In Class 2-6, Jiang Yifan had the best talent. According to Yan Sea's observation, Jiang Yifan was already more than halfway through his skin refinement. Although he still looked a bit frail, his overall constitution was likely the best among all the boys.
Du Mingxuan's talent was average, but his family was well-off. Relying on all kinds of supplements, his skin refinement progress lagged slightly behind Jiang Yifan's.
'These two will most likely excel in the martial arts exam,' Yan Sea thought. 'Having them chase each other as rivals will create some healthy competition.'
But as for Yu Fei... although he looked physically strong, he had yet to even sense his Qi Blood and hadn't stepped through the threshold of martial arts. Yan Sea was hesitant to pick him.
'Huh? It looks like Yu Fei has started.'
Yan Sea observed Yu Fei's physique. As a third-stage Martial Artist, his Perception far surpassed that of an ordinary person.
'In that case, he might just do!'
Yan Sea's thoughts turned. 'Taking a month to get started is a bit slow, but it still gives him a chance to get into a bottom-tier Martial Arts University. He has some potential worth nurturing.'
Then, Yan Sea let out a hearty laugh.
"Excellent! Yu Fei is quite eager, isn't he? Then you'll spar with Jiang Yifan. Let me see you two greenhorns peck at each other!
I imagine that after you've properly learned some fighting techniques, looking back on this spar will be a very profound experience!"
With the participants chosen, the class moved to the training grounds.
Yu Fei was already pondering how he could beat Jiang Yifan just once to use the Destiny Pearl's remaining replication charge.
Normally, he would have almost no chance; fighting without cause could lead to expulsion and affect his college entrance exams.
He'd been racking his brain over this, and who would have thought Teacher Yan Sea would be so cooperative.
Yan Sea had the two boys stand apart, taking a position between them before sharply chopping his right hand downward.
"Begin!"
In terms of sheer presence, Yu Fei had already won. While Jiang Yifan also had delicate features and had gained a heroic air since starting his training, he still paled in comparison to Yu Fei.
'Jiang Yifan secretly looked down on Yu Fei. He couldn't understand it. Aside from being handsome, the guy was worthless in every other respect. So what right did he have to be so confident?'
He resented Yu Fei's confidence. Every time their eyes met, Jiang Yifan was the one to look away first. Staring into those deep, placid eyes felt like having his innermost thoughts laid bare.
'In his eyes, a weakling like Yu Fei—with his average grades, poor family, and trash-tier martial arts talent—should know his place and keep his head down. He felt Yu Fei was just putting on an act.'
Since he started training, his body had grown stronger by the day. He could probably take on five of his former self now.
Jiang Yifan resolved to teach Yu Fei a harsh lesson.
Seeing that both of them were ready, Yan Sea shouted, "Begin!"
'With me watching over them,' he thought, 'nothing serious will happen.'
Jiang Yifan didn't move. Instead, he crooked a finger at Yu Fei.
Yu Fei smiled. 'This kid clearly hasn't been humbled by the real world yet.'
Yu Fei activated his Marking Vision and noticed that the old geezer, Yan Sea, also had a blue sapphire floating above his head. In terms of talent, he was on par with Jiang Yifan.
He marked Jiang Yifan, then began walking toward him as if on a leisurely stroll. His pace wasn't fast, but his steps were firm.
'He was considering his strategy. Right now, neither of them had learned any real techniques; they were just brawling with guts and wild swings. In a situation like this, physical condition would be the deciding factor.'
'Jiang Yifan had started his training earlier, so his physique was much stronger than mine.'
'So how can I win? My only advantage is the [Super Speed Reaction] talent I got from the big cat. I have to find a way to leverage it.'
Watching Yu Fei slowly approach, Jiang Yifan suddenly felt a pang of nervousness, but it was quickly overshadowed by anticipation.
'He used to be frail and weak. Yu Fei was the class sports star, incredibly popular, and Jiang Yifan had always been envious. But he himself preferred quiet over activity and had neglected to exercise, earning him the nickname "Little Bamboo Pole."'
'But if I can beat Yu Fei down today, who will dare to call me weak ever again?'
'Martial arts was the shortcut for a genius like him to change his destiny. People like Yu Fei would be left in the dust sooner or later.'
He let out a roar and charged, swinging a fist straight at Yu Fei's head. Power generated speed; the sudden lunge and punch were so fast an ordinary person couldn't have reacted in time. But Yu Fei was not in that category.
With his neural reaction speed boosted sevenfold, Jiang Yifan's movements seemed incredibly slow.
To Yu Fei, it felt as if the world was submerged in a thick, sluggish medium. Everyone was ensnared within it; only his mind was free.
As the punch neared, Yu Fei took a small side-step and raised his right elbow, placing it directly in the path of Jiang Yifan's attack.
CRUNCH!
Mr. Jiang's straight nose bridge made intimate contact with Yu Fei's hard elbow. In slow motion, Yu Fei watched Jiang Yifan's nose begin to deform as his eyes welled up with tears.
"Ah... ugh!"
Jiang Yifan squatted on the ground, clutching his nose as tears streamed uncontrollably from his eyes.
Yu Fei smirked. 'The trigeminal nerve reflex. Also known as the nasolacrimal reflex.'
Jiang Yifan's nose just ached; it wasn't even bleeding. Even though he had only just begun his training, his body was much tougher than an ordinary person's.
Lei Xiaoqiang's voice suddenly piped up from the sidelines. "Damn, he made Jiang Yifan cry!"
Hearing this, Jiang instantly shot to his feet, roaring, "You bastard!"
'He told himself it was just a coincidence, a stroke of bad luck. Yu Fei had raised his elbow to dodge the punch, and he had accidentally run into it. Still, it had made him lose face in front of the whole class. He absolutely had to teach Yu Fei an unforgettable lesson.'
Jiang Yifan charged at Yu Fei again. As he got close, he suddenly leaped into the air, launching a flying kick at him.
In a normal fight, this would have been a perfectly fine move. But Jiang Yifan seemed to have forgotten how much stronger his physique was now, and his kick went a little too high.
The kick was stylish, with perfect form and a palpable sense of power. An ordinary person would have trouble dodging it; it was hard to predict the point of impact, and they likely wouldn't be able to react in time with a suitable counter.
But Yu Fei was different. With his accelerated thought process, he had plenty of time to consider his options.
Suddenly, an idea came to him, and he couldn't help but let out a small smile.
He took a step to the left and extended a clenched right fist. He didn't throw a punch; he just stood there as still as a telephone pole, silently adjusting the height of his fist for a more... suitable alignment.
[Nut Punch]
In mid-air, Jiang Yifan's kick hit nothing but air. Before he could adjust his posture, he felt an agonizing pain erupt in his crotch, and all the strength drained from his body.
Forces are reciprocal. Even though Yu Fei hadn't moved, it was the equivalent of Jiang Yifan jumping and landing crotch-first on a steel pole. With his weak point struck, Jiang Yifan collapsed, unable to get back up.
The students watching all sucked in a sharp breath. The atmosphere instantly became charged.
"Tsk, tsk... Leave it to my man Fei! He fights so dirty!" Lei Xiaoqiang didn't believe for a second it was an accident. After being friends for so many years, he knew that his buddy Fei actually had a vicious streak.
Xiaoqiang felt a little sorry for Jiang Yifan. A blow like that had probably shattered Mr. Jiang's confidence.
There was a reason he'd been following Yu Fei around since they were kids. The guy looked quiet and unassuming, but he was ruthless when he made a move. Back in a second-grade fight, he'd personally witnessed Yu Fei single-handedly chase down and beat up five or six other kids.
That scene had left a deep impression on him. From that day on, Yu Fei was his big bro, and just as he'd hoped, no one ever dared to bully him again.
Yan Sea narrowed his eyes, staring at Yu Fei.
'That was no accident,' he thought. 'That reaction speed... it's absurd.'
Jiang Yifan was down for the count. It was a natural weakness of the male species.
Sneaking a glance at the Destiny Pearl and seeing that the talent replication was complete, Yu Fei smiled and walked over to apologize.
"Sorry about that. I didn't do it on purpose. You okay?"
"Fuck off!"