CHAPTER 22: CHAPTER 21: FINAL EXAMS (PART 1)

In the following days, Li Xing humbled herself, letting go of all pride and arrogance, truly treating herself as a beginner, and seriously studying and training from the basics. From combat to Elemental Control, and then to weapons practice, her opponent was always Tang Dou.

This guy indeed had strong combat skills, but he was stubborn and arrogant. Initially, he didn’t like Li Xing, and after getting Yang Zhou’s approval, he became even more competitive with Li Xing, effectively becoming the best whetstone for her.

As days passed by, the situation quietly reversed. Li Xing, who had been at a disadvantage, gradually managed to tie with Tang Dou, and later on, was able to oppressively defeat him. Fighting fiercely with Tang Dou every day in practical classes, witnessing him being infuriated yet helpless, became a delightful aspect of Li Xing’s otherwise dull life.

A year of courses concluded, and the end of semester approached swiftly. According to usual grades and assessment scores, the top student of the year would be determined between Li Xing and Tang Dou based on who wins the final practical combat.

Parents could observe the martial master program’s end-of-semester exams because there were many students, and the exams would last a week.

Today was the first day of the exam, with a fan-shaped stepped seating area set up on the playground, parents arrived early to watch their children perform.

The order of the exams was based on regular grades, and the competition needed to showcase the levels of hand-to-hand combat, weapons, and Primordial Spirit. If one party leaves the ring, concedes, or loses the ability to act, the contest is over. If they draw, ten judges would score, and the higher score would win.

Li Xing and Tang Dou ranked ahead in overall grades, being the first group of students to appear.

Watching the girl in a black battle suit energetically enter the competition field, Li Yi excitedly shouted, "Xiao Xing, go for it, I believe in you!"

Li Xing heard and smiled at Li Yi, revealing a row of neat white teeth.

"Haha, this girl is becoming more and more attractive!"

A parent’s child is always the best. Li Yi felt no other girl in Datang Academy could rival Li Xing’s beauty.

There were Elemental Power fluctuations at the exam site, Anna was too frail to come, and Li Yi touched his head, feeling a bit regretful.

"May I sit here?"

Li Yi looked up, startled for a moment, stammering, "Of course, please sit."

The person sat beside Li Yi, casually talking while watching the two pupils prepared for the fight in the field.

"Li Yi junior, long time no see."

"Yang, Senior Brother Yang." Li Yi was briefly perplexed, then excited, surprised that Yang Zhou remembered him, a mere nobody.

Yang Zhou laughed, "You actually still remember me?"

Li Yi blushed, muttering, "How could I forget..."

"Since you haven’t forgotten, why haven’t you reached out to catch up? Didn’t Li Xing ever tell you her teacher is Yang Zhou?"

"She did." A flash of inferiority showed in Li Yi’s eyes: "I thought the senior wouldn’t remember someone like me. Visiting rashly might disturb you..."

When Li Yi entered the reserve school, Yang Zhou was about to graduate, and they had never spoken. In school, Yang Zhou was among the best and brightest, while Li Yi was just a poor kid from the lower town, with average talent, blending in with the crowd. Aside from admiration and envy, he never dared dream of befriending someone like Yang Zhou.

"A nobody?" Yang Zhou laughed heartily, "Anyone who dared to fight a high-level Star Beast Group with mid-grade talent is certainly not a nobody!"

"Haha, the senior remembers that incident, not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning." Li Yi scratched his head awkwardly, feeling that the senior’s character seemed a bit different from his memory, not as aloof and cold as in his youth.

"Perhaps it seemed like a small matter to you, but to us, it was a matter of life and death. At that time, our Primordial Spirit was depleted; if not for junior risking his life to hold off those giant centipedes, giving us time to retreat, our entire squad would not have survived. We owe you our lives, thank you."

After leading the breakout, Yang Zhou found out through multiple inquiries that the person who saved them was Li Yi, his junior graduating from the same reserve military school.

When Yang Zhou completed the combat report and visited the battlefield hospital, he learned Li Yi had depleted too much of his Primordial Spirit, failing to replenish energy in time, which led to a downgrade, and eventually retiring due to injuries.

Afterwards, Yang Zhou had often inquired in Li Yi’s hometown but was told Li Yi hadn’t returned after retiring, his whereabouts unknown. He had thought he would never see him again in this lifetime, until he saw Li Yi’s name among Li Xing’s parent information.

Initially, Yang Zhou wasn’t sure if Li Yi was the one who saved them, not until they met today did he get a chance to thank him in person.

This belated thanks brought tears to Li Yi’s eyes, though a thousand words lay in his heart, he couldn’t manage to say anything.

In the arena, Li Xing smilingly said to Tang Dou: "Tang Douer, though I am stronger than you, even a lion uses full force to hunt a rabbit. I won’t hold back, so be prepared. If you can’t take it, just surrender quickly. Being second in the grade isn’t shameful."

Tang Dou was so furious his face turned blue, shouting: "Li Xing! Let me remind you one last time, my name is Tang Dou, the fighter Dou, not the dou of pirate Douer! Speak my name properly!"

Dammit, his mighty and valorous name turned into a village simpleton’s in Li Xing’s mouth, rustic and obnoxious, truly infuriating!

"Multiple pronunciations; any reading is correct, don’t sweat the details, Douer."

"Shut up——!"

The whistle blew, marking the start of the match.

Li Xing and Tang Dou leaped simultaneously, rushing towards each other, the thuds of fists and feet, accompanied by the wind stirred up by vigor, were full of awe. Within seconds, they had exchanged four or five rounds, briefly separated, then lunged at each other again, resuming their fierce combat. They were the top fighters in their grade, with every punch and kick packed with power, far from mere showmanship, prompting waves of cheers from the stands.

After several more rounds, Li Xing shifted her left hand from fist to palm, chopping towards Tang Dou’s neck. Startled, Tang Dou dodged, unaware it was a feint. Li Xing’s fingers turned into claws, grabbing his shoulder, her other hand clutched his belt, exerting slight force, executing a dazzling shoulder throw, slamming Tang Dou onto the ground.

A thunderous applause erupted from the stands, Li Yi excitedly slapped his thigh; the girl really made him proud!

"Li Xing has great talent, steady mentality, she’s neither arrogant nor impatient, and her diligence is rare," Yang Zhou smiled, who would’ve thought a laggard could become a leader within a semester.

"Senior, you’re exactly right, I’ve never seen anyone work as hard as her! Xiao Xing trains rigorously, running to and from school daily to build stamina, then adding extra training at night, yet her academic scores never fall behind. How can a kid be so determined!"

"I notice her moves are mature and skillful, directly targeting vital points, with strong practicality and some military influences, did you teach her?"

"Hehe." Li Yi admitted; if a child is motivated, how could he, as a parent, stand aside? Girls need to learn self-defense, and he’s eager to impart all his life’s knowledge to Li Xing.

Tang Dou was dazed from the fall, yet his tough skin made him unscathed. He rolled on the ground and stood up, with a "buzz," two Golden Melon Hammers appeared in his hands.

Li Xing wasn’t weak either, with a slight move of Divine Sense, the Heavenly Wolf Saber ran from the Jade Pendant into her hand. Every student carried a space button provided by the school for weapon storage. Li Xing’s action seemed normal to others.