Chapter 45: I’ll Give You Ten Minutes!
Chapter 45: I’ll Give You Ten Minutes!
Clear Moon Academy, the duel Arena.
Today, beneath the Arena, students had gathered. Almost everyone was there except for the very top few, and even several Mentors had come.
Wang Mingming versus Xiao Cheng in a duel!
An ordinary person definitely couldn’t attract so many people, but Wang Mingming, one of the duelists, was practically a celebrity in the academy. He was first in the entrance exam, first in the Hunting Competition!
Right now, in the entire Clear Moon Academy, even the entire Clear Moon City, even if someone didn’t know Wang Mingming, they knew of him.
Xiao Cheng arrived early, standing proudly on the Arena. His aura surged, the pressure of Martial Arts Seventh Stage completely unleashed. “Wang Mingming, come quickly and meet your doom!”
His proud posture was extraordinary. He stood with his hands behind his back, a long sword placed upright before him, just like a peerless Swordsman, radiating the aura of a true expert.
“Is this Xiao Cheng? He’s actually reached Martial Arts Seventh Stage already, and he’s only sixteen. This talent definitely ranks in Clear Moon Academy,” many students privately marveled.
“I wonder how strong that Wang Mingming is now? He was first in the exam and the hunting competition. I guess his cultivation is even stronger?” a student said.
“Nonsense. I saw Wang Mingming just two days ago. He was only at the Fifth Stage of Martial Arts. I really don’t get how he managed to get first in the exam and hunting,” one student said disdainfully.
“Fifth Stage of Martial Arts? Is he stupid? How dare a Fifth Stage duel Xiao Cheng?”
“Who knows? Maybe he’s an idiot. Martial Arts Seventh Stage, that’s enough to move up to the intermediate class. Wang Mingming is doomed for sure.”
“Wang Mingming, let’s see how you die this time. I even took out my own resources to help Xiao Cheng improve his strength,” the deposed Mentor Yu Qing, hiding deep within the crowd, thought maliciously.
Hearing the waves of disdain and scornful remarks aimed at Wang Mingming from below, Xiao Cheng felt extremely pleased with himself. He had already reached the Seventh Stage. This time was his chance to shine brightly.
To overpower the one who was first in the exam and hunting competition — how glorious would that sound when word got out?
Lost in these pleasant daydreams, time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, an hour had gone by. Someone below grew impatient. “Why isn’t Wang Mingming here yet? It’s been an hour already.”
“Maybe he’s scared?” someone suggested.
“He must have heard Xiao Cheng broke through to the Seventh Stage and got too scared to come.”
Xiao Cheng was even happier inside, but he didn’t show a trace on his face. He said indifferently, “Duels are sacred matters. A Martial Artist’s word is their bond. Wang Mingming might be delayed. Which junior has time to help me go to the Wang Family and drag Wang Mingming out from his mother’s embrace?”
“Pfft… Hahaha!” A burst of laughter erupted.
“Senior Xiao Cheng is so humorous,” many students covered their mouths, trying hard not to laugh out loud. “Wang Mingming really might be suckling milk, scared and hiding in his mother’s arms.”
“Xiao Cheng, if I give you a few minutes, do you really think you’re invincible?”
A mocking sneer came. A youth walked over at a leisurely pace, hands behind his back, sleeves fluttering slightly, emanating an aura of strength. Behind him were Wang Yuan and a middle-aged woman.
“Wang Mingming! Wang Mingming is here!” The students immediately parted, clearing a path.
“Good. I didn’t think you’d actually dare come to your death,” Xiao Cheng narrowed his eyes, his gaze filled with coldness.
“To my death? That’s right, to send you to your death.” Wang Mingming gave a light laugh, not afraid at all. He didn’t speed up, just kept walking slowly. “Xiao Cheng, I didn’t think you’d actually dare come to the decisive battle. I am a person of great fortune, you know.”
“So arrogant! What’s an insignificant Fifth Stage of Martial Arts got to be arrogant about? ‘Great fortune’? Pah!” The surrounding students said disdainfully.
If Wang Mingming had looked terrified, it might have been one thing. But looking at him, not only was he not afraid, he didn’t take Xiao Cheng seriously at all. This made the students around very unhappy.
“Great fortune? Wang Mingming, others might not know you, but I do. Today, I’ll make you understand that only strength is everything! Come up here quickly and meet your end. I don’t have so much time to waste on trash like you,” Xiao Cheng said impatiently.
“Oh?” Wang Mingming sneered, his face turning calm again. “Do you dare to add a wager?”
“What kind of wager?” Xiao Cheng frowned, his expression turning cold. “You’re not getting scared, afraid to duel, are you?”
“Ridiculous. I, Wang Mingming, young master of the Wang Family, would be afraid of you?” Wang Mingming sneered, mocking him. “My time is precious. Dueling you once wastes a lot of it. How about a wager of one thousand Yuan Coins?”
“One thousand Yuan Coins?” The students were stunned. One thousand Yuan Coins was a huge sum for them.
Xiao Cheng hesitated. He wasn’t as doted on as Wang Mingming.
“What, is your Xiao Family that poor now?” Wang Mingming frowned, looking even more disdainful. “A low-level family indeed, can’t even come up with one thousand Yuan Coins.”
“You… Fine. One thousand Yuan Coins it is. I, Xiao Cheng, accept the wager,” Xiao Cheng said angrily, but inwardly he was ecstatic. This Wang Mingming, trying to use one thousand Yuan Coins to pressure me, to make me call off the duel?
Impossible! Wang Mingming, you fool. I’m already at Martial Arts Seventh Stage. Isn’t this just giving me money? Later, after I cripple you, I’ll take the one thousand Yuan Coins to buy medicinal herbs and further improve myself!
Seeing Xiao Cheng agree, Wang Mingming suddenly sped up. But there was no trace of haste. He was like a gentle breeze, floating upward, landing on the Arena.
“This speed!” The students on the scene narrowed their eyes. It was at least a hundred meters. Wang Mingming had arrived instantly. They hadn’t even seen clearly how Wang Mingming got there.
Was this still the Fifth Stage of Martial Arts?
Wang Mingming landed on the Arena, pointed a finger at Xiao Cheng, his expression proud. “I’ll give you ten minutes!”
“Whoa! So arrogant! That’s unbearable!”
“If he said he’d give a few moves, I might have accepted it. But giving ten minutes?”
The students below were dumbfounded. Ten minutes, for a Seventh Stage Martial Artist, how long was that? Enough to fully execute everything they had learned.
“Good, very good. You actually dare insult me like this!” Xiao Cheng laughed. This definitely wasn’t happiness. This was rage.
A Fifth Stage Martial Artist, during a duel, giving him ten minutes — if that wasn’t an insult, what was?
Rage rushed to Xiao Cheng’s head. His right hand instantly drew his sword. Sword light flashed. Primeval Qi surged. A faint sword aura emanated as he attacked Wang Mingming.
Wang Mingming’s expression was calm. His hands remained behind his back, as if he didn’t see the incoming sword at all. He was utterly composed.
“Looking for death!” This made Xiao Cheng even angrier. Sword light flickered. The Xiao Family’s Breeze Swordsmanship poured down. A sky full of sword shadows blanketed the area, enveloping Wang Mingming.
“Good! Senior Xiao Cheng has grasped the essence of Breeze Swordsmanship. He’ll definitely cut down Wang Mingming,” a group of students cheered below.
Wang Mingming’s expression didn’t change. He shifted his feet lightly, as if divinely inspired, stepping precisely into the gaps between the sword shadows.
Clink, clank, clatter!
The sword shadows fell, passing by Wang Mingming’s sides, stirring up gentle breezes that fluttered his clothes, making Wang Mingming look like a Divine Spirit.
“What the heck? What’s going on?”
The academy students below were baffled. Xiao Cheng was baffled too. His Breeze Swordsmanship was broken? How did he find the gaps? And how did he stand there?
“One minute,” Wang Mingming uttered quietly, waking everyone up.
Luck! It must have been luck!
Xiao Cheng’s inner voice screamed frantically. He attacked again with his sword. Cyan light flashed. He seemed to transform into the wind itself, trailing cyan light shadows as he attacked Wang Mingming.
“Senior Xiao Cheng is serious now. Wang Mingming is definitely dead!”
“This is the minor mastery level of Breeze Swordsmanship. Senior Xiao Cheng truly lives up to being the Xiao Family’s genius.”
A chorus of admiring voices came from below, but they only made a hint of disdain appear on Wang Mingming’s face.
“Mingming… he won’t be in trouble, right?” The woman following Wang Yuan looked at the Arena worriedly.
“Don’t worry. How could Mingming’s talent be compared to some Xiao Cheng?” Wang Yuan said disdainfully, his tone full of pride.
On the Arena, cyan light pervaded. Sword light gleamed. Sharp sword aura filled the space, something an ordinary Martial Arts Seventh Stage practitioner couldn’t withstand.
Xiao Cheng was very fast, surpassing his usual training limits. He believed that even a Martial Arts Eighth Stage practitioner wouldn’t dare casually receive his sword techniques.
But the next moment, Xiao Cheng was dumbfounded. Everyone was dumbfounded. They saw Wang Mingming take another step, precisely into a blind spot of the sword technique, avoiding it skillfully without any danger. He even had the leisure to sigh lightly. “Two minutes now. If you keep spacing out, the ten minutes will pass.”
The students below: “…”
“Die! You go die!” Xiao Cheng went mad, lost his reason. His swordplay became unorganized. Sword strike after sword strike, he violently attacked Wang Mingming.
Wang Mingming looked bored. He kept shifting his body. Whether on purpose or not, he always ended up standing exactly in the blind spot of the sword technique, frustrating Xiao Cheng so much he nearly coughed up blood.
“Six minutes… seven minutes. Sigh.” Ten minutes passed. Wang Mingming sighed lightly, his tone full of helplessness. “I even gave you ten minutes. How come you couldn’t hit me even once?”
The students below: “…”
Yu Qing was stunned too, unable to believe it. This Wang Mingming, how could he have become this strong?
“Go die for me!” Xiao Cheng roared. He poured out all his Primeval Qi, condensing it into one sword strike, thrusting towards Wang Mingming’s throat.
“Haven’t you realized the gap between you and me yet?” Wang Mingming sighed lightly, like an invincible expert, and raised his right hand.
Hum!
A slight tremor. Xiao Cheng froze. His Primeval Qi-filled long sword stopped, caught between two extended fingers. The Primeval Qi on the sword had already dissipated. The strong, steady fingers held it firmly. No matter how hard Xiao Cheng tried to pull back, he couldn’t retrieve his sword.