White Ape Martial Arts Hall, the front courtyard’s Martial Arts Arena.

The warm winter sun bathed the spacious courtyard, dispelling the morning chill.

Qin Fangqiong stood with his hands behind his back, his mood quite pleasant as he surveyed the new apprentices, whose numbers had grown by a full twenty percent.

He performed Qi Sinking into the Dantian, and his voice boomed like a great bell, ringing in everyone’s ears:

"I know why you’ve all come to the White Ape Martial Arts Hall!"

"Some of you come from poor families, hauling sacks at the docks every day just to earn a bowl of coarse rice. Others have seen their families fall from grace, suffering endless abuse from gangs and local thugs, daring to be angry but not to speak out..."

"You came here for one reason, and one reason only: to change your fate!"

As soon as he said those words, the breathing of many plainly dressed youths below the stage instantly grew heavy, and a wild fire ignited in their eyes.

Qin Fangqiong raised a hand and pointed to Su Yu and Chen Fan, who were standing in the front row:

"Look at your senior brothers!"

"A year ago, Su Yu was just like you, nothing more than an insignificant fisherman’s son from outside the city, risking his life on the Black Water River for a chance at fortune. Chen Fan was just a boy from an impoverished family!"

"But what about now?"

Qin Fangqiong’s voice grew much louder:

"Now, they are in the top ten of the Martial Examination! They are honored guests that all the major powers are fighting to recruit! They are true Martial Artists, capable of shattering stone monuments with a single punch and severing a river’s flow with a single slash!"

"On the path of Martial Arts, your background doesn’t matter, only the strength of your fists!"

"As long as you are willing to endure hardship and risk your lives, the White Ape Martial Arts Hall will give you Cultivation Techniques and opportunities! If Su Yu and Chen Fan could do it, why can’t you!"

Incited by his words, the several hundred apprentices below boiled with passion. Their faces flushed red as they roared at the top of their lungs, the wave of sound like a tide, rushing to the heavens.

Looking at the passionately roused apprentices, Qin Fangqiong nodded in satisfaction.

...

Back in the Inner Courtyard, Qin Fangqiong sat straight in the Grandmaster’s Chair on the steps. He took a peeled orange from his daughter, Qin Yu, and his gaze swept over the dozens of elite Martial Artists below.

"It’s a new year. As your master, I will assess your progress in Martial Arts. Let’s begin."

"Junior Song, you’re first." Lin Wanzhu opened the roster and called his name.

A dark-complexioned man stepped forward, cupped his fist, and said with a smile, "Master Qin, I’ve run seven or eight escort missions this year and fought for my life several times. I feel I’ve made significant progress!"

With that, Song Xuan took a stance and performed a set of the White Ape Fist. Although his Qi Blood Realm was stuck just shy of the First Acupoint, his Fist Technique was agile and showed a fair degree of skill.

After watching, Qin Fangqiong nodded slightly and offered a sharp, pointed critique: "It has agility, but not enough domineering force. Since it’s difficult for your Qi and Blood to advance, you might as well train in a weapon as well."

"Thank you for your guidance, Master Qin!"

Afterward, the other senior and junior brothers came forward one by one to demonstrate their skills.

Su Yu watched quietly from the side. ’Most of these brothers have already reached their full potential, their realms stagnant,’ he thought. ’But that doesn’t stop them from thriving in Black Stone City. After all, once you enter the Martial Artist Realm, you’re already a cut above the rest.’

The martial arts hall served as a bond, forming a vast community of shared interests. ’It reminds me of the alumni associations from my previous life, only even more tightly knit.’

...

In the afternoon, the assessments for the ordinary disciples concluded.

Qin Fangqiong’s gaze finally fell upon his few Direct Disciples.

Qi Linfeng, Lin Wanzhu, Xu Feng, Jiang Liuchuan, and finally, Su Yu and Chen Fan standing at the end of the line.

"Su Yu, Chen Fan, you two step forward."

A sharp glint flashed in Qin Fangqiong’s eyes, and his tone was meaningful. "You two are the most outstanding seedlings of this generation in our White Ape Martial Arts Hall. But as the saying goes, there’s no first in literary arts, and no second in martial arts. Today, let’s take this opportunity to determine who is superior."

"The winner will be the sixth, and the loser will be the seventh!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone looked over with curiosity.

Su Yu and Chen Fan were both the most outstanding geniuses of the White Ape Martial Arts Hall. Everyone was quite curious as to which of them was a cut above.

Although Su Yu’s reputation had recently surpassed Chen Fan’s, Chen Fan, after all, possessed a Top-Grade Root Bone. No one knew just how much progress he had made recently.

"Master, since it’s a competition, why not add a little wager to it?"

Jiang Liuchuan fanned himself with his Feather Fan as he walked out with a broad smile, looking like someone who loves to stir up trouble for the fun of it.

"Do as you please." Qin Fangqiong waved his hand dismissively.

"Excellent!" Jiang Liuchuan immediately had someone bring over a table and announced loudly, "Come on, come on! Place your bets! Bets for Junior Su’s victory on the left, bets for Junior Brother Chen’s victory on the right! The winner of the duel will get a ten-percent cut from the winning pot as a prize!"

SLAP!

The words had barely left his mouth when Lin Wanzhu’s jade-like hand slammed down on the left side, placing a two-hundred-tael silver note on it.

"Junior Su will win!"

Her beautiful eyes shifted to glance at Su Yu. ’This kid is a monster who has comprehended saber intent. How could Chen Fan possibly win? But to make sure the betting was viable, I didn’t dare bet too much.’

Xu Feng looked at Su Yu, filled with emotion. He had only been away on an escort mission for less than half a year, and Su Yu had already grown so strong. ’I really didn’t misjudge him,’ he thought, and also took out one hundred taels to bet on Su Yu.

A curious expression also appeared on Qin Yu’s face. A year ago, she would have certainly favored Chen Fan and wouldn’t have even given Su Yu a second glance.

But over the past year, Su Yu had created one miracle after another right before her eyes, completely changing her opinion of him.

Now, she too found it difficult to judge which of the two was the true number one genius of the martial arts hall.

She walked up to the table, slapped down her two jade-like hands, and placed a one-hundred-tael silver note on each side. "Consider it a sponsorship for them both!"

The other brothers broke into a flurry of discussion.

"Senior Brother Su killed Song Qingya, he’ll definitely win!"

"Not necessarily! Senior Brother Chen has a Top-Grade Root Bone. He’s been in closed-door cultivation, so he must have improved a lot."

"Didn’t you see how confident Senior Brother Chen looks? He must have a trump card. I’m betting on him too!"

"I’m betting on Junior Brother Chen! You guys don’t understand how terrifying a Top-Grade Root Bone is. If I had one, I wouldn’t be stuck at the Second Acupoint!"

Soon, both sides had collected five to six hundred taels of silver.

Jiang Liuchuan glanced at the piles and saw that slightly more people had bet on Su Yu.

He chuckled inwardly. ’You people have no idea. Junior Brother Chen has already broken through to the Front Mirror Acupoint, hasn’t he? Not only that, but his saber technique has also reached the Skillful Realm, and he’s even mastered the Blood Shadow Tracing Technique!’

’In this match, Junior Brother Chen has the better chance of winning!’

So, he decisively took out two one-hundred-tael silver notes and slapped them on Chen Fan’s side. But after a moment’s thought, he hesitated and pulled one back.

’Better play it safe. This kid Su Yu is always full of surprises.’

In the arena, Su Yu and Chen Fan put some distance between them, with Qin Yu standing in the middle as the referee.

Su Yu was bare-handed, not even untying the Mo Yuan Saber at his waist. His expression was as calm as still water.

On the other side, the sight of Su Yu’s calm demeanor made Chen Fan’s heart twist like a venomous snake.

’Damn you! You won’t even draw your saber? Are you looking down on me?’

’Do you think you’re the only one who broke through to the Front Mirror Danzhong Acupoint?’

’If a piece of trash like you can break through, do you think I can’t?’

’Fine, fine, fine!’

’Since you’re so arrogant, I’ll take this chance to cripple you in a single move!’

’I’ll let everyone see who the real genius of the White Ape Martial Arts Hall is!’

Chen Fan took a deep breath, slowly drew his long saber, and forced a false smile onto his face.

"Junior Su, aren’t you going to draw your saber? Your senior brother was lucky enough to have his Spiritual Ape Demon-Slaying Saber technique break through to the Skillful Realm a few days ago. Blades have no eyes, and it would be terrible if you got hurt."

"The Skillful Realm?"

Upon hearing this, the faces of the onlookers showed their shock.

"My god, Senior Brother Chen truly is a genius! His saber technique has broken through too!"

"Senior Brother Su hasn’t even drawn his saber. Isn’t he being too arrogant!"

Lin Wanzhu also felt a pang of anxiety as she watched.

’What is with this kid? Draw your saber! With your Minor Achievement in saber intent, you definitely won’t lose. Why are you planning to fight bare-handed?!’

Qin Fangqiong, however, just contentedly sucked on a chicken foot.

’Not bad. These disciples really do need to be provoked. By competing against Su Yu, he’ll be able to improve faster!’

Facing everyone’s surprise and confusion, Su Yu’s expression remained as calm as still water.

He didn’t plan on holding back against Chen Fan. Chen Fan’s recent change in attitude had annoyed him, and the look in his eyes held ill intent.

’In that case, I’ll just defeat him with a single punch and solidify my name as the number one genius of the White Ape Martial Arts Hall!’

Seeing Su Yu’s stance, Qin Yu offered a reminder, "Junior Su, are you sure you don’t want to draw your saber?"

Su Yu shook his head.

Qin Yu frowned. Although she was a bit worried that Su Yu was being overconfident, she had no choice but to announce loudly:

"The spar begins!"

The moment Qin Yu’s voice fell, a malicious glint flashed in Chen Fan’s eyes. ’I’ll cripple you with one strike!!!’

BANG!

The bluestone brick beneath his feet instantly shattered, and his entire body seemed to transform into a blood-red afterimage. His speed was astonishing—it was the Superior Body Technique, Blood Shadow Tracing Technique!

In just an instant, he crossed several dozen feet and appeared before Su Yu. He raised his long saber high, his Qi and Blood erupting, and brought it down with a vicious chop that shrieked as it tore through the air!

"Demon-slaying Mountain Splitting!"

This strike was fast, accurate, and ruthless, aimed straight for Su Yu’s shoulder. He clearly wasn’t planning on holding back!

"So fast! What an incredible saber technique!"

The crowd couldn’t help but gasp in astonishment.

However, facing this domineering strike, Su Yu’s expression remained calm. His right fist turned a bluish-black as he threw a punch, meeting the descending long saber head-on.

BANG!

When the two collided, it wasn’t the evenly matched clash everyone had imagined.

Su Yu’s iron fist was like a battering ram, smashing squarely onto the blade’s edge. The immense force instantly sent the long saber flying, and the fist continued onward to land on Chen Fan’s chest. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

CRACK!

The sound of breaking bone rang out.

Chen Fan didn’t even have time to cry out. His body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, soaring fifty or sixty feet before crashing violently into a weapon rack in the Martial Arts Arena. The rack shattered, sending weapons clattering to the ground.

The entire arena was suddenly filled with the sound of sharp intakes of breath.