BOOM! A loud noise erupted as the ground where Mu Shaoyun stood suddenly exploded. This scene caused all the spectators and teachers present to stand up involuntarily.

No one wanted a murder to occur at the provincial martial arts competition, but the scene unfolding before their eyes was horrifyingly real. Gong Qilin had launched a long-distance Star Martial Skill attack, seemingly killing Mu Shaoyun instantly.

"That doesn't make sense," Jiang Xinyu mused. "Gong Qilin's Star Martial Skill is fast, but he clearly raised his palm. With Mu Shaoyun's strength, there's no reason he wouldn't have made any attempt to dodge."

In that instant, Gong Qilin stomped his foot, his figure darting away in a flash. His palm aimed at the ground, unleashing the same green energy columns as before.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The ground was relentlessly bombarded, soil erupting and dust billowing. Suddenly, a figure burst from the earth like a ghost and dashed towards Gong Qilin. Seeing this figure, everyone who had anxiously stood up sighed in relief and sat down again.

As the figure appeared, Gong Qilin launched his attack once more. His Star Martial Skill was peculiar; it seemed to be his Inborn Talent of the Bloodline. The nature of this offensive skill was far superior to attacks of the seven attributes.

"Inborn Talent Skills... truly an enviable ability," Xu Xiangwen sighed.

"You say that as if you don't have an Inborn Talent Skill yourself?" Jiang Xinyu retorted.

"How can they be the same? My Heavenly Eye is just for scouting. How can it compare to this guy's? He has the Fire-blooded lineage! Look at his Star Martial Skill—its firing speed, its damage output—can ordinary fire even compare? Never mind me; what would *you* do against him?" Xu Xiangwen asked.

"I'd probably have to use the Star Cloud Dance to dodge until his Star Power was exhausted," Jiang Xinyu replied.

"As someone who also possesses an Inborn Talent of the Bloodline, let me tell you a secret: the Star Power consumption of an Inborn Talent of the Bloodline itself isn't as high as you imagine," Xu Xiangwen said.

Gong Qilin's attacks were as dense as a sudden downpour, and his own movement technique was lightning-fast. Every time Mu Shaoyun tried to close in, Gong Qilin would instantly shift positions and evade.

Five seconds later, Wang Lan's eyes suddenly lit up. "When he's moving at high speed, his attacks stop!"

"What good is that? He only moves for a second. After that, he's a Gatling gun again," Xu Xiangwen scoffed.

"One second. Isn't that enough?" Wang Lan countered.

At that moment, Mu Shaoyun seemed to confirm Wang Lan's observation, though his method was different. Instantly, Mu Shaoyun's body flickered, and seven or eight identical versions of him appeared.

"The Skill of Duplicates?!"

Many in the stands exclaimed in unison. The Skill of Duplicates was a D-class Star Martial Skill that created illusory clones to confuse an opponent. These illusory clones had no mass and, naturally, no attack power.

When mastered, it could create multiple clones. This was completely different from Xu Xiangwen's Physical Clone; illusory clones could only confuse the opponent and possessed no attack power. They weren't even as effective as the afterimages from Wang Lan's Star Cloud Dance, as those could at least conceal Wang Lan's true body.

Using a D-class Star Martial Skill in such a situation, against the powerful Gong Qilin? Many students thought Mu Shaoyun was crazy. What was the purpose of these illusory clones?

However, the eyes of many teachers from the Star Martial Academies lit up.

There are no useless Star Martial Skills, only useless Star Martial Warriors. If the situation and timing are right, even a D-class Star Martial Skill can achieve a decisive victory.

The moment Gong Qilin shifted positions again, Mu Shaoyun activated The Skill of Duplicates. When Gong Qilin saw seven Mu Shaoyuns on the field, he momentarily panicked.

He raised his hand and blasted towards them.

PUFF! PUFF! PUFF! Plumes of dust scattered, revealing that none of them were Mu Shaoyun's real body.

Instantly, a chill shot up Gong Qilin's spine as a dense killing intent surged from behind him. Mu Shaoyun erupted from the ground behind him, delivering a slash that seemed to tear through the void.

Gong Qilin had only turned halfway when his body froze. Mu Shaoyun's blade was already resting on his shoulder.

"You've lost."

"I..." Gong Qilin let out a ragged breath. "I've lost."

It was an unexpected duel, and a difficult one to comprehend. Gong Qilin was a descendant of a Star Martial Art family. Though the family had declined, its foundations remained.

Moreover, he had awakened his Fire-blooded lineage and was seen by his clan as their hope for resurgence. Gong Qilin had strived to revitalize his family, relentlessly practicing his Inborn Talent of the Bloodline. He was a top expert among Tong City's third-year high school students. Since those stronger than him hadn't entered the provincial martial arts competition, he was the captain and the strongest on the Tong City team.

The provincial martial arts competition was meant to be his stage to shine. However, he, who had aimed for the championship, never expected to be eliminated in the second round, failing to advance from the sixty-five contestants to the final thirty-three.

If he had lost to another powerhouse with an Inborn Talent of the Bloodline, Gong Qilin could have accepted it. But his opponent had defeated him using only low-level Star Martial Skills like the Earth Movement Skill, Basic Body Skill, and The Skill of Duplicates. This was a truth Gong Qilin found impossible to accept or endure.

When he uttered the words "I've lost," Gong Qilin felt as if all strength had been drained from him, and he collapsed helplessly to the ground. Tears streamed from his sorrowful eyes.

Mu Shaoyun smiled faintly and turned towards the stands. In the Suzhou City team's section, their Dean of Instruction was already jumping with excitement. He hadn't expected Mu Shaoyun to deliver such a massive surprise.

Gong Qilin's Fire-blooded lineage was so strong that even after studying it all night, the Dean of Instruction hadn't found a way to counter it. Yet, Mu Shaoyun had managed to overcome it so simply, so effortlessly.

This battle sparked heated discussions not only among the spectators at the venue but also caused the online community to erupt into debate. Unlike the on-site discussions, the online debate centered on Gong Qilin being overrated and not living up to his reputation.

So much for Star Martial Art families, Inborn Talents of the Bloodline, and the captain of the Tong City team! Can't even take a hit! Under the ridicule of Greater Suzhou City's citizens, the people of Tong City fought back.

"Our Tong City has eight Star Cloud Stage masters!"

"Your captain lost."

"Eighty percent of our Tong City team made it to the second round!"

"Your captain lost."

"Our Tong City—"

"Your captain lost."

"WAAAH—"

As the saying goes, laymen watch the spectacle, while experts observe the technique. The expressions of almost all the observing teachers from the Star Martial Academies changed as they looked at Mu Shaoyun. A gleam entered their eyes—a covetous green glint.

Mu Shaoyun hadn't displayed any overwhelmingly powerful Star Martial Skills; he had only revealed the tip of the iceberg regarding his strength. Yet, this glimpse was terrifying upon deeper reflection. The greatest factor in Mu Shaoyun's victory was his tactical application.

The simpler the tactic appeared, the more profound its underlying complexity. How much incredible experience and terrifying combat awareness were required to identify the simplest, most effective tactic amidst such lightning-fast exchanges?

But it wasn't just his excellent tactical application. The two Star Martial Skills Mu Shaoyun demonstrated revealed his profound and inscrutable abilities. His Earth Travel Skill allowed him to vanish in an instant. Even these teachers hadn't seen when Mu Shaoyun had gone underground; they had initially thought he was killed instantly.

To cultivate the Earth Travel Skill to such a level was rare, even among Star Cloud Stage warriors. Then there was The Skill of Duplicates, capable of creating seven incredibly lifelike illusory clones. Many teachers had never witnessed such a flawless execution of The Skill of Duplicates.

What was even more formidable was that, immediately after activating The Skill of Duplicates, his true body went underground again using the Earth Travel Skill for a second time—still unnoticed. The first time might have been because the teachers weren't paying close attention. But the second time demonstrated genuine skill.

To execute an Earth Travel Skill that even the teachers couldn't detect—Mu Shaoyun's mastery of Star Martial Skills had to be unfathomably profound.

This student… he was a must-get!

"Wang Lan, come here for a moment," Jiang Xinyu suddenly said.

The two stood up and walked to the back of the stands. The Dean of Instruction started to call out to Wang Lan, but seeing they hadn't gone far, he stopped himself.

"Wang Lan, did you grasp Mu Shaoyun's true strength?" Jiang Xinyu asked.

"His combat awareness is terrifying," Wang Lan replied. "Even though he only used basic Star Martial Skills, his timing and execution were nearly perfect. In that regard, we all fall short."

"Indeed," Jiang Xinyu agreed. "I don't know what Mu Shaoyun has experienced recently. I used to think our strengths were comparable, but now I feel a sense of powerlessness. Gong Qilin's strength seemed slightly above mine, yet Mu Shaoyun defeated him easily. Perhaps I, too, would be easily defeated by him."

"No, you're different from Gong Qilin," Wang Lan said. "I can see that Gong Qilin relies too heavily on his Fire-blooded lineage and has neglected to improve in other areas. You, at least, could have parried Mu Shaoyun's final strike. Besides, Gong Qilin's fighting style isn't as versatile as yours. I didn't see him use any notable defensive or evasive maneuvers. It might not be as easy for you against Gong Qilin as it was for Mu Shaoyun, but I believe you could still win in the end."

After comforting Jiang Xinyu, Wang Lan and she returned to their seats in the stands.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Wang Lan's matchup finally appeared on the battle board.

Wang Lan stood up with a smile, giving his companions a reassuring look.

In their eyes, Yang Tianyi's Sun Wheel was an invincible Star Palace Artifact, guaranteeing defeat for anyone who faced it. But in Wang Lan's eyes… Heh…

When Wang Lan had first received the Phoenix Constellation Saint Cloth, he'd thought he shouldn't use it to cheat; if he were to gain an unfair advantage, he should at least summon its Phoenix form. But seeing Yang Tianyi so brazenly using his Star Palace Artifact, dominating everyone, Wang Lan's rebellious streak made him want to stomp on Yang Tianyi's face a few times.

A Star Palace Artifact? So what? Is a Star Palace Artifact really that impressive? It's not like I don't have one!

The Phoenix Constellation Saint Cloth, though only a Bronze Saint Cloth, was born from the Hellfire of the Underworld. It possessed the immortal trait of rebirth from flames and feared fire least of all.

So, you think you can pay to win and crush weaker opponents, huh? What goes around, comes around.

"He's here! The Wolf King strikes, leaving nothing standing!"

"The Wolf King is invincible, an unstoppable force!" On the forums, countless fans of the Wolf King roared with excitement.

"Wolf King? Just wait until our Tianyi turns him into a roasted husky!" the Tai'an City online army chimed in.

"Exactly! Our Tianyi is invincible! The Sun Wheel is undefeated!"

"What the—?! Are Tai'an City's trolls trying to flood the Suzhou City forums and dominate the threads?"

"Brothers, charge!"

The provincial martial arts competition was underway, but even before Wang Lan and Yang Tianyi's match began, their fans were already clashing fiercely online. Armed with their keyboards, these warriors dominated the discussions, fearlessly taking on all comers. The intensity of the online battle made many self-proclaimed keyboard masters flee in despair.

I thought I was a master of the keyboard arts, but now I see there are always higher mountains to climb, always greater masters out there! No, I must go into seclusion and train for another three to five years…

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