Sparring Partner at the Extreme Martial Arts Hall

As soon as the words fell, the atmosphere in the cafeteria, which had only just calmed down because of Shen Liuli's appearance, was ignited once more.

New Star Special Investigation Team!

The weight of those words far surpassed that of a sparring contract with the top student in the grade.

The shock on Guo Hongtao's face had yet to fade when concern was added to it.

"Brother Yuan..."

"It's fine."

Jiang Yuan picked up the wooden box on the table and calmly put the broken sword away, fastening the lid.

He nodded at Shen Liuli.

"We'll discuss the training after school."

Shen Liuli said nothing. She merely looked at him, as though assessing something.

Ignoring the assorted gazes around him, Jiang Yuan followed the dean out of the cafeteria.

Zhou Hu was still slumped on the floor. Watching Jiang Yuan's retreating back, his face alternated between green and white as the terror of being locked onto by that sword light had yet to fully dissipate.

Zhao Qingya adjusted her glasses, her fingers clenched tightly around the hem of her clothes, her expression complicated.

The deskmate she had always looked down on seemed to be breaking away from the path she knew at a speed she could not comprehend.

First Conference Room.

The atmosphere was solemn.

The principal and Li Qingshan sat on one side of the long table, their expressions grave.

At the head of the table sat a man and a woman in black uniforms, silver star badges pinned to their chests—the emblem of the New Star Martial Arts Admissions Joint Center.

The male investigator appeared to be around thirty and had a friendly face.

"Jiang Yuan, please sit."

Jiang Yuan pulled out a chair and sat down, placing the wooden box from his back on the empty seat beside him.

"We have limited time, so let's get straight to the point." The male investigator got right to it. "Tell us everything you know about that sword and your swordsmanship in detail."

Jiang Yuan did not hesitate. He calmly repeated the explanation he had already worked out with Li Qingshan.

"I bought it at Treasure Gathering Studio in the old district during winter break. I found a damaged sword manual in the false bottom of the wooden box. The material was very brittle, and it burned after I finished reading it."

The female investigator raised her head from her terminal. "A damaged sword manual allowed you to train your swordsmanship to the Subtle Realm in just a few months?"

"Not a few months." Jiang Yuan corrected her. "I only broke through when I faced the Iron-Winged Vulture on the day of the school anniversary."

"A sudden epiphany in the face of death?" The male investigator's lips twitched, as though he found the explanation somewhat ridiculous.

"You could put it that way." Jiang Yuan's answer was flawless.

The principal added from the side, "Jiang Yuan has had a similar epiphany with saber techniques before. Teacher Li can testify to that."

Li Qingshan immediately nodded. "That's right. When I taught him the incomplete section of the A-rank martial skill Tyrant Blade, he grasped the basics on the spot. His comprehension is far beyond that of ordinary people."

The male and female investigators exchanged a glance.

"Take out your sword."

Jiang Yuan opened the wooden box, removed the broken sword, and placed it on the table.

The female investigator took out a silver bracelet-shaped device and carefully scanned the sword from its hilt to its broken edge.

The energy reading on the device's screen remained at the lowest value: zero.

That result made both investigators frown.

There was nothing wrong with the sword, so the problem lay with the person.

"Jiang Yuan, have you awakened any special ability related to swordsmanship?" The male investigator stared fixedly at him.

"I don't know." Jiang Yuan shook his head. "I only know that when I hold this sword, it feels especially natural in my hand."

The questioning reached a deadlock.

Jiang Yuan's explanation was logically consistent, and the physical evidence could not refute him.

In the end, the male investigator stood up.

"This inquiry concludes here. Jiang Yuan, in three days, the school will arrange for you to go to the municipal testing center for a full examination of your supernatural ability potential."

He gathered the documents on the table, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"We must determine whether your 'epiphany' was an accident or combat power that can be reliably reproduced. It concerns your entire future."

After saying that, the two investigators left the conference room under the principal's escort.

Li Qingshan walked over and patted Jiang Yuan on the shoulder.

"The first hurdle is over. They believe your explanation for now."

"Teacher, what might the ability test find?" Jiang Yuan asked.

"Hard to say." Li Qingshan shook his head. "But remember, no matter what they find, insist that it's a physical mutation you only awakened recently."

Jiang Yuan nodded.

After school that afternoon.

As soon as Jiang Yuan stepped out of the school gates, he saw a sleek, pitch-black sports car silently parked by the roadside.

Its body gleamed faintly in the sunset, its design brimming with a futuristic feel.

"Holy crap! Isn't that a Radiant Star Type-7? I've only seen one in magazines!"

"I heard even the base model costs 4.8 million Blue Star Credits!"

"Who's such a big shot that they drove a car like that to our school?"

The surrounding students buzzed with discussion, and many took out their terminals to snap pictures.

Amid everyone's attention, the car window slowly rolled down, revealing Shen Liuli's cool and beautiful face.

"Get in."

She flicked her long hair, and the surrounding chatter abruptly fell silent.

Everyone's gaze shifted from the sports car to Jiang Yuan.

Guo Hongtao gave Jiang Yuan a hard shove and shouted excitedly in a low voice, "Brother Yuan! You're about to take off! You've hooked yourself a rich woman!"

Ignoring his teasing, Jiang Yuan opened the car door and got in.

The interior was spacious, its decorations simple yet luxurious in every detail.

The Radiant Star Type-7 started without a sound and smoothly merged into traffic, leaving those envious and jealous gazes far behind.

"Where are we going?" Jiang Yuan asked.

"The Extreme Martial Arts Hall." Shen Liuli kept her eyes ahead, focused on driving. "My father owns it."

Jiang Yuan fell silent.

So she was not a rich woman. She was a rich second-generation heir.

The car sped along and soon arrived before a uniquely designed building in the city center.

The four words "Extreme Martial Arts Hall" were written in bold, sweeping strokes, imposing and magnificent.

Shen Liuli led Jiang Yuan through a private elevator directly to an exclusive training room on the top floor.

The entire training room covered five hundred square meters and was equipped with every kind of top-tier training equipment.

"The agreement says six thousand a day." Shen Liuli took two alloy training swords from the weapon rack and tossed one to Jiang Yuan. "Starting now, you're my one-on-one swordsmanship instructor."

"No problem." Jiang Yuan gripped the hilt and weighed the sword in his hand.

"I'll keep my strength at four hundred and fifty kilograms and my speed at twenty meters per second, consistent with your public profile data." Shen Liuli said, "We'll start with actual combat. Let me see what you can do."

"Fine."

The instant the words left her mouth, Shen Liuli moved.

She had indeed kept her speed at twenty meters per second, but the pressure she exerted on Jiang Yuan was even greater than Song Xi's had been when she wore an exoskeleton.

The sword tip thrust straight at Jiang Yuan's face.

Jiang Yuan instinctively raised his sword to block.

Yet just as the two swords were about to collide, Shen Liuli flicked her wrist. Her blade sank strangely downward, slipped around his sword, and skimmed along its spine toward his wrist.

It was a feint!

Jiang Yuan's heart jolted. He hurriedly withdrew his hand and retreated, narrowly avoiding the strike.

For the next ten minutes, Jiang Yuan was almost completely suppressed.

Shen Liuli's real-combat experience was far too extensive. One small trick and feint after another emerged without end, and she could see through his intentions before he even reacted.

Jiang Yuan knew that while he possessed swordsmanship at the Subtle Realm, he was far behind Shen Liuli in genuine life-and-death combat experience. Unlike him, she had grown up immersed in martial arts halls from childhood.

He simply gave up on attacking and began focusing on defense.

No matter how many changes you make, I will only cut off the path of your sword.

Late Strike Interception!

When Shen Liuli once again used a beautiful feint to slip past Jiang Yuan and prepared to thrust her sword into his chest, Jiang Yuan's sword moved.

His sword did not block. Instead, it moved faster, striking after her yet arriving first, precisely tapping Shen Liuli's sword-wielding wrist.

Clang!

With a crisp ring, Shen Liuli's attack was interrupted, forcing her to retreat half a step.

She looked at Jiang Yuan with some surprise.

"You learn quickly."

Jiang Yuan said nothing, merely adjusting his breathing in silence.

After another dozen or so exchanges, Jiang Yuan could barely keep up with Shen Liuli's rhythm. Though he was still at a disadvantage, he no longer lacked any ability to fight back as he had at the beginning.

"Stop."

Shen Liuli suddenly withdrew her sword.

She walked to the edge of the training room, picked up a bottle of water, unscrewed it, and took a sip.

"The path your swordsmanship uses to channel force is very unusual."

Shen Liuli turned around and looked at Jiang Yuan.

"It resembles someone I know—a person who is... very famous in New Star."