Lin Yi was lost in thought when he suddenly heard Teacher Zhang call his name.
"Eleventh match: Lin Yi versus Zhou Ming."
Lin Yi perked up and walked onto the platform.
His opponent, Zhou Ming, was a chubby little boy whose martial soul was the Iron-Skin Pig. His defense was decent, but he was very slow.
"Match start!" Teacher Zhang ordered.
Just as Lin Yi was about to admit defeat, Zhou Ming, standing across from him, spoke first.
"I concede!"
Zhou Ming raised his hand and shouted to Teacher Zhang.
After Zhou Ming conceded, everyone except Tang San and Yu Xiaogang remained calm.
After all, Lin Yi had Twin Martial Souls. Conceding was the right choice.
Besides, he knew many secrets that others did not.
Even if someone could truly defeat him, they would not want to make an enemy of him.
Of course, the biggest reason was that letting Lin Yi advance would eventually allow him to meet Tang San.
Twin Martial Souls against Twin Martial Souls—wouldn't that be exciting?
Meanwhile, in the corner, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang were clearly unsurprised by Zhou Ming's surrender. They became even more certain that Lin Yi possessed some secret known only to him.
Otherwise, why would someone willingly concede to an auxiliary-type martial soul?
On the platform, even Lin Yi himself was dumbfounded.
What the hell? I haven't even conceded yet. How did he surrender first?
Did I look too fierce and scare him?
No, that can't be right. I look very gentle.
Lin Yi touched his face and felt that was unlikely.
Teacher Zhang gave a faintly wry smile and confirmed, "Zhou Ming, are you sure you concede?"
"I'm sure!" Zhou Ming nodded vigorously. "I can't beat Lin Yi, so I concede."
After saying that, he gave Lin Yi a friendly smile and quickly stepped off the platform.
Lin Yi looked utterly bewildered.
That's it? I won?
No, even if you won't let me concede, you could at least exchange a couple of moves with me. This is really awkward, okay?
"Lin Yi wins," Teacher Zhang announced.
Lin Yi walked off the platform in a daze. As soon as he returned to the group, he heard discussion around him.
"Zhou Ming is very smart. If it were me, I'd concede too."
"Of course. He's..."
Before the student could finish, another hurriedly covered his mouth.
Watching this, Lin Yi grew even more curious.
What's going on?
Could I have exposed something? Impossible. I've always kept a low profile. I barely even used my martial souls.
Oh, I get it. Xiao Wu has been clinging to me these past few days, so they're probably wary of the work-study students' big sister?
Lin Yi glanced at Xiao Wu below the platform and instantly understood.
Hearing this Heart Voice, the others secretly found it amusing.
Being close to Xiao Wu was one thing. What we wanted to see was you meeting Tang San.
The matches continued, and Xiao Wu was up next.
Her opponent also conceded without fighting.
After all, Xiao Wu was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form. Though this was only a sparring match, nobody wanted to provoke her.
And with Tang San, who was so protective of her, nobody wanted to be branded as walking the Path of Seeking Death.
"Xiao Wu wins."
Warm applause erupted below the platform, all of it blatant flattery.
Xiao Wu scratched her head and walked off the platform somewhat dejectedly.
Inwardly, she blamed Lin Yi. If he had not revealed her identity, someone would definitely have fought her.
After several more matches, it was finally Tang San's turn.
"Twentieth match: Tang San versus Xiao Gang!"
Tang San's opponent was Xiao Gang, a boy with the Rock Rhino martial soul and extremely strong defenses.
Through Lin Yi's Heart Voice, the boy knew Tang San's background, but he did not concede.
As an ordinary student, how could he possibly concede to a work-study student?
Besides, he wanted to see just how powerful someone with Twin Martial Souls and some Tang Sect secret arts truly was.
The two walked onto the platform and saluted each other.
"Match start!" Teacher Zhang announced.
Xiao Gang immediately activated his martial soul, and a rocky texture surfaced across his skin.
With a low roar, he charged at Tang San like a miniature tank.
Tang San remained calm. Using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, he easily evaded the charge.
At the same time, he flicked his right hand, and several faint whistles tore through the air.
Xiao Gang suddenly felt a sharp pain in his leg. Looking down, he saw several silver needles as thin as cow hairs embedded in his calf.
"So it really is a Hidden Weapon." Xiao Gang's expression changed.
Tang San paid no attention to that. Seizing the instant his opponent was distracted, he closed in and struck Xiao Gang in the chest with his palm.
The palm strike appeared light and weightless, yet it contained the inner force of the Tang Sect's Mysterious Jade Hand.
Xiao Gang grunted and staggered back repeatedly before stumbling off the platform.
"Tang San wins!" Teacher Zhang announced.
The match ended quickly, taking less than a minute from start to finish.
Normally, such a clean and decisive victory should have earned thunderous applause.
Yet strangely, aside from scattered clapping, most of the audience remained silent.
The students exchanged glances, their expressions complicated.
They remembered Lin Yi's Heart Voice: the Tang Sect's secret arts had been stolen.
Tang San did not understand why, but the reaction below the platform darkened his expression.
His gaze swept across the crowd before finally settling on Lin Yi.
Lin Yi had his head lowered, deep in thought, completely unaware of Tang San's gaze.
He won that quickly? Tang San really didn't hold back at all.
Xiao Gang's little bit of defense couldn't block Mysterious Jade Hand anyway. Was there any need to use needles?
Even if he wanted to show off by not using his martial soul, this was only a sparring match. Wasn't using Hidden Weapons against a classmate a bit too much?
Tang San could not hear those Heart Voices, but he could sense the change in everyone's attitude.
Those distant, wary, even faintly contemptuous looks stirred a surge of anger within him.
He had clearly won. He had won cleanly and decisively. Why was no one cheering?
Why was everyone looking at him like that?
"Tang San, you may step down now," Teacher Zhang reminded him.
"Yes, Teacher." Tang San took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and turned to leave the platform.
As he passed Lin Yi, he paused and gave him a long, deep look.
Lin Yi felt a chill run down his spine under that gaze.
Why are you looking at me like that? I didn't provoke you.
Could he be holding a grudge over Xiao Wu? But I didn't do anything.
Still, it's strange. Tang San is supposed to be the leader of the work-study students. Why was no one happy that he won?
The matches continued. After the first round ended, half of the first-year students had been eliminated, while the remaining half advanced to the second round.
Because Zhou Ming had conceded, Lin Yi advanced easily.
Holding the list, Teacher Zhang frowned slightly as he looked over the students who had advanced to the second round.
He raised his head, his gaze moving back and forth between Lin Yi and Tang San.
The teachers present exchanged looks.
Director Su sat at the main platform, lightly tapping the table.
Both Lin Yi and Tang San had Twin Martial Souls.
If these two faced each other, what would happen?
As he pondered this, he looked at Teacher Zhang on the platform and gave him a meaningful glance.
Teacher Zhang nodded, then announced loudly, "The second-round draw begins. Students who advanced, please come up and draw lots."
The students stepped onto the platform one after another and drew numbered balls from a large wooden box.
Lin Yi stood in the middle of the line, grumbling to himself without pause.
I somehow advanced to the second round. This is completely boring.
No matter what, in the second round, I'll be the first one to concede.
Before you continue