Chapter 628: An Unstoppable Charge

The eighth-ranked student was a young man with thick lips, who also happened to be one of Liu Lu’s star pupils.

Many people guessed that Luo Tian had Zi Qing challenge the eighth-ranked student purely out of his personal grudge with Master Liu.

This was purely out of spite!

But the one paying the price was Luo Tian’s student!

Many felt it was unfair to Zi Qing, and some even urged her to refuse Luo Tian’s suggestion.

“Hahaha, how bold of them, actively challenging my student.”

Liu Lu couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

‘Luo Tian’s choice is so foolish. If this match happens, I’m guaranteed to win.’

“It seems Luo Tian has gotten arrogant from his earlier victories, thinking nothing can go wrong under his guidance.”

“I, for one, would love to see the look on his face when his student loses later.”

A few other Mentors chimed in with their agreement.

Peng Yuweng felt it was strange but wasn’t too concerned.

‘No matter what, my students are sure to perform the best in the final ranking matches.’

“Alright, I challenge the eighth-ranked student,”

Zi Qing shouted after stepping onto the stage.

Many people shook their heads and sighed at her decision.

Some even deliberately started rumors, saying that Master Luo was usually this strict and harsh, and his students didn’t dare oppose his decisions for fear of being reprimanded and punished.

They claimed Zi Qing didn’t dare refuse, even though she knew it was a battle she was bound to lose.

“Perfect. I can teach Master Luo’s student a lesson on behalf of Master Liu.”

The thick-lipped man, ranked eighth, walked onto the Martial Arts Arena with a contemptuous smirk on his face.

“Begin!”

The moment the referee’s voice fell, Zi Qing took the initiative and attacked.

WHOOSH!

Her Palm Technique was a blend of hard and soft, surging like ocean waves yet heavy as a great mountain, giving off a feeling of seamless perfection.

The moment Zi Qing struck, the Mentors present could tell what she was really made of.

She wasn’t nearly as weak as they had imagined.

Her Palm Technique was at a high Realm, incredibly proficient, and its power far exceeded everyone’s expectations.

The thick-lipped man, having underestimated his opponent, was immediately put on the back foot and appeared flustered.

“I never expected Zi Qing to make so much progress in such a short time after returning to Martial Arts.”

“Looking at it this way, Zi Qing’s defeat isn’t a certainty after all.”

Discussions broke out all around as the crowd began to watch the fight seriously.

The thick-lipped man quickly recovered from his initial disadvantage.

But he found it difficult to suppress Zi Qing. The two exchanged blows, fighting on even ground.

The thick-lipped man’s expression grew solemn, then ugly.

‘I’ve already recovered from the initial setback, so why is it still like this?’

‘I’m at the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm! Defeating Zi Qing should be a piece of cake!’

The thick-lipped man suddenly remembered.

Zi Qing had Master Luo as her Mentor!

Luo Tian had already demonstrated his incredible ability. Every time his students received his guidance before a match, they would inexplicably counter their opponents and win with ease.

Under Luo Tian’s guidance, there had already been several instances of students defeating opponents of a higher Realm.

Therefore, it was somewhat normal for Zi Qing to be so difficult to deal with.

Many in the audience subconsciously had the same thought.

But they soon realized.

In this battle, Luo Tian hadn’t guided Zi Qing at all!

In other words, Zi Qing was fighting the eighth-ranked student to a standstill on her own merit!

“Could it be that Zi Qing was a Martial Arts prodigy all along, and her Cultivation only stagnated due to some special reason?”

“Incredible! To be able to do this without a Mentor’s guidance!”

The eyes of the surrounding audience were fixed on Zi Qing, and gasps of amazement rang out one after another.

Even Luo Tian’s other students hadn’t expected Zi Qing to be so strong. They all stared, dumbfounded.

Luo Xiaoting and Guan Hongfei were also looking at her in a new light.

‘As expected, she has inherited the memories of a Martial King…’ Luo Tian thought to himself.

‘The experience of a Martial King is incredibly precious. Even if it’s incomplete, it’s enough to greatly enhance Zi Qing’s insight and judgment.’

‘Without using the Celestial Book, I’m not even her equal in this regard.’

‘Coupled with Zi Qing’s own diligence and hard work, her growth rate and potential are immeasurable.’

This fight was a test Luo Tian had deliberately set up for Zi Qing, and the result was more or less what he had expected.

「On the Martial Arts Arena.」

The thick-lipped man felt an invisible pressure. He wanted to prove himself by defeating Zi Qing.

Too desperate for victory, he lost his composure, revealing even more openings to Zi Qing’s eyes.

Zi Qing seized the opportunity. Her airtight Palm Technique descended like a crushing mountain range, making the thick-lipped man feel like he was suffocating.

BAM! THUD!

Ten moves later, the thick-lipped man was sent flying by one of Zi Qing’s palm strikes, four or five of his ribs broken and blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

The battle was over. Zi Qing was victorious.

「At the entrance to the arena.」

“Master Fei, this is the final round of the Chuyang Grand Competition. You’re free anyway, so there’s no harm in coming to watch.”

“What’s there to see? None of my students are participating. Like me, their ambitions lie in the path of medicine.”

Two old men walked into the arena.

One of them was Master Fei from the Grass and Wood Institute.

Although that’s what he said, he was secretly looking forward to it. ‘Luo Tian’s results in the Chuyang Grand Competition should be terrible, and Zi Qing surely played a part in that.’

The thought of seeing Luo Tian angry and regretful filled Master Fei with glee.

But just as Master Fei entered, he saw the palm strike on the Martial Arts Arena with which Zi Qing defeated her opponent!

“Master Fei, isn’t that your student… Oh, my apologies, I forgot. She already chose a new mentor.”

The other Mentor said, surprised, before quickly apologizing.

Master Fei was a bit stunned.

‘Does Zi Qing really have Martial Arts Talent? How did she make it to the final round without being eliminated?’

“Zi Qing wins the challenge and becomes the new eighth rank!” the referee announced.

“Eighth rank?”

Master Fei’s eyes widened, and he almost blurted out the question.

‘Every one of the top ten in the Chuyang Grand Competition is an elite among elites with limitless potential.’

‘And this Zi Qing, a good-for-nothing in both Martial Arts and medicine, actually managed to claim eighth place in the Chuyang Grand Competition!’

Master Fei suspected he was hearing things.

But the facts were right in front of him.

After her successful challenge, Zi Qing became the object of the entire crowd’s cheers, the center of attention, showered in glory!

“Master Fei, what’s going on? Isn’t she a good-for-nothing?”

“How should I know,”

Master Fei snapped.

‘Why is it that a good-for-nothing from my tutelage becomes a genius in Luo Tian’s hands?’

Taking a closer look,

Master Fei discovered that six of Luo Tian’s students had entered the top two hundred. He suddenly felt a little breathless.

…

「In the audience stands.」

Liu Lu’s face was as dark as water.

“I can’t believe Zi Qing is actually a Martial Arts genius. That brat Luo Tian really lucked out, stumbling upon a talent like her.”

“That kid’s luck is just too good!”

Since Luo Tian hadn’t offered any guidance this time, the other Mentors couldn’t find an excuse and could only attribute it to Luo Tian’s good luck.

The ranking matches continued.

Immediately after, it was Guan Hongfei’s turn.

He challenged the tenth-ranked student. Under Luo Tian’s guidance, Guan Hongfei won with ease, severely injuring his opponent in the process.

Soon, it was Luo Xiaoting’s turn again.

“Challenge the fifth-ranked student!”

Luo Tian instructed.

Liu Lu’s expression darkened further. The fifth-ranked student was his most prized pupil.

Luo Tian was targeting his students again!

And he was using a student he’d stolen from him to beat his own students.

‘Even if I win, it’s nothing to be happy about.’

‘But if I lose, I’ll be utterly humiliated.’

What made Liu Lu panic was that this time, Luo Tian gave Luo Xiaoting his “guidance.”

Liu Lu couldn’t sit still. He immediately left the audience stands and hurried to guide his own disciple.

After all, Luo Xiaoting had once been his student, and he believed he understood her very well.

“Luo Xiaoting, I never thought you’d one day be able to fight me,”

The fifth-ranked student, a purple-haired man, said with cold arrogance.

When Luo Xiaoting was in Liu Lu’s class, the two of them were on completely different levels.

“There are a lot of things you’d never expect, like the result of this battle, for example.”

Luo Xiaoting’s presence wasn’t the least bit weaker as she instantly launched an attack.

Her left fist was wreathed in a blue watery light, while her right fist burned with a raging fire. Her assault was fierce and unmatched.

Also at the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm, the purple-haired man’s face instantly showed shock.

The Luo Xiaoting attacking at this moment was a world apart from the one in his memory.

He immediately drew his sword and slashed, a streak of purple Thunder Sword Light falling upon her.

BOOM! SIZZLE!

In an instant, the two exchanged ten moves.

And in just those ten moves, the tide of victory was already clear.

The purple-haired man’s Thunder Sword Technique was being suppressed by Luo Xiaoting’s Water and Fire Fist Technique.

「Below the stage.」

Liu Lu watched the battle up close.

His face was a mask of shock, confusion, and disbelief.

“How can this be?”

‘The Luo Xiaoting I remember had many flaws in her Martial Arts. This was related to her explosive personality; she didn’t pay much attention to technique and details.’

‘Even if Luo Tian could give superior guidance, how can a person’s personality be changed so easily?’

But now, not a single one of those flaws could be found. It was as if Luo Xiaoting had become a completely different person.

Forty moves later.

THUD!

The purple-haired man was miserably defeated.

“Luo Xiaoting wins, becoming the new fifth rank!”

The referee announced the result.

The fourth and third-ranked students looked at Luo Xiaoting with grave expressions. They felt a sense of threat.

The first-ranked student, Du Hongfei, had an icy gaze.

He wanted to teach Luo Tian’s students a lesson, but according to the Saint Institute’s rules, challenging someone of a much lower rank was forbidden, as it was suspected to be malicious.

When it was the fourth-ranked student’s turn in the ranking matches, he thought about it and gave up his challenge.

Soon, all two hundred students had gone through one round.

Next, it started again from the two-hundredth-ranked student.

When everyone had used up their chances to challenge, the final rankings would be set.

This time,

many students chose to forfeit. They mostly believed it would be difficult to advance any further and were content to secure their current ranks.

Before long,

it was Guan Hongfei’s turn again. At Luo Tian’s command, he challenged the purple-haired man.

“Luo Tian, you…”

Liu Lu’s face turned pale with anger.

‘Originally, after the purple-haired man had rested, he might have had a chance to reclaim fifth place.’

‘But now, that was up in the air.’

Unsurprisingly, the purple-haired man was thrashed by Guan Hongfei, falling to seventh place.

Immediately after, Zi Qing challenged the sixth-ranked student and won.

The fifth rank was Luo Xiaoting, and she challenged the fourth-ranked student!

This time, no one underestimated Luo Xiaoting’s strength.

She maintained her ferocious fighting style and hammered the fourth-ranked student off the stage.

“So ferocious!”

“The new Mentor’s student broke into the top four! Add Zi Qing and Guan Hongfei to the mix, and this Master Luo is going to make a name for himself!”

「The next day.」

A new round of challenges began.

Guan Hongfei, Zi Qing, and Luo Xiaoting all advanced one more rank, placing third, fourth, and fifth, respectively!

“This… All three students have broken into the top five!”

“And their ranks are right next to each other! They’re like a steamroller, crushing the students ahead of them one by one!”

“Interesting! Could it be that these three students plan to charge for first place like this?”