Li Sancheng envied those rich young masters, but Han Zheng felt nothing of the sort.
Though they said the poor studied while the rich practiced martial arts, and those people had an innate advantage, Han Zheng was not lacking either.
He had a cheat!
With the Gluttonous Crucible, at a critical moment he could sacrifice emotions like love and affection. At worst, he would become an emotionless killer.
Early that morning, Han Zheng lifted a bucket of cold water and poured it over himself.
It was early autumn, and the weather carried a slight chill, yet Han Zheng felt no discomfort whatsoever.
Water streamed down muscles that were not exaggeratedly large, yet knotted and winding like coiled dragons, making Han Zheng's physique appear all the more lean and formidable.
After teaching the many disciples how to use their weapons, Li Jingzhong had them familiarize themselves with and train for half a month.
He did not teach saber techniques or sword techniques, only the basic use of weapons; half a month was enough.
Over those half a months, Han Zheng had broken through one hundred Acupoints and opened four meridians.
Opening Acupoints in the Houtian Meridian Opening Realm was originally a slow grind, with little technical difficulty.
Opening the first ten Acupoints might be somewhat difficult, but once one had opened a hundred Acupoints, practice made perfect.
The reason the Houtian Realm was called the Houtian Meridian Opening Realm rather than the Houtian Acupoint Condensation Realm was that the true difficulty of the Houtian Realm lay in opening the meridians.
But this was not particularly difficult for Han Zheng either.
He had sacrificed his sense of pain to the Gluttonous Crucible, so the agonizing pain of opening his meridians could not affect him at all.
As long as he was careful and no external force interfered, his success rate in opening meridians was nearly 99.99%.
Han Zheng estimated that his current cultivation was probably not far behind those disciples from wealthy families in the Martial Arts Academy, who had medicinal baths to aid them and meat every day.
After changing clothes and arriving at the Martial Arts Academy, he saw Li Sancheng approaching him with a worried expression.
"What is it? Did your father beat you again?"
Li Sancheng shook his head and sighed. "There's some insider news. There's another assessment coming, and this time it's a practical combat assessment where we fight each other."
"Will people be eliminated this time too?"
"No one will be eliminated this time, but getting beaten up still won't feel good."
Han Zheng: "..."
Li Sancheng simply had no confidence in himself whatsoever.
The fight had not even begun, yet he was already worrying about getting beaten up.
"Can't you just admit defeat if you can't win? This isn't a fight to the death. Would the academy master really sit there and watch someone beat you to death?"
"That's right! How did I not think of that?"
Freed from his mental blind spot, Li Sancheng immediately looked delighted.
As they spoke, Li Jingzhong emerged from the inner hall of the Martial Arts Academy. The disciples, who had been chirping away moments ago, immediately stood straight and orderly.
"Starting today, there will be a practical combat assessment. You will be divided into five groups, and each group will select one final victor.
"From now on, I will focus on cultivating these five. The most outstanding among them will have a chance to inherit the White Ape Through-Arm Fist!"
The moment those words fell, the eyes of the many disciples present lit up.
The martial skill that had made Li Jingzhong famous throughout Black Stone County was the White Ape Through-Arm Fist. These disciples had all joined the Martial Arts Academy for that very skill.
The Iron Elephant Skill could only be called an ordinary beginner internal cultivation art. Although the Vajra Fist originated from the great Vajra Prajna Temple, it was merely a Houtian martial art taught to lay disciples, and quite a few people in the martial world knew it.
Only the White Ape Through-Arm Fist was a true Innate Martial Skill, one that could be proudly displayed even in the martial world.
Li Jingzhong had operated a Martial Arts Academy in Black Stone County for seventeen years, yet fewer than ten disciples had been qualified to learn the White Ape Through-Arm Fist.
That was because although some disciples had been the best of their batch, they still had not met the qualifications to receive the White Ape Through-Arm Fist.
Thus, Li Jingzhong would rather keep it hidden than teach the White Ape Through-Arm Fist to a good-for-nothing.
"Silence!"
Li Jingzhong said in a deep voice, "You all know the rules of Zhenwei Martial Arts School. Not everyone is qualified to learn the White Ape Through-Arm Fist.
"But some of you will surely think: everyone paid silver, so why should only one person be allowed to learn the White Ape Through-Arm Fist?
"Do not think this is unfair, because the path of martial arts has always been this unfair!
"Talent, perseverance, background, opportunity—how could such things ever be fair?
"The White Ape Through-Arm Fist is an Innate Martial Skill. Only upon reaching the Innate Realm can one bring out even its lower limit.
"Therefore, I will only teach the White Ape Through-Arm Fist once I am certain that someone among you has the potential to reach the Innate Realm in the future.
"Otherwise, even if you become first among this batch of academy disciples, if I do not see the possibility of you advancing to the Innate Realm, I still will not teach you the White Ape Through-Arm Fist.
"So do not slack off. The road of martial arts allows not the slightest relaxation!"
"Yes!"
The many disciples below answered in unison, feeling no resentment toward Li Jingzhong's words.
Zhenwei Martial Arts School had operated in Black Stone County for so many years that its reputation was on everyone's lips.
Every disciple who had been taught the White Ape Through-Arm Fist had indeed reached the Innate Realm.
Some had even left Black Stone County and become notable figures in the provincial capital.
"Enough. We will now divide into groups and begin the practical combat assessment."
Li Jingzhong took out a list and began assigning the disciples to groups.
Having taught these disciples for so long, he had a rough understanding of everyone's strength.
Thus, the five groups were divided extremely evenly, with strong disciples kept apart as much as possible.
Han Zheng's first-round opponent was a disciple who appeared somewhat older than him and looked slightly nervous.
He was only an ordinary disciple, while Han Zheng, though not particularly high-profile, had been personally praised by Li Jingzhong several times.
"Brother, you make the first move. We'll stop at the proper point."
Han Zheng did not make the first move, instead letting the other party attack first.
That disciple froze for a moment, then did not stand on ceremony. His blood and qi surged through his body as he gathered force for the Vajra Fist and smashed it toward Han Zheng with a thunderous blow.
The other party had only opened one Meridian so far. The difference between his ability to mobilize strength and Han Zheng's was more than a single level.
Han Zheng did not even use the Vajra Fist to meet his blow head-on. He merely dropped a palm over the other man's fist momentum, completely dissolving the downward force of his Vajra Fist.
Then Han Zheng stepped forward sharply, drove his hips forward, and exerted a slight force through his shoulder. That disciple was sent flying outright.
"Thank you, Brother Han, for showing mercy."
That disciple rose somewhat awkwardly and cupped his hands toward Han Zheng.
He could sense that Han Zheng had not truly exerted force in that strike.
Otherwise, at best he would have suffered broken tendons and fractured bones; at worst, his internal organs would have been injured.
Li Jingzhong watched this scene and nodded with satisfaction.
Han Zheng's performance had been exceptionally impressive.
Because his cultivation far surpassed his opponent's, he had allowed the other party to attack first, giving him a chance to show himself. Sparring with fellow disciples without killing intent was enough to prove that Han Zheng was open and aboveboard, broad-minded and generous.
His opponent had used the Vajra Fist, yet Han Zheng had casually dissolved its force with a single palm the instant the attack came. This proved that Han Zheng's mastery of the Vajra Fist had already reached an exceptional level, and that his talent was astonishing.
In the next two rounds, Han Zheng's opponents were no match for him at all.
The gap in strength was too great. Han Zheng had barely used any force before his opponents had already been defeated.
Yet the disciples defeated by Han Zheng were all thoroughly convinced.
No wonder the academy master had praised Han Zheng so highly.
This disciple, who had always kept a low profile and never revealed his edge, possessed such terrifying strength. He could even be compared with those disciples born into wealthy households.
Moreover, Han Zheng had been considerate of their dignity.
He clearly could have defeated them like rotten wood crumbling before a strong wind, yet he still left them room to make a move.
And in the end, he merely defeated them. Though they looked somewhat awkward when they fell, none of them were injured.
Looking at the other groups, the fighting was exceedingly fierce. Some had already drawn blood, making Li Jingzhong frown repeatedly.
But so long as no one died in such sparring matches, Li Jingzhong would not interfere.
Han Zheng's group reached its result early, and he watched the people from the other groups fight.
Among them, three people displayed particularly astonishing strength.
One was a handsome young man who used a sword. His swordplay was carefree, elegant, nimble, and flowing; it seemed that he had already possessed some martial foundation before joining the Martial Arts Academy.
Another was the disciple who had previously chosen an Iron Whip as his weapon. Judging by the force behind his attacks, he had also opened around four meridians.
Moreover, his strikes were swift and precise. Though he was not as effortless as Han Zheng, he still resolved his opponent within three moves.
The last was a young master dressed in brocade, clearly born into a wealthy household at a glance.
He appeared even younger than Han Zheng and was handsome in appearance, but his attacks were incomparably ruthless. He defeated his enemies in one move without showing the slightest mercy.
His previous opponent had had an arm broken by his blow and would be unable to practice martial arts for at least two or three months, severely delaying his cultivation progress.
Li Sancheng was rather unlucky, for his opponent in the next round was precisely that person.
In truth, Li Sancheng's foundation was quite good.
He had been born with great strength and abundant blood and qi. Though he looked chubby, he was actually quite powerful, which was why he had made it to the final round.
Li Sancheng had never expected to stand out from his group, so he only planned to exchange a few moves before retreating in defeat.
The brocade-clad young master threw a heavy, powerful punch. Li Sancheng crossed his arms horizontally before himself to block it, but was blasted backward by the blow and fell to the ground.
Feeling that force, which could utterly crush him, Li Sancheng's expression changed at once.
Just as he was about to concede defeat, the brocade-clad young master had already stomped down through the air.
Li Jingzhong frowned.
What the other party had done was not actually wrong, because Li Jingzhong himself had taught them that in martial combat, it was better to advance in a single thought than halt in one; once one struck, one must not hesitate.
But this was only a spar between fellow disciples. Striking with such ruthlessness was still somewhat improper.
If that kick landed, even with Li Sancheng's thick skin and sturdy flesh, he would likely break several ribs.
Just as Li Jingzhong was about to intercept the attack, Han Zheng had already darted out and fiercely yanked Li Sancheng a step backward.
The brocade-clad young master's foot landed on the floor tiles with a crisp crack, and even the tile beneath it showed a faint fissure.
"I concede! I concede!"
Li Sancheng shouted with lingering fear, while also shooting Han Zheng a grateful look.
The brocade-clad young master glanced at Han Zheng without speaking, but his gaze was cold and sinister.
Li Jingzhong said in a deep voice, "The assessment is over. The victors of the five groups this time are Lin Qing, Han Zheng, Chen Zhao, Guo Yuanming, and Song Tianqing.
"Each of you has opened more than four meridians. Judging by the ranks of the Houtian Realm, you can already be considered Houtian Middle Stage.
"Therefore, I will arrange the future course progress according to your realms. You no longer need to cultivate together with the others.
"But do not grow proud. Before graduation, if other disciples rise later and surpass you, they may challenge you all the same.
"Now disperse. Any injured disciples, come with me to the rear hall. I will apply medicine and bandage your wounds."