Ultimate Magus in Cultivation World

"WHY DID THAT LIGHT KICK FEEL SO HEAVY?!" Han Yi shouted as he rolled to a stop.

Ling Qingxue stayed silent.

Han Yi got up again, shaking.

"Fine… fine… I'll use my full strength!"

He charged again.

This time he threw a fast combo—punch, kick, elbow, another kick.

Ling Qingxue didn't block.

She just tilted her head.

Shifted her foot.

Moved slightly.

Every attack missed her by a hair.

Han Yi grew more desperate.

"STAY STILL!"

Ling Qingxue finally struck back.

A single palm.

BAM.

Han Yi flew backward, landed, rolled, and barely stopped before falling off the stage.

He groaned.

"My everything hurts…"

Ling Qingxue walked toward him slowly.

Han Yi panicked.

"WAIT WAIT WAIT! I SURREN—"

But she was already in front of him.

Her palm hovered an inch from his face—just like she did with Mu Chen.

She didn't need to hit.

Han Yi froze.

"…I surrender."

Tian Lei nodded.

"Winner: Ling Qingxue."

The crowd cheered again.

Han Yi lay flat on the ground, staring at the sky.

"I'm never fighting her again…"

Lei Feng called out, "Same, brother!"

Mu Chen nodded.

"She's terrifying…"

Yue Shanshan crossed her arms.

"At least she didn't break your ribs."

Han Yi wheezed.

"That does not make me feel better…"

Ling Qingxue simply walked off the stage, calm as ever.

Tian Lei checked the list once more.

"Next match—

Yue Shanshan vs Han Yi!"

Han Yi sat up instantly.

"…WHY ME AGAIN?!"

Tian Lei continued reading the board.

"And this is the last match of the round."

Han Yi froze.

Then his eyes lit up like someone just told him he won a free vacation.

"L-Last match?" he repeated.

Tian Lei nodded.

"Yes. After this, everyone gets a break."

Han Yi leaped to his feet with sudden heroic energy he absolutely did not have a moment ago.

"Yue Shanshan! I am ready to fight— I MEAN– READY TO GET BEAT— I MEAN— READY TO FACE YOU HONORABLY!"

Yue Shanshan stared at him.

"…You said 'get beaten.'"

Han Yi coughed.

"That was a… warm-up mistake."

Lei Feng yelled from the side, still half-dead on the floor,

"HE'S ONLY BRAVE BECAUSE IT'S THE LAST MATCH!"

Mu Chen groaned,

"He's going to last ten seconds."

Ling Qingxue blinked once.

That was her version of: He might last five.

Yue Shanshan walked toward the stage, cracking her knuckles.

"Don't worry. I'll make it quick."

Han Yi tried to hype himself up.

"I— I am not afraid!"

Yue Shanshan raised an eyebrow.

Han Yi immediately whispered,

"…I am slightly afraid."

Tian Lei lifted his hand high.

"Both fighters, take your positions."

Han Yi gulped.

Yue Shanshan grinned.

The crowd leaned forward.

Han Yi whispered to himself,

"Last match… I can do this… maybe…"

Tian Lei dropped his hand—

"BEGIN!"

Han Yi moved first—mostly because he didn't want to stand still and wait to be hit.

He rushed forward with everything he had left.

Which… honestly wasn't much.

Yue Shanshan didn't even raise her swords this time.

She just watched him come closer with a small, amused smile.

Han Yi threw a punch.

Yue Shanshan stepped aside.

Han Yi flew past her, arms windmilling.

"WHOA—!"

He barely stopped before falling off the edge again.

He turned around quickly.

"I meant to do that!"

Yue Shanshan laughed under her breath.

"Sure."

Han Yi tried again.

He ran in and threw a kick.

Yue Shanshan simply tapped his ankle with her foot.

Han Yi's balance disappeared.

"NOT AGAIN—!"

He hit the ground, rolled twice, then jumped back up, red-faced.

"I'm fine! Totally fine!"

The crowd cheered, entertained.

Lei Feng yelled,

"STOP EMBARRASSING US!"

Mu Chen sighed,

"He's trying his best…"

Ling Qingxue watched silently, head tilted.

Han Yi grit his teeth.

"Alright. Real attack this time!"

He took a deep breath, focused, and launched a faster punch—

this one genuinely stronger.

Yue Shanshan nodded, impressed.

She lifted one arm to block.

Their limbs met.

BAM!

Han Yi staggered back, wincing.

"OW— what are your bones made of?!"

Yue Shanshan shrugged.

"Training."

Han Yi didn't give up.

He charged again, swinging wildly.

Yue Shanshan dodged left.

Then right.

Then leaned back.

Han Yi's attacks hit nothing but air.

"I CAN DO THIS! I—"

He tripped over his own foot.

He fell forward—

—and Yue Shanshan caught him by the collar before he faceplanted.

She sighed.

"You really are trying, huh?"

Han Yi froze, hanging awkwardly in her grip.

"…yes?"

She let him down gently.

Then she flicked his forehead.

TAP.

A small sound.

A big result.

Han Yi flew backward like he'd been hit by a hammer.

"WAAAAAA—!"

He hit the ground and didn't get back up.

He raised one shaky hand.

"I… surrender…"

Tian Lei immediately lifted his hand.

"Winner: Yue Shanshan!"

The crowd roared with laughter and applause.

Yue Shanshan exhaled and stretched her arms.

Han Yi lay flat, staring at the sky again.

"I survived… somehow…"

Lei Feng pointed.

"Brother, that wasn't surviving. That was suffering."

Mu Chen nodded.

"At least she didn't kill you."

Ling Qingxue blinked once.

Which meant: He actually lasted longer than expected.

Han Yi groaned.

"…I want my break now…"

Tian Lei clapped loudly.

"ROUND ONE IS COMPLETE!

Everyone rest. The next rotation begins soon."

Han Yi whispered,

"Please let 'soon' mean an hour…"

Han Yi didn't move for a while.

He just lay there like a broken puppet.

Tian Lei walked over, looked down at him, and said,

"You can get up now."

Han Yi slowly rolled to the side.

"…I don't think I can."

Lei Feng dragged himself closer.

"Brother… that was the bravest stupidity I've ever seen."

Mu Chen sat beside them, breathing slowly.

"At least no one is dead. That's a win."

Yue Shanshan stretched her back.

"You all complain too much."

Ling Qingxue quietly sat down a short distance away, calm as always.

A soft breeze moved across the stage as students talked excitedly.

"Ling Qingxue is scary!"

"Han Yi is insane."

"Lei Feng and Mu Chen almost killed themselves!"

"This is the best training session we've seen!"

Tian Lei clapped again.

"Listen up!

We will rest for ten minutes.

Drink water. Do light recovery.

After that, ROUND TWO begins."