into disarray. In the end, he twisted with all his strength and barely managed to block it.

Yet even after Lin Yi had struggled to stop that strike, Wang Kai's attack didn't let up. His greatsword kept sweeping out like an endless stream of water.

Everyone there except Dean Li was stunned.

"He broke through! Wang Kai broke through!"

"My god! Senior Brother Wang Kai is incredible!"

"A Fifth-Rank Martial Art! And he's reached Great Accomplishment! That's on par with a perfect Sixth-Rank Martial Art! With this breakthrough, Wang Kai is truly the undisputed number one among the two hundred and eighty-sixth class at Guangling Martial Academy. No one can compete with him!"

"Lin Yi's finished!"

"Exactly! Lin Yi's finished!"

The disciples cried out in shock. Many looked at Wang Kai with awe and admiration.

Even Wang Kai, who was usually quite composed, couldn't help laughing under the influence of the fervent atmosphere. The joy of breaking through and defeating his old rival had only added to the excitement.

"Haha! Lin Yi, give up! I've won this fight! I finally beat you for once! Hahaha, this feels great!"

Laughing, Wang Kai continued to swing his greatsword, sending strike after strike flowing out like a surging stream. Lin Yi was forced onto the defensive, barely managing to fend them off. It seemed he could give way at any moment.

Seeing this, Wang Kai grew even more excited. Victory seemed within his grasp.

But just then—

The Saber Light in Lin Yi's hand suddenly changed.

"Whoosh!"

On the training ground, Lin Yi turned his long saber. Its gleaming arcs of light seemed to transform into a bright full moon rising into the sky. It looked much the same as before, but its defensive power had increased dramatically.

With that powerful defense, Lin Yi easily blocked Wang Kai's strike.

"What!"

Wang Kai's pupils contracted. He cried out in shock, momentarily stunned.

"Now!"

A glint flashed in Lin Yi's eyes. His long saber shifted.

In the blink of an eye, the bright, radiant moon transformed into a terrifying streak of Saber Light. It slipped past Wang Kai's greatsword and whistled across his temple.

Whoosh!

A lock of black hair fell from beside Wang Kai's ear, drifting slowly through the air toward the ground.

At that moment, the noisy training ground fell utterly silent. Only a faint voice sounded softly through the stillness.

"Sorry, Wang Kai. I won this fight."