Sparring

As soon as the proposal was made, a slight stir ran through the audience, but it quickly died down.

Everyone looked at the two people involved. With a life energy level one step higher, moving ahead in the rankings was perfectly reasonable, but that made things rather awkward for Hu Haobo.

Xu Wuyi's expression remained normal. He had no objection to the adjustment.

The resource treatment for the top three was the same; the ranking mostly decided the order in which they could be challenged.

For example, if Liu Jing challenged someone now, there was no doubt she would have a better chance against Hu Haobo. If she won, Xu Wuyi would instead be pushed down to fourth place.

Xu Wuyi definitely would not accept that result, and would have to challenge upward again in return. It was better to adjust the order first.

Hu Haobo folded his arms, the muscles on his face tightening for an instant as a hint of struggle flashed through his eyes.

Of course he was unwilling. Not unwilling to rank behind Xu Wuyi, but unwilling to have his position directly switched because of a 0.1-level gap in life energy without even having a proper match.

He took a deep breath, as though making up his mind, stepped forward, and looked straight at Zhou Yun and Wang Wenhai. "Teacher Zhou, Teacher Wang, I have no objection to the ranking adjustment."

He paused, then changed the subject, his sharp gaze landing on Xu Wuyi. "However, I want to propose a virtual sparring match with student Xu Wuyi."

"We won't use real-body data. We'll use the Star Martial Battle Net's Beginner Arena standard mode, with both life energy levels unified at 10.0. No matter whether I win or lose this fight, I'll accept the position of third place."

His voice carried a suppressed fighting spirit. "I just want to see whether, under equal conditions, my Stone-Splitting Palm can break through your defense!"

At those words, everyone's interest was piqued.

Because of the gap in life energy level, almost no one had believed Hu Haobo could win the previous challenge, and the fight had lost its suspense.

But if they used a standard energy level and erased the gap in physical quality, leaving only martial arts technique and on-the-spot performance to compete, this was undoubtedly the best way to test the two's true combat strength!

Even Zeng Bonan looked interested. He also wanted to know, under equal conditions, who was stronger: Xu Wuyi's defense, steady as a mountain, or Hu Haobo's fierce, violent offense.

Zhou Yun and Wang Wenhai looked at each other and both saw tacit approval in the other's eyes. This kind of healthy competition was exactly what the Sprint Class encouraged.

"Xu Wuyi, what do you think?" Wang Wenhai asked.

Xu Wuyi met Hu Haobo's battle-filled gaze and smiled. "No problem. I'm always willing to take part in this kind of sparring."

"Good!" Zhou Yun immediately made the decision. "Connect to the Battle Net. Beginner Arena, standard mode!"

Star Martial Battle Net, the familiar square arena.

Xu Wuyi's and Hu Haobo's figures condensed at the same time.

Both of their life energy levels were adjusted by the system to the standard 10.0, and the IDs above their heads were clearly visible.

Around the arena, there were even more students watching than before. Not only were all the members of the Sprint Class present, even some martial arts students from other classes who had heard the news had come over.

Zeng Bonan and Liu Jing stood at the very front, their expressions focused.

Hu Haobo moved his wrists, and the familiar sensation of 10.0-level strength came from his virtual body.

His eyes were as sharp as knives, fixed tightly on Xu Wuyi, and a blazing, ferocious aura began to spread around him.

Xu Wuyi remained calm. The Mountain Moving Method circulated silently, his mind tranquil, as he opened into the Basic Body Tempering Method's stance for facing an enemy. That steady, mountain-like presence naturally emanated from him.

"Begin!"

The instant the system prompt fell, Hu Haobo moved!

He did not probe at all. He went all out from the start!

His foot slammed hard against the virtual ground, and his body shot out like an arrow loosed from the string. The five fingers of his right hand curled slightly, the edge of his palm carrying a shriek that seemed to tear the air as it chopped straight toward Xu Wuyi's face!

C-rank martial art, Stone-Splitting Palm—Mountain Opening Stance!

The palm wind was fierce, its momentum pressing forward without hesitation. Compared to half a month ago, his palm force seemed even more condensed, and that vicious drive had only grown stronger.

Xu Wuyi's eyes narrowed slightly. His feet took root beneath him, his left arm rose, and the muscles of his forearm tightened as he met it with a standard blocking posture.

Bang!

Palm and arm clashed, releasing a dull, heavy boom.

Xu Wuyi's body trembled slightly, and he felt that the force coming through his arm was far stronger and far more condensed than that of his previous opponents!

This was the power of a C-rank martial art. It specialized in one point, and its destructive force was extremely strong.

Hu Haobo pressed his advantage without mercy. One palm had been blocked, but the other had already slipped out from beneath his ribs like a ghost, stabbing straight toward Xu Wuyi's abdomen!

The speed of the change and the trickiness of the angle drew low cries from below the stage.

Xu Wuyi exerted strength through his waist and abdomen, his body rotating slightly like a boulder. He avoided that vicious thrust by a hair's breadth, while his right fist hammered toward Hu Haobo's elbow like an iron mallet.

Hu Haobo snorted coldly. His arm retracted like a nimble snake, avoiding the incoming fist, and immediately followed with another continuous sequence of palm attacks. Palm shadows flew and enveloped the vital points of Xu Wuyi's upper body.

The Stone-Splitting Palm was already known for being forceful and swift, and in Hu Haobo's hands, it gained an extra degree of ruthless savagery that would not stop until death.

Palm wind howled, its momentum astonishing.

Xu Wuyi once again entered his familiar defensive rhythm.

His movements were still very simple, yet they were like the most precise machine, dissolving Hu Haobo's storm-like attacks one by one.

Blocking, dodging, redirecting force... Every movement was just right, as though he had already calculated all of his opponent's attack routes.

For a time, on the arena, all that could be seen was Hu Haobo attacking madly like a fierce tiger, palm shadows piling up like mountains; while Xu Wuyi was like a reef in a rushing current, standing unmoved no matter how the wind blew and the waves battered him.

"As expected, he still can't break through his defense..." someone below the stage murmured.

"Hu Haobo's palm technique is even fiercer than before, but Xu Wuyi's defense seems steadier too."

"At this rate, it'll probably be another draw, or Hu Haobo will expose a flaw after failing to break through for too long..."

Zeng Bonan watched the situation in the arena, his brows slightly furrowed.

He felt that although Xu Wuyi's defense was still solid, it seemed... to be missing a bit of that pure feeling from before.

It was as if he was distracted, thinking about something.

Hu Haobo also sensed something off.

Although his attacks failed to achieve anything, Xu Wuyi's counterattacks seemed fewer than when he had fought Liu Jing before, and a little slower too.

After attacking for so long without breaking through, the vicious drive in Hu Haobo's heart was completely ignited.

He refused to believe that, at the same level, the offensive he was so proud of couldn't even make his opponent move a single step!

"Stone-Splitting Collapse!"

He suddenly exhaled and shouted, the qi and blood in his body surging at unprecedented speed. His right palm abruptly shone with a faint grayish-white luster, as if it had truly transformed into a giant palm that could split mountains and shatter stone, slamming fiercely toward Xu Wuyi's chest!

This palm strike condensed almost all his focus, qi and blood, and strength. It was the strongest blow he could currently unleash!

Where the palm wind passed, the air let out an overburdened whine.

Everyone below the stage held their breath. Even Zhou Yun and Wang Wenhai's gazes grew a little more solemn.

Facing this earth-shattering palm strike, the calm in Xu Wuyi's eyes finally broke, replaced by a strange light.