Chapter 88: Show Off to Your Heart’s Content!
Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Show Off to Your Heart’s Content!
Director Chen Yong ignored the clamor below and continued his announcement.
"The rules for today’s exam are very simple!
"Our school committee has carefully selected forty-five senior students to serve as the practical combat assessors for this round."
His gaze swept across the entire field as he enunciated every word. "They are all Martial Artists who have just advanced to the High Martial Realm!"
"What? The High Martial Realm?"
"No way! They’re making us fight assessors in the High Martial Realm?"
"How is it possible to win?"
As soon as this was said, the crowd instantly erupted. Exclamations of shock and doubt rose one after another. Making True Martial Realm students, and even a large number of Ordinary Martial Artists, challenge the High Martial Realm? This was completely absurd!
Standing in Area 8, Fang Chen felt little surprise upon hearing the rules. "Just as I expected." His previous guess had been confirmed.
He thought, "They aren’t using a simple group elimination tournament. This competition isn’t just about on-paper combat prowess; it’s a comprehensive evaluation. Under normal circumstances, it is absolutely impossible for someone in the True Martial Realm to defeat someone in the High Martial Realm!"
He had already profoundly experienced this fundamental disparity between realms when he fought the newly advanced tier-two Cyan-faced Fox in the Xiajiang Forest. Even with his True Martial Realm Transcendence, he couldn’t pull it off, so the difficulty for others was unimaginable.
Director Chen Yong pressed his hands downward to signal for quiet, then announced the specific examination methods.
"The one thousand five hundred of you will be divided into fifteen groups, with one hundred people in each group. Each group will be assigned three assessors!
"Everyone will have three chances to challenge! You may choose to challenge one of the assessors within your group!
"There are no restrictions on the matches. You can wear Combat Suits and use various Spiritual Consumables. However, for safety reasons, you may only choose weapons provided by the school.
"During the assessment, you are not required to defeat the assessors—that is unrealistic for you at your current level. What you need to do is go all out and display all your strength, potential, willpower, and even intelligence!
"Our on-site staff, including judges from the Martial Arts Association and the school, will simultaneously score you based on your performance! In the end, the top five hundred candidates with the highest total scores will be admitted into our academy!"
Once the rules were announced, the atmosphere across the entire sports field instantly became incredibly heavy. Challenge the High Martial Realm? Show off our skills? If we get knocked out in one punch, how are we supposed to display anything?
Following the announcement, the team leaders of each group quickly led the one thousand five hundred examinees to the fifteen designated assessment areas. Each area was spacious enough for the examinees to fight to their heart’s content.
Over in Area 8, everyone lined up in numerical order according to their exam admission tickets. The first in line was unexpectedly Su Zhe.
He looked at the three senior students a short distance away, their Auras as deep as an abyss and as steady as a mountain, clearly operating on a completely different realm. A bitter expression crossed his face.
Everyone knew that going first was a massive disadvantage. Not only would he have to face practical assessors at their peak energy and condition, but going later also meant having the chance to observe earlier candidates. That would allow him to gain experience and figure out the assessors’ fighting styles and habits.
Su Zhe mentally hyped himself up and had just taken a step forward.
BOOM!
A muffled crash suddenly rang out from the adjacent Area 5!
Everyone instinctively turned to look, only to see a figure tossed out of Area 5 like a broken sack. The person flew in an arc and slammed heavily into the empty ground outside the crowd!
The Combat Suit on the examinee flickered rapidly, absorbing most of the impact. The candidate rolled a few times on the ground. Though not severely injured, they couldn’t stand up right away.
This sudden scene caused the hearts of all the examinees in Group 8, including Su Zhe, to clench, as if gripped by an invisible hand.
How... how were they supposed to fight?
Su Zhe’s expression grew even more bitter, but he gritted his teeth, pulled down the hood of his Combat Suit, and put on his protective gloves. At the same time, he activated the Spiritual Crystal Stone in his Combat Suit, preparing to defend with all his might.
At that moment, a judge from the Martial Arts Association standing at the edge of the arena spoke up to explain, his steady voice echoing throughout Area 8. "Examinees, the three assessors assigned to your group specialize in Fist Techniques, Leg Techniques, and Saber Techniques, respectively. If you choose weapon combat, you must use the training weapons we provide, which do not have Spiritual Crystal Stones embedded."
Upon hearing this, Su Zhe’s gaze rapidly swept over the three assessors. The senior specializing in Fist Techniques had bulging muscles and a fierce, imposing manner. The senior specializing in Saber Techniques held a long saber in his arms, his eyes sharp. Meanwhile, the senior specializing in Leg Techniques was tall and well-proportioned, seeming like a relatively... gentle choice?
"I choose this senior student for a match in Leg Techniques!" Su Zhe made his decision, silently praying in his heart, "She should be a bit gentler, right..."
He bit the bullet, walked forward, and stood still. Following the rules, bumping his left and right fists together three times signaled that he was ready.
"Please advise!" Su Zhe said deeply.
The female senior merely gave a slight nod, her eyes indifferent.
"Begin!"
With the command from the staff member acting as the referee, Su Zhe’s match officially started.
This was Fang Chen’s first time carefully observing Su Zhe’s Martial Skills. Previously, during the confrontation with the "Twelve Celestial Kings" gang, Su Zhe hadn’t even stood up before dropping to his knees and begging for mercy, never having the chance to make a move.
It was only now, as Su Zhe assumed his starting stance, that Fang Chen realized—what he specialized in was surprisingly also the Twelve-Step Leg Springing Technique!
This wasn’t unusual. As a Basic Martial Skill passed down from the military, the Twelve-Step Leg Springing Technique combined practical combat with foundation-building effects, making it a mandatory subject in the final semester for almost all schools in Jinchuan City.
What slightly surprised Fang Chen, however, was Su Zhe’s level of attainment in this Leg Technique. Though the Twelve-Step Leg Springing Technique was foundational, it belonged to the upper tier of Basic Martial Skills. It could be considered an entry-level True Martial Level Leg Technique, demanding high levels of strength and coordination from the Cultivator. If driven by True Qi, its power would be even greater.
Because of this, it was scheduled late in the curriculum, resulting in many students not even scratching the surface by the time they graduated.
Yet, at this moment, Su Zhe’s stance was steady, his Aura subtly echoing his leg movements. He actually displayed a sense of harmony akin to the Minor Achievement realm!
Fang Chen wondered, "Could it be... his family had him practice this Leg Technique well in advance?"
After all, Su Zhe’s family background was considered quite good in Jinchuan City. It wouldn’t be difficult for them to obtain the syllabus and training methods ahead of time.
His gaze then turned to the female assessor opposite him. She wore a small identification badge on her chest. With Fang Chen’s current eyesight, he could clearly read the words on it: Practical Assessor: Fan Yutong.
So that was her name.
Faced with Su Zhe’s fully prepared stance, Fan Yutong remained unhurried. She didn’t even show any intention of taking the initiative to attack, as if quietly waiting for Su Zhe to make the first move.
Su Zhe naturally understood, knowing that the assessor was giving him ample opportunity to show off his skills. He confirmed once again that the Spiritual Crystal Stone on his Combat Suit was activated, and his gaze sharpened!
TAP!
With a swift shuffle step, Su Zhe lunged forward. His right leg shot out like a cannonball, delivering a fierce front kick straight toward Fan Yutong’s midsection!
It was precisely "Chasing Wind and Lightning" from the Twelve-Step Leg Springing Technique!