Chapter 21: Let Them Light Up (Fifth Update!)

No one could remember how many years it had been since Sun College had felt so triumphant! The gloom on Meng Linglong’s face had vanished completely—“As long as Xin Lang stands victorious on the dueling platform, Sun College will surely rise again!”

Meng Linglong understood better than anyone the significance of Xin Lang’s battle. She had learned of his past: before coming to Sun College, Xin Lang had sought admission to Luoyang College, only to be turned away. Luoyang’s headmaster, Luo Yuan, had dismissed Xin Lang, declaring he would never advance beyond the third rank of martial apprentice. Yet now, Xin Lang clearly possessed the strength of a fourth-rank martial apprentice. Meng Linglong didn’t know how Xin Lang had progressed, but outsiders would surely attribute his rise to Sun College’s training.

Transforming a “failure” into a “genius”—once this news spread, it would be impossible for Sun College not to rise! At this moment, Meng Linglong’s heart was bursting with joy, and she silently prayed that Xin Lang would fight to the very end on the platform.

After defeating six elite students from Luoyang College and accumulating six points for dispatching his opponents in a single move, Xin Lang taunted Luo Yuan below the stage: “Is this all Luoyang College’s elite can muster?”

“Boy! Don’t get cocky!” Suddenly a tall, muscular man leapt onto the stage from Luoyang College, shouting, “Don’t think that beating a few means you’ve conquered all of Luoyang. Let Wu Guanzhong face you!”

Wu Guanzhong was a martial apprentice known for his strength, his fists already at the fifth rank. He was one of Luoyang College’s twelve elites, ranked among the top five, and was nicknamed “Wild Ox.”

Announcing his name, Wu Guanzhong charged at Xin Lang, his towering figure resembling a rampaging bull, intent on trampling Xin Lang beneath his hooves.

Boom! A gigantic fist, roaring through the air, hurtled toward Xin Lang, growing larger and larger before his eyes.

“Fifth-rank martial apprentice!” The students of Sun College gasped. Among their advanced classes, the strongest students had only reached the peak of the fourth rank.

Meng Linglong’s heart raced—“Martial technique! Use your martial technique!”

She knew Xin Lang was just a fourth-rank apprentice; without martial techniques, he stood no chance against Wu Guanzhong of the fifth rank. Meng Linglong had learned from Meng Chuchu that Xin Lang had mastered the “Dragon-Subduing One Hundred and Eight Palms.” With anticipation in her eyes, she watched as Xin Lang made his move—not with a palm, but with his fist, the simplest, most direct and ordinary straight punch.

Usually composed, Meng Linglong slammed her delicate fist onto the table in frustration—“Idiot, why aren’t you using a martial technique!”

Boom! A thunderous explosion!

Xin Lang’s fist collided with Wu Guanzhong’s, unleashing a powerful shockwave that sent Meng Linglong’s hair swirling in the wind.

In the next moment, Meng Linglong was stunned.

Everyone expected Xin Lang, daring to match fists with Wu Guanzhong, to be sent flying by the fifth-rank martial apprentice. Even Old Gu and Meng Chuchu, who had always believed in Xin Lang, thought so.

But the outcome was utterly contrary to their expectations!

After the fists collided, someone was indeed sent flying—but it was not Xin Lang, it was Wu Guanzhong, the fifth-rank martial apprentice!

“Fifth-rank peak martial apprentice!” Luo Hengxing, standing beside Meng Linglong, exclaimed, eyes gleaming.

“Fifth-rank peak? Impossible!” Luoyang College’s martial arts instructor, Shi Lang, cried in shock.

Shi Lang knew Xin Lang’s aptitude better than anyone; he had personally tested Xin Lang more than half a month ago, with Luo Yuan himself present. There could be no mistake.

“How? How is this possible? How could he leap to the peak of the fifth rank in just a few days?” Luo Yuan cursed.

Xin Lang had now unleashed the power of a fifth-rank martial apprentice—not only defeating Wu Guanzhong, but also striking a heavy blow to Luo Yuan. Luo Yuan was filled with regret and hatred—hating himself for not accepting Xin Lang back then, hating that he did not soften when Xin Lang knelt at the gates of Luoyang College for three days. The endless remorse engulfed Luo Yuan’s heart.

Meng Linglong could hardly believe her eyes. The young man on stage, who just over half a month ago had been an ordinary boy of poor aptitude, had now become a fifth-rank peak martial apprentice, defeating seven Luoyang College elites, including a fifth-rank martial apprentice like Wu Guanzhong. What amazed Meng Linglong even more was that Xin Lang had not used a single martial technique so far; he had relied only on simple punches and kicks to utterly defeat Luoyang College’s best.

Meng Linglong felt the enormous weight pressing on her chest finally lift, and after holding her breath for so long, she could finally exhale!

After their initial shock, Sun College’s students erupted in earth-shaking cheers! They all felt a sense of pride rising within them.

For this moment, they were proud to be students of Sun College.

In the past, they had been embarrassed to admit they attended Sun College—students here, whether in family background, physical prowess, or martial skill upon graduation, paled in comparison to those of other colleges. There was an unspoken sense of inferiority among Sun College’s students.

But today, Xin Lang changed everything! He changed history, changed people’s perceptions, and proved that Sun College could not only turn “waste” into “genius,” but its students could defeat Luoyang College’s elite even without martial techniques!

Now, pride swelled in the hearts of Sun College’s students—they were proud of their identity!

Xin Lang stood on the dueling platform, full of spirit and battle intent soaring skyward.

He addressed Luo Yuan on the stage: “Luoyang College’s twelve elites have only sent seven so far—there should be five left, right? Don’t waste everyone’s time, send them all up together! I’ll take care of all five at once!”

PS: Five chapters today, brothers, give your support! Next chapter in three hours!