The first Ranking Challenge for the freshman class was about to begin under the eager watch of the crowd.
And yet, amidst the bustling crowd, the school’s supervisor, a certain associate professor, was merely dozing off...
’Innate Realm... and they’re already on fire?’
’Though... two at the Middle Stage of Innate just one month into the school year is indeed pretty impressive.’
"You may begin when ready."
Yang Shen was the first to raise his hand, signaling his readiness. Jiang Xin, a beat slower, followed suit with a look of stunned disbelief.
"Begin!"
At the command, Jiang Xin didn’t attack. Instead, he took a defensive stance, clearly intending to play it safe and steady.
He had never once underestimated Yang Shen.
Yang Shen waited a moment, then bent his body slightly like a great bow. The next instant, he vanished, reappearing directly in front of Jiang Xin.
Instantaneous burst! Sudden Stop!
A straight punch, like a heavy cannonball, shot toward Jiang Xin’s face. It was pure power, with no finesse.
But in the next instant, Jiang Xin’s figure also flashed. He twisted his body and shot away.
That speed... it was just as uncanny!
Jiang Xin was one of the very few people capable of dodging the Fire Element Escape!
Clearly, this was more than just the burst of an Innate Martial Artist; it was a Martial Arts Secret Technique of the Jiang Family.
The Jiang Family, a top-tier clan among the Jianghuai Martial Arts Families, possessed many Secret Transmissions. But the most representative and widely known was their *Zizai Extreme*.
It was a special Cultivation Technique passed down from ancient times, one that countless people had refined over the years. It specialized in speed and was complemented by several compatible Martial Arts.
Commercially available methods often separated Cultivation Techniques from Martial Arts for business reasons.
However, Martial Arts Families that possessed multiple Secret Transmissions did the opposite, fusing and improving the two.
In fact, the path of fusing Cultivation Techniques that Yang Shen was on was not unique.
Yet, as a top-tier Martial Arts Family, the members of the Jiang Family never followed a pure ’speed route,’ as it would unbalance their Power. Instead, they possessed speed even greater than that of speed-focused Martial Artists!
Clad in a black combat suit, Jiang Xin appeared at Yang Shen’s side. His whip kick was not a hair slower than Yang Shen’s attack had been, but Yang Shen just smiled faintly and once again—instant flash! Sudden Stop!
After just one exchange, Yang Shen realized Jiang Xin’s maximum speed wasn’t much slower than his own Fire Element Escape.
But it didn’t matter. He was going to use speed to win, to have a Dignified and Proper victory over Jiang Xin in his own area of expertise.
’Yang Shen had a plan even before the challenge. I even designed a transformation for my entrance; you think I wouldn’t have a strategy?’
He then transformed into a Z-shaped bolt of lightning, reappearing above and to the right of Jiang Xin, looking down on him.
He used the same whip kick to send Jiang Xin flying!
But Jiang Xin’s reputation wasn’t for nothing. He left a long skid mark on the ground but had already righted himself. The physique of someone at the Middle Stage of Innate was far from being defeated in a single blow. By the time Yang Shen closed in again, Jiang Xin had already launched a counterattack.
Neither of them was using a weapon, but the exchange was no less perilous.
"Weapons have more reach and advantage than fists and feet, but they require at least half a meter of space to Exert Force and maneuver. ’Within half a meter, the fist is faster’ is an unbreakable truth in Martial Arts."
Furthermore, as one’s Martial Arts Realm advanced, the durability and sharpness of one’s fists and feet wouldn’t be much inferior to a weapon. Upon reaching the level of True Gang, even the disadvantage of range was nullified.
Hand-to-hand combat would always have its place in Martial Arts.
And right now, two masters of hand-to-hand combat, each with their own unique methods, were locked in a ferocious cycle of offense and defense.
The two of them became a blur of entangled afterimages within the small arena.
But a discerning eye could easily see that Yang Shen was maintaining absolute pressure on Jiang Xin. Though the latter was also as swift as lightning, he was constantly on the defensive, merely reacting.
Yang Shen, on the other hand, moved with an effortless, unrestrained grace.
And everyone knew... Yang Shen wasn’t even known for his speed... They all knew his trump cards were supposed to be Fist Intent and Fist Intent Infection...
It looked like an even exchange, but in reality, it was more like a game of cat and mouse.
Yang Shen was relentlessly hounding Jiang Xin.
After a brief exchange, Jiang Xin would succumb to the pressure and create distance, only to be caught again, and then forced to retreat once more.
His speed wasn’t inferior to Yang Shen’s, but *Zizai Extreme* was far less effective at nullifying inertia and air resistance than the Fire Element Escape.
That was why he was at his best in the combat suit—he needed to minimize air resistance as much as possible.
But more importantly... Jiang Xin’s heart was too heavy.
A heavy heart leads to stiff fists.
Stiff fists lead to scattered intent.
Jiang Xin once again forced himself to accelerate, moving several meters sideways like an afterimage, cracking the ground beneath his feet.
Yet Yang Shen matched him, and in a bizarre twist, they ended up face-to-face in the middle of their high-speed dashes.
"Impossible!"
Their eyes met. Time seemed to slow as Jiang Xin’s shock morphed into panic.
Jiang Xin’s fists flew like a torrential downpour, less a practiced technique and more a panicked response born of fear.
Yang Shen met him with his own fists. He had no intention of using any ability besides speed in this fight. The ’Burning Clothes’ effect he had painstakingly devised for his entrance was meant to show he had even more terrifying killing moves in reserve.
Winning this way would establish his absolute dominance among the freshmen.
’I will crush you in the very area you take the most pride in!’
Their speeds were too great for the small arena. In the chaos, Jiang Xin made a mistake and stepped over the boundary line.
The supervising professor, however, didn’t react. Qiangwu Academy was founded on practical combat; as long as the students could fully display their abilities, that white line was unimportant.
And so, the two afterimages began to race around the entire stadium.
An afterimage would flash past, followed by a gust of wind. Many students had to squint but refused to miss a single moment.
But no matter how fast Jiang Xin went, no matter how he unleashed his terrifying speed, he couldn’t shake Yang Shen!
Was Jiang Xin strong?
The answer was obvious. From Yang Shen’s perspective, the fact that his opponent’s speed was nearly on par with his own—combined with solid fundamentals and a cultivation realm far surpassing his peers—was more than enough reason for pride.
Because speed was a core factor in determining victory.
A fraction faster can be the difference between life and death.
If he had to make a comparison, Yang Shen felt that the Long Jiu he first encountered was only on par with Jiang Xin’s current strength. In fact, with this speed, Jiang Xin could probably even suppress Long Jiu.
Considering Jiang Xin was only eighteen years old, this level of skill was already something to be proud of.
But... it still wasn’t enough.
While Jiang Xin was making strides, Yang Shen was soaring.
Their fists continually clashed, but every one of Jiang Xin’s punches was blocked. Yang Shen’s fists, however, were like an antelope hanging by its horns—elusive and untraceable. The difference in their Fist Technique was on full display in the direct confrontation.
Yang Shen even had time to glance at his watch, fending off all of Jiang Xin’s attacks with just one hand, as if he were in a hurry to be somewhere else.
The sharp-eyed onlookers who caught this were left completely speechless...
’How can anyone be that cool!?’
This scene would be forever seared into the minds of every spectator.
And this dismissive gesture was what made Jiang Xin’s mental defenses completely crumble. "AHH!!! Impossible! Impossible!!"
He had lost all semblance of form.
’That’s enough of a show,’ Yang Shen thought. ’Dragging this out any longer will make it look less like dominance.’
He suddenly switched from a fist to a claw. With immense Power, he twisted past Jiang Xin’s punch and seized his right wrist.
Jiang Xin couldn’t break free. They were both at the Middle Stage of Innate, yet his own Power was no match for Yang Shen’s at all.
Yang Shen held him fast with one hand like an iron shackle, preventing any escape, and raised his other hand high.
Fists the size of sandbags rained down.
One punch, two punches... ten punches...
Within that tiny space, only the sound of heavy thuds remained.
One-handed, Jiang Xin could parry at first, but he was soon overwhelmed and could only take the beating.
After twenty punches, Jiang Xin’s face was covered in blood. He could no longer stand and had completely lost his will to fight.
Coincidentally, they had ended up back where the fight began.
Only then did Yang Shen let go. Jiang Xin collapsed, sitting limply on the ground, his spirit completely broken...
"How is this possible... How can the gap be so wide..."
"I’m not slower than you... I’m not slower than you..."
He had none of his usual vigor; even his martial heart was on the verge of shattering.
The entire stadium fell silent.
But Yang Shen still had that same wild, natural air about him. He exhaled a plume of white vapor, a phenomenon caused by his searing body heat.
He looked at the dazed Jiang Xin and, after a moment, offered a hand.
"You aren’t weak... and you aren’t slow."
Jiang Xin slowly raised his head. His once meticulously slicked-back hair was now a total mess.
Yang Shen gestured for him to take his hand, then pulled him to his feet. "You just have too much on your mind. You practice your family’s *Zizai Extreme*, but you lack the ’Free Will’ that goes with it..."
Honestly speaking, Jiang Xin was too hesitant, only able to display seventy percent of his true strength at best.
He should have had many more Cultivation Technique constructs, and even other Martial Arts he could have used. But the moment he realized his speed was being suppressed by Yang Shen, he forgot everything else, obsessed with proving he was faster.
In other words.
Throughout the entire fight, he wasn’t trying to win. He was just trying to prove himself.
And a Martial Artist like that can never win.
Pulled to his feet, Jiang Xin muttered dejectedly, "I... lack... ’Free Will’..."
Yang Shen smiled. "That’s right. I don’t know much about your family’s Cultivation Technique, but I figure there’s a reason they gave it that name, right?"
Jiang Xin’s lips moved, silently repeating the two words ’Free Will’.
Yang Shen extended his hand again, a friendly gesture to mark the end of the Ranking Challenge.
The victor has the right to be magnanimous.
As long as the loser is truly convinced of their defeat.
Yang Shen said lightly, "I have to leave on a long trip soon. As number two, you’re in charge of guarding my rank. Wait for me to get back so I can beat you again."
Jiang Xin felt as if an ornate mirror inside his chest had just shattered.
The image of his usual, magnificently-dressed self collapsed, revealing the bruised and swollen person he was now.
And yet, he felt more free, more unburdened.
He completely cast off the last vestiges of pride and pressure that came with being a Noble Family Descendant, and a pained smile spread across his face.
"I’ll be waiting for you, stronger than ever."
At this very moment, he finally felt free and light.
Yang Shen waved a hand, turned, and started to leave. "I have a few disciples here. Keep an eye on them for me. I’m out."
With that, he had already rejoined Xu Bamboo and the Yang Family Army, leaving as the absolute victor, surrounded and watched by the adoring crowd.
Watching Yang Shen’s retreating back, Jiang Xin couldn’t help but think...
’Was Xu Cheng like this back in the day, so carefree and at ease...’
Jiang Xin took a deep breath...
’Free Will... Free Will...’
With every breath, he could feel his body growing lighter...
’Yang Shen, I’ll be waiting for you!’
...
The supervising associate professor yawned. "Is it over? Hmm... let’s see... The winner is Yang Shen!"
"Next group, hurry up and get on stage!"
’That was enough to make me sleepy.’
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