The First Summoner - Chapter 102

They all knew that Shen Yan had already passed the first two tests. Even if she failed the combat test, she would still qualify for the next stage.

Zhu Hezhou narrowed his eyes at her. He had recognized Shen Yan as the person who had argued with his younger sister, Zhu Miaoqing, in the shop. At the time, he had even wanted to help Miaoqing deal with her. He had never expected…

Shen Yan to possess Transcendent Heaven-rank aptitude!

Before he entered the field, Miaoqing had told him to teach Shen Yan a proper lesson. Otherwise, she would never be able to swallow the humiliation she had suffered in the shop.

Shen Yan’s cultivation was low, but she could fight above her level.

Zhu Hezhou weighed the advantages and disadvantages. He wanted to see the true extent of Shen Yan’s strength and her hidden cards first. That way, when he moved to teach her a lesson, victory would be far more certain.

The battle on the field was in utter chaos, yet no one dared provoke favored geniuses such as Yu Changying, Wen Yuchu, and Xiao Zechuan. Their aptitude was exceptional, and their cultivation was not low either.

Shen Yan was the sole exception.

Her aptitude might be extraordinary, but her strength and social standing were both low.

The more jealous the youths became, the more they wanted to challenge and defeat her.

Li Buman had fallen, but another twenty or thirty youths attacked Shen Yan.

She gripped the Spirit Phoenix Divine Sword. Her sword gale was fierce, her sword intent astonishing; whenever an opponent drew close, a single strike was enough to send them flying.

Twenty or thirty people surrounded her, blades and swords flashing wildly as bursts of light from their attacks flared now and again.

The sword in Shen Yan’s hand suddenly erupted with searing flames. She slashed, and the phantom of a fire phoenix leaped forth, transforming at last into an enormous crimson sword arc.

Boom—

The youths gathered their spiritual power to defend themselves, but the blow forced them backward again and again. Just then, one youth broke through the clash and charged straight at Shen Yan with a long saber in hand.

Her gaze sharpened. He was at the eighth stage of the Mystic-rank realm.

Five minor stages separated them.

The disparity in strength was enormous.

Shen Yan did not hesitate. She stepped forward, turned her wrist, and thrust her sword at his long saber.

Clang!

The weapons collided!

The youth narrowed his eyes at her. Saber energy rapidly gathered around his weapon and shot toward Shen Yan’s chest. She reacted quickly, bending backward at the waist to evade the dangerous strike.

As soon as she straightened, she swung her sword and knocked the saber aside.

Clang!

The other twenty or thirty youths closed in once more and resumed their assault.

Again and again, Shen Yan escaped their attacks by the narrowest margins. The sight set every heart racing.

The elders and instructors of Western Region Academy frowned.

“So many people surrounding Shen Yan at once. How dishonorable!”

“Shen Yan has impressed me. To hold on this long with cultivation at only the third stage of the Mystic-rank realm proves how solid her martial foundation is. She’s a fine seedling!”

A sword-cultivating elder stroked his beard and smiled. “Her sword moves blend softness with strength. At such a young age, she has already comprehended sword intent. Not bad at all.”

An elder who was a Summoner sighed. “What a pity. She’s a sword cultivator, not a Summoner.”

The sword-cultivating elder frowned at once. “What’s wrong with sword cultivation? Practicing the sword strengthens the self. Learning summoning arts only lets powerful otherworldly beasts help you. When it comes to cultivation, strengthening yourself is still the better path.”

The Summoner elder sneered. “Oh, spare me. One powerful beast is enough to tie you down. If I summon another, what will you use to defend yourself?”

The other elder retorted, “Why can’t I fight two at once?”

“Then I’ll summon three powerful beasts!”

“Then I’ll fight three at once!”

Their exchange rapidly devolved into an argument over whether sword cultivators or Summoners were stronger.

In the end, Elder Hong Xian had to stop them.

As time passed, nearly seventy percent of the youths fell.

To everyone’s surprise, Shen Yan was still standing! By now she was wounded, and blood stained the longsword in her hand. She sent the youth before her flying with one slash, then fixed a sharp gaze on the few who still surrounded her.

Every one of them was at the sixth stage of the Mystic-rank realm or higher. Their strength could not be underestimated.

The thick scent of blood filled Shen Yan’s nose, and her gaze gradually darkened. She truly wanted to slaughter them, but… the rules of the combat test forbade killing.

She closed her eyes briefly and did her best to suppress the restlessness within her.

Zhu Hezhou had been silently observing her all this time. Now his eyes narrowed. The moment to teach Shen Yan a lesson had arrived.

He thought to himself that although he could not kill her, he could still cripple her—perhaps by severing a hand or a foot…

Zhu Hezhou raised his hand and summoned a longsword.

Yu Changying noticed the movement. Her expression remained unchanged, and she continued to wear a gentle smile.

Zhu Hezhou shot forward.

Longsword in hand, he sped toward Shen Yan.

The spectators gasped for her.

In the blink of an eye, Zhu Hezhou appeared behind Shen Yan and brought his sword down at her back.

Clang—

Shen Yan reacted swiftly, turning and raising her sword to block. His spiritual power was far stronger than hers. She resisted for only a few seconds before his longsword forced hers down and came to rest against her shoulder.

The keen edge instantly split flesh.

Zhu Hezhou smiled faintly. “Shen Yan, if you’d been willing to kneel and apologize to my younger sister back then, perhaps you wouldn’t be suffering this today!”

“Is that so?” Shen Yan’s face had paled, but she gave a cold scoff.

Her defiance irritated Zhu Hezhou. An overwhelming pressure erupted from his body and crushed down upon her.

Boom!

Shen Yan braced with her sword while enduring the immense pressure he unleashed. Blood continued to seep from the wound his blade had cut into her shoulder.

The metallic taste of blood rose in her throat.

Seeing that she was nearly at her limit, Zhu Hezhou smiled. “Shen Yan, I’ll take one of your arms today. Behave yourself in the future!”

At those words, the expressions of Dean Xuanyun and the other members of Western Region Academy changed. They could no longer sit still. They knew what the loss of an arm meant for a genius.

Just as Dean Xuanyun rose, Shen Yan suddenly laughed.

Danger gleamed in her eyes as she stared at Zhu Hezhou with the viciousness of a wild beast.

“Then you shall have your wish!” she sneered.

Zhu Hezhou’s expression changed. The next instant, an enormous black flood dragon appeared behind him. Its oppressive aura crashed down like a massive mountain as its jaws snapped at him.

Zhu Hezhou reacted quickly and dodged, only for the flood dragon’s tail to slam him heavily into the ground!

Bang!

It felt as though every bone in his body had been knocked apart. He rolled several times across the ground and violently spat out a mouthful of blood.

In an instant, Shen Yan reached his side, longsword in hand.

“You…”

Zhu Hezhou’s pupils contracted, panic flooding his face. He tried to turn over and rise, but Shen Yan stamped one foot viciously onto his abdomen.