Losing Face

In the monitoring hall outside the hunting grounds, the largest split screen was broadcasting the current top-ranked Lu Chong's feed.

The vast majority of the high-ranking officials and teachers present were paying attention to this dark horse who had never shown his strength before.

Especially when they saw Lu Chong single-handedly take down an eighth-stage Shadow Cat, people were discussing and praising him.

Lu Chong was an eighth-stage martial apprentice, so it wasn't surprising that he could go head-to-head with a Shadow Cat of the same stage.

However, it was somewhat unusual that he could pursue and defeat it so easily and smoothly while the Shadow Cat was deliberately evading and moving around.

Strength was the best proof.

By now, not many people were questioning Lu Chong's strength.

Perhaps his tactics and experience were still a bit immature, but with his strength laid bare, no one could ignore him.

Moreover, with their discerning eyes, they could all tell that Lu Chong had not only mastered the Monument-Splitting Palm and Nine-Shadow Step to the perfect stage.

The Heart-Piercing Kick and Eagle Claw Technique he casually displayed just now, though fleeting, were at least at the subtle stage.

"Not bad, Teacher Wang is indeed full of hidden talents. This student Lu Chong in your class has mastered at least four martial skills."

A third-year teacher from another school looked enviously at Wang Tong and exclaimed, "Give us a hint, how many martial skills has he learned?"

"Yes, at such a young age, mastering so many martial skills, he's the only one in this batch of third-year students."

Wang Tong chuckled and cupped his fists all around, humbly yet loudly saying, "Not at all, that's all there is. This kid really can't keep a low profile and doesn't know how to hide his strengths."

In fact, even Wang Tong was unaware of Lu Chong's current progress in martial skill cultivation.

He only knew that besides the Monument-Splitting Palm and Nine-Shadow Step, Lu Chong had also perfected the mid-grade martial skill, Wind Splitting Leg.

However, this was his trump card that he had taught Lu Chong, so of course, he couldn't reveal it here.

Li Chengjun sat beside Wang Tong, recalling the star treatment he used to enjoy. Feeling a sense of disparity, he felt sour and didn't want to say much.

Just then, Zhao Longfei and the four eighth-stage students suddenly appeared on the split screen, blocking Lu Chong's path.

Under the attention and operation of the staff, Zhao Longfei's cold words echoed throughout the hall.

"Your simulated combat assessment should end here."

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall erupted in an uproar.

The teachers present could tell that Zhao Longfei intended to corner Lu Chong, willing to incur penalties and deductions to eliminate him.

Li Chengjun's already bad mood plummeted to the bottom.

"Li Chengjun, what does your class mean by this?" Wang Tong also saw this scene, put away his smile, and questioned Li Chengjun.

Li Chengjun's expression was even uglier than Wang Tong's; this was not something he had ordered.

The problem was that the five students who came out to block Lu Chong were all from their class, so no matter how much he explained, few would believe him.

"Old class monitor, please let me explain. I didn't know this would happen. There must be some misunderstanding," Li Chengjun could only brace himself and explain.

Wang Tong sneered, "Publicly violating the rules, even though it's just a simulated assessment, is still disgraceful."

"It's not just our reputation that's at stake, but also that of our First High School."

In the front row, Principal Fang of Third High School smiled at Principal Wei beside him, about to tease him a bit, when he saw Principal Wei's tense and frightening expression, so he wisely shut his mouth.

Principal Wei put down his teacup, his voice like thunder, echoing throughout the hall, "Li Chengjun, after this assessment is over, bring Zhao Jingcheng to the school to see me."

Who was Zhao Jingcheng?

Many people realized that Zhao Jingcheng was the owner of the Zhao Clan Martial Arts School in the city, a respected figure, a fourth-stage martial master.

At the same time, Zhao Jingcheng was also Zhao Longfei's father and a former student of First High School.

Good heavens!

The hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Everyone knew that this old principal of First High School, who held significant influence in Guanyun City, was truly enraged.

This had escalated to calling parents? It couldn't be.

Only Colonel Huang, Wang Tong, Li Chengjun, and a few others understood that the old principal's public anger was not just because First High School had lost face.

With the old principal's temper, losing some face was irrelevant.

Competition among students was normal, and even encouraged.

However, what the old principal detested the most was infighting when facing external enemies.

In the current environment, the Shadow Cats were the external enemies, and students from outside First High School were the opponents.

Moreover, Zhao Longfei gathering four students to gang up on Lu Chong alone was even more despicable.

Li Chengjun responded with a wronged tone, and Wang Tong's expression improved slightly.

Seeing that Principal Wei had quickly regained his composure, Principal Fang of Third High School kindly reminded him, "Old Wei, calm down. It's not worth getting angry over such a small matter. If you get sick, you'll have to keep your promise, right?"

"Don't worry," Principal Wei glanced at Principal Fang with a half-smile, "If Lu Chong loses like this, I won't go back on my word."

In the hunting grounds, within the territory of the eighth-stage Shadow Cats, Lu Chong faced the siege of four martial apprentices of the same stage alone, his expression unchanged as he asked, "Is it because I refused your invitation?"

"That's right!"

Zhao Longfei wore the expression of someone who had everything under control, coldly stating, "I told you long ago that you would have to face the consequences."

"Top of the assessment rankings? Lu Chong, are you hoping to get your hands on that hefty reward?"

Zhao Longfei said smugly, "I'm going to make sure you don't get your wish."

"To deal with an ant like you, I don't even need to lift a finger myself."

This was exploiting a loophole in the exam; as long as Zhao Longfei didn't strike personally, he wouldn't even be penalized for breaking the rules.

"Boring." Lu Chong chuckled indifferently, turned around, and began to walk away.

"You think you can leave? Stop him!" Zhao Longfei shouted, and four students at the eighth stage of Martial Apprentice immediately swarmed to surround Lu Chong.

"Don't let him get eliminated too easily; beat him to a pulp," Zhao Longfei added.

A student from Class 1 approached Lu Chong first, launching an Iron Wire Fist at the Minor Mastery realm the moment he got close.

At the same time, another student on the left closed in using the Nine-Shadow Step, unleashing a Monument-Splitting Palm at the Minor Mastery realm to coordinate the assault on Lu Chong.

They all knew Lu Chong possessed the Monument-Splitting Palm and Nine-Shadow Step at the Perfection realm, so they had to join forces from the start to compensate for their disadvantage in martial arts.

Yet, facing this fist and palm, Lu Chong didn't dodge in the slightest. Instead, he took on both opponents at once, simultaneously throwing out a palm and a kick.

With the Monument-Splitting Palm and Heart-Piercing Kick both at the Perfection realm, the force behind his strikes was terrifying.

Bang! Bang!

Following two consecutive sounds, the two students who had surrounded him were sent flying backward, only to scramble back to their feet with tense expressions.

They realized they had still underestimated Lu Chong's combat prowess.