Beginning the Trial

Meanwhile, the feed from Cabin 13 also drew the attention of many Reviewer Teachers.

It was not because the candidate in Cabin 13 was particularly outstanding, but because the youth with candidate number 68 was fighting desperately. Facing the third-stage NPC, he used no flashy techniques. Every punch was plain and unadorned, yet exceptionally tenacious.

During their clash, he took seven of the NPC's heavy punches head-on. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, but he did not retreat even half a step. In the end, he seized the gap in the opponent's breathing on the fifteenth move and settled the match with a simple straight punch.

"This kid..." A male Reviewer Teacher frowned. "His fighting style is too reckless. Hurting the enemy by a thousand means damaging himself by eight hundred."

"Look at his eyes."

Teacher Chen enlarged the image and pointed out the nearly obsessive yet resolute look in the youth from Cabin 13's eyes. "This isn't recklessness. He knows what he wants. This youth's family circumstances are probably ordinary, with limited resources. His boxing technique also appears to have stopped at Mastery Grade, so he can only risk his life and fight."

Watching the screen, Teacher Wang pondered. "This kid's Blood Qi Value is probably just over 300, and his boxing is at Mastery Grade. The only reason he could clear the stages so quickly is this ruthless drive."

"But he probably has no hope in the fourth stage. Let's see how long he can hold on."

On the screen, Candidate 68 faced an NPC whose Blood Qi Value kept rising in the fourth stage. He clenched his teeth and endured it head-on. Every exchange made his virtual body shudder violently, yet he never evaded or retreated. Only after an NPC raised to a Blood Qi Value of 380 sent him flying off the arena with a heavy punch did the battle finally end.

"What a pity."

The male Reviewer Teacher shook his head. "If he had sufficient resources, a student with this kind of temperament could go very far."

"Indeed. Let's score him."

The second batch ended quickly as well, and soon the third batch began. Lin Ye's name was called too.

Upon hearing his name, Lin Ye followed the crowd into the Examination Area under the invigilator's guidance and smoothly found his cabin.

During this process, Lin Ye noticed that Li Weiwei and Zhang Zhen from another waiting area were also in this batch. The three exchanged smiles in the examination hall before entering their respective cabins.

His vision immediately went dark.

[Identity verification passed]

[Virtuality: 70%]

[Pain feedback: 30%]

[Preparing to connect...]

The light returned before his eyes.

A standard virtual circular arena appeared, ten meters in diameter, its floor made of dark-gray alloy.

Across from Lin Ye, a blurred figure gradually condensed. In the end, an expressionless man appeared—the first-stage NPC.

According to the rules, the opponent should have been at the Early Body Tempering Stage and used Entry Grade Rolling Stone Fist.

"Begin."

At that moment, a cold mechanical voice echoed throughout the arena.

The NPC stepped forward and charged, its movements standard but stiff. Lin Ye did not move his feet. He simply threw a clean straight punch, relying on his cultivation to force it back.

Bang.

The NPC dispersed.

[First stage cleared. Score: 80]

The prompt appeared, and the scene refreshed.

In the second stage, another NPC condensed.

Mid-Stage Body Forging cultivation, Proficient Grade Rolling Stone Fist.

This time, Lin Ye used three moves.

His final punch, Stone Turning Wind Following, struck the opponent beneath the ribs. The NPC staggered back three steps, and its body immediately dispersed.

[Second stage cleared. Score: 60 (Total: 140)]

The third stage.

The NPC across from him had not grown stronger in aura, but its stance carried the flavor of Mastery Grade. Its fist wind howled.

Lin Ye grew serious.

Relying on a boxing realm superior to his opponent's, he suppressed it completely. Even when the NPC finally raised its Blood Qi Value to the limit of 300, it was still useless.

One step slow, every step slow.

In the end, Lin Ye deliberately revealed an opening, luring the NPC into attacking fiercely. He then slipped in sideways and struck the back of its neck with a hand chop, shattering it.

He took a breath and could not help but ponder.

It seemed that in actual combat, when both sides' Blood Qi Values remained within the same realm, boxing realm and whether one held the initiative became decisive factors.

Of course, Lin Ye felt that he was somewhat bullying it. After all, an NPC could not be considered a living person. It could not recognize his boxing realm at first glance and raise its Blood Qi Value to the limit. If it could, Lin Ye believed he might need a hard battle to take it down—or perhaps he might even be defeated. It was hard to say.

Even so, he still felt some pressure.

Blood Qi Value was the foundation.

Lin Ye once again gained a deeper understanding of those words.

Then the prompt lit up again.

[Third stage cleared. Score: 40 (Total: 180)]

As the scene shifted, the feed from Cabin 18 caught the attention of the Reviewer Teachers.

On the screen, the girl's boxing was composed and graceful. Her Rolling Stone Fist had already surpassed the level of being effortlessly at hand. Every move was exactly right—one fraction more would be excessive, one fraction less would be lacking—though her force was occasionally a little too fierce.

When facing the fourth-stage NPC, she did not even allow the opponent's Blood Qi Value to rise to 400. On the twentieth move, she forced the NPC out of the arena with an exquisite Stone Turning Chain.

"The fifth stage already." Teacher Chen exclaimed. "Her boxing... is already close to Consummation Grade."

"More than that." A middle-aged Reviewer Teacher pointed at the screen. "Look at her eyes. There hasn't been the slightest fluctuation throughout. Many official martial artists can't achieve such a state of mind."

"This little girl's family background must be excellent. Such a situation could only arise from constantly sparring against high-level martial artists for years, though she would also need exceptional talent."

"Of course, there is another extremely unlikely possibility. If she reached Gold Rank in Martial Dao, this could also happen."

Teacher Wang pointed out the reason.

"The former is more likely. The latter is too difficult. Martial Dao relies purely on skill and martial arts, without comparing cultivation. I'm still stuck wandering around Silver Rank."

At this, the middle-aged Reviewer Teacher gave a bitter smile.

Meanwhile, in the fourth stage.

The moment he entered the fourth stage, Lin Ye clearly sensed the difference. The NPC's aura had strengthened considerably, fully displaying the faint pressure of the Late Body Tempering Stage. Even through 70% virtuality, he could feel it clearly. Its boxing was another matter as well. Though it was still Mastery Grade Rolling Stone Fist, it possessed several more traces of agility than the third-stage NPC.

Thus, he fell into a bitter battle.

"Oh?"

In the Observation Area, a Reviewer Teacher watched Lin Ye's hard-fought battle and raised his brows. "His force-dissipating technique is pretty good."

Within the virtual space, the NPC pressed its advantage, launching one punch after another in relentless succession. Lin Ye did not clash with it head-on, instead circling and maneuvering.

As they fought, his boxing flowed with extraordinary smoothness. There was no deliberate exertion or gathering of force, no standard opening stance. Every movement seemed like an instinctive reaction of his body—Stone Turning Wind Following into Rolling Stone Charge, then Stubborn Stone Suppressing Earth. The three-move chain flowed like drifting clouds and running water, without the slightest pause between them.

"His moves come effortlessly."

Watching the screen, Teacher Chen said quietly, "That is the mark of Great Success Grade."

"Great Success Grade boxing is not about how familiar one is with the moves, but about having thoroughly grasped the essence of the boxing art, so that one can combine techniques at will and still unleash their power."

"Look at the data." A Reviewer Teacher pulled up a panel. "His simulated Blood Qi Value... why is it so low? It's only a little over 200?"

"A Blood Qi Value of 200 paired with Great Success Grade boxing?"

Watching Lin Ye on the screen, Teacher Wang frowned. "Either the data is wrong, or this student... is extraordinarily gifted, but severely lopsided."

"Using realm to make up for a Blood Qi gap can only hold for a while." Teacher Chen shook his head. "What a pity. If this kid had Late Body Tempering Stage cultivation, he would have a considerable chance of clearing the fourth stage."

But he was only at the Body Forging Mid-Stage.

As Teacher Chen shook his head, the NPC's Blood Qi Value on the screen began rising dynamically: 310, 330, 350... 400