Chapter 19

The next person to enter the martial arena to test his strength is Zhang Ruochen.

"Brother Nine, you must be careful. Don't let the boulder crush your waist," the Eighth Prince standing to the side said with a cold smile.

Outside the royal martial arena, a martial artist sneered, "Prince Nine participating in the year-end assessment is just asking for humiliation. Three months is too short; it's almost impossible to complete the bone-washing and meridian-cleansing process, let alone lift a hundred-pound stone disc."

"Little Lady was able to lift a hundred-pound stone disc at the age of six, and Prince Nine is already sixteen. It's obvious he won't be able to lift it. This is truly embarrassing!"

"He shouldn't have participated in the year-end assessment if he was going to embarrass himself."

Zhang Ruochen completely ignored the comments, his eyes calm and composed as he walked into the martial arena.

As Zhang Ruochen walked in, Lin Nishan was walking out.

Stopping five steps apart, the two of them stared at each other.

Lin Nishan stared deeply at Zhang Ruochen, shaking her head with a sigh, "Cousin, you shouldn't have participated in the year-end assessment. Even if you completed the bone-washing and meridian-cleansing, it's impossible for you to lift a hundred-pound stone disc. By doing this, you're not only embarrassing yourself but also disgracing Lady Lin and the royal family. Why do this?"

Zhang Ruochen frowned, "Cousin Nishan, you are indeed very talented, but you shouldn't belittle others so much."

Lin Nishan stared at Zhang Ruochen, her eyes filled with more disappointment, "Why won't you listen to advice? For you, living an ordinary life is the best choice. Why insist on cultivating martial arts? You're not suited for this path!"

Originally, out of the affection from their childhood friendship, she advised Zhang Ruochen not to humiliate himself.

But Zhang Ruochen was too stubborn. He didn't even consider his own capabilities.

For someone who was overestimating himself and refusing advice, Lin Nishan had nothing more to say, only thinking that Zhang Ruochen was too foolish.

"Take care of yourself!" Lin Nishan lifted her chin and walked out of the martial arena.

The two of them passed each other.

As Lin Nishan walked out of the martial arena, she was surrounded and praised by countless young martial artists, like a moon surrounded by stars.

At just fifteen years old, she could lift a thousand-pound stone disc and throw it fifteen meters. This strength made many older young martial artists feel inferior.

Moreover, she was incredibly beautiful, one of the four young beauties of Yunwu County, destined to become a celebrated lady.

"Congratulations to the head of the Lin family. The Lin family has produced another genius. With Miss Lin's talent, there are probably very few in the entire royal city who can match her," a martial arts veteran from the royal city praised.

The head of the Wang family smiled, "I heard that Miss Lin is about to be engaged to the Seventh Prince. What a perfect match!"

Lin Fengxian, hearing the flattery, felt very pleased.

Of course, many people also focused their attention on Zhang Ruochen standing in the martial arena, most of their faces filled with mocking smiles.

Families with some connection to the royal family all had some understanding of this frail and sickly Ninth Prince.

The extremely talented Seventh Prince and the useless Ninth Prince were like two extremes, making it hard to believe they were both sons of the Yunwu County Duke. The gap between them was too great; one was a dragon, the other a worm.

To many, the Ninth Prince's participation in the year-end assessment was simply a joke.

However, Qin Ya, sitting outside the royal martial arena, did not think so. Seeing Zhang Ruochen walk into the arena, she finally opened her beautiful eyes as if she had just woken up.

"How exciting!" she said with a charming smile.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Zhang Ruochen walked to the first stone disc and stopped.

At this moment, a wave of laughter erupted from outside the martial arena.

At sixteen years old, choosing the first stone disc to test his strength—was there anything more laughable?

Apart from the Eighth Prince, whose face was filled with ridicule, the other princes and princesses all had grim expressions. They felt that Zhang Ruochen was disgracing the royal family and making them lose face.

Zhang Ruochen paused briefly by the first stone disc before continuing to the second, then the third...

"What is he doing?" the crowd was puzzled.

Zhang Ruochen finally stopped in front of the tenth stone disc.

"What? He wants to lift the tenth stone disc? That's too overconfident! If I'm not mistaken, he only activated his Divine Martial Mark three months ago."

The Eighth Prince snorted, "With his talent, even after thirty years of cultivation, he couldn't lift a thousand-pound stone disc. How foolish!"

Lin Nishan also stared at Zhang Ruochen standing by the tenth stone disc, shaking her head lightly.

As everyone's eyes were on Zhang Ruochen,

"Boom!"

Zhang Ruochen stepped on the ground, a surge of powerful true qi spreading from his foot to the ground. A wave of energy radiated out from his foot.

Under the impact of the true qi, the thousand-pound stone disc immediately rose more than a meter high.

Zhang Ruochen extended one hand, his movements fluid, catching the three-meter-wide stone disc and supporting it with his five fingers, as if holding a plate, easily lifting it over his head.

Seeing this, the entire royal martial arena fell silent, many people forgetting to breathe.

Zhang Ruochen stood straight, like a spear, holding the thousand-pound stone disc as if it weighed nothing, looking very relaxed.

"How... how is this possible?" The Eighth Prince's face turned pale, his lips trembling.

The other princes and princesses were all stunned, their minds blank, unable to believe that the young man in the arena was the Ninth Prince.

Just as everyone was still in shock, Zhang Ruochen suddenly punched the bottom of the stone disc.

"Boom!"

The thousand-pound stone disc flew up, reaching a height of five meters.

Then, it fell back down at an even faster speed.

With the impact of the fall and the weight of the stone disc, the force was far greater than a thousand pounds.

However, Zhang Ruochen caught the stone disc steadily again, then, with one hand, he slowly and steadily placed it back on the ground.

"Boom!"

The entire royal martial arena erupted in chaos!

No one could believe what they had just seen. The move Zhang Ruochen just demonstrated was even more shocking than Lin Nishan's earlier performance.

He was only sixteen, and he had only activated his Divine Martial Mark three months ago.

An impossible feat had just happened right before their eyes.