The Truth Is Only One!

On the arena!

Chen An's mouth twitched as he looked at where Zhou Shuyan had fallen moments ago.

Others might not have known.

But although that punch had looked immensely powerful, seemingly knocking Zhou Shuyan—at the eleventh level of Qi Condensation and with his Thunderbolt Wind-Rending Palm cultivated to minor mastery—off the arena in a single blow—

As the person involved, Chen An knew perfectly well that he had kept his cultivation suppressed at the sixth level of Qi Condensation throughout that punch.

Even with the perfected Mountain-Crushing Force, it should have been impossible for him to seriously injure Zhou Shuyan so badly that he coughed up blood and fell off the arena with one punch.

That left only one truth!

Zhou Shuyan had been acting!

"Interesting!"

Looking toward where Zhou Shuyan had fallen, Chen An's lips curved faintly upward.

As far as he knew, every student of the county academy had been fighting with all they had for a place in this martial examination, battling until their heads were bloodied.

He had never expected someone as unconventional as Zhou Shuyan to appear.

More importantly, Zhou Shuyan came from the Zhou Family of the county seat.

If the Bai Family could be considered a newly risen family in Wurong County, then the Zhou Family was a true martial arts clan of Wurong County, a local tiger firmly rooted in its territory.

Especially since the Zhou Family had an ancestor at the Xiantian Realm, one of the county's only three such experts. That alone placed them head and shoulders above every other family in Wurong County.

"This examination..."

"The victor is Chen An!!!"

At that moment, the referee for this match slowly stepped onto the arena and announced the result in a loud, crisp voice.

As his words fell, another uproar broke out below the stage. Countless gazes turned in unison toward the upright figure in black martial attire standing on the arena.

The referee then turned to Chen An and said sternly, "Chen An, you have one incense stick's worth of time to rest!"

"After one incense stick, you will face Shen Qinglan in the final battle to contend for the championship of this martial examination's arena competition. Do you have any objections?!"

"No need. I concede!"

Hearing the referee's words, Chen An's gaze fell upon the cool, ethereal figure beneath the arena, and he shook his head calmly.

The entire venue fell silent at once.

No one had expected Chen An, the dark horse who had fought upward against the odds, crossed realms in battle, and even defeated Zhou Shuyan with one punch, to abandon the final outright and voluntarily concede to Shen Qinglan.

Fan Suiyun and the others on the high platform also raised their brows slightly, their eyes full of surprise.

However, everyone quickly understood.

Although Chen An's performance in this martial examination had been utterly astounding—fighting across realms, defeating stronger opponents time after time, and stunning the entire audience—

Who was Shen Qinglan?!

She was the acknowledged number one among Wurong County's younger generation. Her talent overshadowed all her peers; she not only possessed an Earth-grade martial bone, but had also opened three of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, reaching the middle stage of the Houtian Realm.

No matter how heaven-defying Chen An's strength had appeared, the Qi Condensation Realm and the Houtian Realm were separated by an entire major realm.

Even an ordinary martial artist at the early Houtian Realm facing a Qi Condensation Realm martial artist at perfection was like an adult fighting a child.

They were not even in the same weight class!

In everyone's eyes, defeating Zhou Shuyan had already been Chen An's limit. If he faced Shen Qinglan, his chances of victory would be slim to none, and he had virtually no hope of taking the championship.

Rather than suffer a crushing defeat in the final battle, losing his momentum and his face, he might as well concede voluntarily and withdraw with dignity. That would preserve his reputation and spare him from humiliating himself.

At once, everyone believed they understood Chen An's reasoning. They nodded and began murmuring among themselves.

"So that's how it is. I was wondering why he suddenly conceded. He knows he can't compare to Shen Qinglan."

"Indeed. Shen Qinglan is the ceiling of our county's younger generation. With an Earth-grade martial bone and cultivation at the middle stage of the Houtian Realm, what does it matter if Chen An is strong in battle? He is still only in the Qi Condensation Realm!"

"A wise man submits to circumstances. If he fought head-on, he would surely lose. Conceding voluntarily lets him keep his dignity. It isn't a loss."

"If it were me, I'd choose the same. There's no need to go up there just to be crushed and make a fool of yourself."

On the high platform!

After hearing Chen An's choice, Fan Suiyun, Zhang Xuanming, and the others were not disappointed by his voluntary concession. Instead, they all smiled and nodded, the appreciation in their eyes growing even stronger.

In their eyes, Chen An's decisiveness and composure were far more precious than fighting over a moment of pride and forcing himself into a desperate battle.

Knowing full well that the gap in their foundations was enormous, yet refusing to indulge in a foolhardy display of courage; knowing how to assess the situation, how to advance and retreat, how to choose and let go—at such a young age, he already possessed such a calculating and steady mind. He was no ordinary reckless martial artist.

Moreover, he had fought his way out from the arena, defeating several fellow students across minor realms in succession. He had already revealed his astonishing combat strength and comprehension.

Now, by conceding so openly, he instead seemed unconcerned with empty fame, calm and unhurried.

"Chen An?!"

At that moment, Shen Qinglan lightly tapped off with the tip of her foot and leaped onto the arena.

"Why are you conceding?!"

Shen Qinglan's willow brows drew together slightly as she stared at Chen An with blazing eyes. "I don't need you to let me have it. I want to fight you!"

"Fight for what?!"

Seeing Shen Qinglan take it so seriously, Chen An shook his head and smiled. "It's not as if we haven't fought before. When have I ever not lost? Or do you think that I, a Qi Condensation Realm martial artist, can cross an entire major realm and defeat a Houtian Realm expert?"

"You..."

But before Shen Qinglan could say more, Chen An turned to the referee beside him. "Instructor, please announce it!"

The referee glanced at Chen An and Shen Qinglan, then turned toward the high platform. Only after seeing Fan Suiyun nod slightly did he turn back to face the crowd and announce:

"Because Chen An has voluntarily conceded!"

"The first place in this Wurong County martial examination—Shen Qinglan!!!"

Whoosh!!!

"As expected, Shen Qinglan is the undisputed number one prodigy of our Martial Glory County Academy!"

"It's over!"

"Wonderful! I came in exactly thirtieth—I got into the prefectural academy!"

"Wuwuwu!!~~~"

As the referee-instructor loudly confirmed the rankings, the entire martial arts arena instantly erupted.

Some were ecstatic, pumping their fists and cheering. Others wept tears of joy. After enduring round after round of grueling arena battles, they had barely squeezed into the prefectural academy slots, and their eyes reddened with emotion.

Even more students who had failed to qualify hung their heads in dejection, their faces filled with loneliness and unwillingness. Looking toward the arena, they sighed inwardly and wept quietly.

The surrounding discussions, cheers, sighs, and sobs intertwined, bearing witness to the end of this county academy martial examination.

As the sun sank in the west, drifting clouds at the horizon were dyed by the setting sun into a sky full of splendid crimson glow. The dim golden afterglow slanted across the high platform of the martial arts arena, as though coating the entire stone platform in warm gilt and veiling it in a faint, gentle haze.

The clamor gradually faded, and the dust slowly settled!

Led by the managing instructors in orderly ranks, the thirty victorious students who had stood out in this martial examination marched neatly beneath the high platform. Standing tall, respectful yet unable to conceal the excitement in their hearts, they lined up before the three Xiantian Realm experts.

Perhaps this was the closest they would ever come to Xiantian Realm experts in their lives!