Confidence was a rather mysterious thing, but its effect on victory and defeat was significant. This was evident from the “Heart of a Victor” mission that 1947 had issued.

To be timid before a fight was to have already lost.

“Lin Jinyu, are you afraid of losing?” Wen Yuncheng thought of the Little Ice Mountain. Under Sect Master Lin’s tutelage, Lin Jinyu had always been pushed to strive for first place, to become the very best… Lin Jinyu should be terrified of losing, yet she never seemed to fear a battle.

“One should act within their capabilities, but always strive to do their best,” Lin Jinyu replied. “My only fear is not giving it my all.”

“Mankong Academy has no fighting spirit. They lost from the very beginning. This match should be over quickly,” Wen Yuncheng remarked with a sigh. Lin Jinyu nodded in agreement.

Mankong Academy was defeated swiftly. It was unclear whether Yaoxing Academy had planned it, but each of their members would voluntarily step down after defeating three opponents, letting the next person take over. Even so, they had only revealed a fraction of the abilities of four of their members.

It was the same for Xuancheng and Breeze Academies. Everyone was holding back.

On the second day, it was Star Academy’s turn to compete. The second- and third-year matches were held simultaneously in two different venues, so you wouldn’t know the specific situation of your academy’s other team while you were fighting.

“Li Kongyi! A clean sweep of seven!” Wen Yuncheng roared Li Kongyi’s name, coming up with a cheering slogan on the spot that made him nearly slip.

“Bro, Big Bro Wen, please don’t shout! I have a reputation to maintain, you know!” Li Kongyi’s face turned beet red with embarrassment. The slogan was exciting, sure, but wouldn’t it be mortifying if it backfired? While he wouldn’t lose the match, a clean sweep of seven was truly beyond him!

“Have some ambition! Show them the might of our Class A!” Wen Yuncheng was extremely fired up. “Confidence! You have to be confident! You can’t lose in terms of presence!”

“…Alright, I’ll definitely win. I won’t bring shame to everyone.” As the first to go on stage, Li Kongyi took a deep breath, determined to end the fight quickly and secure an opening victory to boost morale.

Watching the contestants from both sides take the stage, Wen Yuncheng turned to Lin Jinyu. “I wonder what combat techniques Li Kongyi has learned recently. The last time he challenged you, he lost without even using a single move. It was pretty pathetic.”

Lin Jinyu looked at Wen Yuncheng. “Is that so?”

“…Not really. It was mainly because he was too weak. You’re just too strong, there’s no helping it.” Wen Yuncheng immediately changed her tune. “I just don’t know if he can pull it off. The ‘clean sweep of seven’ was just to trick him, something to shout. But I hope he can at least take out three.”

“…Wen Yuncheng, if Li Kongyi heard you, he’d probably die of anger.” Xie Chengcheng was speechless. “You should really just shut up.”

“Sigh, Wen Yuncheng is such a good person, if only she didn’t have a mouth,” Zhang Xueyu chimed in jokingly.

“Hey, you must still be holding a grudge about the hairstyles I gave you,” Wen Yuncheng retorted with a grin. “Be careful, or I’ll apply for a practical combat session with Class A.”

“…Do you know why no girls like you, even though you’re so good-looking? You should reflect on yourself!”

“Ah, maybe it’s because I’m too handsome. So handsome that girls feel insecure around me~”

The four from Class A: “…”

Just as Wen Yuncheng was about to laugh, she suddenly heard a soft tap, as if someone had knocked on a seat in the audience. Then, Yan Ling’s voice came from behind her: “Shut up.”

Wen Yuncheng instantly sat up straight, her back rigid and her eyes fixed forward, and began to watch the match with intense focus.

On the stage, Li Kongyi and his opponent were already locked in a fierce battle. Li Kongyi wielded a staff, each strike whistling through the air. With a light step, he leaped up, Star Power coating his staff as he brought it crashing down. His opponent barely dodged, not expecting a ripple of Star Power to burst outward from the tip of the staff. In that instant, Li Kongyi’s figure flickered, closing the distance and smashing the staff onto his enemy’s shoulder, forcing him down. He raised his long staff to strike again, but the referee had already blown the whistle.

He had won the first round with ease.

Li Kongyi fought two consecutive rounds. Just as he was about to challenge a third, Xie Chengcheng couldn’t wait any longer and shouted from the audience, “Get down! It’s someone else’s turn!” Aside from Lin Jinyu and Wen Yuncheng, the other five members of Class A all wanted a chance to fight. But their opponents only had seven people in total, so… if one person fought too many rounds, the others wouldn’t get a chance.

Li Kongyi scratched his head, hesitated on the stage for a few seconds, but ultimately jumped down. The moment he was off, Gu Yinan scrambled up.

Xie Chengcheng had drawn the last slot, so they had agreed that Li Kongyi and Gu Yinan would fight at most two rounds each. After that, it would be one match per person, giving everyone a chance to have some fun.

After the second-years’ competition ended, Wen Yuncheng and the others returned to their inn to rest. The teacher went to draw lots for the next round of matches.

“In the first round, we’re up against Jiaxu Academy.” Tan Qing handed out the list of Jiaxu Academy’s participating students for them to review. “For the third-years’ arena match, Yao Mu will go first. Do your best to get a clean sweep of seven. As for the second-years… Lin Jinyu and Wen Yuncheng, which of you will go?”

In the arena matches, there was a five-minute rest period after each successful challenge, which would allow Wen Yuncheng to adapt to the pace. She looked at Lin Jinyu; either of them could go.

“Let’s draw lots,” Lin Jinyu said.

Tan Qing touched his hair in realization, having forgotten about that. As he took out some numbered cards, he asked curiously, “Haven’t you two ever dueled in private to see who’s stronger?”

“She is!”

“She is.”

The two spoke in unison.

Wen Yuncheng froze for a moment, then glanced at Lin Jinyu, a little embarrassed, only to meet her gaze.

“…Alright, alright, draw lots.” Tan Qing couldn’t bear to watch anymore. He held out seven cards. “The one with the higher number fights.”

Wen Yuncheng casually picked one—a 4? She looked at Lin Jinyu and saw her flip over a 6 with a deadpan expression.

“Relax, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Just do your best.” Seeing that the decision was made, Tan Qing said no more. He offered a word of comfort to Lin Jinyu, then dismissed them.

Three days later.

“Good luck.” Watching the presiding teacher call the contestants to the stage, Wen Yuncheng squeezed Lin Jinyu’s hand in the rest area. “Just do your best,” she encouraged.

“Mm,” Lin Jinyu responded expressionlessly and walked toward the arena.

Wen Yuncheng watched her back, her own heartbeat gradually accelerating. She knew Lin Jinyu was getting serious now. It was like a longsword being unsheathed, revealing a biting edge and boundless fighting spirit.

[Why aren’t you cheering for Lin Jinyu?] 1947 had expected Wen Yuncheng to come up with more outrageous lines.

Wen Yuncheng: How could I have the nerve to praise her to her face? Besides, no words of praise in this world are worthy of her. She herself is the highest praise.

[…] 1947 silently retreated.

Wen Yuncheng watched as Lin Jinyu drew her longsword on the stage. A biting sword intent erupted instantly. As Star Power poured into it, the blade began to emit wisps of cold air.

Her opponent, meanwhile, held a spear and was exceptionally wary.

“The match begins.”

Swoosh

Wen Yuncheng watched as Lin Jinyu left behind an afterimage of Star Power and charged forward, sword in hand. Only then did she realize… Lin Jinyu’s new movement technique was quite formidable. And it probably wasn’t from Star Academy; it was likely a technique from the Flowing Cloud Sect.

The opponent barely managed to raise his spear horizontally to block Lin Jinyu’s thrust, but she instantly abandoned her sword and struck his chest with her palm, sending him flying. When the student was helped up, the icy imprint of a hand was clearly visible on his chest.

The sword Lin Jinyu had thrown didn’t fall to the ground. With a flick of her wrist, it was drawn back into her hand by her Star Power.

Wen Yuncheng was thrilled. She felt that calmly saying “Next” at a time like this would be the ultimate taunt, but unfortunately, Lin Jinyu wasn’t in the habit of making grand statements. She simply walked back to the center of the arena in silence, awaiting her next opponent.

“Such a great opportunity to show off, why not cherish it…” Wen Yuncheng lamented with a hint of regret, but she quickly decided that a silent Lin Jinyu was also handsome beyond measure.

1947, has Lin Jinyu learned palm techniques?

[It seems so. After all, one must know the basic moves.]

…Ah, Lin Jinyu is improving so fast. Wen Yuncheng sighed. As expected, geniuses who trained desperately were terrifyingly outstanding.

The second opponent quickly took the stage. He wore a pair of metal gauntlets and, after a few light warm-up movements, assumed a ready stance.

“The match begins.”

Clang The longsword left her hand in an instant. Lin Jinyu controlled it, making it multiply from one to eight in mid-air, and immediately encircled the opponent charging at her. The Star Power swords spun rapidly, and a thin layer of ice formed on the arena floor. The opponent quickly made a decision—he gathered his Star Power and unleashed a fierce strike forward!

However, Lin Jinyu’s move was never intended to restrain him. The constantly spinning Star Power swords instantly closed in on the man, and at the moment he threw his punch, she made them explode.

—The battle was over in an instant.

Wen Yuncheng stared, dumbfounded, at the second muscular opponent below the stage. This move… Lin Jinyu had used it when she killed the giant python, and now her mastery of it was even more profound.

Two wins… three wins… four wins…

Lin Jinyu, is she really going for a clean sweep of seven? Wen Yuncheng wasn’t sure if Lin Jinyu was pushing herself too hard. Wouldn’t she run out of Star Power? How much could she recover in just five minutes? She didn’t want Lin Jinyu to exhaust herself. And yet, watching Lin Jinyu win again and again with a blank expression, she felt an inexplicable sense of pride.

[But she’s a first-layer Star Master. A clean sweep of seven should be no problem,] 1947 said. [Besides, Lin Jinyu has had two fortuitous encounters. Although I don’t know the specifics of the second one, the fact that it allowed her to break through directly means it must have been extraordinary. The enhancement probably wasn’t just a simple promotion; it’s normal for it to come with effects like accelerated Star Power recovery or an expanded Star Power limit.]

Wen Yuncheng only half-understood, but she continued to watch the stage, still worried yet proud.

From the moment Lin Jinyu stepped on stage to her defeat of four opponents… oh, now it was five, her expression hadn’t changed at all. The people from Jiaxu Academy watched in utter disbelief. For the academy that achieved a clean sweep, it was an honor and a source of points. But for the academy that was swept, it was an absolute humiliation. Especially since this student looked completely at ease—damn it, she must be faking it!

To deliberately mock them with such a posture was simply too much!