Nanjing Third High, Gymnasium.

  "Jiang Yun, protective gear check complete!"

  Before entering the combat room, a teacher who had high hopes for Jiang Yun approached and advised,

  "Jiang Yun, a Battle King will be watching your next fight. This is your chance, so make sure to perform well!"

  Jiang Yun's eyes lit up. A Battle King watching? Was it for him?

  Even though he didn't know which Battle King it was, if he could leave a strong impression, his future path would be much smoother!

  Why had he previously tried to befriend Liu Xueqi? Wasn't it because her grandfather was a Battle King?

  Now, the opportunity appeared before Jiang Yun once again, and he wouldn't waste it!

  "Jiang Yun, get ready to enter the combat room!"

  The door opened and then closed automatically.

  The walls blocked everyone's view; no one knew what would happen inside.

  However, in most people's hearts, the outcome of this fight was already decided. Jiang Yun would surely win!

  Jiang Yun, A Rank Talent, level 10, with an A Rank job template, Mage profession.

  Ye Bai, C Rank Talent, probably not even level 10, and job change was out of the question.

  Moreover, Jiang Yun was fighting with his back against the wall, having already conceded twice, he had no room to retreat and was determined to win!

  ...

  Inside the combat room.

  Ye Bai stretched lazily, looking tired, and yawned.

  "Why is it taking so long?"

  After a few more minutes, Ye Bai's opponent finally entered the combat room.

  "Jiang Yun?"

  Ye Bai frowned slightly. Would it be bad if he won against Jiang Yun here?

  After all, he still had three chances, and the outcome of one match wasn't worth worrying about.

  As Ye Bai was contemplating how to go easy on Jiang Yun, Jiang Yun suddenly spoke up,

  "Ye Bai, do you know Zhao Lin's secret?"

  "What? That chatterbox Zhao Lin has secrets?"

  Ye Bai looked puzzled. Even if Zhao Lin did have secrets, they couldn't escape Ye Bai's Eye of Insight!

  Besides, why was Jiang Yun bringing this up?

  "Heh, it seems you don't know."

  Jiang Yun said disdainfully,

  "I once saw Zhao Lin's name deep in Wind Thunder Valley, written on the ground."

  A commemorative mark?

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  Ye Bai rubbed his forehead slightly. That sounded like something Zhao Lin would do.

  That guy would probably write "Zhao Lin was here."

  Ye Bai tried to deflect,

  "Maybe it's just someone with the same name. There are so many people named Zhao Lin in this world."

  "I checked afterward, and Zhao Lin did go to Wind Thunder Valley that day!"

  Jiang Yun continued,

  "Moreover, someone just mentioned that Zhao Lin seems to have learned a powerful skill. And you, being his close friend, didn't know about this?"

  Ye Bai: ... This is hard to explain.

  Forget it, let Zhao Lin take the blame for this one.

  "Even if Zhao Lin has secrets, what does that have to do with our fight?"

  Ye Bai tried to steer the conversation back on track.

  Let's start the fight quickly, then he could go easy, and everyone would be happy. Wouldn't it be nice to finish and go home?

  Why was someone so eager to work overtime here?

  Were they a workaholic in a past life? Still working hard in this one?

  "Indeed, it has nothing to do with it."

  Jiang Yun raised his staff, aiming at Ye Bai, "Once I defeat you, I'll challenge Zhao Lin next. I want to see for myself what secrets that kid is hiding."

  As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Yun's body stiffened.

  In an instant, the temperature in the combat room seemed to drop significantly, filled with a murderous aura.

  Ye Bai's gaze also changed dramatically, no longer lazy and indifferent, but extremely dangerous!

  It was like... the eyes of a hunter locking onto its prey!

  "I said, don't cause trouble for others, you idiot."

  With that, Ye Bai unexpectedly charged toward Jiang Yun!

  So fast!

  Jiang Yun was shocked by the opponent's speed, but he still had time to react, raising his staff instinctively to defend.

  "Fire Shield!"

  During the sprint, Ye Bai also cast a spell, and his casting speed wasn't slow.

  "Wind Blade!"

  Three wind blades whistled through the air, but their aim was mediocre. Two were directly deflected, and the last one hit Jiang Yun's fire shield, just enough to break it.

  This was Ye Bai deliberately suppressing the power!

  Otherwise, a single wind blade would have been enough to break through all of Jiang Yun's defenses, even his protective gear, and take him out instantly!

  "Wind Bind!"

  Several invisible ropes bound Jiang Yun's hands and feet, making him feel like he was stuck in a quagmire, his movements sluggish.

  Jiang Yun immediately abandoned the skill he was chanting and instead used a mobility skill to distance himself from Ye Bai as much as possible!

  Jiang Yun had an ominous feeling that if Ye Bai got close, he would be in extreme danger!

  But... this feeling seemed irrational. They were both Mages, neither was good at close combat, so why would Ye Bai be better than him?

  Did he take extra lessons?

  Instinct drove Jiang Yun to flee. From the start of this battle, he had been on the defensive, unable to mount any effective offense.

  "Flame Leap!"

  His figure disappeared from the spot, transforming into a flame and reappearing three meters away.

  "As long as I keep my distance, I'll be safe..."

  Jiang Yun was ready to regroup and show Ye Bai the power of an A Rank Talent.

  Suddenly, everything went dark, and a fist the size of a pot came crashing down!

  Ye Bai had predicted his movement, accelerated, and was waiting for Jiang Yun to walk right into his trap!

  Using all his strength and casting as quickly as possible, Jiang Yun growled,

  "Explosive Flame!"

  Releasing a skill at such close range was clearly a method of mutual destruction, but Jiang Yun couldn't care less!

  If this were a real battle, even if he managed to take down Ye Bai, he would die too!

  The dangerous fireball gathered at the tip of his staff and exploded uncontrollably.

  A loud bang echoed in Jiang Yun's ears.

  Boom—

  Smoke filled his nostrils, his breath caught, and Jiang Yun was sent flying, his vision going black as he lost consciousness.

  What happened next, Jiang Yun couldn't remember.

  When he woke up again, the protective gear on his body was flashing red, causing his face to change dramatically.

  I... actually... lost?!

  Lost to a C Rank Talent?

  How was this possible!

  Jiang Yun looked around in confusion and saw Ye Bai standing not far away, still emitting smoke, with ashes on his shoulder.

  Ye Bai's protective gear showed 15% integrity.

  "Damn, just a little more!!"

  Jiang Yun gritted his teeth, unable to understand why he lost to Ye Bai!

  What he didn't know was that the "little bit" he thought was actually a huge gap.

  If it weren't for someone watching, to avoid unnecessary trouble, Ye Bai would have taken Jiang Yun out in one move, no questions asked.

  Ye Bai not only had to manage the battle process but also had to pretend that he won by a narrow margin, almost losing.

  Thinking of this, Ye Bai glanced up at the monitor.

  "Old fox, are you watching?"

  "Feels like this performance won't fool that old fox..."

  Regardless, Ye Bai did what he could, and his goal was achieved.

  In the monitoring room, Liu Qingyan's eyes gleamed with excitement,

  "This little fox is definitely hiding something!"

  "I guarantee, if they really fought, Jiang Yun wouldn't last five moves, no, three!"

  "This little fox, since you want to hide something, I'll help you out, as a favor to Xueqi."

  With that, Liu Qingyan moved the mouse and clicked a few times.

  "Delete the combat footage?"

  "Yes!"

  "Deletion complete!"

  From a storage perspective, it was wiped clean.

  But Battle King Qingyan, known for his boldness and meticulousness, extended his hand, and a flame consumed the hardware storing the footage, quickly turning all the hard drives to ashes.

  Now, it was truly deleted, in the physical sense.

  Under Liu Qingyan's operation, a door in the combat room opened automatically.

  In the gymnasium, many students who had already lost three matches and were eliminated stood by, watching for the final result.

  With the teachers' attention, more and more people looked toward Ye Bai's combat room.

  As soon as the door opened, someone immediately noticed,

  "The door's open! Jiang Yun won!"

  "No, isn't this the door Jiang Yun went in through?"

  "What's going on, did he concede again?"

  Under everyone's watchful eyes, Jiang Yun walked out of the combat room like a zombie, quickly surrounded by teachers.

  "Jiang Yun, what happened?"

  "Why are you out here, where's Ye Bai?"

  "Why do you smell burnt, and your protective gear... this..."

  Soon, a teacher noticed that Jiang Yun's protective gear had been breached!

  He had really lost?!

  Surrounded by teachers, Jiang Yun forced a bitter smile and said,

  "I... lost..."

  Silence rippled out like waves.

  Around Jiang Yun, the entire gymnasium fell into a deathly silence!

  Everyone was shocked by the news they had just heard, still immersed in disbelief, unable to come to terms with it.

  Jiang Yun... actually lost to Ye Bai?!

  An old voice echoed from the combat room, clearly reaching everyone's ears.

  "The winner is Ye Bai!"

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