The aftermath of the competition had not yet subsided, and discussions about Xiao Han were still raging.
His mysterious SSS+ dual Martial Souls, unpredictable movement techniques, and domineering fist and sword skills have all become topics of great interest among the students.
Some people revered him as a god, while others secretly resented him, believing that he had relied on some secret technique to unleash his extraordinary strength during the competition, and now that the technique had failed, he might have revealed his true colors.
The atmosphere in the training grounds of the Core Sequence was as tense and explosive as a fully drawn bowstring.
All the core members gathered here, their eyes gleaming with eager anticipation. Luo Bing, Shi Lei, and the others, who had been defeated in the competition, looked at the calm figure not far away with complicated expressions.
Xiao Han stood in the crowd, dressed in green, his aura restrained, only revealing the fluctuations of his cultivation at the Martial Master Realm Fourth Level Peak.
This caused a stir among many. Martial Master Realm Fourth Level Peak! How long has it been? Only ten days since the competition ended, and he's already broken through again?
Moreover, he skipped three levels and reached the peak of the fourth level directly! This speed is simply terrifying!
Instructor Qin Zhen stood in the center of the training ground, scanned the crowd, and said in a deep voice, "The monthly assessment for the Core Sequence begins now! The rules remain the same: a round-robin points system. Winners gain one point, losers receive no points. The final ranking will be based on the total points. Pay attention, everyone! This is related to your cultivation resources and task allocation for next month!"
As Instructor Qin Zhen announced the rules, the list of opponents for the first round appeared on the light screen above the training ground.
Xiao Han's name was prominently listed, and his opponent... Shi Lei.
Shi Lei's expression changed slightly, and then a fierce fighting spirit ignited in his eyes.
His defeat to Xiao Han in the competition was a thorn in his side.
Although he knew Xiao Han's strength was unfathomable, he had been training hard during this time, hoping to get revenge after the competition. He didn't expect the opportunity to come so soon.
"Xiao Han, I was careless last time. This time, I will go all out!" Shi Lei stepped onto the martial arts stage, his muscles bulging, his SS-level Titan Body Martial Soul already activated, his body radiating a bronze light, making him as majestic as a small mountain.
Xiao Han stepped onto the stage, his expression calm, and nodded slightly. "Please."
At the referee's signal, the fight broke out!
Shi Lei roared and charged at Xiao Han like a humanoid Tyrannosaurus Rex, each step he took causing the arena to tremble slightly.
He swung his fist, as big as a sandbag, with the force to split mountains and shatter rocks, and slammed it towards Xiao Han.
Xiao Han swayed slightly, choosing not to engage in a direct confrontation.
With the "A Step to the Ends of the Earth" footwork technique, which incorporates the essence of the "Shadow Void Scripture," his figure seemed to merge into the air, elusive and unpredictable, causing Shi Lei's ferocious attacks to miss completely.
"All you do is dodge!" Shi Lei roared, his attack speed increasing and his range widening.
"Hide? No, I'm looking for your weakness." Xiao Han's voice seemed to come from all directions.
The next moment, his figure appeared like a ghost behind Shi Lei. There was no fancy opening move, just a seemingly casual punch.
"The Annihilation Divine Fist" incorporates the follow-up meanings of the three new insights gained from the Star Pavilion, as well as the understanding of power penetration from the "Shadow Void Scripture"!
This punch was no longer simply a powerful and destructive strike, but rather carried an indescribable restraint and penetrating quality.
Before the fist even touched Shi Lei's body, an invisible wave pierced through his seemingly indestructible Titan Body defenses!
"Kara!"
A crisp sound of bones breaking echoed within Shi Lei's body. His proud defense crumbled like paper under Xiao Han's punch!
Shi Lei's expression changed drastically, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. His entire body stiffened as if he had been electrocuted. He could feel a domineering and strange power raging within him, destroying his meridians and internal organs.
Xiao Han's punch didn't send him flying, but the internal damage it caused was far more terrifying than the last time.
"You... you punched me..." Shi Lei managed to utter a few words, his eyes filled with horror. This was no longer an attack method he could comprehend.
Xiao Han withdrew his fist and stood still, refraining from further attacks.
The referee, realizing what was happening, immediately went to check on Shi Lei's injuries and then announced, "Shi Lei is unable to fight; Xiao Han!"
The entire room fell silent.
How long has it been? Last time Xiao Han defeated Shi Lei, he at least managed to withstand a few punches and let Shi Lei hold on for a while.
This time, it was just one punch! Without even using his Martial Soul, he directly pierced through Shi Lei's strongest defense with a single punch, severely injuring him!
This Xiao Han is much stronger than he was during the Grand Competition! And by a significant margin!
Shi Lei staggered and was dragged off the stage by his arms.
Something was stuck in his throat, and in the end, he could only squeeze out a heavy sigh from between his teeth.
This time, I'm truly speechless.
"Next match, Luo Bing versus Xiao Han!" The referee's voice had barely faded when...
A figure had already leaped up.
Luo Bing, she's here.
A chill ran through me, seemingly even colder than the early winter outside.
She stopped, and spoke each word clearly and distinctly, "Xiao Han, I lost last time. This time, I won't!"
Before the words were even finished, an extremely cold aura suddenly exploded out!
With the SS-grade Extreme Ice Spirit Fox Martial Soul fully activated, the temperature of the entire arena plummeted, fine ice crystals condensed in the air, and a layer of white frost quickly covered the ground.
As the realm of ice and snow expanded, countless icy blades gleaming with a cold light appeared out of thin air, their tips pointing directly at Xiao Han.
Xiao Han remained calm.
A very faint blue light swirled around his body, almost blending into the surrounding light.
Chaos Green Lotus.
Beneath that azure light, the icy domain that Luo Bing had spread out with all her might actually caused the shrill chilling air to stagnate slightly, and its sharpness was also weakened invisibly.
"Drink!"
Luo Bing didn't give him any more time to adapt; the ice blades whipped up a storm and slashed towards him with a whooshing sound.
She herself touched the ground with her toes, her figure dancing among the ice shards, each landing carrying a bone-chilling cold, eager to drag Xiao Han into her most proficient close-quarters freezing rhythm.
But Xiao Han was faster.
Or rather, his movement exceeded Luo Bing's expectations.
With the enhancement of the Shadow Void Scripture, the "A Step to the Ends of the Earth" footwork is no longer just a simple dodge.
He transformed into an elusive shadow, weaving through the gaps in the ice blades. Each movement was fraught with danger, yet somehow managed to render all of Luo Bing's subsequent attacks futile.
Luo Bing's breathing became rapid, and her attacks became increasingly fierce, with the density and speed of her ice blades reaching their limits.
But the more she did this, the more gaps appeared in her meticulously constructed attack network.
A slight pause.
The ice explosion unleashed by Luo Bing at full power had just dissipated, and the new ice blades had not yet fully condensed.
Now!
Xiao Han's figure suddenly disappeared from Luo Bing's perception.
It wasn't a fleeting, extremely fast-moving blur, but rather, it truly vanished.
When he reappeared, he was already in front of Luo Bing.
Less than three feet long.
"The Green Lotus Sword Song"
He drew his fingers like a sword, and a point of blue light flickered from his fingertips.
"Lotus in Motion."
The glint of green light left her finger silently, yet it carried a sharpness that could cleanse all things, piercing straight into Luo Bing's chest.
Luo Bing felt a chill run through her body, a chill far exceeding the coldness of her own body.
In the critical moment, all her spiritual energy recoiled wildly, condensing into several thick layers of ice crystal barriers in front of her, upon which the phantom of a spirit fox roared.
However, that cyan sword energy became stronger when it encountered a stronger opponent.
The ice crystal barrier crumbled upon contact, disintegrating layer by layer, and the phantom of the spirit fox let out a mournful cry before turning into ice shards.
The azure light penetrated her last protective aura without any obstruction.