New Challenges

The atmosphere grew tense as Wēiyán and Bái Rèn faced off in the training ground. Wēiyán shot a defiant look at his opponent's cold, desolate expression, both gripping the handles of their swords firmly. The tension in the air was palpable. Bái Rèn moved his sword slightly, and Wēiyán responded swiftly, moving with remarkable speed. Wēiyán's daggers aimed for Bái Rèn's neck, but the latter's strength proved overwhelming. With impressive skill, Bái Rèn deflected Wēiyán's attacks, adapting effortlessly and evading the daggers with each movement.

—"You're doing well, but I will win!" —Wēiyán exclaimed enthusiastically.

Bái Rèn, however, remained silent, his gaze impassive and cold. The battle seemed to be tilting quickly in his favor. Bái Rèn's superiority was evident, like an unstoppable mountain, while Wēiyán seemed like nothing more than a barking dog at his feet. Bái Rèn looked at Wēiyán with disdain.

—"What a waste of time," he muttered with contempt.

With determination, Bái Rèn gripped his sword with both hands and prepared to end the fight once and for all. A precise and powerful slash was enough to completely defeat Wēiyán. The spectators were left astonished by such a display of strength. What kind of power was that? Was it comparable to that of a demon?

—"Humans are weak..." —Bái Rèn remarked disdainfully as he observed the weakness of his opponent.

Furious, Wēiyán tried to counterattack, but Bái Rèn was ready for a rematch. However, the professor, with surprising agility, appeared between the two, holding the weapons with his bare hands.

—"That's enough," he said in an authoritative tone. —"You both did well."

The professor glanced at Wēiyán with an expression of understanding, though tinged with disappointment. Wēiyán, ashamed, lowered his gaze, accepting his defeat as the other students cheered Bái Rèn's name.

Among the students, whispers could be heard:

—"It was to be expected. After all, he's Bái Rèn, the heir of the great Bái family."

The professor, almost teleporting, turned to the rest of the students.

—"You caught my attention; you have an aura similar to mine," the professor said in an excited and curious voice. —"What's your name, girl?"

—"SIR! MY NAME IS LI XINYI!" —the girl replied, trembling with excitement.

—"Hmm, this girl wants to fight, I can tell. She's releasing quite an intense aura. She has potential."

—"I like you. You're up next!" —the professor said challengingly, pointing at the girl, who nodded and walked to the arena.

The professor then turned his gaze to another student while holding his chin.

—"Hmm, you look bored. Step up."

—"I'm coming, sir!" —the student said in a calm voice. —"I know, it's my turn."

The professor positioned himself at the center of the arena. Both knew how this worked: they were to choose a weapon of their liking, and once ready, he would start the fight. They both chose weapons that matched their family's style. The boy stared at the katana, slowly took it, and unsheathed it, while the girl, thoughtful, chose a variety of weapons. She took two swords and a knife, which she placed in her mouth, with a determined look.

The other students watched seriously, wondering if she truly intended to fight this way. The professor questioned it but eventually allowed the challenge. The boy, somewhat angered, said:

—"This isn't a joke. Take it seriously."

The girl spat the knife out and replied:

—"I am."

—"BEGIN!"

With a fierce expression, Li Xinyi gripped the hilts of her two swords tightly and secured the knife between her teeth. She launched a vertical slash with both swords, completely ignoring defense. However, her attacks had no effect. Her opponent demonstrated superiority in defense, blocking the strikes with precision from every angle—left, right, down, up. The air buzzed with the sound of metal clashing against metal. The intensity of the battle forced her opponent to use both hands to maintain balance. The pressure was relentless. But Li Xinyi did not back down. She continued her offensive, attacking from all directions, while the knife in her mouth sought any opening, launching unpredictable strikes.

In an intense exchange, the boy, who seemed exhausted, could no longer wield his sword as he had at first; his hands now trembled slightly with each clash. But in an act of pure determination, he took a deep breath, deflected Li Xinyi's attacks, and counterattacked.

The sword strikes from the sides and the knife from the center were neutralized. The sword moved irregularly, like a wave, and suddenly found itself at Li Xinyi's neck.

Li Xinyi's breath caught for a moment as she felt the cold steel against her skin. Then, with a smile full of respect and satisfaction, she accepted her defeat. "Incredible fight," she said, sincerely grateful for the experience.

The professor, surprised, stood behind Li Xinyi and asked the mysterious boy:

—"What's your name?"

—"My name is Kimura Haruto," the boy replied.

—"You have an interesting name. You're not from this city."

—"Yes, you're right, sir. I'm not from this region."

—"I see. You may return. This boy is interesting in his own way. I will now begin the next fight."

The professor turned his attention to another student.

—"I've been watching you for a while, and you seem quite excited. Do you like fighting, boy? What's your name?"

—"Tiān Láng, nice to meet you, professor. What martial arts do you practice? Have you been to the battlefield?" the boy asked excitedly and curiously.

—"I'll answer those questions another day. Right now, we're in the middle of an activity. So step forward," the professor said with a slightly annoyed tone.

—"OKAY!"

—"Hmm, let's see... YOU, bald guy! Come here, it's your turn."

With a somewhat sad voice, the bald boy responded:

—"Sir, my name is Bào Fēng."

—"Good, Bào Fēng. Step up."

—"I'm coming, sir," he said with a slightly dejected voice.

—"Both of you take your weapons," Feiyu said loudly.

—"Hmm, which one should I choose? I like the spear a lot, but I feel it's complicated. I've never used a weapon before, haha," Tiān Láng said to himself. —"Alright, I'll take the spear. It looks nice."

—"Oh, you use the spear too? I see. I was a little down at first, but seeing someone else with a spear motivates me. Let's give our best!" Bào Fēng said with a challenging look.

End of Chapter.