"A wager?"
"Yes! If I win, I want the Fire Fist back!"
'Hmm... I don't need the Fire Fist anyway....'
"And what if I win? What will I get? Do you have more Martial Skills for me?"
"... If you win? Don't make me laugh, you worm! If you can win, I will easily gift you 50 Qi Pills. That's only if you can win!"
"Kid, that's not a bad deal. The 50 Qi Pills will benefit your cultivation. You already mastered the Fire Fist, so there's no risk at hand. With your current strength, you are either as strong as him or stronger than him. The corpse really challenged you and accelerated your growth. So the fight shouldn't pose a threat to you."
Zayn was already eager to agree with this wager. Infinite Star's opinion only increased his eagerness.
"Deal! But don't go back on your end after your loss!"
"After my loss?!? As if that's going to happen!"
The audience was unusually quiet in this round. No one dared to take any side in this round. Both choices had terrifying consequences.
If one would take Flint's side, then maybe Zayn would hold a grudge, and with his abnormal talent, he was bound to become someone in the future. None would take that risk.
If one would take Zayn's side, then Flint would hold a grudge against them and abuse his family background to make their lives living hell. No one wanted that.
So, the audience didn't publicly take a side, but the majority of them were rooting for Zayn in secret. Flint went overboard with his attack against the far weaker opponent. He easily ruined that boy's future.
The round began, and both of them charged at each other.
Clash after clash after clash. The fight started pretty quickly and without anyone holding back.
Flint was shocked by Zayn's strength. He thought that his previous opponents were just weaklings. But now he understood why they lost. Zayn's strength was equal to his!
This discovery consumed Flint. He was always thinking that he was the most talented person ever. That he was a genius equal to the sky. That everyone was below him. Could it be that he was nothing more than a product of his family's resources? He always thought that he was a tiger and his family background was like adding wings to a tiger but could it be that it was just merely adding wings to a worm.
The jealousy towards Zayn's genius consumed him and then ignited a burning rage in him.
'I still have my Fire Fist attack! I can end him with that!'
Their clashes continued, with Zayn focusing on improving himself to triumph over Flint, and Flint trying to wait for the moment to use his Fire Fist.
In this round, Zayn and Infinite Star again agreed, that Zayn had to fight on his own. Unless it would be a life and death fight, they agreed that Infinite Star shouldn't guide him during the fights. After the fights, he could elaborate his analyzes and help Zayn grow through them.
What Zayn noticed from the beginning, was that Flint was actually weaker than he expected. Infinite Star explained to him that Zayn's current strength was around the 7-Star Body Refinement Realm and can grow to the 8-Star Body Refinement Realm in his current cultivation stage.
This meant that the fight in front of him was an easy one. He could fulfill his quest and also beat the living shit out of Flint. An easy win-win.
"Is that all you got? I thought you wanted the Fire Fist? Or is it... No... You- You could've just told me... If you wanted to gift me Qi Pills you didn't have to go through with all this."
"SHUT UP, WORM!"
"Worm? If I am a worm, then what the hell are you? You are clearly losing right now! Don't tell me that you think you are winning."
Zayn started to trash talk. This time, however, the decision was made by him. He knew he didn't need to do it and that enraging Flint wouldn't help him win the fight, but it just felt good. He was enjoying this kind of trash talk.
Every new attack from Zayn was getting more and more powerful. Flint felt that. He knew his Fire Fist wouldn't connect now if he used it. He needed to wait for a moment where Zayn was distracted. But how could he distract him?
He had to face it, he lost against Zayn. Zayn was only toying with him right now. If he didn't give up soon, Zayn would beat him up in frustration. But he and giving up... That was unimaginable. It was a public declaration of inferiority.
The teachers noticed the fight's development. They already theorized with Zayn's real strength and were pleased with his display.
Teacher Leaf was conflicted on this situation he obviously didn't want to see his student lose, but he was also excited to see such a genius as Zayn. He knew of Flint's faulty character, so he hoped that a loss could teach him and guide him in his path.
"How about we end it, Flint? Let's start to fight for real. What do you say? Or do you just want to give up?"
"I... I-Ehm..." Uncertainty formed in his head. Many different thoughts started to come and also go at the same time. Should he take the beat down? Should he give up? Should he beg for forgiveness?
Every thought and every emotion was new to him. He didn't know how to handle them.
"Well, I guess, it will be the beat down!"
Zayn charged at Flint and right at front of him, a majestic voice ravaged through everyone ears.
"STOP THE FIGHT!" This voice was unimaginable loud and piercing.
Zayn recognized the voice. It was the principal.
Zayn tried tracked down the principal. He noticed that he was flying towards the arena in high-speed.
'Wait! HOLD ON... He's flying, right? He's actually flying!'
"Infinite Star! How can the principal fly? I also want to do that! Can you teach me?"
"Teach you? Flying is a natural ability for cultivators. True Flight can only be achieved after entering the World Qi Realm, but I don't think that your principal is in that realm. His flight seems too soggy and unrefined, without any real class. He is probably using some sort of Movement Arts."
"I want that!"
After a few breaths of time, the principal landed on the arena. He tracked down Teacher Leaf and walked up to him.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"What I am doing? I don't know what you mean, principal."
"I heard that your student crippled a young boy! AND NOW HE'S IN THE FINALS?!?" His scream alone created a shockwave far more powerful than the clashes in the tournament.
Everyone knew what the principal was talking about. They were always hoping for the principal to take action, but he wasn't seen from the beginning of the tournament. And after the tournament, no one would dare to talk about it.
"I am deeply sorry, sir! My student made a grave mistake. He will be of-"
"Mistake?!? Brad, I thought you valued your principle! I misjudged you... I never thought that you would become obedient to the Burning Heart Family... Truly a disgrace!"
To call Teacher Leaf by his first name in public was in a way a showcase of the principal's superiority. He also dishonored Teacher Leaf with that action.
But even though Teacher Leaf was dishonored, he didn't create any resentment towards the principal. He always respected the principal, and he knew that he was only speaking the truth.
"Please, principal! It's not what it looks like. I'm not the pet of the Burning Heart family. I'll be always loyal to you!" Teacher Leaf was desperately trying to win the principals approval back.
"Then prove it! I want you to cripple both of the boy's arms!"
"..." Silence. No one was able to process what the principal just said.
The ultimatum issued to Teacher Leaf was extreme. For him to do wasn't actually a hard feat. With his cultivation, he could do that with only his finger. But the mental pressure was extreme. It was a direct declaration against the Burning Heart family.
"I'll do that!"
Again only silence. Only one voiced out their complaint.
"Wait a minute! What about my fight against him?"