Lin Qiu held his head high and puffed out his chest as he became the first to step through the doors of the Key Class Training Room.
Jiang Hao and the other two followed him inside, each wearing a different expression.
Inside the hall!
As the four of them entered, twenty pairs of sharp eyes swept over them in unison!
The air here seemed several degrees heavier than outside.
Every pair of eyes belonged to someone whose blood vitality far surpassed that of the Ordinary Class. These were the Top Geniuses of Longxing Eighth Martial High.
Grandmaster Mentor Luo Cheng stood at the front of the group, his expression calm.
"Our four new classmates have arrived."
"As is customary, introduce yourselves."
Zhang Yuan of Class 3-1 was the first to step forward, his voice a little tense.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Zhang Yuan. I have D-Class Treatment. Please take care of me."
Li Mo of Class 3-3 also stepped forward, steeling himself.
"Li Mo. D-Class Treatment. Please give me your guidance."
Then it was Lin Qiu's turn.
The arrogance had long since vanished from Lin Qiu's face, replaced by a mild expression.
"My name is Lin Qiu. D-Class Treatment!"
"Please take good care of me!"
Lin Qiu finished introducing himself!
At that, the Key Class students began to murmur among themselves.
"D-Class? Is he Lin Qiu?"
"Lin Fan's younger brother? He only got D-Class Treatment?"
"Heh. Looks like even his brother's resources couldn't make him amount to much."
Hearing those cutting remarks, Lin Qiu wished he could crawl into a hole in the ground!
At last, it was Jiang Hao's turn.
Jiang Hao stepped forward and stood in the middle of the training area.
"Jiang Hao."
Luo Cheng's gaze fell on him, and he added abruptly:
"B-Class Treatment."
"Boom!"
B-Class!
Those two words stood out in painfully stark contrast to the D-Class Treatment of the first three!
"B-Class Treatment?!"
"So he's that Jiang Hao?"
"Are you kidding me? He just transferred up from the Ordinary Class, and he got B-Class right away?"
"And the other three all got D-Class?"
"What gives him the right? Of the twenty of us, only eight have B-Class Treatment right now!"
"Interesting. Looks like we've got another person who can hold a B-Class contract!"
The murmurs instantly grew into a clamor!
Every gaze fell on Jiang Hao!
Yet his expression remained as calm as still water.
The composure he maintained under the scrutiny of more than twenty gifted students drew an extra glance from even Luo Cheng.
"Very good."
Luo Cheng's voice drowned out the clamor. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he said:
"To help our four new classmates fit into the Key Class more quickly,"
"we'll now hold a welcome event."
"The rules are simple."
"An old student may choose one new student for a friendly spar."
"Remember, it's a friendly spar. Stop when one side has the advantage."
As soon as he finished speaking,
an older student stepped forward.
"Instructor Luo, I choose Zhang Yuan."
"Good."
The two took the stage. The older student clearly held back, defeating Zhang Yuan in a "friendly" manner after ten moves.
Though Zhang Yuan lost, he wasn't humiliated. Instead, he bowed gratefully.
"Thank you for your guidance, senior."
Right after that,
another student, a girl, stepped forward.
"I choose Li Mo."
It was another "friendly" spar, ending before either side could get hurt.
Now only two new students remained on the field.
One was Lin Qiu.
The other was Jiang Hao.
Every onlooker wore an increasingly knowing expression.
Just then,
a figure no one had expected slowly stood up.
It was Lin Fan!
One of the Key Class's Top Geniuses, ranked in the top three!
He was actually going to step in himself?
"Instructor Luo."
Lin Fan wore a warm smile that was as soothing as a spring breeze.
"May I spar with Classmate Jiang Hao?"
"I'm very curious about him."
Luo Cheng's eyes, those of a Grandmaster, narrowed slightly. He knew exactly what Lin Fan had in mind: he wanted to stand up for his younger brother, put the new student in his place, and uphold his own authority.
"Very well."
"But Lin Fan, remember—"
"This is a friendly spar."
"Of course."
Lin Fan nodded with a smile, then turned to Jiang Hao.
"Classmate Jiang Hao, please."
In an instant, everyone's attention converged on Jiang Hao!
Lin Fan was going to personally crush this B-Class newcomer!
Off to the side, Lin Qiu watched with undisguised glee.
Jiang Hao glanced over, went to the side to take an Alloy Spear, then walked to the center of the training area.
"Please give me your guidance, senior," Jiang Hao said calmly.
"No need to be so formal, Classmate Jiang Hao. During the assessment, your attack power reached 10.5!"
Lin Fan strolled over to the weapon rack and drew an Alloy Practice Blade. "As your senior, I'll see for myself how strong you are."
With that,
the two faced each other from a distance.
Lin Fan's blood vitality was 12.0!
Jiang Hao's blood vitality was 9.5!
To an ordinary person, the gap between them was an uncrossable chasm!
"Please."
Jiang Hao didn't hold back.
He knew that against an opponent like this, any probing attack would be pointless!
He struck first!
His opening move was a Mid-Level Stab from the Basic Spear Technique!
But this thrust was unlike any other!
There was no wind!
No explosive boom!
Only a streak of cold light, impossibly fast, shooting straight for Lin Fan's throat!
The smile on Lin Fan's face faded slightly.
"What a fast spear!"
As he spoke, he casually raised his Battle Saber to deflect it!
"Clang!"
A crisp ring rang out!
Lin Fan felt a steady force travel up from the blade!
It was far beyond what a blood vitality of 9.5 should have been able to muster!
Before he could counterattack,
Jiang Hao's spear technique was already in motion!
"Lift!"
"Sweep!"
"Smash!"
Jiang Hao's spear flowed like running water, fast as lightning!
Every move was plain and unadorned!
Back to the basics!
"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!"
As the exchange continued,
Lin Fan's expression shifted from casual to increasingly solemn!
He was being suppressed!
Not by strength,
but by technique!
The Basic Saber Technique he wielded with his 12.0 blood vitality was actually being forced into nothing but defense by Jiang Hao's relentless spear attacks!
"W-what's going on?"
"Senior Lin Fan is getting pushed around?"
"Impossible! Senior Lin Fan has a blood vitality of 12.0!"
The Key Class students watching from the sidelines were all dumbstruck!
On the raised platform, Luo Cheng's eyes shone with excitement!
Among the crowd,
Su Qingning's beautiful azure eyes rippled with surprise!
"Something's wrong!"
A senior student with B-Class Treatment cried out in shock.
"Every one of Jiang Hao's thrusts is flawless! Unity of Man and Spear!"
"This... this is..."
"Perfection!"
"Basic Spear Technique... at the realm of perfection!"
After blocking another attack, Lin Fan used the force to leap backward, his expression turning grave.
"Basic Spear Technique at perfection!"
Those words exploded in everyone's ears like thunder!
"It really is perfection!"
"Someone from the Ordinary Class mastered the Basic Spear Technique to perfection!"
"No wonder he got B-Class Treatment!"
The entire hall erupted in an uproar!
Lin Fan's expression was cool. He had meant to casually crush Jiang Hao and establish his authority, only to have the tables turned and get "slapped in the face" in front of everyone!
"Perfection in Spear Arts!"
"Very good."
"No wonder you entered the Key Class with B-Class Treatment, junior. From here on, I'll have to take this a little more seriously!"
Lin Fan stopped holding back!
"Martial Skill: Clear Wind Chaos!"
Humm—!
Lin Fan's Battle Saber instantly turned into a hazy blur of blade light. Like a gentle breeze, it slipped through every gap!
This was a Martial Master Level Skill!
A true killing move, far beyond Shadowless Blade!
The Blade Net instantly sealed off every avenue of escape for Jiang Hao!
"That's Senior Lin Fan's Martial Master Level Skill!"
"Even Perfected Spearmanship can't stop that move!"
Faced with this terrifying killing move,
Jiang Hao's expression finally turned grave!
"Tidal Wave Spear Technique!"
"First Wave!"
Without hesitation, Jiang Hao used his own skill as well!
He merged his Blood Qi Intensity of 9.5 with his Entry-level Martial Skill Force!
His spear became a black line, stabbing fiercely toward the center of the Blade Net!
Boom!
An attack power of 10.5 collided violently with the countless blade shadows!
A shockwave burst outward!
Jiang Hao's First Wave was shredded to pieces on the spot by the stronger Blade Net!
Lin Fan's Blood Qi Intensity of 12.0, combined with a Martial Master Level Skill, was simply too powerful!
Dozens of blade shadows surged onward, breaking through his defense!
Jiang Hao's pupils contracted. His Perfected Spearmanship whirled frantically, shielding the vital points on his chest!
Clang, clang, clang!
The terrifying force!
Sent Jiang Hao stumbling back several steps!
But even so, one blade shadow still broke through his defense, striking as swiftly as a ghost!
Jiang Hao felt his whole body turn icy in an instant, as if his head had already been severed!
At the very last moment!
Luo Cheng intervened!
With a casual tap, he extinguished the blade light from Lin Fan's skill!
At that moment!
The entire arena fell deathly silent!
Lin Fan had won.
But the next second, under the gaze of all the students, Lin Fan let the Blood Qi around him dissipate. He looked at Jiang Hao, a trace of "defeat" and a "bitter smile" on his face.
"Classmate Jiang Hao..."
Lin Fan shook his head and put away his Battle Saber.
"I lost."
"!"
The entire arena was stunned!
"My Blood Qi Intensity was already higher than yours, and I also used a Martial Master Level Skill. Even if I defeated you, it wouldn't have been a fair victory."
Lin Fan let out a long sigh and even clasped his hands slightly toward Jiang Hao.
"So I lost this spar."
"Classmate Jiang Hao, I, Lin, admire your strength!"
Wow!
The Key Class erupted!
"Lin Fan... conceded?"
"Jiang Hao won?"
"What nonsense about winning and losing? Lin Fan wasn't even using his full strength!"
"Obviously Lin Fan was just being modest. If he'd gone all out, one slash would've finished this guy."
At Lin Fan's sudden concession, Jiang Hao remained calm, but inside, he thought coldly:
"Thank you, Senior Lin Fan..."
"For the guidance."
Jiang Hao accepted this "apology."
Nearby,
Lin Qiu watched all this quietly, nearly bursting out laughing.
He forcibly held back his laughter!
He sneered inwardly.
His big brother Lin Fan was right here, and he'd already built up his standing in the Key Class. How could Jiang Hao possibly compete with him?
Let's see how long you can keep that B-Class Treatment!
Big Bro was incredible!
He'd gotten even with Jiang Hao for him!
So what if his Blood Qi Intensity was 10.5?
Out there, his brother Lin Fan could kill him with a single slash!
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