Earth-Shaking Stomp

"Good!"

"Beautiful!"

"Senior Brother Sun is mighty!"

Deafening cheers erupted from the sidelines.

Sun Ao had not only won, but done so cleanly and decisively, with superb technique. There was no doubt that it was a powerful rebuttal to Yuan Ziheng's ruthless fighting style.

On the stone platform.

Jin Wancai beamed as he applauded again and again.

Sun Zhen cupped his hands toward Yuan Shan. "Thank you, Master Yuan, for taking such good care of Sun Ao. I'm grateful."

Yuan Shan set down his teacup, his expression calm. "You're too kind, Mr. Sun. Sun Ao is exceptionally talented and strong-willed. His skill comes from his own diligence and hard training. The martial arts school merely provided a little support and guided him through the basics."

As they spoke, the atmosphere below remained lively.

"Fourth match: number four against number twelve. Sun Jiaoyang and Jin Yongsheng, get ready!" Lin Feng's voice rang out at just the right moment, drawing everyone's attention back to the field.

At the sound of that name, the crowd quickly fell silent.

Sun Jiaoyang was Sun Zhenhai's son and also a newly accepted disciple of Senior Brother Chen Lei. Miao Wenshu and Yuan Ziheng both seemed to defer to him. There was no doubt that he was the most eagerly anticipated competitor.

Sun Jiaoyang's expression was indifferent as he strode to the center of the field and stood with his hands behind his back.

His opponent, Jin Yongsheng, also entered the field. Before stepping out, he even made a point of waving to his father, who was watching from the stone platform.

"Dad, watch this!"

On the stone platform, Jin Wancai saw his son wave and waved back, though a trace of worry crossed his smile.

"Begin!" Lin Feng called.

The smile vanished from Jin Yongsheng's face, and his gaze turned serious. He used Ape Trace Steps to try to create some distance, politely saying, "Senior Brother Sun, please—"

Before he could finish,

Sun Jiaoyang pushed off with one foot. His figure seemed to teleport, crossing several meters in an instant to appear in front of Jin Yongsheng, then throwing a punch.

The smile on Jin Yongsheng's face froze. He had no time to react and could only watch Sun Jiaoyang's fist grow larger before his eyes.

Crack!

The bone-chilling sound of a fracture rang out clearly.

"Argh!" Jin Yongsheng let out a scream that barely sounded human. His body was hurled away like a broken sack, crashing hard onto Boulder Beach at the edge of the field. He rolled several times before finally stopping against a sharp rock.

His chest had caved in. His body convulsed violently, and blood kept pouring from his mouth.

The entire arena fell silent. Everyone was stunned by the sudden, brutal attack. Senior Brother Lin Feng was the first to react, quickly bringing the medical staff over to administer emergency treatment to Jin Yongsheng.

In this day and age, even severed limbs could be regrown. Jin Yongsheng's broken sternum was only a minor injury; if he was willing to spend the money, he could be back to normal by the next day.

Even so,

this was only a small test within the school. Few people would deal such a heavy blow to a fellow disciple.

On the stone platform, the smile had vanished completely from Jin Wancai's face.

He shot to his feet, crushing the jade thumb ring in his hand. The shards pierced his palm, drawing blood, but he seemed not to notice.

Sun Zhenhai's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. He stood and cupped his hands. "Mr. Jin, my son doesn't know his own strength and has injured yours. Please accept my apologies on his behalf. I'll make sure to send over the best exotic beast medicine later and discipline him strictly."

Jin Wancai swayed, then forced a smile. "You're too kind, Mr. Sun. My son's skills aren't up to par. A little injury may help him learn from his mistakes and strive harder!"

He had already resigned himself to swallowing his anger, but Master Yuan Shan said, "Mr. Sun, your son's temperament has gone astray, and he's become far too violent. If he isn't kept in check, he'll become a menace someday. After the test, leave him at the martial arts school. I'll personally put him through his paces."

Sun Zhenhai's expression remained calm. "That's only right."

Yuan Shan gave him a long look. "Lin Feng, arrange for the best physician at once. Do everything you can to treat Yongsheng. Take whatever medicinal ingredients are needed from the armory; don't hold back."

"Yes, Master!" Lin Feng answered and hurried off.

The storm on the stone platform subsided for the moment, but the tension below did not lift.

Sun Jiaoyang slowly lowered his stance and stood upright. He glanced at Jin Yongsheng, still convulsing on the ground, then turned toward the edge of the field and fixed his gaze on Sun Ao.

Sun Jiaoyang walked over to Sun Ao and spoke in a detached voice that only the two of them could hear. "Your footwork is nimble, and your moves are precise. But you're too gentle. Remember, martial arts contests aren't child's play. If you've lost the will to fight, your path in martial arts ends here."

He didn't look at Sun Ao's ashen face. Instead, he walked back to the resting area and closed his eyes to meditate.

A little while later,

Senior Brother Lin Feng returned.

"Fifth match: number five against number eleven. Get ready!"

Li He opened his eyes, their sharp light contained, his breathing steady. He had been meditating in a corner, shutting out the distractions around him. Now, at last, it was his turn.

His opponent was Zhao Xiaohai, a fellow disciple. He was lean and had a vitality of 13 points, placing him among the better students of their year.

He had studied Li He and concluded that Li He's Ape Trace Steps were only at the proficient level. He also thought Li He had built up a body of nothing but dead muscle, which surely left him lacking in agility. He decided to use his nimble footwork to wear Li He down.

"Begin!" Lin Feng called.

"Be careful, Senior Brother Li." Zhao Dahai gave a low shout and darted around Li He like the wind, his movements unpredictable.

He suddenly accelerated, circling toward Li He's flank as he threw a punch.

Li He didn't even raise his eyelids.

The instant the punch's wind grazed him, a rumble sounded. The flagstones beneath Li He's feet shattered, cracks spreading outward like a spiderweb as a violent shockwave burst forth.

Ape Demon Steps, Earth-Shaking Stomp!

Zhao Dahai felt the ground surge beneath him, a tremendous force crashing up from below. His Ape Trace Steps faltered, and he staggered.

Li He raised his fist. There were no fancy feints, no nimble movements—only a ferociously direct charge.

His speed wasn't the fastest, but the unstoppable, overwhelming force with which he crushed every obstacle made all the spectators' hearts tighten.

Ape Demon Three Styles, Void Breaker!

Before the punch even landed, its savage wind forced Zhao Dahai's eyes shut. Caught off guard, he could only raise both arms to block.

Bang!

Zhao Dahai flew backward and crashed hard into a waterskin hanging behind him. Cold water poured down, soaking him to the skin.

He curled up in the puddle, his face deathly pale from the pain. He could no longer fight.

Scattered applause rose from the crowd. After all, they were fellow disciples, and Sun Jiaoyang had left such a deep impression that Li He's performance drew little attention.

On the stone platform, however, a glint flashed in Sun Zhenhai's eyes.

"Master Yuan, that disciple down there—the punch and stomp he just used were remarkably powerful. What kind of technique does he practice?"

Yuan Shan's gaze sharpened slightly. "The students here naturally focus on the White Ape Martial Way. There's nothing wrong with learning a few supplementary techniques to improve one's combat ability. Are you interested, Mr. Sun?"

"Heh, I'm just curious. With strength that fierce, he'd be a fine hunter of exotic beasts at the Abyss Frontline." He left it at that and said no more.

Below,

Li He returned to the corner to rest.

He sensed two very different gazes fixed on him.

One came from Sun Ao, filled with a rising fighting spirit.

The other came from Sun Jiaoyang, inspecting him from on high.

That haughty scrutiny displeased him, so he looked back. But Sun Jiaoyang had no intention of meeting his gaze. He turned away, leaving Li He with only his cool profile.

"Sixth match: number six against number ten. Get ready!"