His Strength Exposed

Jiangnan Base City, main urban district.

Thunderclap Martial Arts Headquarters.

After more than ten minutes of fierce combat, the battle was over.

Ning Ze still stood gracefully on the arena, holding his sword in one hand and pointing it at Wan Dong's throat. This time, his other hand was not behind his back.

Wan Dong's eyes, however, were somewhat dazed. After that battle, he had only one feeling: helplessness.

His strength was clearly greater, yet his opponent's defense was impenetrable and flawless, leaving him nowhere to attack.

He did not even know how he had lost, nor how he had lasted those ten minutes...

The martial artists from Thunderclap Martial Arts School around them all wore dark expressions.

Ning Ze came to Shu Yi's side and shielded his girlfriend. He looked around with an awkward smile. "Um... seniors, if there's nothing else, I'll be going."

Silence.

Everyone looked at him with hostile eyes.

Still, they moved aside and made way for him to leave.

Shu Yi timidly grabbed his sleeve and whispered, "Your act of going easy on him was way too obvious."

Ning Ze hurriedly waved his arm and bumped her slender waist. "Don't talk nonsense!"

He said righteously, "It was my honor to spar with a genius from Thunderclap Martial Arts School today. I gained a great deal from that battle. Seniors, I'm a little tired, so I'll be leaving first."

He felt utterly helpless inside. He had not done it on purpose—Ning Hua had never taught him how to throw a match!

He was a warrior with abundant combat experience, while Wan Dong was so weak that he had not even undergone the Warrior Practical Combat Assessment. That guy had not cultivated any secret manual!

Ning Ze had no idea how to act...

Who was to blame for this?

These people simply would not let him leave. What could he do?

All he could do was tearfully accept another 20 million.

As soon as he finished speaking, Ning Ze steeled himself and headed outside. When he reached the middle of the crowd seeing him off, his phone chimed. "Your card ending in 3386 received a deposit of 20,000,000 Huaxia Coin from Industrial and Commercial Bank of China at 08:45 on July 16. Balance: 40,014,325."

The atmosphere instantly turned frigid enough to make one's hair stand on end.

Without looking aside, Ning Ze grabbed his girlfriend's hand and quickly led her out. He did not need to look to know that the martial artists of Thunderclap Martial Arts School were already boiling with rage.

Originally, he had wanted Zhai Yanko to hear the sound of the money arriving. Zhai Yanko had indeed heard it earlier, but Ning Ze had been stopped and forgotten to turn it off.

Shu Yi tucked her head down like a little quail, pressing herself tightly against Ning Ze, looking utterly weak and helpless.

The two walked out and continued for several dozen steps.

Ning Ze glanced back. Seeing that no one had chased out through the glass doors of the first-floor lobby, he finally let out a long breath of relief.

Truthfully, he did feel somewhat pleased with himself. What did it feel like when none of the young people present could match him?

He had never experienced such a glorious moment. It was as though a spotlight shone upon him and he was the protagonist on stage, making him want to linger a little longer.

But reason told him that if he stayed any longer, someone might lose control.

What would happen if he humiliated Thunderclap Martial Arts School?

Just thinking about it made Ning Ze's scalp tingle.

Especially since this was not a contest between the two martial arts schools. None of the higher-ups from Limitless Martial Arts School were present. This was entirely his own doing...

What warriors valued most was their pride!

If he offended nearly half the warriors on Earth, would he still be able to enter the Wilderness Area?

"Mwah!"

Lost in thought, Ning Ze received an enthusiastic bear hug and a passionate kiss.

"Zeze! You were so handsome!"

Shu Yi could not contain her feelings and made a bold move unlike anything she had ever done before.

Ning Ze felt rather pleased, but he was unbearably embarrassed on the surface. Not even his classmates in elementary school had called him that. She had learned that nickname from his mother!

"Don't call me by my nickname outside. If you're feeling emotional, call me husband. Actually... I did make an effort to fight."

He felt that everyone had misunderstood something. Anyone with sense would not want this kind of attention; it was too dangerous.

He had seriously tried to put on an act, but the two of them were operating on completely different levels in combat. The openings he deliberately exposed were ones Wan Dong did not even take.

How could a one-man show not be awkward?

He tried to explain himself. At the very least, having the person beside him understand would offer some psychological comfort.

"Pfft."

It would have been better if he had not said that. The moment he did, Shu Yi burst into laughter and nearly doubled over.

Ning Ze's mouth twitched. This time, he had not been trying to be funny.

Today was just strange. No one believed him when he told the truth.

After laughing heartily, Shu Yi reproached him playfully. "You're so bad! You made it so obvious that you were going easy on him. Were you giving him face, or deliberately humiliating him?"

"Let's go. We gained quite a lot today, so I'll take you to the Underground Alliance for a look around."

Ning Ze decided to give up explaining. Throughout his entire life, there had never been such words as going easy in his experience.

Ning Hua's standard was simple: a mistake meant a beating.

The greater the mistake, the more pain his body would suffer.

Therefore, he had fought with all his strength during that battle. But he still had to act, so he deliberately exposed openings and put himself at a disadvantage, yet his opponent failed to seize them.

He could not understand what Wan Dong had been thinking. Gale Sword Master was a killing sword technique, far too fierce. With a casual swing, the other side could not defend at all, and did not even notice...

He could only hastily pull back when victory was at hand, doing his best to prolong the fight.

That battle had truly exhausted him.

For the first time, he felt that fighting could actually be so difficult!

As for Zhai Yanko, Ning Ze did not take him seriously at all. He would just beat him up as usual, then send him some money. Was there any need to care about someone like that?

The two happily went on their date, discussing how they could indulge themselves a little.

Thunderclap Martial Arts School, second-floor VIP room.

The four chief instructors watched the recording from the first-floor lobby with thoughtful expressions.

At that moment, the lobby was completely silent. Only after half a minute did someone speak.

"Wan Dong's loss was not unfair. That kid... I feel like he might even be stronger than me." An Intermediate Warrior with rich combat experience spoke with an ugly expression. After fighting in the Wilderness Area for twenty years, losing to a newcomer truly did not feel good.

"Every move was a killing blow, yet every move also held back. Golden Fire Bear raised a fine son. Hmm... he trained him well too." A Warlord-level expert sighed, still recalling the battle from moments ago.

"Wan Dong is still too immature. The gap in their combat experience is too great; there is simply no comparison. And..." The Warlord expert who had previously looked down his nose at everyone narrowed his eyes. "I don't know if I'm mistaken, but that sword art filled with killing moves and those attacks as fierce as a storm gave off a powerful momentum even from below the stage. The secret manual he cultivated should be the top-tier Gale Sword Master! Wan Dong was completely beaten senseless. He could not even see those killing moves. I just did not witness the moment that sword momentum suddenly poured forth, so I can't be entirely certain."

Very few people cultivated top-tier secret manuals. They were not common.

He had already acknowledged Ning Ze's combat power, and he no longer bore much ill will toward him. He could sense that Ning Ze had tried hard to preserve everyone's dignity, but Wan Dong was simply too weak. The two could not communicate on the same wavelength.

Strength did not grow for nothing. The amount of strength one possessed was proportional to the effort one put in. Such combat experience could not have been gained in a single day. That lame Beginner Warlord truly had some skill to raise such an outstanding son.

As a warrior himself, he felt gratified to see such an exceptional young man!

The VIP room upstairs.

"Bzz!"

The display shut off, and a four-pointed star flashed briefly in the center.

The burly chief instructor put down the remote and asked in a deep voice, "What do you all think?"

"Gale Sword Master truly lives up to its reputation. That kid's sword moves are also extremely seasoned. If our physical qualities were equal, I would have to be cautious even against such overwhelming sword momentum." Old Zhang's expression was solemn.

"Graceful on the surface, but hiding lethal intent beneath. Their combat power is not even on the same level. We underestimated him. Wan Dong is still too immature. Perhaps after tempering himself in the Wilderness Area for a few months, he could block a few moves, but winning..." The grim-faced chief instructor shook his head, then added, "Unless Wan Dong also cultivates a top-tier secret manual, he has no hope of winning."

Old Zhang narrowed his eyes. "This kid is too good at hiding. He even fooled the martial arts school! His strength is at least 2,800 kilograms now. Even if he gained 200 kilograms in a month, his first absorption of Cosmic Energy must have increased his strength by more than 1,600 kilograms!"

"In fact, I feel that he has hidden even more strength. I even suspect that he has mastered the First Layer. He only passed the Warrior Practical Combat Assessment on July 1. It has only been half a month!"

The three men's eyes were filled with shock. Mastering the First Layer of Gale Sword Master in half a month was simply absurd.

An absolute combat genius!

Thunderclap Martial Arts School did not log into Limitless Home. They had their own internal network, and information about the Warrior Practical Combat Assessment came through multiple channels. However, purchasing secret manuals was something only the higher-ups of Limitless Martial Arts School could view.

"You interacted with that kid. What do you think?" Old Zhang asked gravely.

Pu Nan's eyes were filled with contemplation as he asked in confusion, "According to the supply station records, he only stayed in the Wilderness Area for one day on his first trip. A genius like him would not just take a stroll and come back. There was no Beast Tide in City No. 096, and there were not even many warrior squads there. Warfire Squad was considered one of the strongest, and there was no danger at all. They had no reason to return."

"Yet they did return, and they traveled back during the daytime heat. The whole team seemed somewhat anxious. After returning, the other members of the squad headed back into the Wilderness Area, while Ning Ze alone returned home to cultivate. Gentlemen, don't you find that strange?"

Old Zhang seemed to realize something and quickly said, "When someone returns from the Wilderness Area, it is either because there have been casualties, something happened at home, or someone has gained an insight and made a breakthrough."

"You mean he comprehended Force Generation on his first day in the Wilderness Area? That was only one week after he passed the combat assessment." Old Zhang grew somewhat agitated. "Damn it, Limitless Martial Arts School actually produced a genius like this!"

Pu Nan nodded slightly, indicating that was exactly what he meant.

Then he narrowed his eyes, his voice drifting as he said, "Also... don't you think he looked far too relaxed during the fight?"

"Even with rich combat experience, he should have been somewhat serious. Yet from beginning to end, he was not nervous in the slightest. Even when Wan Dong forced him into a desperate situation while he was going easy on him, he still looked as though he were taking a leisurely stroll."

"What gave him such confidence? I even felt that he was careless several times and was about to be defeated. His movement technique seemed especially well-coordinated!"

"But something feels strange to me. What do you think?"

"You mean that kid's movement technique has also reached the Micro-level?" Old Zhang felt his teeth ache.

Pu Nan said nothing. He simply took out the remote and replayed the battle footage.

Ten minutes.

The VIP room fell silent, with only the battle footage playing on the screen.

Those who could serve as regional chief instructors for Thunderclap Martial Arts School were naturally no fools. After careful observation, they too discovered something unusual.

The video continued playing, then replayed the same ten minutes after it ended.

"Sure enough... his movement technique has definitely reached the Microscopic Level. Eight times, his instinctive evasions were off by only a hair. That calm, unhurried expression clearly showed that he had everything under control. He comprehended Force Generation and also a Microscopic Level movement technique." Old Zhang felt his gums itch.

The grim-faced chief instructor began to laugh. "Since he is Golden Fire Bear's son, he definitely will not join our martial arts school."

"He wants to hide? Then we'll expose him!"

"He thinks he can just leave after humiliating Thunderclap Martial Arts School? Does he really think we can't see through him? That would be the truly embarrassing thing."

"Thunderclap Martial Arts School can afford to lose to such a genius! This month, we lost. Next month, we'll continue!"

Pu Nan immediately laughed upon hearing that. "That works. I wanted to invite him when I was on the train, but I never got the chance. That kid directly declined. Now it is time for him to pay it back. He actually gave me attitude—does that do justice to my appreciation for talent?"

"He wants to hide under the eyes of us Advanced Warlords? Impossible!"

"Hahaha!"

The four chief instructors of Thunderclap Martial Arts School burst into laughter. If Limitless Martial Arts School wanted to hide a genius, they had no problem working against them!

Since they could not recruit him anyway, they might as well recover some of their dignity.

Clear Spring Street, Limitless Branch.

This was a four-story branch martial arts school. Though it was only a branch, it occupied twenty thousand square meters, not much smaller than a large shopping center.

The first floor was where beginner trainees practiced. A burly man standing eight feet tall strode proudly across the floor.

"Creak!"

"Clack!"

One person, two different footstep sounds. The golden prosthetic limb on his right leg was especially conspicuous.

Ning Hua's sharp gaze swept across the trainees. His stern expression made him appear exceedingly strict. Whenever he spotted a trainee making a mistake, he would kick them without a word, then follow it with a comparatively "gentle" and earnest lesson using himself as an example.

The trainees were tense from his scolding, but they still gritted their teeth and persevered, displaying remarkable determination.

The intermediate and advanced trainees on the second floor had already undergone this sort of baptism. He could only come to the first floor and start educating them while they were young.

After making the rounds, Ning Hua sighed inwardly. Not bad. They're all good kids. They have a little of Xiao Ze's resilience. They aren't afraid of being beaten and don't get nervous from being scolded. If they cultivate diligently now and become warriors in the future, they'll suffer fewer accidents.

He lowered his head to glance at his gleaming golden prosthetic limb, a faint smile appearing on his face. He had never expected that after becoming disabled, "it" would serve such a purpose. These little brats from the martial arts school were not so obedient.

Young people were all stubborn. Without "it," it would be impossible for them not to feel resentment after getting beaten.

"Ding... ding..."

A crisp notification sounded. Ning Hua looked down at the Big Gold Watch on his wrist. When he saw the caller, his expression changed drastically and he quickly connected the call.

"Director." Ning Hua's attitude was extremely respectful.

The video showed a refined young man. Powerful warriors generally looked youthful; only those who broke through relatively late appeared old.

"Ning Hua, you told me your son was a genius?" Director Dongfang's expression carried an indescribable hint of something.

Ning Hua froze for a moment, then said seriously, "Yes. I dare guarantee that he has definitely comprehended a Microscopic Level movement technique!"

Director Dongfang's expression became somewhat strange, and a trace of anger appeared in his eyes. "I'm not talking about his movement technique!"

Ning Hua blinked, panic rising in his heart. Had Director Dongfang heard something? What had happened today?

He bowed and asked quietly, "Did something happen to him?"

Director Dongfang said expressionlessly, "He's at Thunderclap Martial Arts School!" His dark gaze seemed to say, Are you trying to become a traitor?

Ning Hua's eyes gradually widened until they became round as saucers. He assured him decisively, "Director, I absolutely have no intention of switching sides. If he dares to mess around, I'll break his legs!..."

Director Dongfang's expression softened somewhat, and he gently interrupted, "Enough, I understand. Now tell me properly about your son. Why does Thunderclap Martial Arts School say he hid his strength? Why are there rumors that, besides comprehending a Microscopic Level movement technique, he also comprehended Force Generation?"

Ning Hua was stunned, then immediately understood. That brat had gone out to fight someone. He was a little worried, but there should not be too much danger within the Base City. He could only answer Director Dongfang's questions first, then ask Ning Ze about it.

"Director..." He began recounting Ning Ze's growth.