Defeat, 180 Points!

The videos of the practical combat assessment were shared. Besides Class Five, students from other classes could watch them as well.

However, most people only paid attention to their own classes, and the repeated instant defeats had already grown tiresome.

Now that someone from Class Five could last more than a couple of moves, it naturally drew the attention of the other classes. Even Shen Xingyue watched with some interest.

She had some impression of Xu Ziming and wanted to see whether he was really as strong as that other rude person had claimed.

"Again!"

The virtual body had barely touched down before springing back up. This time, he was no longer careless.

His legs bent slightly, power surged from his waist and hips, and his entire body shot forward like a spring.

A hard knuckle duster appeared over his fist.

Seven Star Fist.

This was a fist technique that only a Martial Artist could unleash to its full potential. The creator of this move was Fang Xingyun, the master of Nebula Martial Hall!

A Martial Artist who had undergone two Life Evolutions! Thus, the identity of this virtual body was clear: Fang Linyuan, Fang Xingyun's son, who had been admitted last year to one of the Five Great Spirit Academies, Tianyan Martial Arts Academy.

The sound of his fist tearing through the air was sharp and piercing. In Xu Ziming's eyes, seven miniature nebulae appeared around Fang Linyuan's fist, as though they were about to swallow him whole.

He did not choose to dodge. Instead, he summoned the Type 1 Psionic Sword into his hand.

In the next instant, he was like a proud sword immortal, his entire aura becoming distinctly different.

"Bang!" The Psionic Sword slashed sideways into the fist with a tremendous crash. Xu Ziming slid several meters backward, leaving a long gouge across the ground.

Yet he was completely unharmed. Fang Linyuan, on the other hand, had put everything into that strike, and when it was blocked, he had no time to recover his momentum. He showed faint signs of losing ground.

His expression changed completely, shifting from his initial calmness to a hint of nervousness.

"Basic Sword Method?"

He spoke softly, disbelief in his eyes.

"What? That guy from Class Five actually blocked Fang Linyuan's Seven Star Fist with the Basic Sword Method?"

"He didn't just block it. He even injured Fang Linyuan."

The surrounding voices gradually grew noisier, but Xu Ziming became increasingly calm.

"Interesting."

Fang Linyuan took a deep breath as the blood and qi within him began to churn violently.

This time, he fully unleashed all his strength. Both fists were wrapped in purple nebulae visible to the naked eye.

The air compressed, producing wave after wave of teeth-grinding roars.

This punch already carried a trace of a Martial Artist's power.

Xu Ziming suddenly closed his eyes, but the sword in his hand became nimble.

Surging auras spread from his body as well. It was Sword Momentum, his Sword Momentum alone.

The next moment, his palm turned, and the Type-1 Zero-Energy Sword moved forward on its own as though it possessed life, thrusting straight at the attacking Fang Linyuan.

"Bang!"

With a deafening explosion, Fang Linyuan instantly appeared behind Xu Ziming, standing with his back to him.

Before everyone's eyes, Xu Ziming held a three-foot sword and stood with his back to the crowd. His clothes were torn, but his body remained upright and powerful, the lines of his muscles strikingly handsome.

However, a massive fist mark had blasted a huge hole through his school uniform.

"Did he lose?"

Everyone else stared intently at the two figures in the arena. Only Ma Mingyu wore a smile.

The two remained standing in the arena without moving.

Ten seconds.

Twenty seconds.

Finally, streaks of blood seeped from the corner of Fang Linyuan's mouth. Then, in the next moment—

"Riiip!" A harsh tearing sound came from Fang Linyuan's body as the virtual body was instantly sliced into four or five huge chunks.

The students below were nearly dumbfounded. None of them had clearly seen the collision between the two just now.

But the result now seemed clear: Xu Ziming had won. He had chopped last year's number one into four or five pieces!

At that moment, new data appeared on the academy's electronic display:

[Xu Ziming (Student), Practical Exam: 180 points]

One hundred and eighty points—what kind of concept was that?

One had to know that in the College Entrance Exam, the full score for the entire practical combat assessment was only 225 points. Yet Xu Ziming had already reached 180 points.

He had already surpassed the admission cutoff for the Five Great Spirit Academies.

"He's actually this strong?"

Shen Xingyue stared at Xu Ziming from the stands, unable to help becoming somewhat interested.

"Teacher Ma, you've taught an excellent student."

At that moment, an elderly man with grizzled white whiskers walked in through the door behind Ma Mingyu with a genial smile.

He was Dongfang Shuo, the principal of Pengcheng No. 3 High School and a Martial Way powerhouse who had undergone three Life Evolutions.

"It's his own hard work. With a bit of guidance, this score gives him a chance of getting into one of the Four Great Academies during the Martial Arts College Entrance Exam."

"Indeed. First Shen Xingyue, and now Xu Ziming. Our school's results this year will probably make the other schools green with envy."

Dongfang Shuo nodded, strongly agreeing with Ma Mingyu. Life Energy Level could be raised by pouring in resources, but practical combat skill could not.

It could only be earned through one's own training. And now, Xu Ziming was proving with his strength that he was that one-in-ten-thousand genius.

"Way to go, Old Xu! You've really brought glory to our class!"

Xu Ziming had already walked down from the center of the arena when Dai Fei hurried over, chattering away as if he had scored 180 points himself.

After Xu Ziming's match ended, several dozen more students went up one after another for testing.

But no one managed to defeat Fang Linyuan again. Just as at the beginning, they were all defeated within ten seconds. A few stronger students still fell beneath the might of the Seven Star Fist.

Only Shen Xingyue won. Not only did she win, she scored 198 points, making her the undisputed top student of the grade.

"Is there really no way for ordinary people like us to compete with those from wealthy families?"

At that moment, a voice rang out in the classroom. Shen Xingyue's family was extremely well-off, and the Pengcheng Shen Family was quite famous throughout Suzhe Province.

Everyone knew how strong Shen Xingyue was.

"Who told you that? I specifically went to investigate Class Five just now. Xu Ziming's family is completely ordinary. He reached his current level entirely through his own hard work!"

"He's the pride of us ordinary people!"

Others nearby joined in, but Xu Ziming heard none of it. He had no idea that he had become the role model for ordinary students throughout Pengcheng No. 3 High School.

Because at that moment, he had already followed Ma Mingyu into an office. Ma Mingyu was about to reveal the surprise he had mentioned that morning.

"This is... a Virtual Pod?"

Xu Ziming was somewhat puzzled. Before him was nothing more than an utterly ordinary Virtual Pod, with no apparent special features.

"No, this isn't merely an ordinary Virtual Pod. It also represents a privilege that high school students across the nation dream of."

Ma Mingyu smiled mysteriously. "Go inside and try it."