Shi Lai vs Feng Mo!

"Doesn't this new student feel pain?!"

Compared with the harmonious exchanges on the girls' platform, the fight on the boys' platform made most of the Beginner Class students break into a nervous sweat.

In cultivation, strength, and mastery of the Sword Scripture, the new student on the platform fell far short of Li Zhong, who ranked eighth even among the second-year students. The fight was as one-sided as they had expected, but it was the new student overwhelming the veteran!

Shi Lai's sleeves and shoulders were slashed all over by the sword. Blood from his many sword wounds stained his clothes, yet he kept... attacking! Attacking! Attacking!

His eyes shone with excitement, as though he feared neither pain nor injury!

Opposite him, Li Zhong gradually buckled under that momentum, retreating repeatedly as gaps appeared in his swordplay!

"The outcome is decided," Xia Yi said softly.

Somewhat surprised, Luo Ti offered praise. "This new student you favor truly does have something special, Senior. Such fearless fighters are rare among students these days. He might suit those Desperate Saint Souls that stake everything on a desperate fight."

He suited them perfectly, because he had no need to fear death, and barely feared pain either. Xia Yi smiled faintly, then heard gasps rise around him.

Shi Lai nearly slashed Li Zhong across the chest. In his panic, Li Zhong fell off the platform and sat blankly on the ground, questioning his life!

[You defeated Li Zhong (level 94)]

[You defeated an opponent 20 levels above you. Experience gained greatly increased]

[Your level increased to 74]

"Oh, yeah! That felt great!" Shi Lai cried excitedly and jumped off the platform. For a moment, the new and veteran students watching all fell silent.

The other three veteran students in Shi Lai's group no longer looked at him mockingly, their expressions turning grave instead. They went to help Li Zhong up, and one said, seemingly to bolster their courage, "Whew... good thing you faced him first, Li Zhong. His injuries aren't light, even if they aren't serious. We should be able to handle him later."

Li Zhong's face darkened.

The martial examination used a round-robin format. The boys were divided into five groups of five or six, and everyone had to fight everyone else in their group. He had little advantage among the four veteran students to begin with, and now a new student had beaten him too.

The Four Little Talented Scholars title was practically out of his reach.

"The Medicine Scripture?!" Another startled, uncertain cry rang out, and all four hastily looked over.

Shi Lai had produced a roll of bandages from somewhere and was wrapping his wounds. Amid the faint glow of saint soul power, all his wounds rapidly stopped bleeding and began to heal!

Xia Yi chuckled despite himself. "Physician Hu really did teach him the Medicine Scripture."

The three who had yet to fight Shi Lai scowled.

You imprinted the Medicine Scripture Saint Soul, so go to a damn clinic! What are you doing at the Holy Academy?!

Li Zhong laughed at their misfortune, then felt a little regret. No wonder he fought so fiercely without fearing injury. So it was because he had the Medicine Scripture Saint Soul?

If I'd known, I might have won.

As it turned out, he was deluding himself.

So were the other three.

After four rounds, Shi Lai was almost entirely wrapped in bandages and looked utterly miserable. Still, he claimed four victories without yielding an inch, took first place in the Two-Notch Group, and advanced to the top eight!

There were fewer girls, so their results were decided even sooner. When both sets of Top Eight stood beside Deputy Dean Luo Ti, most eyes settled on Shi Lai, because he was the only new student among the sixteen! Moreover, the eliminated veteran students had to admit that, with luck, Shi Lai might even take a spot in the top four!

The slightly chubby boy's prayer, his palms pressed together, said it all. "Deputy Dean, bless me. Don't let me face First Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, or Third Senior Brother. And don't let me face this vicious new student either."

Even Third Senior Brother was a little worried about facing Shi Lai. Only Song Ziyu was entirely unconcerned, while Feng Mo narrowed his little eyes, positively itching to face Shi Lai!

Instead, it was Luo Ti who began to waver. They were in the knockout stage now. If Feng Mo lost to Shi Lai... he would have no way to answer to Feng Shuhu.

Should I have this annoying new student face Song Ziyu?

Then all the bowing and scraping I've done before this old fellow lately would have been for nothing!

His thoughts raced before he announced, "Everyone, stand on your platforms. This time, you may compete for the leaves!"

With that, he began his performance again, stepping alternately with his left and right feet to climb into the air. He swung his blade, sending leaves fluttering over the two platforms. Song Ziyu, Sun Xin, and Zhou Xiaoxian, the three students who had already broken through to the two-star Celestial Pivot realm, casually took leaves first. Only after checking their leaves did the others scramble for ones with different numbers of notches!

Shi Lai was just about to take a leaf when a gust blew it away and delivered another to his hand. He caught it instinctively. After a brief pause, he saw Feng Mo's little eyes gleaming smugly before him as he held out a matching two-notch leaf.

Shi Lai paused, then grinned.

Luo Ti was speechless. You chose this yourself. Fine. Feng Mo should be able to win.

He even nodded slightly at Xia Yi as though taking credit, then said, "Those holding leaves with one notch, take the platforms!"

On the boys' side, Song Ziyu instantly defeated an unremarkable boy who looked ready to cry.

On the girls' side, Zhou Xiaoxian likewise instantly defeated an unremarkable girl with a bitter expression.

After cupping her hands and apologizing to her defeated opponent, she turned toward Xia Yi, finally revealing a trace of irrepressible delight and gratitude.

Without Xia Yi, she certainly would not have broken through to the two-star Celestial Pivot realm yet. Although she probably still would have won, it would not have been nearly so easy.

"Congratulations, little talented scholar." Xia Yi teased her, then looked toward the platform.

On the boys' platform, the two people he was watching most closely stood facing each other: Shi Lai versus Feng Mo!

"Don't you want to say something?" Shi Lai probed, sword in hand.

Feng Mo narrowed his eyes and merely snorted.

Tch, looks like I can't trigger a revenge quest or anything. Shi Lai found Feng Mo's face utterly uninteresting now. As soon as Hu Jun announced, "Let the match begin," below the platform, he charged with his sword!

Below, the four fellow sufferers from Shi Lai's group exchanged looks. This fellow was using the same tactic again, but Second Senior Brother was different!

Earlier, Shi Lai had defeated the boy ranked fifth, who, like Feng Mo, was level 100 and stuck at condensing the Tianxuan Star. There was little difference in their strength or speed, but he was only fifth, whereas Feng Mo was second-and undisputedly so.

The difference lay in saint soul mastery!

That boy's Sword Scripture was only level 11!

Feng Mo's mastery of the Sword Scripture had reached the pinnacle possible at one star: level 20!

Clang!

Their swords crossed. Shi Lai saw Feng Mo twist his wrist and flourish his blade. Pain stabbed through his wrist, and his sword clattered to the ground!

"Get off, beggar."

Feng Mo spoke indifferently.

"Whew... did he sever his wrist tendon?"

"Second Senior Brother is ruthless!"

"That's normal. The new student comprehended the Medicine Scripture. Even a severed wrist tendon will heal completely in a month or two. Second Senior Brother really lives up to his name. Steady, precise, and ruthless."

The veteran students were surprised, yet unsurprised, to see the fight decided so quickly. They lamented Shi Lai's bad luck, while the defeated new students felt disappointed. Although Shi Lai always skipped class and had little contact with them, he still represented the new students' last shred of honor.

Suppressing his delight, Luo Ti turned toward Xia Yi, only to find his expression calm as he rubbed Zhou Xiaoxian's head. "Don't worry. The fight isn't over. Keep watching."

Luo Ti frowned slightly and turned back toward the platform. Despite the severed tendon in his sword hand, Shi Lai refused to surrender. He flexed his hand as though he felt no pain, then, finding he could not exert any strength, suddenly charged headfirst at Feng Mo!

Caught in bewilderment, Feng Mo let him close in. Then pain exploded across his face as Shi Lai's headbutt left him dazed and staggering backward.

Shi Lai immediately swung his left fist hard. Having never learned a fist scripture, he looked like a street thug at that moment!

Feng Mo barely dodged the punch aimed at his face and slashed angrily. With a ripping sound, blood gushed from Shi Lai's body, yet he kept advancing, bathed in blood!

Below the platform, Hu Jun was at a loss. He had never taught a student this fearless. Should he stop them? If he did not, Shi Lai's injuries might gradually become life-threatening!

The savage struggle on the platform also stunned the watching students. Some girls even turned their heads, unable to bear watching.

Then the desperately fighting Shi Lai finally landed a Turtle Fist punch on Feng Mo's face. His cheek aching, Feng Mo thrust his sword in furious humiliation!

Squelch!

"Ah!"

"Shi Lai!!"

Hu Jun hurriedly jumped onto the platform, only to see Shi Lai smiling despite the sword through his abdomen and injuries that threatened to take his life. It was chilling!

"I've pretty much memorized it."

Shi Lai muttered, his gaze gradually clouding.

The next instant, Reloading a Save!

A breeze stirred Xia Yi's long hair. Smiling, he quietly watched the scene rewind.

On the platform, Shi Lai stood facing Feng Mo, sword in hand. The match had returned to before its beginning!

When Hu Jun announced the start, Shi Lai charged with his sword! Below, the four fellow sufferers previously in his group exchanged looks. This fellow was using the same tactic again, but Second Senior Brother was dif... different... he was actually the same?!

Their swords clashed. Feng Mo flourished his blade to sever Shi Lai's wrist tendon, but Shi Lai seemed to anticipate it. He turned his sword sideways first and instead cut a bloody line across Feng Mo's wrist!

Unfortunately, his limited swordsmanship prevented him from severing Feng Mo's wrist tendon in return!

The spectators below, the two teachers, Deputy Dean Luo Ti, and even the injured Feng Mo on the platform all wore identical expressions!

How was this possible?!

"Hmph!" Humiliation and anger flashed across Feng Mo's face as he closed in, sword in hand. The cut on his sword wrist hurt when he exerted strength, but he remained confident he could easily defeat Shi Lai through superior swordsmanship. Yet the longer they fought, the more alarmed he became!

Why was this new student so familiar with my swordplay?!

For a time, they actually traded blows evenly. Shi Lai took four or five more wounds and ignored them entirely. Feng Mo suffered only another cut on his arm before easing his attacks, allowing Shi Lai to overwhelm him instead!

Damn it! This beggar! What's wrong with this beggar? Damn it, I was saving that move for Song Ziyu, to defeat him. Is this beggar going to force me to use it now?

That fleeting distraction exposed an opening, leaving him wide open. Shi Lai slashed him across the chest and abdomen! I won!

"Oh-"

Shi Lai's secret delight and the students' cries froze in midair. The Feng Mo he had struck suddenly turned into a wooden stump and vanished!

Shi Lai froze, then felt searing pain in his back!

Blood spurted as he collapsed helplessly!

Behind him, Feng Mo panted heavily, grunted through clenched teeth, then chuckled softly. "Heh, you really almost beat me, beggar!"

What... what the hell was that?

"A Substitution Technique? That's cheating, isn't it???"

Shi Lai forced himself to look at the wooden stump.

The veteran students below all sighed in relief. Second Senior Brother had finally defended their dignity.

The new students were disappointed. So he had failed to reach the top four as a new student after all? What a pity. If only he had not faced Second Senior Brother...

Nearby, Luo Ti also let out a great sigh of relief, then realized that was inappropriate. Composing his expression, he turned his head. "What a pity, Senior. Without Replace the Beams with Rotten Timber, Feng Mo probably really would have lost to that child."

[You discovered the three-star saint soul: Replace the Beams with Rotten Timber. Current exploration progress: 50%]

Xia Yi showed neither sorrow nor joy. He merely watched calmly as time reversed.

"It's about time this ended."

"Ended?" Luo Ti murmured in surprise. Looking back at the platform, he shook his head. "Although that child luckily landed a cut on Feng Mo's wrist, Feng Mo didn't take second place in the Beginner Class on that alone. In my humble opinion, Feng Mo should still win."

Xia Yi smiled without answering.

Luo Ti's expression gradually stiffened.

Shi Lai had completely overwhelmed Feng Mo!

[You discovered the three-star saint soul: Replace the Beams with Rotten Timber. Current exploration progress: 75%]

Finally unable to hold back, Feng Mo used Replace the Beams with Rotten Timber again, but Shi Lai seemed to have anticipated even that, diving forward into a roll!

Then Shi Lai straightened and looked back at Feng Mo, who was panting heavily, whose sword had struck empty air, who could not believe it, whose saint soul power was nearly exhausted, who stood bewildered and helpless!

He grinned broadly!

He had cleared this mini-boss with three lives!

After a feeble resistance, Feng Mo found a sword at his throat, and his own sword clattered to the ground!

"I... actually lost?!"

"To this beggar?!"

It was all like a nightmare!