Xiao Wu vs. Wu Ming

"Could it be that your Jianan Academy has been going downhill all these years?"

Xiao Ling looked at the water-like woman with a gentle expression, yet the words he spoke caused a stir all around.

"Holy crap... why are these juniors from the Xiao Clan getting crazier one after another..."

"This is practically a death wish. How dare he say that Jianan Academy is going downhill?"

"Indeed, even a starving camel is bigger than a horse, let alone the fact that the tiny Xiao Clan doesn't even count as a horse. Where does he get the courage to speak to Instructor Ruo Lin like that..."

Facing the various discussions around the plaza, Instructor Ruo Lin felt her scalp tingle. She never expected that handling a minor dispute between juniors would escalate to such a level.

Are these Xiao Clan juniors raised on gunpowder? Why are they so unreasonable?

"Hoo..."

Taking another deep breath, Instructor Ruo Lin's full chest rose and fell slightly, creating an alluring curve. She looked at the young boy in white who was currently eating breakfast and spoke with a hint of suppressed anger.

"Little one, I'll consider you young and ignorant, so I won't hold your previous words against you. But I have one condition: you must let this little guy join my Jianan Academy. How about that?"

Jianan Academy students: "???"

The surrounding crowd: "???"

Everyone was filled with question marks. Is this a punishment? This is way too unfair...

But they only dared to think such things in their hearts. It was obvious that Instructor Ruo Lin was taking advantage of the situation to smooth things over because of Xiao Wu's talent.

Xiao Ling understood the woman's intentions, and he agreed without even a second thought.

"Fine, no problem. On behalf of Xiao Wu, I thank Instructor Ruo Lin."

Although he said thanks, Xiao Ling didn't even bother to stand up, merely nodding with a smile.

Instructor Ruo Lin didn't dwell on the etiquette of this little brat.

Since her goal had been achieved, she looked toward the surrounding crowd, but just as she was about to speak, she was interrupted by a voice.

"Wait."

Hearing this, Instructor Ruo Lin looked back at the young boy in white. A flash of anger crossed her autumn-water-like eyes, and she said with slight indignation.

"Little one, what else do you want?"

"Uh..."

Xiao Ling gave a helpless, bitter smile internally. He hadn't expected to anger Instructor Ruo Lin to this extent, making him feel like a major villain... but there were some things he had to do. That Wu Ming had to die today.

Otherwise, given the other party's talent, he would surely become a trouble for his Xiao Clan in the future. He was a person who disliked trouble; he preferred to nip it in the bud.

These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Xiao Ling looked at the water-like woman not far away and revealed a gentle smile.

"Instructor Ruo Lin, you just proposed a condition, but I haven't proposed mine yet.

You don't need to feed me empty promises; I know Xiao Wu's talent better than you do."

Xiao Ling cut off Instructor Ruo Lin, who was about to argue, and continued.

"My condition is simple: let Xiao Wu and Wu Ming have a fair fight, life or death regardless. Whoever survives gets to enter Jianan Academy. How is this proposal?"

"Impossible!"

Instructor Ruo Lin took a deep breath. She hadn't expected this young boy in white, who looked like a delicate scholar, to be so ruthless... She immediately spoke again.

"Both Xiao Wu and Wu Ming are students of my Jianan Academy. My limit is that the fight must stop at a point of injury. Otherwise, whoever breaks the rules will be banned from entering Jianan Academy."

After a pause, Instructor Ruo Lin changed her tone, speaking gently.

"Little one, this is the limit of what I can do. I hope that after this battle, you can reconcile.

After all, you are all still young; there is no need to ruin your bright future for a moment of friction."

"Fine, no problem. Since Instructor Ruo Lin has said so, I will naturally give you this face."

Xiao Ling agreed readily, but secretly sent a soul transmission.

"Xiao Wu, find an opening and finish him off directly. I'll take responsibility for the aftermath."

On the other side, seeing that the little guy was finally being reasonable, Instructor Ruo Lin couldn't help but show a soft smile. She then looked at Xiao Wu and Wu Ming, feeling more satisfied the more she looked at them.

She didn't react to the burning gaze Wu Ming directed at her.

She was well aware of the admiration her students held for her; there wasn't one who didn't look at her with such eyes.

She figured these little guys were all thinking about having something happen between them.

She could only pretend not to see it; besides, she had no interest in little brats.

"You both heard me, right? This sparring match must stop at a point of injury. Regardless of who wins or loses, you are both students of my Jianan Academy. But if anyone breaks the rules, don't blame me for turning hostile."

Hearing this, both Xiao Wu and Wu Ming nodded. As for whether they actually listened, only they knew.

Afterward, under the arrangement of the imperial army, the surrounding crowd began to retreat in an orderly fashion, clearing space for the sparring match between the two young geniuses.

They were also very curious about who was stronger and who was weaker. Although on the surface, it seemed that Wu Ming would be a bit stronger.

But that Xiao Clan junior clearly had some sort of backing, otherwise, he wouldn't be foolish enough to send someone to their death.

That's right, they hadn't taken the words of Instructor Ruo Lin to heart at all.

Such naive words could only fool children; in any case, they wouldn't believe them.

As for what the final outcome would be, that would depend entirely on those two little geniuses.

At this moment, the center of the plaza had been cleared. Xiao Wu and Wu Ming were staring at each other, the killing intent in their eyes seemingly overflowing, yet neither moved to strike first, clearly preparing for a thunderous blow.

Just then, from the direction of Jianan Academy, the young girl in the goose-yellow dress named Bai Zhi looked toward Instructor Ruo Lin, her tone filled with worry.

"Sister Ruo Lin, do you think those two will actually listen?"

Hearing this, Instructor Ruo Lin glanced at the two young boys confronting each other in the arena, her tone carrying a hint of resentment.

"I don't know what kind of grudge the Xiao Clan has with Wu Ming, but it has escalated to a point of life and death, causing my Jianan Academy to lose two geniuses..."

Naturally, she wasn't naive enough to believe her words would actually work.

After all, one could tell from the attitude of that young boy in white that although he was young, his depth of character was profound...

Moreover, there was no burning desire in the way the little fellow looked at her; there was only appreciation and indifference.

Clearly, the other party was not the type of animal that thought with his lower half, and from the way Xiao Wu looked at him, she saw a trace of admiration.

If someone could make a nine-year-old Dou Zhe feel admiration, then what kind of cultivation level must that young boy in white have?

"A nine-star Dou Zhe?"

"Or perhaps a one-star Dou Shi?"

Regardless of which it was, the other party was a genius of monstrous proportions. If she could recruit him into Jianan Academy, she would surely be promoted to a Profound-rank instructor immediately, wouldn't she?

One had to know, she had only become a Yellow-rank instructor last year.

Currently, she only possessed the cultivation of a three-star Da Dou Shi, which was still a long way from the threshold of a Profound-rank instructor.

But if she could recruit a peerless monster for the academy, as long as she nurtured him slightly and helped him enter the inner academy.

Then she would certainly be promoted to Profound-rank, at which point she could obtain more resources, and her own cultivation would improve rapidly.

Thinking this, she let out a sigh of relief, determined to give it her all.

E-even if it meant offering herself...

At this thought, a seductive blush appeared on her gentle, water-like cheeks.

Although she didn't like little brats, that was only because they weren't strong enough; if a little brat were strong to a certain degree, she might even find herself tempted...

However, just as Instructor Ruo Lin was staring at someone and letting her imagination run wild.

In the center of the plaza, Xiao Wu's gaze, fixed on Wu Ming, suddenly shifted. A flash of ruthlessness appeared in his eyes as he took a step forward, raised his hand, and struck toward Wu Ming's head.

"Profound-rank high-level Dou Technique: Xuanming Palm!"