Chapter 20: Challenge

Seeing Jianchen's arrogance, Cardilang's handsome face turned pale with anger, and his eyes blazed with fury. If it weren't for the rule against fighting in the library, he would have attacked long ago.

Cardi Qiuli, standing beside Cardilang, was also furious. She glared at Jianchen and shouted, "Hmph, if you can't even accept my second brother's challenge, are you even a man?"

Hearing Cardi Qiuli's words, Cardilang's eyes lit up. He suppressed his overwhelming anger and said with a disdainful tone, "Exactly, not accepting a challenge is the behavior of a coward. Changyang Xiangtian, I'll be waiting for you at the arena. If you admit you're a coward, then don't come. Third sister, let's go to the arena!" With that, Cardilang glared at Jianchen again and turned to leave the library.

"Hmph, Changyang Xiangtian, did you hear that? If you don't come, you're a coward!" Cardi Qiuli also turned and left.

"Changyang Xiangtian, isn't he the new champion of the freshmen tournament this year…."

"Yes, I heard that Changyang Xiangtian, with only 80% Holy Power, defeated several freshmen with 90% Holy Power. He's very strong…."

After Cardi Qiuli left, the library was filled with buzzing discussions, all centered around Changyang Xiangtian, the champion of the freshmen tournament.

The girl sitting opposite Jianchen looked at him with surprise, her beautiful eyes blinking lightly, clearly showing a hint of surprise.

Jianchen slowly closed the book in his hand. His face was very grim. After being disturbed by Cardilang and his sister, he had no mood to continue reading. Moreover, with their words, he had no choice but to accept their challenge. Otherwise, the entire school would look down on him. Although Jianchen didn't care much about his reputation, he represented the Changyang Manor, and his older brother Changyang Hu was also here. If he didn't accept the challenge, it would tarnish the Changyang Manor's name, and even his brother Changyang Hu would face ridicule in the academy.

Jianchen slowly stood up from his chair, took the books in his hand, and walked to the bookshelf to return them. Then he headed straight for the library exit. At this moment, all eyes in the library were on him.

"Hey! Changyang Xiangtian!" Just as Jianchen reached the library door, the girl who had been sitting opposite him suddenly spoke.

Hearing her voice, Jianchen instinctively stopped, looking at the beautiful girl with a calm expression. He said in a light tone, "Is there something you need?"

Hearing Jianchen's indifferent tone, the girl pouted slightly, but didn't say anything. She then walked up to Jianchen and said softly, "Changyang Xiangtian, are you going to the arena to accept his challenge?"

"Yes!" Jianchen nodded slightly and said softly.

"Actually, you don't have to accept this challenge. The library prohibits loud noise, and that person has already violated the academy's rules. You can report him to the principal, and he will definitely be punished. No one in the Cagass Academy dares to defy the principal's orders." The girl said.

Hearing this, Jianchen's impression of the girl improved significantly. He smiled lightly and said, "Since he has said it, I must go!" With that, Jianchen left the library without another word.

The girl watched Jianchen's disappearing back, her eyes flickering with hesitation. She then quickly ran to the table where she had been sitting, placed the thick book she had been reading on the bookshelf, and hurriedly left the library, heading towards the arena.

After the girl left, the library fell silent for a moment, then a loud voice rang out, "There's a good show to watch, the 80% Holy Power champion against a 90% Holy Power opponent. Anyone who doesn't come is a fool." With that, a boy of about ten years old, wearing a school uniform, ran out of the library.

After the two left, the students in the library who were reading books also put their books back and left one by one, heading towards the arena.

The academy's arena was located in a corner of the playground, with five circular platforms, each about twenty meters in diameter. However, the arena was not very large, only able to accommodate a few hundred spectators. Otherwise, the freshmen tournament a few days ago wouldn't have been held on a temporary platform in the playground.

When Jianchen arrived at the arena, he saw Cardilang standing on one of the platforms with his arms crossed, looking very arrogant. Below the platform, besides Cardi Qiuli, there were dozens of students in school uniforms discussing the matter.

Seeing Jianchen approaching, Cardilang on the platform smiled coldly and said loudly, "I thought you were a coward and wouldn't come."

"Hmph!" Jianchen sneered and jumped onto the platform, standing with his arms crossed. He said coldly, "Let's start. I'll let you have ten moves. I won't counterattack within these ten moves."

Hearing Jianchen's arrogant words, the dozens of students watching from below the platform let out exclamations of surprise, whispering among themselves. Most of them were older students, and many of them didn't think highly of Jianchen, believing that his victory over Cardilang in the freshmen tournament was due to Cardilang's carelessness.

Cardilang's eyes showed anger. Everyone could tell that Jianchen's words were a clear insult.

"Changyang Xiangtian, you are even more arrogant than I imagined," Cardilang said solemnly.

Jianchen looked at Cardilang calmly and said in a light tone, "If you want to fight, do it quickly. I don't have time to waste with you!"

"Hmph!" Cardilang sneered and said, "Why are you in a hurry? I'll defeat you in front of everyone." Losing to Jianchen in the freshmen tournament had been a constant source of frustration for Cardilang, especially the kick to his buttocks, which was a humiliation he couldn't forget. Cardilang believed that his loss was due to his carelessness, and he wanted to use this opportunity to regain his lost dignity and humiliate Jianchen.

Gradually, more and more people gathered around the arena, and the number continued to increase. Many more students were still heading towards the arena, clearly because Cardilang had spread the news of the challenge.

In a short time, there were already more than two hundred people gathered around the arena, all with a sense of anticipation. Among the crowd, Cardilang's older brother, Cardiyun, was also standing there, accompanied by several people of similar age.

"Fourth brother, do your best, I believe in you!" Suddenly, a slightly deep but familiar voice rang out from below the platform.

Hearing the voice, Jianchen turned to see his older brother, Changyang Hu, standing below the platform, looking at him encouragingly.

Jianchen smiled and nodded at Changyang Hu, saying nothing.

At this moment, someone brought a table and shouted, "Place your bets! Place your bets! Bet on who will win, hurry up…."

"I bet on Cardilang, ten gold coins…."

"I bet on Changyang Xiangtian, twenty gold coins…."

"I bet on Cardilang, fifty gold coins…."

Gradually, the match between Jianchen and Cardilang had turned into a betting event. Those who could come to watch during class time were mostly from noble families, and they were not short of money. The bets ranged from ten gold coins to ten purple gold coins, and about 80% of the people bet on Cardilang, while only about 20% bet on Jianchen.

"Ten purple gold coins, I bet on Changyang Xiangtian!" Changyang Hu took out ten purple gold coins and placed them on the table.

"I also bet on Changyang Xiangtian, ten purple gold coins!" Following Changyang Hu, a gentle and lively voice suddenly rang out. It was the beautiful girl who had been sitting opposite Jianchen in the library. She clearly came from a prominent family, and her demeanor exuded a sense of nobility.

Seeing the girl bet ten purple gold coins on Changyang Xiangtian, many people showed surprise. Changyang Hu was Changyang Xiangtian's older brother, so his bet was understandable, but the girl's action puzzled many.

On the platform, Jianchen looked at Cardilang with a strange expression and said, "Can we start now?"

Cardilang's face was full of confidence, and he sneered, "Changyang Xiangtian, you said you would let me have ten moves. It's not too late to back out."

"A gentleman's word is as good as his bond. Just come at me," Jianchen said.

"Arrogant!" Although Cardilang didn't fully understand the meaning of "a gentleman's word is as good as his bond," he could guess the general idea. Without further ado, he charged at Jianchen. Since Jianchen had said he would let him have ten moves, he had no reservations and attacked freely.

Cardilang quickly rushed to Jianchen and threw a punch. The speed of the punch was very fast, accompanied by a whistling sound.

Facing Cardilang's punch, Jianchen took a small step back. Cardilang's fist stopped just short of his face, limited by the length of his arm.

"Phew… That was close, almost hit…."

"Is this all Changyang Xiangtian can do? The match just started, and he almost got hit. If he gets hit, he'll be seriously injured, and the match will be over."

"Changyang Xiangtian's luck is really good, to dodge that…."

Most people around the platform thought Jianchen had narrowly avoided the punch by luck. Only a few people saw the subtlety and their expressions towards Jianchen changed.