The combination of [Super Speed Reaction] and [Electric Arm] created a fantastic synergy. He could perfectly control the threefold increase in his arms’ base speed. The longsword in his hand was both fast and precise, so much so that even the micro-level instincts of an Inner Qi Martial Artist could hardly react.

Liou Yong left the arena, utterly dejected. As the referee’s voice fell, Yu Fei’s points instantly shot up. He gained 1826 points, raising his S-rank to 34th place with a total of 15,346 points.

Liou Yong’s ranking plummeted all the way to 42nd in the A-rank.

The prodigies who had gathered around the arena to watch the show were in an uproar. Most of them hadn’t even seen what happened. In the blink of an eye, the aggressive Liou Yong had a blade at his throat. It was almost like watching a fixed match.

But no one would suspect Liou Yong of throwing the match. This was a battle that would determine their fate, and it was a matter of a prodigy’s pride.

With his Inner Qi-level Body Technique and fist arts, he was very strong. Ninety percent of the people present would not be his match.

Ren Feng turned to the master beside him with a solemn expression. The man stared intently at Yu Fei, lost in thought, before finally speaking after a long moment.

"My flying daggers aren’t as fast as his sword. If he were at the same realm as me right now, I wouldn’t be able to beat him."

The implication was that Yu Fei, who was only in the Second Realm, was still no match for him, despite his sword’s speed.

Ren Feng nodded. "In the arena, if we were at the same realm, the outcome would be uncertain. But outside the arena, I have a hundred ways to beat him."

The master turned to look at him in surprise. "A hundred? You’ll have to teach me."

Ren Feng coughed lightly. "My dad is a Martial Saint!"

The master was stunned for a moment, then said in agreement, "Oh, in that case, you’ve understated it! A hundred is too few!"

Yu Fei’s expression was calm. He had planned his strategy for the first match long ago. Ever since he saw the rules for the Point Challenge, he knew he would be treated as an easy target. Anyone in his position would be.

A Second Realm Martial Artist with a massive number of points was a constant provocation to the lower-ranked Inner Qi Martial Artists.

’Two whole major realms apart, isn’t that a guaranteed win? Who wouldn’t want those free points?’

Yu Fei had combined the cultivation effects of his [Xuanxiao Spirit Body] with the fantastic synergy of [Super Speed Reaction] and [Electric Arm] to formulate a strategy of luring his enemy in.

He would ignore his opponent to infuriate them, and when they attacked carelessly, he would finish them with a counter-kill in the blink of an eye.

As for infuriating his opponent, that required a bit of showmanship. It was something he wasn’t very good at, but fortunately, he had achieved his goal.

He knew he would have many enemies, so he had to hide his trump cards for as long as possible. His Perfection-level basic Swordsmanship, footwork, Sword Intent, Formless Sword Qi, and so on couldn’t all be revealed at once. With so many prodigies present, revealing his full strength too early would likely get him targeted.

"Mr. Zhuang, this young man’s sword is incredibly fast! Should we put him on the candidate list?"

Mr. Zhuang looked at the name displayed on the overhead screen and shook his head. "Yu Fei... Let’s pass on him."

The person next to him looked astonished. "Director, he defeated a prodigy two realms above him, and his Swordsmanship is incredibly sharp. Why pass on him? Hasn’t Mr. Kong of the Soul-Breaking Sword been searching for a suitable disciple?"

Mr. Zhuang shook his head. "Kong Sheng personally tried to recruit him for our Yuqing University, but he failed..."

"Ah... what! Are kids these days all so cocky?"

He then realized his slip of the tongue and quickly took a half-step back to apologize. Mr. Zhuang didn’t hold it against him. She had also been shocked when she first heard the news. It was just a pity.

During the Point Challenge, the Seven Greats would send observers to evaluate the prodigies’ combat awareness on-site. At this stage, most of the prodigies hadn’t undergone systematic training and were like blank slates, which allowed their more raw, natural qualities to shine through.

Initially, Yu Fei’s match hadn’t attracted much attention from the observers. Logically speaking, a Second Realm practitioner was no match for a Fourth Realm Inner Qi practitioner, even if these kids hadn’t learned any systematic killing techniques.

The difference in power between the two was like that between a child and an adult.

Yet, unexpectedly, Liou Yong, the Inner Qi practitioner, had been defeated in an instant.

Was Liou Yong weak? He had mastered an Inner Qi-level Body Technique and fist arts. Aside from his combat experience being a bit green, his raw power was definitely not lacking.

Many of the observers felt it was a pity they had missed his performance just now and couldn’t help but turn their attention to Yu Fei.

While the matches in the other eight arenas were just beginning, Arena 1’s match had already concluded. Yu Fei sheathed his sword and stepped to the side, but he didn’t leave the stage. He figured there was a high probability someone would challenge him again in the next round.

After confirming with Yu Fei that he didn’t need a break, the referee, Zhong Xu, immediately began the next round of challenges for Arena 1. The crowd of prodigies instantly began entering their desired opponents into their controllers.

A-Rank #2 Yang Wenche VS S-Rank #34 Yu Fei (Challenged 52 times) | Arena 1

The number of challenges showed that the count of people picking Yu Fei had dropped by half. Many hadn’t seen clearly how he had won, but they understood there was some danger involved, so it was more prudent to choose a different target.

However, there were still many who thought Liou Yong was all flash and no substance, and that they themselves could surely win. Yang Wenche was one of them.

’Since that useless fool Liou Yong couldn’t seize this opportunity, then he shouldn’t blame me for not holding back.’

’Why would an Inner Qi practitioner even bother with fist arts? When no one’s martial skills are that refined, it’s natural that an inch longer is an inch stronger.’

Yang Wenche, carrying a ten-foot-long spear, leaped down from the edge of the spectator area, landing on the stage with a BOOM.

Clearly, this guy hadn’t learned a Body Technique befitting his realm.

He flicked his long spear, pointing it at an angle toward Yu Fei. He clearly had no intention of wasting words and was ready to fight immediately.

This action, however, drew a wave of boos. There were still quite a few people who cared about the title of ’prodigy’.

Wu Yi, an observer from Shenhan University, looked at this group of green students. ’Although they hold the title of prodigies, they still need much more experience.’

’Victory is something you have to fight for with all your might. Both Yu Fei and Yang Wenche have no lack of desire to win. Liou Yong, on the other hand, faced an opponent ranked higher than himself yet put all his faith in the difference between their realms. Even at the critical moment, he couldn’t let go of the need to maintain his image. His loss was well-deserved.’

The whistle blew, signaling the official start of the second battle.

Yang Wenche raised his long spear and charged straight at Yu Fei. He didn’t have an elegant Body Technique, but his steps thundered like a war drum as he charged forward, spear leveled. Across a distance of less than a hundred meters, he managed to create an aura of iron and blood.

When he was less than ten meters from Yu Fei, he suddenly let out a roar.

"KILL!" The sound echoed throughout the arena. It seemed to be some kind of sonic secret technique, but he hadn’t yet properly mastered it; his voice was simply loud and imposing.

At the same time, the oppressive aura unique to an Inner Qi Martial Artist bore down on Yu Fei from all directions. Yang Wenche’s speed increased by another thirty percent, and he shot toward Yu Fei like a bolt of lightning.

’The more Wu Yi watched Yang Wenche, the more he approved. A battle requires one to go all out. Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit. This is the mark of a new-era Martial Artist. That old-fashioned "master’s demeanor" is useless. Someone like Liou Yong didn’t even use his Inner Qi pressure just now—far too arrogant.’

Yu Fei watched his opponent charge at him with ferocious momentum. He knew it was impossible to expect this opponent to underestimate him like the last one. To him, the Inner Qi Martial Artist’s oppressive aura felt like a gentle breeze. The effect of his red talent, [Spiritual Intelligence], which raised the quality of his soul, allowed him to ignore spiritual pressure.

He took a step back into a bow stance, the preparatory charging posture for his Sky-Step technique. He held his sword with both hands in front of his chest, his eyes locked onto the weaving tip of the spear.

With his neural reaction speed boosted sevenfold, he carefully observed Yang Wenche’s subtle movements. When his opponent was five meters away, his right hand, gripping the spear shaft, pulled back slightly to gather power. A blue Inner Qi flared as he prepared to aim a level thrust straight for Yu Fei’s chest.

’Now!’

Yu Fei’s powerful Qi Blood erupted. He shot forward, unleashing the Sky-Step he had been charging. A shimmering sword glow, about a foot long, burst from his longsword.

With his superhuman neural reaction speed, Yu Fei could move before his enemy. The instant his opponent made a move, a fleeting opening would appear—a flaw present in all martial techniques that had not been cultivated to the Perfection level.

In the instant they crossed paths, Yang Wenche’s micro-level perception screamed that something was wrong. He couldn’t lock onto Yu Fei’s figure. Watching as Yu Fei blurred past his spear tip, the longsword stabbing straight for him, he knew he had already lost the initiative.