Chapter 19: “Winning While Standing Isn’t My Style”

“Whoosh!”

In the next instant, as their eyes locked in anger, Feng Jue’s sword was the first to leave its sheath.

“Trash from the Martial Academy dares to disrespect Young Master Chu Ming? Today, I’ll cripple you myself!”

With a furious roar, Feng Jue slashed his sword toward Chu Li. Jiang Ying snorted coldly, stepped forward, and was about to intervene.

In her eyes, Feng Jue was no ordinary opponent—he had reached the mid-stage of the Postnatal Realm, and even among other mid-stage cultivators, he was a formidable fighter.

If she remembered correctly, Chu Li should only be at the early stage of the Postnatal Realm. Facing Feng Jue, he had no chance of victory and might be defeated within just a few moves.

But to her surprise, just as she was about to step in, Chu Li raised a hand to stop her.

“Chu Li?”

“I’ll handle this.”

As he spoke calmly, Chu Li strode forward—but he didn’t draw his sword. In the next moment, his figure suddenly became elusive and light.

At that moment, Feng Jue had already closed in and thrust his sword forward, the blade tip striking like a snake’s tongue.

This was the Feng Family’s Serpent Sword Technique—rumored to have been learned by their ancestor from a mountain spirit snake. Its strength lay in its agility, making it nearly impossible to dodge for opponents of the same cultivation level.

In a flash, the sword tip stabbed toward Chu Li’s figure—but in the very next instant, Feng Jue’s expression changed drastically.

That strike, meant to be so precise, pierced nothing but air!

“What!?”

“What just happened? Feng Jue actually missed?”

“Is that… a movement technique!?”

Seeing Chu Li’s figure, the three from the Shengwu Academy exclaimed in shock, as if they had seen a ghost.

They knew well that among all kinds of martial skills, movement techniques were the rarest and most valuable.

Even in Shengwu Academy, there were only a handful of movement techniques available for exchange—and all of them were incredibly expensive.

Yet this person, from the Imperial Capital Martial Academy, which had far fewer resources than Shengwu Academy, actually possessed a movement technique?

And it was such a masterful one!

As Chu Li used his movement technique, the onlookers felt gusts of wind sweeping past them, as though they stood at the edge of a storm, and mysterious mists began to swirl around.

Within that fog, Feng Jue kept swinging his sword again and again—but no matter how he slashed, he couldn’t touch Chu Li at all.

“They can cause changes in the surrounding environment—such a martial skill is definitely not from the Postnatal Realm!”

“Bad news, Feng Jue’s Serpent Sword Technique is especially vulnerable to movement-type martial skills.”

“Feng Jue, get back here!”

Just as the few from Shengwu Academy finished speaking, a figure suddenly appeared behind Feng Jue.

The next moment, a long sword was pressed against his neck, faintly cutting a line of blood.

“You!”

Feng Jue’s body stiffened with the sword at his throat, his eyes widening in shock.

He couldn’t believe he had actually lost just like that!

He had hardly lost any matches at Shengwu Academy, and now he had lost to someone from the Imperial Capital Martial Academy? This was a humiliating disgrace!

Anger burned in Feng Jue’s heart, but with a blade at his neck, he dared not act rashly. Gritting his teeth, he asked,

“What… what do you want?”

“Take your people and get lost.”

Chu Li said calmly, his voice void of any emotion, as if the sword in his hand could strike at any moment.

Seeing this, Feng Jue didn’t dare argue. He snorted, sheathed his sword, and retreated with the others from Shengwu Academy in embarrassment.

“You just wait and see!”

Leaving with a parting threat, the four headed toward Yunlong Mountain.

“Phew, those young masters finally left.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t expect those two Martial Academy students to be so strong—to actually defeat the Shengwu Academy’s people!”

After Feng Jue’s group departed, everyone inside the county office breathed a sigh of relief, while also staring at Chu Li in shock.

In their impression, Shengwu Academy students were unbeatable among their peers, and Martial Academy students couldn’t even compare.

But unexpectedly, someone like Chu Li openly defeated a Shengwu Academy member.

This was just awesome!

“Those Shengwu Academy students always act so high and mighty whenever they come, looking down on everyone.”

“Didn’t expect they’d get their comeuppance one day!”

The people inside the county office clicked their tongues in amazement at the situation. Meanwhile, on the other side, Jiang Ying was also shocked—but not by Chu Li’s movement skill.

“His cultivation level… seems to have already reached the late Postnatal Realm. Such rapid progress.”

Jiang Ying was still quietly amazed on her side, but she had no idea what Chu Li was going through at that moment.

After sheathing his sword, Chu Li only felt the world spinning, as if all his vital energy and blood had been drained.

This was his first time using Wind and Cloud Steps, and he didn’t expect this movement technique to consume so much qi. Coupled with the fact that earlier he had violated a major taboo concerning his old injuries, he was now on the verge of collapse.

“Not good… I’m going to fall…”

With this thought, Chu Li’s vision went dark, and he completely lost consciousness, collapsing to the ground.

The next moment, the system prompt sounded.

【Ding】

【Congratulations on completing the one-star mission: Beat the Dog】

【Mission evaluation: Perfect!】

【You’ve received a reward: Martial Skill Point x1】

When Chu Li opened his eyes again, it was already the next morning.

Sitting up and glancing around, Chu Li realized he was in an inn in Yunlong Town. But he noticed that many places nearby were covered with dust, and there were no attendants—clearly the owner of this inn had already fled.

Opening the window, he could see the red mist still swirling around Yunlong Mountain in the distance, and the scent of blood seemed even heavier than before.

Frowning slightly at the sight, Chu Li turned and went out, finding Jiang Ying in the next room and learning what had happened after he fainted yesterday.

According to Jiang Ying, after Chu Li collapsed, she didn’t panic but kept her composure and finished the official paperwork at the county office.

It wasn’t that Jiang Ying wasn’t worried about Chu Li; it was simply because this had happened too many times before.

In past academy competitions, Chu Li would almost always win and then immediately collapse—he was famously called the “Victory-then-Collapse General.”

It wasn’t until later, after seeing Elder Mu and adjusting his body, that he gradually managed to win while still standing.

So yesterday’s collapse was something Jiang Ying had expected, especially since Chu Li had looked pale the entire journey.

“Sorry, Jiang Ying, for troubling you to look after me yesterday.”

“It’s nothing. Martial academy students traveling outside should look out for each other anyway—besides, you used such a powerful martial skill yesterday.”

Jiang Ying paused for a moment, then said,

“However, while your movement technique is remarkable, it consumes too much energy. I suggest you avoid using it on the mountain unless absolutely necessary.”

“Mm, I think so too.”

Hearing Jiang Ying’s words, Chu Li nodded, and couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his heart.

Although they could be considered friends, to be honest, they hadn’t been that close before—nor had they ever hunted demons together.

Originally, he had thought her to be the rough, headstrong type. He didn’t expect that despite her large build, she would be so considerate of her companion, taking such good care of him along the way.

“This time, I really found a treasure.”

“I owe her a favor; I must find a chance to repay it in the future.”

“But right now, there’s something else I need to think about.”

With that thought, Chu Li turned his attention to the system, where there was something called a Martial Skill Point.

According to the system, this Martial Skill Point could be freely assigned to instantly raise a martial skill by one level.

Which brought up the question:

Where should he use this single Martial Skill Point?