Examination

At the rostrum on the athletic field stood Li Gang, the homeroom teacher of the Body Tempering Class. He was a burly, stern-faced middle-aged Martial Artist who had reportedly reached the Martial Master realm long ago. His gaze swept over the students below like an eagle's, making everyone tense involuntarily.

"Quiet!" Li Gang's voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority that instantly smothered the whispers across the field. "The rules for today's monthly examination remain unchanged. Fail the Vitality Test, and you're expelled! Fail the Basic Fist Technique, and you're expelled! Score below sixty in the Exotic Beast Combat Simulation, and you're expelled all the same! The examination begins now!"

The first test was the Vitality Test. The students formed a line and stepped forward one by one, placing their hands against a gigantic black stone monument. The monument displayed a corresponding value based on the strength of their qi and blood.

"Wang Hu, qi and blood: 0.63. Passed!"

"Zhang Meng, qi and blood: 0.51. Passed!"

"Zhao Lei, qi and blood: 0.39. Failed! Pack your things. Don't come back this afternoon!"

As one name after another was called, some rejoiced while others despaired. The students who were told they had failed turned deathly pale and left the field in a daze.

Soon, it was Fang Yan's turn. He drew a deep breath, stepped forward, and pressed his right hand against the stone monument.

The next second, light flashed across the monument, and a conspicuous number leaped into view—0.86!

"Fang Yan, qi and blood: 0.86. Excellent!" A trace of surprise flashed through Li Gang's eyes. Clearly, he had not expected this usually unremarkable student to possess such a high vitality value.

The surrounding students exploded into an uproar.

"Am I seeing things? 0.86? That's almost on par with the Body Tempering Ninth Layer!"

"Wasn't he bullied by Lin Hao just yesterday? How did he suddenly become so strong?"

"He must have had some incredible stroke of luck and eaten some heavenly treasure!"

In the crowd, Lin Hao's face was so gloomy it seemed capable of dripping water. He had originally thought his qi and blood value of 0.74 would secure first place, but he had never imagined Fang Yan would surpass him. He stared daggers at Fang Yan, his eyes filled with jealousy and resentment.

Fang Yan ignored the crowd's discussion and calmly walked off the platform. The Vitality Test was merely an appetizer. The true trial was still to come.

Next was the Basic Fist Technique demonstration. The students had to perform the complete Basic Fist Technique before Li Gang, who would score them based on the precision, strength, and speed of their movements.

Lin Hao went first. His Basic Fist Technique whipped up a fierce wind, and his movements were quite precise. Clearly, he had put in a great deal of hard work.

"Lin Hao, Basic Fist Technique: 85 points. Passed!" Li Gang nodded and gave him a decent evaluation.

Lin Hao glanced smugly at Fang Yan, as if saying, So what if you beat me in qi and blood? You're still no match for me in fist technique.

Fang Yan paid him no attention. He walked to the center of the field and assumed the starting stance.

Drawing a deep breath, Fang Yan circulated the qi and blood within his body and slowly threw his first punch according to the essentials of the "Straight Punch."

"Ha!"

The punch landed without any earth-shaking noise, yet it carried a unique rhythm. His fist traced a precise arc through the air, moving as fast as lightning while its power remained steady and concentrated.

Then came the second punch, the third punch... Fang Yan's movements grew faster and smoother. Every move of the Basic Fist Technique seemed to have been given new life in his hands. Especially when he threw the "Straight Punch," a faint current of air once more surfaced around his fist, causing Li Gang's eyes to flash brightly.

"Good!" Li Gang could not help shouting.

When Fang Yan finished the final punch and stood after withdrawing from the stance, the athletic field fell utterly silent. Everyone had been shaken by his fluid, powerful fist technique.

"Fang Yan, Basic Fist Technique: 98 points. Excellent!" A trace of excitement colored Li Gang's voice. "Especially that Straight Punch. You've already grasped the essence of the technique, far surpassing students at the same realm!"

Ninety-eight points! The moment the score was announced, the entire field erupted. It was the highest score in the history of the Body Tempering Class!

Lin Hao's face flushed crimson, then turned blue and white, becoming hideous to behold. The fist technique he had always prided himself on had been utterly outclassed by Fang Yan.

The final examination was the Exotic Beast Combat Simulation. It was a virtual combat scenario in which the students entered specially designed cabins and fought virtual exotic beasts. The scoring criteria considered not only whether they could defeat the beasts, but also their combat skills and efficiency.

The students entered the cabins one after another. Some successfully defeated the exotic beasts, while others were beaten "black and blue" by the virtual beasts and exited the simulation in a sorry state.

Finally, it was Fang Yan's turn. He entered the cabin and lay down. The next second, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and his consciousness instantly entered a virtual forest.

[Combat simulation beginning. Opponent: First-Order Exotic Beast, Black Wind Wolf. Level: Body Tempering Fourth Layer.]

The system's notification rang out in his mind. At the same time, a huge wolf with pitch-black fur appeared before Fang Yan. Murderous light flickered in its eyes, and sharp fangs protruded from its mouth as it let out a low growl at him.

The Black Wind Wolf was incredibly fast. After growling, it turned into a black blur and pounced ferociously at Fang Yan.

Fang Yan's eyes narrowed, but he did not panic in the slightest. He circulated his qi and blood and executed the Wind-Treading Steps. His footsteps were light, like a falling leaf caught in the wind, and he easily dodged the Black Wind Wolf's pounce.

"Now!"

Seizing the instant the Black Wind Wolf missed, Fang Yan lunged forward. His right fist gathered the strength of his entire body, carrying a faint current of air as it smashed viciously toward the Black Wind Wolf's head.

"Straight Punch!"

"Bang!"

The punch struck home. The Black Wind Wolf let out a miserable howl, its enormous body sent flying before crashing heavily to the ground. After twitching a few times, it stopped moving.

[Combat simulation ended. Score: 100 points! Perfect!]

When Fang Yan stepped out of the cabin, Li Gang immediately went to meet him, a rare smile spreading across his face. "Fang Yan, you're outstanding! You came first in this examination! From today onward, you're the Class Leader of the Body Tempering Class!"

"Thank you, Teacher!" Fang Yan said respectfully.

The surrounding students looked at Fang Yan with awe in their eyes. In a single day, Fang Yan had gone from an unknown student to the top student and Class Leader of the Body Tempering Class. The transformation had come far too quickly.

Lin Hao stood among the crowd, staring at Fang Yan, who was surrounded by everyone. His eyes were filled with unwillingness and venom. He clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his palms as he swore inwardly, Fang Yan, just you wait! I will definitely surpass you!

Fang Yan naturally sensed Lin Hao's gaze, but he did not take it to heart. He knew this was only the beginning of his martial path. There were still countless challenges waiting for him in the future.

After the examination ended, Li Gang sought Fang Yan out alone.

"Fang Yan, your talent is excellent. You have especially strong comprehension when it comes to fist techniques." Li Gang looked at Fang Yan and spoke earnestly. "I've already applied to the school to recommend you to the Elite Class. The Elite Class has far better resources than the Body Tempering Class, and it will help your growth even more."

"Thank you, Teacher!" Fang Yan's heart leaped with joy. The Elite Class was the Martial Arts School's most prestigious class, and only its most outstanding students could enter.

"However, the competition in the Elite Class is also much fiercer, so you must be mentally prepared," Li Gang reminded him. "You can report to the Elite Class tomorrow."

After bidding farewell to Li Gang, Fang Yan was especially excited. He took out his phone and looked at the data on the system panel:

Host: Fang Yan

Realm: Eighth Layer of Body Tempering

Qi and Blood: 0.86

Skills: Basic Fist Technique (Beginner, 40%, "Straight Punch" comprehended), Wind-Treading Steps (Beginner, 10%), Basic Sword Technique (Beginner, 10%)

Items: Body Tempering Realm Qi and Blood Pill ×1

Willpower: 65/100

"The Elite Class? Here I come!" Fang Yan clenched his fists, determination shining in his eyes. He believed that in the Elite Class, he would grow even faster and draw ever closer to the pinnacle of his martial path.