Clashing Palm Power and the Dao Heart Exam

The Little Heavenly Star Palm had no moves at all. It was a martial art purely for circulating magical power and transforming it into Yin-Cold Palm Power.

Now that He Dayou had unleashed the Little Heavenly Star Palm's power, he was confident he could severely wound Zhang Yu with Yin-Cold Palm Power and freeze his internal organs.

And given Zhang Yu's financial situation, he believed Zhang Yu definitely could not afford hospital treatment. He could only grit his teeth and endure it.

"Poor bastard. At the very least, you won't be coming to school for a week."

Boom!

As their palms slammed together, their magical powers collided as well, erupting with a bang that seemed to explode inside both their bodies.

Although He Dayou's Little Heavenly Star Palm was extremely powerful, he had only just mastered it.

The martial art Zhang Yu used might have been the ordinary Freehand Fighting, but he had already trained it to Level 3, allowing him to unleash considerable palm power.

As their palm powers collided and magical power surged, He Dayou discovered that his advantage was not as great as he had imagined. The Little Heavenly Star Palm Power could only slowly force back Zhang Yu's palm power, inch by inch invading his body.

What surprised him even more was that Zhang Yu seemed like a roly-poly toy. Every time the Little Heavenly Star Palm Power invaded a little farther, Zhang Yu quickly forced it back out. Though clearly at a disadvantage, he stubbornly held on without falling.

At the same time, the magical power cycle within Zhang Yu's body continued to operate, endlessly replenishing his magical power and allowing him to withstand He Dayou's Little Heavenly Star Palm Power time and again.

The assistant teacher watching from nearby was startled. "They're competing in magical power?"

Seeing the grim expressions on their faces, the assistant teacher feared something might happen to them. If it did, his performance rating for the year would go flying. Especially since one of them was the school board member's son—nothing could happen to him.

He hurriedly reminded them, "Students, if either of you can't hold on, admit defeat immediately. The other person must withdraw their magical power at once."

"Don't let yourselves suffer serious injuries and delay your futures over a Monthly Exam."

Neither of them spoke. He Dayou stared fixedly at Zhang Yu, wildly circulating his magical power and blasting wave after wave of Little Heavenly Star Palm Power toward him.

Zhang Yu, however, calmed his mind and focused his breath. He actively circulated the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method, recovering magical power while resisting He Dayou's Little Heavenly Star Palm Power.

In the blink of an eye, sweat beaded across their foreheads, and steam rose from their entire bodies as though they were two enormous furnaces.

Yet Zhang Yu's complexion was rosy, and he appeared to be growing more relaxed by the moment.

He Dayou, on the other hand, had turned ashen-faced and was gradually showing signs that he could not hold on.

He could no longer control his emotions. He stared at Zhang Yu in shock and fury.

The assistant coach checked the time. Their magical power clash had already lasted more than a minute. Seeing He Dayou's condition, he had no choice but to remind them again, "Students, if you can't hold on, admit defeat immediately."

"This is only a Monthly Exam."

He Dayou opened his mouth with difficulty several times. Looking at Zhang Yu, who was becoming increasingly relaxed, he finally forced a few words through clenched teeth. "I..."

"I admit defeat."

As both sides slowly withdrew their magical power, He Dayou abruptly collapsed onto the ground.

His face was as pale as paper, and the magical power in his dantian was nearly completely drained.

He looked unwillingly at Zhang Yu and asked, "How much magical power do you have left?"

Seeing the half-dead look of weakness on the other's face, Zhang Yu immediately said modestly, "Maybe ten or twenty percent."

He Dayou snorted. One look at Zhang Yu told him it was definitely more than ten or twenty percent.

He slowly rose to his feet and gave Zhang Yu a deep look. "You're good."

"We'll spar again next time."

With that, He Dayou turned and left.

On his way out, recalling today's battle, he had no choice but to admit one thing to himself.

"Zhang Yu... is strong."

"But... what a pity. As a poor man, he is destined to become our dog."

"I hope you can last until the day I defeat you fair and square next time. Don't leave a regret in my heart."

On the other side, watching He Dayou leave on unsteady legs, Zhang Yu secretly thought, Spar again next time?

Classmate, you'd better stop dreaming... This was the closest your strength would ever come to mine. This was your finest memory. If we fight again, I'm afraid you'll be saying, 'I'm sorry, Lord Zhang Yu, I failed to make you use your full strength.'

Zhang Yu headed out of the examination room and spotted Bai Zhenzhen leaning against the wall the moment he stepped outside.

"Yo, A-Zhen. That was quick."

"Yeah, I finished in a few moves." Bai Zhenzhen glanced at him curiously. "Who did you draw?"

"Zhang Yu: He Dayou."

"Fuck!" Bai Zhenzhen stomped her foot furiously. "He got to show off in the Dao Arts Exam, and now he humiliated you badly too. That bastard must be having the time of his life today."

"But don't worry. I'll challenge him in the next practical combat class and humiliate him right back for you."

Zhang Yu looked at Bai Zhenzhen speechlessly. "I won."

Feeling Bai Zhenzhen's astonished gaze, Zhang Yu simply made a move.

He threw a punch, which Bai Zhenzhen immediately blocked with her palm.

Their fists and palms collided continuously, their four arms turning into afterimages in the air as dull impacts like heavy hammers striking rang out again and again.

Bang!

After exchanging several moves, the two abruptly separated.

Bai Zhenzhen said, "Your Freehand Fighting is Level 3?"

Zhang Yu said, "Your Freehand Fighting is Level 3?"

Bai Zhenzhen said in shock, "Weren't you only Level 1 before? How did you suddenly reach Level 3? Could it be that you had actually trained Freehand Fighting to Level 3 long ago, just waiting for a chance like fighting He Dayou today to put on a huge show? You brat... you've read quite a few power-fantasy novels, haven't you?"

Zhang Yu also looked at Bai Zhenzhen uncertainly. "A-Zhen, you just said your own thoughts out loud, didn't you? You clearly said your Freehand Fighting was only Level 2 before. You really will stop at nothing for the sake of showing off."

Bai Zhenzhen's face reddened as she explained, "I wasn't doing it to show off. Higher Freehand Fighting levels don't earn extra points anyway."

"On the contrary, hiding a trump card during actual combat makes it easier to catch people off guard and score highly in the practical combat exam."

"Didn't the teacher say it before? Intelligence warfare is also part of actual combat."

Zhang Yu suddenly thought of He Dayou, whom he had fought today.

That Yin-Cold palm art the other party had suddenly unleashed had nearly caught him off guard.

Hearing Bai Zhenzhen's words now, Zhang Yu immediately found them deeply reasonable. I really should hold something back when appropriate. I can't reveal all my trump cards.

After Zhou Tianyi finished his exam as well, the three of them went to the cafeteria for dinner. Then they either went home or attended tutoring.

Tomorrow would be the exams for Dao Heart, magical power, and Physical Strength.

Yet after returning home today, Zhang Yu went to the Unfinished Building once more.

The twenty-four-hour cooldown for switching Feather Book Specialization had not yet passed.

Since Zhang Yu was still specialized in Freehand Fighting, he decided to continue practicing it and raise this martial art's level further.

"Heh heh. I may have exposed my Level 3 Freehand Fighting trump card in front of A-Zhen, but if I train this martial art to Level 5 or 6 today, I'll have a new trump card again."

Just imagining Bai Zhenzhen's shocked expression next time made Zhang Yu feel as though his punches had gained even more force.

Thus, Zhang Yu diligently practiced Freehand Fighting. Whenever he grew tired, he used Breath Circulation to rest. Once his stamina recovered, he stood back up and continued practicing. Before he knew it, the entire night had passed.

The next morning, as sunlight slowly passed through the hollow windows of the Unfinished Building and fell across Zhang Yu, he slowly opened his eyes while seated cross-legged on the ground.

After a night of bitter training, his Freehand Fighting had reached Level 5 (3/50), and his understanding of this foundational martial art had deepened further.

His magical power had also increased from 11.7 to 11.8.

Zhang Yu sighed inwardly. With the Passive Breathing Technique effect of the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method, even though I've only been using Breath Circulation while resting these past few days, my magical power has still been increasing quite a bit every day.

Feeling the magical power inside him grow at every moment, Zhang Yu's mood improved considerably.

It also made him increasingly look forward to seeing the effects of raising the Heavenly Cycle Qi Gathering Method to Level 10 once the specialization-switching cooldown ended.

He squeezed onto a bus and made his way to school.

Songyang was still shrouded in low pressure today.

Quite a few students wore visibly unpleasant expressions, clearly having suffered poor luck in yesterday's exams.

After breakfast, Zhang Yu arrived at the examination room for today's first test: the Dao Heart Exam.

With its white walls and rows of neatly arranged beds, the examination room looked like a hospital ward.

Only, instead of oxygen machines, the beds were connected to mask-like devices.

Not long after Zhang Yu arrived at his assigned bed and sat down, he heard the countdown in his mind again.

Curling his lips, he simply sat cross-legged and began Breath Circulation.

While Zhang Yu practiced Breath Circulation, examinees continuously entered the room, and before anyone noticed, every bed in the examination room had been filled.

As the ringing sound came, the expressions of the students tightened. They knew the exam was about to begin.

At the same time, soothing music began playing over the broadcast.

After the music ended, a woman's voice came through the broadcast.

"This is Songyang City's unified monthly Dao Heart examination for all high schools. The examination will last sixty minutes."

Zhang Yu was not surprised in the slightest when he heard the broadcast.

After all, his memories already contained the experiences of several past Monthly Exams.

Unlike yesterday's General Knowledge Exam, Martial Dao Exam, and Dao Arts Exam—

Every Monthly Exam's Dao Heart Exam was unified across all high schools in Songyang City.

This was inseparable from the special nature of Dao Heart and the Dao Heart Exam itself.

At the same time, the woman's voice continued over the broadcast.

"Attention. Throughout the examination, please wear the Spirit Realm Mask correctly over your face."

"It is now time for equipment inspection and fitting."

All the students immediately picked up the masks on their beds and began inspecting them.

Zhang Yu did the same. He first confirmed that the cable behind the mask was plugged into the socket, then switched on the power to make sure the mask was undamaged...

After checking and confirming that there were no problems, Zhang Yu put the mask over his face.

He felt the mask deform slightly before perfectly covering his face, as though his own face had gained another layer of skin.

However, since the mask covered his eyes, all Zhang Yu could see was darkness.

A moment later, the woman's voice sounded over the broadcast again.

"Equipment inspection and fitting are now complete."

"The Dao Heart Exam officially begins."

The darkness before Zhang Yu's eyes suddenly trembled. As specks of light emerged one after another, he found himself transported into another world in the next instant.