After the lecture, Han Fei and He Xiaoyu went to Class One, each holding a stick.
He Xiaoyu looked at Han Fei's weapon curiously. "Your iron rod looks weird! My father said that fancy-looking weapons are useless."
Han Fei said to himself, There's a lot of things that your father doesn't know, but he did not say it aloud and changed the topic quickly.
Han Fei asked, "Why are only a thousand people allowed to awaken their spirits? There are tens of thousands of students in total on this island, aren't there?"
He Xiaoyu replied, "But the ritual requires the Spirit Awakening Fluid, which is only enough for the usage of a thousand people. I don't think it will be any different this time."
Han Fei was surprised. "What about the rest of them? End up as common fishermen?"
He Xiaoyu looked at Han Fei in surprise. "Are you an idiot? If they can reach level ten and make a natural breakthrough, their spiritual beasts will also be awakened."
Han Fei grinned in embarrassment as his memory returned. Natural awakening more often happened to the young people around twenty than to the kids in the village. They had passed their golden age for cultivation, so they could make few achievements even though their spiritual beast was awakened.
Han Fei was determined to achieve higher things since the ritual was decided according to rank.
He grew excited at the thought of that. He dragged He Xiaoyu and said, "Hurry up. What's most important for a cultivator? It's time…"
He Xiaoyu was lost for words. You seem rather hasty. Why were you not so devoted in the past four years? Besides, since you are level six, you are basically guaranteed to pass the Fishing Trial!
BAM!
The door of Class One was kicked open.
Everybody was shocked. Han Fei put his rod down and declared, "I'm back. Have you prepared your protection… well, your Spirit Swallowing Soup?"
Han Fei held his head high. He sensed that He Xiaoyu was pulling him, but he said impatiently, "Don't be scared. I'm level six now. I can beat up the whole grade."
"You're going to beat up the whole grade?"
The intimidating voice stiffened Han Fei. He looked aside, only to see the fishing master teacher of Class One.
Stunned, Han Fei said, "Well, greetings, sir. I'm told that everybody in Class One is very strong. I'm here to challenge them now that I stepped into level six. If I lose, He Xiaoyu's bamboo rod will go to them. If I win, I will only ask for a bowl of Spirit Swallowing Soup…"
BAM…
Han Fei was flung away, and the fishing master cursed, "Get lost, you shameless scoundrel."
Han Fei was not as useless as before in everyone's eyes after they witnessed his brutal performance and his infinite spiritual energy when he had Spirit Swallowing Soup. How could they defeat him?
Han Fei was lost for words. Why did the teacher hit him? He only offered a piece of advice!
A level-seven expert of Class One looked at Han Fei and said, "Mr. Yang, he's only good when he has the Spirit Swallowing Soup. I will fight him as long as he doesn't take the Spirit Swallowing Soup."
Mr. Yang frowned. Han Fei was a level-six even without the Spirit Swallowing Soup, and it wouldn't be easy to defeat him. In the four schools of the village, there were only a thousand students who were level six. Han Fei's performance couldn't be too bad.
Mr. Yang decided that it was not bad to let the students take a closer look at level six.
He said, "You can challenge them, but they have to be on the same level as you."
Han Fei was about to leave, but he immediately patted his chest and said, "No problem. I want two bowls of Spirit Swallowing Soup."
Grimly, Mr. Yang said, "One bowl, and you are not allowed to take it during the battle."
Han Fei said, "Sir, this isn't fair. I would only be able to defeat one person."
Mr. Yang was amused. "How many people do you intend to defeat? The whole grade?"
Han Fei grinned. "All right, let's have a fight first. I can use a bowl of soup for now."
All the class rolled their eyes. Who can you defeat without your Spirit Swallowing Soup?
Lu Lingzhi had just reached level six. She intended to accept the challenge as a way to test her abilities.
However, Hu Kun stood out and said, "Let me! Nobody is going to compete with me!"
Han Fei's advancement was intimidating and unreasonable. Tang Ge must've been helping him. Nobody knew Han Fei better than Hu Kun did in the entire school. Also, Tang Ge had helped Han Fei too many times before. He must've left many useful things to Han Fei before he was taken away, or Han Fei couldn't have reached level six so quickly.
Delighted, Han Fei grinned at Hu Kun. "Don't be hasty. One at a time. Fetch your soup first."
Hu Kun said, "There will be plenty of soup as long as you can win."
Clang…
Hu Kun lunged with his iron rod. He finally had a good reason to beat him up. Nobody looked forward to the opportunity more than he did.
Han Fei extended his hand, and He Xiaoyu handed over her bamboo rod promptly.
Han Fei said, "Come on, let's see what you've got."
Everybody was lost for words. He made it look like a test.
"Ha!"
What Hu Kun practiced was Flying Stick, which was very fast.
Han Fei chuckled. "Fast is useless. I'm going to sweep you."
The advantage of Sweeping Stick was the range and the force. Han Fei filled the bamboo rod with his spiritual energy and waved a curve with it intimidatingly.
Hu Kun could fight it back, block it, or retreat. If Hu Kun were to back off at the beginning of the battle, everybody would lose respect for him.
If he were to block it, he would be giving Han Fei an opportunity to launch heavier attacks. Therefore, Hu Kun chose to fight back. He did not think that his power would be overwhelmed by a guy who was enhanced by external help.
Clang…
Hu Kun's face changed greatly in the wake of those ear-splitting noises, and his iron rod was bent. His arms were numb and probably broken. Then, he couldn't feel anything anymore.
Pu…
Hu Kun was blown back. He failed to survive one attack from Han Fei although he was at the peak of level six. He did not even have a chance to moan.
"Ack.."
Everybody gasped hard. Lu Lingzhi, who had been eager to try, was frozen. She was shocked by Han Fei's growth.
Mr. Yang was also dumbfounded. How could he have defeated Hu Kun in one move when they were both level six? That was too horrifying!
He Xiaoyu was also slightly dazed. It was she who taught Han Fei Sweeping Stick, but Han Fei was obviously as good at it as she was. Also, she believed that she was only on par with Hu Kun, but Han Fei had defeated him in one move?
Everybody was full of questions. Who could tell that Han Fei had been regarded as garbage for four years?
Clicking his tongue, Han Fei said, "I asked you not to be hasty. Why were you so enthusiastic?"
Then, Han Fei declared proudly, "It seems that I'm invincible in level six. Where are the level-seven fishermen in your class?"
Immediately, a young man with a blue rod walked out of the crowd.
He Xiaoyu said, "He's Xing Qiu. He's very good. His rod was collected from a blue wood from the bottom of the ocean. He ranks in the top twenty among the level-sevens in our school. He's regularly given four bowls of Spirit Swallowing Soup."
Han Fei immediately beamed with jealousy when he learned that Xing Qiu had four bowls of soup regularly. That benefit was too generous!
Han Fei nodded his head and said, "Since you are in level seven and I'm in level six, you need to give me four bowls of Spirit Swallowing Soup if you lose."
Xing Qiu sneered. "I have plenty of soup. I wasn't here last time, but you've come again after I'm back. You really think that nobody in Class One can defeat you?"
Han Fei was not intimidated, but He Xiaoyu suddenly pulled Han Fei's rod. "Give me my rod."
Han Fei: "…"
He turned his head to He Xiaoyu. This is not decent! Even though he's a level-seven fisher, I wouldn't lose!
Han Fei said, "Let go! This is embarrassing! It's just a rod!"
He Xiaoyu said, "No, I won't! You can lose your own rod!"
Han Fei said, "Let go. Do you still want the Spirit Swallowing Soup?"
He Xiaoyu said, "I do. I'll have it when you can't have it anymore."
Everyone: "…"
Everybody was speechless. You will have it when he can't have it anymore? Do you really think he can beat a whole grade? Do you know how many level-seven experts are out there in a grade?
Xing Qiu blushed furiously. "Hey! Are we going to do this or not? The bamboo rod is too precious for you?"
Han Fei was rather embarrassed. He did not know what to say about He Xiaoyu, who always grew petty at the critical moment.
He could only release the rod and say, "Fine. It seems that I have to bring out my own weapon now."
Everybody was grim. Can you not be so cocky? It's just an iron rod.
Xing Qiu said, "Do you think anyone is interested in your ragged rod?"
Han Fei stabbed the rob into the ground and said, "What do you know? My brother gave this to me. It's a super iron rod, the iron rod of iron rods."
Nobody was convinced. "Who are you fooling? A super iron rod? It's just a regular iron rod."
Han Fei said, "You dare not try? Are you really a level-seven? I'm always a man of my word. Besides, my brother is behind me. Are you worried that I can't pay if I lose?"
Xing Qiu said, "That's what I've been waiting for! Bring it on! You can't surrender now even if you want to!"