Standing across from each other, Lily smirked coldly at the kid in front of her. Finally, the day had come! She had originally planned to use an underhanded method to force the fight within her family mansion, which would have prevented the Personal Disciple from refusing her. Without the Headmaster of the Great Serpent present, they could have even used dirty tricks to ensure her victory.
However, that plan fell apart when her father was killed, with the culprit escaping. She suspected that the Personal Disciple before her might be the culprit but quickly dismissed the thought as a mere coincidence. There was no way this kid could have killed the Dancing Blade, someone even she couldn't defeat, despite her more advanced Battle Technique.
It was simply impossible.
"What if I accidentally kill him?" Lily asked aloud, glancing at Headmaster Axton.
"Then we'll count it as an accident," Axton replied, not the least bit interested in the battle. His confidence in Yoma had grown, especially knowing that the Wanderer possessed the one and only Technique on the fifth-floor library. He didn't even consider Yoma as merely his Personal Disciple, as that title underestimated the beggar's future potential.
A future that would also elevate Axton's own status—that's why he respected Yoma's decisions, even if it meant pretending to play along.
"That's good, that's good," Lily repeated as she turned to the beggar. "You heard that, right? I can't control my strength."
"You know, you're not the first person to try this trick," Apollo said, pulling a stick from under his robe.
"A stick?" Lily was taken aback before bursting into laughter. "Hahaha, you're joking, right?"
"No," Apollo replied, glancing at the referee. "Eli, let's start this nonsense and shut this b*tch up."
Eli had been assigned as the referee, and he didn't dare refuse. Glancing at Lily, who was glaring at him, he took a deep breath and announced, "Let the fight begin!"
"B*tch? You have a foul mouth," Lily sneered, raising her hand toward the beggar. "I'll end this fight in one move."
"You won't. I'm telling you that," Apollo said, raising his hand just like her.
Neither moved, merely staring and assessing each other.
"You should teach your Personal Disciple some respect," Elder Yunan remarked, standing on one of the balconies with a view of the battle. "But it doesn't matter; Lily will replace him soon enough."
"We can't be so sure about that," Axton replied.
Hearing the confidence in the Headmaster's voice, the Elder narrowed her eyes at Axton suspiciously. "You seem very confident."
"Just watch, and you'll understand," Axton suggested.
"Take this!" Lily shouted as the surrounding Qi began to churn. Water droplets materialized in the air, forming a thin, curved shape—almost as delicate as a cicada's wing and resembling transparent glass, but made of water.
The phenomenon surrounded the beggar, who remained calm.
Lily clenched her fist, her smile widening until she looked almost deranged.
Time seemed to slow as the sharp and deadly water blades in the air appeared around the beggar!
I won, she thought, as her attack continuously struck her opponent. The ground exploded, dust clouds and water mist erupting at the point of impact. The barrage lasted a few seconds, each one like music to her ears.
"Hahaha! I told you! I'd win in one move!" Lily shouted, her voice crazed. However, as the dust cloud and water mist dispersed, the figure she'd expected to see dismembered was gone. She glanced down at the shattered ground, but there were no signs of blood or body parts.
"Hey, why don't you look back?" someone said from behind her.
Recognizing the voice, it felt as if cold water had been poured over her. She turned slowly and saw her opponent, alive and well. There were no signs of injuries on his body, nor any water from her attack. He stood there as if he'd been in that exact spot since they'd arrived.
"You! How?!" Lily shouted, taking a step forward. She couldn't believe it. She hadn't even felt the air move as he dodged. Lily was certain her Water Blade Disintegration Technique had landed! She'd seen it with her own eyes!
"If I were you, I wouldn't take another step forward," Apollo warned, raising his left hand toward her.
Lily took a deep breath to calm herself. Failing on her first attack felt humiliating, especially after declaring she'd end the fight in one move. But her confidence remained intact. "So what? Don't be so proud of your cheap trick. I was just careless."
"I'm giving you a warning," Apollo said, his tone cold and low.
"Then try me." Lily narrowed her eyes, taking another step forward. But the moment her foot touched the ground, the surrounding Unrefined Qi began to churn, gathering until it turned into droplets of water and then taking a shape she was all too familiar with.
Watching the Qi transform into water blades surrounding her disciple, Elder Yunan's eyes widened with disbelief. She turned to the Headmaster. "Does he also practice the same Battle Technique?"
But Axton looked equally astonished. Yoma also knew Water Blade Disintegration?! He wouldn't have been surprised if Yoma had learned the technique on the fourth floor of the library, but what the Personal Disciple was displaying was the Intermediate Stage! Reaching that stage typically took two years!
Had Yoma learned it beforehand? But that seemed impossible. It wasn't one of the stolen techniques, and if he had learned it before, there would be records in the library.
Regardless of the explanation, this was a good outcome for Yoma.
"I don't know," Axton replied with a smile.
As the water droplets transformed into water blades, Lily's mouth dropped open in shock.
"Water Blade Disintegration?" she muttered, her eyes fixed on the beggar. "But… you only just became the Personal Disciple! How did you reach the same stage as me?"
"It's called talent, b*tch," Apollo smirked. He'd only learned this technique at the beginner stage, just to memorize it, but it seemed that with his new Attribute and some progress with the technique he'd gotten from the fifth floor, his progress with other water-related Battle Techniques had also leapt forward.
"Talent?" Lily murmured, her gaze shifting to the ground.
"I advise you to surrender," Apollo said, his hands moving slightly as the water blades began to emit a sharp sound.
Surrender—the word echoed in Lily's mind, jolting her awake. "No!" she shouted, raising her hand. Her dream of becoming the Personal Disciple—she couldn't just give it up!
"Then I'll end this fight in one move," Apollo replied, smiling coldly as he clenched his fist!