"You really were the senior brother of senior brothers." Ling He sighed, feeling as though he stood before a towering mountain.
"What cultivation level has Senior Brother Zhu reached now?" Jiang Wang asked.
"I haven't seen him in a while." Zhang Linchuan gave a strange sigh. "He should have opened the Heaven and Earth Gate by now..."
"Then he's not far ahead of you, Senior Brother! You're still evenly matched! I still think you're the best candidate for number one in the City Daoist Academy, Senior Brother Zhang!" Huang Azhan stubbornly continued sucking up to him.
Everyone knew that Zhang Linchuan had seen the Heaven and Earth Gate long ago. He was just one step away from the sixth-grade Soaring Dragon Realm. So it wasn't wrong to say they weren't far apart, but...
Zhang Linchuan gave Huang Azhan a very odd look, then edged another two steps away.
Zhu Weiwu might have only just entered the sixth grade, but he was hunting down the Heart-Devouring Demon across the world! Was that anything like an ordinary newcomer to the sixth grade?
Zhao Rucheng and Jiang Wang exchanged a glance, then wordlessly moved away as well.
"Hey, hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Huang Azhan shouted.
Zhao Rucheng sighed. "Now I finally understand why Du Tiger's getting dumber by the day."
Jiang Wang looked up at the sky. "Maybe stupidity is contagious..."
By then, Dong A had reached the final spot for the first-year students. "As is customary, every Dao Academy must give one place in the first-year Dao debate to its newest batch of students, to show that the next generation will always produce its share of outstanding talent..."
Below the stands, Fang Heling suddenly clenched his fists!
Among the students who had entered the Dao Academy alongside him, only he and Jiang Wang had opened their meridians first. Several months had passed, and other students had opened their meridians too, but he, Fang Heling, was the only one who had completed his foundation.
He had finally stolen the show!
If they wanted to represent the level of Maple Forest City Daoist Academy's newest students, who could possibly be more qualified than him?
This was an honor! It was enough to silence the doubts raised when his father had defied everyone's objections and bought him a Vein-Opening Pill.
He, Fang Heling, was going to—
"Jiang Wang," Dong A said.
The crowd below the stands stirred. As the top outer disciple to enter the inner sect, and the one who had won a Dao-Witnessed Death Duel cleanly in front of everyone, Jiang Wang's name was familiar throughout the City Daoist Academy. The fact that he had lingered for a long time before completing his foundation had also spread widely, with certain people fanning the flames.
They kept repeating the same things: that he had exhausted his talent, that he had no stamina for the road ahead.
And in Dean Dong A's eyes, he was the strongest among the newest students?
"Dean!" Fang Heling stepped forward indignantly. He met Dong A's stern gaze and felt as though a basin of cold water had been dumped over his head. He was terribly uneasy, but quickly stiffened his neck and said, "I... I refuse to accept this!"
"Ha." Wei Quji laughed. He was delighted to see Dong A being challenged, though he trusted that Dong A's judgment couldn't possibly be wrong.
"It's simple," Wei Quji said. "Come up here and fight. Whoever wins gets the spot."
Only after the words left his mouth did Fang Heling realize how foolish he had been. No matter what, he couldn't—and shouldn't—have challenged Dong A in a setting like this. Dong A was a great figure who could easily decide his future.
Fang Heling felt his heels trembling, but he still forced himself to stand firm and face Dong A. He was already committed and couldn't back down.
Fortunately, Dong A didn't seem inclined to make things difficult for him, nor did he dismiss Wei Quji's suggestion.
"Very well," he said.
Fang Heling breathed a sigh of relief. He straightened his back as much as he could and walked toward the raised platform beneath the crowd's gaze.
He would use his practiced Daoist Arts to crush his opponent. He would prove that he wasn't doing this for himself, but for the reputation of Maple Forest City Daoist Academy. How could a grand Three-City Martial Tournament send out a fellow who hadn't even completed his foundation?
He felt the crowd's eyes on him. There was surprise and admiration, envy and hatred, even solemnity.
As he walked along the path the crowd had opened for him, a thought suddenly came to him: when his cousin Fang Pengju had been in his glory, had it felt like this?
Fang Pengju had died before entering the inner sect, while he was already a full-fledged inner disciple!
Then he heard Jiang Wang's voice.
Throughout the whole affair, from its beginning to its development, Jiang Wang had been perfectly calm, as if it had nothing to do with him at all.
Only after Dong A agreed to decide the spot through a fight did Jiang Wang lift his eyes and ask casually, "Am I allowed to hurt people?"
He was asking whether the rules allowed it, not whether he could do it.
Fang Heling was furious enough to burst!
Dong A showed no expression. He merely said, "No crippling or killing."
In other words, anything else was allowed.
Wei Quji, Dong A, and the Maple Forest City officials and Daoist instructors behind them stood on the raised platform. They all stepped back to its edge, clearing space for the fight.
Jiang Wang nodded, rested one hand on his sword scabbard, and walked calmly toward the platform.
Already standing on it, Fang Heling fixed him with a gaze like a nail.
"Don't worry. We're fellow disciples. I won't cripple you," Fang Heling said through gritted teeth.
People waited to hear what harsh words Jiang Wang would throw back at him, but Jiang Wang remained silent.
The two took their places on the platform, facing each other.
The sight reminded many people of the Dao-Witnessed Death Duel from a few months earlier. One of the fighters had been Jiang Wang, and the other had been surnamed Fang as well.
Wei Quji had been eager to watch, but after noticing Fang Heling's excitement and impatience, then looking at Jiang Wang's composure from beginning to end, he suddenly lost interest.
One was a greenhorn who had clearly never fought for his life. The other was a cultivator who had been through who knew how many battles. Even if there was some difference in their cultivation, how could the outcome be in doubt?
"Begin," he said, waving a hand without interest.
Clang!
A long sword rang as it left its sheath!
Before the fight began, Fang Heling had imagined countless ways it might unfold and weighed which Daoist Art would give him the best opening. He wasn't stupid. He knew his greatest advantage over Jiang Wang lay in Daoist Arts. He could use them, while Jiang Wang couldn't. That was his path to victory.
But the sword was too fast.
Fang Heling had ultimately chosen the Flame Blade as his Daoist Art. Of the basic Five Elements Daoist Arts, it was the most explosive, and the one he had mastered best.
To keep his leading position and silence the doubts within his clan, he had never slacked off. He had kept working hard.
Now he could complete the hand seals in just three breaths!
But the sword was too fast.
Was it two breaths, or one? In any case, he had only just begun forming the seals when the sword was already at his throat. Its sharp edge pricked the skin and blood vessels of his neck.
Was it over?
What kind of swordsmanship was that!
Jiang Wang turned the blade sideways and lightly tapped Fang Heling's cheek with the flat of his sword, bringing him back to his senses.
"You lost," Jiang Wang said.
Fang Heling felt dazed and helpless. How could this happen? How? He hadn't even had time to use a single Daoist Art!
If—if only he'd had a little more time, until he completed the Lesser Celestial Circuit and imprinted the Flame Blade Daoist Art in his Heaven-Connecting Palace, he would be able to cast it instantly. Then he wouldn't have been unable to make a move!
If only...
He abruptly looked up and gritted his teeth. "You must have used Dao Essence to drive your sword technique. You haven't even completed your foundation, so every bit of Dao Essence you use is one less. And you were willing to delay completing your foundation for a little competition like this? You really are willing to pay the price!"
Jiang Wang returned his sword to its sheath and turned to leave the platform. Just as he had done every time Fang Heling provoked him before, he couldn't be bothered to respond and didn't think him worthy of notice.
An ant could block the middle of the road and provoke him, but a human wouldn't even hear its voice.
"You'll never complete your foundation!" Fang Heling shouted at his retreating back.
"Get down! You disgraceful fool!" Dong A swept his robe sleeve, and Fang Heling rolled right off the platform.
He got up and looked around. All he saw were eyes filled with pity or contempt.
He froze for a moment, then suddenly let out a furious roar and staggered away.
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