Competition for the Top Spot

The classroom was spacious, easily accommodating up to 80 people. Currently, only about half of the seats were occupied. The front featured a blackboard, with the walls painted a soft pink. It seemed like this would be our learning space going forward. I found a seat in the back row and settled in, with the Fire brothers sitting beside me.

As the bell rang, a woman in her mid-twenties entered the room. She wasn't very tall, with shoulder-length black hair and a graceful, elegant demeanor. She looked gentle and approachable. Clearing her throat, she spoke loudly, "Students, please quiet down. Let's begin the class." Her voice was crisp and soothing, a pleasant sound to the ears.

I was surprised by how young the teacher was. It was quite unexpected.

The classroom fell silent.

"First, let me introduce myself. My name is Zhuang Jing, and I'll be your homeroom teacher from now on. I'll mainly be responsible for magic-related courses. I hope everyone can cooperate actively with me, work hard in their practice, and bring glory to our academy, as well as to our Class Six of the Magic and Martial Arts Department. If you have any questions about magic, feel free to come to me." I thought to myself: It seems like this teacher is quite approachable. To be teaching us newcomers at this age, she must have extraordinary skills.

"Now, let's have everyone introduce themselves, starting from the first row on the left."

"The first person in the left row was a girl, who, if she were a man, could be described as having a broad build, standing at a towering 180 cm tall, with a waistline that probably matched her height. Using the popular term, one could say she resembled a globe. She showed no signs of stage fright as she quickly stood up and said, 'Hello, Teacher Zhuang, hello everyone. My name is Fengjuan. I've studied some fire magic and some martial arts passed down in my family. I hope to exchange ideas with everyone in our future studies...' (The rest of her introduction was omitted for brevity.) Wow, she just wouldn't stop. It went on and on until even Teacher Zhuang couldn't bear it any longer and said, 'Alright, Fengjuan, let's stop here. Next.'

Fengjuan reluctantly sat down, clearly not finished yet.

Next was a very slender boy, a stark contrast to Fengjuan. He stood up and with a hoarse voice, said, 'My name is Longzhuang. Please take care of me in the future.' With that, he quickly sat back down.

...

Finally, it was my turn. I stood up, trying to keep my voice soft, and said, 'My name is Leixiang.' Many of the girls in the class threw me flirtatious glances upon seeing my tall stature and handsome face. I managed to handle the attention from others, but when I unintentionally received a flirtatious glance from Fengjuan, I almost vomited, barely suppressing the surge of acid rising in my throat, and quickly sat back down."

The class teacher seemed to be somewhat interested in me and asked, "Leixiang, what have you studied before?"

Reluctantly, I stood up again, but this time I dared not look around. I looked straight at Teacher Zhuang and replied, "I've studied some martial arts and combat techniques."

"Oh, you haven't studied magic?" she asked.

"No," I replied.

"Well, you'll have to work hard in the future then, try to keep up with everyone else's progress," she encouraged.

"Yes, Teacher," I responded.

The Fire brothers introduced themselves next, leaving a deep impression on everyone due to their identical appearance.

"Alright, everyone has introduced themselves. I hope that in the future, classmates will respect and support each other, and work together. Now, we need to elect a class monitor to assist me in managing our class. What do you think is the best way to choose?" Teacher Zhuang asked.

A student named Wu De stood up and suggested, "Teacher, from what I understand, it seems that every class in the academy has a chief student. Why don't we also hold a competition to select the chief student, and then have them serve as the class monitor? This way, it would be more acceptable to everyone."

other ideas?"

Most of the students didn't express any objections, and those who didn't have any better ideas couldn't come up with alternatives. Teacher Zhuang then announced, "Next class, we will all go to Training Ground 4 together to select the class monitor through a competition. Class is dismissed."

I quietly asked the Fire brothers next to me, "Can we abstain? What's the point of being the class monitor? Will it affect our cultivation?"

Fire Xing replied, "It shouldn't affect cultivation. I heard that if the class monitor gets along well with the teachers, they can learn more from them. There's something called the Dragon Group in the academy, and only the chief students from the second year and above have the right to enter. It's said that you can learn more profound techniques inside. There are six grades in the academy, with about six classes per grade, so the Dragon Group should have around thirty people. They are the true elites of the academy."

So being the class monitor does have its benefits. At the very least, it might lead to better learning opportunities. It seems like I can't afford to give up just yet.

There was no time for a break during the break. I followed the crowd straight to Training Ground 4, which was located behind the teaching building and was always used by the students of the Martial Arts classes.

The girls in the class were discussing eagerly, and I could faintly hear my name in their whispers. I subconsciously touched my face. Am I really that handsome?

Several girls who were confident in their looks approached me, trying to charm me with their beauty. But how could I be moved by them with their level of charm? Each of them received a cold response from me.

Finally, we arrived at the destination. Training Ground 4 was inside a large building, surrounded by five tiers of stands that could accommodate around four to five hundred people. In the center was a large arena measuring 20 meters in length and width.

Teacher Zhuang stepped onto the platform and said, "Alright, let's proceed with the draw. Any volunteers to withdraw?"

"There are, there are, there are." I couldn't believe it. More than half of them were withdrawing, and most of them were girls. After counting, Teacher Zhuang confirmed that there were exactly 16 participants left. They were divided into eight groups through a draw, and it would be a knockout competition.

My first opponent was Fire Xing. He made a helpless gesture towards me, "Lei Xiang, let's give it our all in our first match." I nodded and stepped onto the platform first.

Fire Xing drew his long sword and said, "I won't go easy on you. You have to do your best too."

I responded, "Bring it on."

"Great God of Fire, grant me endless flames." As Fire Xing chanted, his long sword gradually turned red, emitting billowing heat. I stood still, waiting for his move.

With a loud roar, Fire Xing swiftly rushed towards me and swung his sword down with great force. I gently sidestepped, not avoiding his sword completely. The blade struck my shoulder, but Fire Xing quickly pulled back, fearing he might hurt me. However, the momentum was too great for him to stop in time. The sword, filled with fiery energy, struck my shoulder with a "thud."

In fact, I knew from the force of his strike that he couldn't harm me. I deliberately allowed him to hit me. My shoulder only felt a slight scorching sensation. I smiled at him and lifted my left hand to grab his sword while my right hand delivered a palm strike.

Fire Xing felt as if his sword had struck solid ice. He couldn't move the blade at all, even though it was filled with fire elemental energy. In astonishment, he was pushed off the platform by my palm strike.

The whole process took only a few seconds. I mainly used the force of his attack and didn't harm him. As Fire Xing landed below the platform, he couldn't help but look at his sword. Surprisingly, the blade had curled up slightly.

He asked incredulously, "Lei Xiang, what kind of skill is this? You're not afraid of sword strikes."

I replied calmly, "It's not that I'm not afraid, it's just that your strength isn't enough. Would you like to try again?"

Fire Xing shook his head and said, "No need, I concede."

The other students below the platform were all stunned. None of them expected the first match to end like this. They couldn't help but look at me with newfound respect. I instantly became the hot favorite to win.

Teacher Zhuang announced, "Lei Xiang wins the first match. Next match, it's Fire Mars versus Phoenix."

As I walked down from the platform, I patted Fire Xing's shoulder and said, "Be content. You're the first one to lose to me and still walk away in one piece." Fire Xing was left speechless by my words. I didn't pay him any more attention and instead raised my head to watch the match on the platform.

On the platform, Fire Mars and Phoenix were already engaged in combat. Phoenix wielded a huge hammer, swinging it up and down with great force. Despite its weight, the hammer seemed as light as a feather in her hands, effortlessly swaying back and forth. The hammer was also infused with fire magic. Although her figure appeared bulky, her movement speed was surprisingly fast. She floated around like a falling leaf, easily maneuvering around Fire Mars, gradually cornering him. The powerful wind generated by the swinging hammer made it impossible for Fire Mars to approach within three meters of her. He could only use his long sword to cautiously cast fire magic from a distance. This chubby woman indeed possessed extraordinary strength.

Fire Xing sighed, "Is she even a woman? She's terrifying."

I replied calmly, "Your little brother is going to lose. He can't even leverage his own advantages."

As expected, as soon as I finished speaking, Fire Mars's sword was knocked away by Phoenix's hammer. The hammer stopped three inches above his head, and Fire Mars's face turned pale with fear.

Phoenix smirked triumphantly, "You lose." She became the second person to enter the top eight.

With just one class, the top eight contestants were decided. In my next match, I was up against a classmate named Luo Lei, who wielded a spear. From my observations, although his spear technique was tricky, his strength was lacking.

In the first match of the second round, Luo Lei and I entered the arena under Teacher Zhuang's announcement. Luo Lei said, "You won too easily earlier. I won't give you that chance."

I snorted coldly and didn't respond.

"If it wasn't that he let you win or underestimated you, I won't make the same mistake as him. Alright, let me show you what real skill is. Watch my spear, Star River Scatter." With that, he brandished his spear, and countless light spots scattered like stars, showering towards me. The name was quite apt, and the spearhead emitted the sound of battling energy. I couldn't discern where he intended to strike. His strength was indeed greater than Fire Xing's.

I raised my arm to protect my eyes, using the "Heavenly Thunder Armor" to cover my whole body with a thick layer of energy. There was a slight tingling sensation on my skin as each of the projectiles from "Galaxy Torrent" struck me.

I lowered my hand and looked at him coldly. Shock appeared on his face as he muttered to himself, "Now I understand how he lost earlier. You truly are impervious to weapons."

"It's not that I'm impervious to weapons, it's just that your strength isn't enough," I replied calmly.

He said firmly, "I won't give up. Come at me again. Steady Earth, use your immense power to pierce through my opponent — Earth Spear Stab." It turned out he was a student of earth elemental magic.

The ground beneath me trembled as a massive earth spike shot up towards me. I dodged backward, narrowly avoiding it, but the close call sent shivers down my spine. Such a large earth spike, even with my defense, couldn't guarantee that I wouldn't get hurt. Just then, another earth spike surged forth.

Simply dodging wasn't going to cut it. I charged forward with all my might, evading wave after wave of earth spikes. Although I managed to dodge the direct assaults, I still got grazed a few times. If it weren't for my extraordinary defensive capabilities, I'd likely be covered in injuries. However, my clothes couldn't withstand the intense friction and impact, gradually tearing apart.

I knew I had to end this battle quickly, or I might find myself at a disadvantage due to exhaustion. I calmly considered my options, searching for an opportunity and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Finally, I reached a point just three meters in front of Lightning Fall. Leaping high into the air, I let out a mighty roar, "Thunder Reign Descends." This was the first time I had used the Thunderous Thirteen Punches in battle since leaving the Orc Emperor's City.

In mid-air, I exuded an unstoppable aura, and my massive fist seemed to grow larger in Lightning Fall's eyes. He felt surrounded by a surging force, as if every avenue of escape had been sealed off by my punch, leaving him unable to evade.

Gritting his teeth, Lightning Fall thrust his spear with all his might towards me.

However, I knew I had already won the moment I leaped into the air because there was no way he could withstand the full force of my technique.

With a powerful burst of energy, my right fist collided with Lightning Fall's spear, creating a deafening shatter in the air. Lightning Fall was sent flying off the platform by the sheer force of my blow. His spear shattered into pieces, scattered across the ground. If I hadn't withdrawn most of the energy at the last moment and redirected the explosive force into a pushing force, he might never have seen the sun rise again.

Standing on the platform with my hands behind my back, I exuded an aura that seemed to challenge all the heroes of the world. Coldly, I declared, "Now you should realize how lucky you are. I'm sorry for destroying your spear."

Lightning Fall, in the audience, wasn't really hurt and naturally knew I had shown mercy. He retreated to the side, filled with resentment. Our class teacher blinked, thinking to herself, "This Lei Xiang has such incredible strength. Lightning Fall's Starry Cloud Spear Technique was already quite renowned before coming to the academy. He should have been among the top in the class and even the grade. I didn't expect him to be defeated by Lei Xiang."

As she pondered, I spoke from the platform, "Teacher, should you announce my victory now?"

It was only then that Teacher Zhuang reacted, hurriedly saying, "Lei Xiang wins and advances to the semi-finals."

I jumped down from the platform, and the Fire brothers immediately came over. Firestar said, "Old Lei, you're amazing! That punch you threw just now was incredible. It seems like you're the one who should be calling the shots in class. Teach me how to do that."

I replied, "My boxing style isn't suitable for you to learn. You should focus on improving your own skills."

Firestar felt rebuffed and left somewhat disheartened. I ignored him and went to sit in a corner. Since the matches were all scheduled for today, stamina was crucial. Although I had defeated Lightning Fall earlier, it wasn't as easy as it seemed. Those earth spikes had caused some damage, and the battle had drained a lot of my energy. If my next two opponents were as skilled as Lightning Fall, becoming class leader might prove to be quite challenging.

I thought to myself that in the next match, I absolutely couldn't give my opponent a chance to use magic. I had to strike first and strike hard.

Quietly, I sat down to regulate the energy within me, gathering the scattered True Qi of the Thunder Armor technique back together. I tuned out everything else happening in the arena.

After a short while, feeling the True Qi gradually return to its optimal state, I took a deep breath and stood up.

Approaching the platform, I caught the tail end of a scene where Fengjuan swung her giant hammer, blasting her opponent along with their sword off the platform. What terrifying strength.

The class teacher announced, "Fengjuan wins, and the quarter-finals are over. Now, onto the semi-finals. First match: Lei Xiang vs. Feng Wen. Please, competitors, enter the arena."

Was it my turn? It seemed like my meditation hadn't been so brief after all. I ascended the platform, taking my place. A gentle breeze brushed against my face, and suddenly, there was someone standing across from me. His speed was incredible, causing a jolt in my heart.

So, this was Feng Wen. He had a well-proportioned figure and wielded a longsword in his hand. He smiled and said, "I watched your match just now. I know you're strong, but I've already figured out how to deal with you."

"Enough talk, bring it on." To prevent my opponent from using magic, I initiated the attack for the first time. Stepping forward with my left foot, I shot my body forward and threw a punch. The powerful Qi enveloped Feng Wen, and the strong wind rustled his clothes as it approached him. Just before it was about to hit, Feng Wen in front of me suddenly vanished, and my incredibly powerful punch struck nothing but air. He was not only fast but also had strong Qi, capable of escaping from my Qi field.

Momentarily distracted, I felt a sharp wind coming from behind me. Without dodging, I turned around and used my chest to block his attack, then swiftly launched another punch.

A wind arrow accurately hit my chest, but my punch missed again. Feng Wen, standing on the other side of the platform, exclaimed in surprise, "Your defense is really strong. You can withstand an attack of this intensity!"

Feng Wen circled around me rapidly, occasionally casting wind arrows and blades at me. He avoided direct confrontation, making my punches futile. My Thunder Armor Qi was still too weak to pose any threat to him. Ah, I remembered, I could integrate dark magic into my Qi, just like when I blocked my father's attack last time.

I stood in the center of the platform, allowing his wind magic to wash over me. My outer clothing shattered even more under his wind magic, revealing my undershirt and well-built muscles. Quietly observing his movements, I continued to concentrate the power of darkness within me. A cold, penetrating sensation filled my body, and my senses became much more acute.

At this moment, Feng Wen attacked while thinking to himself. If this continues, I may not be able to break through his defense. My magic and Qi are running out, and this guy is so sturdy. No, I need to use my ultimate move. With this thought, Feng Wen roared, "Gale Wolf Sword of the Abyss!"

He completely condensed his Qi onto his long sword, then used wind magic to accelerate himself, charging straight at me. His body spun rapidly in the air, and when he was five meters away from me, his Qi already caused a slight pain on my skin. If I were pierced by him, even with my defense, I would probably be injured. I shouted, "Bring it on!"

I gathered the power of darkness, ready to unleash it, and launched a punch towards him. A mixed black-and-white Qi burst out as our forces were about to collide. At the last moment, Feng Wen unexpectedly flipped to the left in mid-air, dodging my fatal punch. However, his long sword continued to thrust towards my chest. Feng Wen had changed direction using wind magic, and no matter how I dodged, he could still follow me.

In this critical moment, my mind unexpectedly calmed down, sensing his attacking direction clearly. I roared, "Thunderous Fury!" Countless fists materialized, blocking all his possible moves, forcing him to confront me head-on.

Fengwen clearly hadn't anticipated that I still had such techniques up my sleeve, and he couldn't evade anymore. He gritted his teeth and accelerated towards me. Boom! The sword and fist finally collided in mid-air. My disadvantage was in my dispersed strength. Although my absolute strength was much greater than his, I still suffered.

The Qi emitted by his long sword pierced through my inner shirt and left a deep half-inch blood mark on my chest. Blood trickled down my chest, and my meridians received a significant impact. I gasped for air, kneeling on one knee, supporting my body's weight with my hand. This was the first time I had been injured since leaving the Orc Emperor's City.

Superficially, Feng Wen seemed to be in better condition than me, but his stamina was also greatly depleted. The long sword, unable to withstand the tremendous force just now, was now only half its original length. He was also kneeling on one knee, using the broken sword to support himself. However, his meridians were severely damaged by my powerful force, and a cold sensation enveloped his entire body. He was desperately using Qi to counter the invading darkness.

With my left hand, I pressed a few times on my chest to stop the bleeding. I barely managed to stand up from the ground, swaying a few times before finally stabilizing myself. For the first time, I doubted the effectiveness of my father's "One Strength Suppresses Ten Wisdom" technique, and I realized the importance of skill. Now, winning would be exceptionally difficult. The depletion of my stamina, coupled with the injury to my chest, made even the slightest movement excruciatingly painful. Cold sweat had already soaked through my inner shirt.

Fengwen also struggled to stand up, saying, "Do we need to continue?" There was a hint of resignation in his smile. I chuckled, "If you can still attack, then I've lost."

"Fair enough. Looks like we've both given an advantage to Feng Juan," he replied, and we both fell backward simultaneously.

Our teacher hurried onto the platform, inspected our injuries, and breathed a sigh of relief upon finding no life-threatening conditions. "Both injured? Quickly, students, take them to the infirmary."

...

Where am I? The smell of medicine is strong. I struggled to open my eyes and attempted to sit up, but as soon as I moved, a sharp pain radiated from my chest. I had to lie back down. I could feel my chest wrapped in thick bandages. I gritted my teeth against the intense pain, refusing to groan aloud, and managed to turn my head slightly. Feng Wen was lying in the bed next to me. This must be the infirmary.

I activated my dark power to check the condition of my meridians. Several were blocked, but thankfully, most of the Qi had been blocked by my Thunder Armor, preventing further damage to my vital organs. I used my dark power to gradually clear the blocked meridians. After what felt like an eternity, I heard footsteps approaching.

"Neither of these kids has woken up yet. Just for the position of class monitor, they're going all out. They could've waited until the senior competition at least. Now, here they are, just at the start of the school year, both lying in the infirmary," said Teacher Zhuang's voice.

I felt a cool hand placed on my forehead. "Fortunately, no fever. There shouldn't be any inflammation," she said. Uncontrollably, a warm feeling surged in my heart. Why was she so concerned about me? Was it just because I was her student?

"What's wrong with Feng Wen? He shouldn't have injuries as severe as Lei Xiang's, but why hasn't he woken up yet? His body feels so cold," Teacher Zhuang's anxious voice came through.

I had already cleared most of the blocked meridians. I opened my eyes to see Teacher Zhuang sitting on Feng Wen's bed, her hand on his head.

I weakly said, "Teacher, he was hit by my Dark Ice Qi. It must be me who solves it." Of course, it was actually my dark power that affected him.

"Lei Xiang, you're awake. What's this about your Dark Ice Qi? I've never heard of it, but it's indeed formidable. How do you plan to cure him?"

"You give me his hand," I replied. The two beds were not far apart, just an arm's length away.

I slowly absorbed the dark energy emanating from Feng Wen's body, feeling a surge of black mist gradually flowing back into my own. It didn't feel strenuous at all; in fact, the dark energy seemed to be strengthening, and my mental state improved slightly from when I first woke up.

"Teacher, he should be fine now. He just needs some rest," I assured her.

"Your Qi is quite extraordinary. It needs you to resolve it. I initially thought Feng Wen would wake up before you. You two, fighting like it's life or death... I was actually inclined to have one of you as the class monitor. Now, it's Feng Juan who's got the position. You should save your energy for the senior competition and bring glory to the class. Why fight amongst yourselves?" Teacher Zhuang spoke incessantly.

She sure could talk, going on and on. "Teacher, how long have I been out?" I asked.

"For a day and a night. Two students ending up in the infirmary on the first day of school. I got an earful from the principal," Teacher Zhuang said, a hint of anger on her face.

A day and a night. My poor Dark Dragon must be starving again. "Teacher, could you take me outside for a bit?" I asked.

"What for? You need to rest properly for your injuries," she replied.

"I have a horse in the academy's stable. I want to feed it. It hasn't eaten anything since yesterday," I explained.

Teacher Zhuang said abruptly, "Alright, you rest. I'll go feed it for you. I owe you that much." With that, she got up to leave.

"No, Teacher, my horse only eats what I feed it. You probably can't feed it," I replied.

Teacher Zhuang frowned. "Why so troublesome? Fine, wait here. I'll find a wheelchair to take you. That should work," she said.

Resourceful as ever, she quickly found a somewhat worn-out wheelchair. I tried to sit up, but the pain in my chest caused me to fall back onto the bed. "Alright, let me do it," Teacher Zhuang said, lifting me up from the bed. Her body emitted a fresh fragrance, making me feel a bit drowsy. Despite her height of only about 1.6 meters, carrying my 2-meter frame unavoidably led to some physical contact, stimulating my nerves with a soft touch.

Seeing my intoxicated state, Teacher Zhuang placed me in the wheelchair and scolded me, "What are you doing? Are you going to feed the horse or not?" She thought to herself, this little pervert is getting handsy with me. Blushing, she shook her head, thinking, What's wrong with me? He's my student.

Unaware of her inner struggle, I suddenly felt a headache and snapped back to reality. "Ah! Sorry, Teacher, let's go," I quickly apologized.

Zhuang Jing pushed me to the stable, and I quickly fed Black Dragon the prepared fodder. Apologetically, I said to him, "I've let you go hungry again, buddy. It's all my fault."

"Your horse is really impressive. It looks like a purebred. Where did you get it from?" Teacher Zhuang asked.

Normally, I would ignore such questions from others, but perhaps due to the closeness we shared just now, I found myself unable to refuse her inquiry. "Black Dragon was originally a wild horse that I tamed. Since then, it's been following me," I explained.

"Can I pet it?" Her excitement made her seem like a child.

"It's probably not a good idea. Black Dragon has a fiery temper and has even kicked someone to death before," I warned.

"Is it really that scary? I don't believe it. I want to pet it," she insisted, walking over to Black Dragon and reaching out her hand. Black Dragon showed a wary look in its eyes, stepping back and letting out a loud neigh, standing up on its hind legs.

Quickly, I shouted, "Black Dragon, no nonsense. She's a friend." Black Dragon seemed to understand my words, redirecting its hooves towards another direction.

Startled, Teacher Zhuang withdrew the water element she had just conjured. "You scared me! This horse is quite spirited. It seems like it understands when you talk," she remarked.

"I don't know what's going on, but it seems like we can communicate telepathically or something. Let's head back," I said.

Teacher Zhuang made a face at Black Dragon as she carried me, then she pushed me back to the medical room. Of course, the process of her carrying me back to bed involved... well, you can imagine.

A day passed, and Wind Question also woke up, having eaten breakfast. He asked me, "How are you feeling? That day, your Qi was really powerful. I initially had some attack capability left, but your Qi froze all my meridians, and I couldn't muster any strength."

"My internal injuries are mostly healed, and the sword wound on my chest has sealed. I'll be fine in a few more days," I replied truthfully. I also admired his skills; he managed to penetrate through my strong defense. It seems like I need to enhance my training in Thunder Armor Unsealing in the future.

"What kind of Qi are you practicing? Your defensive power is really strong," he asked.

"Strong? It was still broken by you," I retorted.

"My Spiral Dragon Qi is quite famous. It spirals like a tornado, capable of changing direction freely with tremendous penetrating power. I've never seen anyone able to withstand it. That day, my final strike used all of my Spiral Dragon Qi combined with wind magic acceleration, and it could barely break through your defense barrier a bit. When our defenses collided, I still held back a bit to avoid injuring you, but even with my full strength, I couldn't completely break through," Wind Question explained.

"So it's a spiral-type Qi. No wonder it has such strong penetrating power," I remarked. "As for my injuries, they don't matter, but you did ruin my clothes."

"And my sword was broken by you. Fair's fair," he replied.

Just then, Wind Cloud and the Fire brothers entered. Wind Cloud immediately exclaimed, "How are you both? I heard you guys had a fierce battle the other day!"

Wind Question chuckled and scolded, "You never change, always talking non-stop. Can you just be quiet for a moment?"

Wind Cloud retorted, "You've been bullying me since we were kids. Can't I even speak?"

Fire Mars asked in surprise, "Do you two know each other?"

Fengwen smiled faintly, "He's my cousin, we grew up together. It's just that one of us focuses more on studying magic, while the other focuses on martial arts."

Fire Mars chimed in, "Well, that's convenient. We're all acquainted then. We're in for it now, with Feng Juan becoming the class monitor. I initially thought Lei Xiang had it in the bag, but then you showed up out of nowhere."