The male contestant from the Knight Academy, Holt, wore golden armor, carried a broad sword on his shoulder, and had a gentlemanly smile as he said to his opponent: "You are a lady, I'll let you make the first move."

The female contestant also wielded a broad sword, which made her slender figure all the more noticeable. This type of sword is usually used by strength-type warriors, and mostly by male warriors, as females naturally have less strength.

However, Ai Si was not intimidated at all, she didn't waste words, nor was she polite; with a cold snort, she charged forward with her sword. The broad sword was swung by her, cutting a fan shape in the air as it slashed horizontally at Holt.

"He's lost..." Lin Tian suddenly said.

Just as he finished speaking, there was a loud bang in the arena. Holt raised his sword to block, the swords collided, and then Holt was sent flying, sword and all, directly out of the ring, unable to get up for quite a while.

The arena fell silent; a slim girl wielding a broad sword sent a fully armored male flying with a single move, a visual spectacle that left everyone in shock.

"Don't bring your pretentious gentlemanly facade to the duel arena, if you're a man, speak with your sword!" Ai Si shouldered her sword and looked down at Holt, saying loudly.

Her words, her tone, her charisma, were all so inspiring, making many boys blush with shame. Who told the boys of the Knight Academy to be knocked down with just one move?

Ai Si's return was naturally met with a warm welcome from the girls. She, however, walked alone to Xiao Manxue, and said nervously, "Senior, how did I do?"

Her speaking tone was completely different from her vigor in the arena, now filled with apprehension.

Xiao Manxue patted her shoulder and smiled, "Ai Si, you are our role model, you have a fearless and unyielding heart. Such qualities are more important than strength. Strength can lag behind temporarily, but such qualities will help you climb towards the peak step by step."

"Thank you, senior, I will definitely continue to work hard," Ai Si said excitedly, as if Xiao Manxue's praise was a great honor and motivation.

When Ai Si left, Lin Tian smiled at Xiao Manxue and said, "Miss, it seems you are a role model in the hearts of these junior sisters."

Xiao Manxue softly said, "If you respect others, others will respect you."

"First match, Ai Si from the Female College wins, next match begins!" This undisputed match outcome required no announcement from the referee or host, as the next match officially commenced.

A series of duels began, some decided in a single move like the first match, and some dragging on with no clear winner, even the host struggled to judge who would win. At this point, the referee intervenes to decide the victory.

Dozens of contestants, over a dozen matches, the entire morning was spent fighting, and only by eleven did the first round officially end. The elimination round was brutal, cutting down half of the participants in the first round.

Only later did Lin Tian learn that the actual number of registered participants was more, and part of them were filtered out during a qualification screening, with less than half eligible to compete.

Many first-year students, who were just starting out or still laying their foundation, registered to compete, but they were eliminated before the matches began, as their participation held little meaning.

Nearing noon, the host showed no intent for a meal break; after the first round ended, with only a brief rest, the second round began.

"Second elimination round, officially begins, first match, Li Wenfeng from Knight Academy versus..."

Before the host could finish, the students erupted in cheers, as a seed contestant was making their debut. As for who Li Wenfeng's opponent was, they were unconcerned; they only wanted to see the seed contestant in action.

Li Wenfeng rose from the sidelines and walked to the center of the training ground, his appearance eliciting cheers from men and women alike, admirers and fans.

Today, Li Wenfeng was exceptionally handsome, with a tailored black leather armor accentuating his robust build, and a broad sword strapped to his back, resembling a roaming adventurer.

Li Wenfeng's opponent also appeared in the training ground, a tall Western man with short auburn hair, who should have appeared imposing, but his steps trembled slightly.

This state revealed how scared he was inside. Sometimes, it's not the fear of death that scares someone; facing a strong opponent, even if unafraid of death, one can still be shaken by the opponent's aura.

"You may attack me freely, and I will not draw my sword. If you can force me to draw my sword, I'll concede." Li Wenfeng calmly said, his hands behind his back, exuding supreme confidence.

The opponent's face lit up with joy, thinking he might have a chance at victory. With that thought, he swung his sharp sword to attack Li Wenfeng.

Li Wenfeng maintained his posture, unmoving, until the sword was about to pierce his chest, when he lifted his foot slightly, and the opponent groaned, flying backward and landing heavily outside the arena.

The man coughed up blood with a pained "wah," and his chest armor was actually dented at the spot where Li Wenfeng's kick had landed.

The arena fell silent again, stunned by Li Wenfeng's skill; without using his hands or drawing his sword, he had sent his opponent flying with just one kick, denting the thick chest armor and making him cough blood. Such power, such speed.

"Li Wenfeng did it deliberately," Lin Tian said calmly.

"Indeed, he deliberately used a heavy hand, to show other contestants, to physically intimidate them, thus making subsequent matches easier. He wants to preserve his strength until the final, so he cannot waste too much energy at the start," Xiao Manxue analyzed.

Lin Tian understood that due to the tight schedule of this selection competition, the champion had to be decided in one day, with no rest in between. From the start in the morning to the end of all matches, it was also a test for the contestants.

Of course, even if there were intermissions allowed, true experts wouldn't eat, as being full would affect tactical movements. This impact isn't much against ordinary contestants, but against experts, it can be significant.

"Second round, first match, Li Wenfeng wins!" The host announced without any suspense.

"Second match, Xiao Manxue from the Female College versus Feldon from the Knight Academy, begin!" The host's announcement once again raised a chorus of exclamations.

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