"What? The Golden Armor Giant Spirit's chest was cleaved apart with a single strike?"
The Golden Armor Giant Spirit crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. The entire plaza trembled slightly.
The disciples gathered around the plaza all looked shocked. They stared at Su Yun, dazed.
He'd toppled the Golden Armor Giant Spirit with a single strike!
What kind of strength was that?
"Hmm?"
"Is that Extreme Shadow Fiend Blade at the Perfected Realm?"
An Inner Sect disciple had once practiced Extreme Shadow Fiend Blade and recognized the technique Su Yun had used at a glance.
What shocked him was that Su Yun had actually cultivated this blade technique to the Perfected Realm!
With the terrifying might of eighty percent Blade Momentum, compounded by Extreme Shadow Fiend Blade at the Perfected Realm—
One strike had toppled the Golden Armor Giant Spirit!
That made sense, at least.
At that moment, an Inner Sect disciple couldn't help asking Song Que:
"Junior Brother Song Que, you're fairly familiar with Junior Brother Su Yun. Do you know how long he's been in our Mystic Blade Sect?"
"How long has he practiced this blade technique?"
Song Que hesitated before answering.
"Junior Brother Su Yun joined during this year's autumn recruitment. He was part of the second batch of Outer Sect disciples recruited this year."
"Counting it all up, he's probably only been practicing for two months."
"I'd guess Junior Brother Su Yun had already perfected Extreme Shadow Fiend Blade before then."
Less than two months to perfect Extreme Shadow Fiend Blade!
The words sent a shock through all the Inner Sect disciples present.
His comprehension was terrifying!
At that moment, Elder Mu, who was presiding over the Inner Sect examination, exclaimed in astonishment:
"He perfected this rather unusual blade technique, Extreme Shadow Fiend Blade, in just two months."
"No wonder he managed to raise his Blade Momentum to such a level!"
The Inner Sect disciples around them had fallen silent, their faces full of shock.
Song Que couldn't help but marvel to himself.
"Junior Brother Su Yun really is a monster!"
Clang!!
The eleven Golden Armor Giant Spirits in the plaza tightened their grips on their golden greatswords, then swung them at blinding speed as they charged at Su Yun!
In an instant, sword gleams surged and golden radiance spilled everywhere!
An immensely powerful sword pressure swept in every direction.
"Spirit Roc Dustless Step!"
Facing the encirclement of eleven Golden Armor Giant Spirits, Su Yun used Spirit Roc Dustless Step.
A purple aura shimmered around him.
As he darted and weaved, he moved like an agile purple roc.
Boom!
The Golden Armor Giant Spirits' attacks barely missed Su Yun, striking the plaza instead with ear-splitting roars.
Even when he couldn't dodge a few of them in time, he easily shattered them with a swing of his blade.
Su Yun then unleashed one blood-red blade arc after another, engaging the Golden Armor Giant Spirits in a fierce battle.
"That's a movement technique?"
"Good kid. You've really brought me a few surprises."
Elder Mu watched, his face bright with delight.
"Could that movement technique be Spirit Roc Dustless Step? He's reached at least the Minor Success Realm!"
Song Que's eyes widened. He felt as if he were seeing a ghost.
Su Yun's progress with the blade was already astonishing enough.
He hadn't expected Su Yun to have found time to learn a Human Grade High Tier movement technique as well.
And he'd already reached no small level of mastery!
What was he, some kind of time-management master?
"Spirit Roc Dustless Step feels the immense pressure. Its spirit stirs with excitement as it frantically draws out its potential, and flashes of insight surge forth one after another!"
"Spirit Roc Dustless Step has successfully entered the Proficient Realm!"
"Hm? It can do that?"
Fighting, Su Yun revealed a look of delight.
He could clearly feel his speed had increased by a notch.
"Spirit Roc Dustless Step needs even greater pressure to keep drawing out its potential and improve its cultivation efficiency!"
The next moment, the voice rang out in his mind.
Su Yun paused, stunned.
He hadn't expected Spirit Roc Dustless Step to need intense pressure in order to improve rapidly.
No wonder the technique hadn't made any obvious progress before.
After all, he'd practically killed every opponent he faced in a single blow.
Where was the pressure in that?
Putting the thought aside, Su Yun didn't hesitate.
He charged forward instead of retreating, rushing straight at the eleven Golden Armor Giant Spirits!
Rumble!!
Su Yun kept using Spirit Roc Dustless Step, dodging the eleven Golden Armor Giant Spirits' attacks at close range.
Meanwhile, with the formation's power, the Golden Armor Giant Spirit whose chest had been shattered had already healed completely and rejoined the battle.
Just as Elder Mu had said, the Golden Armor Giant Spirits were made up of the formation's power, and each one had astonishing defensive strength.
Even if their bodies were shattered, they wouldn't fall. They could recover in no time.
That was why the goal of the first-class examination was merely for Su Yun to defeat twelve Golden Armor Giant Spirits, not kill them.
As time passed,
Su Yun shattered the bodies of one Golden Armor Giant Spirit after another, but none of them fell.
Once they recovered, they charged at him again and again!
"It seems that even the Golden Armor Giant Spirit Formation in the first-class examination can't do anything to Junior Brother Su Yun."
Song Que looked on in surprise.
He hadn't expected things to turn out this way either.
"Something's not right."
Elder Mu, however, had noticed something amiss.
Given Su Yun's strength, he could definitely defeat the twelve Golden Armor Giant Spirits if he wanted to.
But he was deliberately holding back, allowing the shattered Golden Armor Giant Spirits to keep recovering.
Clearly, he had something else in mind.
A moment later, Elder Mu spoke with a serious expression.
"Su Yun is using the Golden Armor Giant Spirit Formation to hone his movement technique!"
"And if I'm not mistaken, he's just advanced Spirit Roc Dustless Step to the Proficient Realm!"
His sharp eyes had noticed Su Yun deliberately closing in on the twelve Golden Armor Giant Spirits and dodging their attacks again and again.
Moreover, with each dodge, Su Yun's speed and agility increased a little.
At the same time, purple light kept appearing behind Su Yun, growing more and more solid.
It was a sign that Spirit Roc Dustless Step was about to reach the Great Success Realm!
Once the movement technique reached the Great Success Realm,
as long as his comprehension was good enough, he could grasp the Spirit Roc True Intent and conjure a Spirit Roc Phantom behind him.
Then Su Yun's speed would increase by another huge margin!
"Phew!"
But just then, the incense in the burner was nearly extinguished.
"Elder Mu, one incense stick's worth of time has passed."
With the facts laid bare, Song Que could only speak up, though he was reluctant.
"Never mind. Light another stick!"
Elder Mu said solemnly.
"Huh?"
Song Que was stunned.
"Go on!"
"Also, I'll pay for the spirit stones needed to keep the formation running!"
"All right."
Song Que nodded and hurriedly lit another stick of incense.
Keeping the Golden Armor Giant Spirit Formation active also consumed a certain number of spirit stones.
Elder Mu didn't hesitate. He immediately formed a hand seal.
Meanwhile, Su Yun was still fighting the twelve Golden Armor Giant Spirits in the plaza.
These immortal Golden Armor Giant Spirits were practically the perfect opponents for practicing Spirit Roc Dustless Step.
Time passed slowly.
One incense stick later.
"Spirit Roc Dustless Step is frantically drawing out its potential. Under the pressure of life and death, it keeps gaining insights and has successfully reached the Great Success Realm!"
"Under intense pressure, Spirit Roc Dustless Step inspires a flash of insight. It has grasped the Spirit Roc True Intent, increasing speed by fifty percent!"
Almost the instant the voice rang out, a purple Spirit Roc Phantom took shape behind Su Yun.
Screee!
In the plaza,
a dainty purple roc cried out behind Su Yun, looking remarkably wondrous.
"His Spirit Roc Dustless Step has really reached the Great Success Realm!"
"And he grasped the Spirit Roc True Intent so quickly!"
Elder Mu was shaken, deeply astonished.
Breaking through in the middle of battle!
He truly was a martial prodigy born for battle!
At Elder Mu's signal, Song Que lit another stick of incense.
As time passed, Song Que had lit five sticks of incense.
Yet Elder Mu still showed no sign of calling a halt.
"Under the crushing force, Spirit Roc Dustless Step has successfully drawn out all of its potential and reached the Perfected Realm!"
As the fifth stick of incense was about to burn out, the voice finally rang out in Su Yun's mind.
The next moment, Su Yun slowly opened his eyes, his speed having surged.
He looked at the twelve Golden Armor Giant Spirits before him and took a step forward.
It was only one step, yet it unleashed terrifying sonic booms that swept across the plaza in an instant!
Then,
he swung his blade, and it fell like a blood-red thunderbolt from the heavens, roaring as it surged forward!
Rumble!!
In an instant, all twelve Golden Armor Giant Spirits in the plaza
were shattered by a single strike!
Before you continue