Training Ground.
When Su Zhan's group arrived, the oval-shaped training ground's spectator stands were already packed with freshmen who had heard the news.
The arena buzzed with excited chatter.
"I heard it's an SSS-ranked freshman versus SS-ranked Xie Xi!"
"Both are famous among us freshmen—one combines strength and beauty, while the other went viral online and survived a Mist incident."
"Who do you think will win?"
"My money's on Xie Xi. Both her parents are Awakened—she's got that foundation."
"But Su Zhan has a higher Life Soul grade."
"Grades aren't everything. Control types have disadvantages in solo combat."
Feng Jue's gaze remained fixed on the arena: "Su Zhan."
"Obviously Su Zhan! His control abilities are insane." Xu Hao glanced around excitedly: "Look, even upperclassmen came to watch!"
In the faculty observation area.
Wang Mingyuan had appeared unnoticed, quietly conversing with several instructors.
A female instructor smiled: "Professor Wang, what odds would you give your student?"
Wang Mingyuan adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses: "You'll find out soon enough."
"I'd say Xie Xi has better chances." Kong Wu's booming voice cut through.
Wang Mingyuan smiled faintly: "Old Kong, seems you're confident in your teaching."
"Damn right." Kong Wu thumped his chest proudly: "Her parents entrusted her to me—I'm giving it my all. One week of intensive training makes a huge difference."
He slung an arm around Wang Mingyuan's shoulder: "Unlike you—haven't taught your kid anything."
Wang Mingyuan calmly removed the intrusive arm: "First, Xie Xi's parents awakened her early—that's why you had time to train her. Second, I'm in no rush. The semester just started."
In the preparation area.
Xie Xi performed final stretches while her massive scythe stood embedded in the ground, its blade shimmering with dark red patterns.
Her dormmates surrounded her:
"XiXi, teach him a lesson!"
"Show him what real combat looks like!"
"Prove who's the top Awakened freshman!"
Meanwhile.
Su Zhan quietly inspected his pair of standard steel blades.
The referee's voice rang out: "Contestants enter. Rules: No intentional heavy injuries permitted."
Xie Xi flipped into the arena with athletic grace, drawing admiring gasps.
Su Zhan walked in steadily, his plain blades appearing unremarkable.
"Now—" The referee raised his hand high: "Begin!"
The crowd fell silent instantly.
Every spectator held their breath for this much-anticipated duel.
Xie Xi's pupils contracted as her fingers tightened reflexively around her Scythe of Destruction, which hummed with bloodthirsty excitement.
End this quickly!
She launched forward, her crimson scythe arcing down like a bloody moon.
Su Zhan's crossed blades seemed hastily raised, yet adjusted their angle imperceptibly before impact.
"CLANG—!"
Sparks flew as the recoil sent him skidding backward, boots leaving scorch marks on the special flooring.
Such power!
The numbness in his palms shocked Su Zhan. His blades already showed notches—clearly no match for an SS-ranked weapon.
Noticing Xie Xi's cold smirk from his periphery, Su Zhan jerked backward as her scythe swept horizontally. The wind pressure drew blood from his chin and severed floating hairs.
Xie Xi pivoted, her scythe radiating dark red energy.
Triple Slash!
Su Zhan reacted instantly, weaving an impenetrable silver web with his blades.
Ting! Ting! Ting!
Each collision numbed his wrists further.
Calculating the attack pattern's rhythm, Su Zhan suddenly withdrew his left blade, thrusting the right precisely into the scythe's blind spot.
Xie Xi's eyes narrowed as she was forced to retreat, sweat beading at her temples.
He's analyzing my patterns?
The Time Abyss Eye on Su Zhan's chest spun wildly.
Xie Xi's next horizontal slash suddenly slowed.
Seizing the opening, Su Zhan lunged with both blades aimed at her wrists.
"Tch!"
Dark red energy erupted from Xie Xi, shattering the temporal restraint. Her scythe whirled, forcing Su Zhan back meters.
Xie Xi's assault intensified.
Su Zhan's desperate parries created a metallic hailstorm.
"Only know how to dodge?"
A spinning kick sent Su Zhan crashing near the arena's edge as cheers erupted.
Wiping blood from his lips, Su Zhan activated the Time Abyss Eye at full power.
Golden ripples enveloped the entire arena this time!
Xie Xi's movements slowed visibly—even her floating hair decelerated.
Su Zhan struck like lightning with consecutive thrusts.
"BOOM!"
The scythe's pommel smashed down, a shockwave annihilating the time barrier!
Xie Xi's hair floated unnaturally: "Is that all you've got?"
Her scythe expanded suddenly, jagged teeth sprouting along its edge.
Leaping skyward, she unleashed a two-meter-wide crimson crescent downward!
Crossing his blades, Su Zhan roared: "Halt!"
The bloody crescent froze half a meter away.
But cracks already spiderwebbed across the temporal field.
"CRACK!"
The barrier shattered.
Su Zhan slid into Xie Xi's blind spot, blades flashing toward her throat—
"TING!"
The scythe's shaft blocked at the last millisecond.
Their duel escalated—though outwardly, Su Zhan seemed constantly overpowered.
His blades accumulated more notches, nearing breaking point.
Yet imperceptibly, he closed their distance.
Just as Xie Xi thought she'd found his weakness—
Su Zhan suddenly grinned: "If this is your limit... it ends now!"
The Time Abyss Eye's dial illuminated Roman numerals one by one.
Click. Click. Click...
Mechanical gears echoed as golden light rippled outward.
Xie Xi tried evading—too late.
Her scythe swing slowed to glacial speed.
Horrified, she realized every micro-movement stretched unbearably.
What... is this?!
Though her mind worked normally, her body moved at 1% speed.
Helpless, she watched Su Zhan press cold steel against her pulsing carotid—
Right as the pocket watch's second hand completed its cycle.
Click.
Time resumed.
Her scythe's delayed wind slash tore through empty air where Su Zhan had stood.
The reality? She'd lost.
In under one second, everything reversed.
Dead silence gripped the stands.
"Winner—Su Zhan!"
As the referee announced, Su Zhan slowly withdrew his blade from Xie Xi's slender neck.
Yet the instant steel left her skin—
"CRACK..."
Both blades fractured audibly.
Web-like cracks spread before the weapons shattered spectacularly across the floor.
Xie Xi stared at the fragments, frustration boiling.
Two more moves—no, one!—and those blades would've failed completely!
She missed Su Zhan's fleeting smirk.
Perfect calculations.
He flexed numb fingers discreetly.
Before combat, he'd predicted the blades' breaking point.
Their fragility became the perfect disguise—letting Xie Xi focus solely on victory while he closed in for reversal.
"Standard-issue weapons are so unreliable." Su Zhan tossed the hilts aside dramatically: "Almost cost me the match. Don't forget to transfer that 300,000, Xie Xi. I'll take my leave."
Xie Xi's face darkened.
Damn it—did he think she'd renege?
"Every cent will be there." She stormed off without another glance.