Chapter 87: DEFEAT LI ZHOU, PROMOTE TO MOONLIT

“BOOM!!”

A sudden loud crash echoed through the empty, silent arena as two red beams of light appeared.

Two black figures emerged from within them.

【Nickname: Battleaxe Bear】

【Nickname: Yang Jian】

Both figures froze when they saw each other’s nicknames.

Li Zhou, clad in black-and-red combat gear and wielding a sharp battleaxe, was massively built, standing over two meters tall, nearly two point one.

He radiated a terrifying pressure, like a starving grizzly bear.

He grinned at Lin Qi, who held a black great lance and wore a mask.

“Brother, looks like we’ve got some real luck—matched up again.”

“But this time it’s my promotion match. Unfortunately, you’re going to lose to me once more.”

Beneath the mask, Lin Qi’s expression turned strange.

He hadn’t expected to be matched against Li Zhou again.

In recent days, he’d nearly been matched with classmates from his own class—Zhu Yuqi, Qi Yuelin, Yu Jing, and a few others.

Now only Jiang Tao and the grade’s top student, Li Zhou, remained.

Indeed, as Li Zhou said, two months ago he had been matched against him—and lost badly.

The way Li Zhou had slashed him to death with a few axe blows had left a deep impression.

Now, meeting again in the promotion match—truly fate.

Lin Qi’s eyes seemed to flash with sharp light!

But this time, the outcome would be entirely different.

Everything was arranged perfectly—to let him defeat Li Zhou and complete his promotion.

【Promotion Match Preparing to Begin!】

【3, 2, 1…】

【Promotion Match Officially Begins!】

An intelligent female voice announced instantly, devoid of emotion.

“BOOM!!”

“ROAR~”

Li Zhou roared, striding forward with his battleaxe and charging like a giant bear.

His axe swung with the force of a wild storm, carrying the weight of a thousand jin, crashing down toward Lin Qi.

“Storm Axe Technique”—Heavy Chop!

“SWISH~”

At the same moment, Lin Qi activated, sprinting forward like a hunting cheetah, charging straight ahead.

He swung his great lance, spinning it into a whirlwind, pouring immense power into it, then thrusting upward.

Bold, expansive, overwhelming—his aura spread like crashing waves.

In presence, he did not yield to Li Zhou.

The two clashed swiftly across the arena.

“BANG!!”

The battleaxe and great lance collided in midair, wind howling, air exploding.

Intense shockwaves radiated outward from between them.

In that instant, Li Zhou’s face changed—he felt a tremendous force travel up his axe into his body, numbing his arms.

He was shoved back several steps before stopping.

Lin Qi, too, retreated several steps, planting his feet to steady himself and gather strength.

He loosened his arms, gritting through the pain to push forward again, stepping in and thrusting his lance.

Li Zhou’s expression grew grim—he remembered their last duel, where Yang Jian had been completely dominated in direct confrontation.

How little time had passed, yet now this opponent could match him evenly.

No wonder he was my promotion match opponent—he’s truly a formidable foe.

“Interesting!”

“So strong? Defeating him will be truly satisfying!”

Li Zhou grinned, blood boiling, unleashing even greater aura as he swung his axe and charged again.

His strength was immense, his axe technique fierce as crashing waves against jagged rocks.

Where the blade passed, air seemed torn apart, emitting piercing howls like a furious gale!

“Whirlwind Sweeping Clouds!”

Lin Qi swung his lance and unleashed the “Shatter Mountain Lance Technique,” relentless force erupting from his spine into the weapon.

“Shatter Thrust!”

“CLANG CLANG~~”

Both fighters’ styles were brutal and forceful, their power nearly equal, engaging in direct, head-on clashes of axe and lance.

“BANG BANG!!”

For a moment, air exploded, fierce winds howled, sparks flew everywhere.

Both pushed their strength to the limit, exchanging rapid, brutal strikes in the shortest time.

Li Zhou grew more and more alarmed!

The force transmitted through his axe numbed his arms, even causing swelling and aching—he was beginning to falter under Lin Qi’s relentless assault.

“What’s going on with Yang Jian? His strength is stronger than mine?” Li Zhou was stunned, unable to believe he was now losing in direct combat.

Looking at the opponent’s height—nearly one point nine meters—he was significantly shorter, yet outmatched him in strength. It was unbelievable.

“BANG!”

The air trembled as axe and black lance clashed again, both men thrown back.

“TAP TAP!!”

Li Zhou stabilized his stance, took a deep breath, and unleashed his full power.

If so, then he’d end this with his third killing technique.

Thinking this, he stomped hard, power surging from his legs up through his arms, then swung his axe with all his might—a torrent of force erupted.

“WHOOSH WHOOSH~”

The axe blade slashed, wind howled, immense power exploded.

!

Third killing technique—Whirlwind Final Breath!

This was Li Zhou’s ultimate strike, Ningju all his strength and aura—a blow capable of sweeping away a thousand soldiers.

At the same moment, Lin Qi abruptly changed his lance technique.

“It’s over!”

His aura shifted—he retracted his brute force, stomped hard with both feet, power erupting upward from his legs, his entire body shooting forward like lightning, becoming a blur.

He channeled all his strength, endless power surging from his spine into his limbs, blood rushing violently.

One hand gripped the lance, muscles tensed like a volcanic eruption, exploding with sudden force.

Veins bulged, blood accelerated wildly.

His entire body erupted with maximum speed, the lance thrust straight forward with pinpoint precision.

The lance seemed to vanish, leaving only a blurred afterimage—like a startled swan darting past.

“Dripwater Lance Technique”—Third Killing Strike: Flashing Swallow!

“SWISH~”

“HSSS~”

It was a lance strike so fast it reached the extreme limit—faster than lightning.

Li Zhou saw only a flash of light, a piercing killing intent engulfing him.

Faster!

He screamed internally, veins bulging like steel cables, blood surging wildly—all to make his technique just a fraction faster.

A black line flashed past—Li Zhou felt the icy killing intent.

Before his axe could come down, a glint of cold light appeared—then the lance shot out like a dragon, its tip already at his chest!

“PLOP~”

The lance pierced his chest, blood spraying violently, seamless and complete.

“Is this… the ‘Dripwater Lance Technique’?”

Intense pain surged from his chest—Li Zhou stared in disbelief.

He was completely stunned, watching Lin Qi dissolve into nothingness before his eyes.

…

In his personal space, Li Zhou appeared.

He clutched his chest, frowning.

He recalled the killing technique from moments ago.

“That’s the third killing technique of the Dropping Water Spear Art—Lightning Flash!”

He could be certain, because he had faced this technique before—and Yang Jian was stronger.

Yang Jian not only possessed greater strength, but had mastered both spear arts to perfection; his third killing technique left him utterly defenseless.

“I’m no match for him at all!”

After a moment’s thought, Li Zhou reluctantly accepted the reality: he was no match for Yang Jian whatsoever.

Then a new question arose in his mind.

Who exactly is Yang Jian?

Suddenly, a face surfaced in his mind—a cold, handsome visage.

Could it be him?

He shook his head forcefully, thinking he was overthinking, and buried the doubt deep within.

He snapped back to awareness!

“I still need to keep matching—I can’t delay my promotion to the Bright Moon rank.”

With that thought, he selected another match.

……

On Lin Qi’s side, he watched Li Zhou vanish before his eyes.

The space around him shifted, returning him to his personal space.

He exhaled, gazing at the black spear in his hand.

“I never expected Lightning Flash to be so powerful in actual combat.”

Lin Qi felt a surge of delight—he had only recently perfected Lightning Flash, and today was the first time he used it in battle; it was a completely different style from Explosive Rock Drill.

He looked at his panel, his spirit and body filled with joy!

Li Zhou—he had finally defeated him.

Li Zhou, who had held the top spot at No. 2 High School for two and a half years, was hailed as the strongest student in the school’s history.

Now, like Yu Jing, he too had been defeated by Lin Qi.

Now, Lin Qi himself was the undisputed strongest student in all of Tianhai No. 2 High School!!

……

(End of Chapter)