Chapter 215: I Lost

The head seat was reserved for the teacher of honor.

Wang Chao sat in it, his back straight, his demeanor proud, like a spear that would pierce the heavens.

"It seems this Zhang Xuan has given up on himself. In other people's matches, they send out their strongest first, winning to boost the confidence of those behind. But he sends out such a piece of junk right from the start. If that's not admitting defeat, what is?"

Elder Hong Hao on the side stroked his beard, his face full of excitement.

His Hongtian Tower, after Zhang Xuan exposed its fraud, had seen business plummet, almost to the point of closing. In his heart, he wished he could skin the guy alive.

If not for fear that making a move would be discovered by the academy and ruin his business further, he would have acted long ago.

"A late-stage Martial Warrior brat against a Martial Artist third level... completely incomparable!"

Wang Chao raised his head, exuding the boldness of one who commands the world: "Besides, Kong Jie has trained in the Iron Palm since childhood, with extraordinary attack power. He's a genius of the frenzied attack type. When he makes his move, this Yuan Tao probably won't last ten breaths before falling off the stage and losing on the spot!"

"Late-stage Gathering Breath realm has about 90 kilograms of force, while early-stage True Qi realm has 300 kilograms, a difference of more than three times, completely not on the same level. Not to mention ten breaths, I doubt he can even last three!"

Elder Hong Hao laughed.

"Right, if Kong Jie strikes first, this guy is just a one-punch instant kill!" Wang Chao nodded: "Looks like the first match is a foregone conclusion!"

"Indeed, not just the first match, I think all five are foregone. Teacher Lu is sure to win this time, making this Zhang Xuan lose all face."

Elder Hong Hao snorted coldly.

Having ruined his business, he had long wanted to see the other disgraced.

He had specifically sought out Lu Xun before; if not for his instigation, today's teacher evaluation wouldn't have happened.

Once this Zhang Xuan failed, he had many ways to make him regret everything he did at Hongtian Tower.

"It's starting!"

Unaware of his thoughts, Wang Chao nodded in response.

He was still quite confident in this Kong Jie.

Having helped Lu Xun all night yesterday, he knew that although these five new students were young, their true strength was terrifying.

A bunch of guys at most at the Dantian realm, wanting to win?

Wasn't that a dream?

Delighted, he looked at the competition stage ahead and saw the two new students walking toward each other.

"Senior Kong, please go easy on me..."

The next moment, Yuan Tao's pleading voice rang out. Hearing this, the two nearly spat out their drinks and laughed themselves unconscious.

Yuan Tao's voice wasn't loud, but they were both experts with sharp ears and eyes, catching every word clearly.

"Scared before even making a move, what's the point of competing?"

"Subduing the enemy without fighting—Teacher Lu's students are truly formidable..."

Elder Hong Hao's eyes lit up.

See? The highest level of teaching isn't how well a student fights, but that the moment they appear, the opponent's students are scared stiff...

That's a true strongman!

That's a real star teacher!

You, a low-level teacher, are still a million miles away!

"Looks like this guy will voluntarily concede... Huh?"

Hearing their exchange, Wang Chao nodded, about to continue, when suddenly he felt as if someone had grabbed his neck, his voice stuck in his throat, nearly choking him.

"What's wrong?"

Too busy gloating, Elder Hong Hao hadn't watched the stage. Hearing his strange tone, he quickly looked up, and nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

There stood Yuan Tao, whom they had thought would surely lose, on the competition stage, patting his clothes with an invincible hero's air. Meanwhile, the powerful attacker Kong Jie was lying under the stage, eyes rolled back, already unconscious.

"What... happened?"

In a match, if one party falls off the stage, they lose. Weren't things fine just a moment ago?

How, in the blink of an eye, had this True Qi realm prodigy, who had intended to show off and display his prowess, been knocked out cold?

Indeed, the match ended in less than three breaths, but... how could this be the result?

Elder Hong Hao felt like he was going crazy.

"This idiot..."

Stunned, Wang Chao roared, wanting to strangle Kong Jie.

With such strong attack power and such formidable strength, why did he bother talking... Just strike directly! Now, before he could even show his Iron Palm, he was beaten so badly even his own father wouldn't recognize him...

"You... ambushed him, cheated!" roared Zhu Hong from the opposite side.

Was this how you competed?

One moment he was saying he'd concede, the next he threw a punch. Where was the demeanor of a master?

But then, remembering how they had been beaten when they went to deliver the letter, he couldn't help twitching his mouth.

It seemed... none of Teacher Zhang's students had any master's demeanor...

"Ambush? The match has started; anyone can attack. How is that an ambush? If he wanted to attack me, I wouldn't mind either!"

Ignoring the other's complaints, Yuan Tao flicked his sleeves, exuding the aura of a master, his eyes full of contempt: "Blame himself for not even being able to withstand one punch. Too weak!"

"Too weak?"

"How could anyone withstand such an ambush, no matter how strong?"

"To speak of ambushing so brazenly, how can he be so shameless?"

...

Hearing his righteous words, all the spectators twitched their mouths.

Others, even if they won by ambush, would feel guilty. But this guy was so righteous, so imposing...

What the hell!

Where's his face?

"Teacher, do I win?"

Hands behind his back, Yuan Tao looked at the referee teacher.

"This... you win!"

The teacher turned to look, saw that Kong Jie had been hit in the head and wouldn't wake up anytime soon, and nodded helplessly.

Having presided over new student competitions for many years, this was the first time he'd encountered such a situation.

If you call it an ambush, the match had already started; it was your own fault for not paying attention, and being defeated was no one else's fault.

If you don't call it an ambush, it clearly wasn't a normal fight...

"Hmph!"

Seeing his first student, who should have had an easy win, knocked off the stage as soon as he entered, Lu Xun nearly died of anger.

He had spent a full three million on pills to boost cultivation; stayed up all night, expended countless True Qi to help him break through to True Qi realm...

And for what?

If you'd at least thrown a punch and lost because your true strength wasn't enough, I'd accept it. But you didn't even land half a move before being thrown out...

Lu Xun clutched his heart, his vision going dark.

If not for his composure, he would have fainted by now.

"Teacher Lu, we lost the first match. What now?"

Zhu Hong couldn't help asking.

"Mo Xiao, you go."

Suppressing his heartache, Lu Xun waved his hand.

"Yes!" Mo Xiao nodded, picked up his spear, and walked over.

"Zheng Yang, you go."

Seeing the opponent send him, Zhang Xuan called out.

Zheng Yang nodded, also picked up his spear, and walked up.

The two friends stood facing each other again.

Ignoring Zheng Yang, who was about to fight, Zhang Xuan glanced at Yuan Tao as he walked back and nodded in satisfaction.

It wasn't that he approved of ambushing, but Yuan Tao was only at late-stage Gathering Breath realm, while the opponent was at True Qi realm, a difference of more than one major level.

No matter how strong your defense or attack, you have to land a hit on the opponent. If you can't, it's all useless.

Yuan Tao clearly knew his weakness: his speed couldn't match the opponent's. So he deliberately feigned weakness and then ambushed... To be honest, losing like that, you can't blame anyone else.

...

"It's Mo Xiao. This time, he's sure to win!"

Having barely suppressed his frustration, Wang Chao's eyes lit up when he saw Mo Xiao step onto the stage.

"Who is this?"

Elder Hong Hao, seeing his certainty, looked over curiously.

"Mo Xiao is skilled in spear techniques and was once my student," Wang Chao nodded. "Not only has he reached True Qi realm, but his understanding of the spear is also formidable. Most importantly, I taught him three moves from the Wang Family Spear: the third, seventh, and eighteenth forms!"

"Cold Light Burst, Sunset Glow, Bird Returning to the Forest?" Elder Hong Hao's eyes lit up, still somewhat incredulous: "These three moves, though not the strongest in the Wang Family Spear, are all balanced in offense and defense, with immense power. You actually taught such precious spear techniques?"

The Wang Family Spear was the highest spear secret technique in the Tianxuan Kingdom. Anyone who studied the spear wanted to learn it, and Wang Chong and Wang Chao, father and son, never passed it on to outsiders.

Because of this, the set of techniques became even more precious, driving countless people crazy.

Normally, learning just one move would make one invincible at the same level. And he had taught three moves in one go, all with such power?

"Yes, so Mo Xiao is sure to win!"

Wang Chao's confidence not only fully recovered but grew even stronger, as if the earlier loss had no effect on him.

And no wonder.

Kong Jie wasn't his student; he only knew he wasn't weak, but not his personality.

Mo Xiao was different.

Having studied with him, he had a tenacious and unyielding character. Zheng Yang wouldn't succeed in ambushing him.

Plus, having received his personal instruction, his spear techniques were profound. It would be hard for him to lose!

Most crucially, Zheng Yang had once wanted to become his disciple and had seen him in action. His spear technique was soft, lacking a forward-charging spirit, so he was rejected.

For such a person, no matter how much he improved in just over half a month, he couldn't be that strong and was no match for Mo Xiao.

A month for the staff, a year for the saber, a lifetime for the spear.

If spear techniques could improve in a short time, their Wang family wouldn't be known as the number one spear family in the Tianxuan Kingdom.

Lu Xun clearly knew this too, which is why he sent Mo Xiao, hoping he would win beautifully and turn the tide.

"Mo Xiao, we meet again!"

On the competition stage, Zheng Yang raised his spear, standing it upright, instantly forming a straight line with his body.

"Yes, we meet again!"

Mo Xiao nodded and also raised his spear.

The two childhood friends never expected to meet again on the competition stage, and in such a setting.

"Make your move!"

Knowing his friend might find it hard to strike, Zheng Yang spoke first.

"Not so fast, let me warm up first!"

Mo Xiao shook his head, took a few steps back, and with True Qi surging in his body, he smoothly executed the three spear moves he had learned from Wang Chao.

Woo woo woo!

Spear energy shot out in all directions, like a hurricane, blowing people's hair upright.

"What is he doing? By directly displaying the three moves, isn't he telling the opponent he knows the Wang Family Spear? Once the opponent is prepared, how can he fight?"

Seeing Mo Xiao not attacking but warming up with spear techniques, Elder Hong Hao was puzzled.

In a fight, it's best not to reveal your methods. Showing your trump card before fighting is just asking to be countered.

"Heh, don't worry," Wang Chao smiled, full of pride and arrogance: "The Wang Family Spear cannot be countered. Over the years, the moves have spread, and many have imitated them, but who has truly countered them? Mo Xiao is doing the right thing: deliberately showing them to put pressure on the opponent, then executing them in one go to promote the prestige of our Wang Family Spear!"

"That... is true," Elder Hong Hao nodded.

The Wang Family Spear had indeed been passed around for a long time, but without the True Qi circulation method, no matter how well you imitated, it was useless. Most importantly... it couldn't be countered.

If it could be countered, Wang Chong wouldn't have such a reputation.

On the competition stage, Mo Xiao had finished warming up, perfectly demonstrating the three Wang Family Spear moves.

"Alright, he's about to show the Wang Family Spear!"

Wang Chao smiled again, about to praise, expecting to see Zheng Yang beaten to a pulp, when suddenly Mo Xiao's spear clattered to the ground, and he sighed.

"That move of yours, even at True Qi realm, I can't counter it. I lose."

"Gah?"

Wang Chao staggered.

You haven't even fought yet! Why are you conceding?

Even if someone should concede, it should be the opponent!

What the hell is going on?

On the opposite side, Lu Xun also stumbled, on the verge of tears.