Extreme Shadow Sword Intent—Should I Step Forward?

"Martial skills are divided into nine ranks, and the Dao of alchemy has nine levels."

"For those of you in the Bone Tempering Realm, the martial skills you can cultivate are First-Rank to Third-Rank Martial Skills."

"As for Fourth-Rank and above, they are unsuitable for you and belong to Martial Artists of higher realms."

"Powerful martial skills often possess unimaginable abilities, allowing you to face opponents with greater composure and a richer arsenal of methods."

Sun Rui looked over the many youthful, focused faces below and spoke slowly.

"The Extreme Shadow Swordplay is an introductory sword technique. Though it has not been ranked, its power and difficulty are no less than many First-Rank Martial Skills. It is a mandatory martial skill in the College Entrance Examination."

"It is divided into four levels: Afterimage, Void Shadow, Shadowless, and Extreme Shadow!"

At the mention of the College Entrance Examination, the breathing of many students present noticeably quickened!

The martial arts College Entrance Examination—if they could successfully enter an outstanding martial arts university, or even one of the foremost Five Great Academies, their future prospects would surely be boundless!

Social standing and a future in martial arts would be within easy reach!

Which student who chose the Martial Arts Class did not hope to rise against the tide and soar through martial arts?

"In this era, the existence of martial arts truly gives people more hope." Su Ye swept his gaze across the expectant, excited expressions of the students around him.

"But..."

"The truly top-tier resources are still held in the hands of those great families and powerful factions!"

He had only returned to the Su Family for a month and had not even been acknowledged yet, so there was not much he had come into contact with or learned.

Yet from the smallest details, he could see the whole leopard through a bamboo tube and glimpse just how terrifying the Foundation of the Su Family and the other three great families was.

For someone of Lin Qingyue's direct bloodline, pills like First-Level Bone Tempering Pills, which cost five thousand each, could be eaten like candy.

Even in cultivation, they had all kinds of high-level Martial Artists to guide them, allowing them to avoid countless detours!

There was even less need to mention Breathing Techniques.

Ordinary people could only wait obediently for the school to teach them the Azure Cloud Breathing Technique. These children of great families, however, had already been taught even more advanced visualization Breathing Techniques. They could begin cultivating them early. Though their energy could not yet fully merge due to their Martial Bones not having been tempered, making cultivation slower, their starting point was still higher than that of ordinary people.

And martial skills?

Su Ye still had to scrimp and calculate every expense to afford enrollment in a cram class.

For someone like Lin Qingyue, she had more than one or two private tutors!

Su Ye sighed. He could only say that the possibility of turning one's life around existed, but resources and opportunities were likewise largely monopolized by these powerful forces!

Immediately afterward, Sun Rui explained the method for this test.

A martial skill test like this was much simpler than the previous two.

After all, it required neither precise numerical values like punching strength nor tests of Spiritual Power and mental fortitude.

"When I call out the students of each corresponding level, come forward and demonstrate once."

A simple and direct testing method!

For skill-based moves like martial skills, every stage generally had obvious distinctive changes and was difficult to fake.

"Students who have reached the Afterimage level in Extreme Shadow Swordplay, come forward."

Sun Rui looked below and spoke calmly.

The students looked at one another. Then, around a quarter of them stepped forward, Zhang Yuan among them.

The many homeroom teachers in the Blood Nourishing Realm nodded slightly. "This is somewhat better than previous years. In prior years, only one-fifth or one-sixth of the students had even gotten started."

Naturally, the remaining students could not all have reached Void Shadow or above.

Rather, most of them had not even entered the door!

"For most students, resources and energy are limited. Tempering a Martial Bone and getting started with a Breathing Technique is already no easy feat."

"Martial skills are merely icing on the cake, an extra scoring item."

Luo Ding, the homeroom teacher of Class 6, Grade 12, spoke quietly with several other homeroom teachers.

The homeroom teacher of Class 1, Grade 12 glanced at him and said, "Still, there are always a few seedlings with decent Comprehension every year. I wonder if there'll be any surprises this year."

"I know there are formidable students at the other three major high schools. Some have even reached perfection."

"I heard they spent a fortune to bring in Heavenly Chosen from the neighboring city, all for this School Competition."

At the mention of the School Competition, the expressions of the many teachers shifted slightly, all revealing a trace of seriousness and anticipation.

In the field, everyone finished displaying the Extreme Shadow Swordplay.

Sun Rui's eyes flickered as he called out again in a clear voice:

"Those who have reached the second level, Void Shadow, step forward!"

This time, only a sparse few stepped out!

After all, though Extreme Shadow Swordplay was merely a small tested component of the College Entrance Examination, the vast majority of students only reached the Void Shadow level by then. This showed just how difficult it was.

The homeroom teacher of Class 6, Grade 12 gave a rough sweep of the crowd.

"Thirteen people. It really is better than the previous class's nine."

"It gets more cutthroat every year!"

These thirteen included Fang Yuan, Yao Hong, Li Yue, and others who had ranked near the top in the previous assessments.

Those who could reach the Void Shadow level now would at minimum reach the third level, Shadowless, by the College Entrance Examination. There was a high probability they could achieve the perfect Extreme Shadow level.

The gazes of the many students upon these thirteen people were filled with envy and mixed emotions!

Comparing people to people really could make one furious!

"This proves that those who performed outstandingly in the previous two assessments won't perform poorly in this round either!"

Yet several homeroom teachers, along with many students, were also surprised as they noticed something.

The three people who had drawn immense attention earlier had not stepped forward at all.

Lin Qingyue, Ye Xingli, and Su Ye!

Could it be... Their hearts gave a slight leap as speculation surfaced.

Then Sun Rui spoke:

"Students who have reached the third level, Shadowless, step forward!"

In previous years, the students with the best results were basically at this level!

Then, beneath the watchful eyes of all, Lin Qingyue strode out proudly!

An uproar broke out!

Many students revealed bitter smiles and helpless expressions.

Shadowless!

People truly could not be compared to one another!

Most people present had not even gotten started, yet the Lin Family's Young Miss had already reached the third level. Terrifying!

Lin Qingyue greatly enjoyed the feeling of being the focus of everyone's eyes.

Yet in the next instant, her delicate brows furrowed.

"What's going on?!"

She had been keeping an eye on Ye Xingli, the opponent in her heart, as well as Su Ye, whom she despised and looked down upon.

Yet neither had stepped forward!

Her heart suddenly lurched, and an ominous premonition arose!

Had these two failed to master the Extreme Shadow Swordplay? She found it hard to believe!

But the situation clearly left her little time to think further. She immediately demonstrated the Extreme Shadow Swordplay once!

Dozens of sword strikes shot forth, alternating between real and illusory, hidden within one another. They formed shadowless swords, and she was clearly exceedingly proficient!

This was also what Lin Qingyue took pride in!

Her Comprehension was extraordinary!

She could even sense that, given a few more days, she might be able to cultivate the Extreme Shadow Swordplay to its highest level!

"Students who have reached the fourth level of Extreme Shadow Swordplay... Extreme Shadow, please step forward!"

After Lin Qingyue stepped back in uncertainty, Sun Rui's gaze blazed as he called out.

Under the gaze of everyone!

Ye Xingli took one step forward!

Su Ye's expression shifted, and he too prepared to step out.

Suddenly, Zhang Yuan's eyes rolled as he abruptly shouted in a loud voice:

"Principal Sun, may I ask whether cultivating the Extreme Shadow Sword Intent also counts as reaching the Extreme Shadow level? Should I step forward now?"