With a heavy strike of the arrow, concealed within the wind

Crack!

Though fully aware that the black armor encasing him was remarkably resilient and impervious to penetration, the dull thud of the "Black Flower" spear thrusting against his armor sent a chill coursing through Lin Xi's body. 

The force emanating from the spearhead slammed into his chest, accompanied by a painful groan. Lin Xi staggered back three paces, his body arching, his mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood. 

Jiang Xiaoyi, clad in black rose armor, also retreated two steps, a flicker of admiration for her armored opponent marked with the silver fox insignia crossing her mind. 

From the opponent's awkward grip on the knife and the clumsiness of their strikes, it was evident that they had received no martial training before entering the academy, a stark contrast to her own upbringing in the esteemed Lingdu family. Yet, despite enduring her relentless blows, this opponent still managed to land a strike on her shoulder; such courage and composure were not traits of the ordinary. 

Though Lin Xi's blade had only grazed the opponent's left shoulder, the intense pain rendered her left arm temporarily useless, preventing her from wielding her spear effectively. 

"What is your specialization?" At that moment, Jiang Xiaoyi heard her opponent's low cough followed by the question, the voice distorted by the voice-altering mask sounding quite peculiar. 

Out of respect for her adversary, Jiang Xiaoyi hesitated briefly before replying earnestly, "Heavenly Craft." 

However, her eyes widened in disbelief as the opponent, instead of responding, turned and fled, muttering a scornful "coward" under their breath. 

... 

Lin Xi gripped the black border guard long knife tightly, sprinting through the forest, each breath accompanied by a slight cough, heavy as if drawing air through a bellows. 

The earlier confrontation had revealed Jiang Xiaoyi's adeptness with the "Black Flower," so in this unfavorable situation, he chose to escape. However, his flight was not driven by cowardice as she presumed. 

The soul power exerted a soothing effect on the physical body, and by fleeing for a time, he could at least avoid the current struggle to breathe. 

Crucially, the opponent had clearly engaged in at least one battle prior; the more they depleted their soul power, the more advantageous it would be for Lin Xi. 

"Hm?" 

Yet, after sprinting for a brief moment, Lin Xi sensed something amiss, inhaled deeply, and halted. 

There was no sign of Jiang Xiaoyi behind him, and given her earlier taunt, it was evident she would not let him escape, eager to seize the opportunity for a five-star exit. 

"Do you think you can flee?" 

Indeed, a breathy, contemptuous voice emerged from the trees, and Jiang Xiaoyi appeared from the left, spear in hand. 

Lin Xi should have felt alarmed, but his gaze was drawn to something nearby in the thicket, sparking a surge of excitement that sent a slight tremor through him. 

There, on a thorny bush bearing unknown red fruits, hung a black longbow and a quiver filled with black feathers. 

"I had intended to run for a while longer, but now I have no desire to flee," Lin Xi remarked with a smile, eyeing the approaching Jiang Xiaoyi. 

Jiang Xiaoyi's brow twitched; she noticed the longbow and quiver hanging nearby, but was puzzled—how could someone so clearly untrained in martial arts hope to wield a bow against her? 

Did he truly believe that anyone who grasped a bow could strike down an opponent? 

Yet Lin Xi displayed no hesitation. He swiftly drove the black long knife into the ground, leaping forward to seize the longbow with his left hand while effortlessly nocking an arrow with his right. 

This was the most common black-horned bow among local troops, crafted from horn, rock poplar wood, and cowhide sinew. It was slightly heavier than the hard poplar bow he usually practiced with. This marked Lin Xi's first experience in combat with a bow, yet perhaps due to its substantial weight and the habitual stance he had developed, he felt no anxiety. His gaze locked onto his opponent as he nocked the arrow, drew the string, and released in one fluid motion. 

As Jiang Xiaoyi charged towards Lin Xi with fierce determination, a sudden chill gripped her heart, causing her body to momentarily freeze. 

Lin Xi's movements were remarkably fluid, exuding a seamless grace. With a soft twang, the black feathered arrow was released from the bow. 

"Crack!" 

There was no time for reaction; the arrow struck heavily against her chest. Jiang Xiaoyi instinctively glanced down, disbelief etched on her face, but a sharp pain halted her steps. 

"Buzz!" 

Lin Xi's second arrow was already in flight. 

With less than fifty paces between them, he felt confident in his aim, so he made no adjustments, prioritizing power and speed. 

"Crack!" 

The black-horned bow, which ordinary soldiers required six months of training to draw, was pulled nearly to its full arc by Lin Xi, who had already entered the realm of cultivators. The arrow exhibited tremendous force; although it could not pierce her black armor, it produced a resounding impact against her chest, causing the connection between the arrowhead and shaft to snap. Jiang Xiaoyi grunted in pain, her left hand clutching her chest as she staggered back a step. 

Witnessing the raw power of this world's bows, which did not merely rely on gravity but also contained immense force, exhilarated Lin Xi further. With fluidity, he nocked a third arrow, drawing the bowstring again to near completion. 

"Roar!" 

Jiang Xiaoyi let out a fierce cry, leaping forward like a crazed tiger. 

Yet, to her chilling realization, Lin Xi remained unaffected, his hands steady and calm. With a slight adjustment, the black arrow shot forth like lightning, striking her chest once more. 

The searing pain rendered Jiang Xiaoyi breathless; she opted to hold her breath, landing awkwardly as she attempted to close the distance. 

But Lin Xi's steadiness and speed soon plunged her into despair. 

"Buzz!" 

The fourth arrow struck her left side, causing her entire body to bow in agony. 

Seeing such a formidable opponent in such distress filled Lin Xi with exhilaration, and he momentarily forgot the precise form he had aimed to achieve, focusing solely on his black arrows and Jiang Xiaoyi's silhouette. 

"Buzz!" 

"Buzz!" 

"Buzz!" 

... 

One arrow after another struck Jiang Xiaoyi like relentless black fists, the rapid whistling and the explosive impacts against her armor resonating through the forest. A fellow trial student, adorned with a white bear insignia on his chest, approached quietly, initially intending to ambush. However, upon witnessing Lin Xi's graceful archery and Jiang Xiaoyi's pitiful plight, he turned pale and swiftly retreated, disappearing into the woods. 

As the black arrows soared through the air, Lin Xi unwittingly increased his shooting speed. 

He began to aim deliberately for Jiang Xiaoyi's hands and legs, the rush of wind from the arrows invigorating him further. 

"I concede!" 

Despairing, Jiang Xiaoyi abandoned her resistance, discarding her long spear and collapsing onto the ground, utterly defeated. 

How could this opponent, marked with the silver fox insignia, be such a skilled archer? 

A skilled archer, yet devoid of any combat training? 

Her body ached as if pierced by countless needles, particularly her two legs, each struck by an arrow. If this continued, she feared she would be unable to walk, left to await the instructor's arrival to escort her from the valley. 

"You concede?" 

Lin Xi, engrossed in his practice, momentarily paused, taken aback by the sight of Jiang Xiaoyi on the ground. He watched as she removed a golden pentagram badge from her left shoulder and tossed it toward him. 

As the golden badge clinked to the ground, confirming her surrender, Lin Xi slung the black-horned bow and remaining half-quiver of arrows over his shoulder. He retrieved the golden badge, affixing it to his left shoulder before turning to leave. 

Jiang Xiaoyi summoned immense willpower to sit up, enduring the piercing pain throughout her body. As she watched Lin Xi, now adorned with the golden badge she had surrendered, she called out in confusion and frustration, "What is your specialization?" 

With the knife in hand and the longbow on his back, Lin Xi secretly rubbed his two fingers on his right hand. Upon hearing Jiang Xiaoyi's question, he hesitated briefly. It felt somewhat cruel not to reveal his specialization to a defeated opponent, yet considering the need to protect the secrecy of Bian Linghan's identity, he ultimately feigned ignorance and stepped out of her sight. 

As he walked silently through the forest, the golden pentagram badge now gleaming on his left shoulder and the realization that he still had the strength to shoot a few more arrows brought a smile to Lin Xi's lips. 

Since his earlier performance had not been in vain and he still had half a quiver of arrows remaining, why not aim for a five-star achievement before exiting? 

After surveying the area carefully, he secured the black long knife to his side with a vine, then climbed nimbly up a lush tree, concealing himself within its foliage. 

For a moment, the forest fell into an eerie silence, with only the whisper of the wind weaving through the trees.