Damage Reflection Ability

The fist was already bearing down on his chest, yet Jiang Yuan remained standing where he was.

The Nine Yang Inner Force accumulated in his abdomen raced through his meridians, passed his waist and back, and gathered entirely at his chest.

The heat scattered through his flesh and blood layered over itself, tightening the point of impact. Beneath his skin, it was as though a thick suit of heated armor had been wedged in place.

The instant they closed in on each other, Song Xi's right fist struck Jiang Yuan squarely in the chest.

A punching force of five hundred and three kilograms, compounded by a charging speed of over twenty-two meters per second—the exoskeleton's power and her own surging vitality were all poured into that punch.

By the standards of the Body Tempering Stage, his ribs should not have been able to withstand such an impact, and his internal organs would have been injured as well. Even with a full set of protective gear, he would most likely end up in the infirmary.

The rubber flooring beneath Jiang Yuan's feet was stamped into a hollow. His training uniform pressed tight against his chest, and the fabric around the fist clenched into several deep folds.

Yet he did not retreat even half a step.

At the instant of impact, the Nine Yang Inner Force gathered before his chest surged outward in retaliation. The mechanical force and momentum brought by the charge were all sent back, pouring into Song Xi through her fist.

The recoil was not blocked by the armor around her fist.

Scalding inner force passed through the armor and rushed along the exoskeleton's load-bearing frame toward her shoulder. Several energy circuits bore the forces from within and without simultaneously; in an instant, they twisted and snapped, sparks spraying from their connectors.

Song Xi's feet left the ground, and her entire body flew backward three meters.

Her back slammed into the arena, the dull impact spreading across the rubber flooring. The exoskeleton on her right arm immediately broke into several pieces, damaged components bouncing and rolling toward the boundary.

Her out-of-control vitality surged into her shoulder, chest, and abdomen, throwing the meridians in her body into complete chaos.

Song Xi propped herself up with her left arm, trying to stand again, but the right half of her body could not muster any strength at all. The moment her shoulder left the ground, her arm gave out.

Bang.

She fell back down.

Jiang Yuan lowered his eyes to inspect his chest. The inner force gathered at the impact point had already dispersed, flowing back into the meridians throughout his body.

The folds pressed into his clothing by the punch remained, but his ribs and internal organs were unharmed, and even his breathing rhythm was unchanged.

The protective effects of the Nine Yang Divine Skill far exceeded his expectations.

After smoothing his training uniform, Jiang Yuan remained where he was and looked toward Song Xi, who lay on the ground.

The area around the arena was so quiet that only the hum of equipment remained. Several communication terminals were still raised in the air, their screens replaying the scene of Song Xi charging in, landing her blow, and then flying backward.

Li Qingshan crossed the forced-stop zone and reached Song Xi's side in a few quick strides.

One palm pressed against her shoulder while his other hand gripped her wrist. Li Qingshan sent his own vitality into her meridians, examining her injuries point by point.

No bones were broken, and her skin and flesh remained intact. Yet Song Xi's vitality had been thrown completely into disarray, and scorching force still lingered in the meridians of her right arm. She would not be fighting again anytime soon.

After finishing the examination, Li Qingshan raised his head, his gaze fixed firmly on Jiang Yuan.

"What martial skill did you use just now?"

"I didn't use any martial skill."

Jiang Yuan answered crisply.

"I merely concentrated my strength in my chest to block her punch."

Li Qingshan glanced at the exoskeleton fragments scattered across the ground.

That explanation could barely account for the defense, but it could not explain the result before him.

Jiang Yuan had taken a heavy punch in the five-hundred-kilogram range head-on without moving an inch. He had not attacked even once, yet Song Xi and her exoskeleton had both suffered severe damage.

The Tyrant Blade he had just taught certainly did not possess such an ability.

On the second-floor observation platform, the principal pulled up surveillance footage from three angles and replayed the exchange frame by frame.

From start to finish, Jiang Yuan's arms had hung at his sides. There was no concealed equipment beneath his clothes, and his feet had not made a single counterattacking movement.

The dean of academic affairs reached out and pointed at the frame where the fist made contact with Jiang Yuan's chest.

In the footage, the armor around Song Xi's fist first caved inward. Immediately afterward, the shoulder frame twisted, and the energy circuits went dark one after another from front to back.

"This force came from inside Jiang Yuan's body, and it even penetrated the exoskeleton."

The principal slowed the playback further, his attention lingering on Jiang Yuan's feet, which had not moved from beginning to end.

"A Damage Reflection Ability."

The dean of academic affairs immediately turned around.

"Even among New Stars, abilities of this type are rare. As long as he can trigger it reliably, when he submits his university application file, he can bypass the ordinary admissions screening."

"Seal all of today's footage. The recordings taken by the students on site must be handled uniformly as well."

The principal closed the playback interface.

"Add Jiang Yuan to this year's number-one seed list. Before the official test results come out, no one is allowed to leak the assessment of his ability."

Medical personnel carried a stretcher into the arena. Li Qingshan helped Song Xi straighten out her turbulent vitality, supported her shoulders and back, and placed her on the stretcher.

Song Xi turned her face slightly, her gaze passing through the scattered metal fragments before settling on Jiang Yuan.

Her lips moved twice before she managed to force out a sentence.

"You were standing there from the beginning, waiting for me to hit you?"

"You were too fast. I didn't have time to dodge."

Jiang Yuan spoke with exceptional sincerity.

Song Xi closed her eyes and directly turned her face away.

Li Qingshan returned to the center of the arena. After confirming that the medical personnel had taken over, he raised his right arm.

"Song Xi has lost her combat capability. This practical match is over."

"The winner is Jiang Yuan!"

The breaths being held throughout the venue burst out all at once.

Some lowered their heads to search through the footage they had just recorded, while others crowded by the arena to question the referee. The remaining students who had been preparing to continue their assessments immediately withdrew their challenge applications.

The rankings page refreshed quickly.

Jiang Yuan's name climbed past those at the front, finally stopping at the number-one position for the year.

Song Xi dropped to second place. Adjusted along with the rankings were their vitality potion quotas and allotted time in the gravity room.

The moment he stepped down from the arena, Guo Hongtao shoved through the students surrounding Jiang Yuan and grabbed his arm.

"Brother Yuan, that thing you practiced just now was Iron Cloth Shirt, right?"

"Someone punches you once, then flies three meters away themselves, and even their exoskeleton shatters. That isn't Iron Cloth Shirt—that's whoever touches you gets bad luck."

"During my recent special training, I worked out a technique for exerting force."

Jiang Yuan leaned closer and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"For now, I can only use it for defense, and it isn't stable when I use it."

Guo Hongtao circled him halfway, then reached out and pressed the spot where the fist had struck.

"Does your chest hurt?"

"No."

"Then can I still ask you to spar with me in the future?"

"Do you know Iron Cloth Shirt?"

Guo Hongtao immediately withdrew his hand and took two quick steps back. Even the training uniform stretched over his belly wobbled twice.

Just as the surrounding students were about to press for answers, the crowd at the entrance to the assessment venue suddenly parted to both sides.

The dean of academic affairs held a freshly printed notice, crossed the security line, and stopped directly in front of Jiang Yuan.

"Jiang Yuan, your results for this practical assessment have been voided."

Guo Hongtao's expression changed on the spot. His lips had only just parted when the dean of academic affairs turned, raised a hand, and pointed toward the second-floor corridor.

"Come with me to the principal's office now for a special interview."