All Heavenly destiny reduced to ashes
Chapter 292 - 153: Sword Immortal Prodigy (3/3)

Chapter 292: Chapter 153: Sword Immortal Prodigy (3/3)

"Nian Quan!"

Just as Nian Quan was entering meditation, someone suddenly called his name and even reached out to shake his shoulder.

Nian Quan’s brows furrowed deeply, as he raised his hand to block the other party’s wrist—being disturbed while meditating wasn’t a big deal for cultivators of their level, it was nothing more than a moment of discomfort, but such behavior was truly impolite.

He opened his eyes, and the other person was also surprised that Nian Quan could actually block their hand, uttering a light "huh."

"Not bad, so you, the bookworm, are also practicing Body Refinement Realm?"

The voice carried a teasing laugh. Nian Quan, expressionless, turned his head to look over, and there stood Hong Li, the second-ranked student in their grade, along with his entourage.

Hong Li was tall and muscular, even though he was just a junior high school student, he already had the height of an adult. He looked down at Nian Quan with a playful expression and an authoritarian tone, "Listen, next you’re going to use your free combat selection right to choose me as your opponent!"

Nian Quan’s eyelashes fluttered slightly.

Honestly, he felt like laughing at this suggestion.

Hong Li was the second son of a large cultivation family within the city, with ancestors who had been True Persons of the Purple Mansion, and currently boasted Foundation Establishment-level cultivators. His elder brother had entered First Middle School, and though Hong Li, slightly less competent in comprehensive qualities, had to settle for Third Middle School, the education he received from his family allowed him to nearly crush any ordinary student in the school.

This wasn’t mere boasting because the top ten middle schools in Xuanye City all had the chance to recommend outstanding students who ranked at the top to attend preparatory courses at the four major Daoist Academies. Hong Li had come to Third Middle School specifically for this opportunity.

But Nian Quan’s existence interfered with his plans.

Third Middle School had plenty of spots, a full ten in fact, and Hong Li would certainly get one no matter what, but he couldn’t stand the thought of not being the first, especially since the first place was held by a common student with no family background.

It was said that Hong Li had even been scolded by his family, who considered it a disgrace that he couldn’t surpass a commoner student.

Hong Li had come looking for him this time to thoroughly defeat him during the Martial Test—while the academic tests of Xuanye City were important, all other skills were moot if one didn’t reach Foundation Establishment. Real combat strength was the essence.

As long as he defeated Nian Quan in the Martial Test, even if his academic scores were slightly inferior, he would receive greater fame and evaluation than Nian Quan, and his family could justify it.

"What if I’m not willing?"

Standing up, Nian Quan was a head shorter than Hong Li. He had a delicate appearance, and his demeanor tended towards the gentle. From the back, even from the front, people often mistook his gender.

Standing alone against Hong Li and his followers, he seemed severely outnumbered.

Yet there wasn’t a trace of fear in him, "You have the right to challenge as well, feel free to do so."

"You think you’re worthy of my challenge?"

Hong Li revealed a disdainful look, raising his head haughtily, "Don’t say I’m not giving you face, Nian Quan. If you challenge me, I’ll make sure you lose gracefully and at least spare your pretty face."

"But if you make me challenge you... Breaking a few of your bones might remind you of your place, right?"

Nian Quan’s eyes narrowed, hiding the glistening light swirling within them.

If this had happened a few months earlier, he would definitely have backed off. No, he wouldn’t have come forward at all, would have calculated to score second to fifth rather than first, and ensure a stable scholarship.

After all, he was not strong enough to stand against Hong Li, who had Essence Qi like the tide and mastered various Art of Magic, and even Body Refinement Realm, without any means to fight back.

But now...

After confirming that the other party hadn’t made any significant breakthroughs, Nian Quan calmly shook his head, "You don’t have the authority to order me around."

"I do." Hearing Nian Quan talk back, Hong Li snickered contemptuously, bending and then clenching his fist, producing a dull sound of tendons and bones, "Don’t think just because you’re good-looking and somewhat talented that you can do whatever you want. Injuries are allowed in the Martial Test, if you don’t want to spend ten days to half a month recuperating, you’d better just do as I say."

"Indeed. I will be waiting for your challenge," Nian Quan replied indifferently, "if you really want to fight me, that is."

"You!" Seeing the unyielding Nian Quan, Hong Li was infuriated. He intended to say something like ’bruised ego much?’ but his youthful nature stopped him from uttering such an old-fashioned phrase, so he gritted his teeth and vehemently said, "Just wait, I’ll make you cry so hard you’ll go home to your mommy!"

"Oh! I forgot you’re an orphan, Hahaha!"

At this, remembering something, Hong Li burst out laughing, followed by his cronies jeering, "Orphan with no parents!" "Orphan with no parents!"

Facing the humiliation from Hong Li and his entourage, Nian Quan showed little emotion.

In his view, Hong Li was still the scion of a big family, and even his insults were soft and weak, far from the filthy remarks children from the Lower City District would make—after his mother passed away, if every idle gossip about him were to be written down, it would fill an entire encyclopedia.

He was not the kind to get angry easily.

But in the end, Nian Quan was still young, and while Hong Li’s words did not truly anger him, they solidified Nian Quan’s resolve, and he sighed, "Hong Li, you’d better have a doctor on standby."

"This disagreement between us isn’t worth dying over."

"...What do you mean?"

Hong Li was so taken aback by this comment that it took him a moment to comprehend what Nian Quan meant, and once he did, he exploded with fury, "You son of a..."

He raised his fist, poised to smash, but the attendant by his side sensed something wrong and immediately panicked, stepping forward: "Don’t, don’t, don’t, wait a moment before you hit, Brother Li! Private fights are not allowed in school! Wait, wait..."

But Hong Li’s strength was so great that ordinary people simply couldn’t hold him back, and it took three or four people working together to pull him away. Nian Quan just silently watched Hong Li as if he were watching a clown.

"You just wait!"

Having been pulled away, Hong Li also calmed down. He sneered coldly, then turned around and walked away.

The Martial Test was about to begin, and if he didn’t knock out all the teeth of that bookish nerd, he wouldn’t be called Hong!

Soon, as the Martial Test segment began, the news that Hong Li, the second in their grade, was challenging Nian Quan, the first in their grade, spread throughout the entire school.

There were a total of ten stages on the sports field where the Martial Test was taking place, starting with the top ten in the grade choosing their opponents to fight. This type of public bout also allowed these rather proud children to avoid choosing too weak an opponent. Of course, it wasn’t impossible to select the weakest, but if the fight turned out to be a one-strike-kill with no real demonstration of skill, the teachers wouldn’t grant a high grade.

Therefore, an ideal opponent would be one with a certain ability to fight back, perhaps even pose a threat, but whom one could defeat steadily.

In a way, this was also a test of judgement and the ability to choose opponents. If one didn’t train well in this aspect, no matter how skilled they might be in the future, they would end up kicking against the steel plate of those they couldn’t afford to provoke.

The principal of Third Middle School and the teachers maintaining order at the stages were all watching from the stand, and their attention was concentrated on the stage where Nian Quan and Hong Li were.

"What’s with the kid from the Hong Family?"

The principal’s face was thin, with long, narrow eyes, resembling some kind of predator: "Why does he have to pick on students of common birth?"

"And this Nian Quan... his performance wasn’t this good before, was it?"

"The incident a few days ago," a teacher whispered beside him: "Nian Quan’s mother likely died in a sweep operation by the Black Market. He’s probably stimulated and thus striving to become stronger."

"Though we have no evidence, he is, after all, a Heavenly Spiritual Root, truly a genius."

"Oh?" The principal slightly raised an eyebrow: "Has there been any expression of dissatisfaction with the Sky Surveillance Bureau?"

"Most likely not aware," the teacher shook his head: "What would a child know about such things? He’s got no family to rely on, so he just has to work hard in his studies to seek a way out."

"Interesting."

The principal nodded slightly: "Then let’s protect him a bit. Don’t let the kid from the Hong Family beat him too badly; after all, we need some geniuses outside the major families."

"Yes." Just as the teacher was about to notify the colleagues by the stage, something entirely unexpected happened.

"Nian Quan." On the stage, Hong Li, holding a wooden stick, sneered menacingly: "I’m going to smash your bones to pieces and turn you into a cripple!"

And Nian Quan, holding a wooden sword, his face without the slightest ripple, was just staring quietly at Hong Li.

At the very moment Hong Li spoke the word ’cripple’, he surged forward, instantly reinforcing himself with the triple Skills ’Divine Movement’, ’Protective Body’, and ’Soul Condensing’, then brought his stick crashing down onto Nian Quan’s shoulder!

Before reaching the late Qi Refinement stage, where one can mobilize nature’s spiritual energy through Divine Sense, a cultivator’s Art of Magic is far less powerful than their fists and feet. This is precisely why Qi Refinement cultivators often practice some Martial Skills as well. Although few actually decide to switch to practicing Martial Skills, the vast majority are adept at the art of combat.

The end of Hong Li’s stick even tore through the air, pulling out Thunder Sound—instantly augmenting himself with three Skills, he was not a mere playboy, but indeed a scion with real power in his hands!

"That’s bad!"

A few students who were familiar with Nian Quan couldn’t bear to watch. They could tell how fierce Hong Li’s strike was. Being hit, Nian Quan would likely break several bones!

Hum.

However, Nian Quan’s wooden sword suddenly vibrated with a hum, its flow of Inner Breath pulsing like a long river, causing the plain practice equipment to emit a sliver of teal wave-light.

Holding the sword in his right hand, Nian Quan formed a seal with his left, also instantaneously augmenting himself with the triple Skills ’Soul Condensing’, ’Swift’, and ’Sharpness’!

A curved sword arc of Liuguang traced a semicircle in the air, intersecting with the wooden stick in Hong Li’s hand mid-air, and then silently chopped it in half!

Immediately following... the arc of light tore through the resistance, slashing towards the still sneering Hong Li’s forearm!

Thud.

First came the sound of the severed stick hitting the ground, then the sound of Flesh and Blood falling, and finally the piercing scream of horror as Hong Li, in disbelief, stared at his amputated forearm.

Nian Quan exhaled a breath, sheathed his sword, and stepped off the stage.

"Sword Intent?!"

On the stand, compared to other teachers who were contacting the school infirmary, the principal’s face bore a solemn expression: "Has he actually grasped Sword Intent?!"

He didn’t care at all about Hong Li’s cries of agony but was staring intently at the expressionless Nian Quan, his face showing surprise and delight: "Has our school produced a Sword Immortal Prodigy?!"

Meanwhile.

An Jing, who had become accustomed to the rapid breakthroughs, had again surpassed the Sixth and Seventh Prohibition.