C101 Slaying Suo Hu!

The inky blade light slashed through Suo Hu's body and continued its trajectory, hurtling towards the crowd beneath the arena. Spectators – students and teachers alike – were thrown into turmoil at the sight of the fearsome attack flying their way.

Wang Chengfeng rose and took to the skies, his voice echoing in the ears of the onlookers, "Stay calm. The arena is equipped with a protective barrier. It won't be breached by any attack less than that of the Mahayana Stage."

True to his word, as the dark blade light reached the arena's edge, ripples spread out as if a shield had been activated. The blade light collided with the ripples and, within moments, faded away.

With the blade light gone, all eyes turned back to the arena, where only Qin Buyi remained standing. Suo Hu had vanished, leaving behind nothing but a dark stain to mark where he once stood.

A flicker of sorrow and rage crossed Wang Chengfeng's eyes. Suo Hu's death was a painful loss; the College of Ming Dynasty would now be one high-level mentor short. The astronomical resources invested in nurturing a Tribulation Crossing Stage, now squandered, fueled his fury.

Qin Buyi, standing tall on the arena, looked up at Wang Chengfeng and asked calmly, "Dean Wang, shall we declare the outcome of this first battle?"

With a grim expression, Wang Chengfeng descended to the arena, announcing, "The victor of the first battle is Qin Buyi."

In a private transmission, Wang Chengfeng chided Qin Buyi, "To be so young and yet so merciless... How does this differ from the ways of the Devil Dao?"

Qin Buyi couldn't help but laugh at the remark, giving Wang Chengfeng a quizzical look as he replied, "So it's acceptable for him to kill me, but not the other way around? Dean Wang, you've certainly opened my eyes."

Internally, Qin Buyi mused over a phrase known throughout Blue Star, "When I speak to you with reason, you respond with thuggery, yet when I resort to thuggery, you suddenly wish to reason with me."

Wang Chengfeng let out a disdainful snort, dismissing Qin Buyi with a wave of his hand. He addressed the crowd, announcing, "The second round of combat will commence in half an hour."

With that, he descended from the platform and joined First Prince Ying Ye at his side.

As Wang Chengfeng's words hung in the air, a cacophony erupted from the audience.

"Was I seeing things, or did that Qin Buyi really just take down Mentor Suo Hu?"

"It feels like a dream, utterly surreal. How could this happen?"

"Mentor Suo Hu didn't stand a chance against even one strike. To think an Early Period Tribulation Crossing Stage master could fall so easily..."

"Ha, what happened to the guy who bet Qin Buyi wouldn't last three rounds?"

"I've been saying since the start, Qin Buyi had it in him to win. Who else would have the guts to take on three Tribulation Crossing Stage masters without some serious skills?"

Wang Chengfeng's complexion shifted from pale to flushed as he listened to the murmurs of students and teachers.

He had personally chosen the challenger, and now, with the man's death on the platform, the responsibility lay heavily on his shoulders.

But what truly stung was the look of disappointment etched on Ying Ye's face beside him.

"Dean Wang, was that the decisive strike you assured me of?" Ying Ye inquired, his tone laced with dissatisfaction.

Wang Chengfeng hastened to explain, "Your Highness, I admit to a lapse in judgment during the first round. For the second, I will send Sha Jian, a formidable contender in the late period of the Tribulation Crossing Stage."

"I assure you, this time Qin Buyi will be defeated. You have my word, First Prince."

Ying Ye didn't dwell on the issue, instead turning his gaze to Qin Buyi, who appeared unfazed on the platform.

"With such a forceful and tyrannical sword technique, one would expect significant drawbacks. Yet, he seems unaffected. Can the College of Ming Dynasty's Three Lives Sword Technique really be that potent?"

Without hesitation or concealment, Wang Chengfeng shook his head and replied, "To the First Prince, after executing the final move of the Three Lives Sword Technique, the user typically experiences extreme fatigue, with some even losing their combat capabilities entirely."

Ying Ye inquired with a nonchalant tone, "Such a formidable blade technique is within our grasp. Dean Wang, doesn't that pique your interest?"

Upon hearing Ying Ye's query, Wang Chengfeng pondered, "Your Highness, are you suggesting..."

Before he could finish, Ying Ye cut him off, "It's best you understand on your own. I expect that, before long, the College of Ming Dynasty will boast a new, aggressive blade technique."

Wang Chengfeng replied, "That's easier said than done. He certainly won't willingly part with such a potent technique."

Ying Ye retorted, "That's where your skills come into play, Dean Wang. I'm only interested in acquiring the technique; the rest is of no concern to me."

Grasping Ying Ye's implication, Wang Chengfeng quickly responded, "Understood. Once Sha Jian eliminates him in the second round, I'll proceed with a soul search immediately."

While Wang Chengfeng and Ying Ye were engaged in their conversation, Qin Buyi's voice projected from the arena, "Has the First Prince overlooked something?"

Ying Ye's expression tensed momentarily before he retrieved a storage ring from his pocket and tossed it to Qin Buyi, declaring, "A mere 40 million Low Grade Spirit Stones. I'm not one to renege on a promise."

Qin Buyi caught the storage ring and scanned its contents with his Divine Consciousness. The count was precise—40 million Low Grade Spirit Stones. Qin Buyi acknowledged, "Well done. The First Prince truly honors his commitments."

After departing the arena, Qin Buyi approached Ying Zhi.

Noticing Qin Buyi's grin, Ying Zhi offered his congratulations, "Well done, Mr. Qin, on your victory in the opening round."

Following Qin Buyi's triumph, Ying Zhi observed Wang Chengfeng's grimace.

Ying Ye maintained a veneer of composure, but beneath it, smoldered a fury as satisfying to witness as savoring a chilled sour plum drink on a hot summer day.

Qin Buyi withdrew twenty million Low Grade Spirit Stones and secured them in the system's storage space. He then handed the storage ring, now with the remaining twenty million stones, to Ying Zhi, expressing his gratitude, "My thanks to you, Mr. Zhi, for your support. Without your guarantee of the Spirit Stones, I would never have amassed such a fortune."

"Therefore, I've decided to give you, Mr. Zhi, half of the forty million Low Grade Spirit Stones."

Qin Buyi extended his hand to accept the offer, but Ying Zhi stopped him.

Ying Zhi spoke with genuine warmth, "Mr. Qin, we're brothers, after all. There's no need for such formalities."

"Take all the Spirit Stones, Mr. Qin, and please, no more refusals."

With a look of unwavering resolve, Ying Zhi left Qin Buyi with no option but to retract his hand.

Ying Zhi then cautioned him, "Mr. Qin, having secured your first victory, rest assured Wang Chengfeng won't let you claim the second one so easily. Stay on your guard!"

"Thanks for the heads-up, Mr. Zhi," Qin Buyi replied. "I'll take a moment to rest and replenish my strength."

Ying Zhi quickly added, "The first round took a toll on your stamina. It's crucial to seize this time to recuperate. I'll stand guard for you, Mr. Qin."

While his role was to protect, Ying Zhi was actually seated next to Qin Buyi, taking pleasure in the sour expressions of Wang Chengfeng and Ying Ye in the distance.

Having contended with Ying Ye for so long, Ying Zhi was perhaps the only person in the world who understood Ying Ye as well as he understood himself.

"Ying Ye may appear calm and collected, but I bet he's seething inside," Ying Zhi mused with a touch of schadenfreude.