Nalan Yan lifted her chin slightly and said in a sweet voice, "What else can we bet on? Of course, it's merit points. This time, I'm betting a hundred points."
As soon as she finished speaking, gasps erupted from the training grounds.
"Nalan Yan is going all out this time!"
"One hundred merit points, tsk tsk. If she loses this time, her ranking will probably drop by at least ten places. She's really willing to part with it."
"Wan Yanxue is going to lose."
"..."
The surrounding disciples watched the spectacle with malicious glee.
Kunlun Academy did not rank disciples by martial prowess, but by the merit points each possessed.
Furthermore, merit points were reset to zero at the end of each month, meaning Kunlun Academy had new rankings every month.
The channels for obtaining merit points were vast, such as completing academy missions, participating in academy assessments, and challenging the Endless Trials. In short, every merit point was hard-earned.
At Kunlun Academy, merit points were more important than spirit stones or magical treasures; they determined the rights and status a disciple enjoyed within the academy.
Nalan Yan's one-time wager of one hundred merit points was undeniably a grand gesture, demonstrating her unwavering resolve to win.
Wan Yanxue dug her fair fingernails fiercely into her palm, her eyes finally losing their facade of calm.
Nalan Yan's words had once again plunged her into an extremely precarious situation.
Due to her injury, her merit points for this month were less than two-thirds of her usual amount. If she were to lose another hundred merit points, her ranking this month might well fall below the hundredth position.
As the arguments below grew louder, Wan Yanxue gritted her teeth and accepted Nalan Yan's condition.
She thought that perhaps in an extremely dangerous environment, she could unleash unprecedented power and defeat Nalan Yan once more.
Clutching this fantasy, a strange power brewed in Wan Yanxue's eyes, and a chilling cold erupted from within her.
Nalan Yan sneered and raised her hand, summoning a fiery red long spear from the air.
The spear's shaft was crimson, its tip sharp, and a cold glint flashed, as imposing and dazzling as Nalan Yan herself.
Just as the two were drawing their weapons and poised to strike, a violent spiritual energy fluctuation suddenly appeared above the training grounds.
First, a narrow fissure appeared, and then, as if grasped by a pair of large hands and forcefully torn apart, the crack widened until it was large enough for ten people to pass through before it stopped expanding.
"What is this..." someone asked, confused.
"So it's been a hundred years," someone realized with a start.
Others were lost in thought.
Wan Yanxue had forgotten about Nalan Yan opposite her, her beautiful eyes fixed on the passage in the sky.
Would that person come?
Under the gaze of everyone in Kunlun Academy, Liu Yin smiled was the first to emerge from the passage.
"Alas!"
Disappointment rippled through the crowd. Without a doubt, Yu Chun Dao would be behind Liu Yin Xiao.
The two spent their days together, inseparable outside of classes, a sight that filled others with envy.
Therefore, when they saw Xu Yi, everyone was momentarily stunned before becoming excited.
A new batch of disciples entered every hundred years, which also meant that the privileges of the previous batch would be revoked. It seemed there was more excitement to come.
After exiting the passage, Xu Yi found herself surrounded by onlookers.
Fortunately, she was accustomed to such scrutinizing gazes filled with various intentions, so her expression was neither humble nor arrogant, and her eyes discreetly scanned her surroundings.
Then, she spotted Wan Yanxue not far below her.
"Heh, what a coincidence," Xu Yi's lips curved into a slight arc, but there was no trace of a smile in her eyes.
Wan Yanxue's brow furrowed.
They had already fallen out that day, and seeing each other now was like seeing a sworn enemy, igniting intense animosity.
However, when she saw Lu Zai Ye, dressed in black and exuding a handsome and elegant aura, everything else—Xu Yi, Nalan Yan—faded from her mind, and only his figure occupied her vision.
She was unaware that her distraction had been noticed by Nalan Yan.
Following her gaze, Nalan Yan's eyes glinted with amusement.
After Yu Chun Dao exited the passage and the passage closed, Liu Yin Xiao ignored the disciples below and said calmly, "Follow me."
"Wait a moment," Xu Yi suddenly called out to him.
Liu Yin Xiao paused and queried with his eyes. Xu Yi pointed downwards with a smile and said, "Teacher Liu, I see a match is about to begin on the training grounds. Why don't we stay and watch?"
Xiong Zhuang Zhuang, Bai Shan, and the others had also noticed Wan Yanxue below. Upon hearing Xu Yi's words, they immediately understood the underlying implication and chimed in their agreement.
Liu Yin Xiao thought for a moment and nodded. The battle between Nalan Yan and Wan Yanxue would serve as their first lesson at Kunlun Academy.
He led Xu Yi and the other seven downwards. The onlookers quickly parted, clearing a large area.
"The woman in white on the training grounds, you must already recognize her, so I won't introduce her."
Liu Yin Xiao had inquired about the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect's secret realm when they were at Qiming Academy and was vaguely aware of the conflict between them and Wan Yanxue.
However, he considered those conflicts trivial and did not give them much thought.
"The other is Nalan Yan, the legitimate eldest daughter of the current patriarch of the reclusive Nalan family. She is skilled in the Overlord Spear Technique. Although the Nalan family is not well-known across the Nine Provinces Continent, they are one of the most powerful families."
With a few words, Liu Yin Xiao revealed Nalan Yan's background, his expression showing undisguised admiration.
"Then who do you think has a greater chance of winning between these two?"
Xu Yi interjected unexpectedly, a mischievous smile on her lips.
Liu Yin Xiao's gaze swept over the two women.
"Nalan Yan."
Wan Yanxue's injuries were hidden from Nalan Yan and the others, but not from him.
"What a coincidence, I think so too," Xu Yi said with a light laugh.
The timing chosen for today was truly excellent.
The commotion on the training grounds caused by the arrival of Xu Yi and the others gradually subsided. All eyes were now focused on the arena, awaiting the start of the match.
"Wan Yanxue, are you ready?"
Nalan Yan playfully twirled a strand of her dark hair around her finger, her tone laced with provocation.
"Nalan Yan, you're bound to lose!"
To Nalan Yan's surprise, Wan Yanxue suddenly seemed like a different person, her eyes resolute and her tone aggressive.
Before Nalan Yan could comprehend the reason, Wan Yanxue's figure had already vanished from the training grounds, leaving only a faint afterimage.
Nalan Yan stopped being distracted and waved her arm, her long spear dancing rapidly like a viper.
This was not the first time she had crossed swords with Wan Yanxue. She was well aware of her opponent's techniques and cultivation methods, and their duels always lasted at least an hour.
Therefore, Nalan Yan followed her past experience, first raising the Crimson Flame Spear to form a defensive shield before her, and then planning to find Wan Yanxue's true form.
However, this time, she had miscalculated.
Because Wan Yanxue had gone mad.
Yes, she had gone mad!
When Nalan Yan saw Wan Yanxue suddenly appear within a foot of her, this was the only thought that flashed through her mind.
Due to the close proximity, she could clearly see the madness in Wan Yanxue's eyes.
Boom!