The next morning, Su Xing didn’t wait for anyone else and left the dormitory early, heading toward the exam venue.
Footsteps came from behind her.
Su Xing heard them but didn’t intend to turn around.
After all, this was within the academy grounds—nothing to worry about.
“Hey!”
Avril’s sharp voice rang out from behind.
Only then did Su Xing turn around and naturally asked, “Want to go together?”
They were opponents this time, but their routes were the same.
Avril’s eyes flickered strangely as she appraised Su Xing from head to toe for a moment, then reluctantly nodded.
“Let’s go. I hope after I beat you, you’ll still keep this attitude.”
Su Xing smiled brightly.
“That depends on whether you can win.”
Avril stared at her exaggeratedly, as if hearing a joke.
“You don’t actually think you can win, do you? You’re no Ivensel when it comes to skill.”
Su Xing shrugged.
“Who knows?”
Seeing her inscrutable expression, Avril pouted in frustration.
“Anyway, there’s no way I’m losing.”
She walked ahead, her slender, snowy white swan neck held high, radiating the same proud demeanor as her personality—a true noble lady through and through.
In that regard, Avril and Victor were indeed well matched.
Both carried themselves with noble grace and had proud, arrogant personalities.
After walking for a while, Avril mockingly said, “Two losses have made Victor furious. I advise you to tell Kaka in your team to just surrender immediately once he steps out, or he’s done for!”
Though harsh, Su Xing could distinguish the malice from the genuine concern beneath the sarcasm.
“Thanks for your concern. I’ll tell Kaka. But he probably won’t give up such an opportunity.”
“Opportunity?”
Avril echoed, uttering words very similar to Su Xing’s, “An opportunity to get beaten to a pulp?”
Su Xing burst out laughing.
“I guess everyone thinks that way! But no, in Kaka’s eyes, this is just a test of what he’s learned.”
That’s why even if he loses badly, he won’t be afraid.
After hearing Su Xing’s answer, Avril’s eyes blinked in surprise before she sighed nostalgically, “Not changed at all…”
Su Xing found Avril’s words interesting.
She could sense the strange relationship between Victor’s group and Kaka.
If you say they’re complete enemies, that’s not quite right.
At least when Kaka talks about Victor’s group, there’s only helplessness, not much resentment.
And Avril’s attitude was especially worth pondering—her favor toward Kaka outweighed any dislike; otherwise, she wouldn’t have approached Su Xing and cared about Kaka through her.
So why did someone like her choose Victor’s camp?
Curious but not pressing, Su Xing didn’t ask.
Their relationship wasn’t that close, and this wasn’t the time.
At the arena, Su Xing and Avril parted ways, heading left and right to prepare.
She summoned Wind-kun, cheering him on: “The exam is about to start. Remember, our first target is Avril. End it as quickly as possible.”
“Yip!”
Wind-kun responded loudly to Su Xing.
Watching the match from the stands and participating in it were completely different experiences.
The invisible pressure and nervousness from being under everyone’s gaze could easily cause even competent students to underperform.
Su Xing’s mindset was relatively stable.
Someone who had grown up relying on the kindness of many, even begging to survive, wouldn’t be overly sensitive to others’ stares.
Avril on the other side was equally unafraid of the environment—if anything, she seemed a bit excited.
Having studied dance from a young age and performed on numerous stages, she was not one to back down.
Su Xing scanned the surroundings.
Because their team had already won two matches against the top first-year group, the remaining two matches today were highly anticipated.
The stands were packed, lively and bustling—a treatment neither Queen’s nor Iven’s matches had received.
Everyone wanted to see if this last-ranked team could create another miracle.
Su Xing curled her lips.
She didn’t want this kind of attention at all!
With her fox-like eyes sweeping the crowd, Su Xing quickly spotted Kaka and his two companions sitting in the third row.
Seeing Su Xing look over, Kaka excitedly waved to cheer her on.
Su Xing nodded back, then turned her gaze to her opponent.
Avril’s tail-feather butterfly had already been summoned, fluttering its wings beside her head.
Avril took out high-grade phantom spirit snacks and fed the butterfly, encouraging it.
Phantom spirits didn’t need to eat, but they could enjoy delicious food.
Ordinary food often contained elements difficult for phantom spirits to digest, which caused trouble.
That’s how phantom spirit snacks were created.
The school sold those snacks; if Su Xing remembered correctly, they cost two thousand Bei Coins per bag.
“Whap!”
Suddenly, a tail struck Su Xing’s calf hard. Looking down, she met Wind-kun’s questioning, grape-like eyes.
Su Xing thought to herself: Why do I feel so guilty all of a sudden?
Clearing her throat, she forced herself to act generous, “If we win this match, I’ll buy you that snack!”
Two thousand!
Two thousand!
That’s two thousand!
What should I do?
Suddenly, I’m not so keen on winning anymore!
—From the surface, Su Xing appeared calm and collected, but inside she was frantically mumbling.
Satisfied, Wind-kun let out a pleased yip and snuggled against Su Xing’s calf for a moment.
Moments later, Teacher Norman took his position: “Then, let the match begin!”
Almost immediately after his words, Su Xing and Wind-kun charged left and right toward Avril.
Avril knew well that she absolutely couldn’t let Su Xing get close early on.
Su Xing’s physical combat skills were second only to the assassin Ivensel in the grade—far superior to other students.
If caught in close quarters, Avril would likely be knocked out immediately.
She bent her knees and jumped, instantly landing on a nearby stone pillar.
Then she quickly ran toward a higher spot.
Seeing this, Su Xing followed suit and leapt onto the pillar to pursue, while Wind-kun stayed behind and instantly formed a wind blade slashing toward the tail-feather butterfly.
The butterfly was cut by the colorless wind blade, instantly opening a wound that sprayed pale blue blood. It fell uncontrollably for a bit before barely regaining control.
“What’s that?”
Avril asked in shock, glancing at her butterfly with deep concern.
“Gale Blade,” Su Xing said casually.
“It’s Wind-kun’s skill.”
“You said your fox’s skill was just scratching!”
Avril blurted out instinctively, then suddenly realized, “You’ve learned a new skill?”
At that remark, the entire arena erupted in whispers.
Learning a skill was something so far away for them, yet a peer had managed it now!
And how come no one leaked any news about this?
Such secrecy was impressive.
A-jun wailed, “Oh no! How could Su Xing do this? Is my money really going down the drain?”
He had bet on Avril winning and, confident it was a sure thing, had put nearly all his pocket money on her.
Now, at the last moment, Su Xing gave him such a “surprise.”
A friend beside him was very pleased, “I knew Su Xing wasn’t ordinary! This so-called last-ranked team is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers!”
He had bet on Su Xing winning.
Though on the surface it seemed unlikely, the previous two matches gave B confidence.
If he guessed right, he’d make a huge profit.
If wrong, just a small loss—just for fun!
Elsewhere, Kaka jumped up excitedly, waving flags and cheering for Su Xing: “Come on, Su Xing! Finish the exam in one go!”
Queen happily analyzed, “That skill perfectly counters flying phantom spirits. Maybe this will end the exam quickly!”
Ivensel’s eyes suddenly sharpened as he straightened up.
“The situation is changing!”
On the field, Avril had already leapt onto the highest stone pillar.
Su Xing followed close behind, only one pillar apart.
There was no path forward—she could almost catch her.
At the critical moment, Avril suddenly jumped down, leaping from the ten-meter-high pillar.
Su Xing was startled and quickly looked down.
Phantom spirit users had enhanced physical attributes, but at this stage, they were only a bit stronger than ordinary people.
Jumping down from ten meters could easily break a leg.
Was Avril crazy?
But her worry was clearly unnecessary.
The next second, Su Xing saw Avril seemingly step on something and slowly descend with its support.
As Avril landed, a swarm of gray butterflies fluttered up from beneath her feet.
It was this group of butterflies that had carried her, preventing the fall.
They were copies of the tail-feather butterfly!
So, unseen by others, the tail-feather butterfly had already created many duplicates!
Su Xing gasped.
The butterfly’s duplication speed was even faster than she imagined.
Avril truly lived up to being part of the top first-year group.
Now high above, Avril needed to descend the pillar to reach the ground, which would waste precious time.
Su Xing immediately ordered Wind-kun, “Wind-kun, attack!”
Wind-kun sprang forward on all four legs, dashing toward Avril with incredible speed.
Of course, Avril wouldn’t just sit back.
She immediately commanded the butterfly swarm to block Wind-kun. Wind-kun swatted down one group of gray butterflies, only to be intercepted by another.
Knocking down one group, another wave of butterflies surged back.
Wind-kun yipped anxiously, his tail fur bristling like a mace.
Trying to catch creatures that couldn’t be killed this way was truly frustrating for a simple-minded animal phantom spirit.
Su Xing finally landed, patting Wind-kun’s head to calm him and calculating time carefully.
When the skill cooldown ended, she decisively commanded, “Gale Blade!”
Wind-kun instantly activated the skill, sending a wind blade slicing through the butterfly swarm.
With a swoosh, a large number of butterflies fell to the ground, turning to ashes the moment they touched the earth.
But the wind blade didn’t stop there—it continued forward, propelled by momentum, slicing toward Avril.
The blade was colorless, only visible through faint air distortion and wind vibrations when close.
Avril’s perception hadn’t reached this level yet, so she was caught completely off guard and struck.
A huge gash appeared on her arm.
Su Xing sighed.
If the wound had landed right in the center, the exam would have been over.
But alas, the match had to continue!