Hard! Really Hard!

One minute before eight, all the instructors arrived at the laboratory building together.

The principal came with them as well. He was here to watch Su Wuming and Ji Boxiao's duel.

This also concerned whether the board's gamble had been worthwhile.

Before that, the principal praised and encouraged Su Wuming for his performance against the Snow Demon last night, awarding him a medal and thirty Black Iron Rank Beast Crystals.

Many students looked on enviously. Why had they never gotten the chance for something so prestigious?

What they did not know was that several students had unconsciously lowered their heads. Most of them had completely lost the courage to fight when they encountered the Snow Demon last night.

They should have stepped forward to protect ordinary people, yet they had instead become the ones needing protection.

The principal knew that as well. Early that morning, he had gathered the instructors and decided to let these spirit martial artist students, who had been sheltered in a greenhouse, experience some bloody real combat ahead of schedule.

Su Wuming, on the other hand, was delighted. A casual attack had earned him 150,000, along with more than a dozen System Coins.

As for the medal, he did not care about that thing. Beast Crystals were far more practical.

He now had forty Beast Crystals in hand. If he won today's duel, he would have one hundred and forty.

Seven hundred thousand—whether in this life or his previous one, that was a huge sum of money.

Once that was done, they moved on to the duel. Students from all eight classes had gathered at the Martial Arena to watch this decidedly unfair match:

—Black Iron Nine-Star Su Wuming VS Bronze One-Star Ji Boxiao.

Almost no one favored Su Wuming in this duel. They could not understand why he had agreed to it. Was he stupid? Had he disregarded everything just for Beast Crystals?

The two stepped onto the arena, with Instructor Mo Lan serving as referee. Her ability was more suited to rescuing someone in a critical moment.

A Mind Master could activate her ability slightly faster than a spatial-type spirit martial artist.

At the front of Class Three's group, Li Yanan had dressed up especially for the occasion. Her face was full of smiles as she waved her little fists and cheered Ji Boxiao on.

Her brother, Li Zhihao, looked at Su Wuming smugly, his eyes full of contempt as he occasionally flashed a provocative look.

Just as Mo Lan was about to announce the start, Su Wuming suddenly called for a stop and pointed at Li Zhihao below the stage.

"Hey, you're someone I already beat. Who taught you to act like a winner? Instructor, I request that he move to the back. Seeing him like this affects my ability to fight at full strength."

Li Zhihao was about to lose his temper when Ji Boxiao shot him a look from the stage, immediately silencing him. He changed his words instead.

"Fine! I'll go to the back, so you won't have an excuse when you lose later, Su Wuming."

That surprised Su Wuming. It seemed his future brother-in-law had been completely cowed by his own brother-in-law.

"Can we start now?" Ji Boxiao asked.

"Wait. I need to confirm something. After you lose, there won't be some older brother, older sister, or relative coming out to stand up for you, right?"

"What do you mean?" Ji Boxiao did not quite understand.

"Him, Li Zhihao—I beat him, and you, his brother-in-law, came to stand up for him, didn't you? Beat the little one and the big one comes out. I'm busy. I don't have time to play fighting games with a bunch of kids like you."

Ji Boxiao finally understood what Su Wuming meant. He glanced at Li Zhihao in the distance, then at Li Yanan. She gave him a sweet smile, and he returned it with a faint one before saying to Su Wuming, "You have misunderstood one thing. I'm not standing up for that trash. I'm teaching you a lesson for Yanan."

"Couldn't tell she was such a high-level player."

"What?"

"Uh... nothing. Instructor, let's begin." Su Wuming did not want to continue that topic.

"Ready, begin!"

As soon as Instructor Mo Lan's words fell, Su Wuming attacked immediately. He raised a hand and fired a [Rubber Bullet] straight at Ji Boxiao's face.

Several people in the arena who had been greeted this way by Su Wuming before subconsciously rubbed their noses at the sight.

It had to be said, Su Wuming's habit of hitting people in the face first had some logic to it.

Su Wuming was also building a habit for himself: whether using his hands or feet, aside from specific vital points, he would prioritize attacking the head.

In the anime from his previous life, it had been a real pity that Kaido's kick had been written not to target Madara's head. So in this life, Su Wuming would develop the habit early and strive to kick his way straight to the ending.

Facing Su Wuming's powerful punch, Ji Boxiao, who was not skilled in speed to begin with and had prior knowledge of Su Wuming, gave up dodging outright and chose to take it head-on with his face.

Of course, he was not stupid. He naturally had his reasons for doing so.

The instant the fist arrived, his innate ability, Golden Body, activated automatically. From head to toe, his skin was covered in a faint layer of gold.

Su Wuming's powerful punch landed on his face as though it had struck a steel plate, producing a dull thud. As Su Wuming pulled back his fist, Ji Boxiao merely took a step back and shook his head. He was completely unharmed, then curled his lips as he looked at Su Wuming.

"Again!"

A Grade-A Aptitude innate ability truly was different. Even Su Wuming had to admit that Ji Boxiao was a formidable opponent.

Of course, by formidable, Su Wuming meant in terms of hardness. As for length, Ji Boxiao had already lost from the name alone.

Seeing his opponent stand still and invite him to continue, Su Wuming naturally would not miss the opportunity. This time, he stretched both hands backward to charge up, wrapped them in Armament Haki, and unleashed [Rubber Siege Cannon].

When Ji Boxiao saw Su Wuming's hands suddenly turn pitch-black, his expression grew serious as well. He had learned from Li Zhihao that attacks in this state were his strongest, and even elemental abilities were ineffective against them.

He had even blocked one of Li Yanan's Gengjin Sword Auras.

In the instant those thoughts flashed through Ji Boxiao's mind, Su Wuming's hands had already reached him.

Ji Boxiao did not dare drag things out. He circulated his spiritual power and formed a layer of Golden Armor, though it was only a faint, embryonic phantom.

The next moment, the Siege Cannon struck. A crisp clang rang out, making the eardrums of the students watching in the front row buzz.

This time, Ji Boxiao retreated three steps, secretly astonished by Su Wuming's immense strength. Fortunately, he had been prepared.

Just as Li Yanan had said, Su Wuming could not be judged by the standards of an ordinary Black Iron Nine-Star strength-type fighter. Otherwise, one would suffer badly.

Su Wuming's expression turned serious. That strike had been close to his full power, yet his opponent had still blocked it. This Golden Body clearly had something to it.

Ji Boxiao slightly moved his body, looked at Su Wuming again, and spoke once more.

"Tell me, how am I supposed to lose?"

Those words sounded familiar. Su Wuming could not help looking toward Qin Ming. He remembered Qin Ming saying something like that before.

"The last person who said that also lost to me. You're not much stronger than him."