Vajra Fist

Fists, elbows, shoulders, knees—every part of the body could become a weapon. Every move struck straight for vital points, ruthless and decisive, each blow carrying an unstoppable killing intent.

Outside the arena, Zhang Lei, Li Chao, and Sun Yuan, huddled behind Wang Dalong, felt their scalps tingle and every hair stand on end the instant they recognized that fighting style. Their old wounds seemed to ache faintly again.

The three exchanged glances, all still shaken by lingering fear.

Back at Lin Yun's home, he had clearly held back at every turn. Using less than half his strength, he had easily knocked all three of them down.

If the no-holds-barred fighting style now displayed on the screen had landed fully on them, forget escaping unscathed—they likely would have ended up crippled.

Thinking back on it now, that three hundred thousand in compensation had not been a loss at all. They had practically bought back their lives.

The three instinctively shrank their necks, no longer daring to entertain the slightest thought of provoking him.

Wang Dalong stared intently at Lin Yun's movements on the large screen, his brows knitted tightly together and his expression growing increasingly grave.

Born into a martial arts family, he had broad knowledge. With one glance, he could tell that this combat technique had been born on a true battlefield, tempered by blood and fire. It specialized in close combat and encirclement battles, designed to counter multiple opponents joining forces.

Its forms might not have been as refined as orthodox martial arts, but in terms of practical lethality and adaptability, it was even superior.

Combined with the rumors of their earlier clash, Wang Dalong had already reached a conclusion: in a direct head-on confrontation, he was no match for Lin Yun.

But he quickly suppressed his thoughts, his expression returning to calm. So what if he could not win in actual combat?

His overall scores were already impressive enough. He still had a chance to compete for Imperial Capital First Martial Academy.

On the surface, strength naturally decided superiority and inferiority. But behind the scenes, he had plenty of methods at his disposal.

On the battlefield, Lin Yun pushed forward all the way.

Four opponents in the fifth stage, five in the sixth. Relying on his combat techniques, he weaved through the crowd and fought fiercely, his offensive never once breaking.

Upon entering the eighth stage, seven virtual martial artists formed a fight-to-the-death formation and launched a desperate encirclement.

Lin Yun charged forward without hesitation. The dull thuds of fists and feet colliding rang out one after another. Virtual wounds continuously appeared across his body, and his vitality was rapidly drained. He had long entered a severely injured state, yet his feet did not retreat even half an inch. With an iron-like will, he forcibly confronted powerful enemies, shifting and maneuvering as he broke them one by one, charging through the eighth stage by sheer force.

When the dust settled on the eighth stage, Lin Yun's body was covered in virtual wounds of varying depths. Even the circulation of his vitality had visibly stagnated, and his body swayed slightly. It was obvious that he was at the end of his tether.

He stood silently where he was and closed his eyes.

Seeing this, everyone outside the arena unanimously decided that this was his limit.

"With injuries like that, he definitely won't hold on against the eight-man encirclement in the ninth stage."

"Getting to the eighth stage has already far exceeded expectations. Knowing when to stop isn't really losing."

Zhao Ritian stood among the crowd with his arms folded, a mocking curve on his lips. He sneered, "Looks to me like he knows he can't win and plans to give up struggling outright. He barely held on until now by relying on wild, unorthodox fighting methods. When it comes time to truly clash head-on, he's still lacking."

Quite a few people around him nodded in agreement, their gazes carrying a hint of eager amusement.

Wang Dalong also nodded slightly. In his view, with Lin Yun's stamina and injuries piling up, defeat against the combined assault of eight martial artists at the same rank was only a matter of time.

Only Su Nianhe raised her delicate brows slightly. Her lively eyes shifted as she watched the figure on the combat pod's screen, eyes tightly shut as he slowly drew in a breath. A bold guess suddenly arose in her heart. She unconsciously held her breath, her palm quietly clenching.

Inside the pod, the prompt for the ninth stage sounded on cue.

Eight virtual martial artists at Martial Apprentice Level Four advanced in steady steps, forming an encirclement. Their fist winds howled as wave after wave of pressure bore down, completely sealing off every path of retreat for Lin Yun.

Just as everyone believed the battle would swiftly end, Lin Yun abruptly opened his eyes!

Two sharp glints burst from his gaze. His previously somewhat disordered vitality suddenly surged, while the pale red mist around his body rapidly contracted before violently exploding outward. His presence instantly climbed to its peak.

He no longer used the nimble, tricky military combat technique from before. As his arms opened and closed, his moves became broad and forceful. His fists struck with the weight of racing thunder, every punch carrying heavy wind pressure—fierce, tyrannical, and unstoppable.

Vajra Fist!

The instant this fist technique appeared, the entire venue fell silent.

On the reviewing platform, Colonel Chen Feng, who had been sitting upright, and the military examiners all rose to their feet at once. Their eyes locked onto the screen, their faces filled with disbelief.

The teachers and students present who had even a little experience also narrowed their eyes, their expressions changing drastically.

Vajra Fist was the most widely taught basic martial skill in Dragon Nation's military. It was not a supreme art, much less a secret.

The military had always encouraged soldiers to teach this fist technique to their relatives and friends, so that ordinary citizens might have the means to protect themselves when faced with attacks from alien beasts.

The entry threshold for this martial skill was not high, and it did not demand heaven-defying talent. Its only cultivation method was diligent, relentless practice.

By polishing the fist forms day after day and tempering one's force through countless repetitions, one could gradually master it.

Yet precisely because it was easy to begin, developing true power with it required far more sweat and time than ordinary techniques.

On the screen, Lin Yun's stance still carried a trace of rawness. He was clearly only at the level of having just entered the door. His movements were not yet smooth and flowing, and the circulation of his force was somewhat stiff.

But Vajra Fist had been created to fight alien beasts and meet enemies head-on. Its moves emphasized fierce, forceful offense, making it more than sufficient for dealing with the virtual martial artists before him.

One punch flew out, its mighty force colliding head-on with the arm of the foremost virtual martial artist.

"Bang!"

A dull impact rang out. That martial artist's arm went numb, and he staggered backward again and again, his vitality defense nearly shattered outright.

Seeing this, the other seven immediately intensified their offensive, lunging in to kill from every direction.

Lin Yun neither dodged nor retreated. He sank his waist and planted his stance, alternating punches as the fierce force of Vajra Fist layered upon itself. Meeting force with force, he forcibly withstood the dense barrage of attacks.

Su Nianhe looked at that familiar yet slightly unpracticed fist path, and understanding dawned in her heart, accompanied by a surge of emotion.

She had known Lin Yun for many years. She knew that though his talent was ordinary, he had never slacked off in training for even a single day. That persistence was beyond what others could match.

And during these days before the martial arts examination, Lin Yun must have paid a price unimaginable to ordinary people.

She had guessed correctly.

After breaking through to Martial Apprentice Level Four, Lin Yun had shut himself indoors and begun practicing Vajra Fist using the notes left behind by his brother, Lin Hai.

Over these four days, supported by energy recovery potions exchanged from the system, he rested only one hour each day. He spent every remaining moment polishing his fist forms.

Punch after punch, adjustment after adjustment to his force, he had forcibly knocked open the gate to this martial skill in an extremely short time.

The battle inside the pod grew increasingly intense.

Lin Yun's injuries continued to worsen, and virtual bloodstains multiplied across his body. His movements gradually slowed as his strength ran dry, yet every punch remained heavy and powerful. The tyrannical force of Vajra Fist had never weakened.

Using the might of his martial skill, he maneuvered among the eight martial artists, unleashing heavy punches whenever he caught an opening.

One, two, three... virtual martial artists were struck down one after another by his heavy fists.

The seemingly unsolvable encirclement was torn apart bit by bit by his fierce fist technique.

Even severely wounded, Lin Yun's offense never stopped. With the Vajra Fist he had only recently begun learning, he fought to the bitter end and forcibly defeated all eight opponents in the ninth stage.

The notification for clearing the ninth stage sounded, and an uproar erupted outside the arena.

No one had expected that Lin Yun, whom they believed had reached the end of the road, would defy the odds and clear the stage using the basic martial skill Vajra Fist.

Before anyone could settle their emotions, the tenth stage began immediately.

A full nine virtual Martial Apprentice Level Four martial artists appeared at once. Nine figures positioned themselves around the arena, forming an even tighter killing formation. Their attacks came crashing down like the sky itself, the pressure several times greater than in the ninth stage.

After clearing two consecutive stages and maintaining Vajra Fist at high intensity throughout, Lin Yun had long since exhausted every last drop of strength.

The vitality within him churned in chaos. His limbs felt as heavy as if filled with lead, and the injuries across his body had accumulated to their limit.

Forcing out his final sliver of strength, he threw himself forward with another punch. Vajra Fist remained fierce and forceful, but it no longer possessed the strength to sustain itself.

After several desperate exchanges, Lin Yun gave everything he had to knock down four opponents. But the remaining five virtual martial artists coordinated more and more skillfully. Seizing the opening created when his strength faltered, several fists and kicks landed on him at once.

A tremendous impact crashed into him. Lin Yun could no longer hold on, and his body slammed heavily to the ground, completely losing his ability to fight.

[Candidate Lin Yun, stopped at the tenth stage. His willpower was tenacious. Practical combat score: 365.]