"So awesome." Xue Chuan finally understood how Fang Li had felt back then.
Pause!
Tang Yan called the first timeout, even though the game had only been going for a few minutes. Clearly, Tang Yan had come up with a new strategy to deal with the situation.
"Brother Tian, you're amazing!"The four girls immediately rushed to bring Xia Tian water and towels as soon as he stepped off the court.
"Brother Tian, please think about what the Lun family said!""Brother Tian is mine!""Don't argue—can't you see Brother Tian is looking at me?"
The talented yet eccentric girls from the Arts Department started bickering among themselves before eventually taking turns massaging Xia Tian's shoulders.
The game resumed.
Xue Chuan and his teammates quickly recovered their morale. Fang Li took possession of the ball, and the five players pressed hard toward the Arts Department's half. Xia Tian charged straight toward Fang Li, who immediately passed the ball, and his teammate quickly relayed it forward.
That was when Xia Tian realized something: the five players had positioned themselves like steps on a staircase, advancing by passing rather than dribbling.
Swish!
7–9.
Xue Chuan responded with a three-pointer against the Arts Department.
The Arts Department served the ball again. This time, instead of retreating to defend, four players surrounded Xia Tian at the center while Fang Li alone guarded the remaining three opponents. The setup looked simple, but Fang Li alone was more than capable of handling those three.
So what if Xia Tian's aim was precise? As long as he couldn't touch the ball, Tang Yan's new strategy would succeed.
"Tang Yan's really something—she even came up with that," said Yang Buhui, watching the shift on the court.
"Sister Hui, aren't they worried the Arts Department might do a fast pass?" someone asked.
"Except for that basketball god, the rest of the Arts Department can barely play. Once they see their god trapped, they'll panic. It's over for them," Yang Buhui replied, her eyes bright with anticipation. "I just want to see how he plans to break through this situation."
"Shameless! The basketball team is cheating!" shouted the women from the Literature and Arts Department when they saw Xia Tian surrounded.
The crowd in the stands booed loudly, but the basketball team didn't care. All that mattered to them was victory. They weren't breaking any rules—just executing Tang Yan's tactics perfectly.
The player serving the ball froze for a moment when he saw Xia Tian encircled. Unsure where to pass, he finally threw it at random. Fang Li seized the chance, intercepted the ball, and slammed down a fierce dunk.
9–9.
The score was tied. Tang Yan's strategy had worked.
The Arts and Literature Department served again.
As the four defenders closed in to trap Xia Tian, he suddenly sprinted toward the inbounder. The moment the player saw him, joy flickered across his face, and he passed the ball directly to Xia Tian.
Without hesitation, Xia Tian pivoted and shot a fadeaway jumper. It all happened in a blink—the four defenders had no time to react. None of them believed the shot would land; it was far too rushed. Xia Tian's body was already out of bounds when he landed—the distance was even greater than before, and the difficulty far higher.
Swish.
12–9.
The ball dropped cleanly through the hoop. Xue Chuan and his teammates froze, a flicker of unease flashing through their hearts.
"Awesome! Let's go, God of Basketball!" Ling'er shouted excitedly.
"His footwork is strange, and he only uses two fingers to shoot," Yun Miao observed. "He tries to hide it, but if you watch carefully, you'll see it every time."
"You notice everything," Huo Wen remarked, glancing at her.
"That turn and fadeaway—it's unstoppable!" Yang Buhui cheered.
"So handsome," said Zeng Rou softly, feeling a girlish flutter she hadn't felt in years.
"This brat's getting more and more showy," Ye Qingxue muttered, annoyed. It bothered her to see other women looking at Xia Tian like that—especially Zeng Rou.
"Qingxue," said Bingxin, frowning. "I'm starting to think you lied to me. You said he had no redeeming qualities besides his grades, but since I met him, he's surprised me again and again."
"Is he even human?" Tang Yan murmured. She no longer knew how to describe Xia Tian.
The game pressed on. The basketball team's players stayed sharp, shadowing Xia Tian relentlessly.
By the end of the first quarter—
30–18.
The Arts Department led. Despite their tight defense, Xia Tian had them running in circles. His pinpoint long-range shots had crushed the Basketball Department's rhythm completely.
Tang Yan had no choice but to rethink her tactics.
"Xia Tian, you're incredible," Zeng Rou said, walking up to him.
"Here, drink some water," Ye Qingxue interjected quickly, stepping between them.
Zeng Rou smiled faintly, saying nothing. Ye Qingxue's reaction was too obvious—anyone could see her hostility.
"Cousin, who's that?" Xia Tian asked, glancing toward the stands.
"You little brat, still ogling girls? Isn't your cousin enough?" Ye Qingxue snapped.
"Her name's Yun Miao," Bingxin explained. "She's Jianghai University's most beautiful girl—has been since she enrolled. She's a junior now, and no one's even come close to dethroning her."
"Yun Miao," Xia Tian repeated softly. He remembered the name. She wasn't just beautiful—his X-Ray Eyes couldn't see through her clothes. That could only mean one thing: something about Yun Miao was unusual.
"Still staring? Even if your eyes fall out, she wouldn't look at you," Ye Qingxue grumbled.
"Sister Miao, he's looking at you," Ling'er teased. "You really are too charming."
Yun Miao didn't respond.
"But he's out of luck—Sister Miao doesn't seem interested," Ling'er giggled.
The second quarter began.
The defense remained four against one. This time, they stuck to Xia Tian even tighter, giving him no room to catch or shoot. Xia Tian didn't rush; he didn't want to appear too abnormal and draw unwanted attention.
After all, not everyone in modern society knew that martial arts truly existed.
His feet moved lightly—he was using the Manyun Fairy Steps. The four defenders trailed behind him as he deliberately slowed his pace.
"Manyun Fairy Steps!" Yun Miao's eyes lit up. She finally recognized it—the legendary footwork of Xiyin Xia Tianlong.