Chapter 951: Chu Jian Takes Action

Someone in the He Ling Realm, having just begun to comprehend souls, is considered to have taken their first formal step towards becoming a true master. Under normal circumstances, even with further cultivation, their achievements would be limited. Yet, this particular individual exuded a presence as solid as a mountain, suggesting terrifying power.

"I'll go!" a young man shouted from the crowd, leaping onto the stage.

"It's Zhao Zhongchuan from Yunxu Academy, ranked sixth in the academy competition!"

"Being ranked sixth in Yunxu Academy means he has a very high chance of passing; it's practically a sure thing!"

"Yes, he'll go first to see if he can withstand three moves from Battle Master Xu. That way, we can prepare in advance!"

"Hmm, going first means facing an unknown opponent, which is a clear disadvantage. But with his strength, enduring three moves should be easy, right?"

Seeing the young man, the audience lowered their voices. Many first-year students looked solemn. During the earlier demonstration, Zhao Zhongchuan's strength was astonishing; he could definitely rank in the top fifteen among the eighty students from the four major academies. This meant that in a normal competition, he would certainly be selected. With such strength, being the first to go on stage would reveal Battle Master Xu's combat power and provide a good reference for everyone else.

"Where's your weapon?" Battle Master Xu asked, his face expressionless and devoid of disdain. He gently flicked his longsword and looked over calmly.

"Here!" With a flick of his palm, a long saber appeared in his hand. Zhao Zhongchuan made a light stroke, and waves of energy surged.

"Begin!" Knowing his opponent was strong, Zhao Zhongchuan dared not hesitate. He stomped his foot on the ground, shot straight forward, and with a flurry of saber winds, instantly enveloped an area tens of meters in front of him.

"Not bad!" Wu Tianqiong had been somewhat worried seeing him go first, but seeing this, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. This move was precisely the student's strongest ultimate technique; once unleashed, it would form the most violent attack, forcing even Bridge Heaven Realm masters to temporarily evade its edge, daring not to clash head-on. Knowing that the three-move opportunity was crucial, Zhao Zhongchuan didn't test the waters; he used his strongest power from the start, showing he wasn't a pedantic person.

"It's alright, but... too slow!" Facing the sky full of saber shadows, Battle Master Xu showed no tension; instead, he smiled lightly, his body flickered, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished from his spot. The next moment, he reappeared in front of Zhao Zhongchuan, lightly tapping him with his longsword.

Zhao Zhongchuan felt a tremendous force rushing at him. He blocked with his saber, but involuntarily staggered back a few steps, his chest churning.

"Oh no!" Seeing his ultimate move broken by a single sword strike, Zhao Zhongchuan's pupils contracted. Just as he was about to leap back to evade the attack, he felt a cold glint, and a sword light had already rested on his neck, chilling to the bone.

"You've lost!" Battle Master Xu's longsword rested on his opponent's neck as he looked on calmly.

"I... I lost!" Zhao Zhongchuan's face flushed and paled. The opponent only used two moves, and he was defeated, without even a chance to resist. If it had been a fight to the death, his head would probably have already fallen.

"This, this..."

"Zhao Zhongchuan lost?"

"He only lasted two moves, so... wouldn't we be even worse off?" The faces of the people below the stage turned pale. Zhao Zhongchuan was ranked among the top fifteen of all first-year students. For such a master to fail to withstand even two moves, it would certainly be even harder for others to succeed!

"It seems... the difficulty has increased!" Wu Tianqiong clenched his fists. He had thought that withstanding three moves would be enough to pass, giving everyone a good chance. Now, it appeared that was not the case at all. Battle Masters of the same cultivation realm were far too powerful compared to them, offering no chance at all.

"How are we supposed to fight this?" Chu Jian's body trembled. Zhao Zhongchuan, whether in terms of true qi or techniques, was much stronger than him. If even Zhao couldn't withstand three moves, then Chu Jian would certainly be no match. It seemed his dream of becoming a Battle Master was destined to be shattered.

"I'll give it a try!" While feeling dejected, another young man leaped onto the stage. Chu Jian recognized him. This was a top student from Luoqing Academy's first year, apparently ranked third. During the demonstration, he also showed his skills with a pair of gold and silver rings, each move lethal and infinitely powerful. Chu Jian, with his cultivation, wouldn't be a match for him even if he had two partners.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Still in shock, the two on stage had already begun their bout. Battle Master Xu initiated the attack this time, his longsword vibrating, its aura chilling. His movements were as precise as if measured by a ruler, without the slightest excess or wasted motion. The first move broke through the opponent's gold and silver ring blockade, the second move closed in, and the third move pierced a hole in the latter's chest. Although not deep, blood flowed freely.

"I surrender!" The young man from Luoqing Academy turned pale. If the opponent hadn't held back, he would surely be dead by now. He had thought his own strength was considerable, but in the end, he also couldn't withstand three moves.

As this young man walked off the stage, the atmosphere became stifling. Everyone exchanged grim glances, their faces contorted. It was one thing for Zhao Zhongchuan, ranked in the top fifteen, to lose, but for this young man from Luoqing Academy, definitely in the top ten, to also fail to withstand three moves... that was truly terrifying. Before, many held hope, thinking that three moves were a small matter, and simply enduring them would be easier than outright winning. Now, it seemed the difficulty was great enough to make most people despair.

"I'll go!" Another student rushed forward. This one specialized in defense and evasion, moving around extensively from the start, attempting to last three moves. But Battle Master Xu was stronger than imagined, and faster than him! In just two moves, he struck the student off the stage, leaving him severely wounded.

"This guy... is flawless in every aspect..." With a solemn expression, Zhang Xuan secretly nodded. Battle Master Xu was truly worthy of being a Battle Master; his speed, strength, defense, and other attributes had no obvious flaws. If Zhang Xuan himself were also in the He Ling Realm and fought him, it would likely take him one move to defeat him! Terrifying! For him, at the same cultivation level, to require one move was enough to demonstrate Battle Master Xu's strength. Of course, if he used his Eye of Insight or similar techniques, he could eliminate him in half a move.

Soon, students went up one after another, almost all of them losing without exception. By the tenth person, someone managed to barely withstand three moves. This student was ranked first among all students in Qingzhu Academy, virtually undefeated in the first year. For even such strength to barely pass, Battle Master Xu was frighteningly formidable.

"Anyone else coming up?" For a moment, a stifling silence fell, and no one dared to step forward.

"Students from Yunxu, Luoqing, and Qingzhu have all come up to spar with me. But it seems no one from Hongyuan Academy has. Who's willing to try? Do you not even have the courage to attempt? How can you become Battle Masters like that?" With a cold chuckle, Battle Master Xu looked towards the students of Hongyuan Academy. Students from the other three major academies had already gone up, but only those from Hongyuan Academy remained rooted to their spots, motionless.

"This..." Hearing his call, many first-year students from Hongyuan Academy turned pale and then flushed deep red. They knew their own strength well; they had a definite gap compared to Zhao Zhongchuan and others. If they went up, they would certainly lose.

"I'll go then. A loss is a loss!" Seeing no one move, Chu Jian gritted his teeth. Anyway, it's a loss either way; the worst that can happen is admitting it. The opponent was practically calling them out by name. If they didn't step up now, Hongyuan Academy would be utterly humiliated. With a leap, he jumped onto the stage.

"You still have some guts..." Battle Master Xu smiled faintly, raising an eyebrow. "Bring out your weapon!"

"Weapon? No need! I'll face the expert from the Battle Master Hall bare-handed!" Chu Jian shook his head. No matter how he fought, he would lose. Using a weapon or not made no difference, so he might as well save his strength.

"No weapon? Don't worry, I won't go easy on you, nor will I be polite!" Seeing him forgo a weapon, Battle Master Xu shook his head, not intending to put away his longsword. Instead, he flicked his wrist, producing a whistling sound.

Whoosh! Sword qi sliced through the air and thrust forward. Battle Master Xu did not show disdain because his opponent was unarmed; he still unleashed his strongest combat power in that single move. The sword's edge was indistinct, chilling to the bone. Before it even reached him, Chu Jian's hair stood on end, and his face turned pale.

He had seen his opponent's sword strikes earlier; he couldn't dodge them and couldn't block them. Just as he was about to give up and surrender, he suddenly remembered Dean Zhang's earlier advice.

"Since I'm going to lose anyway, why concede proactively? Perhaps if I try, I might last a bit longer..." As this thought emerged, Dean Zhang's explanations of martial arts techniques and insights into combat, every word, immediately flowed through his mind.

"His sword is clean and pure, stemming from his heart. As the Dean said, it comes from the heart. To break this sword technique, one needs to observe his intention, the purpose behind his strike, and the power he can unleash... The power of the sword technique was already seen just now. Its purpose is obvious: the sword qi crisscrosses, capable of enveloping all my vital points. If I counterattack, I will surely fall into his trap... According to the Dean's explanation, this kind of sword move actively lures me into exposing a weakness. To break it... I must force him to reveal a weakness earlier than me!"

Numerous thoughts flowed incessantly through his mind. While they seemed intricate and complex, it all happened in an instant. When Dean Zhang had explained earlier, he hadn't fully understood, but now he suddenly realized that every single word was profound truth. Recalling those words, the previously intricate and incomprehensible sword technique now unfolded clearly before his eyes. The opponent's intention behind the strike and the direction of the thrust held no more secrets.

"The Dean said this move should be handled like this, so that's what I'll do..." Gritting his teeth, he faced the opponent's sword light without dodging. His body suddenly curled into a ball, and he abruptly pointed his index finger forward.

Pfft! Immediately after, he heard a sound, as if his fingertip had touched something. Chu Jian took a step back and hurriedly looked forward. Only then did he realize that Battle Master Xu, his opponent, was lying on the ground, eyes rolled back, spitting large mouthfuls of blood.

"This..." Seeing the man who had defeated so many masters now lying on the ground from a mere poke, Chu Jian was completely stunned. Could he be faking it, trying to extort money...?