Feng Hao was quite satisfied with Xu Zhenzhen’s performance. A while back, when he was busy with the pharmacy, he had given her a few Experience Pills, raising her level to thirty-seven. Compared to the level thirty-nine Yao Ying, the difference wasn’t large.
It was precisely for this reason that Xu Zhenzhen could leverage the advantage of her improved Dance Skill to firmly suppress Yao Ying.
Onstage, Yao Ying found herself in a predicament. Her stunningly beautiful face was filled with shock and disbelief. Her Dance Skill, just like her design skills, were the assets she was most proud of. Yet in the short span of a little over a month, both had been dealt one blow after another. How could she possibly accept that?
Being crushed in design was one thing; after all, losing to a mysterious master designer wasn’t shameful.
’But what is happening in this Dance Skill competition right now? I’ve studied Dance Skill since I was little and won the championship two years in a row, yet I’m being utterly suppressed by a first-year junior. Suppressed to the point where I can’t even fight back.’
"Her Dance Skill is very strange. It’s clearly the most common Flying Flower Swordsmanship, yet every one of her moves seals my own. It seems to have been modified somehow." Yao Ying furrowed her brow in thought, her heart filled with astonishment.
"Fire Sakura Leaves!"
At this critical moment, Yao Ying had no choice but to unleash her strongest Dance Skill. With a sharp cry from her, the stage instantly overflowed with flowing light. A crimson glow enveloped the arena like a sunset, and countless golden-red petals rustled down like falling leaves. It was an incredibly dazzling sight.
At the same time, waves of excited gasps and cries rose from the crowd, all eyes focused on Yao Ying’s enchanting figure.
"Wow, it’s Fire Sakura Leaves! I haven’t seen her use it in over a year!"
"As expected of a High-level Dance Skill. It’s brilliant without losing its grandeur. I’m afraid Xu Zhenzhen is going to lose."
"It’s such a feast for the eyes. The main combat division’s matches are so boring by comparison."
"Isn’t it though! Especially the two-person team matches. They’re the most boring in history."
"I was lucky enough to see a performance of Fire Sakura Leaves in Nanyue Country when I was a child. I never thought I’d get to see it a second time."
"I heard that Master Xueyan of Nanyue Country is Yao Ying’s aunt. It’s only natural that she’d inherit the true teachings of Fire Sakura Leaves."
"There’s such a secret? Then that explains it."
...
Just as the crowd was marveling at Fire Sakura Leaves, the situation on stage was suddenly reversed once again.
Facing the tyrannical pressure from Fire Sakura Leaves, Xu Zhenzhen showed no hint of fear. Her slender sword danced gently, seeming to melt into the sky of fiery sakura. Following the path of the falling petals, her steps were light and graceful.
Then, before everyone’s shocked eyes, she swung her sword and pierced through the sunset glow that filled the sky. The force of her blade bloomed with a clear, cold light, like a sharp edge being drawn from its sheath.
The next moment, the sky-spanning glow was torn to shreds. A pale blue, cold light erupted from the center as snowflakes howled forth, swiftly inundating the entire arena and burying the boundless crimson glow.
In the clash of ice and fire, the proud ice and snow ultimately claimed victory. The once-falling golden-red petals were now coated in a thick layer of frost, emitting a faint glow, like scattered candle flames lit in the dim, snowy landscape.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The ice and snow howled and swirled, and in an instant, Yao Ying’s Qi Blood was completely depleted.
"Senior Sister Yao Ying, thank you for the match." As the last of the snow drifted down, Xu Zhenzhen appeared before Yao Ying with a smile.
Yao Ying’s gaze was vacant. Her pretty face was pale and weak, giving her a certain fragile beauty. "That move just now... it must be a High-level Dance Skill too, right? What is it called?"
"Blizzard," Xu Zhenzhen replied with a light laugh, gracefully descending from the stage.
That’s right. The skill Xu Zhenzhen had used was none other than one seen in countless games on Earth, a move so common it was cliché: Blizzard.
When Feng Hao first proposed the concept, he had just been tossing the idea around. He never expected the girls of the Dance Team to actually manage to brute-force this Secret Technique into existence—oh, wait, it should be called a Dance Skill.
Of course, this Blizzard was mostly for show. Compared to the Blizzard of a real Mage, it still had a ways to go.
However, in the world of Dance Skills, where damage output was generally low, it was a top-tier ability!
’A little interesting.’ Feng Hao smiled thoughtfully, his understanding of Dance Skills deepening.
The circuit construction of a Dance Skill was different from that of a Secret Technique. It had its own unique method for creating various visual effects without relying on a [Magic Soul]. If the damage potential of those effects could be made real, it would absolutely be a top-tier Magic skill.
Unfortunately, Feng Hao didn’t understand how Dance Skills were constructed. Otherwise, he would have insisted on researching them.
The winner of the match had been decided. The entire arena fell into a brief silence, which was then broken by an eruption of countless shocked cries...
As for Feng Hao’s group, the other three were dumbfounded. They had never imagined this would be the result. Only Xiyue Frost remained relatively composed.
Xu Zhenzhen had clearly spotted Feng Hao and his three companions. After stepping down from the stage, she walked straight toward them, her eyes twinkling. "Senior Brother, did you come to watch my match?"
"Mhm." Feng Hao smiled and nodded, then asked, "Where are the other two?"
"Those two have gotten obsessed with equipment design recently, so they went to watch the design competition," Xu Zhenzhen said, smiling with her lips pressed together.
Houhuiyao, standing beside them, leaned in excitedly, his eyes full of amazement. "Sister Zhen, I had no idea your Dance Skill was so incredible!"
"It’s decent, I suppose. It’s all thanks to Senior Brother’s guidance," Xu Zhenzhen replied humbly.
Hearing this, Houhuiyao quickly reacted, looking at Feng Hao in disbelief. "Holy crap, Brother Feng, you even understand Dance Skill?"
"I know a little, a little," Feng Hao said, feigning modesty.
Xu Zhenzhen glanced at Houhuiyao teasingly. "You’re the one who paid our tuition. Is this really so surprising?"
"Uh, I didn’t really think about it back then. I just assumed you were learning combat techniques from Brother Feng, not Dance Skill," Houhuiyao said, clicking his tongue.
Man Tiaotiao listened, dumbfounded. Even Xiyue Frost had an expression of disbelief.
Just as Feng Hao’s group was happily chatting, Yao Ying descended from the stage, her eyes filled with dejection. When she saw Xu Zhenzhen laughing and talking with Feng Hao, a peculiar look surfaced in her eyes.
When she overheard their conversation, she was completely stunned. Her beautiful eyes instantly locked onto Feng Hao. ’Xu Zhenzhen learned her Dance Skill from *him*? Impossible. Absolutely impossible!’
While she stood there in a daze, Feng Hao and his group had already left the arena, chatting and laughing as they went.
Staring at Feng Hao’s departing figure, Yao Ying felt incredibly conflicted. A minor character she had once deemed insignificant had suddenly become mysterious. Anyone in her shoes would find that difficult to accept.
’If Xu Zhenzhen’s Secret Technique really is connected to him, then perhaps it’s worth my while to get a little closer.’
At this thought, a confident smile graced Yao Ying’s lips. With her beauty, she was sure she could wrap Feng Hao firmly around her finger.
Feng Hao had no idea that he was now being targeted by Yao Ying. He was busy leading Houhuiyao and the other three to a celebratory dinner.
Time passed without notice, and soon it was night. After they had all eaten and drunk their fill, Feng Hao bid farewell to Xiyue Frost and the other two women and returned to the Alchemy Department with Houhuiyao.
Returning to the Alchemy Department, Feng Hao was filled with emotion. Perhaps because the department was so small, the students were all particularly close. Even though he had been expelled for a while, the instructors and students still treated him as one of them.
This was especially true of the three instructors, led by Yang Caide. The moment they saw him, they pulled him over and showered him with concern, which made Feng Hao feel incredibly warm inside.
After a night spent laughing and catching up, he finally walked out of the Alchemy Department’s gates...