Time flew by, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
The crowd beneath the Martial Practice Platform fell utterly silent.
The battle between Xu Yuan and the eighth-rank martial apprentice on the platform had reached a fever pitch.
Dull thuds rang out as fists and feet struck flesh.
As they traded blows and darted around, Xu Yuan suddenly shaped his hand like a blade and swept it through the air.
"Whoosh—"
A blood-red ripple, sharp as a blade, shot out.
The burly man's pupils contracted. He hurriedly ducked aside, then suddenly unleashed a charged punch aimed at Xu Yuan's face.
The wind from the punch barely grazed Xu Yuan's cheek. As the fist swept past, the man's ribs were left exposed.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan turned his palm into a fist. Blood-red flames instantly covered it as he circulated his technique, and he drove an uppercut straight into the man's ribs.
The man seemed to have anticipated Xu Yuan's intentions. Just before the blow landed, his calloused palm shot up to shield his ribs.
"Bang!"
A dull thud rang out.
The powerful force surging upward sent the burly man's entire body flying into the air.
Xu Yuan followed up with another punch, but the man had already crossed his heavily muscled arms in front of him to guard.
Another meaty thud rang out.
Though he had protected himself, the burly man had nowhere to brace himself in midair. The powerful blow sent him flying off the Martial Practice Platform.
After landing, he took two steps back to steady himself, then rubbed his tingling arms and sighed regretfully. He bowed with his fists clasped.
"Third Young Master, I've lost."
"Hoo."
Standing on the Martial Practice Platform, Xu Yuan let out a long breath.
For the first time