Free-for-All Begins

"An announcement for everyone: due to special considerations, the Core Disciple assessment will begin early today."

On the Martial Arts Hall's Practice Field, Coach Lu led three members of the Assessment Panel onto the open ground.

His powerful voice echoed beside everyone's ears. Many students who had already suspected this looked startled, while others seemed relieved.

"So it really is happening."

"Did not expect the assessment to be moved up. That's rather sudden."

"It's the same sooner or later. It was never going to be any of us anyway."

Quiet murmurs rose. Lin Hao stood smiling at the edge of the field and gave Chen Feng an expression that said, I knew it.

Perhaps finding the chatter too noisy, Coach Lu raised an eyebrow.

He lightly raised a hand and pressed it down, lowering his voice. "You have ten minutes to warm up."

"Ten minutes from now, the assessment will begin right here on the Practice Field, supervised by the three assessors behind me."

"The rules for this assessment are a Free-for-All Assessment. The final winner will receive a Core Disciple slot at Yan Wu Academy and advance to the Core Class."

Coach Lu quickly explained the rules, and quite a few students were surprised by the news.

Seeing this, Coach Lu said nothing further and soon turned to the three people beside him—or rather, to Cao Tong, who stood at their head.

"Junior Brother Cao, is there anything else you would like to add?"

His tone was sincere. Coach Lu knew full well the talent and strength of the Junior Brother before him.

Cao Tong had reached Professional Seventh Grade long ago. Rumor had it that he had begun cultivating True Skill and had a chance of becoming a Sect Successor.

Compared to him, Coach Lu was merely a Sanshou coach at a Branch Martial Arts Gym. Their statuses were worlds apart.

If not for the other party remembering their old ties, then despite being older, he would have had to respectfully address Cao Tong as senior brother.

"No."

"Senior Brother Lu, simply make the arrangements. We are only here to supervise."

Cao Tong spoke in a low, sonorous voice.

Coach Lu nodded. The students on the field immediately began warming up, clearly not daring to waste any more time.

In the blink of an eye, they stretched, loosened up, and threw punches.

Shouts rang out one after another, and the Practice Field, spanning a full several hundred square meters, soon became lively.

"Junior Brother Lu, are there any promising talents in this batch that you think highly of?"

Someone from the Assessment Panel asked. Coach Lu instinctively glanced at Xu Dongtai and Chen Feng on the field.

The former had once been the student he had thought most highly of, with hopes of reaching the Professional Grade.

Moreover, he had heard that Xu Dongtai had acquired some Secret Medicine these past two days.

But...

After thinking it over, he pointed in Chen Feng's direction instead and said honestly, "That student is very impressive."

"He underwent Martial Awakening a week ago. He changes by the day. In just seven days, he went from never having started to being Proficient in Sanshou, crossing five ranks in a row."

"Personally, I believe his talent is extremely high. He is fully qualified to enter our Martial Arts Hall's Core Class."

Words fell, and Cao Tong remained expressionless, but the two people behind him raised their brows.

Martial Awakening?

Such cases were rare, but without exception, all of them had eventually reached at least the Professional Grade.

"Senior Brother Lu, are you sure it was Martial Awakening rather than a simple enlightenment in Sanshou?"

Cao Tong asked. Coach Lu hesitated slightly.

There was a considerable difference between Martial Awakening and ordinary enlightenment.

The former was a true transformation of talent, allowing one to go far on the martial path.

The latter was merely a sudden realization regarding a single Martial Art. One might improve rapidly in a short period of time, but it would be difficult to sustain.

"Most likely."

After some thought, Coach Lu gritted his teeth and said it.

He believed in his judgment, and he could not bear to see such a genius buried by the Martial Arts Hall.

After all, he knew Xu Dongtai had obtained Secret Medicine, and his strength had soared. He was probably close to Amateur Seventh Dan by now.

Compared to that, Chen Feng had awakened too recently. Today's Free-for-All Assessment was likely to be difficult for him, and he could very well lose.

"Martial Awakening requires quite some time to verify. Senior brother Lu, be careful not to misjudge him."

Someone from the Assessment Panel offered a reminder, clearly believing the possibility was slim.

After all, if the judgment proved wrong and the Martial Arts Hall made an exception to recruit someone into the core, wasting resources—

Then the recommender would have to bear the corresponding punishment.

"Junior Brother Zhao, I..."

Coach Lu wanted to argue, but another member of the Assessment Panel soon shook his head.

"Junior Brother Lu, Martial Awakening is far too elusive. There have not been many in our Martial Arts Hall's history, and in this generation, there is only Junior Uncle Master."

"Junior Brother Zhao is also worried that you may be implicated and punished. Don't blame him for speaking too much."

Words fell, and Coach Lu knew that was true.

With a sigh, he did not argue further and could only look toward Cao Tong in the end.

Cao Tong was the person in charge of this assessment. Whether Chen Feng could still obtain Core Disciple status after failing the assessment depended on whether Cao Tong was willing to speak up.

"Let's watch first."

Cao Tong remained expressionless, like a High Tower.

Solemn and still.

Seeing this, Coach Lu tactfully said no more. He merely turned his head in silence and looked toward Chen Feng on the Practice Field.

Chen Feng, Chen Feng, I did all I could.

I hope you can make junior brother Cao sit up and take notice.

"Zheng Qiang, are you really planning to help Xu Dongtai?"

On the Practice Field, Yu Shan stood close to Zheng Qiang and asked quietly.

"Bullshit. Why wouldn't I make money when there's money to be made?"

"A full ten thousand yuan. Even ordinary fighters don't get paid that much."

Zheng Qiang looked at Yu Shan as though he were an idiot, making the latter raise his brows.

"Of course, there's also a personal grudge."

Zheng Qiang knew his thoughts had been seen through, so he did not hide them.

"That brat humiliated me completely that day. I couldn't even hold my head up for days."

"Now that I finally have an opportunity, I have to get my revenge."

Words fell, and Yu Shan wore an expression of just as I thought.

Then, looking at the young figure warming up in the corner, he could not help but show A Trace of pity.

What a shame.

What did talent matter?

"Dong Ge, Zheng Qiang and Yu Shan won't betray us, right?"

On the Practice Field, Zhou Xin stood beside Xu Dongtai, warming up with him as he asked cautiously.

The Free-for-All Assessment was about to begin, and he worried that those two would turn traitor.

"As long as they aren't idiots, they know what to do."

Xu Dongtai spoke expressionlessly, filled with powerful confidence.

Then, while standing in place and working his joints and muscles, his gaze slowly shifted, lingering for several seconds in the direction of the Assessment Panel.

Cao Tong!

He had not expected this man to come oversee the assessment.

Professional Seventh Grade, with hopes of becoming a Sect Successor.

The private coach hired by his family had praised Cao Tong's formidable strength more than once.

If he could display even greater potential in today's Free-for-All Assessment, he might have a chance to earn Cao Tong's appreciation and gain a powerful backer.

At that thought, Xu Dongtai's eyes burned, and a flicker of longing passed through them.

Then, his gaze shifted.

Finally, he looked toward the figure in the corner, quietly warming up with Lin Hao.

As if noticing his gaze, Chen Feng turned his head to look over.

As their eyes met, Xu Dongtai sneered, raised a hand, and drew it horizontally across his throat, his face full of mockery.

After taking Secret Medicine, he was already close to having the strength of Amateur Seventh Dan.

Not to mention that Zheng Qiang and Yu Shan had both been won over by him.

Therefore, Chen Feng, who had once barely posed some threat, was now no more than an ant he could crush at will.

The thought flashed through his mind. Xu Dongtai's expression turned indifferent as he withdrew his condescending gaze.

His joints had loosened, and his muscles were gradually warming.

He knew the Core Disciple slot was his!