Chapter 14: Defense Above All

Lu Yan’er had overfulfilled her part of the task. She had successfully provoked a conflict between the Earth and Wood factions. Now, beating Zhang Yu of the Wood faction had become the goal for the Earth faction crew.

Zhang Yu was introverted and withdrawn. He rarely talked to people, kept a low profile, and few knew how strong he really was.

At this stage, most disciples were still in the Qi Refining period. But Zhang Yu was hiding his true ability.

Lu Yan’er accidentally heard Zhang Yu’s sister, Zhang Yun, let it slip. That was how she learned Zhang Yu had already broken through Qi Refining and reached Foundation Establishment.

By ability, Zhang Yu naturally belonged to the top tier of this assessment. Lin Yaoyao’s goal was to use him to knock out the Earth faction’s rivals.

Lin Feiyuan had never imagined you could play the game like this. Same parents, same blood, why was his sister’s brain so much sharper? He could rack his brain all day and never come up with these tricks.

Lin Yaoyao had Lin Feiyuan treat some senior Metal faction brothers to drinks. He was to act drunk and, between toasts, let out a secret. Ye Xinlian, the beloved junior sister of the Metal faction, had fallen for Zhou Linyue of the Fire faction. She was constantly sending him resources. He also said the Metal faction was simply born worse than the Fire faction.

The Metal faction disciples were furious. Ye Xinlian was one of the most famous beauties at Tiandu Academy. Many people had joined the Metal faction because of her. Now their own faction’s dream goddess had feelings for someone else. How could they stand it? They all developed a strange hatred of Zhou Linyue, as if he’d stolen their woman.

“Everyone, calm down. That Zhou Linyue is all looks and nothing else. In this competition, if you take the initiative to challenge him and beat him, junior sister Ye is bound to look at you with new respect. Maybe she’ll even give her heart away.”

“Women naturally like strong men!”

With Lin Feiyuan’s “masterful planning,” the Metal faction all clamored to challenge Zhou Linyue of the Fire faction.

At the same time, Lin Yaoyao had street children by the academy gates sing catchy rhymes.

“No matter how hard the earth, wood can drill through it. No matter how solid the earth, wood can pierce it. Good earth is worse than rotten wood!”

“No matter how hard metal, fire can melt it. No matter how tough metal, it fears the heat. Vajra fears raging flames!”

The disciples came and went every day, and the rhymes spread through every faction. Even senior brothers and sisters who weren’t taking part in the assessment started privately urging disciples in their own factions to provoke another faction.

Lu Yan’er and Lin Feiyuan hadn’t expected the “fanning the flames” to cause such a reaction. They were both excited and couldn’t wait to run to Lin Yaoyao to show off their “results.”

“Yaoyao, the Earth faction people are dying to take a bite out of Zhang Yu! But with us doing this, will Zhang Yu find out and come after us?”

Lu Yan’er saw the gnashing teeth of the Earth faction and felt a lingering fear.

Lin Yaoyao handed her the SWOT analysis chart she had made for Zhang Yu and said slowly, “Zhang Yu entered the academy, but he never likes dealing with people. He’s proud and thinks too highly of himself. In his eyes, none of this batch of disciples can compare to him. We only said what’s in his heart.”

“When he becomes famous after this battle, he’ll still have to thank us.”

Slandering someone behind their back, and the slandered person thanks you? Lu Yan’er realized Lin Yaoyao’s face was thicker than the city wall.

Gu Mingchun smiled without saying a word. Each trick of Lin Yaoyao’s was more vicious than the last. Lin Feiyuan felt he could never match her.

“Yaoyao, who did you learn these underhanded tricks from?”

“Underhanded?”

“Ow! That hurts!”

Lin Yaoyao pinched Lin Feiyuan’s arm hard. “I’ve got plenty of dirty tricks. Third Brother, want to try one?”

Lin Feiyuan begged for mercy immediately. This little sister was not someone to offend.

“The factions of the academy have been scheming and fighting for years. The grievances have piled up a long time ago. Miss Lin only made a little use of that. She hasn’t done anything to harm heaven or earth, so it’s not underhanded.”

Finally someone who understood. Gu Mingchun had hit the nail on the head. Lin Yaoyao specially poured him a cup of tea. Dealing with smart people made things much easier.

Even the bit about Ye Xinlian and Zhou Linyue was true. The two were close in private, and Ye Xinlian did give Zhou Linyue resources. Lin Yaoyao and Lu Yan’er had run into them doing it.

In her previous life, Lin Yaoyao had climbed through workplace battles, so she was no innocent white lotus. She had schemes and methods. She never relied on backroom deals and finally secured her place through strength.

Lin Yaoyao’s way of doing things was to never go against principles. As long as she played by the rules, every trick was legitimate.

White cat, black cat, as long as it catches mice, it’s a good cat!

For this competition, Lin Yaoyao had made a scientific plan. The first step was to split up her opponents. When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman gets the win. The stronger the fight among faction disciples, the better it was for independent disciples like Lin Yaoyao, Lu Yan’er, and Lin Feiyuan.

The second step was to analyze potential opponents and draw up personalized battle plans.

The third step was to boost their own strength, and for their personal safety, aim for the highest level of defense.

“Third Brother, Senior Brother Gu, Yan’er, what do you think is the most important thing in a match?”

Lu Yan’er didn’t think and blurted out, “Beat the opponent! Win the match!”

Lin Feiyuan nodded in agreement. The most important thing in a match was naturally winning.

Gu Mingchun had never considered the question and didn’t dare answer rashly.

“Wrong! The most important thing is your own safety! Even if you lose a match, as long as you’re alive, you still have chances. But if you’re severely injured, or lose your life, then you’ve lost everything.”

This time, Lin Feiyuan didn’t argue with Lin Yaoyao. He thought of his eldest brother lying paralyzed in bed.

After Lin Qingshan lost his legs, Lin Feiyuan had gone to visit a few times. His elder brother, once so spirited, had become a completely different person.

Lin Yaoyao really wanted to pass the assessment, enter the Tianxuan Secret Realm, and gain good fortune. But not at the cost of her companions being severely hurt or losing their lives.

Gu Mingchun said quietly, “Getting hurt in a match is probably unavoidable.”

In the three years she’d been in this cultivation world, Lin Yaoyao had noticed that most people in arena fights cared far more about lethal attack moves, and very few put work into defense.

“That’s exactly why! As long as we defend well, we won’t get hurt. Even if the opponent has higher cultivation and fierce moves, if we have a strong enough defensive system, they can’t harm us at all.”

Defense was more important than offense!

“Defense?”

“My father’s gold-thread armor can withstand a full-strength blow from a Golden Core cultivator. Are you telling me I should wear that?”

Lu Yan’er thought about that shiny golden armor of her father’s. If she wore that thing, she’d probably be laughed out of the academy.

Lin Yaoyao patted her shoulder and nodded in satisfaction. The young miss had finally gotten it.

“Right! Our cultivation is low, so we must go for the highest level of defense. For this competition, everyone should bring their defensive gear. Wear whatever you can, put on whatever you can, arm yourself from head to toe.”

Lu Yan’er thought about wearing her father’s helmet too. The image was too ridiculous.

‘No! Absolutely not!’

“Yaoyao, if we do that, people will definitely say we won without honor.”

At her words, Lin Feiyuan and Gu Mingchun also had concerns. They were afraid of being accused of relying on family resources.

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