75: Chapter 75 One Slash

“Just like that, he was instantly defeated? With one strike?!”

“What—what was that?! A white blade light?!”

“Black and White Duality Stance! It’s the ultimate hunter of the Black and White Duality Stance!”

Fear instantly spread!

As if confirming everyone's speculation.

In another area of the battlefield, Jiang Lingyun, who was fighting fiercely on a high tower platform, suddenly froze.

He abruptly turned around, his handsome face losing its composure for the first time.

In front of him and behind him to the side, two figures, solid as shadows, slowly emerged.

One half was pitch black, like the deepest, darkest night; the other half was pure, flawless white, resembling the coldest moonlight.

They made no sound, but a pressure, even stronger than before, descended like a tangible iceberg.

“Hah!” Jiang Lingyun was indeed a Genius who had signed a b-rank contract with Kindling Hall. Under this terrifying pressure, he roared, his vital energy and blood erupting like a volcano. The long sword in his hand instantly transformed into a sky full of starlight!

【Splitting Light and Shadow Sword - Extreme】!

He exerted all his strength, trying to break free from this invisible restraint.

Clang—!

A harsh sound of metal collision tore through the air.

Jiang Lingyun’s sword light collided with the black blade gleam that struck first.

The immense impact cracked the skin on his tiger’s mouth, nearly forcing the sword from his hand. His entire body felt as if hit by a heavy hammer, staggering backward.

“Pfft!” He spat out a phantom mouthful of blood.

Another icy, bone-chilling white blade gleam had already arrived quietly, sealing off his retreat.

Jiang Lingyun’s eyes split with rage. He forcefully twisted his body, pouring his last bit of vital energy and blood into his left arm to block.

Bang! His left arm, along with most of his protective gear, was instantly shredded by the terrifying Saber Intent, sending data flying.

Immediately following that, the black and white figures clung to him like a plague, moving at extreme speed.

The third blade gleam, carrying an aura of absolute destruction, swept across Jiang Lingyun’s neck————

【Eliminated!】

Three strikes!

Just as devastating!

The most powerful Genius recognized by Qingshi County had fallen!

The Black and White Duality Stance swept across the battlefield like the harvester of Death, mercilessly reaping.

Every target locked onto by them, no matter how close to Unity Realm Perfection, could not survive past three moves before being instantly eliminated.

The figures still holding on in the arena disappeared at an astonishing speed.

Outside the battlefield, in the real world.

— —

Qingshi County Leader’s Viewing Stand.

The massive light screen was locked tightly onto Li Wen, who was skillfully weaving through the ruins, his score topping the leaderboard.

The smaller windows were constantly decreasing, with bursts of white light signaling eliminations rising one after another.

The entire viewing area had long since held its breath, with all eyes focused on this unbelievable youth from the Third Middle School.

“This student named Li Wen—he’s from Qingshi Third Middle School?”

The representative from Kindling Hall, a middle-aged man with a flat haircut and three clusters of golden flame insignia on his epaulets, spoke for the first time while watching the footage of Li Wen once again using the terrain and exquisite movement techniques to evade several purple virtual figures chasing him.

The Principal of Qingshi Third Middle School nodded: “Indeed, Director Sun. He is a student in our Flying Star Class.”

“Movement technique, Blade Technique, decisiveness, and this ability to survey the battlefield—none of it seems as simple as just entering the Unity Realm.”

The representative from the Virtual Company, a short-haired woman with gold-rimmed glasses and a capable aura, pushed up her frames. The analysis charts on her data board were constantly flickering. “His control is definitely far beyond his peers.”

The representative from the Mercenary Alliance, a bald, sturdy man with a faint scar across his face, stroked his chin. “Interesting. This kid’s combat intuition is like that of an experienced lone wolf. What about his background information?”

The County Leader and the Director of Education were just preparing to send someone to retrieve it when a gentle, steady voice, yet one carrying undeniable penetration, sounded behind them: “I have it. He is a student in my class.”

Everyone was slightly startled and turned to look.

Fang Chengwu had, without anyone noticing, quietly bypassed security and stood one step behind the group of VIPs.

He was still wearing the same simple gray suit, a composed smile on his face, his gaze passing over the crowd to fix on Li Wen on the light screen.

The County Leader and the Director looked surprised, clearly not expecting Teacher Fang to appear here.

What was even more surprising was the reaction of the representatives from The Four Great Factions.

The representatives, who had been sitting casually, all involuntarily straightened up slightly the moment they saw Fang Chengwu.

Director Sun from Kindling Hall even showed a fleeting, imperceptible glint in his eyes, which quickly turned into a hint of surprised comprehension.

“Teacher Fang!” The female representative from Galaxy Bank was the first to react, her smile becoming much more sincere and enthusiastic. “So he is your esteemed Disciple! No wonder he is so extraordinary.”

“Yes, yes,” the bald Mercenary representative’s tone also softened from its usual roughness, carrying a hint of politeness. “A great teacher produces a great student! Teacher Fang has a Wisdom Eye, it seems Qingshi is about to produce another remarkable seedling.”

The short-haired woman from the Virtual Company also smiled: “No wonder he has such insight at this stage. Student Li Wen is—an Awakened?”

Fang Chengwu nodded calmly, sweeping his gaze over the representatives: “Correct. A Technique Awakened, leaning towards combat insight and Physical Body control.”

“An Awakened! And one related to combat!”

The smile on the Galaxy Bank representative’s face grew wider. “Teacher Fang, do you think this seedling is interested in joining our Galaxy Bank? We have the top-tier—”

“, Director Minnie, although your bank has abundant resources, this combat-oriented seedling is clearly better suited for the field training provided by our Mercenary Alliance.” The bald man immediately interjected.

“Practical combat training is certainly important, but systematic knowledge and data support are the foundation for reaching higher levels,”

The short-haired woman from the Virtual Company countered calmly. “Our Virtual Company can provide the most precise—”

“Alright everyone,” Director Sun of Kindling Hall gently raised his hand, his tone steady but carrying a sense of dominance. His gaze flickered between Fang Chengwu and the light screen. “Since he is Teacher Fang’s student and a Technique Awakened, achieving such results in the Unity Realm, his potential is indeed considerable.

By the standards of our Four Great Factions, signing a B+ rank contract should not be a problem. Teacher Fang, which of our organizations do you think can secure this Opportunity for him?”

His gaze carried a probing nature, while also implicitly showing caution regarding the power behind Fang Chengwu. Offering a relatively generous B+ rank contract was the safest choice.

The other three representatives immediately stopped arguing and looked uniformly at Fang Chengwu, all wearing amiable smiles.

Expressing the same sentiment—B+, we can offer it. You give the word, and we’ll rush to sign him.

However, the smile on Fang Chengwu’s face remained unchanged. He lightly shook his head, his gaze still fixed on the light screen: “B+ rank? Thank you all for your regard for Li Wen. However,”

He paused, his voice clear and steady, “I think this child might be worth vying for the threshold of A-rank. What do you all think?”

“A-rank?!”

The atmosphere instantly solidified.

The County Leader and the Director’s expressions changed; they didn't dare breathe loudly.

The four representatives, who had been enthusiastic and competing to make offers moments before, had their smiles seemingly frozen instantly.

“Cough, cough,” the short-haired woman from the Virtual Company pushed up her slightly slipping glasses, masking her awkwardness. “This—Teacher Fang, Student Li Wen’s performance is indeed stunning. We recognize his potential with a B+ rank.

But the standard for A-rank—you know, that’s reserved for seeds on the level of top provincial scholars. It requires hard-fought achievements, at least suppressing all the students in this city, and even being able to withstand a few more moves against the ultimate hunter—this is, after all, just a mock exam—”

“Yes, Teacher Fang,” the bald man from the Mercenary Alliance scratched his smooth scalp, sounding somewhat troubled. “The assessment for an A-rank contract is extremely stringent. If we sign him and he fails to meet the standard later—”

His meaning was clear: even though he was Fang Chengwu’s student, the A-rank standard couldn't be easily broken by personal connections. If he signed and failed to deliver, they would also face internal reprimands.

The female representative from Galaxy Bank’s smile was slightly stiff: “Director Sun’s view is more comprehensive. Perhaps—”

Director Sun from Kindling Hall’s eyes flashed with sharp light. He didn't refuse directly; instead, he turned his gaze back to the light screen: “Teacher Fang’s care for his Disciple is understandable. How does Student Li Wen compare to Jiang Lingyun, who was just eliminated?”

He directly pointed out the crux of the matter. “Jiang Lingyun was at Unity Realm Major Achievement, close to Perfection, and had already signed our Kindling Hall b-rank contract. Although Li Wen’s Blade Technique has reached the Unity Realm and he has the Awakened bonus, his foundational control has not yet reached Perfection, and his power output is slightly inferior to Jiang Lingyun’s.

The A-rank standard requires surpassing all the talents in the city. Relying solely on the advantage of Awakened insight, he can at most reach the upper limit of B+. If we forcibly sign him for A-rank, and he struggles to advance to the Momentum Realm later, it would be detrimental to the child himself and to the reputation of all of us. I hope Teacher Fang understands.”

This argument was reasonable and logical. It simultaneously praised Li Wen while downplaying him, blocking Fang Chengwu’s intention, and subtly suggesting that signing for A-rank might backfire on Li Wen.

The other three representatives immediately found their backbone and echoed in unison: “Exactly, exactly, Director Sun’s analysis is spot on!”

“His potential is huge, but currently, B+ rank is indeed the fairest evaluation.”

“We all look forward to Student Li Wen’s future, but A-rank—it requires proof from more concrete achievements.”

The smile on Fang Chengwu’s face remained gentle. How could he not understand Director Sun’s words were those of a seasoned veteran? He knew the secret of Li Wen’s Primordial Spirit, but he absolutely could not reveal it now.

In his heart, he admitted that perhaps his expectation for Li Wen was too high; A-rank was indeed a stretch.

He nodded, about to offer some polite words.

In that subtle moment of silence.

On the light screen, the situation drastically changed!

Li Wen was moving rapidly through a complex network of metal pipes, using the intricate terrain to shake off the deep purple figure behind him.

Suddenly!

Boom! Boom!

Two black and white figures lunged out as if teleporting, emerging from two completely impossible blind spots—one from behind a thick, broken wall, and the other from above a giant pipe!

The black blade gleam carried a profound stillness that devoured all light.

The white blade light radiated an absolute, Soul-freezing coldness.

The perfectly complementary yet diametrically opposed “Two Forms Pressure” descended instantly.