Chapter 54: Monster

"Hey, Cousin Xiao Yan," Xiao Ning approached, lightly resting his hand on Xiao Yan's shoulder. "Are you really taking a whole year off?"

"Yeah," Xiao Yan replied without saying much, nodding heavily.

Looking at Xiao Yan's unwavering gaze, Xiao Ning paused for a moment and then sighed softly.

"Well- I was hoping to have some fun with you at the academy," Xiao Ning lightly patted Xiao Yan's shoulder and smiled. "But since this is your decision, I have no authority to stop you. Good luck!"

After saying that, Xiao Ning retreated to the side, waving his hand to signal the other members of the Xiao Clan to step back and clear the area. Everyone else also moved away, leaving only Xiao Yan and Ruo Ling facing each other in the courtyard.

Ruo Ling swung the long whip hanging from her waist, releasing a burst of green Dou Qi, and raised her chin towards Xiao Yan.

"Go and choose a suitable weapon from that rack over there."

"No need," Xiao Yan looked at Ruo Ling and calmly replied, "I have not received any weapon training as a student, and using weapons would only be a burden for me."

"Is that so..." Ruo Ling murmured, lightly tapping the floor with her whip, causing a water ripple to appear out of nowhere. Then she raised an eyebrow.

"Shall we begin?"

Xiao Yan took a deep breath, slightly turned his body, clenched his fists tightly, and stared intently at Ruo Ling's graceful figure as he responded in a firm voice.

"Let's begin!"

Bang!

As soon as the words fell, the whip shadow instantly reached Xiao Yan's head, causing him to shudder and instinctively lean sideways, narrowly avoiding it. The whip strike left a long trench on the floor where it landed.

So fast!!!

Xiao Yan's heart clenched as he evaded the attack. His body became even more tense, and a thought flashed through his mind.

The slightest slackness would lead to defeat!

Just as Xiao Yan was thinking this, Ruo Ling furrowed her brows slightly.

Although she had indeed restrained herself a bit with the previous whip strike, Ruo Ling didn't believe that a mere 2 Star Dou Zhe (Battle Practitioner, 2nd Level) could dodge it at that speed.

At this moment, memories of Xiao Yu's foreign aid selection match earlier in the year flashed through Ruo Ling's mind, making her more alert.

Perhaps these younger generations of the Xiao Clan couldn't be judged by common sense.

Clearly, Ruo Ling didn't want to give Xiao Yan the year off. Not only was it difficult for her, but she also didn't believe that Xiao Yan would achieve greater results during this year off than staying at the Jia Nan Academy.

Therefore, whether it was for herself or for Xiao Yan, she didn't want him to get his wish of taking a year off!

"Xiao Yan, be careful," Ruo Ling coldly reminded, and in the next second, her hand flickered with afterimages as the black whip swiftly charged towards Xiao Yan like a serpent.

Swoosh!

Xiao Yan's eyes could barely keep up with the speed of the whip. He relied on his long-standing combat instinct to successfully evade once again.

Ruo Ling raised an eyebrow, her swinging motion with the whip not ceasing as she continued to attack Xiao Yan relentlessly. This left Xiao Yan with no room for any extra thoughts; his entire focus was on evading Ruo Ling's assaults.

From the perspective of the onlookers, they witnessed Xiao Yan swiftly dodging within the barely visible black afterimages. Each person's face displayed deep shock and astonishment.

Although they couldn't make a move themselves, witnessing someone dodge to such an extent, other than Xiao Yu, no one else present was capable of achieving it!

However, it wasn't enough.

Xiao Yu furrowed her brows tightly.

Only she could tell that Xiao Yan's evasive maneuvers were already extremely strenuous. He had already been struck twice on the shoulder, but due to the speed being too fast, it went unnoticed by others.

At this rate, he definitely wouldn't last more than twenty rounds!

And it wasn't just Xiao Yu who noticed; Xiao Yan himself was well aware of it!

Just being accidentally struck twice had already left Xiao Yan's shoulder feeling overwhelmingly weak. He had to exert all his strength just to raise his arm!

If he were to take a hit on a leg, it would truly be over!

He couldn't continue evading any longer!!!

A resolute expression flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes. He ceased his evasive movements and allowed the whip to come crashing down upon him.

The force behind it was so great that one could even hear the sound of whistling wind!!!

"Xiao Yan! Get out of the way!!!" Xiao Yu's expression instantly filled with fear. This whip strike was no joking matter!!!

'This kid?!'

Ruo Ling, witnessing this scene, was also shocked. She never expected that Xiao Yan would give up evading and stand in place!

As the attacker, she was well aware of the force contained in this strike, which Xiao Yan couldn't withstand!!!

In an instant, Ruo Ling snapped back to her senses and immediately prepared to retract the whip, intending to leave Xiao Yan severely injured.

However, in the next moment, the scene before her caused her eyes to widen in astonishment.

Xiao Yan, facing the approaching black whip, suddenly raised his arm and placed it at his side, willingly enduring the impact of the whip. At the moment of collision between the whip and Xiao Yan's arm, everyone on the field distinctly heard a loud bone-cracking sound.

Even without confirming it, they understood that Xiao Yan's arm had fractured.

Amidst the shock of everyone, including Ruo Ling, the black whip wound around Xiao Yan's arm following the force. Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, tightly grasping the black whip with his hand, and forcefully stepped on the ground, charging fiercely towards Ruo Ling along the path of the whip.

No need for anything else! Just one strike! Only one strike is needed!!!

I know I'm weaker than Instructor Ruo Ling! I understand that she's much stronger than me!

Since that's the case! I'll squeeze out all the power in my body! Squeeze until there's nothing left! Concentrate everything into this one strike!

By the time Ruo Ling realized what was happening, Xiao Yan had already reached her, gathering all his remaining strength in his fist as he struck fiercely at Ruo Ling's beautiful face. He also shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Octadic Smash!!!!!"

Buzz!!!

Along with a gust of force, a thunderous roar resounded near Ruo Ling's ears!

Ruo Ling widened her eyes, staring blankly at Xiao Yan's face, which displayed a mixture of pain and unwavering determination. Mechanically, she turned her head slightly, looking at her arm that passed by the side of her head. An icy feeling of surviving a disaster instantly surged within her.

Although Ruo Ling had increased the force behind her attack significantly, she hadn't considered defense at all because she never thought Xiao Yan would have a chance to counterattack.

Yet Xiao Yan managed to strike back during that split second when she was caught off guard!

Ruo Ling could feel the power behind this punch. If it were to hit her head without any defense, even she, Ruo Ling, would suffer severe injuries!

A Da Dou Shi (Battle Grandmaster, 4th Level) severely injured by a Dou Zhe (Battle Practitioner, 2nd Level) ? How absurd!

But Ruo Ling knew deep down that this was no joke!

Because she herself was the one experiencing it!!!

Even though there was an element of underestimating Xiao Yan, the most important thing was that Xiao Yan's ferocity went far beyond everyone's expectations. He was willing to sacrifice an arm just to retaliate against his opponent, completely unexpected.

"Instructor Ruo Ling." While Ruo Ling was still in a daze, Xiao Yan slowly withdrew his arm, and a faint smile appeared on his face, despite his extreme weakness. "Does this count as my victory?"

"..."

Ruo Ling remained silent, gazing at the young man in front of her.

She had anticipated that both Xiao Yan and Xiao Yu were geniuses who couldn't be judged by common standards.

But she never expected that Xiao Yan would be several times more terrifying than she had imagined!

This had completely surpassed the realm of genius.

Ruo Ling turned slightly, looking at the tens of meters long trench left on the ground as if it had been swept by a violent storm, with broken stones mixed in the soil. Even the surrounding wall had a large hole in it.

At this moment, fear filled Ruo Ling's heart.

This child is simply... a monster.

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