But after Su Ye threw several punches and shattered every doubt, he did not spare her a single glance.
Instead, he calmly stepped off the platform and strolled back to Class 6's ranks.
That only darkened Lin Qingyue's expression. She clenched her teeth so hard she trembled, anger surging within her!
I underestimated you, Su Ye!
I admit your talent for tempering Martial Bones may not be much worse than mine.
But the path of martial arts isn't just about tempering Martial Bones. There's the Breathing Meditation Method, comprehension of martial techniques, and so much more to consider!
What can talent for tempering Martial Bones alone accomplish?
She suppressed her anger and swept a cold gaze over Su Ye as he left the platform beneath everyone's awed, conflicted stares. Her pride and sense of superiority returned.
Fang Yuan of Class 6 also watched Su Ye with mixed feelings, unwilling to accept what he had seen.
He had thought he would be the standout in his class, second only to Ye Xingli and Lin Qingyue.
He had even been able to console himself.
After all, he had tempered one fewer Martial Bone than they had. If they had tempered the same number, his punching force might have surpassed theirs, proving his foundation was stronger.
But at the same level, Su Ye's punching force had far surpassed his!
Wan Yue, meanwhile, had gone pale with disbelief.
The moment his eyes met Su Ye's, he hurriedly looked away, not daring to hold his gaze!
Was this a joke?!
That brat tempered ten Martial Bones and punched with a thousand kilograms of force?!
He wanted nothing more than to crawl into a crack between the rocks. His face burned, and even his ears had turned red!
Su Ye's words suddenly came back to him: You're not worthy!
Wasn't that exactly right?
How could someone who'd tempered a mere five Martial Bones be worthy?!
Su Ye's number of tempered Martial Bones might not have broken the school record, but his perfect foundation and punching force of over a thousand kilograms were undoubtedly record-level achievements!
"Su Ye, you're amazing."
As Su Ye stepped down, Yao Hong, who had tempered nine Martial Bones, gently adjusted her black-framed glasses and smiled. Beneath her innocent air was a hint of distinctive allure.
Su Ye looked at her and nodded lightly. "You too."
Yao Hong's grades had been average before, and she had kept such a low profile that she barely had a presence.
But looking at her closely now, Su Ye noticed how striking her eyes were. They held a peculiar allure, while her black-framed glasses and short hair lent her an innocent charm.
"Brother Ye, what miracle drug did you take?"
Zhang Yuan could only blurt out the question, too stunned for words.
Everyone else thought Brother Ye had spent a month reaching this level, but Zhang Yuan knew that was not what had happened at all!
After Su Ye left the platform, the crowd below remained quiet. For a while, no one dared go up.
Seeing this, Sun Rui smiled faintly and smoothed the creases in his clothes. Once everything was neat, he said,
"Student Su Ye has a perfect foundation. Clearly, he works hard day to day, and that deserves praise."
"The rest of you needn't lose heart. Everyone has their own gifts."
"The path of martial arts involves more than tempering Martial Bones. Breathing Techniques and martial techniques are just as important."
Ten tempered Martial Bones and a punching force above a thousand kilograms were rare indeed.
It had even set a record at Shenyun First High School. But across Shenyun City, Tiandong Province, or the entire country, quite a few such students could be found!
From what he knew, remarkable prospects had emerged this year at Shenyun's other three prestigious schools as well.
His reassuring words lifted many students' spirits, and they nodded, taking comfort in them.
"Besides, getting ahead early on the martial path doesn't mean you'll stay ahead!"
"Take Martial God Ma Teng. His strength grew steadily over time. He showed little promise at first, then surged forward and climbed step by step to the pinnacle!"
With those examples in mind, the students felt much better.
The remaining students then took turns on the platform, and the testing moved quickly.
There was no shortage of impressive students among them. Several had even tempered ten Martial Bones.
"This year's competition really is on another level!"
Su Ye shook his head in amazement. When had past years ever been this extreme?
Normally, tempering ten Martial Bones would give a student a solid shot at the top three, with a chance at first place.
This year, more than five students had already reached ten Martial Bones!
"It's not just our school. The other schools are something else this year too," Zhang Yuan said, picking up Su Ye's point.
His father was a manager at the Pill Immortal Pavilion, so he had plenty of sources.
"All Four Great High Schools in Shenyun City are performing far above previous years."
Su Ye nodded.
The city's four best high schools were collectively known as the Four Great High Schools.
Shenyun First High School was one of them.
Time passed, and at last every class had finished testing.
"Eleven Martial Bones: two students."
"Ten Martial Bones: six students."
"Nine Martial Bones: eleven students."
Several teachers spoke quietly among themselves. "This year really is remarkable!"
"At least when it comes to tempering Martial Bones, our school is no worse than the other two schools."
"I wonder if the Breathing Meditation Method test will reveal any promising students?"
The Azure Cloud Breathing Technique had four levels.
Beginner, minor mastery, major mastery, and perfection!
A Breathing Technique strengthened the mind and improved control over one's body and power, allowing a practitioner to perceive the smallest details and wield force at will!
"Chengde Middle School tested before us. I hear they had one student reach perfection, three reach major mastery, and twelve reach minor mastery."
The grade director nodded slightly, his eyes glinting.
"Students from the great families, like Lin Qingyue and Ye Xingli, should do well in this area."
The teachers nodded, finding that easy to believe.
The Four Great Families had abundant resources and deep reserves.
Beyond extraordinarily rare pills, they could accelerate progress in the Breathing Meditation Method by having high-level Martial Artists apply pressure with their auras. They could even build dedicated chambers from demon materials to speed up practice.
They had plenty of ways to do it!
It would surprise no one if Lin Qingyue and Ye Xingli had reached perfection!
Principal Sun Rui stepped onto the platform. The murmurs below receded like a tide, and everyone looked toward the gentle old man with his immaculate appearance.
"Next is the Breathing Meditation Method test."
Principal Sun Rui waved a hand. A fiery-red bead the size of a fist, covered in unusual patterns, appeared in his palm.
He opened his hand, and the patterned bead floated up and down in midair.
Su Ye's eyes narrowed, his expression turning serious. Is that... a Demon Core?!
Every great demon in the Blood Nourishing Realm formed a Demon Core within its body!
It held the accumulated power of its cultivation and was extremely precious!
That single Demon Core alone would fetch nearly a million on the market!
That was why many Martial Artists who reached a certain level left the city to hunt demons. The risks were high, but the profits were astonishing!
Demon Cores had many uses for Martial Artists. They could be added to pills, supply energy to certain special Formation Arrays, or aid in cultivating particular Cultivation Methods.
Su Ye had heard that unless one possessed extraordinary talent, many top-tier martial techniques and meditation methods required a specific Demon Core to grasp their underlying intent and begin learning them. With one, progress could be twice as fast for half the effort.
"This is an Azure Tiger Demon Core from the Mid Blood Nourishing stage," Sun Rui said clearly.
"Next, I'll link it to our school's Formation Array and draw out its Demonic Might to create a simulated environment."
"As time passes, that Demonic Might will grow stronger."
"Use your Breathing Meditation Method. This will test both your mastery of it and your perseverance and composure!"
The second test was about to begin!
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