Chapter 215: Uncrowned First

Sheng Yuanyao was patrolling the city with a group of limping subordinates. "You dare to spread rumors, even about your superior! If I don't beat you to death, my name isn't Sheng!"

The subordinates were furious but dared not speak. *Are we really spreading rumors? Oh, so it's a rumor because it's not morning sickness, and it's not true, right? If that's the angle, everyone has to admit she definitely doesn't have morning sickness... But is it false that you were sitting in his lap? Is this precise rumor-debunking? Debunking the morning sickness makes everything else false too, right? And dragging us along for this public display to debunk rumors... This woman is truly ruthless.*

"Huh, what's happening at the Imperial Academy entrance? So many people watching?" Sheng Yuanyao noticed with a glance. She immediately abandoned the rumor-debunking patrol and slipped away. "What's the scoop? What's the gossip?"

Pushing and shoving her way to the very front, Sheng Yuanyao's heart skipped a beat.

Her first glimpse showed Qi Tuizhi's sword flashing like a dragon, heading straight for his opponent's throat!

His opponent was Lu Xingzhou!

Sheng Yuanyao almost yelled, "Demon Suppression Division is here! No fighting!"

But just as the words reached her throat, she saw Lu Xingzhou move.

The sword grazed his body.

Lu Xingzhou turned sideways, trapping Qi Tuizhi's wrist with one hand. His right elbow thrust towards Qi Tuizhi's chest. The posture was incredibly cool.

Amidst the screams of the Imperial Academy's female students, Qi Tuizhi extended his hand to block the elbow. With a "bang," both their powers erupted, sending dust and smoke swirling in all directions.

"Fourth-rank mid-stage!" many blurted out. "Wasn't Lu Xingzhou fifth-rank before? How could his cultivation soar so quickly!"

"He must have been hiding his cultivation before, or perhaps his recovery from the leg injury led to a rapid breakthrough?"

"Don't even mention it, he looks so handsome fighting while standing."

Sheng Yuanyao's face flushed. *Does this have something to do with our dual cultivation at the volcano?*

Pei Chuyun's face also flushed. *This is from dual cultivation with me...*

"Whoosh!" Lu Xingzhou pulled his elbow back, simultaneously launching a kick. Qi Tuizhi swept his palm across, striking Lu Xingzhou's shin.

The result was like striking steel; it didn't slow Lu Xingzhou's kick in the slightest. His own palm edge stung painfully. A chill ran down Qi Tuizhi's spine, and he swiftly retreated.

Lu Xingzhou's kick missed, but he seamlessly followed with another rapid kick.

The Imperial Academy girls shrieked again; it was just too handsome. *As long as a man is handsome, any move he makes looks elegant. Actually, Sheng Yuanyao thought Lu Xingzhou looked handsome even when fighting in a wheelchair, possessing a kind of broken beauty. These vulgar women wouldn't understand a thing.*

"Thump, thump, thump," a series of rapid kicks followed. Qi Tuizhi retreated a step with each block, until he "thumped" into a pillar at the Imperial Academy entrance, his expression utterly bewildered and shocked.

Those who hadn't directly faced Lu Xingzhou would never know how unsettling his consecutive kicks were.

Though he appeared unarmed, his legs were truly his weapons. He didn't dodge or evade when a sword struck his leg; the impact would resound with a "clanging" sound, even bending the sword. The transmitted power was even more vexing: one kick might be explosively fiery, while the next would suddenly contain long, sustained *qi*, vast as a river or sea.

This continuous alternation was almost like fighting two people at once. Each strike required adjusting to a different response, which could twist one's own internal power flow into knots.

It was hard to imagine how Lu Xingzhou managed to operate with diametrically opposed energies with each leg. *Wouldn't he get twisted into knots himself?*

"Bang!" Lu Xingzhou kicked the pillar.

Seizing the opportunity, Qi Tuizhi moved like a swimming dragon, turning to Lu Xingzhou's side and sweeping his sword towards Lu Xingzhou's neck.

Lu Xingzhou calmly said, "Brother Qi, you've been guessing what I'm doing with my hands while I've been kicking, haven't you?"

Qi Tuizhi's heart violently leaped. He wanted to retract his move, but it was too late.

The ashes of several talismans drifted to the ground.

Lu Xingzhou's hand shot out like lightning, seizing Qi Tuizhi's wrist. Beneath him, fierce flames erupted, a volcanic torrent of fire surging skyward from below. Above the clouds, fissures appeared, and five bolts of lightning roared, striking the ground with a mighty crash.

The direct, hand-to-hand combat style of martial cultivation suddenly transformed into a scene of heavenly thunder and earthly fire. And these weren't ordinary thunder or fire techniques; they were formations he had set up over a long period!

Qi Tuizhi let out a sharp cry, trying to pull away but was firmly held by Lu Xingzhou, unable to escape.

He clearly felt Lu Xingzhou's murderous intent. *A sparring match at the Imperial Academy entrance, and he wants to kill?*

"Is he trying to kill him?" many people thought, a similar idea flashing through their minds. Some already wanted to step forward to break up the fight.

A smile played on Lu Xingzhou's lips. The force holding Qi Tuizhi suddenly relaxed. Qi Tuizhi, having overexerted himself, stumbled backward, almost falling.

To his astonishment, he found that the heavenly thunder and earthly fire had vanished. *An illusion!*

"Why would I kill anyone?" Lu Xingzhou, moving like a phantom, remained close to the stumbling Qi Tuizhi, even turning his head to chat: "Your lower body strength is quite good; such a powerful withdrawal only made you stumble, not fall flat on your butt."

Qi Tuizhi was both ashamed and furious, and indignantly launched another horizontal sword slash.

Lu Xingzhou casually delivered a kick. Qi Tuizhi, completely flustered, had no way to dodge. He was solidly kicked, sent flying as if riding on clouds, "thumping" into another pillar before falling to the ground, utterly disheveled.

"Brother Qi, your name is well chosen. 'Tuizhi' [meaning 'retreat from']—indeed, you're retreating so much you're getting kicked away." Lu Xingzhou dusted off his clothes, cupped his hands to the surroundings, and said, "Excuse my performance."

A hush fell over the crowd. Everyone stared blankly at Qi Tuizhi, who was struggling to get up from the ground. Many were simply stunned.

How to put it? Actually, many people would have bet on Lu Xingzhou winning. After all, Ye Wufeng was killed by Lu Xingzhou and his disciple, and most people didn't rate Ah Nuo's combat power very highly. Therefore, Lu Xingzhou's fighting ability was automatically elevated in people's minds. His previous fifth-rank placing at seventh among the rookies wasn't really questioned, whereas an ordinary fifth-ranker would be lucky to be in the lower ranks...

But even with the highest estimation of Lu Xingzhou, no one could have imagined he would defeat Qi Tuizhi so effortlessly, as if toying with a child.

Qi Tuizhi was not actually weak. The sound of wind and thunder accompanying each of his sword strikes indicated to the knowledgeable how much power they contained. Many fourth and fifth-rank observers, imagining themselves in his place, felt they would have a very difficult time coping.

But for those capable, it wasn't difficult. Before Dugu Qingli, Pei Chuyun, and now Lu Xingzhou, that sword held no threat at all. It wasn't that Qi Tuizhi was weak, but that these three were exceptionally powerful.

It was one thing for Dugu Qingli and Pei Chuyun to be strong, but why could Lu Xingzhou be so powerful?

He wasn't a direct disciple of a holy land, nor the direct heir of an aristocratic family... *Having reached this level, wouldn't the Huo family be regretting their decision bitterly?*

But ultimately, there weren't as many experts as there were mere onlookers. In the eyes of the crowd, Qi Tuizhi was utterly useless. Someone actually shouted, "How did Chief Editor Sheng rank him as the number one rookie?! Can he even make it into the top ten?"

A clear female voice responded immediately, "Go ask the one who ranked him second before! What does it have to do with me?!"

People turned to see Sheng Yuanyao standing there, hands on her hips. "Even I disagree with him being ranked first! Come on, Mr. Qi, want to fight me?"

The "Melon Girl" (Sheng Yuanyao) felt she was capable.

After breaking through to fourth-rank, she felt Qi Tuizhi might not actually be stronger than her.

People exchanged glances, suppressing their laughter. *This is the fourth challenger, right?*

Qi Tuizhi spat out a mouthful of blood. Giving up completely, he declared, "Please, Chief Editor Sheng, re-rank the rookie list! I, Qi, am not worthy of this number one spot! Go challenge someone else!" *Damn it, everyone keeps challenging me, and I can't beat any of them! How am I supposed to live like this? Forget studying at the Imperial Academy, I can barely stay in the capital anymore!*

Sheng Yuanyao sighed regretfully, "The new issue has only been out for half a month, so we can't... Maybe later, when we have the capability to update rankings in real-time..."

Qi Tuizhi was so enraged he swore, "Can't I *not* be number one?!"

Sheng Yuanyao gave an apologetic smile. "My apologies, but you'll have to keep that number one spot for another two months."

Qi Tuizhi spat out another mouthful of blood and left in a huff.

A busybody asked, "Chief Editor Sheng, if the list were re-ranked now, who do you think would be number one?"

Sheng Yuanyao glanced at Pei Chuyun. Pei Chuyun subtly shook her head, indicating not to reveal that she had already reached third-rank.

Sheng Yuanyao pursed her lips. "Miss Dugu underwent her minor heavenly tribulation that day, many people saw it. She should go directly to the Heroes' List and no longer be ranked among the rookies. As for the rookie list... my personal choice for number one is Lu Xingzhou. If Miss Pei disagrees, she can challenge him."

Pei Chuyun looked at Lu Xingzhou, her eyes like flowing water. Her voice softened by three parts: "If it's Young Master Lu... Chuyun is content to be beneath him."

In broad daylight, under everyone's watchful eyes, the onlookers certainly wouldn't dare imagine "content to be beneath him" in a physical sense.

Sheng Yuanyao, however, dared to imagine it, and her eyes widened instantly. "You..."

Pei Chuyun didn't even spare her a glance, and softly said to Lu Xingzhou, "Young Master Lu, are you here at the Imperial Academy for something today?"

Lu Xingzhou replied, "I came to find Miss Pei, to discuss something."

Pei Chuyun chuckled softly. "Then, Young Master Lu, would you be so kind as to escort Chuyun home? We can talk along the way."

The onlookers sighed collectively. It seemed Miss Pei had truly taken a liking to Lu Xingzhou... Many other girls also sighed, thinking, *Looks like Lu Xingzhou is off-limits now too, sob, sob, sob...*

*Uh, what about the one rumored to have morning sickness? Isn't she going to say something?*

Turning to look, Sheng Yuanyao's head seemed to be steaming with rage. Yet, she remained silent, watching helplessly as Lu Xingzhou approached Pei Chuyun, parted the crowd, and left.

Sheng Yuanyao gritted her teeth. Catching a glimpse of Ah Nuo secretly trying to follow her master, she strode forward and grabbed her. "Lu Xiaonuo, wait a moment!"

Ah Nuo struggled, "What do you want?!"

Sheng Yuanyao rubbed Ah Nuo's face. "Your master was abducted by a vixen; can't I abduct you to balance my inner turmoil?"

Ah Nuo: "...You could just go and ruin it directly."

"I was in the middle of debunking the morning sickness rumor; how could I go?" Sheng Yuanyao picked up Ah Nuo, turned, and glared at her subordinates. "This is all your fault! Go, continue parading to debunk the rumors!"

Ah Nuo sighed, "If you keep debunking, you won't even get a drop of the 'soup'."

Sheng Yuanyao stiffened her neck. "Wh-what soup? Who wants soup? We're brothers, do you know what brothers are?"

A light suddenly flickered on in the little girl's mind. *That divination from before, the one that said you'd be a concubine—it was my master you were destined for! If that's the case, then what about the divination for Madam Ye? Was it the same person? Judging by how close their heads were during the lesson today, it's very possible. But when Big Sister Yao's divination was done, she was only sixth-rank, so being a concubine wouldn't be strange. Madam Ye is first-rank, though. Will Master die?*

Sheng Yuanyao pinched her face. "Were you listening to me?"

"Yes... When Master dies, we can go offer incense together."

"Hey? You little rascal, that's quite filial of you?"

The crowd gradually dispersed.

People, having indulged in a belly full of gossip, returned home contentedly for their meals.

No one knew the tangled thoughts and feelings swirling in the hearts of the young men and women. What people saw on the surface was the seemingly mutual affection between Lu Xingzhou and Miss Pei, and Chief Editor Sheng's public declaration of her preferred number one.

Though uncrowned, this event was surely going to spread like wildfire throughout the capital, perhaps even across the entire land.