SSS Grade Saint Knight - Chapter 120

Chapter 120: The First Among Freshmen! Truly Worthy of the Title!

TL: Etude Translations

“What… such overwhelming Holy Aura!”

On the dueling stage, Song Xialan’s expression was one of shock as she watched the massive, sacred Holy Warhammer hurtling toward her at incredible speed.

For professions like Saint Knight or Priest, there was a very straightforward method to assess their strength: observing the intensity of the Holy Aura attached to their skills.

Generally speaking, the stronger the Holy Aura imbued in these divine profession skills, the more devastating their attacks would be.

And now, the attack Zhou Yi unleashed with all his strength had clearly exceeded the limits of what she could endure.

“This kind of strength… Zhou Yi is really a freshman like me this year?”

It was utterly absurd…

In an instant, countless thoughts surged through Song Xialan’s mind.

But at this point, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and fight back:

“Eight Trigram Defensive Formation!”

Unlike the profession of a swordsman, the longsword in her arms was not primarily used as a weapon for direct attacks. Instead, it served as a medium, akin to a mage’s staff, to cast Daoist Techniques.

Thus, the moment she let out her cry, the longsword in her arms emitted a violent energy wave.

Immediately after, the ground beneath her feet on the dueling stage began to radiate energy.

Centered on her, a Yin-Yang Eight Trigram Formation rapidly unfolded. It generated an incomparably thick black barrier, enveloping her within.

Bang!!

The massive golden Holy Warhammer smashed into the black barrier, shattering it instantly!

It was evident that breaking the barrier had significantly diminished the brilliance of the Holy Warhammer.

However, the warhammer did not dissipate entirely; instead, it continued its trajectory with remaining force, striking Song Xialan directly!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The surging Holy Aura wreaked havoc. Her Daoist Robes, necklace, and amulet—all equipped with auto-triggering protective shields—were obliterated in an instant by the vast and unstoppable Holy Power!

By the time the attack subsided, almost all of the protective equipment on her body had been fully activated and used up.

Thanks to this array of equipment providing shields, Song Xialan emerged largely unscathed, apart from looking rather disheveled.

“Haah… haah…”

She gasped for air, her breaths ragged.

Although the magical shields had absorbed most of the damage from the Holy Power, the sheer physical impact of the energy had directly affected her body.

At this moment, she felt a dull ache throughout her entire body.

One could only imagine: without the protection of her equipment, that single strike would have left her gravely injured or even unconscious on the spot!

Suddenly…

She sensed that towering and slender figure across from her starting to gather Holy Power once more.

Not again?!

Startled, she quickly shouted:

“Wait! I forfeit!”

This was only one match in the Free Challenge Competition.

If she continued to fight Zhou Yi, there was a very real chance of ending up like Shen Lingfeng—seriously injured.

Moreover, there were likely other challengers she would have to face after this. To preserve her strength, she could not afford to continue this battle!

Besides…

Just from that one skill, it was clear that the two of them were not even on the same level.

She admitted her defeat wholeheartedly.

“Winner: Zhou Yi!”

The referee instructor on the sidelines promptly announced the victor of this match.

…

“This… this is Zhou Yi’s full strength? Absolutely terrifying!!”

“The Holy Aura enveloping his entire body… its intensity is more than double what it was earlier!!”

“Tsk tsk, it looks like even the Provincial Top Scorer wouldn’t stand a chance—they’d be utterly crushed.”

On the stage, Zhou Yi was surrounded by waves of Holy Aura, his aura climbing to its peak.

The other freshmen couldn’t shake the illusion that they were truly just new students, while Zhou Yi seemed more like a veteran senior with unmatched power.

Even the Special Admissions Students felt the same.

“Zhou Yi’s buffs are fully stacked right now. I doubt anyone will challenge him in this state.”

“His buffs last a long time. It’ll take at least another ten minutes for them to wear off completely.”

At this moment, Zhou Yi stood on the dueling stage like a War God, fully empowered with all buffs.

The freshmen speculated that no one would dare to challenge him in his current state.

However, at this moment, a graceful figure stepped out from the crowd, heading directly toward the dueling stage.

It was a young woman dressed in tight-fitting black leather armor.

Her figure was lithe, with curves accentuated by the leather armor, exuding an alluring charm.

Her delicate and flawless face carried a captivating quality, causing many to feel their hearts stir.

“It’s Jiang Churan, ranked second! She’s actually choosing to go on stage now!”

Spirit Swordmaster Jiang Churan—her perfect figure, stunning looks, and the signature black longsword strapped to her back had left a deep impression on many.

The moment she stepped onto the stage, all eyes immediately turned toward her.

“Speaking of which, this stunningly beautiful Jiang Churan came here together with Zhou Yi. Could there be something going on between them…?”

“What? No way!”

Even before Jiang Churan ascended the stage, gossip about her and Zhou Yi began to circulate.

It was worth noting:

Although this was Jiang Churan’s first appearance before the general group of freshmen, she already enjoyed significant popularity.

…

“Jiang Churan has entered the stage.”

“To step up at this moment, it seems she is extremely confident in her strength.”

From the distant ceremonial platform, a group of instructors nodded in approval.

At this time, Zhou Yi was fully buffed, with his strength at its peak.

Few students would dare to challenge him under such conditions.

Jiang Churan, however, was clearly an exception.

Naturally, her willingness to face difficulties head-on earned the instructors’ respect.

“Still, defeating Zhou Yi will be very difficult.”

“That’s not necessarily true. The powerful sword techniques of a Spirit Swordmaster, combined with the captivating allure of her Succubus Bloodline, could pose a problem for Zhou Yi. If he gets distracted during the fight, it could spell trouble.”

One instructor offered a dissenting opinion.

Compared to the Flame Dragon Bloodline, Jiang Churan’s Succubus Bloodline did not provide significant physical enhancements.

However, the constant seductive aura she exuded required extreme caution.

A moment’s lapse in vigilance could lead to being enchanted and revealing critical openings.

This ability had already been demonstrated several times during Jiang Churan’s clearings of Abyss-level dungeons.

Many Bear Monsters had lost their heads before even realizing what had happened.

…

“So, she’s from the Jiang family of Chuan Province. Now that’s interesting.”

Nearby, Principal Wang Hui showed a look of intrigue.

He was aware that just a few days ago, during their time in the Tempest Mountain Range, this young woman had already been seen with Zhou Yi.

…

“I’m here…”

With a melodious voice, Jiang Churan walked onto the dueling stage, her beautiful eyes fixed on Zhou Yi standing in the distance.

Though she knew full well she couldn’t defeat Zhou Yi, she still couldn’t resist stepping forward.

As both competitors took their positions, the referee instructor, already knowing the inevitable outcome, didn’t bother asking Zhou Yi if he needed rest. Instead, he directly pressed the start button for the duel.

“3!”

“2!”

“1!”

“Begin!”

As the countdown ended, the proud Provincial Top Scorer of Chuan Province activated her Succubus Power without hesitation, despite knowing it would leave her in a weakened state afterward.

Boom!

A massive surge of deep purple magic erupted from her body, enveloping her entirely.

Even her Dark Moon Ancient Sword, her inheritance weapon, glowed faintly with a purple hue.

Her eyes turned a regal shade of violet, radiating otherworldly charm.

However, before her Succubus Power was fully unleashed, the towering, divine figure of Zhou Yi suddenly vanished.

“So fast!”

Jiang Churan’s heart jolted, and she instinctively attempted to raise her Dark Moon Ancient Sword in defense.

But she was a step too slow…

That figure, brimming with Holy Aura, had already appeared behind her.

And then, a large, iron-like hand gripped her right shoulder like a vice.

Any attempt to move, even with her leather armor, would likely result in her entire shoulder being crushed.

“Dispel your bloodline power. It won’t be good for you to enter a weakened state afterward.”

That familiar, deep voice resonated, leaving Jiang Churan completely unable to muster any resistance. Yet, it carried a slight warmth that touched her heart.

This guy… he knows how to show mercy to women after all…

“Sigh. The gap is too great.”

“I concede.”

Jiang Churan sighed, and as her Succubus Power dissipated, she resigned herself to defeat.

As expected, compared to Zhou Yi, the disparity was still too vast.

…

“Another crushing defeat! This is insane!”

“So terrifying…”

“Counting the third-ranked Berserker Shen Lingfeng, the fourth-ranked Spirit Master Song Xialan, and now the second-ranked Spirit Swordmaster Jiang Churan, Zhou Yi has consecutively defeated three top contenders!”

“As expected, Zhou Yi is the true strongest among the freshmen.”

Though Zhou Yi had secured first place based on his dungeon clearing time during the first phase, many freshmen had harbored doubts about his ranking.

Part of the skepticism stemmed from the fact that they hadn’t witnessed Zhou Yi’s overwhelming performance during the dungeon.

Another reason was the stereotype surrounding the Saint Knight profession as being purely a heavy-armored support role.

But after this round of challenges, Zhou Yi had suppressed two Provincial Top Scorers and crushed prodigies from prestigious families with powerful bloodlines. Any doubts about his strength vanished completely.

It was undeniable: this formidable Saint Knight was the undisputed number one freshman!