First Meeting with Xia Yuwen

"The Soul Devour Art!" "Did he really deduce it?" "Su Yu mastered it! He didn't use innate blood essence!" Below the stage, the expressions of several researchers shifted. Corroding and burning willpower—was it truly caused by origin qi? Had his origin qi mutated? Strands of willpower extended outward to investigate, keeping a respectful distance so as not to provoke misunderstandings. Even so, many probes washed over Zhu Hong and the others, examining the injuries to their willpower to determine whether the damage came from origin qi or an eruption of willpower. Up on the ring, Su Yu remained indifferent to their murmurs. He called out, "The Single Divine Character Faction student ranked next—get up here!" The moment those words rang out, Liu He's face turned utterly hideous in the crowd. "It's me!" Liu He gritted his teeth and refused to step onto the stage. Grudgingly, he said, "I concede!" Su Yu had knocked him out of the Top 100 just days ago, and he had only clawed his way back to ninety-second with great difficulty. What was the point of fighting? He hadn't been Su Yu's match back then, let alone now. No one uttered a peep. Though several researchers felt displeased, none spoke when they considered Zhu Hong's fate. Severely wounded! Su Yu was simply too fierce, too domineering! "Then the one above him!" Su Yu shouted. "Does no one dare take the stage? If you don't, then stop acting like cowards and bullies! What pride is there in tormenting my senior sister? Get up here!" Su Yu's voice thundered across the area. "Too afraid?" "Top 100 students, and not one of you dares to accept a challenge?" Origin qi surged from Su Yu as his voice rang like a massive bell. "Anyone willing to stand up for the Single Divine Character Faction may step onto the stage as well! Kindness is taken for weakness, but today I want to see just how capable this faction is—shamelessly ganging up on an injured girl!" "Su Yu!" Below the stage, a researcher barked coldly, "Enough! Stop blaming the Single Divine Character Faction at every turn! Student sparring is permitted by academy regulations, and everything was done strictly within the rules. With your insolent tongue, do you have any trace of a Civilization Master's bearing left?" Su Yu looked down at him and sneered, "Insolent? If that's how you see it, Teacher, then insolent I shall be! Dozens of uninjured students bullied my senior sister, and you call that justified? I want to challenge Huang Qifeng—tell him to get up here! How about a life-and-death battle?" Su Yu roared, "Does he dare? If Huang Qifeng steps onto this ring, I won't use a shred of willpower. I'll hack him to pieces with my bare hands! Does he dare?" *Does he dare?* Roar after roar echoed throughout the arena. The researcher who had spoken looked grim and said nothing in response. Huang Qifeng? The boy had only just regained consciousness! Take the stage? What stage? Did he want Huang Qifeng dead? By comparing Huang Qifeng to Wu Jia, Su Yu stripped the Single Divine Character Faction of any moral high ground. What else could they say? Just then, the crowd parted as cries of surprise broke out. At the perimeter of the crowd, a young man clad in black robes approached with his hands clasped behind his back. His shoulder-length hair brushed past his ears, and he radiated a chilly, imposing aura. Surprise washed over many onlookers. Why was he back? In the distance, Liu Hong immediately ducked behind a tree trunk, peering out with a shifty air. He cursed inwardly. *Didn't they say he wouldn't return for another month? Why is he back now?!* "Researcher Xia!" "Yuwen!" Greetings sounded one after another. The young man gave a faint nod without responding, his eyes locked onto Su Yu. Glancing at Su Yu and then at the others, he said coolly, "A spar is just a spar. Showing disrespect to teachers warrants punishment! Contradicting your elders, brutally maiming fellow students, and bearing petty grudges warrants punishment! A student's ignorance is their teacher's failing! Bai Feng's merit point rewards shall be suspended for three months, and Su Yu's merit point allowance as a top-grade student shall be revoked as penalty!" The young man scanned his surroundings and added in a chilly tone, "Sparring, matches, life-and-death duels—do as you please! But disrespect toward teachers and insubordination shall be punished!" Many eyes turned to him. Su Yu frowned as well and asked, "Under which rule of the academy is Teacher Xia punishing me?" He already knew who had arrived. Xia Yuwen! The peerless genius who had suppressed the entire generation of Bai Feng and Wu Qi! Below the stage, Xia Yuwen glanced sideways at him, his voice devoid of warmth. "Not by academy regulations, but by military law! Disrespecting superiors and defying authority warrants discipline. Every student of the Great Xia Civilization Academy bears a second identity beyond being a student: reserve soldier. Do you have any objections?" Su Yu fell silent. A moment later, he said, "None! If Teacher Xia deems it punishable, then punish me! As for disrespecting teachers, I plead guilty—the teachers of the Single Divine Character Faction aren't worth my respect anyway!" Xia Yuwen wasted no more breath on him. Turning to Zhao Ming, he demanded coldly, "Severely injuring a student outside a life-and-death battle—why didn't the referee intervene?" Zhao Ming's expression turned solemn. He stared at him for a long while before replying, "He isn't dead. His willpower is heavily injured, but he can still cultivate. Why should I intervene?" "Once a competitor loses the ability to resist, the referee may declare defeat. Do you not know this?" Xia Yuwen said coldly, "Zhao Ming, step down. Your position as referee for the Top 100 ring is revoked!" Zhao Ming's eyes flickered, and then he suddenly chuckled. "Xia Yuwen, you have no authority over me. It isn't your place to give me orders!" Xia Yuwen said calmly, "I have reached Lingyun. Just now, I assumed the post of Lingyun Realm Inspector in the Inspectorate. Since you have entered Lingyun, you naturally fall under my jurisdiction." Zhao Ming's expression shifted before he laughed. "Fine, you call the shots! Xia Yuwen, you even stick your nose into student spars—you certainly like to throw your weight around. Good thing you aren't in the Shanhai Realm, or that academy head seat would already be yours!" Xia Yuwen ignored him. Zhao Ming only smiled, unbothered, and hopped off the stage. Xia Yuwen suddenly glanced toward the corner where Liu Hong was hiding and said calmly, "Liu Hong, get up there. You will temporarily take over as referee for the Top 100 ring." Liu Hong scrambled over with a fawning smile. Without a word, he stepped through the air and landed upon the stage. Xia Yuwen turned to someone behind him and said flatly, "Since Su Yu considers himself invincible and fearless, Zhou Hao, go up and challenge him!" Liu Hong frowned slightly, though he quickly masked it with a smile. "Senior Brother Xia, this is..." "A new student," Xia Yuwen replied calmly. "He was accepted before the term began and was registered long ago. Because I had not returned, he had not officially enrolled. Today, he returned with me!" Behind him stood a short young man. He looked utterly unremarkable, sporting a buzz cut and dressed in short combat clothes rather than long robes. He had been trailing behind Xia Yuwen the entire time, yet virtually no one had noticed him. Had Xia Yuwen not spoken, most would have overlooked him entirely. Eyes turned toward the youth. Unfazed by the attention, the youth grinned, showing his teeth as he looked at Su Yu on the stage. His gaze looked entirely innocent. Yet at that moment, Su Yu felt a subtle prickle—deep within those eyes lurked a faint chill. Looking at him made one's heart skip a beat. *This guy has killed people!* Su Yu reached that conclusion almost instantly. Not only had he killed, but he had likely killed many. His killing intent was completely restrained, or perhaps he simply didn't think killing was anything out of the ordinary. Where had Xia Yuwen recruited such a student? Someone from the Zhou family? Unlikely, unless he belonged to a branch family. Direct descendants of the Zhou family would never dress like this; great clans cared deeply about appearances, and someone like Wan Mingze would never step outside in rough combat clothes. Xia Yuwen said calmly, "Making a scene known to the entire academy over a simple student spar makes us look like fools! Stirring up such chaos—who knows what you were trying to accomplish? Zhou Hao, go up. Challenge him!" The youth in combat clothes grinned again and strode toward the ring. Stepping onto the stage, he looked at Su Yu and bared his teeth in another smile. "Zhou Hao, freshman. I challenge this senior brother!" A freshman! Yet at that moment, Su Yu felt a faint sense of pressure. Divine light flickered in his eyes as he studied Zhou Hao. Such thick origin qi! This guy hardly resembled a Civilization Master; he looked far more like a warrior. His origin qi was frighteningly dense! Moreover... he didn't seem to be in the Wanshi Realm, but rather the Qianjun Realm! Liu Hong cleared his throat and smiled. "Zhou Hao, do you know the rules? You are a freshman and not on the rankings, while Su Yu is currently ranked ninety-eighth. You are eligible to challenge him. How old are you? As long as you are under thirty, it's fine." "Eighteen!" "Then there's no problem..." Liu Hong smiled. "As for your status, let me check..." With that, he walked over to a terminal and ran a query, nodding after a moment. "He is indeed a freshman, enrolled previously as Researcher Xia Yuwen's student. Su Yu, do you accept the challenge?" *Accept?* He had to accept! Su Yu had spoken so boldly earlier, relentlessly mocking and scorning the students of the Single Divine Character Faction. If he refused now, everything he said would become empty wind. He would become a laughingstock! *You, Su Yu, only dare to challenge others because you're stronger than them. Now that a freshman challenges you, you don't dare accept?* Su Yu looked at Xia Yuwen. The man had undoubtedly arrived long ago! Having his student challenge him now was all part of his calculation, leaving Su Yu with no room to refuse! That bastard hadn't just returned! Even if he couldn't fully gauge Zhou Hao's strength, Su Yu knew the youth had to be formidable! Su Yu's gaze turned icy before quickly regaining composure. "I accept!" Across from him, Zhou Hao grinned. "Senior Brother Su, regular sparring is rather boring. How about... we fight a life-and-death duel?" Liu Hong cleared his throat. "That requires the signatures and confirmation of both your teachers. Su Yu, Bai Feng is away, isn't he?" Bai Feng wasn't here! At that moment, divine characters flickered in Liu Hong's eyes as he stole a peek at Zhou Hao. Inwardly, he was slightly startled. *** Meanwhile, below the stage. Jia Mingzhen frowned and sent a voice transmission, "Where did he dig up this wild kid? Is he practicing the Thousand Mountains Art?" "Looks like it!" another elder responded quickly. "Opening 144 apertures—a top-tier Heaven-rank cultivation art! But once the Thousand Mountains Art reaches the ninth layer of Qianjun, merging apertures for Wanshi is exceedingly difficult, if not downright impossible. Xia Yuwen taught this to his student—isn't he afraid of completely ruining him?" "He doesn't seem to cultivate willpower either. His willpower fullness is very low. Is his focus purely on the physical body?" "Yes. He probably hasn't outlined a divine character. He relies entirely on a powerful physique and a vast number of apertures." "Su Yu has opened many as well!" "Su Yu's haven't formed a single grand system, whereas his 144 apertures form a complete system. Su Yu's Soul Devour Art won't affect him, and willpower suppression or erupting divine characters might not overcome him either!" Several elders looked grave. The *Thousand Mountains Art* was a genuine top-tier Heaven-rank cultivation art. Unfortunately, once cultivated to Qianjun Ninth Layer, merging the apertures was excruciatingly difficult! Back then, many people had coveted the art's raw power, only to fail at merging their apertures in the end, forcing them to switch to other cultivation arts. Yet this youth before them had actually opened 144 apertures, mastering the technique completely, lacking only the aperture mergers to step into the Wanshi Realm. Although Su Yu had many apertures, at most 108 of them formed a system. His instantaneous explosive power might not match his opponent's. Purely in terms of physical strength, Su Yu might truly be at a disadvantage. Xia Yuwen had calculated this carefully when sending this boy up. He didn't cultivate willpower! As a result, the effectiveness of the Soul Devour Art would be drastically reduced. As for willpower suppression, Su Yu had not reached Tengkong, so his suppressive force was limited. With the youth possessing so many apertures and such explosive power, Su Yu might not be able to hold him down. *** On the stage, Su Yu took a quiet breath. A life-and-death ring! What arrogance! His opponent was truly formidable, perhaps cultivating a Heaven-rank art. Su Yu's eyes shifted for a moment before he said, "For a life-and-death ring, my teacher isn't here, so no one can sign. How about this: since you want to challenge me and even proposed a life-and-death match, neither of us will concede. Let us see... whoever is on the brink of death first loses!" Zhou Hao bared his teeth in a smile. "Works for me. Though it's a bit of a pity we can't kill each other!" Su Yu looked at Liu Hong and said in a deep voice, "Fellow students, would someone please fetch Director Chen from the Cangshu Pavilion? I'm afraid some referees might not be impartial!" Soon, someone took off toward the Cangshu Pavilion. Below the stage, Wu Jia had already woken up, her face etched with worry. After Su Yu had forcefully trounced Zhu Hong and the others, someone actually dared to challenge him to a life-and-death duel. He clearly had immense confidence in himself! Moreover, this was a student brought back by Xia Yuwen. Xia Yuwen was a supreme genius who had suppressed Bai Feng and Wu Qi. Could his student be weak? Wu Jia was worried; her junior brother had never mentioned that something like this would happen. Liu Hong smiled and shrugged, entirely unconcerned. He was happy to take it easy! He wouldn't play any dirty tricks with so many people watching. Besides... if he did meddle, it wasn't even clear whom he would help. Xia Yuwen had actually returned! What a nuisance! Inwardly, he cursed Zhou Mingren several times. *Damn it, didn't you say a month? It's only been a few days! That old bastard lied to me!* Before long, Chen Yong arrived. He glanced at the two on the stage, looked at Xia Yuwen, and then looked at the injured Wu Jia, feeling a splitting headache. He had only looked away for a short while! How had such a massive mess unfolded? "Martial Uncle, please help oversee this. In addition, Zhou Hao and I will not fight to the death, only to victory or defeat. Neither will concede, and neither will leave the stage!" Chen Yong hesitated, wanting to speak. Su Yu smiled. "Martial Uncle, I like challenging the strong!" Chen Yong sighed faintly. He nodded and looked at Liu Hong without a word, then turned his gaze to Xia Yuwen. Over there, Xia Yuwen kept his hands clasped behind his back, not looking at him at all. Chen Yong said nothing out loud, but a moment later, Xia Yuwen's body trembled slightly. *"Xia Yuwen, we can't afford to get involved in the Xia family's fight for Prefecture Head, but stepping on our faction to climb up... is inappropriate."* *"There are barely any of us left in the Multiple Divine Characters Faction. I won't bully you either. Once you reach Lingyun Ninth Layer, I want to test your blade!"* Xia Yuwen turned his head to look at him. Chen Yong smiled at him, nodded slightly, and sent another transmission: *"This incident had nothing to do with you. If you insist on getting involved, very well. I'll wait for you. You're already at Lingyun Third Layer, advancing far faster than my junior brother. Once you reach the ninth layer, come find me!"* A sharp glint flashed in Xia Yuwen's eyes! *Find him at the ninth layer!* *Chen Yong!* Chen Yong said no more and ceased his transmissions, turning his attention toward the ring. *** Up on the ring. Liu Hong glanced at the two of them and smiled. "Since neither of you has any objections, then... begin!" The moment the word fell, two afterimages blurred into motion, followed by a thunderous boom. With a muffled thud, Su Yu took a step back, his foot grinding into the stage floor with a screech that sent sparks flying. Zhou Hao grinned, showing his teeth! One hundred and forty-four points of light flickered across his body! Pouncing like a tiger, his hands curled into claws as he lunged forward at blinding speed, ripping toward Su Yu. Su Yu erupted his willpower, pressing down in suppression! *Boom!* A massive pillar of origin qi surged upward, violently shaking Su Yu's willpower. Su Yu's face paled! So powerful! His origin qi was remarkably pure as well! One hundred and forty-four apertures forming a unified whole possessed an explosive force that Su Yu himself could not match. "Fight!" "Kill!" Su Yu roared, immediately abandoning his willpower suppression. Planting his foot, he kicked off the ground and countered the charge! *Bang! Bang! Bang!* The two exchanged dozens of blows in an instant. Zhou Hao let out a roar, his clawed hands clamping onto Su Yu's arms. With a sickening tear, flesh and blood flew, spraying crimson across Su Yu's arms! Qianjun Ninth Layer! Both were at the Qianjun Ninth Layer, yet the shockwaves radiating from their clash stunned several ninth-layer Qianjun spectators! Su Yu had opened 180 apertures. Zhou Hao had opened 144 apertures. One had 108 apertures forming a system, while the other had 144 forming a system. Their strength was astonishingly evenly matched. Su Yu's explosive power was slightly inferior, but his origin qi was deeper and his physical body sturdier, giving him the upper hand in defense and blocking. *** "Are these two... even Civilization Masters?" someone grumbled. Could this still be considered Civilization Masters? Weren't they thugs from the War Academy? With physical strength like this, they could fight their way onto the War Academy's Wanshi Rankings on pure bodily might alone! Where had so many monsters come from this year? In previous years, if a single student like this appeared at the War Academy, they would probably thrash all the so-called geniuses! *** *Bang! Bang! Bang!* Su Yu unleashed kick after kick without tire, tearing through the air and detonating the surrounding origin qi, forcing Zhou Hao back step by step! Yet Zhou Hao was extraordinarily tough as well. The *Thousand Mountains Art* came with its own exclusive martial techniques! A complete set of martial skills! It was similarly an exceptionally powerful Heaven-rank martial art. At this moment, his body felt as heavy as a mountain and possessed titanic strength. He drove a fist into the sole of Su Yu's foot. A sharp crack sounded as foot bones shattered, while Su Yu's leg whipped into his shoulder, tearing away flesh and blood! Su Yu retreated, sharp pain radiating from his foot. Zhou Hao grinned again, closing the distance once more! He used no weapons, relying entirely on his hands! His hands formed claws again, tearing forward as origin qi detonated and the air shrieked under the strain. Every blow he landed left behind several bloody gashes. Su Yu countered with furious punches, the two exchanging strikes at blistering speed. *Rumble!* Explosion after explosion rang out! With a tremendous crash, the two afterimages separated. A bloody claw print marred Su Yu's chest, while Zhou Hao's shoulder was torn open, exposing pale bone! "Hehe, you're strong!" Zhou Hao, who hadn't spoken since the battle began, licked his lips. "Incredible! In the Qianjun Realm, I've never met a match. Senior Brother certainly didn't disappoint me!" "You won't be disappointed!" Su Yu replied calmly, his tone light and indifferent. Pain... meant nothing to him. Zhou Hao carried a heavy aura of slaughter, naturally radiating a bloody scent in combat that clearly came from relentless killing. Yet Su Yu didn't believe he was inferior! *Death is something I've experienced countless times.* *From childhood until now, I have never feared death!* In the blink of an eye, the two collided once more. *Boom!* Sparks flew across the hard floor of the ring! The deafening crashes never ceased! Leg shadows! Claw marks! A crisp snap echoed as Su Yu's left arm hung limp, broken at the bone, blood trickling down from his shoulder. Yet Su Yu paid it no mind, thrusting a kick outward! The afterimage blurred into a thin mist! With a squelch, the tip of his foot drove straight into Zhou Hao's thigh, sending blood spraying! Zhou Hao laughed wildly, pouncing forward like a tiger on his damaged leg! Taking advantage of Su Yu's unstable footing, he clamped onto Su Yu's right hand. A smile appeared in his eyes, as pure as ever without a hint of ferocity, as he twisted violently with both hands to snap Su Yu's right arm as well! "Hmph!" A cold snort sounded. A saber suddenly materialized, carrying the force of thunder as it cleaved through the air toward his hands! Zhou Hao's expression flickered, and he moved to let go. Right at that moment, Su Yu twisted his right hand, locking their three arms together in a death grip! *Slash!* The blade fell! All three arms severed simultaneously, tumbling to the ground! "Ah!" Cries of shock erupted below the stage! So ruthless! To sever his opponent's arms, Su Yu had hacked off his own right hand along with them! Blood gushed from Zhou Hao's severed limbs! His blood rapidly drained, and his face turned paper-white in an instant! With his left arm broken and his right arm severed, Su Yu's face was equally pale. Yet at that moment, a grin broke across his lips! He leapt into the air! His legs whipped out like fiery wheels, raining down mid-air kicks! *Rumble!* A barrage of thunderous impacts followed. With his arms severed, Zhou Hao turned savage, kicking upward in return! They traded over a dozen strikes! With a sickening snap, the sound of breaking bone came from Zhou Hao's leg. Blood poured from Su Yu's legs as well. By now, both were drenched in blood. Neither conceded! "Don't give up!" Su Yu chuckled darkly as a saber descended from the air! Thunder flashed! *Boom!* Zhou Hao rolled across the ground as the blade carved a deep gouge into the stage, immediately snapping around to strike at him again! Gritting his teeth, Zhou Hao let out a ferocious roar. His body swelled, and his mouth stretched unnaturally wide as he clamped his teeth down on the incoming blade. A crunch sounded as teeth shattered! Yet several teeth held firm, biting down hard on the saber. Even as the blade vibrated violently and turned his mouth into a bloody mess, he refused to let go! Just then, Su Yu leaped into the air once more, stomping downward with his foot! A beast-like growl rumbled in Zhou Hao's throat! His hair stood on end, stained golden, as he drove his head straight toward Su Yu! *Boom!* A massive collision threw Su Yu backward. Zhou Hao's scalp was soaked in blood, yet like a madman, he jerked his head to fling the saber aside and charged headfirst at Su Yu again! *Bang!* Just as Su Yu touched down and tried to steady himself, Zhou Hao stomped on the ground, sending tremors through the stage. Su Yu stumbled slightly, and Zhou Hao's head slammed directly into his chest, the sound of breaking ribs ringing out! It all happened too fast for most students below the stage to track. The few who could keep up only caught fleeting afterimages. Yet right at that moment, even as Su Yu spat a mouthful of blood, his expression remained freezing cold. A small hammer materialized once more! Below the stage, Chen Yong and Xia Yuwen both started! A willpower martial technique? The hammer crashed down! This time, Zhou Hao sensed it, but he could no longer muster that powerful pillar of origin qi. He bellowed and erupted his origin qi, yet failed to stop the hammer! *Boom!* His head roared. To outsiders, Zhou Hao merely seemed to freeze for a split second! In that exact moment, Su Yu whipped a kick outward! *Bang!* Flesh and blood burst! Zhou Hao's chest was kicked clean through! His internal organs were visible for all to see! Su Yu showed not a shred of mercy. Had Bai Feng been present today, they would have fought to the death; Zhou Hao was the one who had proposed a life-and-death duel! Since he wasn't dead yet, why hold back? His left leg whipped out again, snapping both of Zhou Hao's legs with a wet crack! *Thud!* Zhou Hao fell to his knees! He snapped back to his senses! With a crazed roar, he threw his head toward Su Yu again, leaping into the air as powerful origin qi erupted! Vicious! Below the ring, several students facing Zhou Hao stumbled backward in horror. To still be this vicious in such a state—it was terrifying! The wave of baleful aura rolling off him sent shivers down their spines. And that was just below the stage! How much pressure was Su Yu facing up there? How much courage did it take to fight such a maniac to the death? Yet when they remembered that Su Yu had been ruthless enough to sever his own arm... At this moment, even several researchers from the Single Divine Character Faction felt a chill in their hearts. Xia Yuwen had dredged up a savage student from who knew where, but when a seemingly refined youth like Su Yu fought, he didn't resemble a Civilization Master in the slightest! They were two humanoid beasts! *** "Su Yu has won!" below the stage, Jia Mingzhen sighed. The moment Su Yu had been ruthless enough to sever his own arm, the match was decided. By sacrificing one hand to disable Zhou Hao's two strongest limbs, Su Yu had secured victory. There was no suspense left. In a prolonged battle, Su Yu might not have lost, but to secure a swift victory... even Jia Mingzhen had to marvel at such ruthlessness! Truly terrifying! To be able to do that to oneself—it wasn't as if he had no other way to win, yet he chose this just to ensure a certain victory. Jia Mingzhen felt there was no need to provoke or challenge Su Yu anymore. When this kid went mad, he truly fought with his life! *** Up on the stage, things unfolded just as Jia Mingzhen had predicted. The moment Zhou Hao lost both arms, he had lost the fight. Yet Zhou Hao was equally ferocious; he neither surrendered nor feigned death, continuing to battle Su Yu with terrifying savagery! If his arms were severed, he used his legs; if his legs were broken, he used his head, his teeth, his back, his chest... Every part of him was a weapon to kill! He was far stronger than Huang Qifeng had been. Of course, Huang Qifeng's willpower had suffered severe damage, whereas Zhou Hao's willpower was inherently weak, meaning the backlash was minimal—merely causing dizziness! Just as Zhou Hao leaped into the air again, driving his head forward, the saber flew back! Shrinking into a small flying dagger, it shot straight toward his skull! Liu Hong was about to intervene when Zhou Hao roared, "I haven't lost!" Liu Hong was more than happy to stay out of it. With a roar, Zhou Hao tilted his head slightly, letting the dagger's qi erupt to shred his ears. His face turned into a mangled mess of blood and flesh, but he clamped his jaws onto the dagger, dark-purple blood spilling from his mouth as he slammed toward Su Yu again! "Hmph!" Su Yu snorted coldly. Kicking off with his left leg, he launched into the air, bent his right knee, and drove a flying knee strike forward! *Boom!* A deafening explosion rang out! The knee strike hit with devastating force, slamming dead center into Zhou Hao's head! With a dull thud, his skull threatened to split open. Zhou Hao roared madly, spitting the dagger out to snap at Su Yu! *Tear!* A chunk of flesh was torn away, but Zhou Hao had exhausted the last of his strength! Su Yu's flying dagger circled back, on the verge of plunging straight into his skull! At that moment, Liu Hong finally moved, stepping forward to catch the saber. Any longer, and Zhou Hao would truly die. The moment his hand closed around the dagger, he cursed inwardly as black flames erupted, scorching his willpower with searing pain! *Fuck! That little bastard burned me on purpose!* In the instant Liu Hong was scorched, a vicious glint flashed in Su Yu's eyes. Ducking his head, he slammed his forehead directly into Zhou Hao's skull! *Bang!* Another heavy impact echoed. Zhou Hao went completely limp, his head stained crimson. With both arms gone, he collapsed to the floor, showing no signs of life! Su Yu's face was drenched in blood. Breathing raggedly, he looked at Liu Hong. Liu Hong stared blankly at Su Yu! *Fuck! He's dead?! You little bastard... you burned me on purpose!* Reaching out with his perception, Liu Hong breathed a sigh of relief. *Thank goodness, he isn't dead. There's still a breath left—thank heavens!* Otherwise, if a student died while he was presiding as referee, he wouldn't be able to escape the blame. As for whether Zhou Hao could ever recover from such injuries... *what does that have to do with me?* He wasn't dead! Having a single breath left was his own business. Glancing at Su Yu again, Liu Hong shuddered. *This kid is terrifying!* At that moment, Su Yu's left arm was broken and his right arm lay severed on the floor. Forcing an eruption of origin qi, Su Yu awkwardly scooped up the severed right arm with his broken left arm and pressed it against the stump. Origin qi surged, reattaching meridian after meridian as wave upon wave of excruciating pain washed over him! Su Yu didn't utter a sound. The area below the stage was deathly silent! Xia Yuwen looked at Su Yu, then at Liu Hong. Finally, with a wave of his sleeve, he drew the unrecognizable Zhou Hao into his grasp, retrieved his two severed arms, and turned to leave! "Teacher Xia, don't forget to pay the ten merit points—that's my spoils of battle!" Su Yu said flatly. "Also, it's not good that Student Zhou doesn't cultivate willpower. Teacher Xia should focus on being a proper teacher and fulfill your responsibilities!" Xia Yuwen said nothing, continuing on his way. Behind him, Su Yu let out a low chuckle before shouting, "Next! The Single Divine Character Faction student ranked next—continue!" The crowd below erupted into an uproar! Everyone was dumbfounded! *Is this guy... insane?!* *He still wants to keep going?!* Ahead, Xia Yuwen's footsteps paused for a brief instant before he strode off without looking back. Returning today, he had failed to establish his dominance and had instead lost all face. Zhou Hao... had lost! Not only was he half-dead, but Su Yu was continuing his challenges even after fighting such a brutal match! "Su Yu!" Xia Yuwen murmured as he walked, his expression turning grave. He wasn't a second Bai Feng—he was far stronger and far more ruthless! Right at that moment, Zhao Ming, who had just stepped down from the stage, appeared before him with a beaming smile. "Tsk, tsk, such severe injuries! If I give him emergency treatment, I can barely keep him alive—five hundred merit points!" Xia Yuwen stared at him coldly! Zhao Ming smiled and lowered his voice. "A thousand merit points! Make it quick, Xia Yuwen! Otherwise, if he really dies, I'll sue you for student murder!" Xia Yuwen ignored him and tried to push past! Zhao Ming's eyes flickered, and he suddenly bellowed, "Xia Yuwen, are you crazy?! If you don't treat him now, he'll die! Are you really that stingy with merit points at a time like this? Are you deliberately letting your student die so you can frame Su Yu and claim he murdered him? What a venomous heart—trading your own student's life just to get Su Yu expelled?!" "Everyone, come look! Xia Yuwen wants to kill his own student! The kid isn't dead yet—he can still be saved! I can heal him, and is a thousand merit points really that much? Is Xia Yuwen short on cash?!" "He's intentionally trying to kill his own student! Does someone like this even deserve to be a researcher, to be a teacher?!" "He's a hypocrite, an absolute hypocrite!" "And someone like him wants to compete for the position of Prefecture Head? Fuck, if he becomes Prefecture Head, I guarantee the Great Xia Prefecture is finished! Fuck, how vicious!" The entire area was shaken! "Shut up!" A furious shout rang out. The next moment, a formidable strand of willpower materialized in the void, instantly merging into Zhou Hao's body. Zhou Hao's life aura slowly began to stabilize. Xia Yuwen glared icily at Zhao Ming. Still smiling, Zhao Ming called out, "Why should I shut up? Vice Head Xia, are you abusing your authority to protect your kin? What, was I wrong? Since when is free speech forbidden in the academy? Wasn't Xia Yuwen trying to murder his student? I helped save him, so hand over the thousand merit points!" With that, a white light settled over Zhou Hao. Zhao Ming maintained his smile, looking at Xia Yuwen while utterly disregarding the powerful willpower lingering in the void. He bared his teeth and whispered, "Be a good boy and give me back my referee position. Xia Yuwen, don't mess with me. If you don't give it back, just you wait!" Xia Yuwen looked at him with chilling eyes! Zhao Ming's smile remained playful. "Don't believe me? Then let's play! I enrolled ten years earlier than you—you think you can beat me? Tomorrow I'll sue you at the Yuqiang Department, the day after at the Castellan Manor, and the day after that in the military! If that doesn't work, I'll take it to the Quest Realm! You haven't forgotten what I do, have you?" Xia Yuwen stared at him for a long moment before carrying Zhou Hao around him and walking away. He didn't make a sound! Zhao Ming! Zhao Ming sneered, glancing at Su Yu on the stage and then at Liu Hong before waving his hand. "Cover my shift for a day, but the pay is still mine. Little Liu, don't you dare embezzle it, or you're done for!" With that, Zhao Ming trotted off, shouting as he ran, "Is there no law left in this world? Running off without paying after I saved a life—I don't believe this!" *** Inside the Xiuxin Pavilion. Xia Changqing frowned slightly, turning to the person beside him with a sigh. "Go transfer a thousand merit points to him! Tell Yuwen to restore his referee position. Zhao Ming usually doesn't meddle in these matters—why provoke him for no reason?" The old servant beside him sighed. "Young Master Yuwen has his pride and isn't familiar with Zhao Ming. That man is like a patch of stubborn eczema; once he latches on, you can't shake him off!" Xia Changqing nodded slightly and said softly, "Appease Zhao Ming and don't let him cause more trouble! The Secret Realm Faction consists of academy neutrals; there's no need to drag them into this!" The old servant nodded. The Secret Realm Faction... wasn't a true faction. It was a group of people who guarded the secret realms, presided over the Top 100 Building, and maintained order within the Academy Guards. They were true neutrals, caring only about cultivation and upholding the academy's rules while ignoring everything else! Zhao Ming was one of them. For some reason, he had seemed somewhat biased toward Su Yu today. Of course, everything had remained strictly within the rules. *** Meanwhile, up on the ring. Su Yu let out a low laugh and called out once more, "Does the Single Divine Character Faction have no one left?" "Isn't Zhai Feng still waiting for me? Get up here!" Watching him teeter, bathed in blood, his right arm severed and his left arm broken... Many felt deeply shaken. *Does he really intend to keep fighting?* Among the Single Divine Character Faction, many exchanged glances. *Should anyone go up?* If they went up and won... would beating Su Yu in this state truly reclaim any dignity? And if they didn't go up, the humiliation would be even worse!