Sen Lei's simple and brutal combat style shocked everyone present.
As an Earthling, Sen Lei felt an undeniable sense of satisfaction and fulfillment being the center of so many admiring and incredulous gazes. However, thinking from the perspective of a prince, he realized that such attention was his due. After all, he was the Crown Prince!
The future and strength of a nation could be seen through various lenses—be it its people, economy, or the emperor—but the Crown Prince was an indispensable link. Everything needs a successor. If each generation is inferior to the previous one, or if a relatively unknown individual ascends to the throne, how many would genuinely respect and follow him to create a prosperous era?
Sen Yan's agreement to the duel, which seemed disadvantageous to the prince's reputation, actually had the opposite effect. Publicly, the information spread across various nations was that the prince had been crippled. Sen Luo Empire traditionally had a single successor, and with the prince being the only heir, his downfall meant the nation's foundation was in jeopardy. Talents and elites began to place their bets on others—either on rival kingdoms or on the "Mighty General."
Thus, the supposed injury of the prince spun a web of countless consequences, a situation any monarch would dread. When Sen Yan first heard of the attack on the prince, he felt the sky had fallen.
Now, with the upper realm's opening approaching, tensions among the nations were palpable. The only passage to the upper realm lay in Rad Academy. Originally known as Fenghua Academy, it once stood amid a multitude of academies, each flourishing. However, seemingly overnight, all other academies vanished, leaving Fenghua to dominate, soon rebranding itself as Rad Academy, as if some hidden hand orchestrated it. As the ruler of Sen Luo, Sen Yan often found himself lost in endless reverie over this mystery since his days at the academy.
On the stage, after defeating Wang Hu with a single strike, Sen Lei continued to dispatch subsequent challengers just as effortlessly. His demeanor remained as poised as when he first stepped onto the platform, and each opponent fell with merely a single exchange.
The audience grew numb to the spectacle.
"The news about the prince being crippled is false! Such combat prowess, without even using spirit techniques, indicates at least a level five spirit body!" they murmured.
Su Qianyi's face darkened. He had never imagined that a crippled prince could be this powerful.
How could this be?
Upon learning that the prince had been crippled, Su Qianyi felt indifferent. However, upon hearing that only one spot was available for Rad Academy's admission, he knew he couldn't wait any longer. Using the Blood Spirit Stone as a pretext to pressure the royal family into relinquishing the spot was merely a ploy. To Su Qianyi, relying on external objects to break through was a last resort; the stone itself was inconsequential.
What he truly coveted was the spot!
He couldn't wait any longer! Three years ago, when his father was ordered by the emperor to guard Linjiang, it derailed his plans, missing his chance. Upon returning, he intended to leverage his father's merits to secure an admission spot, only to find there was just one left. The implication was clear. Could he afford another three years? He could not!
On the stage, Sen Yan's fingers tapped rhythmically on the armrest of his throne, occasionally glancing at Su Tao.
Su Tao knew that Sen Yan was signaling his limited patience.
"Qianyi, it's your turn!" Su Tao signaled.
"Yes, father!" Su Qianyi composed himself, clasped his fists, and jumped into the ring.
Dressed in a black robe like Sen Lei, Su Qianyi appeared indistinguishable to an onlooker once the fight began.
In the ring, Su Qianyi cupped his fists towards Sen Lei and said with a smile, "Your Highness, it seems someone deliberately spread false news about your condition. We've been worried for nothing."
Sen Lei tilted his head slightly and smirked, "Would you really be that concerned?"
Su Qianyi smiled without responding.
"Come on," Sen Lei gestured.
"Not going to rest a bit?" Su Qianyi asked, seemingly surprised.
"No need. You're not worth it," Sen Lei replied, smiling.
Su Qianyi also smiled, "Your Highness is quite confident! Here I come! Lingyun Kick!" With that, he leapt into the air, aiming a flying kick at Sen Lei.
The crowd cursed silently.
"That jade-faced gentleman is so despicable! Attacking without warning, using a high-level spirit technique right off the bat! All previous politeness vanished!"
"Yeah, how shameless..." the murmurs continued.
On the stage, Wei Xiaoxiao clutched the Grandmaster's beard, pulling fiercely, "Aaaah! Despicable! How can he attack like that? Such a sneak attack! Despicable!"
Grandmaster Wei grimaced, "Indeed, indeed. But Xiaoxiao, can you let go of grandpa's beard? I'll get you some long-feathered birds later... Just... let go... please!"
As Su Qianyi's kick neared Sen Lei's face, Sen Lei remained unmoved, though a hint of trepidation flickered in his heart.
He had heard about Su Qianyi from his father. Though this man chose to oppose the royal family for his own advancement, his personal capabilities were undeniable. Whether it was individual strength or military strategy, he showed the promise of a future general. Guarding Linjiang was no small feat, and his haste to enroll in Rad Academy indicated the imminent competition for the admission spot.
Sen Yan could have refused Su Tao's request outright, securing the spot for the prince. Yet, whether out of concern for the prince's reputation or guilt towards Su Tao and his son, he agreed. From Sen Yan's recounting, Sen Lei came to understand Su Qianyi's prowess.
Su Qianyi had broken through to the seventh level of the spirit body despite being four years older than the prince, a remarkable feat. Battle-hardened and experienced, he posed a formidable challenge even without resorting to his trump cards. But Su Qianyi didn't know that Sen Lei had recently broken through to the eighth level.
As Su Qianyi's kick closed in, Sen Lei stood firm, eyes narrowing as the distance diminished.
Everyone held their breath at that moment.
"Su!" Sen Lei unleashed the signature technique his father had imparted over the past few days.
Concerned about the upcoming duel, Sen Yan had imparted his renowned technique to Sen Lei, despite the time constraints.
The technique, known as "Su," was a legacy skill that Sen Yan had learned from a mysterious cave in Rad Academy. Curiously, the cave's location remained elusive even after extensive searches, adding to its mystique.
The spirit technique, "Su," was known for its powerful mental and visual impact, an external assault skill that concentrated spirit energy into a formidable force in the sky.
On the stage, as the crowd watched the spirit energy coalesce into the character "肃" in the sky, they erupted in excitement!