Chapter 401: Chen Hai Steps Up! Let You Strike for One Minute!

"Li Tongling is right; Xu Jingming is indeed rather arrogant."

"A regular sixth-rank should be beatable by Xu Jingming, but Chen Hai is no ordinary sixth-rank."

Li Hao made no effort to conceal his thoughts.

Even this remark drew agreement from several other martial arts academy instructors who were close to the vice-director.

Beside him, Ling Shuang's pale, delicate face, marked by a tear-shaped mole, showed no expression.

Yet inside, she couldn't help but find it amusing.

Li Hao was born into a prominent family and had always been escorted by bodyguards whenever he entered the wilderness zones.

Even his strength was built up through external aids; fighting across ranks was unthinkable for him.

But for Xu Jingming, it was as simple as daily bread...

"Chen Hai, Xu Jingming has challenged you. Do you accept?"

On the stage, Liu Wei, glasses on, quiet and composed, looked toward Chen Hai on Platform 5 and asked aloud.

"No problem."

Before, Chen Hai might have hesitated.

But after Wang Dong's guidance, he had gained considerable confidence and nodded without the slightest hesitation.

"Good. All other students, vacate the arena. Xu Jingming and Chen Hai, make your final preparations."

Hum~~

Under Liu Wei's control, the arena, previously divided into six sections by energy barriers, merged back into one massive 800-meter by 800-meter platform.

The other students quickly descended, while Xu Jingming and Chen Hai moved to opposite ends of the arena.

Four hundred meters apart, facing each other.

This distance seemed far, but for sixth-rank energy users...

With a surge of blood qi, their sprinting speed was terrifying—moving from stillness to motion required only three or four seconds to close the gap.

"Xu Jingming, do you remember what you said to me this morning?"

"You said that once the match began, you'd let me strike for one full minute without retaliating."

"Now the match is about to start—does your promise still hold?"

On the right side of the arena,

the burly Chen Hai held a battle knife in his right hand and shouted loudly.

Compared to the Bear Martial Arts Academy, the Thunder Martial Arts Academy had a higher proportion of elemental energy users.

But that didn't mean there were no enhancement-type energy users.

In the entire Elite Training Camp, enhancement-type energy users made up nearly a quarter of the population.

Chen Hai was one of the most powerful, iconic enhancement-type energy users.

"Wait, was Xu Jingming this arrogant before the match?"

"Haha, I thought he was just a loudmouth—now he's been caught red-handed!"

"Let Chen Hai strike for a full minute? Even a few seconds is too much!"

"..."

Xu Jingming's pre-match words had been known only to a small group near the front.

Now, after Chen Hai amplified them, the entire audience erupted in uproar.

Arrogant!

Too arrogant!

High-rank energy users' battles are all about seizing opportunities.

One single mistake could lead to instant defeat.

For Xu Jingming to make such a reckless statement before the match seemed utterly irrational to most spectators.

"It was just pre-match bluster—Xu Jingming won't actually admit to it or follow through."

"But now, he's lost the psychological edge."

One spectator shook his head and sighed.

As a sixth-rank energy user, Chen Hai's physical strength was immense—he could clearly hear most of the spectators' murmurs.

Seeing that most people expressed confusion and disappointment at Xu Jingming's behavior, he couldn't help but feel a flicker of smugness.

So what if he's an SS-rank awakened?

In the end, isn't he just going to break his word?

He unconsciously glanced at Xu Jingming across the arena, wondering if the other would fly into a rage.

But to his surprise, Xu Jingming's expression remained calm, not a single change in his demeanor.

"Huh? Why no reaction at all?"

Chen Hai frowned, sharply sensing something was off.

At that moment, Xu Jingming's sharply defined, resolute face turned toward him.

His lips curled, revealing a row of white teeth in a bright, radiant smile:

"Since I said it, I won't break my word. For the first minute after the match begins, I won't retaliate."

"He actually accepted!"

"Whoa! He means it! That's real guts!"

Seeing Xu Jingming accept without hesitation, everyone was taken aback.

Even Chen Hai across the arena froze for a moment, then burst into wild delight!

"I don't know whether to call you arrogant or conceited, but I won't hold back when the match starts!"

Crimson blood qi swirled around Chen Hai's body, his face radiating barely contained delight.

In a normal fight, I might not be able to beat you—even if you let me strike first for a full minute, I still couldn't.

Then I might as well quit the training camp!

"Not retaliating for one minute? Su Guanzhu, your student is truly interesting."

Hu Jinyu, seated in the front row, let out a silent laugh and shook his head.

I had assumed this so-called SS-rank awakened ability user was Su Qingli's strongest hidden card.

But it turned out he seemed nothing but a brute.

Upon hearing this, Su Qingli couldn't help but frown slightly.

Yet she knew Xu Jingming's nature—he would never do anything without certainty.

So her heart eased slightly, and her clear, spring-like eyes turned toward the arena.

Chen Hai is twenty-seven this year, having barely entered the Talent Training Camp last year by the age limit.

His age is seven full years older than Xu Jingming's!

This also means Chen Hai has far more combat experience than Xu Jingming!

It carries a hint of bullying the young, but the challenge was initiated by Xu Jingming himself.

So there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it.

Naturally, the duel between the two became the focus of the entire arena.

All Talent Training Camp students and martial arts hall instructors turned their gazes toward them.

Soon, the transparent energy barrier projected a holographic countdown.

"3! 2! 1! Begin!"

As soon as the match started, Chen Hai decisively activated his ability.

His body swelled by a full circle; a pair of ram's horns erupted from his scalp, and his eyes transformed into horizontal goat-like pupils!

Enhancement-type A-rank ability—Dual-Horned Black Ram!

After activation, his physical attributes surge dramatically, granting him immense leaping power!

"Xu Jingming! Get ready to be defeated by me!"

With a loud laugh, Chen Hai bent his knees slightly, then snapped them straight.

Using the recoil, he leapt over ten meters into the air!

With a crash, when he landed again, he had already crossed over two hundred meters!

Yet Xu Jingming hadn't even drawn his long spear.

He hadn't even activated his SS-rank lightning ability, Dou Tian Shen Lei—he simply stood tall and still.

Boom!

Another leap, and when he landed again, he was less than twenty meters from Xu Jingming!

Though Xu Jingming claimed he wouldn't retaliate, who knew if this was a trick?

So Chen Hai didn't advance further—he raised his battle knife and slashed down at Xu Jingming with full force!

Whoosh!

A sonic boom erupted as a crimson blade aura, dozens of centimeters long, shot out like lightning!

Boom!

Before many spectators could even react, the transparent energy barrier opposite Chen Hai emitted a dull thud.

The crimson blade aura struck it, instantly cracking the surface into a spiderweb pattern!

Yet Xu Jingming, the target, remained unharmed—not a single step moved.

"Missed?"

Some low-rank ability users who hadn't seen the motion asked in confusion.

"No, he didn't miss—it's that Xu Jingming simply tilted his head and dodged the blade aura by turning away!"

Higher-rank ability users—fourth and fifth tier—who had seen Xu Jingming's movement explained with stunned expressions.

That blade aura wasn't a joke—if it had landed, it would have meant severe injury!

Even with support ability users present, it would take time to recover.

Yet Xu Jingming merely flicked his head casually and dodged it effortlessly.

Was this just lucky coincidence? Or did Xu Jingming possess near-perfect control over his body and reflexes?