"Southern Heaven Academy has disappointed me greatly. Ji Wuming, I hope you won't disappoint me too." Zhan Wushuang looked at Ji Wuming with a cold, disdainful expression.
At that moment, everyone from Southern Heaven Academy looked deeply embarrassed upon hearing Zhan Wushuang's words, but no one spoke. They had suffered a humiliating disgrace today. Shen Dong, whom they had sent for, had yet to appear after all this time, and not a single person from Southern Heaven Academy had managed to last ten moves against Zhan Wushuang's mount. Everyone, including Ji Zhan, felt their faces burning with shame.
At that moment, Ji Wuming glanced at the scene, then at Ji Wuming, who remained seated atop the Blazing Flame Berserk Lion, and guessed what had happened. His expression was far from pleasant. After all, Southern Heaven Academy was like his home; to be humiliated like this naturally made his face burn with shame.
"Ji Wuming, stand down. The person Zhan Wushuang wants to challenge now is no longer you, but my disciple Shen Dong." Shen Dong's teacher fixed his gaze on Ji Wuming and spoke calmly. A cold sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth as he continued, "Ji Wuming, you're known as Southern Heaven Academy's number one heaven's chosen. You accepted the written challenge, yet avoided the fight. You have no regard whatsoever for Southern Heaven Academy's reputation. Never mind that this is only a sparring match; even if it meant dying in battle, you shouldn't have avoided the fight."
"You..."
Ji Zhan was furious, itching to kill Shen Dong's teacher with a single strike in front of the academy. He knew that Ji Wuming had indeed been in seclusion when Zhan Wushuang arrived, but the man was now saying such things. Someone else was behind this. A flash of killing intent passed through Ji Zhan's eyes, but he held himself back. He understood that someone was backing the other man; otherwise, he could not have schemed against Su Xiuyi, nor would he have had the nerve. Su Xiuyi's master was the emperor's teacher.
"What's wrong? Was anything I said wrong?" Seeing Ji Zhan swallow the rest of his words, Shen Dong's teacher spoke with a mocking expression.
He knew Ji Zhan wouldn't dare do anything to him unless he had gone mad and wanted the Ji Clan to die along with him. So he mocked him without restraint.
"Ji Wuming, how disgraceful."
Seeing that Ji Zhan offered no rebuttal, the onlookers' mouths all curled with disgust. Shen Dong's teacher was very satisfied. This was exactly the result he wanted. He wanted to take control of Southern Heaven Academy, but Ji Zhan enjoyed the people's support. How could he pass up such a good opportunity to turn them against Ji Zhan and his son?
"Ji Wuming, make your move!"
"I don't want to hear about your Southern Heaven Academy's petty troubles. I'll fight you to warm up first, then fight that so-called third-place scholar." Zhan Wushuang jumped down from the Blazing Flame Berserk Lion, still paying Shen Dong no mind.
"Master, what about me?"
The Blazing Flame Berserk Lion looked at Zhan Wushuang. This lion was a member of the Demon Race with exceptionally high intelligence, no ordinary demonic beast. He felt he could suppress Southern Heaven Academy himself; there was no need for Zhan Wushuang to act personally.
"You'd have a hard time defeating him. I'll do it."
Zhan Wushuang spoke calmly. When his words fell, the Blazing Sun Berserk Lion said no more. He slowly retreated to the side and waited quietly.
Ji Wuming walked forward step by step, his presence incomparably powerful.
"Ji Wuming of Southern Heaven Academy. Brother Wushuang, please enlighten me."
Ji Wuming fixed his gaze on Zhan Wushuang, his expression grave. Shen Dong's teacher was somewhat disappointed to see Zhan Wushuang take the field himself rather than send his mount. If Zhan Wushuang's mount defeated Ji Wuming, it would be easier for him to seize power. Still, he said nothing. Making Ji Zhan lose much of his prestige today was already a good gain, and he could see that Ji Wuming had yet to recover from the injuries Shen Dong had inflicted on him yesterday. His defeat was certain.
An intent to pierce the heavens steadily gathered around Ji Wuming, and his entire body seemed to become a spear.
"You've just entered the Soaring Sky Ninth Level, and you've even comprehended spear intent?"
Zhan Wushuang raised his eyebrows, his expression improving slightly. Then, under everyone's gaze, he instantly suppressed his cultivation from the peak of the Soaring Sky Ninth Level to the initial stage.
"Come on!"
Brimming with absolute confidence, Zhan Wushuang extended a hand toward Ji Wuming.
Whoosh!
Ji Wuming moved, shooting toward Zhan Wushuang like an arrow loosed from a bow, his speed reaching the extreme.
"Wind"! "Forest"! "Fire"! "Mountain"! Break!
With the addition of the Break Will Character he had just broken through with, his presence was formidable.
Ji Wuming did not dare underestimate him in the slightest. Zhan Wushuang had won all ninety-nine of his battles against opponents at the same cultivation level. How could he be someone who was merely arrogant? His strength was bound to be formidable. Thus, Ji Wuming dared not look down on him in the slightest and gave it his all.
Terrifying spear light swept across the sky in a myriad of cold gleams. Ji Wuming charged like a ravenous wolf descending from the mountains, brimming with killing intent.
"This is barely worthy of my written challenge!"
"Finally, someone who looks the part!"
As his voice fell, Zhan Wushuang moved. He stepped forward, shattering the stone slab beneath his foot and leaving a deep footprint, then shot out like a cannonball.
He was fast to the extreme.
The next moment, a Will Character appeared: "Battle."
Zhan Wushuang's presence grew even more formidable.
Facing that terrifying spear strike, he unleashed a fearsome fist intent from within his body and drove out a savage punch with the bearing of one who would dominate the world.
Boom!
The terrifying spear shadows filling the sky shattered under Zhan Wushuang's fearsome punch, and his earthshaking battle intent swept over Ji Wuming.
Ji Wuming's expression changed in shock.
Zhan Wushuang had suppressed his cultivation to the same level as his own, and he too had comprehended intent, yet Zhan Wushuang had shattered his spear shadows with the force of his punch alone.
After that exchange, Ji Wuming attacked with an even more overwhelming spear strike. Like a flood dragon emerging from the sea, his spear thrust out like a thunderclap, fast to the extreme.
Zhan Wushuang's battle intent grew stronger still. Facing the terrifying spear strike, he neither dodged nor evaded. His savage fist, wrapped in Gang Qi, struck at the deadly spear. At that moment, Zhan Wushuang seemed to have transformed into a berserk dragon.
Zhan Wushuang was peerlessly domineering.
Bang!
The two attacks collided, and Ji Wuming's spear light shattered instantly. The spear in his hand bent, its shaft seemingly unable to withstand that tremendous force.
It had been forged from ten-thousand-year-old black iron.
Ji Wuming's expression changed drastically.
Was he even human?
"Is that your strongest attack? If that's all the strength you have, you're too weak. You've disappointed me beyond measure."
"Nine Layers of the Vast Sea." Facing the immensely powerful Zhan Wushuang, Ji Wuming knew he was certain to lose if this continued, so he chose to unleash his strongest attack.
Ji Wuming seemed to transform into a sea god. The spear in his hand roared like a dragon in the depths, and the roar of the sea seemed to sound before him. Nine spear shadows appeared in front of him, like nine flood dragons.