BUTTERFLIES (Arc 2&3; The Undefeatable Class 192)

Chapter 95: Jessica vs. Xuan'er

  Four down out of fifteen. Who's next?

  Teacher Haggz's gaze moved across the expectant faces hanging over tree branches. His eyes kept moving around until they stopped over at Roy's direction.

  "Jessica!" His voice caused a little spatial rift, due to his use of true essence to magnify it.

  Jessica turned and looked at me with a wry grin, then jumped down from the height, quickly using her Gift of enchanted vines to curb the fall from the height.

  She majestically went to one end of the combat field, then unwrapping her paper, she began, "I challenge... what?! But this makes no sense!"

  "Read the name out or you'll be witnessing a lot of other things that won't make any sense on you!" Teacher Haggz said boringly.

  Jessica adjusted her Harry Potter glasses, then raised her left hand and pointed at the tree branch very close to me. She called out, bitterly, "I really didn't mean to beat you up into pulp, but it's what's written here, Xuan'er."

  Xuan'er was burning with rage when she heard the mockery in Jessica's voice. As a Meditation realm cultivator, I could feel the chill in her aura. I helped Jessica to swallow her saliva in fright. Still, I was quite curious why Jessica had this much confidence in her ability, all of the sudden.

  From the movement techniques they had both used in descending, I could tell that they hadn't had breakthroughs yet. They were still both Transcendent Mortal realm pinnacle cultivators.

  After taking her position, Xuan'er said, "Pray your mouth is as quick as your fists."

  "Ready!" Teacher Haggz called aloud.

  I suddenly felt a split-second spatial rift beside me on Roy's back and instinctively stretched out my right hand to grab and pull.

  "Ahhh!" a high-pitched voice rang out as a red-haired lass suddenly materialised. "Leave my neck alone!"

  I was startled by the sudden appearance of Ruby. I quickly let go of her.

  After gasping for air, she said, "How could you even predict I would be appearing beside you, anyway? I just wanted to watch the match from up here, with you."

  I reminded myself that Ruby's Gift was the Spatial Retreat. She could disappear and appear at intervals.

  "Sorry," I apologised. "I sensed threat and responded instinctively."

  Ruby looked at me in what was unmistakably awe.

  "Wow, sis, you really haven't lagged at all in your cultivation."

  Below us, the match had just begun.

  'Boom!'

  Jessica and Xuan'er had shot into the air, leaving deep holes behind.

  My Eye of Insight gave me a 3D experience from where I sat. I could see every muscle in their faces, and I could almost predict their next moves.

  'What?' I suddenly felt a link in the forest connected with Jessica that I hadn't noticed, and with my Meditation realm cultivation, my brain had already sent a split-second interpretation to me. I couldn't help but burst into a grin; really, Xuan'er was going to be beaten pulp.

  Back to the fight.

  The two figures were advancing towards each other in midair when, suddenly, a vile and hideous smell wafted off from the forest. It smelt like a corpse!

  Everyone looked amazed and alarmed, at the same time. Even Teacher Haggz had stood upright, and his nonchalant look had left his face.

  Jessica's face carried a wide and excited grin, while Xuan'er was literally battling with the fear of the unknown. She kept staring at the forest while also keeping an eye on Jessica as she soared in midair.

  Everyone kept watching on in seized breaths. Ruby was holding very tightly on my dress, as though prepared to save me whenever the "unknown" appeared.

  "What is it?!" Xuan'er was already crying aloud in the air.

  "Don't be scared. Brace yourself!" Jessica said, almost laughing.

  "Ice Shackle!" roared Xuan'er, spreading both her arms. One was facing Jessica, the other was facing the direction of the forest where something was advancing from, very quickly.

  Jessica was prepared, "Enchanted vines!"

  Under her, from the ground where an ice shackle was already blooming, the ground burst out with heavy translucent vines that warped themselves around the ice and keep it in place.

  Jessica winked at Xuan'er who was already very closed to her, wrapping the latter's face with a fist.

  Xuan'er flew backwards, loosing her control over the shackles.

  Jessica landed gracefully and roared, "Amorphophallus Titanium!"

  Teacher Haggz gasped and broke into laughter, for the first time since we've known him! Even Jessica was laughing. Tears were already rolling off my eyes as I laughed even louder. I could feel Ruby looking at me in terror.

  Xuan'er wasn't willing to fall yet. After crashing on the ground, she sprout up almost immediately and flicked her wrist. Her storage ring flickered a little, and two metal boomerangs materialised in her hands. They looked very sharp.