Chapter 17: Legally Protected Bet

"I didn't open it." Wan Xiao waved his hands repeatedly.

The soundproofing of the martial arts room was very good, but the door was wide open, and with Li Yuan's sensitive hearing, he naturally heard the voice coming over.

He couldn't help but turn his head to look.

He saw a boy wearing a black martial arts uniform, with a well-proportioned figure and a buzz cut, flash a few steps and arrive at the door of Martial Arts Room 4011.

The boy was half a head shorter than Wan Xiao, about the same as Li Yuan, and his face was quite delicate.

"Wan Xiao, how could you jump through the window... wait! How did this martial arts room become occupied?" The boy just wanted to speak, but discovered the green sign on the door of the martial arts room.

These martial arts room doors all had three types of signs, showing different states—Owner Present, Unoccupied, Intruded.

The green sign represented that it was opened normally by the owner.

"4011 wasn't unoccupied... who are you? How do you have the authority for 4011?" The boy only then saw Li Yuan in the martial arts room, looking confused.

The boy wasn't stupid.

He originally thought the martial arts room was opened by Wan Xiao jumping through the window.

But from Wan Xiao's words, plus the green sign at the door, he instantly judged—Li Yuan was the owner of the martial arts room.

"Wan Xiao, aren't you going to introduce us?" Li Yuan laughed.

He could see that the boy had no malice, just spoke quite directly and had no city-dwelling sophistication.

"Gu Qianghan from Senior Class (1)." Wan Xiao laughed and introduced the boy: "Nickname 'Not Tough'."

Class 1 of every grade was the elite class.

"Wan Xiao, I'll say it again, call me Gu Qiang; if you call me by my full name again, I'll really flip out." The boy looked displeased.

Wan Xiao laughed and ignored him, pointing at Li Yuan: "Gu Qiang, after Teacher Xu's class a few days ago, didn't you keep chanting Li Yuan's name? Look, he is Li Yuan."

The boy, who had been unhappy, had his eyes light up instantly, staring at Li Yuan: "You are the Li Yuan whose spear technique Teacher Xu Bo said is extremely powerful?"

"Uh, spear technique is powerful?" Li Yuan laughed: "My spear technique isn't considered powerful, but if Teacher Xu Bo is talking about Li Yuan from Senior Class (2), then that should be me."

Li Yuan already knew who the boy was.

When checking the final exam rankings for the second year, he naturally paid attention to the previous top ten in the grade.

Gu Qianghan was exactly the third place in martial arts results in the second-year final exam.

It was just that his appearance was a bit beyond Li Yuan's expectations, having a delicacy that didn't match his name.

"Teacher Xu said you are powerful, so it must be good." Gu Qianghan's eyes shone: "I checked, in the last semester's final exam, your martial arts skill score was the first in the whole grade."

"Hmm." Li Yuan looked at the boy with great interest.

"I want to challenge you." Gu Qianghan stared at Li Yuan, looking excited and eager to try.

"Li Yuan, don't underestimate him."

"This kid is insidious; when I first arrived at the elite class, I was deceived by his appearance." Wan Xiao hurriedly spoke up from the side.

"What do you mean deceived by me? I didn't sneak attack; I was openly looking for you to spar." Gu Qianghan looked disdainful: "Looking like a bear, but you couldn't even take ten of my punches, and you still have the nerve to talk."

Wan Xiao choked.

And was speechless.

When he first arrived at the elite class, he encountered Gu Qianghan challenging him, and seeing the other party's delicate features, he thought he was easy to bully, but the result... he lost very miserably.

"Ten punches?" Li Yuan nodded slightly, not feeling surprised.

Just in terms of the second-year final exam results, Gu Qianghan's raw score was even higher than his own, so defeating Wan Xiao was very normal.

"How about it?" Gu Qianghan stared at Li Yuan: "Full-armor combat, I want to try your spear technique."

Gu Qianghan's eyes shone, full of fighting spirit.

Li Yuan laughed.

From the two's conversation just now, Li Yuan had already guessed the reason the other party wanted to challenge him.

Likely, Teacher Xu had used his spear technique as an example in the elite class and said some unpleasant things.

For example: "You call yourselves an elite class? I don't see one that can keep up with Li Yuan from Senior Class (2)."

"A Li Yuan who hasn't even awakened martial arts spirituality, his spear technique can beat all of you down."

Using students from other classes as examples to suppress the students in the class he taught was a common tactic for many teachers.

At the same time, it invisibly drew a bunch of hatred for Li Yuan in the elite class.

"Li Yuan, if you are a martial artist, accept my challenge." Gu Qianghan looked at Li Yuan.

Li Yuan looked at Wan Xiao quite strangely; it had been a long time since he heard such middle-school-syndrome words.

Wan Xiao spread his hands, indicating 'he has always been this middle-school'.

"I don't accept." Li Yuan shook his head.

Gu Qianghan glared: "Li Yuan, do you have any martial artist spirit?"

"I'm not even a martial artist, so naturally, I don't have martial artist spirit yet." Li Yuan rolled his eyes at Gu Qianghan.

"Alright, this is my martial arts room, I'm going to practice."

In reality, Li Yuan didn't want to accept the battle not because he was afraid of the other party.

But because it was meaningless and risky.

Sparring and exchanging pointers with Teacher Xu Bo was because the teacher's strength was too much higher than the student's, able to control the whole situation and ensure no one would be injured.

But when two students with similar strength sparred with cold weapons, it was impossible to control themselves.

Even wearing full armor and using unsharpened cold weapons, it was easy to suffer serious injuries or even death.

Such things were not uncommon.

Li Yuan didn't want to take risks for something with no benefits.

"You..." Gu Qianghan still wanted to speak.

"Gu Qianghan, who gave you the guts to find someone for a private fight." A low shout suddenly came from outside the door.

Gu Qianghan's face stiffened; he didn't get angry because the other party called his full name, but instead, a trace of fear flashed in his eyes.

"Sister—" Gu Qianghan suddenly turned around, reaching out to put his hand on Li Yuan's shoulder, his face already full of smiles: "I was just joking with Li Yuan, right? Don't you think so, Li Yuan?"

Li Yuan was stunned for a moment, caught off guard.

Wan Xiao shrugged, indicating he was used to it.

Gu Qianghan tried hard to shake Li Yuan's shoulder, frantically winking at Li Yuan.

But Li Yuan stood in place, immovable like a rock, his gaze already landing on the figure at the door.

A girl of about seventeen or eighteen, wearing a tight-fitting red training suit, with an exquisite face that didn't lack a sense of power, bright eyes and white teeth, and a sharp yet firm temperament revealed between her brows.

Her jet-black waterfall-like hair was coiled high behind her head, looking exceptionally capable.

However, what was most eye-catching was the fiery red long sword hanging at her waist.

"Li Yuan, hello, I am Lin Lanyue from Senior Class (1)." The girl also looked at Li Yuan at the same time, taking the initiative: "I apologize to you on behalf of my younger brother; he's used to being crazy, I hope you don't mind."

"I'm fine." Li Yuan waved his hand and laughed.

The girl nodded, her gaze becoming sharp, landing on Gu Qianghan again, making Gu Qianghan's scalp tingle.

"Sister!" Gu Qianghan said.

"If I find out again that you are looking for people for private fights, I won't care even if you call for Mom." The girl said coldly.

Gu Qianghan awkwardly touched his head, not daring to speak.

Since childhood, for this cousin who was only half a year older than him, Gu Qianghan had a natural fear.

"It's all a small matter."

"No need to blame him, we are both fine." Li Yuan laughed.

Li Yuan recognized this person at a glance.

She had spoken at the whole-school assembly more than once.

Since entering school, she had been hanging on the honor roll.

The number one martial arts student in the senior grade, and also the martial arts genius recognized as having the most hope of being admitted to Starry Sky University—Lin Lanyue.

"As long as you don't mind."

The girl nodded, her eyes still staring at Li Yuan: "Li Yuan, my brother was wrong to look for you for a private fight, but Teacher Xu said your martial arts skills are stronger than everyone in our class, and it's not just my brother who is unconvinced."

"In fact, I am also unconvinced."

Li Yuan was stunned.

Wan Xiao was also stunned.

Gu Qianghan's eyes lit up, looking excited; he knew his cousin's personality too well.

Seemingly kind on the surface, but actually tough in her bones.

"I also want to ask you for advice, to see how powerful the spear technique that Teacher Xu praised as being near-unity really is, but not in actual combat." The girl stared at Li Yuan: "A competition on the Starry Sky Fighting Network, how about it?"

The Starry Sky Fighting Network was virtual combat, where no one would be injured.

"What benefit do I get?" Li Yuan shrugged and laughed: "I never do things without benefits."

"Benefits?" Lin Lanyue frowned.

"How about this, let's make a bet." Li Yuan laughed: "If you win, I will publicly admit that you are the number one in martial arts skills in the whole grade."

"If I win, just lose me 2,000 Blue Star coins, how about it?" Li Yuan smiled.

"What kind of bet is this?" Gu Qianghan glared: "A sure win with no loss, you think really beautifully."

"Up to you."

Li Yuan laughed: "If you don't agree, please leave, don't delay my practice."

"Fine, I agree to you." Lin Lanyue looked at Li Yuan.

"Sister!" Gu Qianghan was stunned.

"Shut up." Lin Lanyue frowned.

"Then let's make it 2:00 PM this Sunday, how about it." Li Yuan laughed: "Add me on V first, then I'll send you the account name."

"Fine."

Soon, both sides became virtual network friends.

"Gu Qiang, let's go." Lin Lanyue turned and left, Gu Qianghan following helplessly.

Only Li Yuan and Wan Xiao remained.

"Li Yuan, you lost out big time." Wan Xiao couldn't help but say: "You don't know, this Lin Lanyue's family is very rich; if you had bet 5,000 or even 10,000 Blue Star coins just now, I estimate she would have agreed."

Li Yuan shook his head: "Stupid."

"The Xia Nation law stipulates that bets on the Starry Sky Fighting Network cannot exceed 2,000 Blue Star coins for minors."

"Exceeding 2,000 Blue Star coins is not legally protected."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 18 =====