C32 Defeat!

In the midst of the arena, Gu Hongyu's complexion grew increasingly ashen. He could sense the temperature plummeting around him, as if he were descending into an ice vault—a clear sign of lethal intent. Gu Hongyu had heard tales of how intense killing intent could bewilder a Psionic Warrior's senses, amplifying the terror within and rendering the adversary utterly defenseless. It baffled him that such a formidable aura of menace could emanate from Fu Xinyi.

If this persisted, victory was out of reach.

Biting down on the tip of his tongue, Gu Hongyu quelled the mounting dread within him and steadied his nerves. Clutching his Rune Sword, he summoned his Spiritual Energy and sprang into action.

He executed the D-level combat skill he had mastered: the Space-Splitting Triple Slash. Three blades of light, forged from Spiritual Energy, materialized and descended upon Fu Xinyi, sealing off her avenues of escape.

But as the gleaming edges neared their target, Fu Xinyi vanished from Gu Hongyu's sight once more. With no room for doubt, he spun around, his Rune Sword casting a brilliant arc of light as it sliced through the air behind him. A smirk curled within him; he wouldn't fall for the same trick twice.

Yet, his strike met only emptiness.

His gaze swept the arena, but Fu Xinyi was nowhere to be seen—as if she had been erased from existence.

Fear clawed its way back into Gu Hongyu's heart. He was certain Fu Xinyi was lurking close by, biding her time for a deadly strike.

And then, right beneath his feet, within the confines of his own shadow, a figure emerged. Silent as a specter, Fu Xinyi materialized behind him, her cold dagger conjured from the void to rest against his throat.

Her icy voice cut through the tension, "You lost."

Gu Hongyu's body shook as he collapsed to his knees. In that moment, he knew—if this had been a real battlefield, he would be lying lifeless.

This battle had become his personal nightmare.

Never had Gu Hongyu imagined he would face defeat, especially not in such a manner.

The two combatants had only exchanged a couple of rounds.

If Fu Xinyi had chosen to, she could have taken down Gu Hongyu with a single strike.

A hush fell over the entire training field.

Captain Reira chuckled, "Wherever there's a shadow, the Fu family's Shadow Dance is present. Even the most vigilant opponent stands no chance of defending against it."

"The heir to the empire's most formidable assassin lineage is truly powerful. It's no surprise her adversary was defeated."

Reira, a veteran of the battlefield, knew all too well the peril of assassins lurking in the shadows.

Up in the stands...

Not everyone had the keen insight of Captain Reira.

Through the eyes of most students...

Gu Hongyu seemed like a clown—first frozen in place, then lunging forward recklessly.

He couldn't even graze Fu Xinyi's shadow.

His combat skill fell short, and that final spin was utterly baffling.

He essentially delivered his throat straight to Fu Xinyi's dagger.

He might as well have been an elementary schooler.

Was he an idiot?

Losing his first match put him at an immediate disadvantage.

Though many students were confident the Thorns would secure an easy victory in the club battle, there was still a tinge of irritation that the Dawn Society had managed to snag a win.

A few perceptive students watched with solemn faces.

Fu Xinyi's last strike was impeccably timed, and her elusive presence made her an unpredictable force.

She was far from the waste the legends made her out to be.

On the contrary, she was the epitome of composure.