The two-hour sparring session passed in the blink of an eye. When all three hundred-plus students in the training hall were drenched in sweat, they finally heard Instructor Luo Zhan's booming voice call an end to it.
A rare smile appeared on Instructor Luo Zhan's face. "Mm, I'm very satisfied with today's training session."
A chill went down the spines of all the students.
'Holy crap, the cold-faced instructor is actually smiling! That's more impossible than the sun rising in the west. Don't tell me he's thought of some new way to torture us?' Many of the students were terrified, wishing they could just fly out of the room.
"I hope to see this same passion from all of you in next week's session. Alright, this week's training is over. Dismissed."
To their immense relief, Instructor Luo Zhan just dropped those few lines before turning and leaving the training hall. Everyone heaved a collective sigh of relief. No one noticed how light Luo Zhan's steps were as he departed, as if he were a groom on his wedding day, his body feeling pounds lighter.
"It's finally over."
"Thank God, we can finally rest for a bit."
"I'm exhausted. I really don't want to come to the cold-faced instructor's class next week. My legs are still trembling."
"Dare to skip it? Heh, the cold-faced instructor has plenty of ways to deal with you. Have you forgotten about those guys who tried to skip class once? Their fate was absolutely miserable."
"I just want to get into the advanced class already. Only advanced students get to skip these insane training sessions."
As soon as Luo Zhan left, most of the students collapsed to the floor, gathering in twos and threes to complain. It was all just talk, though. The thought of the cautionary tale of those previous students made more than a few of them shiver. The cold-faced instructor's fearsome reputation was not just an empty boast.
Ye Xuan glanced at the people collapsed on the floor. 'What a bunch of trash,' he thought. 'If this level of training makes them cry foul, then no matter how talented they are, their future accomplishments will be limited.'
Shaking his head, Ye Xuan turned to walk out of the training hall. He had no time to waste here. As for the earlier sparring, it had been nothing more than a warm-up for him.
Just then, a sinister voice suddenly rang out.
"Ye Xuan, did I say you could leave? You had a great time sparring with Feng Rouyi just now, didn't you?"
The speaker was Zhou Yan. His eyes were narrowed, his gaze as cold and sinister as a viper's, and a sneer played on his lips.
This unexpected scene first stunned the other students, then made them excited. They had forgotten about this part. Zhou Yan was an incredibly petty person who couldn't tolerate the slightest offense. It would have been a miracle if he had stomached the sight of Ye Xuan sparring with Feng Rouyi for so long. Too bad for Ye Xuan; he was about to get a beating for no reason.
Under Instructor Luo Zhan's supervision earlier, they hadn't dared to slack off, so they hadn't seen Ye Xuan and Feng Rouyi's sparring match. In reality, even if they had, their eyes wouldn't have been sharp enough to perceive the subtleties like Luo Zhan did. They probably would have just assumed that Feng Rouyi was going easy on Ye Xuan, allowing the match to last so long.
A piece of trash who had only opened a single Profound Vein had no choice but to take a beating from someone like Zhou Yan.
Under Zhou Yan's glare, Ye Xuan just grinned and said, "I was. The great beauty's hands are so smooth, soft, and fragrant. Tsk tsk, I don't even want to wash my hands anymore."
Zhou Yan was stunned. He never imagined Ye Xuan would give such a response. His voice turned icy. "Good. Very good. Ye Xuan, it seems you still don't understand the situation. How dare you speak of my woman like that. Originally, I was just going to teach you a small lesson. Now, I'm going to make you understand just how tragic the consequences are for daring to touch Zhou Yan's woman."
As his voice fell, Zhou Yan and several other students immediately surrounded Ye Xuan. Their tall figures blocked the light, casting a shadow over him.
"Zhou Yan, what do you think you're doing?"
Chen Xing shouted angrily, pushing his way through the crowd.
"Chen Xing, this is none of your business. Piss off."
Zhou Yan glanced at Chen Xing and said coldly.
"Hmph, this is the academy, not a place for you to do as you please," Chen Xing retorted furiously.
A cold light flashed in Zhou Yan's eyes. "Chen Xing, don't say I didn't warn you. If you don't get lost, I'll beat you up along with him."
'Although Chen Xing has only opened Four Profound Veins, the Chen family is one of the three great families of Blue Moon City, so I can't do anything too serious to him. A simple beating, however, is fine. I'm sure the Chen family wouldn't break the feigned peace between our families over a conflict between a few disciples.'
Ye Xuan stopped Chen Xing, who was about to say more. He held up a finger, clicked his tongue, and said, "Classmate Zhou Yan, your current behavior really doesn't suit your status."
"Hmph, so you do know my status."
"Of course I do. But haven't you heard the saying?"
"What saying?"
"A good dog doesn't block the path. You're not being a very good dog," Ye Xuan said, picking his nose.
"You... you're courting death!" Zhou Yan's face turned livid with rage. He never expected Ye Xuan would dare to speak to him like this under these circumstances. Profound Qi erupted from his body, his gaze venomous. "Fine," he said ferociously. "So the piece of trash has grown a backbone, has he? I heard you beat up Wang Yue yesterday, so badly that he couldn't even come to class today. If you think that gives you the right to be arrogant, you're dead wrong. I'm not a weakling like Wang Yue."
"Don't say I didn't give you a chance. If you get on your knees, kowtow to me three times, and beg for mercy, I might consider letting you off. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless and breaking all your limbs, turning you from a piece of trash into a complete cripple."
Zhou Yan smiled sadistically. This was his favorite thing to do: forcing a student to kneel before him, stripped of all dignity. The feeling of absolute control was enough to bring him to a climax.
"Cripple me?" Ye Xuan's gaze turned cold. An aura suddenly radiated from his body. Although it lacked the oppressive pressure of an expert's Profound Qi, an indescribable presence condensed in the air, making Zhou Yan and his cronies instantly feel uneasy. Their palms began to sweat. "It's been a long, long time since anyone has dared to speak to me like that."
'What's going on? How can this kid's aura be so strong? Why do I feel like my legs are about to start trembling?'
Zhou Yan's expression changed drastically. He couldn't believe it. It was as if he were facing a peerless expert, and the pressure made it hard to even move. 'What kind of Demon Technique is this kid using?!' he roared internally. Seeing his confidence crumble, Zhou Yan desperately mustered his courage and used all his remaining strength to shout, "Get him! Cripple this guy!"
As his voice fell, Zhou Yan's hands shot out, striking at Ye Xuan like a fierce tiger descending a mountain, his fingers formed into claws.
He had launched his attack in a hurry, afraid that if he waited any longer, he would lose the courage to strike at all.
At the same time, the other students surrounding Ye Xuan also sprang into action, lunging at him with ferocious expressions.
"Ye Xuan, be careful!"
Chen Xing stood nervously beside Ye Xuan, gritting his teeth, but he didn't retreat a single step.
"Is that a Tiger Claw? Tsk tsk, your fingers are all twisted up like a kitten's paw. I suppose this must be a unique technique of your own third-rate creation," Ye Xuan remarked nonchalantly.
'He still dares to mock me? Courting death!'
Zhou Yan's gaze was savage. He unleashed the Profound Qi of his Six Veins without holding back, putting even more force into his hands as they twisted toward Ye Xuan's arms. If this move connected, Ye Xuan's arms would likely be snapped in two.
A sharp glint flashed in Ye Xuan's eyes. His principle had always been to repay kindness with kindness and enmity with enmity. Since the other party was trying to harm him, it wouldn't be in his character not to strike back.
With a shift of his feet, the muscles in Ye Xuan's fists tensed, ready to unleash a devastating blow.
'Since you want to play rough, let's see who ends up in a more miserable state.'
Just as he was about to erupt, his expression flickered, and he became calm once more.
"Stop!"
A clear cry, as pleasant as an oriole's song, rang out. A fiery red shadow, like a dancing flame, flashed into the crowd.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
A blur of palms flashed, followed by several sharp impacts. The students around Zhou Yan were sent flying, landing in a heap on the ground with thuds and pained groans. Even Zhou Yan himself grunted, stumbling back several steps before he managed to regain his footing.
"What?" Zhou Yan steadied himself, staring at his attacker in shock. "This power... how can it be...?"
The attacker was none other than Feng Rouyi. She stepped out from the crowd and said calmly, "Zhou Yan, you should know what the punishment is for brawling in the training hall and attacking fellow students."
Zhou Yan sized up Feng Rouyi with a look of shocked suspicion. The gap in their strength wasn't large. Among the intermediate class students present, Feng Rouyi was ranked first and he second. Among all intermediate students in the entire academy, they were both in the top five. Yet, he'd felt completely unable to defend against her move just now. This was something that had never happened in their previous sparring matches.
Collecting himself, Zhou Yan shouted coldly, "Feng Rouyi, this has nothing to do with you. Step aside."
"Zhou Yan, this is not a place for you to run wild," Feng Rouyi said indifferently. 'Ye Xuan helped me break through to the Seven Vein Realm; how could I let him get into danger because of me?'
Feng Rouyi's actions immediately caused a stir among the crowd.
"Feng Rouyi actually made a move for Ye Xuan's sake! What's going on?"
"That bastard... don't tell me those two hours of sparring actually sparked something between that toad and the beautiful swan? The heavens are blind!"
"Fuck, what did Ye Xuan do to deserve the goddess's favor?"
"I'd willingly give up a hundred years of my life to be protected by the goddess like that."
"A hundred years? Why don't you just go die now, then."
Many students sighed at the heavens, wanting to cry but having no tears. They looked as if they were going mad, their hearts completely broken.
Listening to the murmurs around him, Zhou Yan's face grew darker and darker until it was as black as the bottom of a pot. He growled, "Feng Rouyi, don't force my hand. If you don't step aside, don't blame me for attacking you too."
The more Feng Rouyi protected Ye Xuan, the stronger the killing intent in Zhou Yan's heart grew.
"If you want to deal with Ye Xuan, you'll have to get through me first," Feng Rouyi said without backing down.
Ye Xuan couldn't help but rub his nose. 'This girl is really fanning the flames. Can't she see that Zhou Yan is getting more and more enraged? But that's fine by me. It'd be a good thing if trash like him died of anger. His existence is just a waste of food anyway.'