Final Assessment

"What's going on? We're already starting the final assessment?"

Han Zheng pulled Li Sancheng aside and asked.

Li Sancheng chuckled. "To be precise, not us—you lot.

I heard through the grapevine that the headmaster should announce the final assessment for you five today.

The winner will be the finest disciple of this class and qualify to inherit the White Ape Through-Arm Fist."

"The final assessment is starting now? That's moving rather fast."

Han Zheng was somewhat surprised.

Before they had joined the Martial Arts Academy, Li Jingzhong had told them the course would last roughly a year.

As long as they passed the assessments and were not expelled, they could formally graduate after one year.

Yet it had only been a little over half a year, and they were already taking the final assessment. This pace seemed faster than in previous classes.

"I heard it's because the disciples in our class are too outstanding, especially you few—almost all of you have hopes of reaching the Xiantian Realm.

If they dragged it out for a year, you might already advance into the Xiantian Realm. Teaching you the White Ape Through-Arm Fist then would be too late, so they moved the assessment forward."

Han Zheng nodded in understanding.

Most martial artists would likely have no hope of reaching the Xiantian Realm in their entire lives.

In the past, not every class at Zhenwei Martial Arts School had produced someone who advanced into the Xiantian Realm.

This time, there were simply too many outstanding disciples. Naturally, Li Jingzhong had to adjust the schedule and make preparations in advance.

An Innate Martial Skill was not something that could only be learned after reaching the Innate Realm.

Rather, only after reaching the Innate Realm could one bring out the lower limit of this martial skill.

Thus, it was still necessary to begin cultivating it early.

After a while, Li Jingzhong emerged from the inner hall of the Martial Arts Academy. The many disciples immediately fell silent and stood in neat rows.

"You should all have heard the news. Today, we begin the final assessment, though it has nothing to do with most of you."

Li Jingzhong swept his gaze over Han Zheng and the others, saying in a deep voice, "Han Zheng, Chen Zhao, Lin Qing, Song Tianqing, Guo Mingyuan.

"The realms and strength of you five far surpass those of the other disciples in the Martial Arts Academy. It is time for the final assessment.

"The final winner will be the most outstanding disciple of this class and qualify to inherit the White Ape Through-Arm Fist.

"To ensure fairness and account for your stamina, each person will only fight one match per day.

"There are five of you, so today you will draw lots first. One person will receive a bye and advance directly.

"Tomorrow, another person will draw a bye before the matches. However, whoever receives today's bye will not be allowed to draw tomorrow and must fight."

With five people competing for one winner, Li Jingzhong's method was somewhat cumbersome, but it was already as fair as possible.

The person receiving a bye held a great advantage. He could conserve stamina and observe the others' moves.

But luck itself was also part of strength.

Once one truly stepped into the martial world, another person might only have a shred more luck than you, yet that would be enough to keep you beneath them for a lifetime.

At that moment, Lin Qing suddenly stepped forward. "Headmaster, there is no need for such trouble. I withdraw from the assessment.

"My father contacted the Cangshan Sword Sect some time ago.

"Yesterday, an outer sect deacon from the Cangshan Sword Sect came to inspect my bone structure and aptitude. He confirmed that I could join the Cangshan Sword Sect and that there was even a strong chance I could enter the Inner Sect.

"Once he returns to the Cangshan Sword Sect and reports to the sect, a Transmission Elder from the Cangshan Sword Sect will personally come to reexamine me and formally accept me into the Inner Sect."

Lin Qing's tone was calm as he spoke, but there was still a trace of pride he could not conceal.

The other disciples in the Martial Arts Academy looked at Lin Qing with envy, and there was scarcely any jealousy among them.

If Lin Qing were merely the most outstanding disciple of Zhenwei Martial Arts School in Black Stone County, they might have envied him.

But he was about to become an Inner Sect disciple of the Cangshan Sword Sect. What was there for them to be jealous of?

Once the gap between people reached a certain extent, emotions like jealousy vanished completely.

The Cangshan Sword Sect was one of Shannan Dao's Five Families Seven Sects, renowned throughout all of Shannan Dao for its swordsmanship.

After graduating, they could only become Guard Warriors—put bluntly, watchdogs who bowed and scraped whenever their masters nodded.

Meanwhile, disciples of the Cangshan Sword Sect were treated courteously by every force wherever they traveled the martial world.

The two simply existed on entirely different levels.

Han Zheng secretly thought that Lin Qing truly had been born lucky, holding a royal flush from the start.

Though he had been born in the county town, he was the son of the Chief Clerk.

The County Magistrate of Black Stone County spent every day drowning in wine and women, neglecting his duties. The one who truly wielded power in the county was Chief Clerk Lin, making Lin Qing the greatest local magnate in Black Stone County.

Moreover, he had sword-like brows and starry eyes, handsome beyond compare. Han Zheng had heard that several years ago, the Song Family wanted to marry one of their direct-line daughters to Lin Qing, yet Lin Qing had actually found the Song Family's direct-line daughter beneath his notice.

Later, when he joined the Martial Arts Academy to practice martial arts, Li Jingzhong had also affirmed his natural talent and bone structure, saying he would certainly enter the Xiantian Realm in the future.

Chief Clerk Lin was naturally not content to let Lin Qing remain in Black Stone County for his whole life, so over the years, he had contacted many major sects in hopes of sending Lin Qing out of Black Stone County.

Unexpectedly, he had truly succeeded, and with the Cangshan Sword Sect at that—the foremost great sect of Shannan Dao.

Lin Qing's path had been smooth sailing all the way, without the slightest setback. It was truly enviable.

Li Jingzhong was also somewhat astonished upon hearing this.

He knew that Chief Clerk Lin wanted to send Lin Qing to a major sect outside the county, but he had not expected him to contact the Cangshan Sword Sect.

Still, Li Jingzhong did not particularly care that Lin Qing was withdrawing.

He was merely a teacher at a Martial Arts Academy, taking money to teach martial arts.

Whether his students arrived already skilled or left to join other sects had little to do with him.

The Cangshan Sword Sect's sword path was renowned across Shannan Dao, and all sorts of its martial arts and sword techniques began at the Innate Realm. It was only natural that Lin Qing did not think much of the White Ape Through-Arm Fist.

After all, a martial artist's time was limited. Rather than cultivating a fist technique, Lin Qing might as well use that time to cultivate the Cangshan Sword Sect's sword arts.

Li Jingzhong lightly patted Lin Qing's shoulder and praised him. "Not bad. The Cangshan Sword Sect is a foremost great sect in Shannan Dao. To enter it, especially the Inner Sect, means your future achievements will surely be boundless.

"The martial path is long. For you, the Xiantian Realm is merely the beginning. I also wish you a prosperous martial journey after joining the Cangshan Sword Sect."

Lin Qing smiled. "Thank you for your auspicious words, Headmaster. Then I'll be leaving first."

With that, Lin Qing turned and left directly, without the slightest attachment.

To him, Zhenwei Martial Arts School was merely an insignificant step upon his martial path.

The Cangshan Sword Sect and the entire martial world of Great Zhou were where he would truly soar into the heavens.

Within the crowd, Song Tianqing glanced at Lin Qing and revealed a faintly disdainful smile.

"Now only four remain. Just right—two against two. Let us draw lots."

There were two Red Slips and two Green Slips in the drawing barrel. Han Zheng and Guo Mingyuan drew red, while Song Tianqing and Chen Zhao drew green.

When Guo Mingyuan saw his lot, a trace of delight appeared on his face.

Among the disciples of the Martial Arts Academy, the only ones Guo Mingyuan regarded as formidable enemies were Lin Qing and Song Tianqing.

Han Zheng and Chen Zhao had both been born commoners and had never been worthy of his attention.

Poor wretches who could not even afford a single medicinal bath could only barely stand beside him in the Houtian Realm.

Once they reached the Xiantian Realm, they might spend their entire lives stagnating in its initial stage. He, however, would surely soar into the heavens, while they would only be fit to look up at him.

Now Lin Qing had voluntarily withdrawn, leaving one less formidable enemy.

And in the first round, he had drawn Han Zheng. Dealing with him would surely take no effort at all.

Then he could observe Song Tianqing's moves, pry into his weaknesses, and defeat him in one stroke tomorrow!

Guo Mingyuan was brimming with confidence. The instant he drew his lot, he had already arranged the fates of Han Zheng and Song Tianqing with perfect clarity.

Li Jingzhong said in a deep voice, "Han Zheng, Guo Mingyuan, you will fight the first match.

"Although I have taught you weapons, fellow disciples compete only to determine victory, not life and death. Therefore, weapons are forbidden. You may only use fists and kicks."

Had Lin Qing still been present, this rule would have somewhat targeted him, since his swordsmanship was even stronger than his fist techniques.

But without Lin Qing, none of the remaining four had displayed any advantage with weapons, so this was fair enough.

The disciples of the Martial Arts Academy moved apart to either side, leaving a large open space in the center of the training ground. Han Zheng and Guo Mingyuan stood in the middle.

As for which of them would win, the disciples of the Martial Arts Academy still believed Guo Mingyuan had better odds.

Though they all cursed Guo Mingyuan, they had to admit that his cultivation, piled up through medicinal baths, was currently the best in the Martial Arts Academy.

A single level of strength could crush a man to death. In the eyes of most martial artists, the difference in realms represented the difference between strength and weakness, victory and defeat.

"The match begins."

As Li Jingzhong's words fell, a smile of certain victory appeared at the corner of Guo Mingyuan's mouth.

The blood and qi throughout his body boiled and surged as both fists punched out simultaneously, charging straight toward Han Zheng's chest.

Guo Mingyuan mobilized the power of the acupoints through all nine of his meridians. From the very start, he intended to overwhelm Han Zheng with sheer momentum and crush him beneath absolute strength.

Watching Guo Mingyuan attack, Han Zheng shook his head inwardly.

Medicinal baths were indeed highly effective at increasing cultivation. Even with the Gluttonous Crucible giving him an advantage, his cultivation realm was still one step below Guo Mingyuan's.

But cultivation could be raised, while mastery of martial skills and actual combat experience could not be enhanced through medicinal baths.

Han Zheng's Vajra Fist proficiency had already reached perfection, while judging by Guo Mingyuan's level, he was at most at fifty percent.

He held his fist horizontally before him, his arm like a thick Vajra Pestle. Twisting his waist and hips, he suddenly lashed it out!

Li Jingzhong's eyes immediately lit up.

Han Zheng held no weapon, yet this strike carried the spirit of one. Like a Buddhist sect Vajra wielding a Vajra Pestle, the swinging smash added even more force.

Bang!

Guo Mingyuan's fists seemed to have struck an iron plate, and the impact made the web between his thumb and forefinger ache sharply.

He had clearly opened one more Meridian than Han Zheng. Why could Han Zheng withstand his strength?

Before Guo Mingyuan could react, Han Zheng's fist had already crashed down. Amid a howling roar, a biting gale swept forth—Vajra subduing demons, unmatched in might!

Guo Mingyuan raised both hands as if lifting a cauldron. This was also one of the rare defensive stances within the Vajra Fist framework.

But as Han Zheng's fist descended, the Vajra Pestle broke through the surface with a single point. Blood and qi surged through all his meridians, and his force erupted at once, smashing Guo Mingyuan's fist stance completely to pieces.

The blow even sent Guo Mingyuan flying outright, leaving him in a sorry state.