Chapter 24: Displaying Power

"How is that possible?!" Lin Feng and Liu Xi’s faces were etched with horror. They stared intently at the slender figure on the training platform nearby, exclaiming in shock, "He actually kicked Pei Yun, who had opened three meridians, right off the stage?!"

Qi Yue's face also twitched, his eyes darkening as he said coldly, "It seems Zhou Yuan fooled us all. He used Source Qi in that last kick; he's already opened his meridians!"

Lin Feng and Liu Xi’s pupils constricted. They knew that Zhou Yuan’s eight meridians had not yet manifested, so how had he suddenly opened them? This Zhou Yuan had hidden his abilities very well!

Qi Yue took a deep breath and said grimly, "He must have only recently opened his meridians, and the extent isn't likely very high. Pei Yun was caught off guard earlier and didn't even get to use his Source Art, which is why he lost so quickly. If he had been prepared, Zhou Yuan might not have won."

Hearing his analysis, Lin Feng and Liu Xi calmed down and nodded in agreement. Zhou Yuan had deliberately hidden his strength, lulling his opponent into complacency, and then used decisive tactics to secure victory.

"He's certainly cunning," Liu Xi sneered. "But a trick like that only works once. Let's see what he can do in the next match!"

Lin Feng slowly nodded as well. He had initially planned for Zhou Yuan to make a fool of himself in front of Su Youwei, so this unexpected move greatly annoyed him.

Qi Yue stared grimly at Zhou Yuan’s figure, his eyes flickering with an unknown thought.

Meanwhile, on the viewing platform, Chu Tianyang also watched the scene with a surprised and uncertain expression. "How could His Highness Zhou Yuan's strength be so formidable?" He knew very well that Zhou Yuan had only managed to open his meridians and begin cultivation a month ago, yet the power behind his recent kick surpassed that of an average three-meridian practitioner!

He pondered for a long time but couldn’t comprehend it, so he simply shook his head. Still, a sense of relief washed over him; it seemed Zhou Yuan had some confidence for this grand examination after all. No wonder he had claimed he would get into Class A a month ago—he truly had the ability.

Beside Chu Tianyang, Xu Hong also witnessed Zhou Yuan’s victory, his brows furrowing slightly. He said nothing, however, believing that while Zhou Yuan’s displayed strength was surprising, it was highly unlikely he could reach the top ten, so there was no need for concern.

Under the surprised gazes from all sides, Zhou Yuan heard the referee’s verdict, then jumped off the training platform, walking towards Su Youwei amidst the numerous stares.

"You truly hide things well!" Su Youwei said to Zhou Yuan, her lips slightly pouting. She had been worried sick about him, unaware that he had already opened his meridians.

"I've been cultivating diligently," Zhou Yuan quickly replied. "There wasn't time to tell you."

Su Youwei snorted softly, her small face serious. "Then tell me truthfully, how many meridians have you opened now?"

"Two meridians," Zhou Yuan replied with a smile, not bothering to hide it, as everyone would know after today.

Su Youwei’s delicate brows furrowed as she looked at Zhou Yuan with suspicion. "That kick you just delivered," she said, "isn't something someone with only two opened meridians could manage. It sent Pei Yun, who has three opened meridians, right off the stage. It was incredibly fierce, completely beyond what two meridians typically achieve."

Zhou Yuan could only offer a helpless smile. His physical constitution, despite only having two opened meridians, was almost comparable to someone with four. Kicking Pei Yun away was naturally not difficult, but he couldn't reveal the true reason, fearing it would draw unwanted attention.

Su Youwei didn't press the point. Instead, her eyes gleamed with joy as she said, "With your two opened meridians, and factoring in your mastery of Source Runes, you might actually have a chance to break into the top ten."

Zhou Yuan smiled and nodded.

As they spoke, the grand examination continued in an orderly fashion. Intense battles erupted on various training platforms, drawing cheers and shouts of encouragement from the surrounding young men and women.

Soon, it was Su Youwei’s turn.

Su Youwei’s opponent was merely a two-meridian freshman, whose face paled upon realizing he was matched against her. The disparity between them was simply too vast.

Thus, the battle held no suspense. In just a few rounds, Su Youwei’s opponent was utterly defeated and promptly jumped off the platform.

After several more rounds, it was finally Zhou Yuan’s turn again.

"Zhou Yuan versus Shi Yu!" When the announcement rang out, numerous gazes immediately converged on the training ground. In his first match, the battle had ended too quickly for many to understand how Zhou Yuan won, so there was immense curiosity about this upcoming fight.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Zhou Yuan stepped onto the training platform. Across from him, the young man named Shi Yu was quite tall and robust, yet he stared at Zhou Yuan with extreme vigilance and caution, having clearly learned from the previous contestant’s mistake.

"Begin!" As soon as the referee’s command fell, Shi Yu instantly made his move. "Open three meridians!" he roared.

As Shi Yu roared, the Source Qi of heaven and earth surged into his body, making his robes billow. Visible streams of light wrapped around him, creating a formidable aura. Feeling the explosive power within, the apprehension in Shi Yu's eyes diminished. He stared intently at Zhou Yuan, then stomped his foot and shot forward fiercely.

His figure instantly appeared before Zhou Yuan, his five fingers slightly curled like an eagle’s talons, with streams of Source Qi surging at their tips, sharp enough to tear through rock. Shi Yu’s attack was incredibly swift, aiming for Zhou Yuan’s neck in a flash. But just as it was about to connect, Zhou Yuan suddenly stepped diagonally, his body seeming to blur for an instant.

The hand-claws, wreathed in Source Qi, slashed downwards, but to Shi Yu’s astonishment, his pupils constricted as the attack, which should have been a direct hit, seemed to connect with nothing but air. "This isn't good!" a chill ran through him.

Before he could retract his claws to defend, a figure flashed. Zhou Yuan swiftly closed the distance, and at the same time, a slender palm pierced through Shi Yu’s guard, lightly pressing against his chest. The seemingly gentle strike, however, contained astonishing power.

Shi Yu barely managed to channel Source Qi to his chest for defense before he felt a powerful force erupt from it. His body was instantly thrown backward by the impact, landing awkwardly on the platform.

He awkwardly steadied himself, then quickly rolled to evade Zhou Yuan’s follow-up attack. But just as he came to a stop, his peripheral vision caught sight of a figure trailing him like a shadow, scaring him witless.

Before he could react, he felt a hand grip the crown of his head. The subtle surge of power in that palm instantly froze his body, rendering him motionless. He knew that if that power were unleashed, his head could be crushed.

"I surrender!" Shi Yu, drenched in cold sweat, shouted without hesitation.

Upon hearing the surrender, Zhou Yuan finally released his hand from Shi Yu’s head. His gaze swept around, and silence once again fell over the entire training platform.

Everyone stared with wide-open mouths at the swift, decisive outcome on the stage.

"Excellent!" The silence lasted only a moment before countless cheers erupted. Everyone was stunned by the sharp techniques and almost ghostly speed Zhou Yuan had displayed. Was this truly the prince rumored to be unable to cultivate his meridians?

On the nearby high platform, Qi Yue, Liu Xi, and Lin Feng also fell silent, their expressions now grim and uncertain.

"Such incredible speed!" Lin Feng said slowly, a hint of gravity finally appearing in his eyes. From their vantage point, they could clearly see that Shi Yu had been utterly defeated by Zhou Yuan’s speed; no matter how swiftly Shi Yu retreated, Zhou Yuan had followed him like a persistent shadow.

Liu Xi, meanwhile, bit her lip and angrily cursed Shi Yu, "What a complete waste."

Qi Yue’s face was expressionless as he lightly rubbed the railing. "His physical constitution is remarkably strong," he said without warmth, "almost comparable to someone with four opened meridians." He turned to Lin Feng, his tone growing much colder. "Three-meridian practitioners are no match for him. It seems we’ll have to rely on you."

A cold glint appeared in Lin Feng’s eyes. He nodded gently and said, "Don't worry, he won't get past me. I'll make him realize just how powerful a true four-meridian practitioner can be!"

On the viewing platform, Chu Tianyang also looked surprised, muttering to himself, "His physical constitution is comparable to four meridians, but his Source Qi fluctuations aren't as strong as a four-meridian practitioner. Strange..."

Zhou Yuan jumped off the training platform, sensing that the gazes around him now held more awe than before. This reverence wasn't for his status, but for the power he had displayed. In a world where cultivation was paramount, an inability to open one's meridians and cultivate would garner sympathy and pity, even for a prince.

Zhou Yuan disliked such gazes, which fueled his profound determination to cultivate Source Qi.

Now, however, those emotions were entirely absent from the eyes watching Zhou Yuan.

"That was incredible," Su Youwei said, her pretty face filled with admiration as she watched Zhou Yuan approach. As someone who had opened four meridians, she could clearly discern the sharpness of Zhou Yuan's attacks on the training platform, particularly his speed, which even she would not dare underestimate.

Zhou Yuan smiled, then turned his head to the high platform nearby. Qi Yue happened to look his way, and as their gazes met, both could see the chilling intent in the other’s eyes.

Qi Yue’s gaze turned icy as he stared at Zhou Yuan, baring his teeth in a chilling grin. Then, he raised his hand and made a throat-slitting gesture, a clear act of provocation.

Zhou Yuan watched Qi Yue’s provocative gesture, let out a soft chuckle, and then murmured to himself, "He really is quite a show-off. Just wait until the year-end provincial examination; I'll beat you so bad…"