60 Sent Flying with a Single Palm Strike
The couple didn’t linger in their embrace for long. Mature Zi Xunyi released Yan Zhen, urging him to return, lest her younger self notice something amiss.
Back in reality, Yan Zhen lifted his head from the table and saw Zi Xunyi staring at him. She quickly averted her gaze when he woke up.
The atmosphere became awkward.
Knowing that Zi Xunyi needed time to think, Yan Zhen decided not to disturb her further. He stood up and said, “Then I’ll go back tonight. I’ll visit you again when I have the chance.”
Zi Xunyi responded with a soft “mm-hmm.”
Yan Zhen waved goodbye and was about to turn and leave when Zi Xunyi called out, “Wait.”
He stopped, and Zi Xunyi walked over to him, blushing as she smoothed out the wrinkles on his clothes.
“There.”
Yan Zhen scratched his cheek, feeling a bit shy.
“Thank you.”
Zi Xunyi smiled faintly and said softly, “Get some rest. Let me know if you run into any trouble.”
Yan Zhen nodded, then left the room, walked onto the balcony, leaped into the air, and, using his Starry Sky Dance, transformed into a streak of starlight, soaring through the night sky.
However, just as he was about to descend, he sensed a powerful aura approaching rapidly from the side. He couldn’t react in time and was struck, his balance broken, sending him plummeting towards the ground like a cannonball.
Bang!
Dust and debris flew everywhere, obscuring the bright moonlight.
Yan Zhen crashed to the ground, his body aching all over. Fortunately, his physique was strong, and he had used Mystic Power armor to protect his vital points before impact. Otherwise, he would have been bedridden for days.
“Damn it, a sneak attack! Who was that?”
Yan Zhen swung his arm, and a gust of Mystic Power dispersed the dust, revealing the attacker. He was stunned.
“Wen Canglan?”
The bespectacled Wen Canglan, ranked second on the Rising Star List, a nine-star Mystic General, was also the only one who dared to openly pursue Zi Xunyi.
Yan Zhen frowned. Why was he here?
Then he remembered. He and Long Ying had gone to the dining hall with Zi Xunyi, attracting the attention of many students. This must have reached Wen Canglan’s ears, so he came to investigate and, seeing him emerge from the cliffside building, attacked.
—As expected, deviating from the script causes all sorts of problems.
Wen Canglan landed slowly, his face expressionless, his eyes, like crystals with countless facets, gleaming behind his glasses.
These were the “Crystal Eyes,” a bloodline ability of the Wen family, somewhat similar to an insect’s compound eyes. They granted exceptional dynamic vision and the ability to perceive weaknesses in an opponent’s Mystic Power flow, allowing him to easily intercept Yan Zhen mid-flight.
He wore glasses to protect his sensitive Crystal Eyes.
“Student Yan Zhen,” Wen Canglan asked, his voice cold and indifferent, “why did you come out of that building? That’s not a place you should be.”
“Where I go is none of your business.” Yan Zhen said coldly. “You, Wen Canglan, ranked second on the Rising Star List, an elite student of the Inner Academy, you dare to sneak attack a freshman? Have you no shame?”
“I held back. Otherwise, you wouldn’t even be able to speak now.” Wen Canglan, unfazed, adjusted his glasses. “If this were outside the academy, you would be dead… The biggest difference between the Inner and Outer Academies is teaching students the true meaning of ‘survival of the fittest’.”
“That’s no excuse for a sneak attack.” Yan Zhen retorted, reciting the academy rules flawlessly, “The academy clearly states that battles between students must take place openly in the dueling arena. Unauthorized private duels are strictly prohibited. Violators will be punished with confinement for three days, or even expulsion in severe cases. Someone like you, sneak-attacking and injuring another student, should not only compensate for medical expenses but also apologize and be confined for at least three days.”
“Freshmen are so naive.” Wen Canglan said indifferently, “Rules are meant to be broken. Those rules don’t apply to me. I’m ranked second on the Rising Star List, and my grandfather is the Vice Dean of the Inner Academy.”
Within the Sacred Ground Academy, the Yu family was the most powerful, followed by the Wen family in the Inner Academy and the Han family in the Outer Academy, all with connections within the Jiā Lán Sacred Ground.
The Han family of the Outer Academy wasn’t a threat, but the Wen family of the Inner Academy was the only force that could rival the Yu family.
Because behind the Wen family was another of the “Seven Sons of Jiā Lán,” Supreme Elder Jing.
“So you’re relying on connections.” Yan Zhen scoffed. “Do you even know where you are? This is Grand Elder Yu Yan’s territory, and I’m her disciple. Your background means nothing to me.”
Wen Canglan narrowed his eyes, his crystalline eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
“I don’t need connections to deal with you—I’ll only use one move. If you can withstand it, I’ll acknowledge you as my opponent. If you can’t, then stay away from the cliffside building.”
Without waiting for Yan Zhen’s response, Wen Canglan began channeling his Mystic Power.
—Damn it! This guy is so annoying!
Yan Zhen frowned.
In the script, Wen Canglan, seeing Yan Zhen’s close relationship with Zi Xunyi, became jealous and challenged him.
At that time, Yan Zhen was a nine-star Mystic Master, so Zi Xunyi tried to dissuade him from accepting the challenge. But Yan Zhen accepted anyway, agreeing to a duel during the “Star Picking Ceremony” ten days later.
The Star Picking Ceremony was the Inner Academy’s annual grand event, where the Rising Star List was refreshed and rankings were rearranged based on the results.
Ten days later, Yan Zhen advanced to one-star Mystic General and then dueled Wen Canglan during the ceremony.
As for the outcome, it went without saying. Yan Zhen won.
But now, Yan Zhen was only a four-star Mystic Master, still some distance from five-star. Facing a nine-star Mystic General like Wen Canglan, even if he could withstand a single attack, he would be severely injured, unless he used an Emperor-level Mystic Skill, which would level the surrounding area.
He had nuclear weapons, but he couldn’t just use them casually.
However, as the protagonist, being defeated was unacceptable. Otherwise, the system would deduct his character points.
He closed his eyes, mentally searching through his inventory of special trump cards.
First, use “He Wants to Fight Ten,” then use “I Can Fight Ten.” That should work, right?
—No, not safe enough.
Then use the power-up combo?
—Not necessary. Against a mere Mystic General, there’s no need for that.
That’s it! The “Parry, Redirect, Counter” card he received last time, and the “Five Lightning Whips” from before, a perfect combination for a double counterattack!
As he was thinking, Wen Canglan finished charging his attack and unleashed a massive crystalline palm print, the Wen family’s ultimate technique, the Crystallization Palm. Anyone struck by it would be crystallized and shattered.
Yan Zhen was about to activate “Parry, Redirect, Counter” when he sensed a familiar aura rapidly approaching from the cliffside building. A thought struck him, and he immediately switched tactics, withdrawing the card, drawing the Gold and Silver Fire Sword Embryo, and blocking the attack.
Boom!
The palm print struck, and Yan Zhen, unable to withstand the force, was sent flying, coughing up blood.
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