CHAPTER 23: CHAPTER 22: FINAL EXAM (PART 2)

"Whoa! What a big saber, you can’t tell just by looking at her, this slim little girl wields such a formidable weapon."

"Exactly, appearances can be deceiving..."

Li Yi glanced at the two speaking people with a sidelong look, thinking: Her appearance is still better than that chubby boy!

"I remember you’re the one who uses the Ghost Head Saber, right?" Yang Zhou had seen Li Xing’s weapon before, rough and bold, full of evil qi, a stark contrast to her appearance. But thinking Li Xing might have been influenced by someone, Yang Zhou found it reasonable.

According to Li Xing, she got that saber from a traveling merchant’s shop. Yang Zhou thought it was top-grade in quality and workmanship. Unfortunately, Li Xing said the merchant had already left Datang City; otherwise, Yang Zhou would have wanted to try his luck at that shop.

"This kid idolizes me, even choosing the same weapon, hahaha!" Li Yi’s smug expression was really asking for a beating.

Yang Zhou felt he asked too much, sigh, his heart was blocked, better to focus on the match.

Tang Dou let out a roar, jumped up and swung his dual hammers at Li Xing. Li Xing blocked with her saber. Tang Dou was truly strong; with both hammers added to his weight, he made Li Xing’s tiger’s mouth numb. Before exhausting his strength, Tang Dou crossed his hammers, using brute force to push Li Xing out of the arena. Li Xing’s center of gravity dropped, her heels dug two deep furrows into the ground, finally stopping just as she was about to touch the edge of the arena.

"My turn!"

A kick pushed away the stacked Golden Melon Hammers; Li Xing raised the Heavenly Wolf Saber, slashing at Tang Dou like a storm. The speed, the frequency, made people dizzy. At first, Tang Dou could actively block a few times with his hammers, but quickly he couldn’t keep up with Li Xing’s saber speed; all he saw were saber shadows. Tang Dou could only use his hammers to protect vital areas, enduring fiercely.

Li Xing pressed forward step by step, Tang Dou retreated gradually, and the two returned to the center of the arena. Tang Dou was continuously oppressed by Li Xing, holding in a belly full of anger, finally his Primordial Spirit erupted. With a loud shout, he forcefully lifted both hammers upward, shaking Li Xing’s saber away. Meanwhile, with one hand holding the hammers crossed, his other summoned Elemental Power.

"Earth City, rise!"

Instantly, four earth walls rose around Li Xing; the walls quickly closed in to confine her inside. Li Xing gripped the Heavenly Wolf Saber with both hands, delivered a powerful strike, and broke through before the walls enclosed her.

Yang Zhou nodded from the stands, saying, "Tang Dou is an A-grade Earth Elemental Spirit, excellent at controlling earth elements. Given time, he could become a dazzling new star." It’s a pity he encountered an equally excellent Li Xing early on, in an era of emerging heroes, fate likes to play these king vs. king jokes.

Seeing Li Xing wasn’t trapped, Tang Dou launched another:

"Stone Spike, go!"

The shattered earth walls, under Tang Dou’s control, swiftly scattered and recombined, transforming into hundreds of finger-length stone cones, their sharp ends aimed at Li Xing, shooting out swiftly.

The stands erupted in exclamations; this Tang Dou was truly impressive, his earth control rivaling even upperclassmen. However, could Li Xing dodge such close-range group attacks? A teacher at the sidelines was ready to rescue, prepared to intercept the Stone Cone if Li Xing was in danger.

"Here comes the fire!"

Upon hearing Li Xing’s call, Little Fatty, eager to get going, dashed out from the Dantian, flames spread out like phoenix wings, shielding its master behind.

A vast wall of fire emitting intense heat appeared before Li Xing; hundreds of stone cones shot into the fire wall like mud cows entering the sea. Tang Dou was horrified to find the connection between the cones and his Elemental Sensing severed. These flames are dangerous! Before he could retreat a safe distance, the fire wall surged towards him like a living blanket, wrapping him in the middle.

"Uh..."

His skin painful under the flame’s baking, Tang Dou gritted his teeth as much as possible to remain silent. He knew Li Xing showed mercy, as he could sense contained within these flames a massive energy capable of incinerating the heavens and earth, akin to a fierce flame king hidden deep in the abyss. One rebellious thought and he’d turn to ashes, leaving no trace. Is this the power of an A-grade Fire Elemental Spirit? So terrifying!

"I... surrender!"

As soon as "surrender" left Tang Dou’s mouth, he felt a chill around him, the scorching flames disappeared instantly; the near-death sensation seemed like an illusion.

Putting away Little Fatty, Li Xing looked at Tang Dou’s smoke-blackened face, laughing:

"Thanks for letting me win, Dou Er!"

Tang Dou: ... What the [EXPLETIVE] (╬￣皿￣)

The surroundings were so silent it was suffocating; after a long time, the audience on the stands finally recovered from the shock, bursting into cheers.

It’s hard to believe such a marvelous fight was between two first-year freshmen; Datang Academy’s future looks promising!

"Ahhhh—! Did you all see that! That’s my child, my girl! Xiao Xing, well done—!"

Li Yi was so excited he was about to cry, gesturing frantically, forgetting the holographic image still recording; who knows if Anna watching would get dizzy from the distorted screen.

Li Xing generously waved her arms at Li Yi, then pointed to the self-service dessert area outside the venue, grinning. Li Yi, amid other parents’ envious gazes, feigned authority and nodded, indicating his agreement. This kid never forgets to eat, no matter where she goes.

"Junior, has Li Xing always been such a big eater?" Yang Zhou recalled his promise to upgrade the meal card, feeling a headache. Knowing the cafeteria used high-end ingredients, the cost wasn’t small; calculating by Li Xing’s appetite, Datang Academy’s budget might be tight for the next nine years.

"Don’t bring it up. The first time she came over for dinner, I thought she’d eat herself to death. Who knew it’s her normal state? Fortunately, after school started, her appetite returned to normal; dinner was just one or two bowls."

"Wait, wait, are you saying she eats again after school?" As far as Yang Zhou knew, Li Xing never missed a single cafeteria meal; could she still eat more after all that?

"Uh... not every day. If she gets home late, she doesn’t eat. If she’s home early, she eats with us."

Yang Zhou’s mind buzzed; this isn’t just a budget issue—there might be excess. Would he need to fund Li Xing’s meals himself?

What a rash decision! o(╥﹏╥)o

Li Yi: "When we first brought her home, she barely weighed as much as a Fire Crown Chicken. I constantly worried we couldn’t support her. But watching her bouncing around, she looked sturdier than me, full of spirit and not picky about food. I feel like I won’t outlast her!"

"Hahaha!" Yang Zhou patted Li Yi’s shoulder, saying: "Raising such a bottomless pit, you better earn well."

"Yes!"

"Junior, interested in teaching at Datang Academy?"

"Huh? Senior, are you joking?"

Teaching is a good job in Datang City: high pay, low risk. But being a teacher doesn’t only require education and capability; it also depends on connections. Without background, don’t even think about it.

"I’m serious." Yang Zhou said earnestly, "I’ve been at Datang Academy for a year and found most teachers unfit for their positions. The Martial Arts Department is even worse, with a passing rate of only forty percent for teacher assessments."

"In the past hundred years, the intervals between Star Beast Tides have gotten shorter. The younger generation might not have time to grow, being sent to the battlefield during their student years. We can’t pin all hopes on reserve schools; the earlier military training begins, the greater the chances of survival for the children."

"Before I came, the Martial Arts Department courses at Datang Academy were outright garbage. Continuing to entrust the children to those freeloaders is tantamount to murder. You’re a prestigious school graduate with vision and insight beyond the average, plus rich practical experience; you’re exactly what the Martial Arts Department desperately needs. I’m hoping you’ll consider my proposal and help me steer Datang Academy’s teaching back on track."

"Your wife’s health isn’t good; just the cost of purification medicine isn’t small. Plus there’s Li Xing, the Big Appetite King; your monthly salary might not be enough, requiring extra hunting income to support the household. Joining Datang Academy, entering the Martial Arts Department, the salary is three times what you receive at the Guard Team, with overtime pay calculated separately. How about it?"

"I’m willing!" Li Yi wasn’t foolish; how could he refuse such a good offer?

"Great. A week from now, there’s a recruitment fair at the academy. Come find me then." Yang Zhou rose to go to the judges’ table, leaving Li Yi sitting there with great joy. Remembering his wife’s words, he realized how true they were:

Li Xing is truly their family’s lucky star. Since she came, life has been better every day.