46 Let’s Settle This in the Dueling Arena
“A Tier 3 academy card… well, it’s better than Tier 2.”
Yan Zhen sighed. He had hoped to gain some favors from Great Aunt Elder, but she simply smiled and said, “A good child should rely on their own efforts, not connections,” even though the Yu family had the most connections in the academy. Hmph.
However, the Tier 3 academy card contained 1000 points, enough for ten days of cultivation in the Nine-Layered Celestial Dome Pagoda. His great-aunt wasn’t that bad after all.
Higher-tier cards had higher point values. The 1000 points on a Tier 3 card could be exchanged for 2000 points on a Tier 2 card, or 4000 points on a Tier 1 card. However, such exchanges were rare, usually only going from lower to higher tiers.
Yan Zhen put away the card and left the building. Huangfu Wenqing was already waiting for him at the intersection, carrying a small, dark green package.
“Good morning, Yan Zhen.”
“Morning. What’s that in your hand?”
“Pastries. I had them sent from the dining hall. Let’s eat as we walk.”
“Okay~”
Huangfu Wenqing opened the package, revealing a dozen or so pastries. Judging from their appearance, there were both sweet and savory fillings.
Yan Zhen took a sweet one, bit into it, and found it filled with red bean paste, infused with a faint Mystic Qi, clearly not ordinary red bean paste.
“The dining hall’s skills are quite good. Chew, chew, chew~”
Huangfu Wenqing took a savory pastry and nibbled on it. She usually preferred fasting pills, one pill enough for several days of sustenance, the better ones lasting even longer. However, that wouldn’t allow her to enjoy a meal with Yan Zhen like this.
Seeing him quickly devour a pastry, his cheeks puffed out like a little hamster, she found him incredibly cute and wanted to keep feeding him.
“I’ll learn how to cook too,” she said. “I’ll make anything you want to eat.”
Her cooking skills will clash with Meng’er and Instructor Yu Xuan’s… However, Yan Zhen encouraged her, saying, “I’ll be looking forward to it.”
By the time they reached the halfway point, the pastries were gone. Huangfu Wenqing had only eaten one; the rest had gone into Yan Zhen’s stomach. She had also thoughtfully prepared tea, a high-quality floral tea that left a pleasant fragrance in the mouth.
With their stomachs full, they arrived at the small mountain leading to the Nine-Layered Celestial Dome Pagoda. As usual, there was a long queue. Seeing Yan Zhen and Huangfu Wenqing, the people in the queue gave them strange looks.
Someone in the crowd shouted, “They’re here!” Then, over a dozen students wearing the “White Fang” badge, both male and female, surrounded Yan Zhen and Huangfu Wenqing.
[Ding! Key plot triggered]
Hearing the system notification, Yan Zhen quickly identified his target for this mission: a one-star Mystic General named Fu Cheng, ranked near the bottom of the Rising Star List, who had supposedly just advanced at the beginning of the semester.
Seeing Huangfu Wenqing, a look of admiration flashed in Fu Cheng’s eyes, but he quickly suppressed it and said, acting like a senior, “I heard you two freshmen cut in line in front of our White Fang yesterday?”
Time for another verbal spar… Yan Zhen said indifferently, “You weren’t skilled enough. Instead of practicing, you’re here blocking the way and picking a fight? Is this all the White Fang has? No wonder you’re only third-rate.”
The seven-star Mystic Scholar who had been slapped yesterday immediately retorted, “What nonsense are you talking about? The White Fang is a first-rate society!”
Fu Cheng raised his hand, silencing him, and sneered. “Sharp tongue. But your skills don’t match your words. A mere four-star Mystic Master, and you think you can judge the White Fang?”
Just as Yan Zhen was about to retort, a sharp wind swept past him, followed by a flash of green sword light. Fu Cheng was sent flying, crashing into the crowd behind him.
“???”
Not just the White Fang members and the onlookers, even Yan Zhen was stunned. He turned and saw that Huangfu Wenqing had drawn her sword.
“There’s no need to waste words on this kind of person. Just take action.”
—Ah, this… I want to too, but I have to follow the script.
Yan Zhen realized this wasn’t good. Fu Cheng was his mission target, and he couldn’t let Huangfu Wenqing defeat him.
—And she instantly activated another King-level Mystic Skill. Something’s definitely not right.
“Brother Fu Cheng!”
The White Fang members rushed over to him. Fu Cheng got up, glared at Huangfu Wenqing, and said angrily, “You bitch, you dared to sneak attack me?”
Huangfu Wenqing said coldly, “You surrounded us. Did you expect me to wait for you to attack first? Idiot. And that was just a warning. Get lost, or the next attack won’t be so light.”
“You’re courting death!”
Fu Cheng kicked aside one of his subordinates, unleashed his Mystic General cultivation, and clad himself in Wind Mystic Power armor.
A silver spear appeared in his hand, and, enraged, he unleashed a General-level Mystic Skill, his Mystic Power condensing into a falcon that swooped down towards Huangfu Wenqing.
Mystic Generals could condense their Mystic Power into objects, making their attacks more powerful and versatile.
Huangfu Wenqing snorted softly, channeled Wind Mystic Power into her Tier 5 Canglan Sword, and thrust.
“Piercing Wind Thrust!”
Although she attacked later, her sword light pierced through the falcon, making it explode.
A draw, at least it seemed that way.
Fu Cheng’s expression darkened. He couldn’t understand how this six-star Mystic Master could be so powerful. He thought for a moment, then turned his attention to Yan Zhen.
“Brat, are you just going to hide behind a woman?”
—Clearly, a four-star Mystic Master is an easier target. I’ll get my revenge first.
Yan Zhen’s eyes lit up. He quickly pulled Huangfu Wenqing behind him and said, “If you want to fight, I’ll fight you. But not here. Let’s settle this in the, uh, not the dance hall, the… dueling arena.”
Fu Cheng laughed as if he had heard the funniest joke. “Hahahaha, and you think you can challenge me in the dueling arena?”
“The wager will be all the points we have on hand.”
“Fine! I accept! Although I don’t care about your measly points, as a senior, I should indulge my junior! Hehe.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how many points do you have?”
“Three thousand points on my Tier 4 academy card!”
Yan Zhen’s eyes lit up like light bulbs. He suppressed his smile and said calmly, “Let’s go, to the dueling arena.”
Huangfu Wenqing naturally had no objections and followed him obediently.
“Let’s go!”
Fu Cheng put away his spear, waved his hand, and led the White Fang members towards the dueling arena.
Some curious students followed.
Yan Zhen, the freshman who won first place in the special examination, challenging Fu Cheng, a newly ranked expert on the Rising Star List. This would be a good show!
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