"Thank you," Ying Xue said, nodding politely to the mentor.

  "So this is the Elite Freshman Badge? It definitely looks a lot classier than the standard ones," Ying Feng chirped, his habit of rambling never wavering even when talking to himself. "Hehe, just wait until Ke Minglang sees this. He’s going to be green with envy."

  "Hmph. Elite badges? Two Level 15 freshmen? Who knows what kind of shady tricks they used to get those."

  A sharp, unpleasant voice cut through the air. Ying Feng turned to see a group of seven freshmen approaching. Each of them was Level 19, yet the trial materials they had submitted were all fangs and pelts from beasts below the Brave-rank.

  "Sounds like someone’s jealous," Ying Feng shot back, completely unintimidated. "There’s seven of you, and you didn't even have the guts to challenge a Brave-rank monster, so you assume we couldn't do it either? Who do you think you are to tell us what we can and can't do?"

  "Who do I think I am? I'm the guy telling you that you’re frauds!" the leader of the group sneered. "Two Level 15s taking down a Brave-rank beast? Impossible. Period."

  "Since you’re so skeptical, how about I prove it to you?" Ying Feng let out a light laugh, tilting his chin up. "Dare to go one-on-one with me?"

  "Did you guys hear that?" The leader turned to his group as if he’d just heard the funniest joke of the year. "He wants to duel us."

  "Are the freshmen this year all this delusional?"

  "Don't they know we’re one of the top ten rookie teams this semester?"

  "Level 15 and he wants a duel? Hilarious."

  The group erupted in mockery. In this world, the gap between Level 15 and Level 19 meant nearly a thirty-percent difference in raw attributes.

  "So... you're scared?" Ying Xue narrowed her eyes, a dangerous glint flickering in her gaze.

  "Scared? Please. Move back, boys. Let me show these two who actually calls the shots among the freshmen." The leader drew his knight’s sword and settled into a combat stance. His teammates backed away, laughing and clearing a wide space for the fight.

  SHING!

  Ying Feng unsheathed the knight’s sword Kael had given him.

  "A broken sword? It’s even got a chip in it!"

  "Where did you two paupers come from, carrying a piece of junk like that?"

  "Now I’m really wondering where that monster core came from. Did you find it in a trash can?"

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  "Maybe they just stumbled upon a dead beast. What luck for a pair of rookies like them!"

  The group nearly cried laughing when they saw the prominent chip in Ying Feng's blade. Even their leader was struggling to keep a straight face.

  "If you're that poor, I can have one of my men lend you a decent sword."

  "Hmph. To deal with someone like you, I don't need a 'decent' sword," Ying Feng sneered with arrogant confidence.

  Beside him, Ying Xue internally rolled her eyes. Ying Feng wasn't Level 15 because he lacked talent. Given the Ying family's immense wealth, they could have force-fed him resources to reach a high level even if he were a complete failure. The siblings had suppressed their levels only because they hadn't found the "perfect" Skill Crystals yet. While crystals were rare, they weren't impossible for their family to acquire—but they wanted the best.

  That focus on fundamentals—mastering magic and martial arts instead of just chasing levels—was exactly why they could take down a Brave-rank beast with just a few pills.

  "Fine. Just try not to cry when you lose." The leader lunged forward, his blade aimed straight for Ying Feng's chest.

  Martial Skill: [Gale Thrust]!

  Battle Qi surged, and a faint yellow glow enveloped the sword as its speed increased mid-thrust.

  Ying Feng’s eyes sharpened. He pressed his blade down against the incoming strike and then suddenly snapped it upward.

  [Parry and Counter!]

  The chipped sword moved like a viper, snapping at the throat of the attacker's blade.

  CLANG!

  With a crisp metallic snap, a fragment of a blade went flying through the air, embedding itself deep into the stone floor.

  "What?!"

  Before the leader could process it, Ying Feng flicked his wrist, resting the cold edge of his chipped sword against the boy's throat.

  "Levels aren't everything," Ying Feng said, staring into the boy's eyes with a smug grin.

  "My sword... it broke..."

  The leader stared at the jagged stump in his hand, unable to believe his eyes. If his sword hadn't snapped, he could have transitioned into a follow-up move. Even if his skill was slightly inferior, his superior attributes should have prevented such a sudden defeat. But everything failed the moment his blade shattered against that "piece of junk."

  He had lost in a single exchange.

  "The Manager's sword... is surprisingly effective," Ying Xue thought, slightly startled. She made a mental note: she had to buy a weapon from Kael's shop.

  The crowd stood in stunned silence. The insults they had been preparing for Ying Feng's defeat were swallowed back into their throats.

  "Good game," Ying Feng said. He wasn't the type to kick a man while he was down, and besides, the Ying family's influence didn't extend far enough to protect him if he actually harmed someone within the Brilliant Academy.

  He sheathed his sword, ready to leave.

  "Wait," the leader called out.

  "What? Didn't get enough?" Ying Feng looked back playfully.

  "My name is Chi Yongqiu," the boy said, exhaling slowly as he looked at Ying Feng.

  Ying Feng paused, then gave his own name out of courtesy. "Ying Feng."

  "Who forged that sword for you?" Chi Yongqiu asked.

  "Found it in a secluded little shop back in Cloud Mist City."

  The days of the Freshman Trial were slowly passing. Although the influx of students brought plenty of foot traffic, it hadn't translated into much business for Kael. He secretly thanked his past self for saving some gold; otherwise, he’d be back to eating plain buns.

  "Manager! Boss! Have you gotten any new stock in lately?"

  A familiar voice rang out from the entrance. Ke Minglang strode into the shop followed by his three teammates. Judging by the fresh scars and bloodstains on their gear, they had likely just emerged from the Cloud Mist Forest.

  "I have. Take a look for yourself. If you don't understand something, ask," Kael said. Since they were regulars, he could afford to be brief.

  "Boss, I'm a paying customer. Could you try being a little more enthusiastic?" Ke Minglang said, feeling a bit helpless. At any other shop, he was treated like a VIP. Here, he felt like he was lucky just to be acknowledged.