Celestial Human Diagram

Chapter 359 - 90: Another Battle

"Not bad." Teacher Jiang clapped lightly from the side.

Strictly speaking, Chen Chuan and Guo had only exchanged a single move, but the process was spectacular. Both of them had showcased their power, speed, and technique.

He could see that Chen Chuan had created an opening by exploiting his opponent’s caution.

Guo Xingzhi had only meant it as a probe, not expecting to succeed with a single thrust. But when he saw Chen Chuan standing perfectly still, he grew suspicious. Retracting the weapon felt wrong, so he only committed to the strike at the last second. However, this hesitation disrupted the flow of his thoughts, which in turn hindered the delivery of his Power. The attack lacked the speed and force he’d intended.

And in that one instant, Chen Chuan seized the opportunity, minuscule as it was.

But seizing the chance didn’t mean the fight was over. Guo’s follow-up move was quite threatening; an improper response could have resulted in a counter-kill.

However, it seemed Chen Chuan’s follow-up was clean and decisive, giving his opponent no openings.

The assistant teacher was also looking at Chen Chuan in a new light. He was another person present who understood the intricacies of the exchange.

The only one in a foul mood was Liang. He had gone up and been defeated in one move, and Chen Chuan had gone up and won in one move. The starkly different outcomes left him utterly dejected.

Teacher Jiang then asked, "Chen, you learned your techniques from Old Zheng, didn’t you?"

Chen Chuan nodded. "Yes, Teacher Zheng taught me."

Teacher Jiang said, "I can tell your technique for Emitting Force is just like his. Offense and defense are distinct yet flow seamlessly. He’s taught so many students, but aside from his own daughter, I have never seen anyone your age who has so thoroughly mastered his methods. Hmm, based on your performance, I should give you a high score. However..."

He smiled. "Would you like a chance to raise that score even higher?"

Chen Chuan looked at him.

Teacher Jiang said with great interest, "Student, how about we have a match?"

’What is he up to?’ The assistant teacher looked up at him. ’A teacher fighting a student? Can you even compare the two?’

Guo and Liang were just as shocked. There was no comparison between a student and a teacher; a clear line separated them.

Any instructor at Wuyi Academy was guaranteed to be a Third Limit Fighter. Against a student below that limit, they could end the fight in an instant. The outcome was a foregone conclusion.

Teacher Jiang said unhurriedly, "Chen, I was just looking through your file. You can enhance your physique and strength by taking medication, and you also have a record of killing a Third Limit Fighter..."

As soon as he said this, both Guo and Liang wore looks of utter shock. ’Killed a Third Limit Fighter?’ They involuntarily stared at Chen Chuan with wide eyes.

The assistant teacher was also astonished, looking at Chen Chuan in amazement. ’It isn’t unheard of, but I never expected the student before me to have accomplished such a feat. If that’s the case, then his performance just now really wasn’t enough to test his full potential.’

Teacher Jiang spoke again. "Chen, if you want to raise your score, I’ll allow you to take medication. The longer you can last against me, the higher the score I can give you, right up to the maximum evaluation I’m authorized to award."

Chen Chuan considered this. A higher evaluation score indeed had great benefits. First, he would get priority access to purchasing the various resources provided by the academy. He would also be able to view a lot of previously inaccessible information.

Those were just the tangible benefits; there were many intangible ones as well. For instance, government departments and major corporations treated graduates from Wuyi Academy with high and low evaluation scores completely differently.

He looked up and said, "Since you’ve offered, Teacher, I would like to try."

Guo and Liang’s breathing unconsciously quickened, but at the same time, a sense of intense anticipation welled up inside them.

Teacher Jiang grunted in acknowledgment and walked to the weapon rack on the side. He casually picked up a Long Sword, though it was remarkably narrow and thin—it was actually a Thrusting Sword. He gave it a flick, and a SWISH cut through the air.

He then took hold of the sword’s tip and pressed down lightly with his finger. The entire blade bent, but as soon as he let go, it SWOOSHED back and became perfectly straight in an instant.

The assistant teacher said gravely, "Chen, raising the evaluation score is within the examiner’s authority, but let me remind you: this type of Thrusting Sword is extremely flexible. In Teacher Jiang’s hands, it can shift between rigid and flexible states through different applications of Power. It’s fast and highly destructive. Be careful."

Teacher Jiang gestured to the side. "Chen, whatever medication you need, we have it here. I don’t know if the flavors will be to your liking, though. I wouldn’t know, I’ve never taken them..."

’This isn’t a restaurant, what’s this about flavors?’ The assistant teacher stared at him, speechless.

Chen Chuan walked over and took a look. The medical kit contained performance-enhancing drugs from nearly every company on the market, as well as first-aid medication. After a quick glance, he selected a few, brought them over, and consumed them with practiced ease.

He waited for a moment. Within a few breaths, he slowly let his true state manifest, returning his body to its normal level.

At this moment, Teacher Jiang raised an eyebrow. He could feel that while nothing about Chen Chuan seemed to have changed, something *had* changed. And it gave him a faint sense of threat.

The assistant teacher also sensed the difference in Chen Chuan now. His expression grew more serious. He began, "Chen." Then, with added emphasis, "Teacher Jiang, this is just an assessment."

Teacher Jiang replied nonchalantly, "I know, of course I know." He started walking forward as he spoke. "Chen, while today’s assessment is only about technique, any technique is useless without a foundation of power and speed."

As he spoke, with a SWOOSH, he suddenly whipped the Foil in his hand forward.

His movement didn’t look fast, yet it gave off an inescapable feeling. Chen Chuan held his blade horizontally. Wary of the Flexible Sword’s ability to curve, he blocked at its very tip. An immense force instantly surged through him. Even with his strength, he felt he couldn’t hold it, and his entire body slid back several meters.

He could sense that although Teacher Jiang’s swing had seemed light and effortless, all of its Power had been concentrated on that single point of contact. His efficiency in wielding Power was incredibly high.

Teacher Jiang said with approval, "Good strength. Even if you took medication, you wouldn’t be able to support your current state without sufficiently strong bones and sinews."

"Hmm, fighting like this seems a bit dull..." He raised his voice and said, "Hong Fu, change the scene for us. Select... Site Number Five. Deduct the required simulation resources from my account."

In the next moment, everyone present found themselves abruptly standing in a forest of stone pillars, surrounded by tall stone columns of varying thickness and stone walls.

Teacher Jiang, now like a conductor of an orchestra, flicked his Thrusting Sword at the pillars to his left and right. A moment later, two clean cuts appeared on the slender stone pillars on both sides. They slowly slid forward before toppling to the ground together. With a BOOM, they shattered into several pieces, sending dust billowing everywhere.

Chen Chuan glanced at a stone pillar beside him and pressed his hand against it. It felt solid. He couldn’t tell if what he was seeing was real or an illusion, if his senses were simply being deceived. But since these objects behaved this way, it was clear that everything in the environment could be used as if it were real.

At this point, Teacher Jiang began to stroll forward leisurely.

Chen Chuan did not retreat. He too walked forward, blade in hand. The teacher had just said that the longer he lasted, the higher his score would be.

But accepting that precondition would mean placing himself in a subordinate position. Perhaps that was appropriate for a student, but that wasn’t how he thought.

He stared intently at Teacher Jiang, his senses feeding him information about his opponent’s breathing and the rhythm of his movements. The teacher was likely doing the same to him, perhaps with even greater clarity.

Teacher Jiang smiled. His figure suddenly flickered, covering over thirty meters in an instant to appear right in front of him. At the same time, the tip of his sword shot forward in a thrust.

CLANG! The sword was steadily parried by the Snow Monarch Blade. At that moment, Guo and Liang, watching from the side, hadn’t even seen what had just happened.

Teacher Jiang retreated, instantly covering seventeen or eighteen meters. He said with approval, "Not bad."

’Blocking my thrust is one thing, but being able to discern that I was using Rigid Force is impressive. In that case, I can let loose a little more.’

He flicked his wrist, and his figure vanished from its spot again. Immediately, a continuous stream of clashing weapons echoed through the arena.

Teacher Jiang’s figure flickered above and around, his Foil swinging and thrusting from every direction. Chen Chuan managed to parry each attack with perfect accuracy.

Suddenly, the Foil’s attack shifted, becoming flexible. Chen Chuan met it perfectly at the tip, but the Power behind the blade wasn’t as immense as before. Instead, it felt ethereal and weightless.

But thanks to his special training with Teacher Zheng, he was extremely familiar with such shifts between heavy and light. The instant they made contact, he likewise held his Power in reserve, not allowing it to be baited and drawn out into nothing.

Teacher Jiang once again said, "Good," his voice seeming to come from all directions at once as if he were in multiple places. At the same time, the assault from his Foil didn’t pause for even a second.

Chen Chuan didn’t stand still. He moved, searching for advantageous terrain. Teacher Jiang’s attacks were not only fast, but his position was also constantly shifting, making him impossible to predict. Chen Chuan found it difficult to pinpoint his location, so he had to find a spot that could restrict his opponent’s movement.

After retreating another dozen steps, he suddenly sidestepped, putting a wall-like stone partition in front of him. SHHNK! A section of the Foil pierced straight through the middle of the stone pillar, thrusting toward his path of movement. CLANG! He blocked it. The Foil was withdrawn with a WHOOSH and immediately thrust out from another spot.

With the stone wall between them, Chen Chuan continuously blocked the thrusts. The rapid sound of their Weapons clashing was not the least bit muffled by the stone partition.

Suddenly, he sensed something was wrong and took a step back. SWOOSH! A crescent arc of light flashed, and a slash mark appeared across the middle of the stone wall, which was over four meters wide.

Immediately after, another flash of the blade, no less powerful than the first, slashed back from the opposite direction. After the two intersecting strikes, the entire stone wall could no longer support itself. It collapsed to both sides, CRASHING down and kicking up a huge cloud of dust.

Chen Chuan and Teacher Jiang faced each other through the remains of the shattered wall, their figures flickering in and out of view within the roiling dust. He looked ahead. ’Teacher Jiang’s attack rhythm is too fast. If I only defend, I’ll just be taking a beating. So...’

He rotated his wrist, flourished his Snow Monarch Blade, and charged forward. A smile appeared on Teacher Jiang’s face. He leaned forward as well, and in an instant, both of them vanished from their spots. The sound of clashing blade and sword immediately followed.

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