Citywide Simulation

Three days later, First Martial Arts Stadium, Jiangnan City.

The venue buzzed with voices, yet the atmosphere was grim. The citywide mock assessment for senior-year martial arts students would be held here. The massive circular stadium was packed with parents, teachers from various schools, and lower-year students who had come to observe. At its center stood dozens of standard arenas, along with a Simulated Wilderness Zone shrouded by an energy barrier.

Students from different schools stood in formation by section, dressed in uniforms of different colors. Third Middle School's blue uniforms were hardly noticeable among them.

"Look, it's First High School's 'Thunder Sword' Zhao Feng! I heard he's already at the peak of Quasi-Martial Artist!"

"And Second High School's 'Phantom Steps' Zhou Min! Even the teachers praise her movement techniques!"

"This year's top ten will probably be swept up by those elite schools again..."

The murmurs were filled with awe for the geniuses of prestigious schools. Most Third Middle School students remained silent, their momentum clearly a notch weaker. Zhang Kuang stood at the back of the formation with his arm in a cast, his face dark as his venomous gaze remained fixed on Lin Feng, who stood ahead with his eyes closed in quiet repose.

Liu Feifei stood among the girls, looking at the high-spirited geniuses around her, then at the stifling atmosphere of her own school. Her feelings were a tangled mess, and her gaze drifted to Lin Feng again. Ever since that practical combat class, Lin Feng had become utterly unfamiliar and mysterious in her eyes.

Instructor Li Zhenhai stood at the very front of Third Middle School's formation. His gaze swept over his school's promising students before finally settling on Lin Feng, expectation hidden in his eyes. He knew that today might be the day this Hidden Dragon officially soared into the heavens.

"Silence!" On the podium, a middle-aged martial artist with an aura as deep as an abyss and as steady as a mountain spoke. His voice was not loud, yet it clearly drowned out the clamor of the entire venue. "I hereby announce that Jiangnan City's martial arts mock assessment has officially begun!"

"First event, Strength Test! Proceed in school order!"

In the strength testing area, a row of the latest Punching Power Testers gleamed with cold, hard light. The students stepped forward one after another and struck the testing pads with all their strength.

"Third Middle School, Wang Hao, 685 kilograms!"

"Third Middle School, Li Qiang, 722 kilograms!"

Most results fell between 600 and 800 kilograms, the normal standard for mid-to-late-stage martial apprentices.

"First High School, Zhao Feng, 1,588 kilograms!" As the cold electronic voice rang out, gasps erupted throughout the stadium. Zhao Feng withdrew his fist and stood calmly, as though he had merely done something insignificant.

"Too strong! Nearly 1,600 kilograms—his strength already rivals that of a Beginner Martial Artist!"

"As expected of the 'Thunder Sword'! This mock assessment's Top Scholar is definitely his!"

Praise rang out without end. Zhao Feng's performance was like a towering mountain pressing down on the hearts of countless students.

It was Third Middle School's last few students' turn.

"Third Middle School, Zhang Kuang!" Zhang Kuang stepped forward with one arm hanging at his side and smashed his uninjured left fist into the testing pad.

"1,125 kilograms!" It was a decent score, but far worse than his peak condition. His expression darkened even further.

"Next, Third Middle School, Lin Feng!"

Almost no one paid attention. What dazzling performance could an ordinary student from Third Middle School possibly deliver? Reaching 800 kilograms would already be impressive.

Lin Feng calmly walked to the tester. Unlike the others, he did not spend a long time gathering strength. He simply stood at ease, recalled the technique of condensing and unleashing force from the Nine Heavens Thunder Blade, circulated his blood and qi, then threw a punch!

His movement was smooth and seemed unhurried, yet the instant his fist touched the testing pad, it erupted with a short, muffled boom.

Bzz—

The number on the display leaped wildly before finally freezing.

1,488 kilograms!

The entire venue fell abruptly silent!

Countless gazes instantly focused on the slender youth in a faded blue school uniform.

1,488 kilograms?! Third Middle School? Lin Feng? Where had this monster come from? His strength was actually closing in on First High School's Zhao Feng!

"What?!" Zhang Kuang's pupils shrank violently, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. "Impossible! He clearly..." He could not accept this reality.

Liu Feifei covered her mouth with her small hand, her beautiful eyes filled with shock. 1,488 kilograms! This had already far exceeded the limits of her imagination! At last, she understood what kind of confidence and power lay behind Lin Feng's words: "My path, I'll walk it myself."

In the stands, teachers from every school also cast surprised looks his way, asking one another about this dark horse who had suddenly emerged.

A gratified smile appeared on Instructor Li Zhenhai's face as he clenched his fist tightly.

On the podium, the middle-aged martial artist gave a slight nod and wrote something in his notebook.

After the Strength Test, Lin Feng's name entered the sight of Jiangnan City's top geniuses for the first time.

"Second event, Reaction Speed Test!"

"Third event, Neural Reflex Test!"

Lin Feng's performance remained astonishing. He received an excellent rating in the Reaction Speed Test and even scored full marks in the Neural Reflex Test! With his powerful mental strength, the rubber bullets flying toward him seemed to move in slow motion.

After the three basic tests, Lin Feng's overall ranking had astonishingly squeezed into the citywide top twenty! He had left many seeded contestants from prestigious schools behind him!

Third Middle School's morale soared, and the students looked at Lin Feng with eyes full of worship and excitement.

After a brief rest, the broadcast announced the final assessment:

"Final event, Combat Points Match! All examinees will enter the Simulated Wilderness Zone! One hundred Tier 1 Low-Ranked Demonic Beasts, Ironhide Jackals, and twenty Tier 1 Mid-Ranked Demonic Beasts, Wind Shadow Wolves, have been released into the area! Each Ironhide Jackal killed earns 10 points, while each Wind Shadow Wolf killed earns 50 points! Examinees may compete against one another, but deliberate maiming or killing is forbidden. Violators will be disqualified! Assessment time: three hours! Begin now!"

Bzz—

The enormous energy barrier opened, revealing the simulated wilderness behind it, filled with jagged boulders and sparse shrubs.

"Charge!"

Nearly a thousand examinees surged in like floodwaters bursting through a dam!

Lin Feng's gaze sharpened. His body swayed, and like a fish slipping through water, he deftly threaded through the crowd and rushed into the wilderness ahead of everyone else. After several leaps, he vanished among the rocks.

"What incredible speed!" someone cried out from the stands.

"Hmph, what use is running fast? In the wilderness, it's strength and brains that matter!" Other schools' geniuses scoffed disdainfully.

Upon entering the wilderness zone, Lin Feng immediately slowed down. His mental strength focused to the limit as he sensed the movements around him. The optimized Basic Body Forging Technique - Quenching Chapter had made him exceptionally sensitive to the flow of spiritual energy.

"To the left front, there's a stench of blood." He shifted his steps and silently crept over.

Behind a massive boulder, three Ironhide Jackals that resembled local mutts, though their fur glinted with metallic luster, were gnawing on something. Their sense of smell was sharp, and they immediately discovered the approaching Lin Feng. Baring their fangs, they growled and pounced!

Ironhide Jackals possessed roughly 800 kilograms of strength and average speed, but their fur was tough. Ordinary martial apprentices found it difficult to break through their defenses.

Facing the pounce of three demonic beasts, Lin Feng's gaze remained calm. A flicker of lightning flashed beneath his feet—Thunder Flash!

His figure shifted sideways like a ghost, evading the frontal assault. At the same time, his right fist shot out like a venomous snake leaving its hole, his blood and qi instantly stacking—Thunderclap Break!

Thump!

Amid a faint rumble of thunder, his fist struck the relatively vulnerable waist and abdomen of the foremost Ironhide Jackal with perfect precision! More than 2,200 kilograms of terrifying explosive force penetrated instantly!

Awooo! The Ironhide Jackal let out a short, miserable howl. Its waist caved in at an unnatural angle, blood spraying from its mouth and nose as it collapsed and twitched on the ground, clearly beyond saving.

The other two Ironhide Jackals charged again without fear of death.

Lin Feng moved once more, his footwork exquisite as he calmly weaved through the two demonic beasts' pincer attack. His fists flashed like lightning!

Bang! Bang!

Two more Thunderclap Breaks, precise and vicious, both struck vital points!

In just a few breaths, all three Ironhide Jackals were dead!

Lin Feng skillfully used a special dagger to cut off their left ears as proof, raising his score by 30 points. The entire process was clean and swift, without the slightest drag.

"Too inefficient." Lin Feng frowned. Searching for them one by one wasted too much time. He needed a bigger disturbance, or... a more efficient target.

His gaze swept around before finally locking onto a direction—there came faintly more savage howls, fierce sounds of battle, and... a trace of blood in the air.

"Wind Shadow Wolves... perfect."

His figure flashed, blending into the shadows among the rocks once more. Like the most seasoned hunter, he crept toward the region where danger and opportunity coexisted.

The mock assessment entered its white-hot stage!