High Martial Arts: Enlightenment after Practices-Chapter 34: Experts from All Sides
’That’s a B-level Martial Arts technique... and he’s comprehended a True Intention of Martial Arts!’ Xu Wuyi muttered, his tone absolute.
Only Martial Arts infused with True Intention could undergo such a terrifying transformation.
That scorching, explosive aura was clearly the nascent form of some "fire" or "explosion" True Intention.
B-level Martial Arts were also a sign of having comprehended a True Intention of Martial Arts, as the vast majority of them required the user to master the application of Intention.
His own diligently practiced Cloud-Pushing Force seemed so feeble in the face of his opponent’s True Intention-infused Saber Technique.
This wasn’t a gap in skill or power, but a complete suppression from a higher Realm.
After a moment of silence, there was no dejection in Xu Wuyi’s eyes. Instead, an even fiercer fighting spirit ignited within them.
’This is the world of the truly strong!’
’This is the Realm I’ll have to face in the future!’
He lay down again and connected to the Battle Network.
"Continue matchmaking!"
His third placement match was against a burly man with a Life Energy Level of 11.4. The man used a pair of heavy gloves, and his power was fierce and explosive.
Xu Wuyi centered himself, pushing aside the memory of his crushing defeat and immersing himself completely in the present battle.
The burly man’s attacks were a ferocious storm, but Xu Wuyi’s stance was solid. His Army Stabilization Form created an impenetrable defense, and an occasional counterattack with a Cloud-Breaking Stab infused with Cloud-Pushing Force was enough to send his opponent scrambling.
The battle lasted nearly ten minutes. Xu Wuyi finally seized a minuscule opening as his opponent paused to breathe. His spear shot out like a fierce dragon from its cave. The Cloud-Pushing Force erupted in an instant, and the spear’s tip shattered his opponent’s Heart-Protecting Mirror, securing the victory.
[Victor: Xu Wuyi! Rank Points +12.]
His fourth match was against a woman with a Life Energy Level of 11.2 and an agile Body Technique. She used a pair of short spikes.
This battle was even tougher. His opponent refused to clash with him head-on, instead relying on her phantom-like Body Technique to constantly harass him with hit-and-run tactics, trying to wear down his stamina and focus.
Xu Wuyi remained patient. He stopped aiming for a one-hit kill and instead pushed his Back Wind Sweep to its absolute limit. His dancing spear formed an impenetrable defensive perimeter around him.
Fortunately, his proficiency with the Mountain Shifting Technique was considerable, allowing him to keep his Spirit steady and patiently wait for an opportunity.
Neither of them revealed any obvious openings by the end. Xu Wuyi resorted to trading injury for injury, wearing his opponent down bit by bit.
Agile Martial Artists often lacked endurance and durability.
Xu Wuyi astutely picked up on this. In the end, he leveraged a slight advantage to run her through the abdomen with his spear, securing the kill.
[Victor: Xu Wuyi! Rank Points +10.]
The fifth and final placement match.
His opponent had a Life Energy Level of 11.4 and wielded a heavy sword with a powerful, imposing presence.
This was a true battle between equals.
The heavy sword struck with immense force, and every collision sent a numbing shock through Xu Wuyi’s arms.
But Xu Wuyi’s Spear Technique was steadier, and his Cloud-Pushing Force had extreme Penetration Power, allowing him to specifically target the weak points in his opponent’s defense.
The two traded blows on the platform, spear-shadows and sword-light weaving together. The clash of their Qi and Blood created booming reports with every impact.
Xu Wuyi displayed the full results of his recent, arduous training. Under pressure, his application of the Cloud-Pushing Force became increasingly fluid and refined.
After nearly fifteen minutes of fierce fighting, both combatants were running on fumes. If the time limit for Rank Battles hadn’t been extended to twenty minutes, the match would have already ended in a draw.
Seizing the instant his opponent was a fraction too slow in recovering his heavy sword, Xu Wuyi gritted his teeth and surged with all his Qi and Blood, unleashing a decisive Cloud-Breaking Stab infused with all his Essence, Qi, and Spirit!
CLANG!
The spear tip struck the weakest point on the flat of the heavy sword with pinpoint accuracy. The Cloud-Pushing Force erupted with a secondary burst!
The burly man felt a sharp, spiraling Power travel through his blade. The webbing between his thumb and forefinger split open, and the heavy sword was nearly torn from his grasp.
He staggered backward, his guard completely broken.
Pressing his advantage, Xu Wuyi brought his spear down in a fluid motion, the shaft smashing heavily onto his opponent’s shoulder.
THUD! The burly man dropped to one knee, unable to rise again.
[Victor: Xu Wuyi! Rank Points +13.]
[Placement Matches complete. Final Rank: First Rank, 74 Points.]
Staring at the results on the light screen, Xu Wuyi let out a long sigh of relief.
Four wins out of five matches was certainly not a bad result. But the expert who had cut him down in three strikes was a stark reminder that there was always a higher mountain to climb, and he could not afford to be complacent.
’I need to climb to Second Rank, and then Third Rank, as quickly as possible!’
At 74 points, the 100 needed to advance to Second Rank wasn’t far off.
The Battle Network offered bonus points as an incentive for Martial Artists who reached a new Rank.
This one-time reward was much larger than the points earned from regular battles. Conveniently, Xu Wuyi wanted to redeem some Martial Arts True Intent Fragments, which required a substantial number of points.
While Federation currency was also expensive, there were at least more ways to earn it compared to points.
「Honghe First Middle School, Principal’s Office.」
Principal Zhang Qiming sat behind a wide desk, his fingers tapping gently on its surface. His gaze fell upon Zhou Yun and Wang Wenhai, who stood before him.
He was nearly sixty but in excellent shape, without the slightest hint of fat. His eyes were sharp, radiating the sharp competence of a Martial Artist.
The principals of Martial Arts High Schools were mostly retired High-Tier Martial Artists; many were even former Innate Martial Artists.
Due to battlefield injuries or the decline of their Qi and Blood with age, they would retire from the front lines to teach at high schools, putting their experience to good use.
"Teacher Zhou, Teacher Wang, it’s been nearly a month since the intensive class was formed," Principal Zhang began, his voice calm yet carrying an inherent pressure.
"The tri-school joint exam is approaching. United Middle School and Silver Port First High School are both eagerly preparing. Observers from the Provincial Martial Arts Association will be in attendance this time, so this exam is exceptionally important. How are our students faring?"
Zhou Yun and Wang Wenhai exchanged a look, and Wang Wenhai spoke first. "Principal, their overall progress is excellent. Thanks to the concentration of resources, most of the students have seen significant increases in their Life Energy Levels. Currently, five of them have reached a Life Energy Level of 11.0."
"Oh? Five?" Principal Zhang raised an eyebrow, a flicker of interest in his eyes. "Tell me more."
He had been away for more than half a month and had just returned to Red River, so he wasn’t up to speed on the details.
Wang Wenhai nodded and began his report. "Zeng Bonan is at Level 11.4. He has a solid foundation, a stable mindset, and rich combat experience. His goal this time is to secure a place in the top five and contend for the top three."
"Hu Haobo is at Level 11.2. He has a strong offensive drive, and his mastery of the Stone Splitting Palm deepens by the day. He fights with daring and tenacity," Zhou Yun added. "Liu Jing is at Level 11.0. Her mindset has shifted since her last setback, and her family’s Spirit Finger technique is not to be underestimated."
"Of the three, Zeng Bonan is the most consistent, but Hu Haobo has the best chance of scoring high."
Principal Zhang nodded, then looked toward Wang Wenhai, his expression questioning.
He was familiar with these three; their performance had always been excellent, showing steady improvement. He was clearly more interested in the student who had suddenly shot up through the ranks.
Wang Wenhai understood the unspoken question. A barely perceptible hint of approval touched his face. "Xu Wuyi. His Life Energy Level is also 11.4."
