September 16 was the day Guangling Martial Academy held its annual Entrance Examination.
On the enormous Martial Arts Arena, the Dean, Vice Principal, many senior academy officials, and teachers sat upright in the main viewing stand, their brocade robes shimmering in the sunlight.
On one of the three spectator stands sat the heads of various prominent lineages, dressed in fine clothes, along with representatives of other powerful factions.
The other two stands were filled with commandery merchants who had bought tickets, as well as spectators who had simply come to watch the competition.
Although the young geniuses of Guangling Martial Academy were still inexperienced, their talents were remarkable. Watching them fight with all their might in the arena was a rare treat for ordinary people and wealthy merchants alike.
"Candidate Number Thirty-Six defeated a Seventh Rank Early Stage Bronze Automaton, then fell after holding out for 323 moves against a Seventh Grade Mid Stage Bronze Automaton."
"Candidate Number Forty-Two defeated a Seventh Grade Mid Stage Bronze Automaton, then fell after holding out for 672 moves against a Late Seventh Rank Bronze Automaton."
"Candidate Number Fifty-One, defeated..."
On the Martial Arts Arena, thirty Bronze Automatons were locked in fierce combat with thirty candidates.
A teacher from the academy watched and recorded each fight. When the battles ended, the teachers would call out the candidates' results in booming voices.
The Entrance Examination at Guangling Martial Academy generally consisted of two rounds.
The first round was a battle against Bronze Automatons. As the name suggested, candidates fought the automatons to provide an initial assessment of their strength.
Candidates strong enough to place in the top twenty in the first round qualified for the second round: the arena matches.
The matches determined the academy's top ten, top three, and first- and second-place finishers.
Those who made it to this round were practically all true prodigies of Guangling Commandery. Each would receive generous rewards from the academy and invitations from countless powerful factions. Even a top lineage like the Wang Family would extend an olive branch. It was a chance to rise to the heavens in a single bound.
"All right! The second batch, candidates numbered thirty-one to sixty, has finished their examinations."
As the final candidate of the second batch fell, a burly man on the arena spoke in a booming voice:
"Next up is the third batch. Candidates numbered sixty-one to ninety, please enter the arena for your examination."
"Lin Yi, your turn!"
At the burly man's words, Wang Kai glanced at the huge number seventy-four on Lin Yi's back and grinned.
"You'd better show what you're really made of this time. Don't go and fail to make the top twenty."
"You've spent the past half-month taking medicine, so we haven't had much chance to spar. I'm still looking forward to a proper fight with you in the arena later!"
"Don't worry. You won't be disappointed."
Lin Yi smiled and strode onto the arena, stopping beside a Bronze Automaton and a short, slender martial arts instructor.
"Candidate Number Seventy-Four, choose the strength level of the Bronze Automaton you'll be facing," the instructor said calmly.
"Sixth Rank Early Stage," Lin Yi replied.
"Sixth Rank Early Stage!"
The short instructor was startled. So were the other martial arts instructors and students nearby.
Sixth Rank Early Stage was the Middle Three Ranks. Even though Bronze Automatons were held back by their Martial Skill level and were usually at the bottom of their rank, a Sixth Rank Early Stage Bronze Automaton was still far beyond what a Peak Seventh Rank martial artist could match.
Among the previous sixty candidates, a few ranked among the top five of the three hundred students, and could even contend for the top three.
In terms of strength, they were almost on par with Wang Kai before he achieved Great Accomplishment in the Great Mountain Splitting Sword Technique.
Yet even he had fallen after a hundred or so moves when he challenged a Sixth Rank Early Stage Bronze Automaton.
Lin Yi, a student who had placed somewhere in the two hundreds at the last examination, actually dared to do this?
Even if he had recently reached Great Accomplishment in the Bright Moon Saber Art, he shouldn't be this reckless!
"Candidate Number Seventy-Four, are you sure you want to choose a Sixth Rank Early Stage Bronze Automaton?"
After his initial surprise, the short instructor's expression turned serious.
"You should know that I'm only Sixth Rank Mid Stage myself. I'm not much stronger than this Sixth Rank Early Stage Bronze Automaton."
"On top of that, the Bronze Automaton is strong and fast. If the gap between you and it is too great, I might not be able to save you in time if something goes wrong."
"Don't worry, teacher."
Lin Yi remained calm and nodded.
"If I dared to choose it, then I'm confident. Go ahead and activate it."
"This... all right!"
Seeing that Lin Yi wouldn't be dissuaded, the short instructor could only relent.
"If you insist, I'll activate it for you. But if you can't hold out, say so before it's too late. That way, I can be ready to step in at any moment."
"Yes. Thank you, teacher."
Lin Yi nodded.
As he watched the short instructor adjust the Bronze Automaton's strength by working the controls on its back, he quietly mused:
After a full day of arduous cultivation yesterday, my cultivation has already reached the Late Seventh Rank, thanks to the incredible effects of my Martial Saint Body.
With my current strength, I estimate I can take down a Sixth Rank Early Stage Bronze Automaton in about 150 moves without unleashing Extreme Strength.
If I unleash Extreme Strength, I can definitely kill it in one move.
So, in this examination, should I unleash it—or not?
Before you continue