An inch shorter is an inch more dangerous. This is an inherent trait of close-combat weapons, a shackle one cannot break free from before reaching the Grandmaster Realm.

Yang Wenche raised his spear shaft, intending to block the sword and prepare a counterattack. But within three meters of Yu Fei, he had no way to turn the tables. He could only watch as the sword’s gleam dodged his spear shaft by a hair’s breadth, its sharp point coming to rest at his Adam’s apple.

The young man opposite him held his longsword in a straight thrust, his left hand clasped behind his back. He possessed both the sharp edge of a Warrior and the elegant flair of a Swordsman.

Yang Wenche was utterly convinced of his defeat. He hadn’t held back, but Yu Fei had forcefully exploited his most awkward position, feinting past his spear’s light. A single, exquisitely profound sword strike, hovering on the edge of life and death, had ended the fight, its tip now resting steadily at his vital point.

The referee didn’t even have to intervene, which showed that Yu Fei still had strength to spare.

"Yu Fei wins!"

As the longsword returned to its sheath, Yang Wenche cupped his fists in a salute. "I am Yang Wenche. You have my respect!"

With that, he shouldered his long spear, leaped up, and exited the arena, his demeanor calm and composed.

Yu Fei committed the name to memory. He felt the two of them were similar at their core and that perhaps, one day, they could become friends.

Wu Yi couldn’t help but clap in admiration. "Excellent! These two are exactly the kind of Warriors we need at Shenhan University! Make a note to keep a close eye on them!"

The staff member behind him immediately went to pull up their detailed files for Wu Yi to review.

Admissions didn’t just depend on performance in the arena; past experiences and results from the first two stages also carried significant weight.

The crowd of watching prodigies was silent. After the last match, they could have argued that Liou Yong was simply not skilled enough. But Yang Wenche had put up a real fight. If nothing else, that single thrust, fierce as a battlefield signal flare, was something few people could have dodged.

But Yu Fei had not only dodged it, he had turned the tables and won. Actions speak louder than words, and his combat record proved everything. No one dared to underestimate the only ’mere second-realm’ practitioner in the S-rank anymore.

After two consecutive victories, although Yu Fei had consumed little Qi Blood, his mind had been stretched taut, leaving him with a faint sense of exhaustion.

Prodigy-level Inner Qi Martial Artists were completely different from the holographic projections in the training room. Although their fighting styles seemed unrefined, their movements were faster and their techniques more intimidating. They were leagues above a poser like Di Yunliang, who hadn’t even mastered any Inner Qi-level martial arts.

If Di Yunliang hadn’t used a Life-or-Death Secret Skill, Yu Fei, who had only just entered the second realm, would have killed him without getting injured at all.

The two battles had ended extremely quickly; in the other eight arenas, the winners and losers had yet to be decided.

After defeating Yang Wenche, Yu Fei earned another 1,742 points. His S-rank rose to 32nd place, bringing his total score to an impressive 17,000.

With his sword on his back, he prepared to leave. He figured that defeating two strong Inner Qi Realm opponents in a row should be enough to dissuade anyone looking for an easy win. Now, whoever wanted to challenge him would have to weigh whether they were on par with a top-two A-rank contender.

The selection for the next round of challengers in Arena 1 began, and the results appeared on the large screen.

A-Rank #14, Zhu Yue VS. S-Rank #32, Yu Fei (Times Challenged: 1) | Arena 1

In the spectator tunnel, a petite girl’s jaw dropped as she stared at the large screen in disbelief.

"How could it be me? Did no one challenge him before me? Am I the only one?"

Zhu Yue was stunned. The screen showed he had only been challenged once, which meant she was the only one who had opted in. Everyone else had passed.

Yang Wenche had just left the arena when he saw the dumbstruck Zhu Yue. He instantly understood, grinned wide, and gave her a thumbs-up.

"Good luck!"

Zhu Yue was still muttering to herself, "How could this happen? I was just clicking for fun..."

Yu Fei, who had been halfway up the stairs, stopped in his tracks. He obediently turned around and walked back to the designated starting position on the arena floor. He really wanted to see who was being this reckless.

Zhu Yue didn’t jump down. She was only at the third realm and not very strong, so she also walked down the steps one by one.

’What do I do?’ Looking at the cold-faced young man opposite her, she could hear her own thundering heartbeat. ’His sword is so fast... I couldn’t even see it clearly from the stands.’

’Zhu Yue, oh, Zhu Yue, why did you have to have such itchy fingers?’

She was filled with regret.

The whistle blew, and Yu Fei, sword in hand, rapidly closed in on her. Even though his opponent was a timid-looking girl only at the third realm, Yu Fei didn’t let his guard down. ’To challenge me after watching two Inner Qi Martial Artists fall,’ he thought, ’she must be incredibly confident.’

’This timid act must be a disguise. She’s probably hiding some tactic for later, just like I do.’ He decided to reveal a little more of his true strength and aim for a clean, decisive, instant kill to prevent any unexpected complications.

’Everyone standing here is a prodigy of our time. Who knows what strange martial arts or abilities she might possess? In this world of superhumans, the physical gap between men and women is erased. Any accomplished female Martial Artist is not to be trifled with.’

’This distance... Trinity Convergence! Burst!’

In an instant, Yu Fei’s speed surged. He shot toward his target like a bolt of lightning, the three-foot Qingfeng in his hand slashing at Zhu Yue like a soaring dragon.

With this strike, Yu Fei unleashed his full power, simultaneously empowering his blade with the Sword Intents of Sharpness and Resilience. Boosted by the Sword Intent, the blade’s aura pulsed with a clear light, becoming incomparably sharp.

Zhong Xu’s eyes narrowed, utterly astonished.

’A mere second-realm practitioner grasping Sword Intent? That defies all martial logic!’

He looked again at the power behind that sword strike, then at Zhu Yue swinging her own sword with an adorably clueless expression, and couldn’t help but sigh internally.

’The meeting of a boy and a girl should be a wonderful thing,’ he mused. ’Unfortunately, Yu Fei has completely misread the situation. He thinks Zhu Yue is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but what a shame... the girl is just a complete amateur.’

Zhang Xunyi’s expression grew heavy, fighting spirit soaring in his heart. He wished he could jump down there himself and cross swords with Yu Fei, to show the world that he, too, possessed Sword Intent!

’I was going to let him be,’ he thought, ’but I never imagined he’d have mastered Sword Intent, too.’