"Argh!"
Liu Jing felt as if she had been hit by a mountain. Her virtual body suffered a heavy blow, jolting to a halt. The light in her eyes instantly faded as blood spewed from her mouth.
She was sent flying backward like a kite with a snapped string, crashing heavily onto the edge of the arena. Her body twitched a couple of times and then went still.
Her virtual avatar quickly became blurry and transparent.
A cold system notification sounded in her ear.
[You have died!]
A dead silence fell over the area around the arena.
Everyone was stunned, including Zeng Bonan and Hu Haobo.
One move!
After defending for a full five minutes, Xu Wuyi had still only used a single move to decide the victor!
Besides, the power of that punch… seemed a bit excessive, didn't it? Did it actually punch right through Liu Jing's virtual body?
「In reality, inside Training Hall One.」
Lying in the access pod, Liu Jing's eyes snapped open. Her face was ashen, and her forehead was covered in cold sweat.
She clutched her chest and began to cough violently, as if someone had truly shattered her heart with a punch. Her eyes filled with terror and lingering fear.
Although virtual combat caused no real physical damage, the terrifying sensation of having one's life force obliterated in an instant, as well as the shock to her Spirit, were very real.
Zhou Yun and Wang Wenhai exchanged a look, both seeing the solemn expression in the other's eyes.
Liu Jing's weakness in actual combat was largely due to her mentality. The most direct reason was that she was afraid to "die."
In the past, on the virtual arena, she tended to fight as if she were just sparring.
She neither dared to "kill" her opponents nor let them "kill" her. She would always concede before defeat, prompting the system to automatically end the fight.
Zeng Bonan and Hu Haobo knew her personality, so they would never intentionally "kill" a girl like her.
This time, however, Xu Wuyi, a stranger, was clearly unaware of this. His punch had been too fast and too vicious, giving Liu Jing no chance to even concede.
But as Martial Arts Teachers, they knew this was something Liu Jing had to experience on her path in Martial Arts. She had to get through it on her own.
If she couldn't even overcome this hurdle, it would only prove that she wasn't cut out for Martial Arts.
Zhou Yun walked to the center of the training area. Her gaze swept over the astonished students before finally landing on Xu Wuyi, who had just sat up in his access pod. In a serious tone, she announced:
"The challenge is over. Xu Wuyi is the victor. The rankings remain unchanged."
She paused, her voice tinged with a warning. "The Battle Network's Simulation Level is over 70%. The feeling of severe injury and death is no different from reality. This is actual combat! The college entrance exams, and even true life-or-death battles in the future, will only be more brutal than this!"
Never mind Zhou Yun's words; the result of the battle between Xu Wuyi and Liu Jing alone had already sent huge waves through the student body.
"One move... another one-hit kill! Isn't this Xu Wuyi a bit too ruthless?" a male student clicked his tongue, a look of pity on his face. "Liu Jing is a girl, after all. And they'd already been fighting for so long. Was that last blow really necessary...?"
"You can't say that," someone next to him immediately retorted. "Isn't the virtual arena meant to simulate real combat? Is an enemy going to show you mercy just because you're a girl? I think going all-out against any opponent is a sign of respect for the Martial Artist and the match itself."
"If it were me up there, I'd want my opponent to give it their all. If they kill me, I'll accept it. If they can't, it's because I'm skilled enough."
"The logic is sound, but watching it, I still feel..." The first student shook his head.
"Feel what? That he was cruel to a fair maiden?" another voice cut in, tinged with mockery. "On the path of Martial Arts, is there any distinction between men and women? If your strength is lacking and your mentality isn't up to par, elimination is just a matter of time."
The students' discussion wasn't deliberately kept quiet, and it clearly reached Liu Jing's ears in the corner.
She kept her head down, her face still pale.
The words "ruthless," "cruel to a fair maiden," and "mentality not up to par" pierced her heart like needles, causing her more pain than the fear she felt at the moment of her virtual death.
In the past, everyone, including herself, had been aware of her shortcomings. But never before had they been laid so bare for all to see.
Zeng Bonan and Hu Haobo stood a short distance away, not participating in the discussion.
"What do you think?" Zeng Bonan asked in a low voice.
Hu Haobo crossed his arms and said flatly, "His punches are heavy, and his timing is perfect. Liu Jing's Spirit Finger couldn't break his defense. After attacking for so long without success, she grew impatient. It was inevitable that she would reveal an opening."
"He simply used the most effective method to end the fight at the right moment. If it were me, I would have done the same."
Zeng Bonan nodded, agreeing with Hu Haobo's assessment.
Xu Wuyi's performance once again proved his strength. That thunderous strike, erupting suddenly after a mountain-like stability, had left a deep impression.
After a brief period of silence and discussion, the challenge segment continued.
Perhaps spurred on by Xu Wuyi's fight, the subsequent challenges clearly had more of an edge to them.
Lower-ranked students fought desperately for resources, while those with similar rankings competed fiercely over the slightest differences.
Some succeeded in their challenges, their faces beaming with excitement. Others failed to defend their rank, their expressions downcast. Most fights were only decided after a bitter struggle, leaving both sides utterly exhausted.
But from beginning to end, no one challenged the top three: Zeng Bonan, Hu Haobo, and Xu Wuyi.
The overwhelming power Xu Wuyi had just displayed was enough to make most people wary.
Zeng Bonan and Hu Haobo had long-established reputations, and no one dared to provoke them.
However, Liu Jing's fourth-place position seemed to have become an easy target in the eyes of many.
A male student whose Life Energy Level had just broken past 10.0 and who specialized in Fist Technique looked hesitantly toward Liu Jing, who still had her head down, her breathing seemingly unsteady.
He took a deep breath as if he had made up his mind, stepped forward, and said, "Teacher Zhou, Teacher Wang, I want to challenge fourth-place, Liu Jing!"
Wang Wenhai frowned slightly, his gaze falling on Liu Jing. She had just suffered a crushing defeat, and her Spirit had clearly not yet settled. To fight again now, he feared...
He was just about to suggest postponing the challenge until tomorrow to give Liu Jing some time to recover.
"Rules are rules." Zhou Yun's cold voice cut through his thoughts. She looked calmly at the challenging student, then turned to Liu Jing. "Liu Jing, do you accept the challenge?"
Everyone's eyes focused on Liu Jing once again.
The challenging student also watched her nervously, as if afraid she would refuse.
Liu Jing's body trembled slightly, her head still bowed.
Zhou Yun walked over to her, crouched down, and whispered a few words that only the two of them could hear.
No one knew what Zhou Yun said. They only saw Liu Jing's shoulders tense up abruptly, and then, her taut shoulders slowly began to relax.
She raised her head. Some of the paleness had faded from her face, replaced by a complex emotion—a mixture of residual shame, a hint of stubbornness, and... a do-or-die resolve.
"I accept." Liu Jing's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear, carrying an unprecedented coldness.
Seeing this, Wang Wenhai said no more and simply nodded.