TWANG—WHOOSH—

Freed from its restraints, the Conical Arrow shot out like a Black Flood Dragon, parting the air in the blink of an eye as it hurtled toward the Red Armor Shield!

At that moment, Liu Yong, who stood just five paces from Jiang Qiu, felt his short hair stand on end. His wide eyes reflected only a flashing black streak. Only when a thunderous BOOM echoed did he turn to look, his lips trembling in shock. "How can it be so fast?!"

CLANG-DA-DA-DA...

The distant steel base lifted slightly at one corner as if struck by a battering ram, vibrating with a sharp rattle. Yet on the Red Armor Shield fixed to it, there was only a hole—and no arrow!

’Where’s the arrow?!’

Liu Yong’s right fist was slick with sweat, his heart pounding like a great bronze bell.

"Holy shit?! Brother Jiang pierced ten layers of armor with one arrow!"

The onlookers’ cries of astonishment struck him like a bolt of lightning. With a THUD, his heart plummeted as if falling off a cliff. His eyes widened, drained of all color, and his lips twitched uncontrollably.

’One arrow through ten layers of armor?’

’A guy who’s only practiced archery for three days can pierce ten layers of armor!’

’He’s lying to me. They’re all lying to me. This has to be a lie!’

Liu Yong’s body trembled like a cooked shrimp. He stared at the Conical Arrow held up in Wu Shan’s hand in the distance as a chill washed over him from head to toe. "Ten layers. Dead center of the white circle!"

That was piercing ten layers of armor with a single arrow! Anyone capable of that had to have mastered their Qi Blood to a certain degree, and would already be heading toward Skilled Level Bow Technique!

In other words, Jiang Qiu had already grasped the essence of Beginner Level Bow Technique. How could his own paltry thirty-percent control compare?!

’I’ve brought this humiliation upon myself!’

At this thought, Liu Yong lowered his head, letting the cold beads of sweat on his forehead slide down his cheeks. His heavy breathing hitched. "I’ve already lost..."

’The Prodigy Program wants geniuses skilled in Spear and Bow Dual Cultivation. My greatest, most prideful advantage has been crushed to dust. I’m no longer fit to continue with the Military Department’s test.’

’Why did it turn out like this?’

’Didn’t Dad say Jiang Qiu had never touched a bow before? How can he already pierce ten layers of armor with one shot?’

’He must have practiced with the bow for a long, long time. That’s why he reached the beginner level long ago!’

’Zhao Gongzheng is so proactive about him. Maybe he got Gong Su Fragrance from some other channel. He must have been hiding his skill, hiding it this whole time! Pretending he hadn’t even reached the beginner level earlier was just to humiliate me!’

’His act was so convincing, and I actually believed it!’

At this thought, Liu Yong clenched his jaw and turned, his eyes like those of a wild wolf about to pounce on the heavily panting Jiang Qiu. He saw hundreds of students gathered behind the black-bow-wielding youth, their shouts like thunder: "Brother Jiang is so fucking awesome! Damn, one arrow through ten layers of armor! This has to go down in the history books, right?!"

"Piercing ten layers of armor outside of the Prodigy Program trials—that’s completely unheard of in the Outer City! Brother Jiang’s Martial Arts aptitude is as stunning as a Celestial Being’s! He’s countless times stronger than that Liu Yong!"

"And he dared to challenge our Brother Jiang? Just three days of archery practice and he’s already crushing him. And that’s not even mentioning his peerless Spear Technique... Huh? At this rate, doesn’t that mean Brother Jiang has a chance to get into the Prodigy Program?!"

The words hammered down on Liu Yong’s head like iron mallets. His fists cracked as he clenched them, and he ground out through his teeth, "Jiang Qiu, I don’t accept this! I challenge you to a spear match!"

’Fuck, his Qi Blood is completely empty now, and you bastards are still talking such shameless crap!’

’I am the number one prodigy of First Middle School! Who are you to comment on my aptitude? No matter how outstanding Jiang Qiu is, he’s only at the Mastery Realm of the Spear Dao, just like me. Am I really any worse than him?!’

’Even if losing in Bow Technique means I’ve lost the right to participate further in the Military Department’s tests, there’s no way I can swallow this insult!’

"Liu Yong, calm down for a moment," Liu Qi said, holding up a hand to quiet him. He turned to Jiang Qiu, his gaze burning like fire. "Jiang Qiu, you’ve drawn your bow so many times in a row. Even if you can control your Qi Blood Circulation, you can’t possibly recover in such a short time.

Do you still want to compete in the Spear Technique match?"

’From the moment General Mo raised the requirements for the Military Department’s test, I thought this challenge was just a formality, that no one would be able to claim the extra spot in the Prodigy Program.’

’But Jiang Qiu’s aptitude for the Archery Dao is just too astonishing. A student born to walk a certain Weapon Dao like this is an absolute prodigy who must be nurtured!’

’Based on his performance so far, there’s actually a slim chance he could pass the upcoming Military Department tests. And even if he doesn’t, General Mo would surely offer him private assistance outside of the Prodigy Program!’

’Today’s challenge was already decided the moment he pierced ten layers of armor. The subsequent Spear Technique match is just a Martial Arts exchange with no bearing on the outcome. He can fight, or he can choose not to...’

Thinking of this, Liu Qi took a long breath. In his eyes, the young man shone like a world-illuminating sun.

"The Spear Technique, huh."

Jiang Qiu took a deep breath, glanced at the furious, fist-clenching Liu Yong, and his brow slowly lowered. "I’ll fight."

’I learned the spear before the bow. The Spear Dao is what I have the deepest comprehension of. Why would I have any reason to fear a spear competition?’

’The challenge is already more than halfway done. What’s the harm in finishing the last leg? Within the Mastery Realm, a trick or two won’t be enough to defeat me.’

’Even if... even if I don’t have enough Qi Blood to use Soaring Dragon Thrust, can’t sustain Copper Transformation for more than a few minutes, and a single Powerful Penetration would make me lose my balance.’

’I still won’t lose.’

With a CLACK, he hung the [Black Flood Dragon] bow on the wooden rack. He wiped the sweat that once again beaded on his face with his left hand, drying it on his waist. His right hand shot out and grabbed. With a SWISH, the spear’s Double Arc Blade flipped up from the rack, carving a cold, moon-like arc before tapping against the floor tile.

"Jiang Qiu, outstanding student of Eighth Middle School."

He strode into the pre-marked dueling circle, holding the spear in one hand, angled out from his waist. His upright posture was like that of an Azure Dragon raising its head—his qi contained, his presence radiating outwards.

"He’s not even going to rest?"

Liu Qi murmured under his breath.

"Huh? Brother Jiang just pierced ten layers of armor! His Qi Blood should be completely drained, right? And he’s accepting the challenge right away?!"

Zhang Shan was dumbfounded, his fists clenched tight.

"Heh, I knew it. Jiang Qiu is a peerless prodigy, a man who only ever moves forward. Why would he ever see Liu Yong as a threat!"

From a corner, Xie Kuang’s bloodshot eyes flew open wide. His thoughts howled like a wolf, and his chest heaved up and down.

’A frog in a well cannot speak of the ocean; a summer insect cannot speak of ice!’

’Only those who have never fought Jiang Qiu would mistake that attitude for arrogance and worry that he might lose. Only someone like me, who has been utterly defeated by him, can understand the confidence and composure a peerless prodigy like him ought to have!’

’Even if Liu Yong’s overall talent is slightly greater than even Li Juefeng’s, compared to Jiang Qiu, he is but an ant gazing at the sun—not even worth mentioning...’

"Hmph. I am Liu Yong, First Middle School’s number one prodigy. Prepare yourself!"

Under everyone’s gaze, Liu Yong hung up his bow and casually drew his Black Tassel Spear. With a flourish, he stepped into the dueling circle like a Wolf King prowling its barren plains, the Huajin gathering on his conical spearhead like a sharpened fang.

His chest was puffed out, his chin slightly raised. His right hand gripped the butt of the spear while his left, holding the middle of the shaft, twisted with a squeak to wipe away any moisture that might have condensed on it.

’Though rumors say Jiang Qiu is a prodigy who can turn the tide in a Secret Realm and even comprehended his Spear Dao Mastery techniques on his own, we are both in the Mastery Realm. The gap between us can’t be that large.’

’Besides, he just shot fifteen arrows in a row. His Qi Blood must be depleted. I bet he can barely even lift his spear, let alone use any Huajin!’

’And in that state, he still dares to be so arrogant? To pick up his spear and fight without even resting?!’

’This is utterly humiliating!’

At this thought, Liu Yong snorted and lowered his center of gravity. His body’s Strength flowed like water through a channel, converging in his hands and pouring into the spear shaft. With a HUM and a casual shake, the Huajin at his spear tip bloomed like an Ice Lotus!