The New Dark Horse Is Nothing Special

Lin Xiuya leaned against a tree, the lazy expression he had worn while watching the show gone. His brows furrowed slightly.

Han Yue turned to ask him, "Did you see that clearly?"

Lin Xiuya stared at the scene for two breaths, then shook his head.

"He was too fast. I barely caught a shadow flashing past."

Liu Qing could no longer save face. He grabbed at Sun Qi three or four times, only to miss every time.

Sun Qi appeared to his left one moment and flashed to his right the next, his steps so light it was as though he were walking on cotton.

This movement technique had been personally honed by Yao Chen. If someone could catch him so easily, wouldn't the title of the Central Plains' number one alchemist be undeserved?

Liu Qing couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes. Sweat began trickling down his forehead.

Sun Qi flashed behind Liu Qing and stretched.

"Big dummy, I've given you ten moves." He rolled his neck. "My turn next, right?"

Liu Qing spun around.

Before he could get a clear look at Sun Qi's face, Sun Qi was already behind him, kicking him in the backside.

The kick didn't look particularly heavy, but the instant its force penetrated, Liu Qing shot out like a cannonball.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

He crashed straight through three walls, sending broken bricks and shattered tiles flying everywhere, before finally coming to a stop buried in a pile of rubble.

The entire place fell silent.

Even the sound of wind rustling the leaves could be heard clearly.

After a long while, someone finally spoke, their voice trembling.

"I... I'm not dreaming, am I? Overlord Spear Liu Qing got kicked straight through walls by a kid?"

"Whose kid is this? How can he be so terrifyingly strong?"

"You call that a kid? He's a damn Magical Beast in human form!"

Zi Yan stood nearby with her hands on her hips, her eyes curving into crescents as she laughed.

"Big dummy, that's what you get for calling me a kid! Serves you right!"

Sun Qi dusted off his hands and took a step forward.

"Anyone else who's not convinced, come at me one at a time. I'll take you all on."

As soon as he finished speaking, a clatter came from the rubble.

Liu Qing climbed out of the broken bricks, leaning on his spear. He was covered in dust, half his hair had come loose, and a trace of blood lingered at the corner of his mouth.

He raised a hand and wiped his face, his eyes completely different from before.

Earlier, he had only wanted to scare the child and win back his pride, but now he regarded Sun Qi as an opponent on his own level.

All he wanted was a proper fight with the kid.

"Again!"

He pushed off with both feet, turning into an afterimage as his spear thrust straight at Sun Qi's face, its tip wrapped in fierce Dou Qi.

Sun Qi's ears twitched.

Without moving his feet, he shifted to the side and gently raised his right hand.

Clang-!

Two fingers pinched the raging spear tip, stopping it instantly.

Liu Qing froze in midair, unable to push the spear forward or pull it back. His face turned bright red with the strain.

"Th-this is impossible! Your strength...!"

Before Liu Qing could recover from his shock,

Sun Qi gripped the spear shaft and lifted it, hauling Liu Qing and his spear into the air and swinging them around twice like a windmill.

"Woo-hoo, off you go!"

Sun Qi let go, and Liu Qing went flying sideways, spear and all. He crashed back into the rubble he had knocked down earlier with a boom, sending broken bricks flying once more.

The watching students erupted again.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! I must still be dreaming!" A disciple pinched his arm hard, then bared his teeth in pain. "Hiss... That really hurt. I'm not dreaming!"

"You've got to be kidding me! Just one kick! Overlord Spear Liu Qing's been sent flying twice, spear and all!"

"Who on earth is this kid? Could he be the grandson of some Inner Academy elder?"

A few female disciples huddled together, their eyes shining like stars.

"He's really so strong. If only I could find a boyfriend that strong..."

Someone beside them immediately rolled her eyes.

"Wake up. How old is he? Acting like that, you're asking to get struck by lightning."

"Exactly. He hasn't even grown all his hair yet. What are you going all lovestruck for?"

Lin Xiuya and Han Yue stood where they were, neither speaking for a long while.

Han Yue was the first to come to her senses. She turned to look at Lin Xiuya.

"Didn't you just say you saw a shadow?"

Lin Xiuya's mouth twitched. "...I take that back. I couldn't even see the shadow clearly."

Sun Qi brushed the dust from the hem of his clothes and beckoned to Zi Yan.

"Let's go find some treasure."

The two had barely taken a step when a white figure flashed in front of them.

Lin Xiuya stood in their way, a smile on his face. He had just opened his mouth to speak when-

Zi Yan's eyes lit up, and she looked back at Sun Qi.

"Let me do it this time. I haven't had a fight yet!"

She rolled up her sleeves and made to charge forward.

Lin Xiuya's expression changed, and he waved both hands like windmills.

"No, no, no! I'm not here to fight!"

He had just watched Liu Qing get pressed into the ground and rubbed against it twice. How would he dare make a move?

This little girl was with that little boy. If the boy was already so outrageous, how weak could the girl be?

He didn't want to get beaten up for no reason.

Seeing that he wouldn't fight, Zi Yan lowered her hands in disappointment and pouted unhappily.

"Then why are you blocking the way?"

Lin Xiuya breathed a sigh of relief and cupped his hands, adopting a very humble manner.

"I'm Lin Xiuya, an Inner Academy disciple. I saw how extraordinary your skills were just now and wanted to make friends."

Zi Yan blinked after hearing him out.

"What's wrong with you?"

Lin Xiuya was taken aback. "Huh?"

"If nothing's wrong, get out of the way." Zi Yan grabbed Sun Qi's sleeve. "Come on, don't hold me up from finding treasure."

Lin Xiuya opened his mouth, but before he could speak, a powerful wave of Dou Qi descended from the sky and landed beside the rubble.

The newcomer was an old man in gray robes, with a short beard on his chin and a stern expression. He glanced at the three collapsed walls, and his brows knotted together.

"Who did this?!"

His voice wasn't loud, yet it made everyone's ears ring.

"Inner Academy rules say private fighting is severely punished. Don't you know that?!"

Everyone turned in unison to look at Sun Qi and Zi Yan.

Elder Fu followed their gazes, his frown deepening.

Two unfamiliar faces: a young boy with golden hair and a little girl with purple hair, both looking younger than his own youngest grandson.

He walked over and reined in his anger.

"You two children, whose family are you from? How did you end up in the Inner Academy?"

Zi Yan looked up at him and spoke in a sweet, childish voice.

"An old man named Su Qian brought us here. He said he was your great elder."

Sun Qi nodded beside her.

Elder Fu froze.

Great Elder Su Qian had brought them back?

How had he not received any word of it?

And-two children?

He opened his mouth, at a loss for words for a moment.

Never mind. I'll deal with the private fighting first, then take these two children to the great elder.

"Then you two wait here. Once I've dealt with this, I'll take you to the great elder."

Then he turned to the assembled students and called out in a ringing voice, "Who was fighting here? Step forward!"

As soon as he finished, Sun Qi took a step forward.

Seeing this, Elder Fu thought he had grown impatient and gently reassured him, "Don't rush. Just wait a moment."

"I was the one fighting."