"What kind of Martial Skill was that?!"
Zhao Wuji asked Jiang Hao in a low voice.
In the arena.
Jiang Hao slowly lowered his spear.
The spear dissipated, turning into specks of data. He calmly glanced at Zhao Wuji, who was already on the verge of flying into a rage.
"You let me win."
Jiang Hao smiled faintly. He didn't answer Zhao Wuji's question, instead turning to look at the electronic referee floating in midair.
"Exit the Duel Arena."
Jiang Hao's figure vanished from the center of the arena in an instant, leaving Zhao Wuji standing alone, trembling all over like a volcano about to erupt!
"He just left?!"
"He beat Zhao Wuji, said 'you let me win,' and just left!"
"Holy crap, that was so damn pretentious. But I gotta say, it was kinda cool!"
"That was some top-tier showing off! Full marks from me!"
"The point is, he actually has the strength to back it up! He crushed Zhao Wuji in a same-level fight. Is he even human?!"
"Jiang Hao... just who is he?!"
In the Audience Stand.
Zhang Yuan from Senior Year Class 1 and Li Mo from Senior Year Class 3, the two who had entered the Key Class alongside Jiang Hao.
At that moment, they were clutching the railing in front of them!
Their faces were filled with shock!
"Gulp."
Zhang Yuan swallowed with difficulty, his voice trembling.
"Li Mo!"
"Did we really enter the Key Class at the same time as Classmate Jiang Hao?"
Li Mo's mind had already gone completely blank.
He stared dumbly at the now-empty Duel Arena, his eyes just as full of shock!
The four of them had entered the Key Class together.
The three of them had D-Class Treatment.
Jiang Hao had B-Class Treatment.
Li Mo had thought this was merely a difference in resources.
He'd thought Jiang Hao was just a little more talented, had slightly higher qi and blood, and was a bit luckier.
He and Zhang Yuan had even felt jealous!
But now!
What had they just seen?
Right before their eyes, Jiang Hao had taken on Iron Tower, ranked third in the Key Class, and that monster Zhao Wuji with a qi-and-blood level of 12.0!
In a same-level fight, he'd beaten him so thoroughly that he couldn't fight back at all!
Then he'd finished him off with a single move!
He was a freak!
They had only just joined the Key Class, after all!
"His Assessment Attack Power was 10.5,"
Zhang Yuan murmured.
"But that last strike just now..."
"It was definitely more than 10.5!"
"It had to be at least 11.0, maybe even higher!"
Li Mo nodded and sighed.
"Looks like we aren't even from the same world."
At that moment.
The ambition they'd felt to catch up to Jiang Hao.
Had been utterly smashed to pieces by this fight!
Not far from them.
"Impossible!"
Lin Qiu's pupils shrank to pinpoints. His whole body was trembling, whether from anger or fear, he couldn't tell.
"It has to be fake!"
"How could that useless Zhao Wuji lose?!"
"Didn't he say he could crush Jiang Hao even without using a Martial Skill?!"
"Damn it!"
Lin Qiu roared furiously inside!
He'd thought today would be the day Jiang Hao was humiliated and beaten half to death in front of everyone!
He'd even pictured Jiang Hao lying on the ground while Zhao Wuji stomped on his face!
But what happened instead?
Jiang Hao had won!
And he'd won so thoroughly!
He'd turned Zhao Wuji's defeat into the perfect stepping stone for himself!
After this fight.
Jiang Hao had undoubtedly secured his place in the Senior Year Key Class!
He'd even become famous throughout the school!
Beside Lin Qiu!
The warm, refined mask on Lin Fan's face had long since vanished. His expression was as gloomy as the sky before a storm, and the deep look in his eyes held none of its earlier disdain or amusement.
In their place was gravity and wariness!
An overwhelming sense of danger!
It welled up in Lin Fan's heart!
Over and over, Lin Fan replayed Jiang Hao's final strike in his mind.
That profound footwork!
That bizarre Martial Skill that could stack power in an instant!
Even he couldn't afford to underestimate that kind of explosive force!
"Interesting!"
Lin Fan thought coldly!
He finally understood why his foolish younger brother had come off worse at Jiang Hao's hands!
This guy!
Wasn't some "B-Class genius" who relied on luck!
He actually had some real ability!
"His qi and blood went from 8.1 to 9.99 in a month."
"Basic Spear Technique at perfection."
"And he's still hiding a high-burst Martial Skill..."
A cold glint flashed in Lin Fan's eyes!
"I've already made an enemy of him anyway!"
"So from here on out, I have to find a way to crush him completely!"
"Before he has a chance to grow!"
Jiang Hao himself exited the Virtual Immersion System.
Ignoring the shocked looks the older students in the Training Hall were giving him.
Jiang Hao walked out of the Teaching Building.
Today.
Was his third day since joining the Key Class.
B-Class Rookie Jiang Hao had defeated Zhao Wuji, the Key Class's third-ranked student, in a same-level fight!
The news spread like wildfire!
"Grassroots War God!"
"Strongest B-Class!"
"Invincible at the Same Level!"
"The Eighth Martial High's newly crowned Fourth Giant!"
All sorts of outrageous titles flooded the school's internal forum!
Jiang Hao had become completely famous this time!
After school.
Jiang Hao walked home, basking in the warm evening sun, in an exceptionally good mood.
Zhao Wuji!
Once upon a time, he'd been an unreachable target!
But now, Jiang Hao had beaten him!
"Bro!"
A clear voice called out from behind him.
Jiang Hao turned around.
Jiang Keke was running over with quick little steps, looking excited and stunned.
"Oh? Keke."
Jiang Hao was a little surprised.
"You're going home with me today?"
"Yeah!"
Jiang Keke ran up beside Jiang Hao and stopped.
It was a rare chance for the siblings to walk home side by side.
Only, the mood was a little strange today.
Jiang Hao walked in front.
Jiang Keke followed half a step behind, without saying a word.
But Jiang Hao could clearly feel a gaze coming from beside him.
Every now and then, Jiang Keke would sneak a look up and down at him. Then she'd stare at the back of his head with a strange expression, as if she were looking at some alien life-form.
Jiang Hao took a few steps and stopped.
Jiang Keke didn't stop in time and bumped straight into his back.
"Ow!"
"Bro, why'd you stop all of a sudden?!"
Jiang Keke protested, clutching her nose.
Jiang Hao turned around and looked at her, amused and exasperated.
"I should be asking you that."
"From the school gate to here, it's been three hundred meters."
"You've snuck a look at me thirteen times."
"And looked me up and down eight times."
"What's up?"
"Don't recognize your own brother anymore?"
"I did not!"
Jiang Keke's face turned bright red in an instant!
Like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on, she stamped her foot hard!
"I'm not talking to you!"
Jiang Keke huffed, walked around Jiang Hao, and hurried ahead with her head down!
Seeing this, Jiang Hao quickly caught up with her.
"Okay, okay, I was wrong."
"What's going on?"
"Tell me about it."
Jiang Keke continued walking with her head down for a few more steps after he caught up.
At last, she stopped.
She turned to Jiang Hao, her bright eyes filled with complicated emotions.
"Bro!"
Jiang Keke spoke in a quiet voice.
"You've really changed so much."
"I used to think you were joking."
"When you said you'd surpass me, I really thought you were just joking..."
"But!"
Jiang Hao looked at her earnest expression, and the smile on his face grew wider!
"But what?"
Jiang Keke's face turned red again.
"But, brother, you really aren't joking!"
"Hahaha!"
Jiang Hao couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter. He reached out and ruffled Jiang Keke's hair.
"Hey! You messed up my hair again!"
Jiang Keke stomped in anger, swatting at Jiang Hao's wicked hand.
"Haha!"
Jiang Hao laughed as he pulled his hand back and teased her:
"What's wrong?"
"Your big brother got stronger."
"Don't tell me that makes you uncomfortable?"
"It doesn't!"
Jiang Keke pouted, though her voice had grown much softer.
Looking at how adorable she was, Jiang Hao felt a warmth spread through his heart. He raised his head and gazed at the sunset in the distance.
"Don't worry, Keke."
"From now on, your big brother can protect you."
"Protect you, and Dad and Mom, too."
"Be happy!"
Jiang Keke froze at his words and looked at Jiang Hao's profile, edged in gold by the sunset.
That confidence!
That calm steadiness.
They gave Jiang Keke a sense of security she had never felt before.
Her cheeks turned rosy.
Jiang Keke lowered her head and pouted again, putting on her usual haughty act.
"Hmph!"
"You've still got a long way to go!"
"Your Blood Qi Intensity has only just reached 10.0!"
"If you really want to make things better for our family, if you really want to protect us!"
"At the very least!"
"You'll have to become a Grandmaster-level powerhouse!"
Before you continue