"Haha, very good. You've succeeded in angering me. Now, I'll show you the true strength of Jinghai College!"
Qinglan's face twisted slightly from the pain of the wound on her shoulder. Blood stained her robe, and her breathing was heavy, but her eyes were still sharp and focused.
Enduring the pain, she raised her hand and pointed toward Wei Lin, who hovered in the air. In front of her, dozens of sharp, pale blue wind blades materialized.
Whoosh!
The blades sliced through the air with a piercing screech, flying straight toward Wei Lin.
This time, they were faster, more refined, and filled with an oppressive force.
Wei Lin's pupils shrank in alarm.
"Wood Element—Quadruple Wood Shield!"
From beneath him, a tangle of thick vines shot up and rapidly wove themselves into four protective barriers in front of him.
Boom!
The first shield shattered instantly.
The second layer lasted only two seconds before collapsing under the pressure.
Then the third layer held for four seconds before also breaking apart.
The fourth and final layer—Wei Lin's last line of defense—barely held for a breath before Qinglan's final wind blade pierced through it with terrifying force.
Pfft!
The blade struck Wei Lin's left shoulder, tearing through flesh and bone. His body jerked backward from the impact.
Bang!
He crashed to the ground, groaning in agony as pain spread through his upper body. He clutched his shoulder, blood flowing freely.
"This wound you gave me—I'm just returning it," Qinglan said coldly, walking step by step toward Wei Lin.
Despite her injuries, her willpower and endurance were far stronger than his. Her steps were steady, her eyes emotionless.
Wei Lin struggled to rise, clenching his teeth as he tried to push himself up.
But Qinglan stepped forward and stomped on his chest, targeting his already wounded shoulder. She pressed down hard, the heel of her boot digging into his injury.
Her face was icy, filled with contempt and cruelty.
"You useless loser. Did you really think a second-level beginner in the Wood Element could defeat me?"
"Being wounded by someone like you is the greatest humiliation I've ever suffered!"
"Just admit defeat, you worthless piece of trash!"
Her foot pressed down harder. Wei Lin's face turned pale from the pain. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Yet even as his body trembled, he clenched his jaw and hissed through gritted teeth,
"Keep dreaming...!"
Suddenly, his uninjured hand shot up and grabbed Qinglan's foot.
"Wood Element—Explosive Rain!"
Thick vines burst from his palm and snaked around Qinglan's legs, trying to entangle her and pull her down.
"You think this little trick will work on me?!"
Qinglan sneered. A sharp gust of wind erupted from her body, slicing apart the vines like paper.
"Trash will always be trash. Admit defeat!"
She stomped on his shoulder again, her heel pressing into the same injured spot with increasing pressure.
"I'm not trash!"
Wei Lin roared, his spiritual energy surging wildly from his core, channeling the last of his strength in one desperate gamble.
But Qinglan was already fed up.
Her eyes turned cold, and she put all her weight into her next step.
Crack!
A sickening crunch echoed through the arena.
Wei Lin screamed, his voice shrill with pain. His shoulder had been completely crushed by Qinglan's merciless stomp.
In the spectator area, Smith suddenly jumped up from his seat the moment he heard the scream.
"What is she doing?!"
Xi Congqing, who had been sitting beside him, grabbed his arm quickly. "If you jump in now, you'll break the rules. You'll be disqualified!"
"Am I just supposed to watch Wei Lin be tortured like this?!" Smith's eyes were red with fury.
If Xi Congqing hadn't stopped him, he would have leaped onto the stage right then and there.
"Calm down! There's a referee watching!"
On the ring, the referee finally stepped forward after hearing the scream.
"Jinghai College wins!"
Unless a contestant admits defeat or is knocked out of the ring, the referee has the right to end the match if someone's life is in danger or if a rule is violated.
Clearly, Qinglan had already won.
Medics rushed in and carried Wei Lin away for emergency treatment.
Seeing this, Smith's rage subsided slightly—but only for a moment.
The next scene ignited the fire in his heart again.
Qinglan turned her head and slowly looked at him.
Her face showed cold provocation, mocking disdain, and a sense of triumph. She was deliberately showing off, clearly sending a message to him.
Not only Qinglan, but the others from Jinghai College—including Lin Yun—also stared at Smith and his group with sneering, condescending expressions.
"They're doing this on purpose... Is this revenge for losing first place to us earlier?" Smith narrowed his eyes at Lin Yun and the others.
They kept saying Huaihai College should "give way" to Jinghai, but from how things looked, Jinghai College didn't seem to need any special favors.
"I'm going to check on Wei Lin," Smith said, turning to leave.
But just then, the referee's voice rang out once more.
"For the seventh match, Xi Congqing from Huaihai College versus Lin Yun from Jinghai College!"
The announcement caused a stir in the audience.
Most didn't recognize Xi Congqing, but they definitely knew Lin Yun—the son of Lin Hai, president of Jinghai College.
He was a prodigy who had advanced to third-level psychic in less than a year. Like Qinglan, he was one of the top talents in the entire southeastern region.
Smith stopped in his tracks.
He looked at Xi Congqing, who had already stood up and was calmly preparing to head to the ring.
After a moment of thought, he said, "I'll stay. I want to watch your match first."
Xi Congqing didn't respond. She simply gave him a quick glance, then turned and walked toward the stage, her white robe fluttering in the breeze.
---
"Xiaoqing, I didn't expect us to be matched up," Lin Yun said with a smile.
He was, undeniably, a good-looking young man—tall, confident, and glowing with youthful energy. His smile was like the spring sun, warm and charming.
Unfortunately,
Xi Congqing had long since seen through his true nature.
And after Qinglan's cruel behavior, she had lost all respect for the people of Jinghai College.
"I'll do my best," she replied coldly. The wind blew softly, rustling her robes, making her look like a figure molded from breeze and snow.
"You Huaihai students have no chance. One more loss, and your team is out. But I'll give you a way out." Lin Yun grinned. "You know I like you. If you agree to be with me, I'll forfeit this round."
Xi Congqing's expression didn't change. Her voice turned ice cold.
"Don't flatter yourself. You disgust me."
Lin Yun's smile froze. His voice dropped an octave, eyes narrowing.
"Why? You think I'm not good enough for you? Or is there someone else you like?"
Xi Congqing stayed silent.
Lin Yun's tone grew sharp. "Is it Smith?"
At the mention of that name, Xi Congqing blinked.
She turned to glance at Smith in the audience. Their eyes met.
Then, she looked back at Lin Yun and calmly replied,
"Yes, I like him. So can you give up now?"
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