As soon as the words fell, the atmosphere in the cafeteria, which had only just settled because of Shen Liuli's appearance, was ignited once more.
New Star Special Investigation Team!
The weight carried by those words far exceeded that of a sparring contract with the top-ranked student in their grade.
The shock on Guo Hongtao's face had yet to fade when several traces of worry were added to it.
"Brother Yuan..."
"It's fine."
Jiang Yuan picked up the wooden box from the table and calmly put the broken sword away, fastening the lid.
He gave Shen Liuli a slight nod.
"We'll discuss training after school."
Shen Liuli said nothing. She merely watched him, as though evaluating something.
Ignoring the varied looks around him, Jiang Yuan followed the dean out of the cafeteria.
Zhou Hu was still sprawled on the ground. As he stared at Jiang Yuan's retreating back, his face alternated between green and white, the terror of having been locked onto by that sword light still not completely gone.
Zhao Qingya adjusted her glasses, her fingers clenching the corner of her clothes as her expression turned complicated.
The deskmate she had always looked down on seemed to be breaking away from the track she knew at a speed she could not comprehend at all.
First conference room.
The atmosphere was solemn.
The principal and Li Qingshan sat on one side of the long table, their expressions grave.
Two investigators, a man and a woman dressed in black uniforms, sat in the seats of honor. A silver star badge was pinned to each of their chests—the emblem of the New Star Martial Arts Admissions Joint Center.
The male investigator looked to be around thirty and had a kind face.
"Student 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.
"Our time is limited, so let's get straight to the point." The male investigator came straight to the point. "Tell us everything you know in detail about that sword of yours and your swordsmanship."
Jiang Yuan did not hesitate. He calmly repeated the explanation he had already coordinated with Li Qingshan.
"During winter break, I bought it from Treasure Gathering Studio in the Old City District. I found a damaged sword manual in a hidden compartment of the wooden box. The material was very fragile, so 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."
"An epiphany in the heat of battle at the brink of life and death?" The male investigator's lips twitched, as if he found the explanation somewhat ridiculous.
"You could understand it that way." Jiang Yuan's answer was watertight.
The principal added from the side, "Student Jiang Yuan has also experienced a similar epiphany in saber techniques. Teacher Li can testify to that."
Li Qingshan immediately nodded. "That's right. When I taught him the incomplete version of the A-rank martial skill Tyrant Blade, he mastered the basics on the spot. His comprehension far surpasses that of ordinary people."
The male and female investigators exchanged glances.
"Take out your sword."
Jiang Yuan opened the wooden box, took out the broken sword, and placed it on the table.
The female investigator produced a silver bracelet-like device and carefully scanned the sword from hilt to fracture.
The energy reading on the device's screen remained at the lowest point: 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 at him intently.
"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 stalemate.
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 is concluded. Student Jiang Yuan, in three days, the school will arrange for you to visit the municipal testing center for a comprehensive ability-potential assessment."
He gathered the documents from the table, his tone leaving no room for objection.
"We must confirm whether your 'epiphany' was an accident or combat power that can be consistently reproduced. It concerns everything in your future."
With 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 has passed. They believe your explanation for now."
"Teacher, what will the ability test uncover?" Jiang Yuan asked.
"Hard to say." Li Qingshan shook his head. "But remember this: no matter what they find, insist that it's a bodily mutation you only awakened recently."
Jiang Yuan nodded.
After school that afternoon.
The moment Jiang Yuan stepped out of the school gates, he saw a sleek, jet-black sports car silently parked by the roadside.
Its body gleamed darkly beneath the setting sun, its design brimming with a futuristic feel.
"Holy shit! Isn't that the Radiant Star Type-7? I've only ever seen one in magazines!"
"I heard even the base model costs 4.8 million Blue Star Credits!"
"Who's so damn impressive that they drove something like that to our school?"
The surrounding students buzzed with discussion, and many took out their terminals to start filming.
At the center of everyone's attention, the car window slowly rolled down, revealing Shen Liuli's cool and beautiful face.
"Get in."
With a flick of her long hair, she brought the surrounding chatter to an abrupt halt.
Everyone's gaze shifted from the sports car to Jiang Yuan.
Guo Hongtao shoved Jiang Yuan hard and lowered his voice as he shouted excitedly, "Brother Yuan! You're about to take off! You've found yourself a rich older woman!"
Ignoring his teasing, Jiang Yuan opened the car door and got in.
The interior was spacious, its decor simple yet luxurious in every detail.
The Radiant Star Type-7 started soundlessly and smoothly merged into traffic, leaving those envious and jealous stares 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 older woman. She was a rich second-generation heir.
The car sped all the way there and soon arrived before a uniquely designed building in the city center.
The four grand characters, "Extreme Martial Arts Hall," danced like dragons and flew like phoenixes, radiating extraordinary presence.
Shen Liuli led Jiang Yuan through a private elevator directly to an exclusive training room on the top floor.
The entire training room was a full five hundred square meters, furnished 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, matching the data in your public profile." Shen Liuli said, "We'll spar first. Let me see what you can do."
"Alright."
The instant the words left his mouth, Shen Liuli moved.
Her speed was indeed kept at twenty meters per second, but the pressure she brought Jiang Yuan was even greater than Song Xi had been while equipped with an exoskeleton.
The sword tip stabbed straight at Jiang Yuan's face.
Jiang Yuan instinctively raised his sword to block.
But just as the two swords were about to clash, Shen Liuli flicked her wrist. Her blade sank downward in a strange motion, slipping around his sword and slicing toward his wrist along the spine of his blade.
It was a feint!
Jiang Yuan was startled and hurriedly withdrew his hand as he retreated, narrowly avoiding the strike.
For the next ten minutes, Jiang Yuan was almost completely suppressed.
Shen Liuli had far too much practical combat experience. All kinds of tricks and deceptive moves emerged one after another, and time and again, she saw through his intentions before he could react.
Jiang Yuan knew that although he possessed swordsmanship at the Subtle Realm, his experience in real life-and-death combat was far too lacking compared with Shen Liuli, who had grown up steeped in—not a honey pot, but a martial arts hall.
He simply gave up on taking the initiative and began focusing on defense.
Let you have a thousand transformations; I would only cut off the path of your sword.
Late Strike Interception!
When Shen Liuli once again used a beautiful feint to shake off Jiang Yuan and prepared to thrust at his chest, Jiang Yuan's sword moved.
His sword did not move to block. Instead, it moved faster, striking after 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 gave Jiang Yuan a somewhat surprised look.
"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 was no longer as helpless as he had been 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, twisted it open, and took a drink.
"The force pathways in your swordsmanship are very unusual."
Shen Liuli turned around and looked at Jiang Yuan.
"They're very similar to someone I know. Someone... very famous in New Star."
Before you continue