Nine-Star Dou Practitioner, Collective Test

Over the past four months, while steadily improving his cultivation, he had not neglected the practice and refinement of his Dou Techniques.

He had already mastered the two Dou Techniques, Mountain Qilin Leap and Qilin Fist, to perfection.

Not only that, he had also improved upon the original Qilin Fist, incorporating the ideas from his previous refinement of Rock-Splitting Palm.

Using the heaviness of Earth-Attribute Battle Qi as its foundation, he layered the force upon itself at the instant the punch was unleashed, each wave building upon the last to create an effect akin to resonance.

One punch contained three layers of force.

The first broke defenses, the second penetrated, and the third erupted.

The three layers advanced in sequence, tightly linked together, making it even more powerful than the original Qilin Fist.

"Qin Yu!"

Instructor Ruo Lin's voice came from the front.

"Come here."

Qin Yu opened his eyes and saw Ruo Lin beckoning to him. He moved to sit in the front row beside her.

The moment he stepped out, quite a few gazes around him fell upon him.

"So he's that Nine-Star Dou Practitioner?"

"He's only been enrolled for less than half a year, yet he's already a Nine-Star Dou Practitioner. He isn't practicing some kind of evil cultivation art, is he...?"

Whispers rose one after another, and the new students from the other classes in the front rows also noticed Qin Yu.

Nine-Star Dou Practitioner.

Among this year's new students, that cultivation level was already utterly unmatched.

Even though some students from other classes had entered as Four-Star Dou Practitioners, after these past few months, the fastest among them had only barely broken through to seven stars.

"Going from a One-Star Dou Practitioner to nine stars in half a year... this Qin Yu is interesting."

"Cultivation is cultivation, actual combat is actual combat. What use is high cultivation if he can't fight?"

"Exactly. We'll find out who has real skill once they get on the arena."

Instructor Ruo Lin took in everyone's reactions, the corners of her lips lifting slightly.

She turned to Qin Yu, a hint of satisfaction in her gaze.

"Qin Yu, what do you think about today's new student test?"

Qin Yu thought for a moment before giving a remarkably simple answer:

"Take first place."

The student who came out on top in this test would have one chance to enter the second floor of the Scripture Repository and choose a Dou Technique.

Once he broke through to Battle Master, Qin Yu intended to begin competing in arena matches to raise his ranking.

The moment Qin Yu said that, an even greater commotion erupted around him.

Faced with the surrounding discussion, Qin Yu's expression remained unchanged, as though he had heard nothing.

Xiao Yu, who was seated on Ruo Lin's other side, could not help rolling her eyes.

"Truly fearless through ignorance..."

Putting aside this collective test, the class also held a smaller test every month. She had seen Qin Yu's fighting style with her own eyes.

Before Qin Yu, even the slightest opening would be swiftly seized, and he would subdue his opponent in a single strike.

In front of him, differences in cultivation were simply not the key factor in determining victory or defeat.

Besides, among this year's new students, no one had a higher cultivation level than Qin Yu.

"Yu'er, you're doing quite well too."

Instructor Ruo Lin's gaze fell on Xiao Yu, her tone carrying a trace of approval.

"Nine-Stage Battle Qi. You're only one step away from becoming a Dou Practitioner."

"Hehe, I have to thank you for your guidance, Instructor."

Xiao Yu nodded, her peripheral vision unconsciously drifting toward Qin Yu.

Over these past six months, she had not been idle either.

Although her cultivation speed was nowhere near as terrifying as Qin Yu's, she had steadily improved as well.

She had now reached Nine-Stage Battle Qi. With just one final step, she could officially enter the ranks of Dou Practitioners.

And the person who motivated her most was Qin Yu.

Whenever she saw Qin Yu break through again, she felt that she needed to work even harder.

During the drawing of lots, Qin Yu drew an opponent named Lu Han.

Hmm.

He had no impression of him.

"This Lu Han comes from a country near the Central Plains. He was already a Four-Star Dou Practitioner when he enrolled, and his talent evaluation was Grade A."

But as an instructor, Ruo Lin naturally knew everything about this year's new students.

"I heard that after these past few months, he's already become a Six-Star Fighter."

Qin Yu nodded. His face showed no expression, but he was already calculating inwardly.

Six stars against nine stars—a difference of three levels.

Then he would first use his most familiar approach to test the other party's quality.

"Qin Yu of Yellow Class Two versus Lu Han of Mystic Class Three. Both parties, please take the stage!"

The referee's voice interrupted Qin Yu's thoughts.

He patted nonexistent dust from his robe and strolled toward the arena without haste.

Lu Han stepped onto the arena at the same time. He was tall and slender, with refined features. His narrow eyes narrowed slightly as he assessed Qin Yu.

"Nine-Star Dou Practitioner."

Lu Han's gaze lingered on Qin Yu for a moment. He rolled his wrists, his words carrying a faint arrogance.

"The senior students often say that on the arena, cultivation is not the only factor that determines victory or defeat..."

"Can you cut the pre-fight nonsense?"

Lu Han froze briefly. He had not expected Qin Yu to disregard convention so completely, but he quickly regained his calm and composed appearance.

"Fine. Then let me witness the strength of a Nine-Star Dou Practitioner like you."

The referee lowered his hand, and the match officially began.

Lu Han assumed his stance and stood in place, clearly intending to respond to change with constancy.

Qin Yu sighed as Dou Qi gradually gathered beneath his feet.

The next instant, Lu Han's vision blurred, and a fierce gust swept in from his side.

He felt as if he had been struck by a mountain. Like a kite with its string cut, he flew backward and crashed heavily beneath the arena.

The entire venue fell silent.

From Qin Yu's attack to Lu Han hitting the ground, it had taken no more than the blink of an eye.

Many had not even seen what happened before Lu Han was already lying on the ground outside the arena, his face blank with confusion.

Qin Yu stood atop the arena and slowly withdrew his fist.

That was the power of combining Mountain Qilin Leap with Qilin Fist.

He used the instantaneous burst of speed from Mountain Qilin Leap to close in on his opponent, then ended the fight directly with Qilin Fist.

There had not been a single unnecessary movement throughout the entire process. This sequence depended entirely on whether the opponent could react in time or defend properly.

If they could not, there was no need to continue the match.

"Th-That's it?"

"I didn't even see how he got over there!"

"How can Earth-Attribute Battle Qi possibly have that kind of speed?"

The students in the stands all stared wide-eyed. Some even slapped themselves across the face. Was this the strength of a Nine-Star Dou Practitioner?

Yet when they watched those Battle Master senior students fight, it did not seem this outrageous.

Lu Han lay on the ground, the searing pain in his chest leaving him barely able to breathe.

He stared at the sky above the arena, his mind completely blank.

He did not even know how he had lost.

In that instant, Qin Yu had seemed to appear out of thin air at his side before throwing a punch with enough force to seemingly pierce through his chest.

Was this... the strength of a Nine-Star Dou Practitioner?

Lu Han struggled to prop himself up and sit upright. Looking at the figure on the arena who had already turned to walk away, he gritted his teeth as a deep sense of defeat rose within him.

It was not that he had never lost before, but he had never lost so cleanly, so thoroughly, or so inexplicably.

He had not even had room to resist.