You've Got to Have the Strength for That

"Although I haven't mastered that kind of freakish martial will."

"Although I can't dream up peerless spear techniques."

"But—"

Lin Xiaoxiao deliberately drew out her final syllable, dropping a bombshell.

"I've learned a Heaven-rank martial art!"

Heaven-rank martial art!

The moment those four words left her mouth.

Su Yu's deep, profound eyes narrowed sharply.

His footsteps came to a halt as well.

The martial arts ranks of the Great Xia Empire, from lowest to highest, were divided into four tiers: Yellow, Profound, Earth, and Heaven.

In Jiang City, a Profound-rank Breathing Condensation Art cost eight hundred thousand just for a trial lesson at the martial arts library!

As for Earth-rank martial arts.

Those were rare treasures worth fighting tooth and nail for among Grandmasters and Great Grandmasters.

And Heaven-rank...

That was a true national treasure!

It was a supreme secret manual accessible only to Martial Kings, Martial Emperors, and even the legendary Martial Sovereigns!

Every Heaven-rank martial art contained terrifying, world-destroying power, and could even resonate with a sliver of the laws of heaven and earth.

Lin Xiaoxiao had actually learned a Heaven-rank martial art?!

Seeing the undisguised shock in Su Yu's eyes.

The little bit of frustration in Lin Xiaoxiao's heart vanished in an instant.

Replaced by an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.

"Heh heh, surprised, right?"

With her hands clasped behind her back, Lin Xiaoxiao circled Su Yu with light, cheerful steps.

"This is my Lin family's secret art, passed down only within the clan."

"It's called the Great Wilderness Starfall Fist!"

"My dad only managed to reach the threshold of this boxing art when he was at the Great Grandmaster level."

Lin Xiaoxiao extended her fair, delicate hands and waved them in front of Su Yu.

Her tone carried a faint trace of grievance and pride.

"To train in this boxing art."

"I had to spend ten hours a day in the gravity chamber."

"My hands broke who knows how many times, and every night I had to soak in those high-grade bone-forging medicinal baths that hurt so much you'd want to die."

"Even my dad tried to talk me out of it, saying my qi and blood realm wasn't high enough, and that forcing it would damage my foundation."

"But..."

Lin Xiaoxiao stopped in front of Su Yu.

Looking straight into his eyes.

In those pure, clear eyes burned a light called stubbornness.

"I still managed to master it!"

"It's only barely at the entrance level, not even fully grasping the first stage."

"But as long as I unleash all my qi and blood with one punch, I can definitely kill enemies above my rank!"

Lin Xiaoxiao clenched her small fist and waved it in front of Su Yu.

Kicking up an extremely fierce gust of wind.

"So!"

"Su Yu, Special Freshman."

"Don't think that just because you've comprehended Manifested Spear Intent, you can walk all over Capital Martial."

" If it really comes down to a fight, your thousand points of qi and blood, plus that broken spear of yours, might not even be a match for this young lady!"

Proud.

Competitive.

Yet there was a sincerity about her that was impossible to ignore.

Su Yu quietly watched the girl before him.

He didn't refute Lin Xiaoxiao's taunt.

Nor did he use his freaky Manifested Spear Intent to crush her confidence.

Instead, he set aside his usual indifferent expression.

And nodded with absolute seriousness.

"Mhm."

"I believe you."

Su Yu looked at her, a gentle curve forming at the corner of his mouth.

"Heaven-rank martial arts are indeed incredibly powerful."

"I'll be counting on Miss Lin to look after me at Capital Martial from now on."

Hearing Su Yu's words of genuine acknowledgment, free of any hint of condescension.

Lin Xiaoxiao's cheeks flushed with a faint reddish hue for no apparent reason.

She looked away awkwardly and let out a small cough.

" Ahem... you'd better know it."

"Don't worry, I'll keep my word. If anyone dares to mess with you, I'll pulp them into a meat patty with the Great Wilderness Starfall Fist!"

The atmosphere at that moment became exceptionally warm.

Even carrying a touch of the unique tenderness and passion of youth.

The two exchanged smiles.

Turned around, and continued walking side by side.

Half an hour later.

At the edge of their sight.

A colossal, majestic complex of buildings—like an ancient beast crouching low on the horizon—slowly came into view.

The highest martial arts institution in the Great Xia Empire.

The Capital's First Martial Arts University!

On the hundred-meter-tall alloy gate, four characters were carved with blade and axe—Struggle for Martial Supremacy!

Standing before this gate alone, one could feel an overwhelming, blood-soaked ferocity accumulated through a century of brutal battle.

At this moment.

The plaza outside the school gates was already buzzing with noise.

Luxury cars filled the area like clouds.

Countless new students from all over the country—heralded as the favored children of heaven—gathered here, carrying pride, anxiety, and dreams.

Everywhere were senior students holding welcome banners.

Everywhere were young faces with surging qi and blood.

A scene of lively chaos.

But.

The moment Su Yu and Lin Xiaoxiao stepped into the plaza side by side.

Su Yu's perception, honed by ten million years of spear intent, instantly sensed something wrong.

Beneath the surface of all this noise and excitement.

Countless gazes filled with hostility, scrutiny, jealousy, and even murderous intent lurked hidden.

These gazes, like venomous snakes lying in wait in the shadows.

From every direction, locked tightly onto him.

"Hey, look! It's Lin Xiaoxiao!"

"That specially recruited monster from Jiang City? The one with four hundred qi and blood?"

"Who's that guy next to her, carrying the long bundle wrapped in black cloth?"

"Are you blind?! The inner forum exploded last night, didn't you see?"

Whispers and suppressed exclamations rippled through the crowd.

"He's Su Yu!"

"The one Vice Principal Nie personally ordered to be named 'Special Freshman'!"

"What?! That's him?!"

"He looks totally ordinary—barely any qi and blood fluctuation at all. How can he be ranked alongside Principal War God?!"

"I heard he comprehended Soul-Calming Spear Intent, and Director Chu Kuang almost came to blows with Director Lei Jue over him!"

"Bullshit! Soul-Calming Spear Intent is something ferocious and overbearing—how could an eighteen-year-old freshman comprehend it? I bet he cheated somehow using some shady method!"

The murmurs grew louder and louder.

Some upperclassmen from sophomore and junior years even unleashed their powerful qi and blood pressure without any restraint, crushing toward Su Yu's position.

Special Freshman.

That title was too heavy a weight to bear.

Heavy enough to crush any genius who lacked absolute strength to back it up.

It was like a giant bullseye, exposing Su Yu completely to the crosshairs of every elite at Capital Martial.

Lin Xiaoxiao naturally felt those unfriendly gazes as well.

Her smile instantly vanished.

A cold gleam flashed in her pure, clear eyes.

She stepped forward, subtly positioning herself beside Su Yu, and her qi and blood began to circulate slowly.

The opening stance of a Heaven-rank martial art was already priming in secret.

"Su Yu."

Lin Xiaoxiao lowered her voice, her tone serious.

"Looks like."

"These people are all waiting to see you make a fool of yourself."

"If you let them suppress your momentum on the very first day of registration, you won't be able to take a single step forward at Capital Martial."

Facing the wave of malice and pressure surging toward him from all sides.

Su Yu didn't retreat half a step.

He stood still.

His deep eyes slowly swept across the entire crowd.

Wherever his gaze landed, the older students who had been trying to test him with their qi and blood pressure felt a sudden, inexplicable palpitation in their hearts—and averted their eyes.

This was a primal fear that originated from the very depths of the soul.

It was like a herbivore suddenly being locked onto by a dormant ancient beast of prey.

Su Yu reached out his hand.

He gripped the Abyss Dragon Spear wrapped in black cloth behind his back.

Feeling the icy touch that seeped through the cloth.

Setting the rules?

Su Yu sneered inwardly.

That requires the strength to back it up!

“Let’s go.”

Su Yu loosened his grip on the spear.

His tone was calm.

“We’re going to report in.”

He stepped forward, walking without hesitation toward the gates of Jingwu, under countless complex gazes.

The storm had arrived.