"Interesting. Junior Brother Lu is back at it again."
"This trial is no joke. He seemed to be barely scraping by before. You think he can handle it?"
"It's been a whole month. Maybe Junior Brother Lu's Life Energy has broken past ten by now?"
"Even if it's past ten, it'll still be tough. These regular students have been here a while. Their Life Energy is at least a seven or eight, and they fight dirty. They're not easy opponents... If you ask me, his chances are slim."
A few figures were gathered near the basic sparring area.
Over the past month, another seven or eight new disciples had joined. In addition, there were several senior brothers whose Life Energy hovered around ten, and none of them had been able to pass this trial yet.
As they noticed the commotion, some, sporting still-fresh bruises, crossed their arms and shook their heads with a tsk. Others were rationally analyzing the situation on the floor, not liking his odds.
The voices from the sidelines buzzed in his ears.
Lu Chao paid them no mind. He simply lowered his stance, raised his arms, and clenched his fists.
He bent his right arm to guard his jaw, holding his left fist steady in front of him.
It was the most common stance in the Golden Stone Fighting Skill, ensuring a clear line of sight and a balance between offense and defense.
His calm gaze swept over the area as he quickly sized up his three opponents, all wearing protective gear.
The young man directly in front of him was tall and burly, covered in corded muscle. 'His Life Energy must be at least an eight or nine.'
The opponent to his left looked lean, but his fighting stance was practiced, showing he had some experience.
As for the person behind him...
A glance from the corner of his eye revealed a familiar face. It was none other than Xu Linfeng, who had started learning the fighting skills with him but had later given up to become a regular student.
In just a month, he had clearly bulked up quite a bit.
The training methods for regular students weren't slow to show results at first. However, compared to the formal Fighting Skill, they had significant drawbacks, were unsustainable in the long run, and could even damage one's potential.
So, by Master Luo's deliberate design...
...these regular students, with an average Life Energy of seven or eight, became a difficult trial meant to temper the formal disciples.
DONG!
While his thoughts raced, the ground beneath his feet suddenly trembled.
Lu Chao looked up to see the burly young man in front of him charging forward, coming in for a tackle like a Giant Bear.
His vision dimmed as the man's tall frame nearly blotted out the incandescent light overhead.
Holding his breath, Lu Chao sank his center of gravity, gathering his strength and preparing to meet the charge head-on.
SWOOSH!
However, just as he was about to unleash his power...
...the lean opponent to his left closed in from the side with a ghostly shuffle step.
A sharp whoosh cut through the air as a straight punch, stirring up a vicious gust, shot toward his temple.
At the same time, Xu Linfeng had silently closed in from behind. His arms coiled like pythons toward the back of Lu Chao's head and neck, intending to lock him in a hold and end the fight.
The three were perfectly coordinated. In a single instant, they had sealed off all of Lu Chao's escape routes.
"Junior Brother Lu..."
Zhang Hong sighed, a flicker of worry crossing his face.
The other disciples watching from the sidelines shook their heads. To them, the outcome was already decided; there was no suspense left.
A coordinated attack like that was nearly impossible to dodge. How could one person possibly block attacks from three directions at once?
WHOOSH!
But with a whoosh, in a flash, Lu Chao sank his hips, pulled in his fists to guard his body, and instantly dropped into a low squat, coiling like a compressed spring.
WHOOSH!
The burly youth's Giant Bear tackle whistled over his head, missing by a hair's breadth.
Xu Linfeng's locking maneuver and the other man's whistling punch also crossed paths at the same time, both hitting nothing but air.
The sudden turn of events stunned everyone. The three attackers, their blows having missed, stared wide-eyed, looks of sheer disbelief dawning on their faces.
The next instant.
SHIING!
Lu Chao, still in a low squat, suddenly exploded with power, his body twisting like a taut bowstring!
He unleashed his coiled right fist, which shot out like a cannonball and smashed into the lower abdomen of the lean opponent to his left.
One hundred kilograms of force was unleashed in an instant, causing the red leather protective pad to cave inward.
BANG!
The lean opponent's feet left the ground. His body bent into an arc as he was sent flying back two meters.
The heavy thud of his body hitting the floor seemed to land in the pit of everyone's stomach.
'Not good!'
The burly youth's expression changed drastically as he immediately snapped back to his senses.
He tried to change his attack, his arm muscles knotting as he converted his grab into a downward smash, bringing a vicious gust of wind down on Lu Chao's back.
But...
DONG!
Muscles tensed, Lu Chao took a side step with his right foot, stomping down hard like an iron nail.
HISS!
The burly youth, his foot now pinned, turned pale. His attack faltered as he sucked in a sharp breath of pain.
In that brief moment, Lu Chao's thigh muscles tensed like ropes as he channeled all his strength into a single point.
Using the reactive force from the stomp, he dropped his shoulder and bent his elbow. He drove his right arm forward and inward like a mountain-splitting pestle, transforming it into a vicious elbow strike that slammed into the burly youth's chest.
BANG!
A figure went flying. The burly youth's massive body rolled several times across the floor before coming to a stop.
The expressions of the crowd changed, and they stared, somewhat dazed.
'Another one down?'
Amid their shock and disbelief, Xu Linfeng, who was still behind Lu Chao, refused to accept defeat and seized the opportunity.
Taking advantage of the brief moment Lu Chao's body was locked in place after the elbow strike, he shuffled forward.
He kept his left fist coiled at his waist, ready to react to any change, while his right fist shot out, aiming straight for the back of Lu Chao's head.
The angle was vicious and cunning, and another ill wind rose.
It was about to graze Lu Chao's hair and land the finishing blow.
At the critical moment...
...Lu Chao pushed off hard with his right foot, pulling his left foot back in a clean, crisp spin that allowed him to narrowly evade the punch.
His position shifted, and he was now facing his opponent head-on.
'An opening!'
However, Xu Linfeng's eyes lit up.
He stepped forward again, unleashing the left fist he'd held coiled at his waist. It shot straight toward Lu Chao's abdomen.
He had rehearsed this strike countless times in his mind. It was swift and powerful, its angle and force both seemingly perfect. It was now just inches from Lu Chao's clothes, impossible to dodge.
But in the next instant...
SLAP!
A larger, more powerful hand shot out and, despite moving second, arrived first, clamping onto his left wrist like an iron pincer.
An immovable force pinned him, rendering him unable to struggle.
A bewildered look crossed Xu Linfeng's face, and then his vision blurred.
"Hup!"
WHOOSH!
Lu Chao's hands moved in a blur, locking Xu Linfeng's left arm and shoulder. Seizing the momentum, he twisted his body and stepped.
Power erupted from him as his waist, back, shoulders, and elbows all engaged at once.
Xu Linfeng's body went airborne like a rag doll, carving a wide arc through the air before slamming heavily onto the ground.
THUD!
A spectacular shoulder throw!
All three regular students were down, unable to get back on their feet.
The sight left the seven or eight senior and junior disciples watching from the sidelines wide-eyed and frozen in place.
"He won?"
"Damn, he's that strong?"
"Junior Brother Lu... he's really got something, huh."
After a moment of dead silence, a series of amazed exclamations broke out.
The result forced them to change their tune. Surprise was written plainly on the faces of his fellow disciples.
In the crowd, Zhang Hong let out a sigh of relief, a heartfelt smile spreading across his face.
He knew better than anyone how much sweat and effort his junior brother had poured into passing this trial.
Meanwhile, in the other training areas...
Noticing the commotion, Master Luo, who had been instructing other disciples, quietly glanced over. His gaze lingered on Lu Chao for several breaths, a faint glint flashing in his eyes.
From another direction, Zheng Wu also smiled and gave a slight nod.
"Senior Sister, is that trial supposed to be difficult?"
On one of the platforms, Shen Tianchen had stopped his practice at some point to look in the direction of Lu Chao and the others.
Seeing the smile on Lu Chao's face and hearing the amazed chatter from Zhang Hong and the others, he frowned slightly, unable to understand.
'He only beat three regular students. Is that really something to get so excited about?'
"It's a trial Master Luo specifically designed to ignite their fighting spirit and temper their minds."
"Perhaps for them, it really is a major hurdle to overcome."
Senior Sister Lin stood opposite him, having temporarily paused their sparring practice.
Not a single drop of sweat beaded on the pretty face beneath her ponytail. She glanced over as well, her breathing even, her eyes holding only a familiar, placid calm.
Before reaching the Fighting Level, a one or two-point difference in Life Energy doesn't create a huge gap.
Being able to defeat three opponents at once is what it takes to be considered a true beginner in the Golden Stone Fighting Skill, and to qualify for more advanced instruction.
"Is that so."
Shen Tianchen's brow was still furrowed. He still didn't quite get it.
He'd never gone through anything like that, and he didn't think beating three regular students was any kind of achievement.
"Of course, that only applies to ordinary people."
Sensing his thoughts, Senior Sister Lin quickly looked away and said to him softly, "Junior Brother Shen, you have superior talent and are progressing rapidly. It's only a matter of time before you reach the Fighting Level."
"Besides, your practical combat skills have improved by leaps and bounds. Regular students are no match for you. In comparison, the genius disciples from other schools are your true rivals."
Understanding her unspoken meaning, Shen Tianchen's frown relaxed, and a flicker of comprehension crossed his eyes.
He looked away, no longer paying any mind to the commotion in the sparring area.
'As a genius, I'm destined to be different from them.'
'The mountains these ordinary people must struggle to climb, he could clear in a single leap.'
...
"Congratulations, Junior Brother Lu."
Back in the sparring area, Zhang Hong was the first to rush over and congratulate Lu Chao on his victory.
This wasn't just an improvement in his Life Energy and practical skills; it also meant he was one step closer to the Fighting Level.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Zhang."
Lu Chao, understanding this as well, thanked him sincerely.
He knew his victory was due not only to his increased Life Energy but also to his senior brother's help.
The two had sparred privately many times, and Zhang Hong had never been stingy with his advice, allowing Lu Chao to gradually accumulate a great deal of practical experience.
SHUFFLE.
As the two spoke, there was a sound from behind them.
Lu Chao turned his head and saw the three regular students helping one another to their feet. Thanks to the protective gear, they weren't seriously injured.
Now defeated, they were all dejected as they made their sorry exit.
"Keep it up."
Suddenly, as they brushed past each other, Lu Chao heard a very quiet voice.
Their eyes met. Xu Linfeng's gaze was complex, holding encouragement, but also a great deal of envy and admiration.
After a fleeting glance, he continued on his way out of the training hall.
"These regular students don't have it easy."
"They have to leave after a month or so. I'm afraid it'll be hard for them to ever increase their Life Energy after this."
Zhang Hong remarked with a sigh, both of them watching Xu Linfeng's retreating figure.
This was the reality for most people from the Iron Ring District. A Life Energy of eight or nine was their limit.
Empty wallets and ordinary talent were severe limitations. The heavy pressures of life made it impossible for them to set aside their distractions and focus solely on this path.
A silence fell over them.
Lu Chao, still standing in place, looked away from the exit and toward the distant platforms where several Fighting Level senior brothers were sparring.
'Rock Hide...'
'The Fighting Level.'
He silently clenched his fist. 'I will break through, no matter what.'