Tang San's Victory Without Applause

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 arena.

His opponent, Zhou Ming, was a chubby little boy whose Martial Soul was an Iron-Skin Pig; it had decent defensive power, but was very slow.

"The match begins!" Teacher Zhang commanded.

Just as Lin Yi was about to concede, Zhou Ming, standing opposite him, spoke first.

"I forfeit!"

Zhou Ming raised his hand and shouted loudly toward Teacher Zhang.

After Zhou Ming's words of surrender, everyone except Tang San and Yu Xiaogang appeared quite calm.

After all, Lin Yi possessed Twin Martial Souls; conceding was the right choice.

Plus, he knew many secrets that others did not.

Even if one could truly defeat him, no one wanted to make an enemy of him.

Of course, the biggest reason was that letting Lin Yi advance would allow him to meet Tang San later on.

Twin Martial Souls against Twin Martial Souls—wouldn't that scene be exciting?

In the corner, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang watched Zhou Ming's surrender as if it were expected, becoming even more certain that Lin Yi must have some secret known only to them.

Otherwise, how could a support-type Martial Soul make someone willingly concede?

On the stage, Lin Yi himself was stunned.

What the hell? I haven't even conceded yet, why did he surrender first?

Could it be that I look too fierce and scared him?

That's not right either; I look very gentle.

Lin Yi touched his face, feeling it was unlikely.

Teacher Zhang gave a slight, bitter smile and confirmed, "Zhou Ming, are you sure you want to forfeit?"

"I'm sure!" Zhou Ming nodded like a pounding pestle. "I can't beat classmate Lin Yi, so I forfeit."

After he finished speaking, he gave Lin Yi a friendly smile before quickly walking off the stage.

Lin Yi looked bewildered.

I just won like this?

No, even if you don't let me concede, you should at least trade a few blows with me. This is so awkward for me, you know?

"Lin Yi wins," Teacher Zhang announced the result.

Lin Yi walked off the stage in a daze. As soon as he returned to the group, he heard whispers spreading around him.

"Zhou Ming is very smart. If it were me, I would have conceded too."

"Definitely. He is, after all..."

Before this student could finish his sentence, another person hurriedly covered his mouth.

Lin Yi watched this scene, feeling even more curious.

What is going on?

Did I expose something? That's impossible; I've always been very low-key, and I haven't even really used my Martial Soul.

Oh, I get it. It must be because Xiao Wu has been pestering me these past few days, making them wary of this big sister of the work-study students?

Lin Yi glanced at Xiao Wu off the stage and understood in an instant.

The others heard this inner thought and secretly found it amusing.

Being close to Xiao Wu is one thing, but we just want to see you meet Tang San.

The competition continued, and the next match was Xiao Wu's turn.

Xiao Wu's opponent also conceded without fighting.

After all, she was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form. Even though it was just a sparring match, no one wanted to provoke her.

Plus, there was Tang San, who was protective of his own, and no one wanted to be labeled as being on the Path of Seeking Death.

"Xiao Wu wins."

Warm applause erupted from off the stage, all of it sycophantic.

Xiao Wu scratched her head and walked off the stage, feeling somewhat depressed.

In her heart, she was blaming Lin Yi; if he hadn't revealed her identity, others would definitely have fought her.

After a few more matches, it was finally Tang San's turn to take the stage.

"Twentieth match, Tang San versus Xiao Gang!"

Tang San's opponent was Xiao Gang, a boy who possessed a Rock Rhino Martial Soul and had extremely strong defensive power.

This boy knew Tang San's background through Lin Yi's inner voice, yet he refused to concede.

As an ordinary student, how could he possibly admit defeat to a work-study student?

Moreover, he wanted to see just how powerful this person, who possessed Twin Martial Souls and some Tang Sect secret techniques, truly was.

The two walked onto the arena and bowed to each other.

"The match begins!" Teacher Zhang announced.

Xiao Gang immediately activated his Martial Soul, and a rock-like texture emerged on the surface of his skin.

He let out a low roar and charged toward Tang San like a small tank.

Tang San's expression remained calm; he stepped into the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and easily dodged the charge.

At the same time, he flicked his right hand, and several faint whistling sounds pierced the air.

Xiao Gang suddenly felt a stinging pain in his legs. Looking down, he saw several silver needles, as thin as ox hair, embedded in his calves.

"It really is hidden weaponry." Xiao Gang's expression changed.

Tang San paid no mind to this. Taking advantage of his opponent's distraction, he closed the distance and struck Xiao Gang's chest with a palm.

This palm strike appeared light and airy, but it contained the internal energy of the Tang Sect's secret technique, Mysterious Jade Hand.

Xiao Gang let out a muffled groan and retreated repeatedly, finally stumbling off the arena.

"Tang San wins!" Teacher Zhang announced.

The match ended quickly, taking less than a minute from start to finish.

Logically, such a clean and decisive victory should have earned thunderous applause.

But strangely, apart from scattered clapping, most people in the audience remained silent.

The students exchanged glances, their expressions complex.

They recalled Lin Yi's inner voice: the Tang Sect's secret techniques were stolen.

Tang San did not understand the reason, but the reaction from the crowd made his face darken.

He scanned the crowd, his gaze finally fixing on Lin Yi.

Lin Yi was looking down, lost in thought, and did not notice Tang San's gaze at all.

[Won so quickly? This guy Tang San really didn't hold back at all.]

[Xiao Gang's meager defense couldn't stop the Mysterious Jade Hand anyway; was there really a need to use needles?]

[Even if he wanted to show off by not using his Martial Soul, this is just a sparring match. Isn't using hidden weapons against a classmate a bit much?]

Tang San could not hear these inner voices, but he could feel the shift in the attitude of those around him.

That sense of alienation, wariness, and even the trace of disdain in their eyes caused a surge of anger to rise in his heart.

He had won, and he had won cleanly—why was no one cheering?

Why was everyone looking at him with those kinds of eyes?

"Tang San, you may step down," Teacher Zhang reminded him.

"Understood, Teacher." Tang San took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and turned to walk off the arena.

As he passed by Lin Yi, he paused and gave him a deep, lingering look.

Lin Yi felt a chill run down his spine.

[Why is he looking at me like that? I didn't provoke him.]

[Could he be holding a grudge because of Xiao Wu? But I didn't do anything.]

[Still, it's strange. Tang San is the leader of the work-study students, so why is it that when he wins, no one is happy for him?]

The competition continued. After the first round, half of the first-year students were eliminated, and the remaining half advanced to the second round.

Lin Yi advanced easily because Zhou Ming had conceded.

Teacher Zhang held the list, his brows furrowed as he looked at the names of the students who had made it to the second round.

He looked up, his gaze shifting back and forth between Lin Yi and Tang San.

The teachers present exchanged glances.

Director Su sat on the podium, tapping his fingers lightly against the table.

Both Lin Yi and Tang San possessed Twin Martial Souls.

If these two were to face each other, what would happen?

Calculating in his mind, he looked at Teacher Zhang on the stage and gave him a signal.

Teacher Zhang nodded and then announced loudly, "The second-round draw begins. Will the students who advanced please come to the stage to draw lots."

The students walked onto the arena one by one to draw numbered balls from a large wooden box.

Lin Yi stood in the middle of the line, muttering to himself.

[Advanced to the second round for no reason; this is completely pointless.]

[No matter what, I'm going to be the first to concede in the second round.]