C3 Battle of Surprise

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to everyone in the room.

The invigilator, in particular, was visibly struggling to maintain his composure, itching to slap Qin Yu right then and there. He cursed furiously, "Are you f*cking asking for death?"

As he spoke, the invigilator stepped forward, clearly intending to give Qin Yu a harsh lesson.

Just then, a sneering laugh cut through the crowd. A disciple with a sly look on his face pushed his way forward and scurried up to the invigilator, fawning over him, "Senior, please, there's no need for you to soil your hands with this riffraff. Surely, dealing with such a trivial matter is beneath you. Allow me to handle it on your behalf."

Qin Yu's heart sank at the sight of the newcomer. This sly-faced disciple was none other than Chu Feng, the bully among the regular disciples.

His strength might have been at Level Two of the Meridian Tempering Stage, but even those at Level Three were wary of crossing him, thanks to his impressive sister, a top ten Core Disciple.

Leveraging his sister's status, Chu Feng had made a habit of tormenting others in the sect, with Qin Yu often bearing the brunt of it. He had even once forced Qin Yu to serve as his mount!

Chu Feng was the epitome of a sycophant when it came to those in power, often boasting, "I may not have strength, but it's enough that the people I know do."

So, Chu Feng wasn't about to miss an opportunity to brown-nose the invigilator. Moreover, he was confident that squashing Qin Yu, who was without Meridian, would be as easy as stepping on an ant.

With that thought, Chu Feng turned, smirking triumphantly, and bellowed at Qin Yu, "You piece of trash, I'm giving you a chance now. Kneel and crawl back to your service area, or don't blame me for crippling your legs."

Chu Feng had a knack for riling up a crowd. At his call to arms, the majority of the onlooking ordinary disciples joined in the jeering.

"Kneel down, you waste! Kneel, you piece of trash!"

Confronted with a barrage of insults, Qin Yu's fists clenched tightly, his expression darkening as he glared fiercely at Chu Feng. "You think you, a piece of Chu family trash, can break my legs? Do you even have the skill to do that?" he challenged.

Qin Yu's retort sent shockwaves through the crowd, eliciting gasps of disbelief. Was this the same person they had dismissed as worthless?

Had he lost his mind?

Chu Feng's face flushed with anger at the provocation, and he spat out a curse, "Damn it, you're asking for it!"

With those words, Chu Feng's energy surged. His Level Two Meridian Tempering Stage power was on full display, stirring up the air around him and making his golden silk robe whip about fiercely.

In a flash, Chu Feng clenched his fist and charged at Qin Yu like a cannonball. The discerning among the crowd recognized his technique as the Chu family's ultimate move, Sovereign's Descent—a truly imposing display of power.

It was clear to all that Chu Feng was out for blood. Qin Yu, considered a nobody without a trace of Genuine Qi, would stand no chance, especially against Chu Feng's signature move, which rendered him virtually unbeatable at this level.

Everyone was convinced that Qin Yu was as good as dead.

But to their astonishment, Qin Yu didn't even attempt to dodge. He stood his ground, a cold smirk playing on his lips.

"He's been scared witless, hasn't he?"

"Sure looks like it. He's probably too terrified to even run..."

The chatter in the crowd abruptly ceased as everyone inhaled sharply in disbelief at the sight before them.

Qin Yu, with an air of nonchalance, raised his fist to meet the oncoming, seemingly unstoppable Chu Feng.

The crowd erupted into a commotion at the sight.

Even the seasoned examiners were taken aback, their eyes suddenly gleaming with interest in Qin Yu, who dared to risk it all.

In the blink of an eye, as the two afterimages collided, a thunderous boom echoed.

"Die!" Chu Feng bellowed, desperate for a swift and decisive victory to salvage his pride.

"You're the one who's going to die!" In that moment, Qin Yu had thrown all caution to the wind. His Demon Transformation power surged forth as he gritted his teeth and launched an attack against Chu Feng's formidable punch.

Indeed, he was determined to show everyone that he, Qin Yu, was no pushover. His challenge to the Core Disciple was no laughing matter!

"Bang!"

A shockwave, even more powerful than their previous clash, echoed through the arena, overwhelming many of the ordinary disciples!

Some disciples, on par with Chu Feng and even a few at Level Three of the Meridian Tempering Stage, were so astounded that their jaws nearly hit the floor. The shock in their hearts lingered for a long time.

This... Chu Feng... Was he truly just at Level Two of the Meridian Tempering Stage? That's absurd!

Yet, what unfolded after the dust settled was even more astonishing. The entire crowd was stunned, and the invigilator's eyes bulged, his mouth twitching uncontrollably as he gasped, "This... How is this possible!"

When the dust had completely cleared, one figure remained standing, breathing heavily.

It was none other than Qin Yu!

Meanwhile, Chu Feng lay on the ground, writhing in agony, drenched in cold sweat.

He couldn't fathom how the so-called weakling could withstand, let alone counter, the Chu Family's secret technique.

During their exchange of blows, Chu Feng had felt an overwhelming primordial force engulf him, devouring his Genuine Qi in an instant. Then came the sickening crunch as his right arm bones shattered.

The whole experience was inconceivable, as if the force unleashed from Qin Yu's fist was beyond human capability!

"You... You..."

With that realization, Chu Feng could only stammer out the word "you" as he pointed at Qin Yu.

Qin Yu, however, paid him no heed. Stepping over Chu Feng, who lay on the ground like a lifeless dog, he didn't spare him a glance as he strode toward the invigilator.

Approaching the invigilator, Qin Yu halted and, with a resolute look, asked, "May I ask, do I now qualify to challenge a Core Disciple?"

The unnervingly even tone of his voice sent a shiver down the spine of the proctor.

Before the proctor had a chance to formulate a response, a hand suddenly reached out and clutched Qin Yu's ankle from behind.

Instinctively, he glanced back to find Chu Feng behind him, his face twisted with malice, clearly intent on doing him harm.