Before dawn had even broken, the streets of Jiangnan City were already bustling.
Today was the Jiangnan Martial Arts Academy's annual entrance examination. For countless children of poor families, it was their only chance to change their fates; for noble lineages, it was a stage to showcase their strength; and for the entire city, it was a grand festival.
Lin Fan walked home with a light step.
Three days of intensive training in Wind Howl Valley had transformed him completely. He was still wounded, and his clothes were torn in several places, but his gaze was sharper than before, and his aura steadier.
First, he stopped at a medicine shop and used the money he had searched from the three attackers to buy some topical medicine and bandages. Then he went to a breakfast stall at the mouth of an alley and bought hot meat buns and soy milk—his younger sister liked those.
When he pushed open the courtyard gate, Lin Xiaoyu was already up, drawing water in the yard.
"Brother!" Her eyes lit up when she saw Lin Fan return, but then her brows knit together. "Y-you're hurt again?"
Lin Fan glanced down at his ragged clothes and smiled. "It's nothing. I bumped into something while practicing."
"Liar." Lin Xiaoyu came over and carefully touched the bandage on his arm. "That's obviously a knife wound."
Lin Fan froze for a moment. Since when had his little sister become so observant?
"I'm really fine." He ruffled her hair. "See? I'm fit as a fiddle. Go wash up and eat breakfast. I'm taking you to the academy to watch the examination today."
"Really?" Lin Xiaoyu's eyes shone even brighter. "I can go watch?"
"Of course." Lin Fan handed her the meat bun and soy milk. "But you have to promise me you'll stay in the audience area and not wander off."
"Mm-hmm!" Lin Xiaoyu nodded vigorously, taking small bites of her meat bun, her face full of anticipation.
Seeing the healthy color in his sister's cheeks and the brightness in her eyes, Lin Fan felt a warm current rise in his heart. The Lung Cleansing Pill had clearly worked. She had barely coughed over the past three days, and her stamina had improved a lot, too.
If he could get into the academy and secure one of its medical-care slots, there was hope of curing his sister's illness for good.
This was a battle he had to win.
After breakfast, Lin Fan changed into clean clothes. They were old, but at least they had no holes. He also tended to his wounds carefully, making sure they wouldn't affect his performance today.
"Let's go."
The siblings locked the courtyard gate and joined the stream of people heading for the academy.
The Jiangnan Martial Arts Academy stood in the eastern part of the city. It covered a thousand acres and was one of the grandest complexes in Jiangnan City. Its towering walls were built of bluestone, etched with intricate defensive formations; its vermilion gates stretched ten zhang across, flanked by two imposing stone lions, each three meters tall.
By now, the plaza before the academy gates was already packed with people.
Lin Fan estimated there were at least thirty to fifty thousand gathered there. Two or three thousand were examinees; the rest were accompanying family members, curious citizens, spies from various factions, vendors, and others.
The plaza had been divided into several areas: the Examinee Waiting Area, Family Viewing Area, Vendor Area, and Academy Staff Area. The Academy Enforcement Team, dressed in blue uniforms, was trying to maintain order, but there were simply too many people. The din surged in wave after wave, like the tide.
"Brother, there are so many people." Lin Xiaoyu clutched Lin Fan's sleeve tightly, looking a little nervous.
"Don't be afraid." Shielding his sister, Lin Fan moved through the crowd toward the Examinee Waiting Area.
Temporary barriers enclosed the waiting area, and staff members checked identities at the entrance. Lin Fan showed his Identity Card and was allowed in. According to the rules, family members couldn't accompany examinees, so Lin Xiaoyu had to go to the viewing area.
"Xiaoyu, go sit over there and wait for me." Lin Fan pointed to the Viewing Platform in the distance. "Remember, don't wander off."
"Mm! Good luck, Brother!" Lin Xiaoyu waved a small fist and trotted away.
Lin Fan watched until his sister found a seat, then turned his attention to the other examinees.
Hundreds of people had already gathered in the waiting area, all between fifteen and eighteen years old. Most looked nervous and expectant; some were even trembling with anxiety. But a few seemed completely at ease, chatting and laughing in groups of three or five—probably noble scions who had prepared well in advance.
Lin Fan found a corner to stand in and closed his eyes to rest.
[Basic Breathing Technique] began circulating quietly, guiding vital energy through his body as he slowly recovered the strength he had expended in last night's battle. At the same time, his ears picked up the conversations around him.
"I heard this year's applicants broke the record. More than three thousand people, but they're only taking two hundred."
"Two hundred? One hundred and fifty go into the Regular Class, forty into the Elite Class, and ten into the Genius Class. The Regular Class might be manageable, but the Genius Class... you'd have to be a monster to get in, right?"
"I heard Wang Hao of the Wang Family has already reached the 2nd Grade. He's bound to get a spot in the Genius Class."
"And it's not just Wang Hao. Liu Feng of the Liu Family and Li Yue of the Li Family are both 2nd Grade. For people like us, at 1st Grade, we'll be lucky to get into the Regular Class."
"Have you heard? They changed the examination rules this year. The Combat Puppet in the practical test is stronger."
"What? No way! I'm done for..."
The discussions rose and fell around him.
Lin Fan opened his eyes and swept his gaze across the crowd. He spotted Wang Hao, who was dressed in a lavish silver martial uniform today, a gem-encrusted longsword at his waist. Surrounded by seven or eight lackeys, he was holding forth animatedly.
As if sensing Lin Fan's gaze, Wang Hao turned his head. Their eyes met.
Wang Hao first looked puzzled—the three men he had sent to Wind Howl Valley still hadn't returned, and he hadn't heard back from them. Then his expression turned icy before settling into a taunting smile.
He mouthed silently, "You're dead."
Lin Fan impassively looked away.
What a clown.
He wasn't concerned with Wang Hao right now. The examination itself mattered more. From what he'd just heard, the tests were harder this year, which was good for him—the more difficult they were, the more easily he could stand out.
But it was also bad. If they were too difficult, something could go wrong.
"Silence!"
A booming shout drowned out all the noise.
A middle-aged man in a blue instructor's robe stepped onto the raised platform at the front of the waiting area. He had a stern face and eyes as sharp as lightning. A powerful aura radiated from him—at least that of a 4th Grade Great Martial Master!
"I am Liu Batian, vice dean of the Jiangnan Martial Arts Academy." His voice thundered across the entire plaza. "I'll be presiding over this year's entrance examination."
The entire crowd fell silent at once.
Liu Batian's gaze swept over the waiting area, lingering briefly on several examinees who were clearly noble scions before he continued. "I'll state the examination rules only once, so listen carefully."
"First test: strength. You will strike the Strength Testing Monument three times, and your highest result will count. The passing standard is five hundred jin. Anyone below five hundred jin will be eliminated immediately."
Gasps swept through the crowd below. Last year, the passing standard had been four hundred jin. This year, it had jumped by a hundred!
"Second test: speed. You must cross the 100-Meter Gale Array. The formation will generate wind resistance, which will grow stronger the farther you go. The passing standard is fifteen seconds. Anyone who takes longer than fifteen seconds will be eliminated."
Another commotion rippled through the crowd. One hundred meters in fifteen seconds, with wind resistance—that was a speed requirement nearly thirty percent higher than last year's!
"Third test: combat. You'll fight a Combat Puppet and either hold out for one incense stick's worth of time or defeat it. Be warned: this year, the puppets have been adjusted to the early 2nd Grade."
Even the noble scions looked uneasy now.
An early 2nd Grade puppet! In past years, they had all been at the peak of the 1st Grade. This year, they had been raised by an entire minor realm!
"Everyone who passes all three tests will be ranked according to their overall score. The top two hundred will be admitted. The top ten will enter the Genius Class, those ranked eleventh to fiftieth will enter the Elite Class, and the rest will enter the Regular Class."
Liu Batian paused, his voice turning even sterner. "During the examination, using pills, talismans, or any other outside aid is strictly forbidden. Violators will be disqualified. Deliberately injuring other examinees is also forbidden. Violators will have their cultivation crippled and be expelled from Jiangnan City. Is that clear?"
"Understood!" the examinees answered in unison, but their voices were noticeably tense.
"Good." Liu Batian waved a hand. "Now, you'll proceed with the first test in groups of ten, according to your registration numbers. Numbers one through ten, step forward!"
Ten young men and women emerged from the crowd and followed the staff toward the testing area.
The examination had officially begun.
Lin Fan's registration number was 487, placing him around the middle of the line. He wasn't in a hurry; it gave him a chance to observe the others.
The testing area stood on the eastern side of the plaza. Ten black stone monuments stood there, each two meters tall and one meter wide, its surface smooth as a mirror. When an examinee struck one, the monument would light up and display the exact result.
The first group was ready.
"Begin!" the judge called.
All ten threw their punches almost simultaneously.
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
Dull impacts rang out one after another.
The Strength Testing Monuments lit up, displaying their results:
The first: 423 jin (failed)
The second: 511 jin (passed)
The third: 389 jin (failed)
The fourth: 567 jin (passed)
Out of ten people, only four had passed! The elimination rate was a staggering sixty percent!
Sighs and cheers rose from the Viewing Platform. Some of the examinees who failed burst into tears on the spot; those who passed jumped up in excitement.
"Second group, numbers eleven through twenty, step forward!"
The second group did a little better, with six people passing. But even the highest result was only 680 jin—just enough to get by.
The third group, the fourth group... As the tests continued, Lin Fan gradually figured out the pattern.
Most examinees from poor families hovered between four hundred and six hundred jin, and fewer than half could reach the five-hundred-jin passing mark. The noble scions, on the other hand, generally topped seven hundred jin, with some even reaching nine hundred.
That was the difference resources made.
Children from poor families ate poorly and trained hard, but without good techniques or medicated baths to help them, their strength grew slowly. Noble scions had been soaking in medicated baths since childhood, learning from famous instructors and inheriting their family's martial arts. Their foundations were far stronger to begin with.
"Group 81, numbers 801 through 810, step forward!"
This group drew quite a bit of attention because Wang Hao was among them.
Wang Hao was number 803. He walked up to Strength Testing Monument No. 3, rolled his wrist, and smiled with confidence.
"Good luck, Young Master Wang!"
"Go, Brother Hao!"
His lackeys hollered from below.
Wang Hao took a deep breath, drew back his right fist, channeled vital energy into his knuckles, and slammed it forward!
"Boom!"
The explosive crack was louder than any strike before it!
The Strength Testing Monument blazed with light, and the numbers raced upward: 800, 850, 900... Finally, they stopped at—
"981 jin!"
The judge called out the result.
The crowd erupted.
"Nearly a thousand jin! That's the strength of a 2nd Grade Martial Artist!"
"As expected of the Young Master of the Wang Family. With that kind of strength, he's a shoo-in for the Genius Class."
"Tch, we're not even on the same level..."
Wang Hao withdrew his fist, pleased with his result. Then he shot Lin Fan a taunting glance.
Lin Fan remained expressionless.
981 jin? It was pretty good. But...
He looked at his own fist.
In Wind Howl Valley, he had shattered a boulder two people tall with a single punch. That kind of destructive power was impossible with a mere thousand jin of force. He hadn't measured it precisely, but he estimated his punch now packed at least 1,500 jin.
"Next, group 82..."
The tests continued.
A few impressive results appeared now and then. One examinee named Liu Feng scored 920 jin, while a girl named Li Yue scored 890. But neither surpassed Wang Hao.
Time passed, and the sun climbed overhead.
"Group 48, numbers 471 through 480, step forward!"
Lin Fan's spirits lifted.
There was someone in this group who had caught his attention—a frail, pale-faced boy, number 478. Lin Fan remembered him. He was an orphan from East Street in the Slum District named Xiao Shitou, and he made a living collecting scrap.
Xiao Shitou walked up to the Strength Testing Monument, his hands trembling with nerves.
"Begin!"
The other nine threw their punches one after another.
Xiao Shitou gritted his teeth and struck the monument with all his strength.
It lit up: 488 jin.
Twelve jin short.
Xiao Shitou stared blankly at the number, his face growing paler still. After hesitating, he raised a hand. "Judge, can I... can I try again?"
The judge glanced at him and shook his head. "Each person gets three attempts. You've already used them all."
"But..." Xiao Shitou's eyes reddened. "I was only a little short..."
"The rules are the rules." The judge's face was expressionless. "You failed. Leave the area."
Dazed, Xiao Shitou walked off the platform, passed through the waiting area, and headed for the exit. As he passed Lin Fan, Lin Fan heard him sob quietly, "Mother, I'm sorry..."
Lin Fan's heart stirred.
He remembered that Xiao Shitou's mother had died of illness last year. Her greatest wish before she died had been for her son to enter the Martial Arts Academy and make something of himself.
Twelve jin short.
Just twelve jin had changed a boy's fate forever.
Lin Fan clenched his fists.
This world was too cruel.
"Group 49, numbers 481 through 490, step forward!"
At last, it was his turn.
Lin Fan took a deep breath and walked toward Strength Testing Monument No. 7.
His appearance drew some attention—his clothes were too old, making him stand out among the richly dressed scions. He also looked far too thin to be strong.
"Number 487, Lin Fan." The judge checked his Identity Card. "Get ready."
Lin Fan stood before the Strength Testing Monument. Unlike the others, he didn't strike an exaggerated pose. He simply stood calmly, his right arm hanging naturally at his side.
"Begin!"
The other nine threw their punches at once.
Lin Fan moved, too.
His motion was simple: he raised his right fist and sent it forward.
No windup, no shout—he did it as casually as if he were greeting someone.
"Thud."
The sound was quiet, almost muffled.
But in the next instant—
The Strength Testing Monument's light exploded!
It didn't merely light up—it burst open! Blinding white light erupted from the monument, making everyone nearby squeeze their eyes shut!
The numbers raced upward: 1,000, 1,500, 2,000...
At last, they stopped at a number that plunged the entire crowd into dead silence:
"2...2,103 jin?!"
The referee's voice trembled.
The entire plaza fell silent.
Everyone—Liu Batian on the high platform, the spectators on the Viewing Platform, and every examinee—stared fixedly at the number on No. 7 Strength Testing Monument.
2,103 jin.
Over 2,000 jin!
That was no longer within the range of a 2nd Grade Martial Artist. That was the kind of strength only a 3rd Grade Martial Master could unleash!
But Lin Fan was clearly only a 1st Grade Martial Trainee!
"N-no... impossible!" Wang Hao was the first to shout. "The Strength Testing Monument is broken! It has to be!"
His words jolted many people out of their daze.
Right! How could a 1st Grade Martial Trainee possibly unleash 2,000 jin of strength? The Strength Testing Monument had to be malfunctioning!
The referee came to his senses too and hurried to inspect the monument. But the formation was operating normally, and the stele itself was undamaged.
"I request a retest!" Wang Hao shouted. "I demand that you replace it with another Strength Testing Monument and test him again!"
Liu Batian furrowed his brow and looked at Lin Fan. "Examinee Lin Fan, do you agree to a retest?"
Lin Fan nodded. "Sure."
He wanted to confirm just how far his limits went, too.
The staff quickly replaced the monument with a new one.
Lin Fan took his place in front of it again.
This time, everyone watched with wide eyes, afraid they might miss even the slightest detail.
"Begin."
Lin Fan threw the same casual punch as before.
"Boom—!!!"
This time, the sound rang out like thunder!
The Strength Testing Monument erupted with light once more. The number shot upward before finally stopping at:
"2,187 jin!"
That was 84 jin higher than before!
Silence.
A deathly silence.
Then an explosive uproar shot into the sky!
"My god! He really broke 2,000 jin!"
"A 1st Grade Martial Trainee with 2,000 jin of strength... What kind of monster is this?"
"Someone from the Slum District? How is that possible?!"
"Lin Fan... I'll remember that name!"
On the Viewing Platform, Lin Xiaoyu leaped up in excitement. "Brother! You're amazing!"
In the crowd, several inconspicuous old men exchanged glances. Among them was Old Man Li, who had given Lin Fan Detailed Explanation of Basic Breathing Technique at the Night Market.
"Interesting." Old Man Li stroked his beard, his eyes glinting. "This kid is even more interesting than I expected."
On the high platform, Liu Batian gave Lin Fan a long, penetrating look and made a heavy mark in the roster in his hand.
Wang Hao's face turned ashen, and his fists clenched with a crackle. He had thought he would be the most dazzling genius there that day, only to be completely crushed by some kid from the Slum District!
Lin Fan lowered his fist, his expression calm.
The result was within his expectations. If he hadn't been afraid of causing too much of a sensation, he could have scored even higher—he hadn't even used Spiral Force.
"Examinee Lin Fan, your result is valid." The referee's voice carried a note of respect. "Please return to the Waiting Area."
Lin Fan nodded and turned to leave.
Wherever he went, the crowd parted on its own to make way. Everyone looked at him differently now. Their contempt and indifference had turned to shock, awe, and even fear.
That was the respect strength commanded.
Back in the Waiting Area, Lin Fan closed his eyes and rested again.
He had passed the first round in the most stunning way possible. But this was only the beginning. The speed test and combat test ahead were the real challenges.
Especially the combat test—the puppet was at the early stage of the 2nd Grade.
Lin Fan opened his eyes and looked toward the row of black huts behind the testing area. That was where the combat test would take place.
He licked his lips.
He was a little excited.
Before you continue