Competition

Another fortnight passed. Shangguan Xue arrived at the academy as usual, only to be met by a chorus of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’. Her curiosity piqued, she couldn’t help but gravitate towards the source of the commotion. There, emerging from the Tai Ling Lake, were three exquisite pink lotuses, their petals as soft as silk and as smooth as jade, appearing almost ethereal in their perfection.

‘The Tai Ling Lotuses have bloomed…’ Shangguan Xue, of course, knew exactly what this signified.

Soon after, the Instructor gathered all the disciples by the lakeside.

“This year, three Tai Ling Lotuses have bloomed, with one allocated to each batch of disciples. A competition will be held according to regulations, and the victor shall claim it.”

As she spoke, she gestured towards Tai Ling Lake, and spiritual energy coalesced, forming a temporary arena.

“The competition will be conducted in pairs, determined by drawing lots. Once a victor emerges from a pair, they will then face other victors until only one remains.”

“The matches are to be stopped at the point of contact; conceding or falling into the water signifies defeat.”

Having delivered her instructions, the Instructor then drew two names:

“Shangguan Xue, Qin Yueyan.”

‘Is this the influence of the Child of Fortune’s luck? To pit the two most threatening individuals against each other…’ Shangguan Xue shook her head with a hint of resignation before leaping onto the stage.

“Come on then.”

Qin Yueyan followed closely, positioning herself face-to-face with Shangguan Xue.

“Please guide me.”

The Instructor nodded, then gave the command:

“Begin!”

The moment the words left her lips, Qin Yueyan swiftly advanced, unleashing a punch.

With her Indestructible Vajra Body, combined with the Saintly Image Devil-Suppressing Art and the activation of her Heavenly Gold Physique, almost no one at the same cultivation level could withstand her single blow.

‘But why would I take it?’

Shangguan Xue murmured to herself, shifting her feet just enough to allow the punch to graze past her shoulder.

Seeing her punch miss, Qin Yueyan launched a flying kick, yet Shangguan Xue evaded it just as easily with a mere half-step.

As the renowned ‘Foremost in Close Combat under Heaven’ Martial Saint, her techniques remained impeccable, even with her cultivation realm diminished.

In stark contrast, Qin Yueyan’s fighting style lacked any discernible pattern; her movements were so transparent that Shangguan Xue could have evaded them with her eyes closed.

However, the Martial Saint had no intention of purely relying on technique to overwhelm her opponent. Her aim was simply to wear down Qin Yueyan, ensuring the battle wouldn’t conclude with a single, decisive blow.

The two engaged in a prolonged struggle; Qin Yueyan failed to land a single hit, yet Shangguan Xue hadn’t launched an attack either.

The disciples below the stage wore expressions of bewilderment, as if questioning, ‘Are they fighting or dancing?’ Even the Instructor’s lips twitched involuntarily.

Not far away, the Dean observed the scene, a flicker of realization crossing his features.

“Such combat techniques at such a young age…”

“Dean,” a person beside him prompted, “are you suggesting…”

“How many people in this world can cultivate such techniques?” The old Dean chuckled softly. “It seems our suspicions were correct; she indeed has some connection to the Martial Saint.”

Witnessing Shangguan Xue’s performance, he could now definitively conclude that she was the child of the Lord of the Pavilion and the Martial Saint!

Unaware of the old Dean’s thoughts, Shangguan Xue simply noted that Qin Yueyan’s spiritual energy was halved, signaling the time for her to initiate her offense.

“Be careful,” she warned specifically, activating her ‘Bright Jade Body,’ which had been enhanced by the ‘Purple Qi from the East’ technique, and launched a punch.

Shangguan Xue and Qin Yueyan’s fists collided, sending both of them back several steps, their arms vibrating with a numbing sensation.

‘If her spiritual energy were abundant, that punch would have been even more powerful; I truly wouldn’t have been able to withstand it.’

With that thought, the young Martial Saint stepped forward, unleashing a flurry of punches.

Qin Yueyan, her competitive spirit ignited, met each of Shangguan Xue’s blows with her own fists, striking head-on.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! A rapid succession of impacts echoed, as if the two were not wielding soft, delicate fists, but rather iron hammers.

“You two… doesn’t that hurt?” The Instructor could no longer restrain her urge to interject.

At her words, both combatants paused, then simultaneously hopped back half a step, shaking their hands in unison, as if trying to dislodge the throbbing pain.

‘I shouldn’t have said anything…’ The Instructor silently closed her mouth.

“Come, one strike to decide the victor,” Shangguan Xue murmured.

“Mhm,” Qin Yueyan nodded.

The next instant, Qin Yueyan leapt into the air, delivering a flying kick, while Shangguan Xue countered with a spinning kick.

Thump!

Shangguan Xue’s kick precisely struck Qin Yueyan’s thigh, while she herself deftly avoided her opponent’s attack.

Struck mid-air, Qin Yueyan had no leverage, sending her uncontrollably flying sideways to land at the edge of the arena.

However, she failed to stabilize her body; her center of gravity was off, and with a wobble, she toppled into the water.

“That’s enough,” the Instructor declared. “The victor is Shangguan Xue.”

“I concede to your skill,” she said, nodding to Qin Yueyan, who had returned to the shore.

“You may go rest now,” the Instructor told Shangguan Xue, then called out, “Next pair!”

More than half of the disciples had yet to advance to the Body Tempering realm, so their matches amounted to little more than clumsy pushing and shoving, offering no spectacle whatsoever.

The few who had reached the Body Tempering realm were equally unremarkable in their abilities.

Shangguan Xue’s attention, however, was drawn to Luo Jin and Sang Yuling. The former sent his opponent into the water with a single punch, clearly leveraging the advantage of his Body Forging Spirit Seal.

The latter, Sang Yuling, was quite peculiar; enveloped in a golden glow, she remained utterly unmoving despite her opponent’s attacks, eventually exhausting them into submission.

‘Utilizing the ‘Spirit Concealment’ technique’s extra spiritual energy reserve to simply shield oneself and wage a war of attrition…’ Shangguan Xue understood her strategy perfectly.

Soon, the victors of the first round were decided, and in the second round, Luo Jin and Sang Yuling drew each other.

However, Sang Yuling surrendered the moment she stepped onto the stage, causing Luo Jin’s gaze towards her to intensify with fervent interest.

‘Scumbag, she’s only twelve, and you were at least twenty-five before you transmigrated…’ Shangguan Xue cursed inwardly, just as she heard her own name called.

Her opponent, who had just recently advanced to the Body Tempering realm, possessed the Fiery Cloud Physique cultivated through the ‘Heavenly Flame Art’.

“Begin!”

Upon hearing the Instructor’s command, Shangguan Xue surged forward with an ‘Iron Mountain Lean’. Her opponent was instantly sent hurtling into the lake.

Most of the disciples wore bewildered expressions, as if questioning, ‘Was that an illusion caused by air currents, or am I drunk?’

Only the Instructor and Qin Yueyan roughly understood Shangguan Xue’s intention.

She aimed to demonstrate her significant superiority over other Body Tempering realm disciples. Thus, while Qin Yueyan had lost to her, the fact that she could contend with Shangguan Xue for an extended period indicated Qin Yueyan’s considerable strength.

‘Simply put, Shangguan Xue didn’t want Qin Yueyan’s qualifications as a teaching assistant to be questioned merely because she had defeated her.’

The Instructor mused internally, her estimation of Shangguan Xue rising considerably.

Round after round proceeded in this manner. Luo Jin consistently drew weak opponents, securing easy victories, while Shangguan Xue repeatedly faced stronger adversaries, only to dispatch them in mere seconds. Clearly, Luo Jin’s luck had stretched to its limits, for in the end, only the two of them remained.