Chapter 7: No relatives

But after hearing Sakiharu Wen’s analysis, the person who was the most unsettled in the room was actually Kaixin Min.  

Because she knew that Li Zuhao’s right hand wasn’t injured by a Wooden Sword slash at all, but was broken by her own arm lock.  

She was starting to get a little scared now.  

Teaching Policy.  

Because Li Zuhao was definitely going to expose her in public, and once her Private Duel was revealed, the school would definitely find out.  

The core Teaching Policy of Jihuang Academy is to encourage students to compete with each other—not just Public Duels, but also martial duels—but Private Duels are not allowed.  

If students want to fight, they can, but it has to be open and aboveboard, with a Witness, and the fight must stop at the right moment.  

So, early in the morning, when Sakiharu Wen slashed Li Zuhao with her sword in front of everyone, no staff member stepped in to stop her, because this was completely in line with the school’s Teaching Policy.  

But a delinquent girl beating up Li Zuhao in private and breaking his hand—such behavior would get her called to account by the school.  

Because there was no Witness. 

Because it was unfair.  

“Cut the crap. Give me the sword, let’s spar again.”  

Li Zuhao slowly stood up, his expression calm, unwilling to explain any further.  

“What?” 

Kaixin Min was instantly confused, a million questions flooding her mind.  

This coward actually didn’t rat me out to save himself?  

Why? 

Why would he do that?  

Are you protecting me? 

Protecting my ass!  

Hurry up and expose me! 

That would only make me less angry!  

“Catch!” 

Sakiharu Wen tossed one of the Wooden Swords toward Li Zuhao.  

Li Zuhao reached out with his somewhat sluggish left hand and caught the Wooden Sword.  

“Hmph! Still pretending? Your left hand was hit by my sword and can barely lift. Pull your right hand out, stop faking.” 

Sakiharu Wen noticed something off and couldn’t help but mock him.  

“Please give me your guidance.” 

Li Zuhao didn’t appreciate it, replying curtly.  

“Since you want to die, I’ll grant your wish.” 

Sakiharu Wen snorted coldly, then drew her sword.  

Her whole body turned into a blur, same as always—

Threefold Sword Slash.  

A vertical slash to the head, a horizontal cut to the arm, a rising sweep to the leg.  

The three slashes seemed to overlap as one—her sword speed was clearly beyond human.  

But in a flash—  

Li Zuhao lowered his head, reversed his grip on the Wooden Sword with his left hand, and suddenly struck, sweeping the sword in a circular arc forward.  

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”  

Three crisp sounds exploded in the air.  

Everyone looked closely—the Sword Club’s ace’s ultimate Threefold Sword Slash was actually blocked and neutralized by Li Zuhao with just one sweep!  

Everyone was left dumbfounded.  

How could that good-for-nothing, useless little pest have such skill?  

“What?” 

Even Sakiharu Wen herself was shocked, unable to believe it.  

She couldn’t imagine her Threefold Sword Slash being blocked by this perverted lowlife!  

But this unbelievable fact had just happened!  

“The same move won’t work on me twice.” 

Li Zuhao snorted coldly.  

But just as he finished his cocky line—  

“Bang!” 

A crisp sound.  

His right shoulder, still wrapped in bandages, was struck by a sudden vertical slash from the Wooden Sword.  

Ah!  

It wasn’t over yet—

Sakiharu Wen closed in, stepping forward and driving the sword hilt hard into Li Zuhao’s stomach.  

“Ugh~”

Li Zuhao let out a pained cry, clutching his stomach, and fell to his knees right in front of Sakiharu Wen.  

In the end, it was still a mess.  

The Sword Club’s ace didn’t just have the Threefold Sword Slash—there were more combos to follow!  

“Nice!”  

“So sharp!”  

“Senpai’s amazing!”  

“Serves him right!”  

The watching students couldn’t help but cheer and exclaim in admiration.  

Tears streaming.  

Sakiharu Wen looked down at the utterly defeated Li Zuhao, her expression still heavy, not much joy on her face.  

She didn’t know why she couldn’t feel happy.  

Beating up this hated, despised scoundrel—twice in one day, no less—should have been something to be happy about.  

But she just couldn’t figure it out, or maybe she didn’t want to believe it.  

He actually blocked her opening Threefold Sword Slash with just his left hand?

And it was an injured left hand at that.  

“Why didn’t you use your right hand? Are you mocking me?” 

Sakiharu Wen pressed the tip of her Wooden Sword against the back of Li Zuhao’s head, questioning him coldly.  

Her question made Kaixin Min, who was watching from the sidelines, tense up.  

Could it be that Senpai Wen had noticed something?  

Li Zuhao still clutched his stomach with one hand, struggling to sit up.  

The right hand he had used to block a sword now hung limp like dead weight.  

But the pain from the sword hilt in his stomach was far worse—a pain from deep inside, worse than any external wound, making his eyes tear up.  

“Why so many questions? I admit defeat, you win.”  

Li Zuhao placed the Wooden Sword on the ground, forced himself to endure the pain, and sat back in his seat with a gentlemanly air.  

“Hmph! It’s not over that easily, there’s still the matter of your peeping…” 

Sakiharu Wen snorted coldly.  

“You’ve said so much, but do you have any proof? I have an alibi, but you won’t believe me, so what can I say?” 

Li Zuhao retorted.  

“Who else but you would do something like this?” 

Sakiharu Wen’s reply was a bit unreasonable.  

Because if you had to talk about evidence, there really wasn’t any.  

She just felt sure the peeper was Li Zuhao, so she rushed over to confront him immediately.  

Was it possible she’d really let her anger get the better of her?  

No way!

It had to be you!  

This kind of secret filming is just too infuriating for a girl!  

“Then wait until you find some evidence. You can ask at the Medical Room if you want.” 

Li Zuhao ignored her from then on.  

“Stubborn fool, still talking tough. Next time I catch you, I’ll beat you to death.”  

Sakiharu Wen stopped pestering him, hooked the Wooden Sword up with her toe and caught it.  

She flicked her sleeve and, under everyone’s admiring gaze, turned and left Class 9, Grade 1 with style.  

After today, Sakiharu Wen’s reputation at Jihuang Academy would surely rise even higher.  

Everyone had enjoyed the show, everyone got their fun.  

In the end, the only one hurt was Li Zuhao.  

Some went to after-school activities, some went to lunch, and in no time most of the students had left.  

Li Zuhao was still clutching his stomach, lying on his desk, burying his face in his arms, starting his healing nap routine—rest first, then talk.  

And this nap—  

He slept straight through until school was out in the afternoon.  

In the end, he didn’t manage to listen to a single proper lesson today.  

When Li Zuhao woke up feeling less miserable, everyone was already getting ready to leave for dinner.  

Honestly, he was mostly woken up by hunger.  

Li Zuhao saw his good neighbor Miya packing her bag.  

But when her eyes met his, Miya quickly looked away and hurried out of the classroom.  

She didn’t want to make eye contact, much less talk to him.  

“What’s up with that?” 

Li Zuhao wondered.  

But he soon let it go.  

She had probably already heard from the other students what kind of person he used to be.  

And after everything that had happened today, no normal girl would want to be associated with him.  

“We’re not even that close,” he laughed at himself bitterly.