"You cowardly turtle! Is running away all you know?" Wei Linglong shouted.
Qin Yang chuckled softly. "You know you can't defeat me. Besides, even if I stood here letting you attack, would you dare kill me?"
With that, Qin Yang remained motionless.
Wei Linglong's blood-colored war halberd came crashing down.
Qin Yang didn't even blink, but the surrounding students - both freshmen and upperclassmen - gasped in horror. Cold air hissed between their teeth.
"The academy forbids killing unless in a teacher-sanctioned duel..."
"That strike would make even Senior Shangguan Jianshan hesitate! How can Qin Yang not dodge?"
Freshmen shouted frantically, urging Qin Yang to move.
"Qin Yang, are you insane?" Jin Wanshan's eyes bulged. He couldn't possibly reach them in time!
Qu Qingge's brow furrowed as the Dragon Song Bow materialized in his hand. He nocked an arrow and drew the bowstring taut, aiming directly at Wei Linglong.
If she continued her attack, the arrow would find its mark.
Wei Linglong's expression wavered. The determination in Qin Yang's eyes only added to her confusion, leaving her unsure whether to proceed.
In that momentary hesitation, Wei Linglong lost her best chance to make a decision.
The halberd came to a stop above Qin Yang's head. Wei Linglong had already closed her eyes.
Qu Qingge's arrow carried extraordinary force. Wei Linglong was certain she would be struck.
Yet as time passed, no pain of an arrow's impact came.
Opening her eyes, Wei Linglong stared in disbelief at the scene beside her. Qin Yang had caught Qu Qingge's arrow bare-handed!
"She tried to kill you, and you still protect her?" Jin Wanshan demanded, clearly displeased.
Qu Qingge drew a deep breath. The Dragon Song Bow's power could disrupt perception. Even with Wei Linglong's cultivation a realm higher than his own, he'd been confident in hitting her. Yet somehow, Qin Yang had intercepted the arrow—a feat of bare-handed arrow catching that defied all reason.
Qin Yang smiled faintly at Qu Qingge. "It's fine."
Qu Qingge thought Qin Yang was offering comfort.
"This isn't anything special," Qin Yang said with a smile. "You'll get used to it."
Qu Qingge was left speechless.
"W-why?" Wei Linglong asked Qin Yang, her face full of confusion.
Qin Yang looked at her calmly. "There's no need for why. I know you can't kill me. You wouldn't dare, and you don't want to."
Wei Linglong was stunned. "How could you possibly know?"
Qin Yang shook his head gently. "The Wei Family's cultivation methods focus on willpower. When facing an opponent, one can perceive their opponent's resolve."
"The Ba Wang Art emphasizes relentless forward momentum. You're too burdened by doubts and disordered thoughts, completely failing to unleash your true potential."
"Even in your hesitation, you missed the chance to evade Qu Qingge's arrow. Did you think this arrow came from a mere Qi Sea Realm cultivator? It could have pierced through your body and shattered your heart!"
As his words hung in the air, everyone's faces paled. They stared at Qu Qingge in disbelief.
Jin Wanshan's gaze was equally astonished.
Qu Qingge scratched his head. "I thought she was really going to kill Qin Yang..."
Wei Linglong was equally shocked.
The Dragon Song Bow's ability to confuse opponents' perception had also led to a misjudgment of the arrow's true threat. If not for Qin Yang, she might have died here today!
And it would have been a death filled with bitter regret.
The academy and classmates would only know that she failed to settle a personal grudge and was killed in retaliation...
"The Wei Family's cultivation methods and martial techniques are indeed unsuitable for women," Qin Yang shook his head.
Wei Linglong gripped her battle spear tightly and snapped, "Don't think your understanding of our Wei Family's techniques gives you any insight! My brother's cultivation and martial techniques were all taught by me!"
Qin Yang suddenly appeared beside Wei Linglong. With a finger thrust like a sword, he lightly tapped the spear.
The weapon trembled violently. Wei Linglong's grip failed, and the spear flew from her hand.
"Then I'll show you what true 'Peerless Tyrant' means!" Qin Yang's eyes narrowed, his battle intent surging to the heavens.
Wielding the blood-red spear, he radiated a terrifying aura of overwhelming combat will.
Though standing motionless, Qin Yang's presence filled the arena with an air of invincible loneliness.
Beneath his feet, it seemed as if a mountain of corpses and sea of blood existed. The crowd could almost smell the horrifying stench of gore.
Wei Linglong's body stiffened. This was the true Ba Wang Art! Even among her clan's experts, few could manifest it so completely.
Facing Qin Yang's battle intent, she found herself utterly unable to muster resistance!
"Kill!" Qin Yang roared.
All hearts sank, especially Wei Linglong's, who couldn't help but retreat repeatedly.
The blood-red spear in Qin Yang's hand proved uncooperative - after all, it remained Wei Linglong's magical treasure. It continued to wail and tremble incessantly.
Qin Yang's divine sense surged, encasing the halberd in a layer of solid ice that rendered it utterly unresponsive.
"Ba Wang Unrivaled Halberd!" Qin Yang swung the weapon with a motion that seemed both glacially slow and lightning quick - a strike capable of splitting the heavens and cleaving the earth!
Wei Linglong's legs buckled, collapsing her to the ground. Her eyes, devoid of focus, stared blankly at Qin Yang.
Shangguan Jianshan stood to the side, his brow furrowed. Though his face remained impassive, sweat beaded on his palms.
The senior students from the previous year paled as if Wei Linglong had already been slain by Qin Yang's hand.
Crack!
The frost-encrusted halberd shattered into fragments, stopping mere inches from Wei Linglong's forehead.
A low-grade magical treasure, imbued with faint sentience, had chosen to disintegrate rather than harm its master.
Relief washed over the crowd, though all secretly wondered: Had the halberd not shattered, would Qin Yang have truly killed Wei Linglong?
Qin Yang examined the broken weapon, his brow furrowing. Such unwavering loyalty? It seemed Wei Linglong's cultivation had nearly elevated this artifact to high-grade status.
"What a pity," Qin Yang thought to himself.
Time seemed to stand still. Wei Linglong was completely immersed in Qin Yang's peerless fighting spirit, her entire being frozen in terror.
Soon, a divine light appeared in her eyes as she regained consciousness.
Qin Yang was deeply surprised. "You woke up so quickly?"
Wei Linglong looked at Qin Yang with a complex expression. "Why did you help me?"
"Help you? Did I?" Qin Yang chuckled. "I just couldn't stand watching."
"Can't stand watching what?" Wei Linglong asked curiously.
Qin Yang stared at Wei Linglong, enunciating each word clearly: "You... are far too inferior to your brother."
Wei Linglong was stunned. The moment she heard these words, she could no longer contain her grief. Her eyes reddened instantly, tears flooding forth like a breached dam, drenching her face.
Soon, Wei Linglong was sobbing uncontrollably, completely disregarding her surroundings.
All the senior students were astounded. Was this still the same cold-faced war goddess they knew?
Shangguan Jianshan also looked at Wei Linglong in surprise. Even when he first learned of her brother's death, she hadn't lost composure like this!
Wei Linglong choked back a sob. "How did my brother die? Did he suffer?"
Qin Yang looked at Wei Linglong, his heart aching. He frowned and said, "I'm sorry. I failed to let him die by my hand."
Lou Mengyu walked over and gently tugged at Qin Yang's sleeve. She whispered, "Why are you still provoking her like this?"
Qin Yang shook his head slightly. To others, this might seem like kicking someone when they're down, but for the Wei Family, it wasn't.
Understanding the Wei Family's cultivation methods and martial techniques, Qin Yang knew they didn't fear death.
Wei Linglong wiped her tears and rose from the ground, her eyes blazing with combat intent. "I challenge you! With an opponent like you, my brother must have wanted to defeat you. Since he's dead, I'll complete his unfinished wish!"
Qin Yang suddenly slapped his forehead. How could he have forgotten? The Wei Family never accepted defeat...
His gaze shifted to Jin Wanshan. Clearing his throat, Qin Yang said, "You want to challenge me? You don't qualify yet. Defeat him first."
Jin Wanshan looked around, the crowd parting to avoid his gaze.
He pointed at himself. "Me?"
"Correct," Qin Yang nodded.
Wei Linglong snorted. "Just at the peak of Qi Sea Realm."
Qin Yang smiled. "He'll break through soon."
"Even then, he'll only reach the initial Zongshi Realm." Wei Linglong's contempt remained undiminished.
Jin Wanshan's temper flared. His cultivation technique and martial skills, refined by Qin Yang's guidance, had transformed completely. In terms of defense and endurance, he could match anyone.
The Wei Family's peerless tyrant might be formidable, but Jin Wanshan was confident he could withstand it. With that advantage, victory would be assured - he had nothing to fear!
"You're merely mid-stage Zongshi Realm," Jin Wanshan retorted. "Once I advance, you'll be no match for me!"
Having successfully diverted attention, Qin Yang pulled Lou Mengyu aside.
In the distance, more senior students approached - each one a Zongshi Realm expert! Among them were Wu Xiaoya and several other early-arriving freshmen.