One Punch Shocks All Directions

A loud roar echoed, its reverberations filling the training grounds, making eardrums buzz.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

All eyes were fixed intently on the ironwood stake that had taken Li Yuan's punch.

The stake, as hard as iron, which required other apprentices to exert their full strength just to leave a shallow mark, now had dense cracks spreading like a spiderweb from the center of Li Yuan's fist print! A terrifying fist print, reaching over an inch deep, with incredibly clear edges, where the broken wood fibers could even be seen, was branded upon it!

The fist print was so deep, it looked less like the work of human strength and more like it had been smashed by a heavy iron hammer!

"Crack... crackle..."

Faint cracking sounds continued. The ironwood stake swayed a few times, and then, starting from the fist print, its upper half slowly tilted, finally crashing down with a "boom" into two pieces, hitting the bluestone ground and kicking up a cloud of dust!

It... it broke?

The ironwood stake used by Blustering Wind Martial Hall to test apprentices... was broken with one punch?

Silence!

Absolute silence, so profound you could hear a pin drop!

The over a hundred people on the training grounds, including the instructors on the high platform, and even the Hall Master Shi Lie Feng, were all frozen as if under a spell, staring blankly at the broken stake, and at Li Yuan, who stood there slowly retracting his fist, maintaining his punching posture.

He was still standing there, not particularly tall, his clothes still ragged, but at this moment, in everyone's eyes, he seemed like a mountain that had suddenly risen from the ground, exuding a suffocating pressure!

"No... impossible!" Zhao Hu's mocking smile froze completely on his face, transforming into extreme shock and disbelief. He screamed, his plump body involuntarily stepping back two paces, pointing at Li Yuan with a trembling finger, "You... you cheated! You definitely cheated!"

However, his scream sounded so pale and weak in the silent training grounds. How could he have cheated under everyone's watchful eyes?

Li Gou Er's mouth hung open, wide enough to fit an egg, his eyes filled with fear.

Shi Feng, who had been watching coldly, now straightened his back abruptly. For the first time, his gaze towards Li Yuan held an unprecedented seriousness and shock!

Instructor Chen leaped down from the high platform, almost rushing to the broken stake. He reached out, trembling, and caressed the smooth break and the deep fist print, feeling the residual, scorching, and domineering aura. He suddenly looked up, staring intently at Li Yuan, his voice slightly altered by extreme shock:

"Iron Body Technique... Great Accomplishment?! No! This power, this penetrating force... ordinary Great Accomplishment could never achieve this! You... how did you do it?!"

He subconsciously stepped forward and grabbed Li Yuan's arm, squeezing it forcefully.

Where he touched, it wasn't hard bone, but like rubber wrapped in steel wire, filled with astonishing toughness and elasticity. Beneath the skin, his blood and qi surged, as if hiding a volcano on the verge of eruption!

This was definitely not the physical strength achievable through half a month of arduous training! Even many veteran apprentices who had trained for years might not possess such a robust physique!

"Instructor," Li Yuan let him hold him, his expression calm, his voice still carrying a deliberate hoarseness, "This disciple merely practiced diligently every day according to the method you taught, not daring to slack off in the slightest."

His words were flawless, attributing everything to "diligent practice."

Instructor Chen looked at Li Yuan's calm, unruffled eyes, and a storm raged in his heart. He absolutely did not believe this was the result of mere "diligent practice"! This disciple must have a secret!

But he had no evidence, nor could he investigate further under everyone's watchful eyes.

On the high platform, the Pavilion Master Shi Lie Feng had, at some unknown time, walked to the front. His eyes, sharp as a falcon's, fell upon Li Yuan for the first time, carrying scrutiny, surprise, and a trace of imperceptible... interest.

"This child, what is his name?" Shi Lie Feng's voice was deep, carrying an undeniable authority.

Instructor Chen quickly bowed and replied, "Reporting to the Pavilion Master, his name is Li Yuan, an apprentice from Class C Room Seven."

"Li Yuan..." Shi Lie Feng repeated the name, his gaze lingering for a moment on Li Yuan's body, which seemed ordinary but actually contained the universe, and slowly said, "Class C Room is beneath your talent. Effective immediately, you are promoted to Class A Room One."

Class A Room One!

The most elite residence for martial arts apprentices, symbolizing the best resources and attention!

The entire venue erupted in an uproar once more! Countless gazes focused on Li Yuan, filled with envy, jealousy, awe, and deep confusion.

A collateral descendant who was unknown a month and a half ago, even mocked as trash, had, in the Half-monthly Exam, with the astonishing feat of shattering a pillar with one punch, directly leaped over the dragon's gate and stepped into the core apprentice ranks of the martial arts school!

Zhao Hu's face turned ashen, and he collapsed to the ground. Looking at the youth he had once wantonly bullied and mocked countless times, who now stood at a height he could only look up to, immense fear and regret instantly engulfed him.

Li Yuan bowed slightly to Shi Lie Feng on the high platform, "Thank you, Pavilion Master."

His tone remained calm, as if being promoted to Class A Room was a trivial matter.

He raised his head, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire venue, across those shocked, awed, and complex faces, and finally, subtly, passed over Zhao Hu, who was slumped on the ground.

No words, no taunts, but that calm gaze held more power than any sharp remark.

With his own fist, he had crushed all doubts and disdain, proclaiming his rise to everyone!

The humble beginnings were now in the past, the hidden dragon... would eventually ascend the abyss!

Feeling the surging, seemingly endless Crimson Sun Qi and Blood within his body, the corner of Li Yuan's mouth finally curved into a clear and cold arc.

This was merely his first step on the path to the peak.