Experts from All Sides

"This is B-rank martial arts... and he's comprehended Martial Dao True Intent!" Xu Wuyi murmured to himself, his tone utterly certain.

Only martial arts containing True Intent could undergo such a terrifying qualitative change.

That scorching, explosive aura was clearly the embryonic form of some kind of "fire" or "explosion" True Intent.

And B-rank martial arts were likewise a sign of comprehending "Martial Dao True Intent," because the vast majority of B-rank martial arts required the learner to master the use of "intent."

The Cloud-Parting Force he had trained in tirelessly seemed so pale and powerless before the opponent's blade technique imbued with True Intent.

This was not a gap in technique or strength, but crushing suppression on the level of realm.

After a moment of silence, not only was there no frustration in Xu Wuyi's eyes, an even fiercer fighting spirit burned within them instead.

This was the world of true powerhouses!

This was the realm he would have to face in the future!

He lay down again and connected to Battle Net.

"Continue matching!"

In the third placement match, his opponent was a burly man with a life energy level of 11.4, using a pair of heavy gauntlets, his strength fierce and forceful.

Xu Wuyi composed himself and stopped thinking about that brutal defeat, throwing himself wholeheartedly into the battle before him.

The burly man's attacks came like a raging storm, but Xu Wuyi's lower body was steady, and his Army-Settling Stance guarded him so tightly that not even water could seep through. Every now and then, a counterattack with Cloud-Piercing Thrust containing Cloud-Parting Force was enough to force the opponent into a fluster.

The battle lasted nearly ten minutes before Xu Wuyi finally seized a tiny opening when the opponent caught his breath. His long spear shot out like a fierce dragon emerging from its cave, Cloud-Parting Force erupting in an instant, and the spear tip shattered the opponent's heart-protecting mirror, winning him the victory.

[Winner: Xu Wuyi! Ranked points +12.]

In the fourth match, his opponent was a woman with a life energy level of 11.2 and agile movement, using a pair of short spikes.

This fight was even more difficult. The opponent refused to clash head-on at all, relying on ghostlike footwork to constantly skirmish and harass him, trying to wear down his stamina and focus.

Xu Wuyi kept his composure and stopped pursuing a one-hit kill. Instead, he brought Wind-Returning Sweep to its limit, his long spear dancing as it laid down an airtight defensive circle around him.

Fortunately, his attainments in the Mountain Moving Method were quite solid, allowing him to stabilize his mind and patiently search for an opportunity.

Neither of them revealed any obvious flaws until the end. Xu Wuyi purely relied on trading injury for injury, wearing the opponent down little by little.

Agile-type martial artists often had shortcomings in endurance and damage resistance.

Xu Wuyi keenly caught onto this point, and only in the end, by relying on a slight advantage, did he pierce her abdomen with a spear and successfully kill her.

[Winner: Xu Wuyi! Ranked points +10.]

The fifth match was also the final placement match.

His opponent had a life energy level of 11.4 and used a heavy sword, his aura deep and imposing.

This was a true evenly matched battle.

The heavy sword was powerful and weighty, and every collision shook Xu Wuyi's arms numb.

Xu Wuyi's spear technique, meanwhile, was even steadier. Cloud-Parting Force had extremely strong penetrative power, and he focused exclusively on attacking the weak points in the opponent's defense.

The two exchanged blows on the arena, spear shadows and sword light intertwining as their blood and qi constantly collided and burst with explosive sounds.

Xu Wuyi displayed all the results of his bitter training during this period, and his use of Cloud-Parting Force grew increasingly skilled and seamless under the intense pressure.

After nearly fifteen minutes of fierce fighting, both sides were already spent. If the time limit for Ranked Battle had not been extended to twenty minutes, it would have ended in a draw.

Xu Wuyi spotted the instant when the opponent's heavy sword was a fraction slow to withdraw, gritted his teeth, and drove all the blood and qi in his body, unleashing a Cloud-Piercing Thrust condensed with all his essence, energy, and spirit!

Clang!

The spear tip struck with precision at the weakest point on the side of the heavy sword, and Cloud-Parting Force erupted a second time!

The burly man felt a sharp spiraling force transmit through the sword. The webbing between his thumb and forefinger split open, and the heavy sword nearly flew from his grip.

He staggered backward, his guard wide open.

Xu Wuyi pressed the advantage without mercy, bringing the long spear down with the momentum, the shaft smashing heavily onto the opponent's shoulder.

Bang! The burly man dropped to one knee and no longer had the strength to stand.

[Winner: Xu Wuyi! Ranked points +13.]

[Placement matches ended. Your final rank is: First Rank, 74 points.]

Looking at the result displayed on the light screen, Xu Wuyi let out a long breath.

Four wins out of five matches—this result definitely was not bad. But that expert who had cut him down in three slashes had also made him realize there was always a higher sky beyond the sky, and he absolutely could not grow complacent with his current results.

"I have to rush to Second Rank, even Third Rank, as soon as possible!"

Seventy-four points was not far from the one hundred points required to advance to Second Rank.

On Battle Net, martial artists who reached a new rank were given point rewards as encouragement.

This kind of one-time reward was much higher than what daily battles provided, and it just so happened that Xu Wuyi wanted to exchange for Martial Dao True Intent fragments, which required a considerable number of points.

Compared to points, although Federal Credits were also costly, there were ultimately more sources for obtaining them.

Honghe No. 1 High School, principal's office.

Principal Zhang Qiming sat behind the broad office desk, his fingers lightly tapping the tabletop, his gaze falling on Zhou Yun and Wang Wenhai before him.

He was nearly sixty, yet he had kept himself in excellent shape, without the slightest sign of middle-aged spread. His eyes were sharp, and he gave off the lean, capable air of a martial artist.

Most principals of martial arts high schools were retired high-ranking martial artists, many of them even former innate martial masters.

Only because they had been wounded on the battlefield, or because their vitality had declined with age, had they withdrawn from the front lines and come to teach at high schools, making use of what strength they had left.

"Teacher Zhou, Teacher Wang, the sprint class has been established for almost a month now," Principal Zhang said, his voice steady yet carrying an innate pressure.

"The three-school joint exam is approaching, and United High School and Yingang No. 1 High School are both raring to go. For this joint exam, observers from the provincial Martial Association will be coming. Its significance is anything but ordinary. How are our students doing?"

Zhou Yun and Wang Wenhai exchanged a glance, then Wang Wenhai spoke first. "Principal, the overall momentum is very good. Thanks to the resource allocation, most of the students' life energy levels have risen noticeably. At present, five students have reached a life energy level of 11.0."

"Oh? Five?" Principal Zhang's brows lifted slightly, and a hint of interest showed on his face. "Tell me the details."

He had been away for more than half a month and had only just returned to Honghe, so he still did not understand the situation.

Wang Wenhai nodded and introduced them. "Zeng Bonan, level 11.4. His foundation is solid, his mentality is stable, and he has rich practical combat experience. This time, his goal is to secure top five and compete for top three."

"Hu Haobo, level 11.2. He has a strong desire to attack, his Stone-Splitting Palm is growing more refined by the day, and he dares to fight and risk it," Zhou Yun added. "Liu Jing, level 11.0. After the setback last time, her mentality has changed somewhat, and her family's Spirit Rhinoceros Finger can't be underestimated either."

"Among the three of them, Zeng Bonan is the steadiest, but Hu Haobo has the best hope of fighting for a high score."

Principal Zhang nodded and looked at Wang Wenhai, his gaze carrying a question.

He knew these three. Their grades had always been good, and they could be considered to have improved steadily. Clearly, he was more concerned about the student who had suddenly risen to prominence.

Wang Wenhai understood and revealed a faint, almost imperceptible look of approval. "Xu Wuyi's life energy level is also 11.4."