The Academy Officially Breaks for Holiday

By this point, the Human Realm Class's twenty students had been completely divided and dismantled.

Eight had been dealt with on the perimeter, five intercepted and eliminated. The central battlefield was now five against five, but on the Pivot Star Class's side, Li Yuan and Shadow had already taken care of the two students in the east and were rapidly returning.

When the two figures swept into the battlefield like a gale, the five remaining Human Realm Class elites all felt their hearts sink.

Seven against five!

Moreover, the two newcomers were both formidable. One used strange and fierce techniques, while the other appeared and vanished like a ghost, targeting blind spots and leaving no defense possible.

More importantly, the seven of them seemed like a single whole. Their attacks and defenses were orderly, their coordination seamless. They brought their individual strength to its fullest while covering one another's weaknesses.

The Human Realm Class's five students grew more alarmed and more stifled as they fought. Though they had cultivation and experience, they could not unleash them freely, forced to fight with their hands and feet tied.

Bang!

Seizing the opportunity, Shen Lian viciously smacked the blade of his saber against the halberd-wielding youth's shoulder blade. His weapon flew from his hand, and he staggered backward.

Sssht!

The student with the spear beside him was startled and glanced over. Chu Yunhe took the chance to strike his wrist, sending the spear clattering to the ground. Yu Ling'er then swept a staff into the bend of his knee, forcing him to his knees.

The remaining three were horrified and immediately lost all fighting spirit. Their movements fell into disarray, and in barely a dozen breaths, their line completely collapsed.

"Clean up the battlefield, collect the nameplates, and stay alert. There are still three in the south!" Li Yuan gave his orders swiftly.

Yu Ling'er and the others immediately moved. The Human Realm Class students allowed themselves to be bound, every one of them ashen-faced.

Just as they were preparing to head south for support, Shadow came over to report, "No need to go. Jin Duoduo and the others have already settled it."

Everyone looked up and indeed saw Instructor Lu and the others walking their way. The outcome had clearly been decided.

"Let's go, to the central safe zone!" Yu Ling'er's eyes sparkled as she waved to everyone.

The group quickly assembled. Though everyone was wounded and exhausted, their eyes shone with excitement and their morale soared as they hurried toward the safe zone in orderly formation.

Behind them lay Human Realm Class captives strewn all over the ground.

At last, the smile on Liu Hongyan's face was no longer concealed, while Instructor Yang's face had truly turned black as the bottom of a pot.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

As the final student stepped into the safe zone, a resounding bell rang out.

When the bells stopped, all thirteen members of the Pivot Star Class stood within the safe zone. Most had rumpled clothes, and quite a few bore bruises, yet blazing flames burned in every pair of eyes.

"We... won?"

Wu Yu panted heavily, still unable to quite believe it.

"We won! We really won!"

Yu Ling'er jumped up in delight, pumping her fist. A brilliant smile bloomed across her doll-like face as she held out her palm toward Li Yuan beside her.

Looking at the excited, jubilant girl before him, then at the thrilled faces all around him, a surge of warmth rose in Li Yuan's heart.

Without hesitation, he raised his hand and high-fived Yu Ling'er.

Smack!

It was as though it had been a signal.

"Yeah! We won!"

"We did it!"

"Pivot Star Class, unbeatable!"

At once, the sound of high-fives and cheers exploded as everyone shouted in celebration.

Only Shen Lian still held his saber, though the corner of his mouth could not help but curve slightly upward.

Everyone cheered, embraced, and vented the wild joy that followed the fierce battle.

"Silence!"

Instructor Lu waited a moment before speaking, suppressing the crowd's clamor.

Everyone stopped and looked at him expectantly.

"I now announce that the assessment has ended. By ruling, every member of the Pivot Star Class reached the safe zone within the specified time limit and successfully completed the mission!"

"We won!"

At those words, the Pivot Star Class students could not help crying out in unison, their voices shaking the forest canopy.

Instructor Lu swept his hand. "According to the rules, every member of the Pivot Star Class will receive two hundred academy credits!"

Buzz!

Their student nameplates gave a faint tremble. Two hundred academy credits had been transferred.

Two hundred academy credits.

For these youths who had only just entered the academy, it was undoubtedly an enormous fortune. The crowd erupted into cheers once more.

Instructor Yang's expression was grim. Looking at his dejected students, he gave a heavy snort, flicked his sleeve, and left.

Liu Hongyan walked forward with her hands behind her back. "In today's battle, your performance exceeded this instructor's expectations."

"In this battle, I saw your fearlessness and your decisiveness. But more importantly..."

She paused, raising her voice. "I saw you act as one whole, with clear divisions of responsibility and seamless cooperation. In the end, you defeated the strong while weak and accomplished a mission that had seemed impossible!"

"This is the strength of a team. Individual bravery is certainly precious, but on a battlefield surrounded by demons and monsters, only those who know how to trust their companions and excel at fighting in coordination can go farther and live longer!"

"In this battle, you not only won academy credits, but something even more valuable than credits—the trust of your companions!"

A smile spread across her face. "Therefore, this instructor has decided to grant each of you an additional one hundred academy credits as encouragement."

Another hundred academy credits!

Everyone was stunned at first, then burst into even more fervent cheers.

Three hundred academy credits! One assessment had earned them three hundred academy credits!

It was simply fortune falling from the heavens!

"Thank you, Instructor Liu!"

Everyone shouted in unison.

Liu Hongyan gave a slight nod, the smile on her face deepening. "All right, go back and rest. Starting tomorrow, the academy will begin its year-end holiday, lasting twenty days."

"Dismissed."

Supporting one another, they walked out of the forest while discussing their plans for the holiday.

On the way back, Jin Duoduo squeezed into the middle of the group and loudly proposed, "Fellow students, after such a great victory today, how can we not celebrate?"

"Your humble brother will treat the whole class to a feast at Red Sleeve House, the finest restaurant in Chang'an City. We won't go home until we're drunk—what do you say?"

"Red Sleeve House?" Wu Yu's eyes lit up. "A banquet there costs at least a hundred taels of silver. Brother Jin, that's quite an expense."

"Fatty Jin is generous!" Chu Yunhe said with a grin, patting his shoulder.

"We're classmates. Why talk about expense?" Jin Duoduo grandly waved his hand and took out the six-thousand-tael banknote from before, giving it a shake. "Consider it money already spent."

Chu Yunhe glanced at it and said lazily, "The wine at Red Sleeve House isn't any good. How about this—the wine is on me."

Yu Ling'er also said with a giggle, "Then... I'll cover the pastries and fruit. Let everyone eat to their hearts' content."

"Good!" They were all youths at heart and could not help shouting their approval, grinning from ear to ear.

Li Yuan was not truly a youth. He normally appeared mature and steady, but at this moment, swept up by the atmosphere, he too wore a faint smile throughout.

The next day, the academy officially began its holiday.

Students from the other classes had long been eager to return home. They packed up and left early in the morning, while the Pivot Star Class agreed to gather at the academy gates at noon.

Near noon, thirteen figures appeared one after another before the academy's main gate, making people's eyes brighten.

Today, they had changed into matching azure training uniforms. Though they were not luxurious garments, their neat uniformity made the boys look tall and upright and the girls valiant and spirited, becoming a sight of their own that drew many departing students' glances.

"Is everyone here? Let's go!" After counting heads, Yu Ling'er waved her small hand, looking every bit the leader.

The academy had already prepared three spacious, comfortable carriages for them. Laughing and joking, the group climbed aboard. The wheels rumbled as the carriages left Divine Martial Academy and headed toward the bustling eastern market of Chang'an City.

Li Yuan leaned against the window, watching Chang'an City's flourishing streets, where people flowed like weaving threads and noise boiled into the sky.

Suddenly, every hair on his body stood on end. A malicious gaze upon him surged straight to the crown of his head!