Bang!
When Wei Qiance saw what was happening on the arena platform, his expression turned utterly murderous, and he crushed the armrest of his chair in one hand.
"Ning Chuan, I'm begging you, spare my life. I'll apologize however you want."
Wei Bohu shook like a sieve, snot and tears streaming down his face.
It was hard to imagine that this was a genius at Peak Awakening Stage Nine.
Compared with how Ning Chuan had answered Zhao Weiping's promise to let him leave with his saber that day, the difference was clear at a glance.
"What a disgrace!"
Many spectators, including the important figures present, found him contemptible.
Ning Chuan toyed with the Silver Blood Saber and said coolly, "Stopping the match isn't out of the question, as long as you tell everyone what you and your father did to me!"
The twenty million from Wei Qiance had only bought the recording.
It didn't mean Ning Chuan couldn't reveal the secret.
"Well..."
Wei Bohu hesitated.
He knew better than anyone just how shameful those things were.
Slash!
The Silver Blood Saber fell, sending a great spray of blood into the air.
Ning Chuan's voice was chilling as he said, "Tell me, what's 3,000 minus 2?"
At that, Wei Bohu's psychological defenses collapsed in an instant.
He couldn't take it anymore.
He told them everything, leaving nothing out: how he had forcibly bought a spot at the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp, framed Ning Chuan with the Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution, and enlisted the media to smear Ning Chuan's achievement in killing Zhao Weiping.
An uproar immediately swept through the crowd.
The crowd was outraged.
Ordinary people were already discontented with such behemoths as big companies and financial conglomerates. Hearing about these dirty deeds, how could they hold back? People everywhere began cursing.
"When Ning Chuan cut off his hands just now, I thought he was a little too ruthless. Now it looks like he was downright kind to him!"
"He should have done what he said and cut him to pieces!"
"The empire is long gone, and they're still pulling this kind of thing!"
Some people were so furious that they took off their shoes and hurled them at Wei Qiance.
The viewing stand was built too high, though, and the shoes fell short.
"Get lost!"
Ning Chuan spoke coldly, lifted his right foot from Wei Bohu's chest, and kicked him hard, sending him flying off the platform.
"Take Bohu. We're leaving!"
Wei Qiance stood up, his face ashen.
He had lost an enormous amount of face today.
But that was the least of it.
Public resentment was running so high.
The conglomerate's stock price and connections would both suffer serious damage, and it might even draw an investigation from the relevant authorities.
The Federation had rules.
At least on the surface, Federation law had to be obeyed. Even supercorporations spanning administrative regions were no exception.
An executive picked up the unconscious Wei Bohu, then went onto the platform and retrieved his two severed hands.
Ning Chuan watched it all impassively and did nothing to stop him.
When he had threatened Wei Bohu with death by a thousand cuts, he had deliberately aimed several strokes at the nerve-dense areas of his severed wrists.
Even with a healing-type ability user, they would be difficult to heal.
Even if they can be healed, the wounds to his mind won't be!
Ning Chuan's eyes were cold.
As long as he remained alive, Wei Bohu would never get past him, and his martial cultivation would be severely hindered.
"The winner is Ning Chuan, advancing to the top eight!"
The referee was the first to recover. He leaped onto the platform and made the announcement in a ringing, impassioned voice.
Enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd.
It hadn't been a particularly exciting match. The gap in strength between the two was enormous, and Ning Chuan had crushed his opponent outright.
But many people found it immensely satisfying to watch.
An ordinary youth had risen against the heavens, shattered a massive conglomerate's scheme, and become famous in one stroke.
That was the sort of plot found only in movies.
It was thrilling and inspiring!
"I just realized something. Wei Bohu was at Peak Awakening Stage Nine, and Ning Chuan dealt with him in just four cuts-or rather, two moves. Just how strong is Ning Chuan?!"
Someone realized how strong Ning Chuan was and couldn't help but feel shocked.
The expressions of many people nearby changed.
"Unless something unexpected happens, he'll take first place in this martial exam!"
"If any of the remaining students want to beat him, one of them will have to be a Martial Artist!"
Many people discussed it heatedly.
Even when the next match began on the platform, they barely paid attention, still talking about Ning Chuan.
Soon, all eight quarterfinalists had been determined.
Ning Chuan was assigned to the first match again.
Fortunately, his opponent was the only one of the other seven at Awakening Eighth Stage. Her name was Li Ruoyun, a pretty girl who was very popular among the boys.
"I surrender!"
The match had barely begun, and Ning Chuan's right hand hadn't even reached his saber hilt, when he heard Li Ruoyun shout at the top of her lungs, as though some great calamity would befall her if she were a second slower.
"Hm?"
Ning Chuan raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.
Li Ruoyun was also one of the dark horses who had emerged this time. Her strikes were precise and her movements decisive; she didn't seem like someone who was too timid to fight.
"I don't want to answer your questions about what 3,000 minus something is!"
Li Ruoyun pursed her red lips slightly.
With that, she immediately jumped off the platform.
She was afraid Ning Chuan might go crazy and swing his saber.
Seeing this, Ning Chuan shrugged helplessly.
He had asked that question, just like he had threatened death by a thousand cuts, to frighten Wei Bohu and break down his psychological defenses.
Still, there's an upside. Getting into the top four was easier than drinking water.
Ning Chuan smiled as he walked off the platform.
Half an hour later.
The other three students made it into the top four: one at Early Awakening Stage Nine and two at Peak Awakening Stage Nine.
This time, Ning Chuan was even luckier.
Not only was he assigned to the second match, but his opponent was also the one at Early Awakening Stage Nine.
Soon, Ning Chuan discovered he had still underestimated his luck.
The two at Peak Awakening Stage Nine in the first match were so evenly matched that both suffered serious injuries and were unable to fight again.
In other words.
As long as he defeated the Early Awakening Stage Nine opponent before him, he would claim first place in this martial exam.
"Begin!"
The referee gave the command.
Ning Chuan wasted no time. He used Gale Step and darted forward, rapidly closing the distance between him and his opponent.
Whoosh!
Hu Kun knew Ning Chuan's saber was extremely fast. Under normal circumstances, he would never be able to stop it, so regardless of whether Ning Chuan had drawn his saber, he swung the steel staff in his hands with all his might. A multitude of staff shadows howled out, raging all around in front of him and keeping Ning Chuan's saber from cutting through.
In truth, this was a foolish approach.
Ning Chuan didn't even need to draw his saber. He only had to stand still, and Hu Kun would be wasting his stamina.
But for Hu Kun, it was the only option he had.
At least after losing, he could still boast that he had faced Ning Chuan for a long time.
Awakening Stage Nine cultivators have plenty of stamina. If I let him keep swinging on his own, he could probably go on for more than half an hour!
Ning Chuan shook his head.
Boom!
Ning Chuan's gaze sharpened. Seizing the opportunity, he used Flash Thunder Slash and struck.
A ten-foot streak of silver light passed precisely through the dense staff shadows.
The next moment.
Hu Kun felt a chill at his neck, and goosebumps rose on his skin. He immediately stopped swinging his steel staff.
Ning Chuan held Silver Blood level in one hand, its blade resting against Hu Kun's throat.
"I surrender!"
Hu Kun gave a wry smile.
A B-grade martial art at the Perfect Realm, especially one known for its speed, was a devastating weapon in the Awakening Realm. Without a martial art of a corresponding level, it was almost impossible to counter.
"First place in the martial exam goes to Ning Chuan, who receives the full 700 points!"
The senior-year director made the announcement in a clear voice.
Unlike the academic exams, the martial exam had no standard answers.
First place simply received full marks.
The scores for the lower rankings decreased accordingly, following certain rules.
With his academic results added in, Ning Chuan took first place in this monthly exam with a staggering score of 959.
He actually did it!
Su Yun gazed at Ning Chuan, the focus of countless eyes, and was dazed for a moment. It all felt like a dream.
At Qingshan No. 1 High School, classes had tiers: ordinary classes and rocket classes.
There was an enormous gap in strength between the students of the two types of class.
The strongest student in an ordinary class would be at Awakening Stage Seven. Forget first place; none of them could even make the top ten.
In a way, he's made history!
Su Yun was shaken.
Not long afterward, in the glow of the setting sun, Qingshan No. 1 High School's monthly exam drew to a close.