The words of Feng Yi inevitably made Cangmu Ling, liberal in her ways of speech and action, want to argue. But as she opened her mouth to retort, all the words transformed into a bitter taste on her tongue. She cast a deep look in Feng Yi's direction, turned around and left Freedom Square in a vigorous stride...

The five fallen women rose from the ground, their shattered masks no longer able to hide their attractive faces. They all seemed to be youthful students in their twenties, with the oldest amongst them yet to reach the age of thirty.

These aloof warriors, usually so prestigious, were now at a loss for action. Perhaps they had never considered, before entering the battle, that they could lose so quickly or the considerable consequences of their actions.

The truth soon showed them that a top-tier battle didn't need minor characters like them interfering, even though they would usually be considered strong, powerful entities that far surpassed the average martial artist. Nevertheless, beneath the top-tier, all were insignificant. Anyone caught in such battles was destined to suffer the impacts and any disturbance would predictably incite a more intense retaliation from the front-runners.

Indeed, the reality was so. They not only lost, but their defeat was swift and complete. They stood, stripped bare for all to see, like weary lambs making no effort to hide their humiliation. Indeed, when one's armor of courage is torn away, all that remained was weakness and helplessness.

Luckily, though their clothes were tattered, their garments remained mostly intact, so they weren't completely disrobed.

Such a battle wasn't something anyone could casually interfere with. Feng Yi's demonstration of his strength signaled to Cangmu Ling that she needed to recognize her place. It also served as a lesson to the five warriors: it was important to be self-aware and to act within one's abilities. You couldn't just engage in any battle on a whim. You couldn't just jump in wherever you wished to join.

In fact, Feng Yi didn't feel that he was any better or worse than anyone else. Sometimes, he even envied the tranquil family lifestyle others had. However, for various reasons, he had to face everything that he was burdened with.

The maintenance crew at the scene quickly rushed to cover the women with clothing, and a wave of sighs echoed from the crowd beneath.

Now, the crowd of old fools in the logistics department couldn't stop laughing. They joked about who would dare to challenge their leader next, wondering if they too would be stripped of their clothes even before the fight began. Of course, they merely meant it as a joke. Everyone knew the instructor was powerful, but no one had imagined he would be this formidable.

Perhaps the most incredulous of the group was Cangmu Kuang Qi. Her mouth was agape, wide enough to fit an egg. She had always grown up in the shadow of her older sister, Cangmu Ling, who had defeated martial artists five years older than her during her youth. But now, Feng Yi's disruptive display of power had reduced Cangmu Kuang Qi to a state of utter despondency.

The battle was to continue; it would soon be St. Calina's turn to send out another warrior. Yet, who could stand up to such a challenge? The problem before them was both awkward and unresolvable. Did they even need to go on? Everyone knew the unspoken answer: it would be best to just stop fighting. Even if several major military schools joined forces, the result wouldn't change.

St. Calina requested a second suspension, their last chance to pause mid-match. A few minutes later, the popular championship contender St. Calina voluntarily conceded the match, a precedence unheard of in the history of the contest. Yet, everyone understood the predicament that St. Calina faced.

The battle between Yingland and Golden Sword still continued. However, with St. Calina's withdrawal, both teams also seemed to have lost their enthusiasm. Ophelia suddenly recalls something; Amelia had previously mentioned the terror that was Wind Thunder. Could it be that she had misunderstood her? So, what was her motive in changing her attitude so drastically?

As for Apophis, he had never once entered the battle nor did he need to. With the outcome clear, it was best to take it in stride. Apophis had lost all desire to fight. But he wasn't feeling down, rather, he understood that at every crossroad there needed to be a choice, such was life also. Seeing the truth was also a kind of attainment; giving up was a part of growth. The sudden appearance of Feng Yi was like a clear dew drop waking him up, suddenly. Perhaps, he thought, he needed to have a good talk with that man.

The military confrontation carried on until the seventh day, bringing the intensely watched one-on-one combat to a swift end.

In celebration of the "successful" conclusion of this confrontation, the four major military institutes held a friendly exchange at the military base that night. On the battlefields they were opponents, off of them, they were friends. No other phrase could describe their current state better. As the saying goes, 'You can't truly know someone until you've fought them.' After spending time together, these warriors all displayed their passionate and unrestrained side at the large get-together that evening.

That night, Zi Mou did not reject any invitations from other institutes. She let down her guard and danced to the endless waltz, resembling a carefree swan.

Seventeen was no exception either. He drank quite a bit, most of which was forced upon him by warriors from other institutions. He put on an innocent and naive face, claiming that all his previous mockery was part of a strategic plan and begged everyone to let him off the hook. But that plea only resulted in him being forced to drink even more.

Amelia, unusually calm, sat alone on the turf, hugging her knees and gazing up at the endless night sky. She knew, once the confrontation was over, everyone would go their separate ways. All they would have left were precious memories of the wonderful times.

The evening breeze was pleasant and the night wind cool. A person, a pot of wine, that was enough. He drank with satisfied gulps. At that moment, Feng Yi felt fantastic. He took another large gulp, shook the bottle, and found it empty.

"Drinking alone?" Feng Yi turned his head and saw a handsome blond youth sitting beside him uninvited. It was Apophis from the Solar System.

"Yes." Feng Yi replied simply.

Apophis casually tossed a bottle of wine to Feng Yi. "The contest's over. I thought the final would be between me and Cangmu Kuang Qi. I never thought you would…" He chuckled bitterly, "I was even unable to believe what I saw."

Feng Yi made no attempt to be polite and began drinking right away. "Thanks for the wine."

"Ha, how's the taste? My family specializes in brewing wine."

"The wine is good. But, you didn't invite me here to just drink, did you? You have something else to say."

"Yes, my purpose... You must have had some inkling about it, right?"

Truth be told, all Feng Yi could think of was a possibly friendly spar with him. He never bothered to think about anything else.

However, when Apophis suddenly knelt on one knee and sincerely confessed his intention, Feng Yi was at a complete loss for words. The reason Apophis sought him out was... to become his disciple?

Feng Yi, always so carefree and unconstrained, felt utterly incredulous at this unexpected request. He quickly waved his hand, thinking Apophis just wanted a friendly spar to judge each other's capabilities. Who knew he would ask to become his disciple? No, he certainly wouldn't accept such a request. Surely, Apophis was just joking.

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