C3 When the Martial Examination Began, They Would First Kill the Vicious Beast to Test Their Martial
You've entered the 'Leaf-Strewn Lakeshore' Secret Realm.
Difficulty: Abyss Level
You are free to exit the secret realm at any time. Please refrain from pushing your limits; sanity is also a part of the assessment.
With a blink, Bai Le found himself within the realm, as if stepping into a painting.
Golden maple leaves drifted down around him.
To the left, a sky-blue lake; to the right, a thicket of maple trees.
The enchanting beauty of the scene belied the lurking dangers.
Bai Le recalled his teacher's words from martial training class.
The challenge of the Lakeshore Secret Realm lay in the dual threats from the lake and the forest.
Moreover, vicious beasts could burrow out from the thick carpet of leaves for a surprise attack.
It was a veritable gauntlet.
Bai Le glanced at his right palm.
A strong resonance pulsed between him and the Intent Blade, which yearned for reality.
"No rush, let's test out the Aerodrake Hannya and the Wind Breaking and Flame Separating first."
He resisted the impulse to call forth the Intent Blade.
These martial arts techniques, rewards for integrating the Intent Blade, were all too familiar to Bai Le.
The Aerodrake Hannya was a supreme protective technique from the Buddhist sect in the 'Wuxia World' of the metaverse.
Its most notable practitioner was the Golden Wheel Dharma King, a pinnacle warrior of that world.
Wind Breaking and Flame Separating was a Daoist movement art from the 'Cultivation World' of the metaverse.
Its icon was Third Prince Nezha, a Daoist divine protector!
Undoubtedly, both were martial arts of divine caliber!
Yet, Bai Le was curious about their potency in his own hands.
If Principal Du, Teacher Hou, and the others outside knew Bai Le was using the college entrance exam's secret realm as a proving ground for his martial arts...
One could only wonder at their thoughts.
Bai Le set off, running along the lakeshore.
With only 30 minutes to spare, he needed to defeat the boss quickly.
He hadn't gone far when...
Ripples disturbed the lake's surface.
Five calf-sized Vicious Beast Frogs emerged, launching water arrows at Bai Le.
The first onslaught had begun!
Beast Soldier rank: Water Arrow Frogs!
Masters of ranged combat, their water arrows were not only swift but also packed a formidable punch.
A direct hit could gravely wound an ordinary person.
"Wind Breaking and Flame Separating!"
Visible spears are easier to dodge than hidden arrows.
Bai Le's heart skipped a beat as he lifted his left foot, a breeze beneath it, and his right foot sparked as it scraped the ground.
Combining this with the 'Five Animal Play' body conditioning technique and the 'Monkey Hide' evasion he had learned, he nimbly sidestepped the five water arrows.
His agility and footwork brought him a thrill of excitement.
But there was no time to relax.
Three flashes of red light streaked from the woods.
Sensing danger, Bai Le propelled himself into a high backward leap, narrowly evading the attack.
Landing, he caught sight of three Scarlet Fire Foxes!
These Beast Soldier rank creatures were notoriously tricky adversaries, known for their agility and scorching capabilities.
The Scarlet Fire Foxes and Water Arrow Frogs, one with fire, the other with water, one from afar, the other up close, one to the left, the other to the right, presented a near-impregnable offense!
Was the first wave always this intense?
The abyss-level difficulty was certainly not for the faint of heart.
Bai Le was convinced that no student at Huthwaite High School could have evaded the recent flurry of stealth attacks.
As one wave subsided, another rose.
Following their failed ambush, the five Water Arrow Frogs and three Crimson Fire Foxes launched a direct assault on Bai Le.
Known for their cunning, the foxes split up, coordinating with the Water Arrow Frogs in the water to encircle Bai Le.
"A full-on attack, inescapable."
"If that's the case... Kill!"
Offense is the best defense.
Bai Le, facing the oncoming, aggressive Crimson Fire Foxes, adopted the Fierce Tiger Fighting Stance and charged headlong into the fray.
The bicycle-sized Crimson Fire Fox let out a howl, its red fur ablaze like fire.
Collision was imminent!
"Hannya Technique!"
Bai Le mastered the distance.
Bolstered by the brute strength of the dragon and elephant.
He halted abruptly, seizing the Crimson Fire Fox's forelimbs with a fierce grip.
The immense pressure elicited a pitiful cry from the fox!
Then, blood streaked the sky.
Bai Le had ripped it apart with his bare hands!
A swift kill!
Was this the might of the dragon and elephant combined?
Thrilling!
Exhilarating!
Shaking off his brief astonishment, Bai Le wasted no time.
With an 'Old Deer Looking Back' maneuver, he spun and continued his onslaught against another Crimson Fire Fox attacking from behind.
His Five Bird Body Forging Technique was straightforward yet lethal.
This turn, powered by the Hannya Technique, shattered the fox's skull, sending the carcass flying.
The final Crimson Fire Fox lunged from another direction.
Bai Le, inexperienced in actual combat, struggled to keep up, but his Wind Breaking and Flame Separating reflexes kicked in, and his left foot instinctively lashed out.
The fox collided with Bai Le's foot.
Aerodrake energy surged through, the impact instantly snuffing out its life.
One by one, he dispatched the three Crimson Fire Foxes!
The Water Arrow Frogs by the lake launched a second volley of water arrows.
Bai Le, panting heavily, summoned his remaining strength to leap once more, narrowly dodging the arrows while closing in on the frogs.
In contrast to the nimble and sly foxes, these toads were sitting ducks.
Stripped of their distance advantage.
They were helplessly picked off by Bai Le, as if he were swatting flies.
In under two minutes.
Three Crimson Fire Foxes and five Water Arrow Frogs, all annihilated!
Even Bai Le was taken aback by the sheer force he had demonstrated.
In a sense, this was his first real battle with vicious beasts.
The experience was utterly thrilling, his adrenaline surging!
It made him oblivious to the fatigue of combat!
...
Outside the arena, silence reigned.
Whether it was Principal Du Mei or the homeroom teacher Hou Chunhua;
Every student and teacher at the school watched Bai Le on the screen, stunned into silence.
Was this really the fighting prowess of an Awakened with no innate talent?
"Bai... Has Bai Le awakened his talent?" Hou Chunhua whispered to himself.
He was certain.
Not a single student in the school could have emerged unscathed from an encirclement of eight beast soldiers!
Forget the students; some military training instructors might not even manage it!
Especially not with such swiftness!
It was absolutely terrifying!
Bai Le displayed a level of strength and agility that was unmistakably A-class combat talent.
"It's not innate talent."
"It seems more like a martial art, a formidable one at that."
"I just didn't realize Bai Le had such an advanced grasp of martial arts!"
Principal Du Mei's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Martial art?
Upon hearing this, Hou Chunhua had an epiphany.
He shared a knowing look with Du Mei.
It had to be the martial arts passed down from Bai Le's parents!
After all, both of Bai Le's parents were fifth-grade martial arts masters, renowned for their A-level combat prowess.
Indeed, martial arts could elevate an ordinary person to rival an Awakened.
Bai Le had kept his cards close to his chest.
Regrettably.
Hou Chunhua let out another quiet sigh.
Without the Awakened talent, scoring highly remained a daunting challenge.
This world reserved the path of Body Tempering and the formation of the Qi Sea for those with Awakened talent, the only way to become a rudimental martial artist!
And only those who had reached the rudimental stage could take their martial arts to loftier heights.
In essence, no matter how exceptional the martial aptitude of an ordinary person might be, their future was capped.
