Flying Swords! Another Flying Sword!

He hadn't even used Spiritual Power.

The girl with twin ponytails clenched her fists, then relaxed.

"He just took advantage of an opening... Zhao Xiaoguang's axe was heavy, too. Once the other guy seized the initiative, of course Zhao couldn't beat him."

She sounded certain.

"You're wrong."

The young teacher could no longer hold back. He sighed and said:

"He thrust forward with his sword, but in the final instant, he extended the Metal Spirit. The sharp golden light touched Zhao Xiaoguang's throat. His control was exquisite down to the finest hair—he broke only the surface of the skin."

The girl with twin ponytails froze.

A fraction less, and the strike would have missed. A fraction more, and Zhao Xiaoguang would have been badly injured.

In that single instant—

How had he done it?

"Winning isn't frightening. Winning like that is what makes him truly frightening," the young teacher said.

"The younger generation is formidable," the white-haired elder said with a smile.

After thinking for several breaths, the elder turned to a student.

"Ma Changshan, you have a Wind Spiritual Root and the quickest reactions. You can hold your own against the Metal Spirit. Go take some of the edge off him."

"Yes!"

A sword-bearing youth stepped forward and leaped onto the platform.

The burly boy with the axe stood below it.

—Apparently, he intended to go up for another round later.

On the platform.

"I'm Ma Changshan. Please."

"Please."

They drew their swords at the same time.

Sword shadows formed a cage, flashing without pause as they intertwined and cut across one another, filling the air with a dense clatter.

Applause surged through the gymnasium like a tide.

—This was a thrilling fight, and everyone could follow it.

Ma Changshan's sword was indeed the fastest on the entire Xiaoxiang