This intermission was quite long, and Li Yang had recovered well—though unfortunately, she didn’t have time to watch the video Yu Hongyuan recorded.
Not that she could learn Zhong Qian’s techniques anyway.
His aggressive combo moves were interesting but clashed with her explosive-speed combo style.
Li Yang wasn’t the type who excelled at brute strength.
From her current perspective, she needed to specialize in explosive-speed combos.
And up next, she’d be facing Lin Zhaoxia.
Zhong Qian had nearly worn her out already, and now she had to go up against someone even stronger—Lin Zhaoxia.
This… was going to be a tough battle.
But having made it this far, Li Yang was even more determined to come out on top in the monthly exam.
The Star-Ember Soil was no longer her priority.
She wanted to prove to everyone that the Agronomy Department was strong.
If she lost now, everything she’d built up would be a joke.
Those who were considering transferring departments would back out again, convinced that the three main departments were superior.
Li Yang wasn’t just trying to strengthen the Agronomy Department—she was trying to stay alive.
Only by pulling these top-tier noble heirs “into the fold” would the person behind the scenes hesitate to act rashly.
Just imagine: if Li Yang took Ying Qi and Lin Zhaoqin with her to take down a cultist stronghold, would she even need Shen Binghua to escort her?
Absolutely not.
The Ying and Lin families would definitely send people to follow.
Even that assassin would have to wait for another opportunity.
So this time, she had to win.
When Li Yang stood up, she felt the blood in her body boil.
After experiencing the doubled “fervor” effect, her understanding of Star Apertures, Star Skills, and Star Radiance had deepened.
Don’t limit yourself to the system’s prompts and effect descriptions.
The potential of Star Skills went far beyond fixed templates.
Just then, a stream of green light suddenly flowed out from her mind and into her chest.
This was…
The system actually spoke:
[Congratulations, Host. Your understanding of the “Natural Mind Scripture of Xiyan” has deepened slightly.]
Li Yang quickly opened the system panel.
…
It really was just a slight improvement.
Under the cultivation techniques section, the “Natural Mind Scripture of Xiyan” had gone from 0% progress to 0.00001%.
“You really don’t miss a thing, huh? Even such a tiny bit gets recorded.”
System: “…”
Li Yang was used to the system ignoring her—if it ever really responded one day, it might actually freak her out.
But how did her comprehension of the “Natural Mind Scripture of Xiyan” increase?
She’d damaged her spirit from overtraining before, and yet now, just from a little spark of insight, she had made actual progress.
This understanding felt… “natural.”
Hmm. Li Yang was beginning to sense something vague.
It seemed that brute force alone wouldn’t improve this technique.
She needed experience.
Only through living and feeling would she naturally grow in understanding—and thus grow the cultivation method.
That must be the essence of the Natural Element system!
No wonder her teacher said they couldn’t teach her—she had to realize it on her own.
Everyone’s experiences were different.
Everyone’s insights were unique. But as long as there was experience, as long as there was realization, the “Natural Mind Scripture of Xiyan” would grow!
What a beautifully inclusive technique!
With this newfound understanding, Li Yang felt more confident than ever.
She wasn’t afraid that people she roped in would end up leaving.
The Natural Element system was suitable for everyone!
As long as they could comprehend the scripture, they’d naturally become “children of nature!”
A medical instructor from the Star Support Department asked, “Li Yang, are you feeling any lingering discomfort?”
Li Yang got up and moved around a bit, saying with amazement, “I actually feel better than I did before I got hurt.”
The medical instructor smiled and said, “Moderate injuries followed by recovery often mean the body undergoes secondary growth… You’re welcome to come hang out with the Star Support Department anytime. We’re fun too.”
Li Yang was intrigued. The Star Support Department’s capabilities were far superior to the Alchemy Department’s—though with greater limitations too.
She nodded enthusiastically and said, “Alright!”
At that moment, Lin Zhaoxia walked over.
She had tied up her short hair, revealing a clean forehead and shedding her usual quiet demeanor.
She now radiated the same domineering presence she had when eliminating that cultist stronghold.
Without a word, she handed Li Yang a small bottle.
Li Yang: “?”
The medical instructor immediately recognized it and said, “A Quick-Acting Star Recovery Pill.”
Li Yang asked, “It restores Star Radiance?”
“That’s right. One pill is enough to fully replenish five Star Apertures,” the instructor said, clicking their tongue.
“Truly generous—typical of the Lin family.”
Hearing the word generous, Li Yang couldn’t help asking, “Is it expensive?”
The medical instructor lowered their voice and said, “That one costs 200 merit points.”
Li Yang: “!”
Lin Zhaoxia finally spoke: “Ordinary recovery pills are too weak. They wouldn’t fully restore you.”
Ah… she didn’t want to win unfairly.
Li Yang had heard that the Star Combat Department was full of honest types.
Now she’d seen it firsthand.
Who gives their opponent a recovery item before the fight?
Well, if she refused it, she’d just seem petty.
Li Yang accepted the pill with a grin. “If I beat you, don’t regret it.”
Lin Zhaoxia confidently replied, “You won’t beat me.”
Li Yang popped the expensive recovery pill and smiled brightly.
“That’s what Zhong Qian thought too.”
Lin Zhaoxia: …
The Zhong brothers watching from the stands: …
Meanwhile, Lin Zhaoqin slapped his thigh and burst out laughing: “Li Yang, beat her and I’ll give you another bottle of Tier-3 Star Recovery Pills!”
Li Yang looked at him and said, “No.”
“Why not?”
She gave him a meaningful look and replied, “Join the Agronomy Department, and I’ll tell you why.”
Lin Zhaoqin: “???”
This little Pear was actually keeping secrets from her now.
The halftime break was over.
The final match of the freshman monthly exam had officially begun.
This was the last showdown—no tie-breakers, no second chances.
Both Lin Zhaoxia and Li Yang had won one match each.
Whoever won this round would be crowned champion.
The number of viewers in the livestream hit a new peak.
The academic affairs office, while not bold enough to openly allow betting, launched a variety of gift-sending events.
For example, Lin Zhaoxia’s exclusive gift—“Lunar Eclipse.”
And Li Yang’s—“Golden Wheat.”
At first glance, the Lunar Eclipse looked fancier, but the Golden Wheat’s special effects were super festive.
When 99 bundles were sent, it would trigger a “golden rain”—a visual everyone loved to see.
The kicker?
99 bundles only cost 9.9 merit points.
Yu Hongyuan’s hands were itching. “I really want to send a few bundles!”
Unfortunately, his senior sister had forbidden him from sending gifts.
Luckily, plenty of others were sending Golden Wheat, and golden rain was falling non-stop.
The momentum made it feel like Li Yang was the top seed from one of the Big Three departments, while Lin Zhaoxia was just an unknown underdog.
The Star Combat Department protested to the academic affairs office: “Why doesn’t our ‘Lunar Eclipse’ have any special effects?!”
The office replied: “It does! When you send 99, a Blood Moon rises over the livestream.”
But the so-called Blood Moon was nothing in the face of a glittering golden rain.
Without the wheat, the red moon might stand out. But when the screen was full of glitter, who’d notice a dull red moon?
The Star Combat students felt something was off, but couldn’t quite put their finger on it.
They ended up angrily flooding the chat:
“Psychic Department! Don’t you guys have anyone from your own team? Why are you helping the Agronomy kid?”
The Psychic students cheerfully opened mic: “We don’t have anyone of our own, but hey, you do—yet you’re still losing!”
Star Combat students:
“Waaaah!” Crying and passing out in front of their phones.
Wait a second!
They suddenly realized:
“We haven’t lost yet! Our Goddess Xia can’t possibly lose!”
Too late.
The livestream chat had already moved on.
They couldn’t win the argument anymore.
On-site, the freshmen from the Star Combat Department weren’t as easily rattled, but even they weren’t as confident as the seniors.
“Li Yang has five Star Skills, Lin Zhaoxia only has three. That’s a big disadvantage!”
“But our Goddess Xia’s Star Skills are stronger…”
“Not necessarily! Look, even Li Yang’s substitute skills are triggering special effects. She beat Zhong Qian’s aggressive combo—and he’s no pushover. He and Lin Zhaoxia usually go 50/50 in matches.”
A freshman from a civilian background asked curiously:
“Why does Lin Zhaoxia only have three Star Skills? Don’t noble kids usually have more?”
Another student glanced over and noticed the person hadn’t yet absorbed starlight into their body.
They patiently explained:
“In the Star Combat Department, our Star Skills are growth-type. They may only occupy three apertures now, but once they reach Tier-3 and evolve into purple-grade skills, they’ll take up ten apertures.”
“But evolving Star Skills is hard… and reaching Tier-3 is still a long way off… by then they might even forget the skill…”
“Wake up, kid. It’s hard for us. For Lin Zhaoxia, it’s just one or two years, tops. As for evolving Star Skills? Hah, she doesn’t need to grind materials like we do.”
Civilian students:
The foundations of noble families are terrifying!
Even if normal people got cheat codes, they still might not catch up!
Onstage, the host began the countdown.
The audience and livestream viewers all fell silent, staring at the arena with rapt attention.
Yu Hongyuan was blindly confident again:
“Senior sister’s got this in the bag!”
Feng Yiqiao & Co.:
Sometimes, they really envied Yuyuan’s blissful ignorance and undying optimism.
Zhong Kun was still seated with the Agronomy group, scowling:
“This time, Lin Zhaoxia is going to win!”
Yu Hongyuan beamed:
“Thanks for the blessing!”
“Are you deaf? I said Lin Zhaoxia’s going to win!”
“Exactly. Appreciate your top-tier jinx. Keep the good vibes coming!”
Zhong Kun:
He started to panic.
Don’t tell him he actually jinxed the Star Combat Department out of a win!?
The countdown hit zero.
Both burst-speed combo specialists activated their Fervor Mode at the same time.
A reddish mist exploded around them. Their battle suits were nearly identical, their builds also very similar—and both wielded twin blades.
To an outsider, they might’ve looked like twins.
However…
At the moment of their weapons’ first clash, Lin Zhaoxia’s “Lunar Eclipse” radiated a crushing, dominant aura, while Li Yang’s “Shadow Moon” barely let off even a faint blue glow.
Zzzzt!
Li Yang naturally didn’t try to meet Lin Zhaoxia’s attack head-on with Shadow Moon.
But what stunned the crowd was—she didn’t use Barkskin either!
The smell of blood spread through the arena.
The freshmen couldn’t make sense of it and assumed Lin Zhaoxia had taken the upper hand, erupting into cheers.
But the senior students watching the livestream all tensed up, furiously typing into the chat:
“Li Yang abandoned Barkskin! She’s brilliant!”
“If she had used Barkskin even once, she would’ve lost for sure.
But… she actually sensed that risk!”
Confused viewers from other departments asked:
“Wait, what do you mean? Why would using it make her lose?”
“Why would using it make her lose?”
An upperclassman in the barrage patiently explained:
“Because Lin Zhaoxia’s third Star Skill is a counter-type. Once Li Yang activates Barkskin, she’ll immediately trigger that skill—basically walking right into her trap.”
“Exactly. Lin Zhaoxia’s ‘Moonlight Reversal’ requires the opponent to activate a defensive or fortifying ability first. Then it reflects the entire effect back at them with a critical multiplier.”
“It’s brutal. That’s why Lin Zhaoxia always holds it for the last moment—most people only realize when it’s too late.”
“But Li Yang figured it out… she figured it out!”
Now the barrage was full of admiration:
“She really is a genius. So calm, so sharp.”
“Agronomy? More like tactician!”
Back on the field, the clash between the two was already in full swing.
The fiery aura around them surged and crackled with pressure.
Their twin blades moved like lightning, sparks flying at every impact.
The field became a blur of motion, a dance of speed, precision, and bursts of Starpower.
But everyone could see—
Li Yang was getting faster.
“Again?!”
“Is that a double burst?”
“No… no, this is different. She’s layered another Star Skill on top!”
The data analysts in the control tower were stunned.
“She’s overlaying a movement-type skill and a power-channeling skill simultaneously… are her apertures even holding up?”
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