Dragonspine Corridor Trial Begins

"Candidates, please enter the corridor in order according to your department. There is no time limit for the examination, but please be mindful of your physical condition. Supply stations have been set up in every section of the corridor. If you run out of strength, withdraw immediately to avoid endangering your life..."

"Candidates, please do not sit exams for others! Cheaters will have this academic year's results nullified."

"Finally, I wish you all satisfactory results."

The standard female voice from the listening exam echoed through the Dragonspine Corridor area.

"The first group of candidates is from the Flowing Cloud Faction. Please enter promptly."

Chu Wen stood near the back of the crowd, waiting for the light computer to verify his identity information.

The Dragonspine Corridor stretched for tens of thousands of miles, as magnificent as the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty in his previous life. Every wall was engraved with the martial insights left behind by senior martial artists. Anyone who could leave their name upon it was at least a War King!

This was the foundation of Xinhang Martial University! The glory forged by countless powerhouses pressing onward, one after another!

It was said that among the several hundred corridor pillars at the finish line, the famous martial techniques of generations of Xinhang martial artists had been preserved. The weakest among those who had left their martial techniques there were War God-level!

The large screens at the entrance continuously displayed views from throughout the corridor. Every student's performance could be captured with precision. Any use of outside assistance to cheat would be immediately discovered, resulting in disqualification.

"Brother Wen."

Chen Dai spotted Chu Wen among the crowd at a glance.

The Jiangnan Martial Faction was scheduled to enter last, so they naturally arrived somewhat later.

Chu Wen greeted the students from the Jiangnan Martial Faction. He belonged to the Flying Waterfall Faction, a special-admissions category, and the Flying Waterfall Faction was second to last in the entry order.

Naturally, that was because the specially admitted students were all terrifyingly strong. If they entered first, they would not give ordinary students even the slightest pressure.

Only when ordinary students were overtaken one prodigy after another would they realize where the gap lay.

Either rise up and chase after them, or drift through life in mediocrity!

The Academic Affairs Office naturally hoped to give the students a greater sense of crisis. Using special-admissions students to spur them on could not have been more fitting.

As for the Jiangnan Martial Faction... honestly, no one thought highly of them.

After all, their admission standards were there for all to see, as was their strength. An elementary warrior in the Jiangnan Martial Faction would count as one of their strongest graduates, yet an elementary warrior was merely the standard for incoming freshmen at Xinhang.

As long as Xinhang's martial artists graduated successfully, they were guaranteed to become elementary war generals!

It was simply that most students were honing their martial sense and were in no rush to break through in strength. They generally maintained the strength of intermediate warriors, only advancing to elementary war generals near graduation.

On the surface, Chu Wen was now an intermediate warrior. But if he truly erupted, he possessed the strength of a high-level war general! He could even reach the level of a War King! Still, he would not reveal that here. There was no point in being the nail that stuck out among students.

"Jiangnan Martial Faction?" No one knew who spoke first, but every student in the Flying Waterfall Faction curiously turned to look at the few people behind them. "Wasn't the Jiangnan Martial Faction supposed to have over a hundred people? Why did so few come?"

With Chen Dai at the lead, the Jiangnan Martial Faction had come with a total of twenty-six people.

Some knew their own strength was lacking and had not stubbornly come here. After all, if they overestimated themselves and forced their way into the trial, they might damage their foundations. The loss would outweigh the gain.

As martial artists, they should at least have a clear understanding of their own strength...

"Probably because they can't cut it. They're from another school, after all." A girl with her hair in a bun cast them a glance. "At least they aren't stupid. If they forced their way through, half of them would probably end up crippled."

What interested her more was Chu Wen, who was speaking with the Jiangnan Martial Faction.

This person must be the Chu Wen who had caused such a huge uproar a month ago.

Some of the Flying Waterfall Faction students realized this as well and silently observed Chu Wen.

They had long regarded Chu Wen as a formidable competitor. His strength was unfathomable, and rumors had long spread that his Return to Simplicity-level martial technique could unleash the power of a high-level war general.

That was because he had utterly crushed Lin Haisheng at a rest pavilion in the Dragonspine Corridor!

Lin Haisheng was a seasoned old hand who had repeated years of school, constantly building up his strength, yet Chu Wen had kicked him straight into the hospital!

How absurd!

"Hello, my name is Shi Chong. You must be the famous Chu Wen. I've heard much about you. I've long found that 'sea cucumber' unpleasant to look at."

A brown-skinned man extended his hand. He was clearly of mixed heritage.

Chu Wen paused slightly as he remembered that name—

Third place in last academic year's overall rankings: Shi Chong, the "perpetual third-place finisher"!

Yes, because first and second place had always belonged to those two monsters. They had never fallen from their pedestal.

Shi Chong, meanwhile, had remained firmly in third place.

But because of Chu Wen's arrival, that third-place ranking might see some changes.

"Shi Chong, keep up. It's our turn."

One of Shi Chong's companions spoke, and the two of them took the lead into the corridor.

Chu Wen entered a few positions behind them.

The instant he entered, he felt an invisible pressure surge into his internal organs, while heat churned through his abdomen.

The pressure was clearly much stronger than the last time he had entered. It seemed the difficulty had specifically been raised for this trial.

Before he had gone far, even before reaching the first rest pavilion, people sat dejectedly on steps all around him.

The resting students all wore troubled expressions. Sweat soaked their martial uniforms, yet unwillingness filled their hearts, and they refused to give up for a long time.

Scenes like this were everywhere on the large screens.

Even if students entered the corridor at different times, they would still be halted somewhere due to their own strength, unable to advance any farther. That was why there was no time limit—

No matter how long the weak remained, they would not move forward a single step!

Although Chu Wen could feel the invisible oppression, it did not hinder his progress. At most, it made him slightly uncomfortable mentally; it was nowhere near enough to affect his movements.

Under everyone's gaze, he walked forward with a calm, unhurried expression. From time to time, he even stopped to examine the martial insights carved into the corridor.

Those were the most important things in the corridor.

Everyone was blindly moving forward, failing to notice that the many martial insights were now giving off an aura completely different from usual.

Chu Wen silently sensed everything. He closed his eyes slightly, and occasionally, a cool sensation flowed through his body.

The Primordial Origin Breathing Method was like a fish in water here. Even without deliberately activating it, his body responded on its own, adapting to the different martial insights.

Chu Wen did not look like he was taking part in a trial. He looked as though he had come for an on-site inspection, stopping and starting without showing the slightest sign of strain.

This also drew the attention of several martial artist experts serving as judges.

Their light computers constantly monitored the scenes within the Dragonspine Corridor, and Chu Wen was naturally one of their key subjects of attention.

"This Chu Wen truly is not simple."

"So many so-called prodigies failed to notice this, yet he had formed his own understanding the moment he entered. This boy's martial sense is astonishing."

"The martial intent within the carvings has undergone subtle changes. Anyone who isn't an idiot could guess that much, but those who can truly find the rhythm within those changes are one in ten thousand, even among Xinhang's students."

"Indeed. This Chu Wen is very talented."

"The Chaos Martial Arts Hall has recommended so many martial artists, yet very few have truly displayed their talent. This Chu Wen is truly impressive."

"He is indeed a martial arts prodigy. His martial sense has already surpassed the vast majority of those 'so-called prodigies.'"

After taking only a few steps, he had already detected the rhythm within the martial intent. This Dragonspine Corridor trial might prove quite interesting.

"What rank do you think this Chu Wen can reach in the end?"

"He might have a place in the top ten."

"Not necessarily. The top ten reflects overall strength. Strong martial sense is only one strength. His performance in other aspects remains unknown."

"That's true. No one can be proficient in everything. Everyone will have their weak points."