Battle Through the Heavens

Chapter 407: One Strike

The voice, which had suddenly appeared, directly caused the open ground, where private whispers had just broken out, to once again quiet down suddenly. Numerous gazes, that contained some astonishment, were thrown onto the black-robed young man in the middle of the open ground, who was carrying a huge black ruler, that was around his height. In an instant, the entire stadium was completely silent.

“Xiao Yan ge-ge…” Xun Er eyed the back of the figure standing on the open ground, who was taller compared to two years ago, but also a little skinnier. An elegant smile, that would cause the surrounding male students to lust for greatly, was immediately revealed on her exquisitely pretty face.

“This fellow… must he create such a big commotion every time he arrives. He really likes showing off.” Xiao Yu’s pretty eyes stared intently at the back, which she had not seen for two years. She heaved a great sigh of relief in her heart. However, her mouth was still unwilling to forgive as she spoke out loud.

“Ha ha, Xiao-Yu jie-jie, is that person the Xiao Yan ge-ge that Xun Er is always talking about? It is really unexpected that he managed to hurry over at the very last moment.” Beside Xiao Yu, a group of young ladies, who appeared to be of the same class as Xun Er, laughed as they asked while their gazes stared at the person’s back in the open ground.

TL: jie-jie – older sister or addressing a slightly older close female friend or relative

“That’s right. That is the brat which causes Xun Er to worry all the time. You are all disappointed, right?” Xiao Yu could not help but say as she took one glance at Xun Er, who had paused her lips and smiled.

“Hee hee, we must see his strength. What is the use of just being good looking?” The young ladies laughed as they spoke. In Jia Nan Academy, an environment where strength was similarly respected, being the most handsome was not the most important. Being able to easily defeat strong opponents in the competition and pull back elegantly, was the style of the perfect man within their hearts.

“However, even if he managed to get here in time, the situation is not very good. That Xue Beng is a nine star Dou Shi. Moreover, the Qi Method he practices is at the Xuan Class Low Level. His lance techniques have been practiced until they have reached their pinnacle. The Xuan Class Middle Level lance technique Dou Technique, ‘Overlapping Waves’, has defeated quite a number of opponents…” A young lady, whose appearance was quite beautiful, suddenly said somewhat sheepishly.

Xiao Yu and the others frowned slightly when they heard this. They immediately glanced at Xun Er whose eyes were totally calm. They said somewhat uncertainly, “That brat should be able to handle it. I don’t believe that he would achieve nothing during these two years, given that character of his…”

For a long time, Instructor Ruo Ling’s pretty eyes stared at the young man in the battle arena, who was carrying a large ruler. She also quietly sighed in relief within her heart. Since Xiao Yan had managed to get here in time, even if he were to lose the match, she would only lose the chance of being promoted to a Xuan Class Instructor for one year. She still had the opportunity to fight for it next year. After all, with the potential that Xiao Yan had displayed back then when she was recruiting students, she believed that Xiao Yan would be able to catch up as long as he was able to practice at the academy for a year.

“Good, good. Let’s all not daydream. Since this fellow has finally arrived, let us remain here and support him. Regardless of how long he can endure, he is at the very least a member of our Huang Class – Second Class.” Instructor Ruo Ling turned her head and looked past all the young ladies as she helplessly said. However, the meaning behind her words clearly indicated that she similarly did not hold much hope of Xiao Yan being able to defeat Xue Beng.

“Is he that Xiao Yan?” A white-clothed Bai Shan at the viewing gallery, whose figure was straight and tall, like a jade tree standing in the wind, looked at the black-robed young man in the open ground while feeling some doubt. He did not expect that this fellow had really managed to make it at the very last moment.

“His breath is very calm. Perhaps he might have some ability, but that is only so.” Bai Shan lifted his eyebrows, and said faintly as he watched the black-robed young man’s expression, which did not change even a little because of the surroundings that were filled with people. The him who had great expectations, he did not give this potential love rival a very high score.

“Is this the Xiao Yan ge-ge that Xun Er is obsessed with? He is finally willing to appear… but he does not appear to be very handsome. I really don’t know why she misses him so much.” The gaze of the red-dressed young lady swept over Xiao Yan’s body with great interest. However, she immediately curled her lips and said.

“What is the use of being handsome? Can it let the referee give him extra marks?” The white-haired old man by her side rolled his eyes. A pair of turbid eyes like that of an ordinary old man stopped on Xiao Yan’s body. A moment later, his brows were knit slightly together. Shock flashed across his eyes. Shaking his head, he faintly said with a smile, “A very interesting fellow…”

“I hope that he won’t be immediately defeated by Xue Beng the moment he comes out to fight. Otherwise, Xiao Xun Er’s face would be totally lost.” The red-clothed young lady’s delicate hand rubbed a thread of long, pale-red hair hanging down as she said somewhat gloatingly.

“Just watch…” The old man smiled. His gaze came into contact with the referee platform not far away and realized that there was also some shock within the eyes of the few old friends there. It looks like they should have also seen some of the unique points about this little fellow called Xiao Yan.

“You are Xiao Yan?” The long lance of the cold faced Xue Beng was heavily smashed into the tough ground in front of the tens of thousands of gazes in the stadium. His gaze shot directly at the black-robed young man as he coldly said.

Xiao Yan smiled and nodded.

“You are not worthy of her.” Xue Beng words were direct with disdain when he saw Xiao Yan nodded.

“Perhaps.” Xiao Yan immediately felt somewhat helpless when he heard this. Another person pursuing Xun Er. Looks like this girl had really muddled along quite well within this Jia Nan Academy.

“There are countless numbers of people in Jia Nan Academy who were waiting for you to make your appearance. From today onward, it is likely that you will have an unceasing number of troubles. I may be the first to challenge you but I will definitely not be the last.” Xue Beng coldly laughed. He immediately swung the long lance in his hand and pointed its tip toward Xiao Yan, “I will defeat you in front of her. A mediocre person like you does not have the qualification to possess an outstanding girl like her.”

“They are indeed just a group of jealous children…” Xiao Yan was somewhat speechless as he eyed Xue Beng, who declared war the moment they had met. He sighed and slowly grabbed the hilt of the Heavy Xuan Ruler in his hand. The body of the ruler trembled slightly as it tilted and pointed downward. As he waved the ruler, an extremely great sound of compressed air being sliced reverberated in the arena.

“I also quite dislike receiving never ending trouble. Therefore, in order to put an end to that, you will have to suffer a little.” The huge ruler left a vast black shadow on the ground as Xiao Yan lifted his head and smiled as he replied to Xue Beng.

“Oh? You want to use me to ‘kill the chicken to warn the monkeys’?” That Xue Beng was no fool. He understood Xiao Yan’s intention when he heard the latter speak in this manner. Immediately, a veiled fury flashed across his eyes as he coldly laughed, “Aren’t you afraid of twisting your tongue by boasting so much?”

TL: kill the chicken to warn the monkeys – a warning to others

“Can we begin?” Xiao Yan tilted his head and threw his gaze toward the seven or eight old men in the judge’s seats as he asked with a smile.

“Yes.” The few old men exchanged glances when they saw Xiao Yan looking over. They then nodded.

“Arrogant Brat!”

Xue Beng’s expression became slightly cold when he saw the judges nodding. His hand held his lance tightly as he feet abruptly stomped on the ground. The long lance vibrated and carried a sharp sound as it shot toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan did not move his body. He eyed Xue Beng, who was the first to attack, while holding the long lance in his hand. The heavy ruler in his hand shook slightly. It was just as he had said earlier, Xiao Yan clearly understood that there were quite a number of people within Jia Nan Academy who possessed enmity toward him because of Xun Er. Now that he had just arrived, the only method to put an end to the unceasing challenges was to frighten them!

Moreover, even if he excluded having to remove those never ending troubles, Xiao Yan also urgently needed to obtain a suppressing victory that left no one in doubt when he had just come to Jia Nan Academy, where talented individuals gathered!

He wanted to prove one thing to everyone. That was the Xiao Yan ge-ge, whom Xun Er had never stopped talking about, had the strength to stand in front of her and help her block any storm!

He wanted to let everyone know that her judgement would not disappoint anyone!

Back then, he was a useless person. Therefore, Xun Er had once stood in front of him. Now, however, he did not want the things of the past to repeat itself.

Therefore, he did not need to have any stalemate-like bitter fight in this battle. What he needed was a destructive and uninteresting victory!

His assertive arrogance this time around was a tiny compensation to that girl who had bitterly waited for him for two years.

He wanted to let her know that he had not wasted these two years.

The thought in his heart was like a tide overturning. He inhaled a deep breath, and inserted the heavy ruler into the ground. His hands were extended out of his sleeves, which he rolled up.

Just as the opponent’s fierce attack was about to reach him, he steadily arranged his sleeves. The sea of people surrounding the open ground were immediately quiet as the eyed Xiao Yan’s calm manner. They could only use one word to describe Xiao Yan’s current performance: Presumptuous!

Xue Beng’s eyes were icy cold as he eyed Xiao Yan’s action. The anger in his heart grew even greater. Following the change in the thoughts within his heart, the Dou Qi immediately rolled and poured into the long lance. The tip of the lance carried a pale-red glow as his palm abruptly struck the end of the lance’s handle. The lance immediately shot out explosively. In the blink of an eye, it was about to reach the front of Xiao Yan’s throat!

“Ah!”

The expressions of Xiao Yu and Instructor Ruo Ling could not help but change slightly when they saw that lightning-like attack of Xue Beng in the battleground. Only Xun Er was still maintaining her calm. In her heart, she clearly knew that the current Xiao Yan was no longer that useless person in the Xiao clan back then. Even Nalan Yanran, who was carefully groomed and taught by the Misty Cloud Sect, was defeated by his hands. From this, one could see just how strong the current Xiao Yan was!

Under the countless number of gazes, containing various different kinds of emotions, this long lance attack by Xue Beng, which had a mighty momentum, was in front of Xiao Yan’s throat in a lightning quick manner. However, just as everyone was waiting for the bloody scene, which was about to appear. the tip of the lance, which was less than half an inch from Xiao Yan’s throat, suddenly stilled as though the air had solidified.

Countless number of gazes followed the long lance as they moved and finally stopped at the handle of the lance. A pale long hand was tightly holding the handle of the lance there. That incomparably ferocious attack of Xue Beng was actually forcefully stopped by one hand.

In the stadium, an uncountable number of gazes once again slowly moved along the hand. They finally stopped on the body of the black-robed young man, whose expression was indifferent. The entire place immediately erupted into chaos!

Xiao Yan lifted his gaze. He laughed at Xue Beng in front of him, whose expression had changed greatly. The corner of his mouth was lifted into a tiny arc as he softly said, “One strike!”

As his voice fell, Xiao Yan’s body swayed and instantly turned into a blurry shadow. Xiao Yan tightened his right hand, and a sharp, ear-piercing force immediately screamed out!

Xue Beng sensed the terrifying force that suddenly rose. His eyes shrunk and dismay finally pasted on his face.