Assessment

Li He walked toward the testing pod, while Wang Hao, having just finished his registration, stood to the side watching with anticipation.

The pod door closed, white light enveloped the interior, and a moment later, the numbers on the external display screen began to jump wildly.

6.9...7.4...8.9...10...11.4!

"11.4?" a young examiner exclaimed in a low voice.

"That's the level of a First-Order Martial Artist!"

"How is his foundation so solid?"

However, when the bone structure assessment data was transmitted to the screen, the surprise on the examiners' faces instantly froze.

"It's actually a Grade 5 bone structure!"

"His vitality is 11.4? How much resources must have been poured into him to achieve this?"

"Sigh, no need to look further; he's just another rich kid."

"With such poor bone structure, forcing his level up to this point has already exhausted his potential."

Several examiners exchanged glances in low voices and shook their heads slightly.

Zhao Xiong, the deputy director standing at the center of the control console, had originally been supervising as a matter of routine, but his attention was now drawn as well.

He frowned as he looked at Li He's vitality data and bone structure assessment. At this age, it was indeed quite impressive, comparable to some freshmen at top Martial Arts University institutions.

But a Grade 5 bone structure... that was truly rare.

Recalling the old friendship between the director and Wang Zhengyang, he decided to personally keep an eye on this Class C Number 8.

Li He stepped out of the testing pod.

The examiner in charge of registration recorded the data mechanically, his attitude noticeably colder than before.

Wang Hao stood to the side, taking in the examiners' reactions. The admiration he had felt for Li He was replaced by embarrassment and a trace of unease. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but seeing Li He's calm profile, he swallowed his words.

The next segment was the martial arts demonstration.

On the circular demonstration platform, examinees took turns performing; their styles varied—some fierce, some swift, some sharp—but most practiced Federation martial arts, with very few practicing Ancient Martial Arts.

"Class C Number 7, Li He, please take the stage for your demonstration!"

Li He rose calmly and stepped onto the platform.

He stood in the center, his aura restrained, and chose to perform the Cloud Hand Eighteen Forms, a technique in which he had high proficiency.

His movements were fluid and circular, his power contained within, and his spirit was fully engaged.

Behind the control console, the examiners had varying reactions.

The older examiner watched, mesmerized, and praised: "Such exquisite flow of power. This child's understanding of the Cloud Hand has already reached a minor success; his power is circular and unobstructed. For someone so young, this level of comprehension is truly remarkable."

The young examiner shook his head slightly and judged: "The bone structure is too poor, and the ceiling for Ancient Martial Arts is low. Forcing himself to practice Federation martial arts will yield half the result for twice the effort. It's a pity to waste such comprehension."

Zhao Xiong watched the entire performance without comment.

"The next item is combat simulation. Will the examinees whose names are called please enter the combat pods!"

"Class C Number 7, Li He, enter Combat Pod Number 7!"

Li He stepped into the pod, his consciousness sank, and the scene before him shifted instantly.

He appeared on a square alloy arena.

Opposite him, a virtual martial artist holding an alloy combat blade and possessing approximately 10 points of vitality coalesced into form. With a fierce gaze, the opponent slashed down, the momentum incredibly sharp.

Li He slid sideways with agility, brushing past the most lethal point of the blade.

Just as the enemy's momentum was about to exhaust itself, Li He's arm shot out like a spirit snake, latching onto the opponent's wrist, and with a light twist, he channeled his Silk-Reeling Power into the opponent's body.

Ssh!

The virtual martial artist's arm, shoulder, and even half of his body were crazily infiltrated, twisted, and severed by this invisible force!

His skin showed spiderweb-like cracks, flickering with unstable energy light.

Li He seized the opportunity and delivered a Crushing Fist.

Bang!

A dull, explosive sound rang out.

The virtual martial artist's head shattered instantly, and the headless torso twitched a few times before turning into a sky full of energy particles and dissipating completely.

Combat ended.

Time taken: 5 seconds.

Rating: S-rank.

The pod door slid open, and Li He stepped out calmly, his breathing steady.

The massive screen at the control console displayed his combat data and rating, along with the shocking 5-second combat replay.

The young examiners were dumbfounded: "5 seconds, S-rank? This reaction speed and timing for the opening... that's a bit exaggerated."

"Deflecting force, guiding, penetrating damage, lethal follow-up—the movements were fluid and seamless. He is a Tier 1 martial artist, through and through."

"It seems it wasn't just a simple accumulation of resources. By the way, what kind of power was he using just now?"

Zhao Xiong leaned forward slightly, his gaze locked onto the combat replay on the screen.

"It's Silk-Reeling Power!" Zhao Xiong said. "It seems the Cloud Hand Eighteen Forms aren't his limit. Anyone who can master Silk-Reeling Power must have a foundation in Ancient Martial Arts. To master such techniques at this age, he can be called a genius of Ancient Martial Arts. What's even rarer is the ruthlessness and decisiveness in his strikes. He is truly a talent, but unfortunately..."

A moment later.

All candidates finished the assessment and were guided to the rest area to await the final results.

About half an hour later, the examiners finished compiling the scores and evaluations. Zhao Xiong personally reviewed the scoring details for Li He and Wang Hao and signed his name on the evaluation form.

He walked to the console and announced in a loud voice, "The final admission list for this year's new students at Evergreen Martial Arts Hall is as follows. Those whose names are called, please step forward to receive your admission letter."

One name after another was called out.

"...Class C Number 7, Wang Hao!"

When Wang Hao heard his name, he was stunned for a moment, then overcome with wild joy. "Big brother! I got in! I succeeded!" As a former street thug, this kind of recognition made him particularly emotional.

However, after the list was finished, the name "Class C Number 8, Li He" was never called.

A flash of bewilderment crossed Li He's eyes.

He believed he had performed excellently in every assessment, especially with his S-rank rating in the combat simulation. How could he have been rejected?

On the massive public display screen, the final score details for all candidates scrolled by, arranged by their number tags.

Li He quickly found his information:

Class C Number 8: Li He

Vitality: 11.4 (S-rank)

Bone Potential Assessment: Grade 5 Lower (E-rank)

Martial Arts Display: Cloud Hand Eighteen Forms (Technique: A-rank. Power Application: A-rank. Combat Applicability: B-rank.)

Combat Simulation: 5 seconds (S-rank)

Comprehensive Total Score: 79.5

Admission Cutoff Score: 80.0

Above him, Wang Hao's information:

Class C Number 7: Wang Hao

Vitality: 6.9 (B-rank)

Bone Potential Assessment: Grade 2 Upper (A-rank)

Martial Arts Display: Federation Body Forging Fist (Technique: B-rank. Power Application: B-rank. Combat Applicability: B-rank)

Combat Simulation: 60 seconds (C-rank)

Comprehensive Total Score: 80

Li He understood instantly.

It wasn't that he wasn't strong enough; it was that this evaluation system had long ago carved an insurmountable chasm between bone potential and the path of martial arts.

His martial arts techniques were not worth mentioning in the face of bone potential.

In the eyes of the examiners, his own vitality was likely nothing more than a product of piled-up resources, his potential already exhausted!

He took one last deep look at the scores on the screen, turned around, and walked away from the bustling assessment area with steady steps.

The wild joy on Wang Hao's face froze.

He watched Li He's silent, departing back, and the stark contrast filled his heart with intense guilt and unease.

He opened his mouth to call out to Li He, but his throat felt blocked, unable to produce a sound, and he was immediately swallowed up by the excited crowd and the staff members coming to congratulate him.

Zhao Tianying stood on the stage, watching Li He's departing back with a complex look in his eyes, sighing silently in his heart.

He had just checked Li He's background and discovered that Li He came from an ordinary family. The so-called "piled-up resources" were just an ordinary family choosing to give everything they had for their child.

"His temperament and comprehension are both top-tier, but unfortunately, his vitality was forcibly raised, and his potential is already spent."

"If it were a few years ago, I could have taken you in, but this year, all martial arts halls are undergoing major reforms... Under the competitive environment and resource-skewed system of Evergreen, there is no future here. For the sake of your family, it is better to cut your losses now."