Challenge Week

Early the next morning.

A new Challenge Week had arrived.

Tang Miao had been at the academy for a year, and at last he had applied to take on a challenge!

Sun Yuan and Qian Kun were overjoyed. After all, only the two of them and Dean Xiao knew that the Lightning Element Academy had a genius student. They had been itching to brag about him, but never had the chance. Once Tang Miao started participating in challenges, though, they could finally promote him. Then, when Tang Miao made a name for himself, everyone would know that they had once been his teachers!

As for whether Tang Miao could become someone who drew attention, that went without saying. With his powerful lightning domain and Thought Star Track, he was more than good enough for the Talent Ranking.

"Old Sun... isn't this kid being a little too arrogant? He's going straight for the hundredth-ranked Zhen Yan!" Qian Kun said in surprise after seeing who Tang Miao had chosen to challenge.

Anyone ranked in the top hundred should have already reached the second level of Intermediate Magic by now, barring any surprises!

"What?"

Sun Yuan was just as astonished. He took the list, and the corner of his mouth twitched. "I thought this kid was the quiet type, but it seems I was wrong."

A newly promoted Intermediate Mage challenging someone ranked in the top hundred right off the bat was a rare sight.

Watching the students arrive one after another, Sun Yuan sighed. "Well, this might be for the best. The proud and arrogant need to take a few hits. Otherwise, how will they learn that there's always someone better, and that the sky is vast beyond the sky?"

Qian Kun shrugged. The academy's rules gave students freedom to challenge whoever they wanted. Anyone ranked above them could be challenged, so even he couldn't stop it.

As students continued to arrive, the grounds gradually grew livelier.

Looking out over the noisy crowd, Sun Yuan called out, "Quiet!"

At his shout, every voice fell silent. For a moment, there was almost no sound on the grounds besides the occasional breeze.

"I have the list of challengers here. From this point on, any challenge held in our official arena will count as valid. I'm sure you all know the rules. Next, Teacher Qian will announce today's challenges."

Teacher Qian stepped forward and took out the list. His gaze swept over the densely packed names of the challengers and those they had chosen. Then he began to announce them:

"Two hundred and eightieth-ranked Wang Le challenges two hundred and sixtieth-ranked Yang Mo."

"Two hundred and thirtieth-ranked Lei Qun challenges one hundred and ninetieth-ranked Chen Yue."

"..."

"Eighty-fourth-ranked Duanmu Bo challenges eightieth-ranked Gongsun Mo."

"..."

"Three hundred and sixty-first-ranked Tang Miao challenges one hundredth-ranked Zhen Yan!"

When Qian Kun announced the last challenge, the entire Lightning Element Academy was stunned!

The last-ranked student was challenging someone in the top hundred? Was this a joke?

"Holy crap, our last-place student is actually taking on a challenge?"

"Is Tang Miao really that arrogant? He's challenging Wang Yan!? Doesn't he know the other guy already has two Intermediate Elements?"

"..."

"Did Tang Miao come here just to show off?"

As soon as Qian Kun finished speaking, the students broke into a noisy uproar. Mockery and abuse came pouring out.

Tang Miao paid no attention to the chatter. Although he hadn't mastered Intermediate Magic yet, with his Thought Star Track and Lightning Element domain, it wouldn't be difficult to take most opponents down in an instant.

Yang Yue and Li Ning, who shared a dorm with him, knew Tang Miao's abilities and saw things differently. What did it matter if his opponent was an Intermediate Mage? They wouldn't even get the chance to strike! Of course, those with intermediate-grade magic equipment might fare better, but there weren't many students in the Lightning Element Academy who had any.

Wang Yan, ranked one hundredth, had no backing from any powerful faction. He almost certainly didn't have any magic equipment. And reaching his current level through cultivation alone was already quite impressive!

The challenged Wang Yan was now wearing an expression of pure fury.

It felt as if someone had deliberately set out to humiliate him! The last-ranked student was challenging him? How could he not be angry...

"Quiet!"

When the crowd started clamoring, Sun Yuan roared.

The moment he finished, silence fell over the grounds. Qian Kun was about to announce the first match.

Just then, Wang Yan stood up and looked at Qian Kun. "Teacher, I'd like to request that I be the first to go. Is that all right?"

He was seething with anger and wanted to teach the guy who'd humiliated him a harsh lesson!

Qian Kun paused and glanced at Sun Yuan. Sun Yuan hesitated. Then the two students in the first match said they didn't mind waiting while Wang Yan's match went first. Sun Yuan and Qian Kun discussed it, then agreed.

"All right," Qian Kun announced. "After discussing it, Teacher Sun and I have agreed to let you go first. But remember, this is a sparring match. Stop once you've made your point!"

Wang Yan rose and walked onto the grounds. Tang Miao did the same. He could understand Wang Yan's fury. If Wang Yan lost the challenge, he'd drop straight to last place, losing a huge amount of resources in one fell swoop. Who wouldn't be angry?

And if he won, he'd still be unhappy. It was like a piece of fish on the chopping board being provoked.

Still, understanding was one thing. He had to be practical.

He wasn't going to inconvenience himself for someone else's benefit. Challenging them one by one would take too long.

Once Tang Miao entered the arena, quite a few students looked at him with disdain. To them, a nobody like him was nothing but a clown making a fool of himself!

Some were also annoyed. They hadn't even dared to challenge someone in the top hundred, so what gave the last-ranked Tang Miao the nerve?

"Wang Yan, beat him up! Show him what it means to know his place!"

One of Wang Yan's close friends shouted as Tang Miao entered the arena.

"Quiet!"

Sun Yuan also thought the situation was ridiculous, but he still roared at the crowd to keep order!

Qian Kun looked at the two of them and said, "The challenge begins!"

Wang Yan looked at Tang Miao. As he began drawing his star map, he said coldly, "Junior, you shouldn't be so—"

"Violet Firmament! Thunder Seal! Furious Strike!"

"Rumble~!"

But before Wang Yan could finish speaking, Tang Miao's Level Three lightning struck straight at him.

"Violet Firmament Lightning!"

As the lightning crashed down, bolts rained from the sky across almost the entire arena!

"Boom~!"

When the thunder finally faded, Wang Yan—struck by both bolts of lightning—had been knocked unconscious...

More than ten seconds later, Tang Miao stood in the center of the arena and looked at Qian Kun. "Teacher Qian, aren't you going to announce the result?"

"Ah?"

Qian Kun froze, then came back to his senses. He hurried over to Wang Yan and checked him. That strike had been far too fast... and far too powerful. He knew Tang Miao could use Thought Star Track, and he knew Tang Miao had a domain, but who would have thought that Tang Miao's beginner-level spell, combined with his domain, could be even more powerful than Intermediate Magic?

After checking Wang Yan and confirming that he was merely unconscious and hadn't suffered any fatal injuries, Qian Kun announced, "I declare the challenger... Tang Miao the winner!"