Boom!
Wang Kai let out a sharp shout, and in an instant, his aura surged violently.
His powerful qi and blood churned the air around him, even forming waves that were almost visible to the naked eye within several feet of him.
"S-Sixth Rank!"
"Wang Kai—he actually broke through to the Sixth Rank!"
The Martial Arts Academy disciples in the arena cried out in shock, their eyes filled with disbelief.
"That kid from the Wang Family broke through to the Sixth Rank at just fourteen. This talent..."
The influential figures from the great powers in the surrounding stands were also astonished.
The Sixth Rank was on a completely different level from the Seventh Rank!
The latter belonged to the lower three ranks of the Martial Arts Nine Ranks. Given enough resources, even a complete failure could be showered with resources until he reached the peak of that level.
The former, however, belonged to the middle three ranks. Without talent, no amount of resources would be enough to break through.
The gap between them was even greater than the gap between an ordinary person and a Seventh-Rank Martial Artist. Yet Wang Kai had broken through to the Sixth Rank at just fourteen! He had the potential to become a Fourth-Rank Martial Artist!
"Heh! That young fellow from the Wang Family has quite a gift for strengthening his body."
On the central viewing platform, the Dean, the Green-robed Elder, and Li You smiled at the sight of Wang Kai's surging qi and blood.
"To break through to the Sixth Rank at fourteen—with a gift for strengthening his body like that, if he's properly nurtured, then by the time the Tianshan Sect holds its disciple examination next year, he'll have at least reached the middle stage of the Sixth Rank. If he's lucky, he might even break through to the late stage."
"Even if he hasn't comprehended Extreme Strength by then, he'll still have a very good chance of getting into the Tianshan Sect."
"Add Lin Yi to that. If he really has undergone Aperture Opening, then he'll also have a great chance of being admitted to the Tianshan Sect in next year's disciple examination."
"Heh! Could it be that after seven years without a genius, our Guangling Martial Academy is about to make a spectacular return and produce two peerless geniuses at once?"
At that, the Dean and Li You both laughed.
The other senior figures from the Guangling Martial Academy on the viewing platform smiled as well, each offering their congratulations.
"Congratulations, Dean! Congratulations, Vice Principal! Under the leadership of you academy heads, our Guangling Martial Academy is clearly thriving, with one genius after another. With talents like Lin Yi and Wang Kai, I'm sure they'll both enter the Tianshan Sect next year."
"Lord Wang speaks the truth! Our Guangling Martial Academy hasn't produced a peerless genius in seven years. Now we ought to produce two at once."
"Once Lin Yi and Wang Kai enter the sect together, let's see which of those other commandery-city academies that used to mock us dares to run their mouths again! The sect will surely reward us, too."
"Inspector Sun is absolutely right. In my view..."
On the viewing platform, the academy's senior figures showered them with flattery.
Meanwhile, on the arena, Wang Kai, with his qi and blood fully unleashed, had grown more confident. He smiled at Lin Yi.
"What do you think, Lin Yi? I told you that you wouldn't beat me today."
"With my cultivation at the early stage of the Sixth Rank and my Great Mountain Splitting Sword Technique at Fifth Rank Great Accomplishment, I'm powerful even among martial artists at the middle stage of the Sixth Rank."
"With strength like this, no matter how good your Perfect Moon defense is, you can't possibly withstand me. Give up!"
"Give up?"
Lin Yi's expression remained calm. He still shook his head lightly.
"Wang Kai, there's no such thing as giving up in my dictionary. If you want to beat me, then show me what you've really got."
"Besides, even though you've broken through to the Sixth Rank, it's still too early to say who'll win this fight."
"Just as I expected of you, Lin Yi. You've got spirit. I knew I was right about you."
Wang Kai wasn't annoyed. Instead, he smiled and nodded in praise.
"Good! If you want to fight me, then I'll oblige. Take this!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a thunderous burst of air rang out.
On the arena, Wang Kai raised his greatsword high with both hands once more, then brought it down at Lin Yi in a slash like Pangu cleaving open heaven and earth.
It was still the familiar first move of the Great Mountain Splitting Sword Technique, "One Sword Splits the Mountain." It was still a straightforward, brutally powerful strike.
But compared to before, this slash was more than a level stronger in both power and speed.
If only a handful of late Seventh-Rank Martial Artists could withstand his previous slash, then even among peak Seventh-Rank Martial Artists, only a handful could withstand this one!
It was a slash powerful enough to sweep aside almost any Seventh-Rank Martial Artist. Its force and might were utterly inconceivable!
"That slash... was actually struck by a fourteen-year-old boy? Terrifying!"
"No wonder Sixth-Rank Martial Artists are so powerful! Lin Yi's defense is impressive, but how long can he last against an attack this terrifying? Thirty breaths? Twenty? Or even less?"
"Exactly! Sixth-Rank Martial Artists are incredible!"
Seeing Wang Kai's terrifying slash, the spectators beneath the arena all began talking excitedly.
This time, no one thought Lin Yi could win. The gap between the Sixth and Seventh Ranks was simply too vast—so vast that no ordinary means could make up for it. They couldn't imagine what Lin Yi could possibly do to turn things around.
"It looks like we'll know the outcome of this battle very soon."
Seeing this, Li You smiled.
"Judging by this Entrance Examination, it seems Wang Kai will take first place and Lin Yi second."
"Agreed! That should be the result."
The Green-robed Elder nodded.
"Lin Yi might have more potential than Wang Kai, but as things stand, he's still weaker."
"In my view, Wang Kai will knock him out within twenty breaths at most—"
Boom!
The Green-robed Elder had not yet finished speaking when a terrifying burst of air suddenly exploded beside him.
The Green-robed Elder focused his eyes. On the arena, Lin Yi, who had seemed like a tiny boat on the open sea, on the verge of capsizing beneath Wang Kai's terrifying slash, suddenly struck back.
The long saber in his hand was still the same one as before!
His move was still the same move as before!
But at that moment, the power and speed of the long saber in Lin Yi's hand surged at an outrageous rate.
In almost an instant, its might far surpassed Wang Kai's!
Then it slammed into Wang Kai's greatsword.
Clang!
As saber met sword, a peal like a great bell rang across the entire arena.
The next moment, under the crowd's disbelieving gazes, Wang Kai, who had charged forward with unstoppable force, was sent flying by Lin Yi's saber at an even greater speed than he had come. He flew back more than ten meters before finally stopping.
"What? I—I..."
On the arena, Wang Kai stared at the greatsword in his hands, his eyes full of disbelief.
On the viewing platform—
Bang! Bang!
Two loud slaps against the table rang out. The Dean, the Green-robed Elder, and Li You sprang to their feet. Their eyes, already bright with intensity, now fixed on Lin Yi below as if they were glowing, filled with boundless shock and delight. Almost in unison, they slowly uttered two words:
"Extreme! Strength!"
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