As Ye Qingzhou suddenly stood up, the clamorous wind around him instantly ceased to flow. All sounds vanished, and time seemed to have been paused as if someone had drawn a rest sign on it.
At that moment, Ye Qingzhou astonishingly controlled the airflow within a ten-meter radius!
It wasn't until he casually swung his sword for a slash that the halted wind finally resumed its flow, and the stagnant, dead world returned to its vibrant state.
The scattered breeze condensed and gathered, forming a fierce Sword Qi that screamed past Hou Fei.
"Sword… Sword Qi Slash?"
Large beads of sweat rolled down Hou Fei's forehead. At this moment, both of his legs felt as heavy as they had been filled with lead, and even his fierce expression had turned into a stiff, awkward smile.
This is a joke!
The Sword Qi Slash is a Mid-Tier Martial Technique that only a Professional Level Martial Artist who has trained the Wind Force to the Great Success Realm can master, and it's considered one of the most lethal moves among Mid-Tier Martial Techniques!
If Ye Qingzhou had been slightly off with the angle of his sword just now, today next year might have marked the anniversary of his death!
Hou Fei couldn't understand any clearer that he had provoked the wrong person!
After releasing the slash, Ye Qingzhou detached himself from the state of enlightenment, tilted his head, and looked at Hou Fei with a puzzled expression: "Did you need something from me?"
Huang Liwen was just about to remind Ye Qingzhou to be cautious, but Hou Fei quickly stepped forward, nodding and bowing, saying, "Yes, yes, yes! I'm Hou Fei from the third-year, class two. I heard that First High School produced a rare genius like you, Student Ye, so I came specially to make friends with you and get acquainted."
By this time, Hou Fei had completely hidden his hostility. He is indeed hot-tempered but not insane. Facing a terrifying genius capable of executing the Sword Qi Slash, he certainly knows the meaning of the word 'death'.
Those around them looked as if they had seen a ghost, amazed not only by Hou Fei's rapid change of attitude but also by the slash Ye Qingzhou had just executed.
At this moment, a sword mark about ten meters long remained on the field, silently narrating the terror of that slash.
Ye Qingzhou blinked his eyes and pointed at Hou Fei's forehead: "Why are you sweating so much?"
With a trembling hand, Hou Fei wiped the surging sweat from his forehead, his uneasy and embarrassed expression mixed with a bit of fear: "The weather is too hot. It's only natural for a fat guy like me to sweat a lot."
"Is that so?"
"That's right, exactly."
With a determined look, Hou Fei certainly didn't dare to get on Ye Qingzhou's bad side, wishing he hadn't come today at all!
He immediately changed the subject, and when speaking to Ye Qingzhou, his tone was full of flattery and even sycophancy: "By the way, on such a hot day, you must be very thirsty, Student Ye. Would you like a drink? It's on me, and please, don't be shy with me."
"Wouldn't that be too extravagant?"
"You shouldn't say that, Student Ye. It's fate for us to meet. Everyone at First High School knows I'm Hou Fei, known for my hospitality and generosity!"
Puffing up his chest, Hou Fei laughed boldly, then quickly ran to the canteen, bought a soda, and personally brought it back, his attitude overly friendly and kind, showcasing the pure and earnest friendship between First High School students to the fullest.
Under the scorching sun, sipping on the ice-cold soda, Ye Qingzhou drank it all in one gulp, letting out a satisfied burp.
"Unexpectedly, Senior Hou Fei, although not good-looking, is kind-hearted, and even treated me to soda. Such a good person."
Huang Liwen looked speechless: "I think he came over earlier specifically to beat you up to vent his anger."
Ye Qingzhou took another few big gulps of soda, saying casually, "Don't say things that are not conducive to unity. Moreover, I didn't offend him. Why would he trouble me?"
"He once pursued Xu Yuebin, probably mistook you for a rival in love."
"???"
Ye Qingzhou was baffled. What did Hou Fei's failed pursuit of Xu Yuebin have to do with him?
It's not like I chased Xu Yuebing!
This is why women are such a hassle. The prettier they are, the bigger the trouble. Fortunately, I dismissed the thought of marrying into the Xu Family. Otherwise, who knows how many messy things I would have to deal with in the future.
How can you properly cultivate Martial Dao while dealing with a bunch of trivial issues every day?
Then Ye Qingzhou had a new question: "If Hou Fei came to trouble me, why didn't he take action and instead treated me to soda?"
Huang Liwen twitched his eye corner and sarcastically said, "Maybe he's afraid he won't be able to reason with you?"
"Reason about what?"
"Whoever has the bigger fist is right."
Ye Qingzhou nodded earnestly at hearing this: "Exactly, that reasoning is straightforward and easy to understand. I am someone who values reason, and in the future, I shall win people over with reason and virtue."
Soon, the events on the field reached Xu Lan.
She rushed over, finding Ye Qingzhou, and then excitedly patted him all over, almost showing an aunt's smile. Her eyes toward Ye Qingzhou were like admiring a rare treasure she couldn't part with: "You've already achieved Great Success in Wind Force?"
In "Six Military Techniques", Wind, Fire, Mountain, Forest, Yin, and Thunder are all basic stances. They are the lowest tier, Low Tier, in Martial Arts tier.
But a low tier doesn't mean they're unimportant, nor do Martial Artists dare to underestimate these six fundamental stances because Low Tier Martial Techniques are often the foundation of foundations.
As they say, a skyscraper starts on the ground. Without a stable foundation, the higher the building, the quicker it collapses.
Many powerful Mid-Tier and High-Tier Martial Techniques in the Dongji Kingdom were developed based on the six basic stances. If the foundation is not well laid, the further on the path of Martial Dao, the harder it gets.
Therefore, being able to practice the Six Forces to a higher level signifies greater potential.
For an ordinary high school student, reaching Entry Level in all six forces before graduation is already a major feat, even at a key city school like First High School, not everyone can achieve this.
If a student can reach a Skilful level in one of the Six Forces, then they are considered elite enough to secure admission to a bachelor's degree.
If a student is proficient in two or more of the Six Forces, they can apply to prestigious schools, and in First High School's martial arts club, the heads of the four major societies are almost at this level.
If any stance among the Six Forces is mastered before graduation, earning a spot at a prestigious school becomes almost guaranteed, and currently, only Thunder Blade Miao Yi, ranked first among the "Sword, Saber, Fist, Palm, Leg" five Celestial Kings, reached this level.
As for the Great Success Realm, such individuals are geniuses among geniuses, and only two have appeared in First High School's hundred-year history!
This is why Xu Lan was so excited. Just one night, Ye Qingzhou had brought Wind Force to Great Success. What an incredible talent!
Ye Qingzhou, however, shook his head: "My realm has reached it, but unfortunately, my physical condition can't keep up. My foundation is lacking, and the Sword Qi I exhibited earlier was achieved through a clever method."
Xu Lan smiled and encouraged: "There's no such thing as a clever method in Martial Arts. Doing it is doing it, no matter what method you use. The Sword Qi Slash is a renowned killer move even among Mid-Tier Martial Techniques, and few Professional Level Martial Artists can master this technique."
A Professional Level Martial Artist proficient in Swordsmanship, Xu Lan was evidently a knowledgeable expert.
The training for Sword Qi Slash is highly demanding, not only requiring a Great Success Realm in Wind Force and a high skill level but also a Martial Artist to have an exceptional control over their strength. Only then can they harmonize their full power with the Wind's Inner Breath to unleash a flawless Sword Qi.
This isn't achievable by sheer brute force; it requires exceptionally sophisticated skills.
After the happiness faded, Xu Lan quickly noticed the sword in Ye Qingzhou's hand: "Wait, how did my cousin's Flying Frost Sword end up with you?"
At this moment, Xu Lan's expression became intricate, her eyebrows slightly knitted: "I'm warning you, Ye Qingzhou, don't have your eye on my cousin."
"???"
Ye Qingzhou opened his eyes wide, then let out a long sigh: "Teacher Xu, isn't it possible that your cousin Xu Yuebing is after me?"
"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"
No matter what was said, Xu Lan refused to believe it. Given her cousin Xu Yuebing's haughty nature, how could she take a liking to Ye Qingzhou, who was practically a terminally straight iron man?
Unless the God of Love was slacking and not properly tying the red string!