Chapter 17

Seeing the elder examiner's shocked expression, the crowd below the arena fell silent, everyone staring in disbelief.

The elder examiner looked at Luo Xiu, still surprised, "What pure and thick inner energy! His Body Tempering Seventh Level is almost on par with the Ninth Level. Even I almost made a mistake in my judgment."

In the crowd below, Zhang Hai, Lu Feng, and others had even more vivid expressions, their jaws almost dropping to the ground, their faces full of disbelief.

"Is this a joke? Three months ago, his cultivation was lower than mine, and now he's already at Body Tempering Seventh Level? And his inner energy is so pure and thick, comparable to Body Tempering Ninth Level?"

This evaluation was not low, indicating that Luo Xiu almost had the strength to match a Body Tempering Ninth Level martial artist!

After the silence, the entire venue erupted in noise. Many people drew in cold breaths or swallowed saliva, especially those who knew Luo Xiu, who were even more shocked. To advance from Body Tempering Second Level to Seventh Level in just three months—this cultivation speed was simply too astonishing!

Advancing five minor levels in three months, even in the eight hundred years since the establishment of the Green Cloud City Martial Hall, such a feat had never been seen!

Liu Yuxin was also in the crowd, her gaze now incredibly complex. Recalling the time in the library when she had recommended him to be a guard for the Liu family, it was no wonder Luo Xiu had shown no interest.

Who would be willing to serve as a subordinate with such an astonishing cultivation speed?

"Hmph, so what if he's at Body Tempering Seventh Level? I'll still cripple you today!" Zhang Hai's eyes flashed with a fierce light, despite the elder examiner saying Luo Xiu's inner energy was comparable to Body Tempering Ninth Level, he was still very confident.

Luo Xiu stood on the platform, feeling quite reflective. Back then, he was just a commoner, a poor boy looked down upon by others.

Who would have thought that he would have a day where he would be the center of attention, full of spirit and vigor?

Amid the various envious and doubtful gazes, Luo Xiu walked down from the arena.

The examination continued. After Luo Xiu's examination, several more people took the stage, but the elimination rate was astonishing.

In the初级 class, including Luo Xiu, only five people passed the examination.

For the intermediate class advancing to the advanced class, the elimination rate was even higher, with only one person passing.

The higher the cultivation level, the more difficult it was to advance.

"The annual examination is over!" The elder examiner announced loudly and then left the arena.

However, the crowd around did not disperse, as almost everyone knew that after the annual examination, there would be another battle!

"Luo Xiu!"

A cold shout echoed in the air, and a figure leaped onto the arena, standing with his hands behind his back, looking proud.

This person was none other than Zhang Hai!

"Last time, Teacher Lu intervened. Now that we are both students in the intermediate class, do you dare to come up and fight?"

After these words, everyone's gaze once again focused on Luo Xiu.

"Hehe, this Luo Xiu is just a poor boy from a commoner family. Now that he's made such a big splash, let's see what he does this time."

"Advancing five levels in three months, but high cultivation doesn't mean high strength, especially since Zhang Hai is at Body Tempering Eighth Level, higher than him!"

"Exactly, exactly, I don't believe he could advance so quickly. I've heard that some methods can rapidly increase cultivation in a short time, but they can damage the body and affect future martial progress."

Many people were discussing, and despite Luo Xiu's shocking performance in the annual examination, no one thought he was a match for Zhang Hai.

Amid the envious, jealous, and gloating gazes, Luo Xiu walked onto the arena.

Those who were envious and jealous were naturally because he had advanced five levels in just three months and received high praise from the elder examiner. Those who were gloating were because this poor boy who had made such a big splash was about to be severely taught a lesson by Zhang Hai, a Body Tempering Eighth Level martial artist.

Seeing Luo Xiu walk onto the arena, Zhang Hai's eyes flashed with a cold light.

He had always considered himself a genius, reaching Body Tempering Eighth Level at the age of fifteen, and was praised as someone who could become a Qi Sea Realm martial artist before the age of eighteen.

"Luo Xiu, don't think that reaching Body Tempering Seventh Level gives you the right to challenge me. I will show you just how big the gap between us is!" Zhang Hai said with a cold laugh.

"Even if you beg for mercy on your knees, I won't let you off. You are destined to spend the rest of your life in bed."

A cruel smile appeared on Zhang Hai's lips. He intended to destroy this boy's meridians and tendons, making him a cripple for life, unable to practice martial arts!

"Do you want to cripple me?" Luo Xiu's gaze turned cold. There was no significant enmity between them, just a conflict between young people, yet Zhang Hai wanted to cripple him?

"I will cripple you. A lowborn like you, as long as I don't kill you, the Martial Hall won't punish me." Zhang Hai sneered, his eyes filled with a fierce light. He took a step forward, leaped up, and pounced on Luo Xiu.

Luo Xiu's body lightly moved to the left, and Zhang Hai's attack instantly missed.

Zhang Hai quickly changed his move, attacking like a storm, one move after another, but Luo Xiu kept his hands behind his back, and no matter how fierce Zhang Hai's attacks were, he couldn't touch a single piece of Luo Xiu's clothing.

Dust flew on the arena.

"Is Luo Xiu's movement so exquisite? Could he already be at the minor accomplishment stage?"

"With Zhang Hai's strength, he can't even touch a piece of Luo Xiu's clothing. I think Luo Xiu's movement is almost at the major accomplishment stage!"

"Who would have thought Luo Xiu is so strong? He might really be able to defeat Zhang Hai."

"Ha, he's just good at dodging. If they fight head-on, Luo Xiu will definitely be thrown out!"

The crowd around the arena was dense, and their discussions reached Zhang Hai's ears, making him feel both ashamed and angry.

"Damn it! Are you only good at dodging? Cowardly lowborn!" Zhang Hai roared, sweeping his leg to kick Luo Xiu's head.

"Bang!"

This time, Luo Xiu didn't dodge but raised his hand to block the attack.

Seeing this, Zhang Hai was delighted and immediately changed his move, shouting, "Mountain-Cleaving Palm!"

"Trivial skills."

Luo Xiu's expression was disdainful, and his aura suddenly changed as he threw a punch.

"Oh no!"

Zhang Hai was greatly alarmed, feeling a fierce and brutal aura from Luo Xiu, which was extremely oppressive.

"Rising Dragon Stance!"

"Bang!"

A powerful force hit Zhang Hai, causing his palm to ache, and his body was thrown back several meters.

"Ah!"

In mid-air, Zhang Hai spat out a mouthful of blood and fell several meters away, kicking up a cloud of dust, his vision blurred.

"Body Tempering Eighth Level, nothing more than that." Luo Xiu sneered on the arena.

"This is impossible!" Zhang Hai staggered to his feet, his mouth full of blood, his face twisted, "How could I lose to a lowborn like you?"

"Go to hell!" Zhang Hai roared, stepping forward and fiercely slapping Luo Xiu with both hands.

He couldn't tolerate a genius like himself being defeated by a lowborn!

"Overestimating yourself." Luo Xiu didn't dodge but reached out and grabbed Zhang Hai's wrist.

No matter how Zhang Hai tried to use his inner energy to break free, it was all in vain. His wrist felt like it was clamped in an iron vise, causing unbearable pain.

"How is this possible? Could his inner energy really be comparable to Body Tempering Ninth Level?" Zhang Hai's heart was filled with a tumultuous sea of thoughts, feeling a surging inner energy impacting his meridians and tendons.

"Crack!"

The sound of bones breaking echoed, and before Zhang Hai could scream, Luo Xiu kicked him in the chest.

"Bang!"

Zhang Hai's body was thrown back several meters, landing and kicking up a cloud of dust.

"There was no enmity between us, but you boasted about crippling me, making me spend the rest of my life in bed. I didn't expect that a so-called Body Tempering Eighth Level expert would be defeated by me."

Looking at the pained Zhang Hai on the ground, Luo Xiu's eyes flashed with a cold light.

"You... What are you going to do?" Zhang Hai sensed danger from Luo Xiu and suddenly panicked.

"What am I going to do? Of course, I will return the favor, cripple your cultivation, and make you spend the rest of your life in bed." Luo Xiu sneered.

"You dare! My father is the head of the Zhang family. If you dare to touch me, you will surely die a miserable death!" Zhang Hai roared, his face twisted.

However, Luo Xiu was unmoved. In the Water Dock Mountain, he had even dared to kill people!

"Bang!"

He punched Zhang Hai, and the Yin-Yang Qi surged into his body, destroying his life meridians. Zhang Hai instantly screamed, his meridians breaking, his face pale, and blood trickling from the corners of his mouth.

"Do you look down on commoners? Now that you are a cripple, even the lowborn you despise are better than you. What are you now?"

Luo Xiu's eyes were cold, and he turned and walked down from the arena.

At this moment, the crowd below the arena was dead silent, especially after seeing Luo Xiu's ruthless act of crippling Zhang Hai. Everyone kept their distance, their eyes filled with fear and dread.

"Brother!..."

Zhang Hao scrambled onto the arena, shouting, "Help!"

But no matter how he shouted, no one came to help, even the commoner children who usually hung around with them now had cold expressions.

Since Zhang Hai was already a cripple, he was no longer worth their effort.

In the distance, on a pavilion, two figures stood side by side, watching the battle.

One of them was the elder examiner, Zhuang Nantian, one of the few先天武师 in Green Cloud City.

The other was a middle-aged man with a kind face, wearing a loose white robe.

"Examiner Zhuang, you said this Luo Xiu, at Body Tempering Seventh Level, has inner energy comparable to Body Tempering Ninth Level?" The man in the white robe asked.

"Yes, Lord, according to the investigation, Luo Xiu was at Body Tempering Second Level three months ago. His cultivation has advanced rapidly recently, and the cultivation method he practices is just an ordinary second-grade martial technique." Zhuang Nantian said respectfully.

The person who could make a先天武师 like Elder Zhuang so respectful and call him "Lord" could only be one person in Green Cloud City—the highest authority of the Martial Hall, the Lord of the Martial Hall!

Green Cloud City had a complex power structure, with the Hunter's Guild, the Array Master's Guild, the Alchemist's Guild, and the Blacksmith's Guild, but the true master of Green Cloud City was the Lord of the Martial Hall!

Yunlong County was under the control of the Free and Easy Sect, the master of this land, and each city's Martial Hall was created by the Free and Easy Sect. Green Cloud City was just one of the hundreds of cities in Yunlong County!

"A commoner's child reaching this level is indeed a rare genius and can be cultivated with emphasis." The Lord of the Martial Hall said with a smile.