Chapter 10

Xiaoming stood at the entrance of the classroom, took a deep breath, and firmly held the letter containing the secret that his mother had given him.

Li Changsheng himself had a premonition that his talent was very high. The Book Spirit had opened his two wisdom points, which could greatly enhance his talent.

On Earth, he had studied Chinese, mathematics, biology... including natural sciences and social sciences, far surpassing the people of the Book and Sword Continent. His comprehensive knowledge, after being assimilated by the Book Spirit, had forged his talent beyond the nine-star level.

"Round two of the test is a one-on-one battle. You can freely choose your opponent. In the battle, you only need to show the elders of the sect your strength; there's no need to fight to the death," City Lord Murong Gang said.

Lin Yuchu had already been recruited by the Tianhai Sword Sect and did not need to participate in the second round of the competition. However, Yunlan required her to not only win first place in the first round but also to crush everyone else in the second round to save face for the Tianhai Sword Sect. Since she had not achieved her first goal, she naturally had to stay and participate in the second round of the competition.

"Now, you can have a brief discussion," Murong Gang said.

"Li Changsheng, you are only at the pitiful fifth level, which shows how laughable your so-called nine-star talent is. To me, the fifth level is just a waste! Do you dare to fight me?" As soon as Murong Gang left, Lin Yuchu immediately targeted Li Changsheng. Li Changsheng had overshadowed her in the talent test, and she was eager to crush him.

"What's the harm in fighting you?" Li Changsheng agreed readily. The lineage of scholars was spirited and unafraid, and even though Lin Yuchu was three levels higher than him, Li Changsheng showed no fear.

The others then found their own opponents. The first match was between Murong Yue and Gu Mingyang. The second match was between another talented youth and Chen Fei. The last match was between Lin Yuchu and Li Changsheng.

The few of them moved to the edge of the arena, making room for the two who were about to fight.

This match lasted only a dozen rounds. In the end, Murong Yue found a flaw in Gu Mingyang's defense, forcing him to drop his sword and admit defeat. Murong Yue's performance earned nods from the sect elders, as she demonstrated her mastery of sword techniques and her adaptability in battle.

"Murong Yue, our Xuantian Sword Sect invites you to join us," an elder from the sect immediately extended an invitation. Her talent and character were excellent, worthy of cultivation by the sect. Her father being the city lord of Yuzhou City also added to her appeal.

"Our Wangqing Sword Sect also welcomes you," the cold and beautiful woman from the Wangqing Sword Sect, who looked to be in her twenties, also extended an invitation.

"I choose to join the Wangqing Sword Sect," Murong Yue said with a hint of joy. Each of the ten major sword sects had a deep foundation and were immensely powerful forces. For ordinary people, being able to join any one of them was a great honor.

The second match also ended quickly, with the two fighters evenly matched. In the end, the sect elders intervened to stop the match. Chen Fei and the young man were both chosen and joined the sect. So far, only three young people from the entire Yuzhou City had been recruited by the sects, showing how high their standards were.

Next was the match between Lin Yuchu and Li Changsheng, which drew the attention of everyone. Lin Yuchu was a talented girl, and from the previous test, her cultivation was considered the best among her peers in Yuzhou. Li Changsheng, on the other hand, was a dark horse, with a surprisingly high talent despite his low cultivation.

Moreover, there seemed to be some emotional entanglement between the two, making this match particularly exciting.

However, no one, including the elders of the major sects, thought Li Changsheng had a chance to win. The difference between the fifth and eighth levels was too great, and even with high talent, it was hard to make up for it.

At the ninth level of the Qi Spirit Realm, each level enhanced different aspects of the body—skin, bones, blood, strength, perception... Lin Yuchu, being three levels higher than Li Changsheng, had significantly superior physical abilities. The gap in cultivation led to a huge disparity in strength, making it extremely difficult to defeat a higher-level opponent.

"Li Changsheng, draw your sword. Today, I will show you what it means to be crushed by a higher level," Lin Yuchu said coldly as she drew her sword the moment she stepped onto the stage.

"Can you stop talking nonsense?" Li Changsheng said with a faint smile.

Hóngfēi Míngmíng!

Lin Yuchu's face darkened, and she suddenly twisted her sword, swiftly thrusting it at Li Changsheng. Her attack was perfect in terms of strength, speed, and accuracy.

"Hmm." Seeing Lin Yuchu's thrust, the sect elders nodded. Her attack was powerful, and her target was precise. She had a firm grasp of sword techniques. Lin Yuchu was indeed a genius, not just a name.

Nìliú ér shàng!

Li Changsheng remained very calm and did not panic due to Lin Yuchu's fierce attack. When her sword was about to reach him, he finally moved, his sword tip gliding along the edge of Lin Yuchu's sword. Her sword immediately deviated, while Li Changsheng's sword continued upward. If she did not withdraw her sword to dodge, her wrist would be pierced by Li Changsheng.

Eh! Seeing Li Changsheng's move, the sect elders' eyes lit up. This move was excellent, seemingly created specifically to counter Lin Yuchu's attack.

They were all sword experts and could observe every subtle detail of sword techniques. Li Changsheng used a simple move, but it not only deflected Lin Yuchu's attack but also countered her. This showed that he had a deep understanding of each move in his sword technique and could use them skillfully in battle.

Could this be the true level of talent beyond the nine stars? To use ordinary sword techniques to such a sublime degree? With just this one move, the sect elders could see how high Li Changsheng's talent was.

He has great potential as a scholar! The representatives of the academy's eyes lit up.

They, who had been half-asleep, were now drawn in by Li Changsheng. His ability to accurately judge his opponent's sword movements, not only defusing the attack but also counterattacking, showed his intelligence and spirit. Intelligence and spirit were among the criteria for admission to the academy.

There were very few people who could become scholars, making it difficult for the academy to recruit students. Li Changsheng's performance gave them hope, making them feel like they had found a diamond in a pile of sand. If they could recruit him into the academy and cultivate him with poetry and literature, they might even be able to awaken his Book Spirit! The academy representatives thought simultaneously.

After awakening the Book Spirit, one could learn the magical techniques of their school.

"Still as a virgin, swift as a hare, this boy is good!" Changping Hou, who had been half-closed his eyes watching the arena, was moved and began to pay attention to Li Changsheng.

Many of the magical techniques of the Military Academy were based on military strategy. Talents trained by the academy, if they entered the army, would become famous generals. Li Changsheng's performance aligned with military strategy, and he might be able to comprehend the magical techniques of military strategy.

As a military school of the scholar lineage, the requirements for recruiting students were even higher.