Taking the Field

At this moment, the team of martial students Zhou Yu belonged to stepped out.

Women were scarce to begin with, and with Zhou Yu's delicate beauty, she immediately drew quite a few gazes.

Having witnessed her senior brothers' performances earlier, Zhou Yu took a deep breath. She had to do well and earn some pride for herself—she could not disgrace Zhou Academy.

"Hey! This girl is challenging the Eight Stone Bow too?" someone murmured.

Zhou Yu walked slowly toward the Eight Stone Bow, focused her mind and gathered her strength, then drew the bowstring.

In an instant, her face flushed crimson, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans formed on her forehead.

The bowstring moved little by little, and the expressions of those around her changed along with it.

"Open!"

Zhou Yu let out a low cry, her strength exploding forth in an instant.

The bowstring opened in response!

"Bzzz!"

At last, her strength gave out. Her fingers loosened, and the bowstring let out a clear hum.

"What a pity."

Disappointment was impossible to hide on Zhou Yu's face. She had originally wanted to draw it twice, but her arms no longer had any Strength and Vitality.

"Ji Fifteen, Zhou Yu—Grade B, middle!"

This result could only be called decent, nowhere near outstanding.

Now it was Qin Lie's turn to take the field.

The disciples of Zhou Academy all turned their eyes toward him, anticipation in their gazes.

Zhou Yu said seriously, "Junior Brother Qin Lie, this time, it's all up to you!"

Qin Lie said in a deep voice, "Rest assured, Senior Sister. I won't disappoint you."

With that, he strode onto the square.

In the distance, Zhou Liang, who was watching the contest, fixed his gaze on him as well.

Shen Zhenzhong beside him smiled. "Brother Zhou, Qin Lie's Qi and Blood are vigorous. His Hidden Strength will reach completion before long, and I believe he will soon be able to attempt the third breakthrough. With strength like this, placing high should be a sure thing."

This was Shen Zhenzhong, martial instructor of Shen Academy. His Thirty-Six Forms of Seven Star Palm was quite renowned in Gaolin County.

Liu Ze, the Mantis Fist expert beside him, stroked his beard and chimed in, "It seems Brother Zhou has poured no small amount of effort into this Closed-Door Disciple of yours."

Zhou Liang had three or five close friends among the martial students, and they usually looked out for one another.

Besides Shen Zhenzhong of the Seven Star Palm, Liu Ze of the Mantis Fist was also one of them. Both had met Qin Lie several times.

In times like these, what martial instructor did not have a few enemies? Taking in a Closed-Door Disciple was both for support in old age and for someone to ward off disaster and take punches in one's stead. It had long been an ordinary affair.

Satisfaction filled Zhou Liang's eyes, but he soon shook his head with a sigh. "Three breakthroughs... in the end, it is still too difficult. He still needs to build up his Qi and Blood before he has a chance to try. Your beloved disciple, Brother Liu, has the better opportunity."

"What opportunity? After failing three times, I'd say there's no opportunity left."

"Opportunity?"

Bitterness curled at Liu Ze's lips. "That wretched disciple of mine has already failed three times... What opportunity could he possibly have left?"

He let out a long sigh and said wistfully, "The third breakthrough ultimately depends on fate."

Bright Strength, Hidden Strength, Transformation Force—the three barriers were clearly distinct.

Though the first two barriers were fraught with dangers and obstacles, there was still hope. But the third breakthrough was like a vast chasm stretching across heaven and earth; those who could cross it were few enough to count on one's fingers.

Natural talent, resources, and fortune—none could be lacking.

Quite a few people had their attention drawn over. Qin Lie was also considered a somewhat famous young talent.

Qin Lie walked straight toward the Nine Stone Bow. He took a deep breath, clamped one hand fiercely around the bowstring, and suddenly exerted force!

Bzzz!

The heavy Nine Stone Bow was actually drawn open by him with brute force.

Qin Lie's features twisted from exertion. His gaze swept across the crowd below the platform, and a roar burst from his throat.

Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz!

He drew it five times in a single breath, only stopping when his Strength and Vitality was utterly exhausted.

"Ji Nineteen, Qin Lie—Grade A, lower!" the clerk loudly announced.

A wave of astonished cries rose all around, while the disciples of Zhou Academy erupted with excitement.

Only Zheng Ziqiao's expression changed slightly before quickly returning to normal.

As for Luo Qian, looking at the radiant Qin Lie, her heart was a tangled mix of emotions.

Sun Shun nodded as well. "Junior Brother Qin has this in the bag now."

In the distance, relief appeared on Zhou Liang's face. At last, the huge stone weighing on his heart had fallen to the ground.

"Ji Team, withdraw! Geng Team, step forward!"

The clerk's command rang out.

Within the Geng Team, one person looked so nervous that he nearly bumped into the martial student in front of him. He hurriedly apologized again and again. "Sorry! Sorry!"

That person was Chen Heng.

At this moment, his palms were drenched in sweat, his heart filled with unease. His lips repeatedly muttered, "Man proposes, Heaven disposes... Man proposes, Heaven disposes..."

Chen Qing was in the next team. Seeing Chen Heng's lips moving as he muttered under his breath, he raised an eyebrow. Is he still messing with mysticism? And he thinks that'll get him through?

The martial students of the Ding Jia Team began testing their strength.

Chen Heng took a deep breath, then grabbed a Four Stone Bow. Using every ounce of strength in his body, his arms trembled violently as he struggled to draw the bowstring open inch by inch.

Bzzz!

The bowstring gave a soft hum, and Chen Heng was overjoyed.

During the usual strength tests at the martial academy, he could at most draw a Three Stone Bow. This was already an exceptional performance for him.

"Ding Jia Fifteen—Grade C, middle!"

But the clerk's cold announcement was like a basin of cold water poured over his head.

"Grade C, middle?"

Chen Heng opened his mouth to argue, but recalling his senior brother's words, he ultimately swallowed them. He silently followed his team off the platform, brushing past Chen Qing, who was preparing to go up.

Chen Heng puffed out his chest and said in the tone of someone who had been through it, "Don't be nervous. Just do your best. There's always next year."

Chen Qing acted as if he had not heard him and walked straight toward the center of the training ground.

In the field, bows of every weight stood arrayed in wait:

Three Stone Bow.

Four Stone Bow.

Five Stone Bow.

Six Stone Bow.

The martial students of the Ding Yi Team stepped forward one after another to select longbows and test their strength.

Yet Chen Qing did not stop. He walked directly to the Ten Stone Bow.

Once Strength and Vitality was depleted, it became difficult to draw a bowstring again. Thus, to play it safe, most martial students would not attempt their limits.

Seeing Chen Qing take the field, Zheng Ziqiao said softly, "What is Junior Brother Chen doing?"

"The Ten Stone Bow!?"

Luo Qian sneered. "Is this kid trying to make a spectacle of himself?"

"Junior Brother Chen is being too reckless."

Worry filled Zhou Yu's face. "If he exhausts all his strength at the start, how can he perform afterward?"

When Qin Lie saw Chen Qing walking toward the Ten Stone Bow, which even he had not attempted, his gaze involuntarily locked onto that figure, a trace of amusement flickering in his eyes.

He had tried the Ten Stone Bow before. Out of ten attempts, he could barely draw it open only once.

Though it was only one stone heavier than the Nine Stone Bow, that slight difference was incredibly difficult to overcome.

That was why Qin Lie had chosen the Nine Stone Bow to be safe.

No one believed Chen Qing could draw the Ten Stone Bow. Even the older disciples did not dare attempt it. How long had it been since he broke through to Hidden Strength?

It was not only the people from Zhou Academy. Most of those present turned to look as well.

After all, anyone who dared challenge the Ten Stone Bow was no simple figure.

Judging by his clothes, he was nothing more than a mud-legged country bumpkin!

Whether he was merely making a spectacle of himself or truly had the strength, one test would reveal it.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Chen Qing seized the Ten Stone Bow. The Qi and Blood within his body began to boil as his arms exerted force.

Crack! Crack!

His Internal Force erupted, producing crisp sounds one after another. Veins bulged across his entire arms, fierce and twisted like coiling dragons.

Bzzz! Bzzz!

The bowstring, which required a pull of one thousand one hundred and twenty catties to draw, began to tremble, while the string and bow body emitted bursts of sound.

Thoom!

The sound seemed to take on substance, spreading endlessly in all directions.

At once, everyone's expressions changed.