The words had barely fallen when a youth with twin sabers and a blue forehead band, his face set in a cold expression, strode onto the stage.
Upon seeing him, the crowd let out a collective gasp.
"It's Leng You! He's been out hunting, honing his innate skills, and rarely appears in public!"
"I can't believe even this martial arts fanatic has shown up, it's truly astonishing!"
"I wonder if he can win? But there's a realm suppression!"
Leng You's face was expressionless, his demeanor ice-cold. He glanced at the burly Shi Yifeng and calmly said, "Come, fight!"
Shi Yifeng waved his hand casually, and earth elementals transformed into armor covering his entire body.
"I've heard of you. Your twin sabers possess formidable offensive power, and even I must be cautious!"
"Enough talk, fight!"
"Very well, I shall grant your wish. Your combat power is weaker than mine, so I will suppress my own to ensure you are convinced in your defeat and understand the vast difference between levels of innate talent!"
"If you want to fight, then fight! Why all this nonsense!"
The youth with twin sabers, Leng You, snorted. He lightly stomped his foot, and a faint blue light glowed on his sabers. He twisted his body, combining his sabers into a whirlwind stab, and thrust forward fiercely.
The speed was so great that the onlookers only saw a flash of white light before he vanished.
The spectators marveled, "Such incredible speed!"
"Well done!" Shi Yifeng crossed his arms in front of his chest, and a yellow earth shield materialized before him.
*Bang!*
The sharp saber struck the shield with a grating sound.
"Such speed, but you cannot break my defense!" Shi Yifeng's lips curled into a triumphant grin as he stomped his right foot down.
"It's my turn to counter!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, earthen spikes erupted from the ground. Within a ten-meter radius, centered on Shi Yifeng, the area became a domain of earthen spikes.
Leng You's expression turned grim. He quickly dodged, maneuvering through several agile movements before finally landing some distance away.
However, before he could catch his breath, the sky above him suddenly darkened.
"Take this! Heavenly King's Blade!"
A faint yellow earth aura emanated from the ground, and earth elementals in the sky began to condense furiously. Soon, a massive ten-meter-long sword materialized, aimed directly at Leng You, and plunged towards his head with immense force.
The speed was so blinding that Leng You was caught off guard. By the time he realized what was happening, he was already in a panic. Despite his extreme speed, his right arm was struck.
Shi Yifeng looked at his bleeding right arm and said, "You lost. Get down, you're no match for me!"
Leng You felt a sense of powerlessness surge within him. His opponent was too strong, suppressing him in every aspect.
This gave him a strong sense of frustration. Was this the strength of an SS-class innate talent awakened individual?
Was the gap between them so vast?
Though unwilling, a clearer understanding dawned upon him. He resolved to wash away today's shame!
He cupped his hands in a salute and stepped down.
"Who else?" he stood on the stage, his wild laughter echoing.
Silence fell upon the crowd below.
In the distance.
The principal stood by his office window, gazing at the martial arts stage. "Have we still not contacted Zhao Ke?"
Secretary Qian, flicking her hair, replied, "We learned from her family that Zhao Ke is currently in seclusion and cannot be contacted at the moment."
The principal sighed with melancholy.
Seeing Shi Yifeng flaunting his prowess in his school left him feeling deeply unsettled.
While this was a competition among the younger generation, and he, as an elder, should not interfere, it still felt like a loss of face for him.
"Besides Zhao Ke, who do you think can win?" the principal asked.
Secretary Qian shook her head. "The gap between S-class and SS-class innate talents is immense, not to mention the difference in major realms. Unless Zhao Ke steps in, I see no hope of victory."
The principal sighed. "If it were any other SS-class awakened individual, a war of attrition might be effective. But this Shi Yifeng is a Child of the Earth; as long as he stands on the ground, his stamina and energy will be replenished endlessly. He could fight for three days and three nights without tiring!"
"Principal, though we may lose this time, once Zhao Ke emerges from seclusion, we can have Zhao Ke challenge him as well, fighting fire with fire!"
Upon hearing this, the principal thought it was a good idea and laughed heartily. "You're right, let's do that! Hahaha!"
The principal sat back in his chair, suddenly recalling someone. "By the way, how has that young man with the clone innate talent been recently?"
He was a man who held grudges, and after Lin Yu had caused him trouble a few days prior, his mood brightened, and he remembered the student.
"You mean Lin Yu?" Secretary Qian also remembered the young man.
Lin Yu's feat of defeating a third-tier teacher with a second-tier cultivation was so astonishing that it left a deep impression.
Furthermore, Zhao Ke had stepped forward to defend him, which further etched Lin Yu into Secretary Qian's memory.
"Yes, yes, that student named Lin Yu. What's his current situation?" the principal inquired.
Secretary Qian replied, "Before Zhao Ke went into seclusion, they went hunting together. In the days that followed, while Zhao Ke was in seclusion, he went out hunting alone. He encountered assassins, but all of them died. Not only that, but Li Wu and Li Cong have also gone missing."
Speaking of this matter, she couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
Offending the Li family, facing assassination attempts, yet not only remaining unscathed but also thriving, was beyond anyone's expectations.
As for the fate of Li Wu, Li Cong, and the assassins, she speculated that they were most likely dead.
Who killed them?
If Lin Yu killed them, it would prove his strength was not as simple as it appeared. If he didn't kill them, it would mean there was a powerful force behind him.
Regardless of the possibility, it sparked curiosity.
The principal was slightly surprised. "The assassins were likely sent by Li Wu and Li Cong. The fact that they failed to kill him must be due to the assassins' low-tier cultivation!"
"Perhaps," Secretary Qian replied uncertainly.
The principal waved his hand. "Never mind. He's merely an A-class innate talent, not worth much attention. Let's focus on planning how to regain our dignity once Zhao Ke emerges from seclusion."
Secretary Qian nodded outwardly, but inwardly, she vaguely felt that Lin Yu was not so simple.
On the other side of the building.
Li Yuan stood respectfully behind a middle-aged man and said, "Third Uncle, that's Lin Yu!"
Li Yuan pointed to Lin Yu, who was observing the ongoing battle below, his voice filled with excitement.
He yearned for revenge, even wishing for Lin Yu's death.
The middle-aged man was none other than the Li family's Third Young Master, and it was he who had instructed Li Yuan to carry out the plan to kill Lin Yu.
He had already thoroughly investigated Lin Yu's background.
Orphaned, with no parents, and besides Zhao Ke, his classmate whom he had no relation to, he had few friends.
Dealing with such a person, as long as he acted discreetly and left no traces, who could prove they were responsible for his death?
He believed that once Zhao Ke learned of Lin Yu's demise, she would only direct her anger towards Shi Yifeng.
However, both of them were SS-class innate talent awakened individuals, and neither could easily defeat the other.
Moreover, according to regulations, accidental death during a competition was not anyone's fault; one could only blame their own bad luck.
"Third Uncle, look quickly, all the S-class innate talent awakened individuals have failed!"