First Display of Sharpness

The venue for the school-level martial arts competition was set up in the central plaza of the Martial School. A massive fighting stage had been erected, surrounded by a crowd of students and teachers eager to watch. The air was thick with a mixture of tension and excitement.

Fang Yan stood in the contestant area, watching his opponents fiercely battling on the stage, his heart calm and undisturbed. After the tempering of the Elite Class, his strength had improved significantly. His Blood Essence had reached 0.89, and the proficiency of his Basic Fist Technique had increased to 60%, making his Straight Punch more powerful than ever. In his spare time, he had also trained his Basic Sword Technique to 30% proficiency. Although he hadn't used it in actual combat yet, it served as an additional trump card.

"Next match, Fang Yan versus Li Hao!"

As the referee's voice rang out, Fang Yan took a deep breath and walked onto the stage. His opponent, Li Hao, was a student from another Elite Class. Li Hao's Blood Essence was 0.70, and he was skilled in leg techniques, making him a formidable opponent.

Li Hao looked at Fang Yan, a scornful smile on his face. "I heard you're quite skilled? But in my eyes, you're just all talk and no substance. Today, I'll show you what real strength is!"

Fang Yan remained silent, simply assuming his starting stance. He knew that arguing with such an arrogant opponent was pointless; only his fists could silence him.

"Begin!" the referee commanded.

Li Hao immediately launched his attack. His leg techniques were indeed as renowned as rumored, incredibly fast, kicking towards Fang Yan like a storm. Each kick carried a sharp gust of wind, forcing Fang Yan to retreat repeatedly.

"What? Can you only dodge?" Li Hao taunted as he attacked. "Show me what you've got!"

Fang Yan's eyes sharpened, and he no longer dodged. He circulated his Blood Essence, executing the Wind-Treading Steps to its peak. His body weaved through Li Hao's leg strikes like a phantom. Simultaneously, he closely observed Li Hao's movements, searching for an opportunity to counterattack.

Finally, as Li Hao delivered another kick, Fang Yan seized an opening. He suddenly sidestepped, evading Li Hao's attack, and with his right fist clenched, he gathered all his strength and struck towards Li Hao's thigh.

"Straight Punch!"

"Bang!"

The punch landed squarely. Li Hao felt a sharp pain in his thigh, his body instantly losing balance, nearly falling to the ground. He looked at Fang Yan in astonishment, clearly not expecting Fang Yan to exploit his opening or possess such immense power.

"Impossible!" Li Hao roared, launching another attack. But this time, his movements were noticeably slower, and his leg techniques were no longer as sharp.

Fang Yan seized this opportunity and pressed his advantage. His fists rained down on Li Hao, each punch accurately hitting vital points. Li Hao was forced into a defensive retreat, quickly accumulating injuries.

"I surrender! I surrender!" Li Hao finally couldn't endure it any longer and shouted loudly.

The referee immediately announced, "Fang Yan wins!"

Warm applause and cheers erupted from the crowd below. Fang Yan's performance had impressed everyone.

Just as Fang Yan was about to step off the stage, a cold voice suddenly spoke, "Wait a moment."

Fang Yan looked up and saw a young man in a black training uniform approaching. His eyes were cold, and his demeanor was somber. It was Lin Hao, whom Fang Yan had surpassed in the Body Tempering Class previously.

"Fang Yan, you seem quite pleased with yourself," Lin Hao said, looking at Fang Yan with eyes full of venom. "However, your good luck ends here. In the next match, I will ruin your reputation!"

Fang Yan looked at Lin Hao and replied calmly, "I look forward to it."

He knew that Lin Hao had been harboring resentment towards him, and this confrontation was inevitable. He felt no fear, only anticipation. He wanted to show Lin Hao that whether in the Body Tempering Class or the Elite Class, Lin Hao was no match for him.

As he walked off the stage, Su Qing approached and patted his shoulder. "You fought well. However, Lin Hao is much stronger than Li Hao. He recently broke through to the Eighth Layer of Body Tempering, and his Blood Essence has reached 0.81. You must be careful."

"Thank you, Teacher. I will," Fang Yan nodded. He could sense that a true battle was imminent.

Returning to the contestant area, Fang Yan sat down cross-legged and began circulating his Blood Essence to recover his stamina. He knew that only by maintaining his best condition could he achieve victory in the upcoming matches.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Lin Hao watched Fang Yan's retreating back, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes. He took a black pill from his pocket and swallowed it without hesitation. The next second, his Blood Essence surged, and a terrifying aura emanated from him.

"Fang Yan, this time, I will kill you!" Lin Hao muttered to himself, a ferocious smile spreading across his face.