Rule

Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!

In the dream world, hurried footsteps sounded continuously.

Chen Feng, clutching his right arm, rushed out of the martial arts hall's main gate, a flicker of shock and doubt flashing across his face.

He completely did not expect the masked man to be this terrifying.

With just one punch, it had directly broken the bones in his right arm; even using Exploding Fist, he was utterly unable to contend against it.

Within his perception talent, the other party was like a horrifying humanoid beast, its intense malice sweeping through everything like a storm, annihilating all.

"At least professional grade, and definitely stronger than Coach Lu!"

"Even compared to that shadow monster in the alleyway that day, it's probably not far off."

As the thought flickered past, Chen Feng suddenly noticed that the malice in his perception had quietly dissipated.

He paused mid-motion, ignoring the pain in his right arm, and hurriedly looked back.

At the bottom of the two-story martial arts hall, the masked man in the white martial arts uniform had not pursued him.

His pitch-black eyes watched Chen Feng's departure from afar, his entire person standing still at the entrance of the massive wooden door, unmoving.

"What's going on?"

Chen Feng was puzzled, but at the same time, he felt relieved.

It was good that he hadn't been chased.

Tat-tat!

Then, footsteps sounded.

But he saw the masked man suddenly turn around and quickly stride away, disappearing at the martial arts hall's entrance.

It looked just like he had gone back to the training room.

"Went back?"

"Could it be... because he can't leave the martial arts hall?"

As the guess arose, Chen Feng felt a trace of chill.

The world spun, and mist rose.

The next second, the scene before him changed, and he once again saw the familiar ceiling, along with the patterned curtains fluttering in the wind.

"Back, huh."

Hah!

Letting out a breath, a flicker of relief flashed in Chen Feng's eyes.

The chill he had felt in the dream did not fade; he subconsciously touched his face.

Only then did he realize that his body in reality had, without knowing when, broken out in a cold sweat, even soaking half of his pillow.

"Is it because of the masked man?"

Expression blank, Chen Feng lay in bed for several minutes, staring straight at the ceiling.

There are always people better than you, and skies beyond your sky.

The masked man's strength was extraordinary.

For a time, the trace of self-satisfaction he had felt from obtaining the Exploding Fist skill scattered like willow catkins in the wind.

"I'll hold off on exploring the martial arts hall for now."

"At least, until the day I can defeat the masked man."

Shaking his head inwardly in self-reflection, Chen Feng's gaze once again returned to calm and sharpness.

Then, he turned over and got out of bed, pulling open the curtains.

Only then did he notice that his right arm, which had been broken in the dream, was completely unharmed.

"Injuries in the dream don't affect reality?"

"No."

Carefully sensing himself, with the help of his perception talent, Chen Feng detected a slight difference.

Though his right arm wasn't broken, he could feel that his mental state had worsened a bit.

Thinking this, he quickly stepped into the bathroom.

The mirror against the wall was square and neat; looking along the flow, he saw that he seemed a bit more muscular.

The physical boost from his Judo proficiency made his deltoids and trapezius more prominent, and the circumference of his arms had thickened by a couple of points.

But in contrast, Chen Feng clearly saw that his complexion was somewhat pale.

His entire person looked just like he had pulled an all-nighter—somewhat haggard.

"So, getting hurt in the dream consumes my mental energy in reality."

"This is just a broken arm. If I were to die inside..."

Chen Feng's eyes flickered as he deduced the consequences would definitely be severe.

Thinking this, he became even more certain that next time he entered the dream, he would stay far from the martial arts academy.

"As for those light clusters I sensed, once I grow stronger."

"I will definitely retrieve them myself and avenge that broken arm!"

His gaze firming, Chen Feng twisted the faucet, cupped his hands under the water, bent down, and splashed it noisily onto his face.

The icy shock caused all negative emotions and shadows to completely dissipate.

Before long, after a simple tidy-up and wash, he stepped into the mindset of a new day.

Boom!!

At 1:30 PM, inside the Yan Wu Academy.

Twenty or thirty students arrived one after another, the thuds of sandbag strikes echoing continuously.

"Why do you look so terrible?"

Lin Hao, wearing a gray gym tank top, was somewhat surprised to see Chen Feng arrive looking haggard.

"Didn't sleep well last night."

Chen Feng shook his head, making up a casual excuse.

"Oh?"

Raising an eyebrow, Lin Hao's gaze shifted quickly, as if he'd thought of something.

"I get it, man."

He gave a lecherous grin, which made Chen Feng want to slap him.

"By the way, I heard someone talking as soon as I got here today."

"Yesterday, someone hit 100kg on the Punch Force Tester!"

His eyes bright, Lin Hao quickly changed his expression, looking at Chen Feng curiously. "Come clean, was it you?"

"Zheng Qiang, do you think it was him?"

On the practice field, ever since that sparring session a few days ago, many had started secretly watching Chen Feng.

Now that he'd arrived, Zheng Qiang and Yu Shan, who were sparring in an open area, both had their eyes flicker.

"A 100kg punch—his punch force shouldn't have been at that level the day before yesterday."

Zheng Qiang looked at Chen Feng's somewhat haggard face from a distance. Though surprised, he didn't pay it much mind.

His gaze shifting, he speculated, "Of course, it's not impossible."

"But I think Xu Dongtai is more likely."

"Zhou Hengtao from Sanshou Class Two is also close to that level."

Hearing this, Yu Shan nodded. That matched his own thoughts.

He turned his head toward another open area, where a burly figure was hammering a sandbag.

The hundred-kilogram hanging sandbag swayed continuously, dull thuds ringing out like thunderclaps.

A few days ago, Xu Dongtai's punch force was already 99kg.

With some more nutritional supplements and boosters these days, or a bit more refinement in his fighting technique, It wasn't impossible for him to break 100kg.

"Dong Ge, do you think it was that kid?"

Lackey Zhou Xin, holding a towel and sports water bottle, stood by the sandbag, carefully withdrawing his gaze from a distance.

He'd been with Dong Ge the whole time, so naturally he knew the other hadn't tested his punch force at all yesterday.

"Whether it was or wasn't, it doesn't matter anymore."

His tone cold, Xu Dongtai slammed another punch into the sandbag.

The hard leather dented, and the hanging chains clanked.

"My personal trainer got me a special medicine. I'll have it in hand tomorrow night."

"After taking it, my physique will strengthen by ten to twenty percent in the short term, and I'll definitely be able to push my strength to Amateur Rank 6."

"By then, in the assessment melee, I'll have plenty of chances to beat him."

As the words fell.

Boom!!

Another punch landed.

A flicker of cold contempt and disdain passed through Xu Dongtai's eyes.

No family background.

No resources.

Core Disciple quota—what do you have to compete with me for?

In an instant, Straight Punch followed in rapid succession, muffled explosions erupting.

The commotion was so great that it immediately drew everyone's attention.

Seeing this, Zhou Xin's face was full of a proud, self-satisfied expression.

Even when facing Chen Feng's surprised gaze, he was full of confidence and no longer flinched.