Let You Know What Cruelty Is!

Let You Know What Cruelty Is! "Chen An!!!"

Watching Chen An walk down from the Profound Light Stele and toward her with a calm expression, Shen Qinglan's beautiful eyes shifted, a flash of wonder passing through them.

Then a bright smile blossomed across her lovely face. She reached out and lightly punched his chest, saying with an apparently carefree air, "Not bad. I didn't expect you to break through to the sixth level of Qi Condensation. You didn't embarrass me!"

"Of course!"

Chen An shrugged. "You're already a Houtian Realm powerhouse. If I couldn't even pass the first round, wouldn't I be too ashamed to stand by your side in the future?"

Hearing Chen An's words, Shen Qinglan seemed to think of something. The tips of her ears quietly flushed crimson. She rolled her eyes at him and said, "Don't get too pleased with yourself. You're only at the sixth level of Qi Condensation. You're still far behind me!"

"Yes, yes, yes. I'll continue cultivating diligently from now on and work hard to catch up to you!" Chen An said, a teasing glint in his eyes as the corner of his mouth curved up.

"All you know is how to sweet-talk!" Shen Qinglan shot him a glance, forcing down the smile at her lips as she spoke with a hint of coy reproach.

As the two chatted and teased each other, Liu Qingyun stood some distance away with his arms folded across his chest, watching them alone with a face as dark as water. His gaze brimmed with deep resentment and killing intent.

"The first round of testing has concluded!!!"

Before long, an instructor strode forward and loudly announced the official end of the first-round cultivation test.

As his words fell, every county academy student whose cultivation had failed to reach the fifth level of Qi Condensation looked despondent and dejected. They drooped their heads and stepped aside, their faces full of regret and unwillingness.

They knew they had failed to cross the first threshold of the county examination and had already been eliminated, with no further chance to take part in the upcoming martial examination matches.

The remaining students whose cultivation met the standard secretly let out sighs of relief, smiles appearing on their faces.

Standing amid the crowd, Chen An calmly swept his gaze across the entire venue.

This cultivation test alone had eliminated more than seventy percent of the county academy students.

In other words, over seven hundred county academy students had been rejected in this round. Out of the entire county academy, only around three hundred students had passed.

And these three hundred students still had to endure round after round of selection in the coming practical combat assessment.

Only those who rose above the rest and ranked among the top thirty could be entered into the prefectural academy roster and gain the qualification to travel to Chengtian Prefecture for an even higher-level martial arts competition.

At this moment, the instructor spoke again in a loud voice:

"Eliminated students are to withdraw from the martial arts grounds immediately. You may leave on your own, or remain to watch the next round of practical combat testing!"

"Students who passed the first round, line up and come forward at once. Prepare to draw lots for the second-round matches!"

Upon hearing this, the unsuccessful students looked even more downcast. With heads lowered and spirits crushed, they gradually filed out of the martial arts grounds. Some gathered outside in twos and threes, some left in gloom, while others, unwilling and curious, lingered at the edge of the grounds to watch the upcoming second-round arena battles.

The three hundred students who had successfully passed remained inside, each wearing a solemn expression as they composed themselves and formed neat lines.

Led by several instructors, they slowly approached the three arenas and arrived beside the prepared wooden lottery boxes. One after another, they stepped forward and reached inside to draw their match number plaques.

Before long, it was Chen An and Shen Qinglan's turn. Chen An went first and drew a wooden plaque inscribed with the words "Arena A, Number Twenty-Six."

Chen An first handed the plaque to the instructor responsible for registration to record it, then took it and walked to the side.

"Chen An, which arena did you draw?!" After Shen Qinglan finished drawing and registering, she hurried over and asked him impatiently.

"Arena A, Number Twenty-Six. What about you?" Chen An casually flipped the wooden plaque over to show her and asked in passing.

"I'm Arena B, Number Thirty-One. Looks like we're not in the same arena!" Shen Qinglan said with a smile, shaking the plaque in her hand.

Chen An glanced at the number on Shen Qinglan's plaque and nodded slightly with a faint smile.

For the second round of the Wurong County examination, arena battles were used. The contestants were divided among Arenas A, B, and C, each with over a hundred students. After successive battles, ten victors would be chosen from each arena, making thirty in total.

These thirty would all enter the prefectural academy roster and gain the qualification to head to Chengtian Prefecture to participate in a stronger martial arts competition.

"When you get on the arena later, if you encounter an opponent you can't defeat, just raise your hand and surrender, understand?!" Shen Qinglan looked at Chen An, concern flashing through her eyes as she cautioned him. "Although you're already at the sixth level of Qi Condensation, everyone left is at least at the fifth level, and most have higher cultivation than you. When you fight, don't let your guard down."

"And don't force yourself. Surrender when you should. It's not like you need this one spot!"

Seeing the concern in Shen Qinglan's eyes, a warm current rose in Chen An's heart. He smiled and nodded. "Don't worry. I won't force myself. If I really can't beat them, I'll definitely surrender!"

"That's more like it!"

Seeing how obedient Chen An was, Shen Qinglan finally relaxed slightly, a reassured smile appearing on her lovely face.

No sooner had she finished speaking than the instructor's voice rang out ahead, calling for the students assigned to Arenas A, B, and C to wait before their respective arenas.

Chen An nodded to Shen Qinglan, then headed toward Arena A.

By coincidence, when Chen An arrived before Arena A, he actually saw Liu Qingyun.

Seeing that Chen An was also assigned to Arena A, a sinister sneer immediately surfaced on Liu Qingyun's face.

He had not expected Chen An to be in the same arena as him.

His eyes flickered as Liu Qingyun walked toward Chen An.

"Chen An, you're dead!"

Stopping before Chen An, Liu Qingyun looked at him with a cold smile and said in a low voice, "You'd better pray you don't meet me in the arena. Otherwise, I'll definitely let you know what cruelty is!"

In Liu Qingyun's eyes, even if Chen An truly possessed the cultivation of the sixth level of Qi Condensation, it meant nothing.

After all, he had opened all nine regular meridians and possessed cultivation at the ninth level of Qi Condensation. Cultivation alone was enough for him to crush Chen An.

What was more, a martial artist's duel depended on far more than cultivation realm alone. The grade of the martial techniques one had mastered, the depth of one's training, one's experience in live combat, and more were all keys that could decide victory or defeat.

Not only was he proficient in seven or eight Yellow-rank martial techniques, he also possessed two lower-grade Mystic-rank techniques and one mid-grade Mystic-rank technique, all of which he had trained to the entry or even minor mastery stage.

More importantly, he had grown up under the personal instruction of his Houtian Realm father, and every month he had at least ten experiences of real combat training against Houtian Realm experts.

With such foundations, martial techniques, and experience, he held every advantage. What right did Chen An, a student who ranked at the bottom of Geng Class, have to contend against him?!

Facing Liu Qingyun's provocation, Chen An merely cast him a faint glance, as though looking at an ant leaping about, then continued walking without slowing in the slightest, passing Liu Qingyun at an unhurried pace...