Chapter 282: Angered and Humiliated
Everything had happened too suddenly, catching everyone by surprise. The curtains had already fallen before anyone could react.
Only when they saw the four Earth Dipper experts’ struggling to get up to no avail outside the arena did the crowd finally dare to believe that all of this was real.
Disbelief and shock enveloped the entire place, causing the atmosphere to turn so silent that even a pin drop could be heard. Everyone’s faces were filled with fear and confusion.
How did Lin Xun do it?
This is far too outrageous!
No one could imagine how Lin Xun could suddenly knock Le Zhiyou away with a punch and simultaneously defeat all four Earth Dipper experts when he was being heavily suppressed mere seconds earlier.
This wasn’t just a comeback, it was practically reversing heaven and earth!
On the tall white jade stage, Governor Liu Wudiao, Wei Lingzhen, Du Dongtu, and the other bigwigs were speechless. Although they had managed to discern some signs that Lin Xun was gradually growing stronger, they never expected that he would reverse the situation so swiftly.
It felt like a miracle had suddenly arrived without warning, giving everyone a ‘little surprise.’
Lin Xun’s thin figure stood in the arena. He was drenched in blood and looked no different from before. However, he appeared exceptionally dazzling and tall in the audience’s eyes.
This was the power of reputation!
“How loathsome!
Opposite him, Le Zhiyou’s expression was ashen as he silently cursed the four Earth Dipper experts for losing so easily. Due to their uselessness, he had to take on the monstrous Lin Xun alone.
Le Zhiyou took a deep breath and gloomily said, “I did not expect that you and I will be the final two remaining on the 6th arena. Hehe, should I feel honored?”
He was not in a rush to counterattack. Only when facing Lin Xun alone did Le Zhiyou realize how huge the pressure was.
“You should be happy. If the exam was a duel between me and you from the start, do you think that you would’ve been able to hang on till now?”
Lin Xun’s expression was indifferent and his words were blunt. Earlier, Le Zhiyou had used the advantage of his Heaven Dipper stage cultivation to cause much trouble for Lin Xun. In fact, many of his injuries had been left by the former.
Hence, he had only ill feelings toward Le Zhiyou.
“Exactly, the battle has not been fair since the beginning. It’s so shameless of Le Zhiyou to say such things at this juncture.”
“Humph, I can’t believe someone like him is a top expert who enjoys honor and fame in Haze Academy. What a joke. His attacks were the most vicious earlier.”
“This is the reality of the exam. Lin Xun is unlucky for being ganged up on but Le Zhiyou’s current display is too shameful. I agree wholeheartedly with Lin Xun, Le Zhiyou should be happy instead of honored!”
Several people in the audience verbalized their agreement. Their voices spread across the entire place like a wave, causing Le Zhiyou’s expression to turn ugly.
“You…”
Le Zhiyou ground his teeth and was just about to say something but was interrupted by a frowning Lin Xun, “The exam isn’t over yet. Save whatever it is you have to say after it’s over, okay?”
Le Zhiyou laughed in anger. “Bold words. Do you really believe that you can eliminate me one-on-one?”
Lin Xun could not be bothered to continue the conversation. He stepped forward and his aura soared into the clouds like a giant dragon: powerful and filled with disdain.
Rumble!
With a wave of his hand, he sent out yet another Mountain Smashing Destruction.
Although enraged by Lin Xun’s attitude, Le Zhiyou’s eyelids jumped as the familiar feeling of fatal danger surged in his heart, causing him to subconsciously dodge to the side.
However, he immediately realized his mistake and his heart flooded with embarrassment.
Dammit!
Sure enough, roaring laughter immediately rang out from the audience. Someone even mocked, “Hey Le Zhiyou, weren’t you acting rather arrogant earlier? Why have you been scared into running the moment Lin Xun attacks? Are you a rabbit?”
Numerous Haze Academy students felt their faces flush with embarrassment. They could not comprehend Le Zhiyou’s actions. Even if he couldn’t defeat Lin Xun, couldn’t he just admit defeat? Why must he humiliate himself so?
Le Zhiyou’s face had also turned red with embarrassment and anger. He suddenly roared and charged at Lin Xun as if trying to prove that he wasn’t afraid.
Lin Xun said nothing. Mountain Smashing Destruction continued to approach with unstoppable momentum.
Rumble~
Terrifying fist-winds swept forth like a storm, smashing apart space itself with frightening destructive power.
Le Zhiyou’s body turned rigid as the fist-winds loomed toward him. A chill ran up his spine and his face rapidly paled. The humiliation and anger in his heart swiftly scattered into nothingness as he was forced to dodge again.
It was too terrifying. Le Zhiyou strongly suspected he would be smashed to a pulp if he were to receive the attack.
The sight made more and more people burst into laughter. Several cultivators who had highly regarded Le Zhiyou could not help but inwardly shake their heads.
“Look, that’s the famous genius of Haze Academy that even possesses Heaven Dipper cultivation. Isn’t he an embarrassment?”
“Hahaha, he talks big but his body is so honest. Come on, fight him like you claimed you will!”
Even Wei Lingzhen could not help but frown. He could naturally tell that Le Zhiyou was not truly afraid but the crowd’s comments made it sound far worse than it actually was.
“Despicable! You…you…are definitely doing this on purpose!”
Le Zhiyou was nearly about to go crazy from anger. He had always been highly regarded by many people and often called a genius. Countless younger generation cultivators admired and respected him. Since when had he ever suffered such treatment?
His eyes turned red as he directed all of his rage toward Lin Xun, blaming him for everything.
Lin Xun merely chuckled. “It doesn’t matter if it’s intentional. Stop dodging.”
“You…”
Le Zhiyou nearly coughed blood. This was far too infuriating. He never expected that the exam would turn out this way.
“Zhiyou, withdraw. You’ve already lost.”
Wei Lingzhen’s commanding voice suddenly thundered, suppressing the laughter.
Evidently, the Haze Academy Principal did not wish to watch this farce continue.
Le Zhiyou’s body trembled as his expression rapidly dimmed. Was he going to admit defeat just like this?
Didn’t this mean that he had been eliminated from the provincial exam?
Le Zhiyou felt a stabbing pain in his heart, causing him to suddenly cough blood as his complexion turned deathly white. He had evidently suffered emotional damage.
Several people could not help but display looks of pity. Le Zhiyou had lost far more than the match. His reputation would also suffer in the future and he would no longer be able to raise his head in public.
In the end, Le Zhiyou withdrew from the arena. No matter how much he refused to accept it, he had to admit that he did not have the confidence to face Lin Xun alone. Continuing the battle would only be a meaningless struggle.
The sight of him dejectedly leaving the arena caused Xue Shaolin’s, Yu Wenjing’s, and Yun Zitong’s expressions to turn grave and gloomy.
Le Zhiyou was said to be their equal but had lost to Lin Xun. Moreover, the fact that Le Zhiyou had voluntarily admitted defeat made them feel even more conflicted.
However, they also understood that they would have faced the same result if they were in Le Zhiyou’s place. There was nothing they could do. Lin Xun was an outlier. Although his cultivation was only at the Human Dipper stage, he could single handedly challenge the combined might of four Earth Dipper experts plus a Heaven Dipper expert and even triumph in the end.
Even in the entire empire, there was likely only a handful who could achieve such a feat!
Everyone now looked at Lin Xun in a different light. There was an additional trace of sincere admiration in their eyes.
They had previously believed that Lin Xun had terrible luck with the draw and was certain to be defeated, denying him the opportunity to challenge the final round of the exam. However, the final result proved that it was not Lin Xun who was unlucky but his opponents!
The four Earth Dipper cultivators had been simultaneously defeated in a clean and undeniable manner.
Le Zhiyou had ultimately become a clown that was mocked and laughed at. His reputation had suffered tremendously and he had lost all face.
Lin Xun had become the biggest winner of this round. It was like an impossible miracle that brought endless shock and surprise!
“His rise can no longer be stopped.”
Wei Lingzhen sighed with a complicated expression.
“Although the final round has yet to begin, it has already become meaningless to him. Life is indeed difficult to predict.”
Du Dongtu also sighed. He had greatly admired Lin Xun ever since the rainy night assassination event and had desired to recruit him into the Violet Plume Army. Du Dongtu believed that with some additional polishing, Lin Xun would definitely become a powerful general.
However, life was too complex to predict. From Lin Xun’s performance today, a youth with unrivaled potential like him was not someone the Violet Plume Army could hold onto.
“Lin Xun is already a top-tier expert in the southwest province and can be considered first-rate in the empire. Someone like him should definitely participate in the national exam!”
Governor Liu Wudiao also sighed deeply. If not for the high possibility that Lin Xun had a close relationship with Black Glory Sacred Hall, Liu Wudiao would have already begun to think of ways to recruit Lin Xun.
In the arena, Lin Xun seemed to recall something and suddenly took a deep breath. His gaze swept across the crowd as his expression turned serious.
Numerous people could not help but feel curious. What was Lin Xun doing now?
Lin Xun smiled faintly and said, “I will always buy aeth tools at Golden Jade Hall!”
Everyone was dumbstruck. To think that he had not forgotten about generating publicity for Golden Jade Hall even at such a time. Didn’t he know how to read the mood?
Numerous girls who had been subdued by Lin Xun’s strong performance could not help but display despairing expressions when they heard this.
Why god why!?