Talent!!!

Extreme Bear Martial Hall.

As an established martial arts hall in Jiang City, Extreme Bear Martial Hall was undoubtedly renowned. It was said that several years ago, it had even produced a student who was admitted to a prestigious martial arts academy.

It had been famous for a time.

A handsome young man holding a saber slowly entered the gates of Extreme Bear Martial Hall.

The greeter at the entrance immediately smiled. "Little brother, are you here to sign up? Extreme Bear Martial Hall happens to be running a promotion..."

"No, I'm here to spar with experts." Chen Yu cut him off before he could finish.

Now that his Thunder Extreme Saber had reached the Proficient Stage, his combat strength had surged. At least he no longer needed to worry about losing too badly.

"Sparring?!" The man's expression changed slightly. Calling it sparring sounded nice, but put bluntly, this was a challenge to the hall!

How long had it been since someone last challenged Extreme Bear Martial Hall?

"Wait here."

The man gave Chen Yu a hard look, spat out those two words, then quickly left.

In just moments, more than a dozen burly students in Extreme Bear Martial Hall uniforms swarmed over and surrounded Chen Yu.

"Kid, you're the one here to challenge our hall?"

A bald student asked viciously.

"That's right. It's me." Chen Yu nodded calmly, then added, "I like fighting. I like fighting experts."

"What an arrogant brat!"

Hearing Chen Yu's cocky tone, the students of Extreme Bear Martial Hall immediately erupted.

"Move aside. There are rules for challenging a hall!"

A strong, resounding voice suddenly rang out.

Upon hearing that voice, the students of Extreme Bear Martial Hall immediately opened a path. A hulking man in black-rimmed glasses slowly approached.

"My name is Ji Wenqing, master of Extreme Bear Martial Hall. What is your name, and which martial arts hall do you represent in this challenge?"

"Chen Yu. I represent myself." Chen Yu looked at Ji Wenqing and explained again:

"The only reason I'm challenging martial arts halls is because I simply enjoy fighting. There is no other meaning behind it."

"Not only Extreme Bear Martial Hall. United Heroes Martial Arts School and Grand Talent Martial Arts School are also my targets for the next two days."

River City had three major martial arts halls: Extreme Bear, United Heroes, and Grand Talent, standing as three pillars.

As for Heroic Martial Arts Hall?

It had only recently moved here from elsewhere. If Hao Xi, that expert, was excluded, it was fundamentally not worth mentioning.

"You represent yourself? You enjoy fighting?" Ji Wenqing frowned slightly, apparently not expecting such an answer.

He had thought Chen Yu had been sent by another martial arts hall, such as Heroic Martial Arts Hall. He had quite a few grudges with its owner, Hao Sangui.

But if it had been Heroic Martial Arts Hall, the person they sent should have been Hao Xi, not some unknown young brat.

"Kid, do you understand the consequences of challenging a hall?" Ji Wenqing warned. "Injuries are unavoidable in a fight. If you get hurt, Extreme Bear Martial Hall will not take responsibility."

They could not possibly refuse a challenge. If word got out, it would inevitably harm the martial arts hall's business.

"I understand." Chen Yu nodded.

"Fine. Then come sign the waiver with me, and get on the arena."

Ji Wenqing said nothing more and turned toward the depths of the martial arts hall.

Chen Yu did not delay either. He followed Ji Wenqing and quickly signed his name on the waiver.

He then handed the Bloodsong Blade over to the martial arts hall for safekeeping, took a wooden training saber, and stepped onto the arena.

"Third-Level Body Tempering..." Ji Wenqing glanced at the information Chen Yu had voluntarily reported. Looking relaxed, he slightly raised his chin.

"Ke Xuan, you're also at Third-Level Body Tempering. Are you confident you can handle him?"

The girl named Ke Xuan nodded confidently. "Don't worry, Hall Master. I'll take him down within a minute!"

With that, she lightly tapped the ground with both feet and gracefully leaped onto the arena.

Ke Xuan's weapons were rather unusual: two short blades, slightly longer than daggers but far shorter than sabers.

The shorter the weapon, the greater the danger.

Anyone who used such unusual weapons was clearly extremely confident in their own strength.

"Ready..."

"Fight!"

At Ji Wenqing's shout, Ke Xuan was the first to lower her body and charge at Chen Yu.

Her center of gravity was pressed extremely low, yet she was incredibly fast, already beyond the level of an ordinary Third-Level Body Tempering martial artist.

Bang!

Before anyone could react, Ke Xuan only felt a sudden pain in her upper right arm. Chen Yu had already smacked her away with the back of his saber.

[Battle complete. Talent copied successfully.]

[Copied Talent—Cat Body (White)]

[Cat Body (White)]: Light and agile, with extraordinary flexibility.

I copied a white-quality talent in the very first match. What a great start!

Chen Yu felt his body become much more flexible, and it also seemed a little lighter.

A white-quality talent brought an obvious change.

Delighted, he looked at the stunned people from Extreme Bear Martial Hall and impatiently said:

"Next!"

When no one responded, he had no choice but to remind them, "I told you, I like fighting."

"Don't worry about whether we're at the same level. Even opponents at the Fourth Stage, Fifth Layer, Sixth Layer, or even Seventh Layer of Body Tempering—I don't mind any of them!"

As soon as those words came out, not only did the students of Extreme Bear Martial Hall turn grim-faced, even Ji Wenqing's expression darkened considerably.

Chen Yu's words were clearly mocking Extreme Bear Martial Hall for having no experts.

"This kid's saber technique is strange, and he's also a Martial Arts Madman. An Bisheng, you're up next!" Ji Wenqing's tone grew heavier as his expression became serious.

An Bisheng walked onto the arena with his saber and cupped his fists toward Chen Yu.

"An Bisheng, Body Tempering Fifth Layer. This concerns the honor of our martial arts hall, so don't blame me for using my higher realm to bully you."

"That's fine."

Chen Yu shook his head, utterly unconcerned.

Having learned from Ke Xuan's defeat, An Bisheng did not let his guard down this time. Instead, Chen Yu took the initiative to attack.

Bang!

The wooden sabers collided. An Bisheng suddenly exerted force, using his strength advantage at the Body Tempering Fifth Layer to violently knock Chen Yu's wooden saber aside.

At the same time, his second saber strike flowed smoothly toward Chen Yu's abdomen.

Having just acquired the [Cat Body] talent, Chen Yu nimbly sprang backward and avoided the strike.

But An Bisheng did not hesitate. His third strike followed immediately after.

It was the Nine-Wave Saber!

And it was the Nine-Wave Saber at Greater Mastery!

"Too obvious!"

This was not Chen Yu's first encounter with the Nine-Wave Saber, so he handled it with ease. His wooden saber thrust straight out, striking directly at the point where the power stalled.

An Bisheng's expression abruptly changed. Chen Yu's seemingly light thrust had hit the crucial point exactly, dispersing more than half the power of his strike.

Bang!

Pain shot through his chest, and Chen Yu had already kicked him off the arena.

"A Body Tempering Fifth Layer martial artist lost to someone at the Third Level too!"

They had thought that sending out An Bisheng would guarantee this match.

But Ji Wenqing had never imagined that they would lose two matches before he even figured out what saber technique Chen Yu cultivated.

That meant Chen Yu's talent for saber techniques was exceptionally impressive.

Which family's martial arts genius is this? Instead of properly preparing for the Martial Exam, why is he here causing trouble?! Ji Wenqing cursed inwardly.

But now he was riding a tiger and could not get off. He could only look grimly toward a two-meter-tall burly man among the students.

"Zhang Hanqing, I'll leave it to you."

"Make it a good win."