This heavy rain fell for four straight days before finally stopping.
The sun rose high into the sky, lifting the curtain of rain as though unveiling the arrival of summer.
The scent of summer was already drifting in, faint and elusive.
The weather grew ever clearer, sweeping away the lingering dampness of spring. Temperatures climbed steadily.
In the spring nights, the active Dragon Pill Crickets had retreated, burrowing deep underground to lay their eggs. The Green Spear Bamboo, unique to Qing Mao Mountain, had begun growing like mad, visibly shooting up almost every day.
Leaves and foliage were shifting from emerald green to deeper shades of verdure. The rolling green mountains looked lusher than ever.
An expanse of cloudless sky, blue as crystal.
Smack, smack, smack.
From the Academy's training ground came the sound of fists and feet striking flesh.
After exchanging more than a dozen blows, Gu Yue Mobei was kicked in the abdomen by Fang Yuan. He staggered back five or six steps and landed right outside the circle painted on the ground.
The Martial Arts Instructor had been standing at the edge of the arena, presiding over the session. Seeing this, he immediately declared: "Gu Yue Mobei has been knocked out of the ring! Gu Yue Fang Yuan wins his thirty-third consecutive match!"
"Hmph. I lost to you again this time." Gu Yue Mobei gritted his teeth, eyes fixed on Fang Yuan. "But don't get cocky. One day, I will defeat you. And I can already feel that day is getting closer and closer!"
Fang Yuan regarded him with an expressionless glance, then lowered his eyelids. "That kick just now has already caused internal bleeding. You should focus on healing your injuries before anything else."
"What's a little injury?" Gu Yue Mobei had only half finished his retort when his expression suddenly changed. His throat lurched, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
His face drained of color. This was the first time he had ever suffered such an injury! Fear unmistakably flickered in his eyes.
The Martial Arts Instructor hurried over and said soothingly, "It's nothing serious. With treatment and a few days of quiet rest, you'll be fine. Just stop practicing for now — no strenuous activity for the next few days."
No sooner had he finished speaking than two healing Gu Masters, who had been waiting outside the arena, rushed over and carefully helped Gu Yue Mobei away.
Gu Yue Mochen didn't dare say another word. He stared hard at Fang Yuan, his gaze filled with anger, resentment, frustration, and unwillingness.
"Mobei's hand-to-hand combat is quite good, but he still can't beat Fang Yuan."
"Fang Yuan is too strong — nobody can beat him at all!"
"Mobei actually got beaten to the point of vomiting blood. That's terrifying. I don't want to fight that guy."
"But the Instructor said today is a practical exercise — a fighting tournament! Everyone has to go up and fight at least once."
The students stood outside the arena. Some looked at Fang Yuan with fear in their eyes, some sighed heavily, some had gone pale, and some were wracked with anxiety.
Among them, quite a few were already injured. Some held their bruised and swollen faces, some clutched their arms, sucking air through their teeth. A few lay directly on the ground, massaging their thighs.
"Next!" No one stepped forward, so the Instructor barked out the call.
But no one responded. On ordinary days, the only ones with the courage to challenge Fang Yuan were Gu Yue Mobei, Gu Yue Chicheng, and Gu Yue Fang Zheng. And all three had already been beaten down.
The students were dead silent. Some even shrank back a little.
The Instructor watched their timid, cowering expressions, and his brow furrowed tightly.
He couldn't help but recall what the Academy Elder had told him: "Lately, Fang Yuan's dominance has gone too far. It needs to be suppressed. Every other student has been crushed under him to the point they can't lift their heads. If this goes on, the courage in their hearts will be worn away. Our Academy cultivates tigers and wolves who dare to stand against powerful enemies, not lambs too afraid to fight."
"What's wrong with all of you? No matter how strong Fang Yuan is, he's only fifteen — the same age as you! He eats the same food, drinks the same water. He doesn't have three heads and six arms, and he certainly isn't a monster! Summon your courage and show me the pride of the Guye Clan that lies buried in your hearts!" the Instructor roared, doing his utmost to rally the students below.
"But he really is too strong. We can't beat him at all."
"Every classmate who's fought him ended up in a terrible state. Mobei even got beaten to the point of spitting blood."
"Fang Yuan hits harder and harder each time, Instructor. We don't dare fight him."
The students muttered back in weak, cowardly voices.
The Instructor was so angry he nearly stamped his foot. What ignorant brats!
He could see it clearly from the sidelines. Fang Yuan had just fought through thirty-three consecutive matches without a single break. Although Fang Yuan kept adjusting his breathing, his stamina was nearly spent.
The fact that Fang Yuan was hitting harder only proved one thing: he was no longer in effortless control the way he had been before. He was gradually losing his grip on the situation.
If they just pushed a little harder, they could force him to show his exhaustion. Send up a few more people, and they could knock him down right there!
Once Fang Yuan was knocked down, his aura of intimidation would plummet. The students' courage would be reignled, and the objective of suppressing Fang Yuan would be achieved.
But right now, the students had all been bluffed by the tiger skin Fang Yuan was displaying.
Sometimes, the one who defeats you isn't a powerful enemy — it's your own heart.
The Instructor grew anxious and continued to press his case.
But he wasn't a silver-tongued man. He'd already said these same words before, stirring the youths' blood and provoking a few challengers. But now, having heard them repeated so many times, the youths had gone numb to them.
Fang Yuan stood with his arms folded, watching everything with cold detachment. Though he stood at the very center of the training ground, he might as well have been an unrelated bystander.
After the Instructor's prolonged goading, the students still just exchanged glances. Not a single person moved.
The Martial Arts Instructor was both furious and helpless. He turned to face Fang Yuan and snapped, "Fang Yuan, you're at fault too. You're hitting harder and harder — sparring between classmates should be gentle and friendly. How could you strike so heavily? From now on, be more careful. If you beat another classmate to the point of vomiting blood, I'll rule it a loss and make you leave the ring!"
"Instructor, you're wrong."
Fang Yuan let out a cold snort, his gaze unyielding as he met the Martial Arts Instructor's eyes. "In sparring and combat, one should naturally give it their all. Otherwise, how could it serve as proper training? When we face real enemies in battle down the road, will we be able to ask them to be gentle and friendly?"