Unbelievable

Apart from the improvement in the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, Xu Zhong's vitality had also increased slightly, which left him feeling rather pleased.

"Give me a punch with Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. Try your best. Let me see how well you've mastered it."

Yang Yufei's words brought Xu Zhong back to the present.

'Are you sure you want me to do my best?

He couldn't help but think.

With his current vitality and physique refined by the Pure Divine Art, he genuinely feared that punching Yang Yufei at full strength might send her flying.

"Don't waste my time. Get on with it!" the stern female instructor urged impatiently.

"Alright, my apologies for any offense." Xu Zhong bowed slightly and said, "Instructor Yang, please be cautious."

Yang Yufei felt a sudden sense that something was amiss. Her gaze became increasingly serious.

After taking a deep breath, Xu Zhong initiated the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, the force emanating from his core as he prepared to strike.

His chest began to rise and fall, and soon it started heaving violently. The gust of wind stirred up the air on the ground.

Xu Zhong's face turned increasingly flushed, and his heart pounded like a drum.

Boom…

Yang Yufei was startled to realize that her opponent employed the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. Moreover, the technique and the application of force were impeccable, as if Xu Zhong had mastered it long before.

Just as Yang Yufei pondered this, Xu Zhong inhaled deeply and thrust out his palm!

Crack!

The ground beneath them suddenly split apart. Xu Zhong shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, and if one listened closely, they might have caught a faint, dragon-like roar.

The atmosphere seemed to explode as his fist connected with a resounding thud.

Boom, boom, boom!!

Yang Yufei's smile froze on her face, her realization dawning too late.

With arms crossed defensively in front of her chest, she braced herself. Xu Zhong's fist struck her arm with bone-crushing force.

Bang!

In an instant, Yang Yufei was sent hurtling through the air like a kite whose string had been abruptly severed. Her body tumbled from the platform.

…

The students in the audience were frozen in shock, their eyes wide as they stared at the figure on the platform.

Some were so skeptical that they rubbed their eyes vigorously, trying to dispel the illusion before them.

Xu Zhong clenched his fists. Yes, he had improved at a breakneck pace, and arrogance was beginning to creep in.

He had fallen head over heels for the cultivation process, for the intoxicating sensation of continual empowerment.

Silence pervaded the scene. Only Yang Yufei, the stern female instructor, groaned, breaking everyone from their stupor.

The students gradually came to their senses. Xu Zhong had just defeated their female instructor with a single punch.

Their eyes settled on Xu Zhong as if he were a monstrous anomaly.

"Is this the same Xu Zhong we knew?"

"Him? Didn't his vitality test result two days ago show just 1 point? How can this be…"

"This is beyond belief! Unbelievable!"

"Is he cheating? Is she a real instructor? She's lying on the ground like that?"

"This is unreal! Is he even human?"

"I can't believe my eyes!"

"Isn't this too exaggerated?"

"Chen Yingying, how did you know Xu Zhong was this strong?"

The memory of Chen Yingying seeking out Xu Zhong to form a team flooded back into everyone's minds. They looked at Chen Yingying with strange expressions, silently pondering if they would be alright.

"Hiss, hiss, hiss…"

"Stop with the hissing! I'm about to wet myself!"

Meanwhile, instructors from other training venues, drawn by the commotion, rushed to see what was happening.

Upon hearing the students' accounts of the incident, they, too, cast peculiar glances at Xu Zhong.

Never had they encountered such a talented and influential martial artist before.

One must understand that while Yang Yufei was merely a regular instructor at the Elephant Dojo, she was also an F-rank martial artist with over 200 vitality points. The fact that she had been defeated with a single punch was inconceivable.

Furthermore, this young lad had only recently begun learning the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, yet he was already using it with such skill.

What kind of martial talent was this?

A hidden genius!

Surrounded by curious onlookers, Xu Zhong suddenly felt an intense gaze upon him.

He turned to see Xiang Zhen, the deputy dojo master of the Elephant Dojo, staring at him with a burning intensity. His expression mirrored someone witnessing a captivating spectacle, like a man watching a talent show featuring bikini-clad models in a fish tank.

Appreciation!

As if he were saying, "Let's play games together! Let's spar!"

Oh no, am I too outstanding?!

…

Xiang Zhen looked at the scene just now with a burning gaze.

He said to the person beside him, "It's not simple. It's not as simple as learning the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. His move just now was smooth. He has reached the elementary level."

"This is impossible. This martial technique is very difficult. Even it took me over a month to reach the elementary level."

"That's why I said this guy is an undetected genius." Xiang Zhen clenched his fists. He wanted to nurture this exceptional talent, and he wasn't about to let him escape.

…

Soon, Xiang Zhen politely invited Xu Zhong to the office.

Beside Xiang Zhen sat an old man in green.

He floated in the air with his legs crossed and his eyes closed. A three-foot-long sword was floating in front of him, and the air around him surged. He looked very impressive.

He was tall and sturdy. His white hair was tied into a ponytail, and he had thick eyebrows and sharp eyes.

Although he was an old man, it was obvious at a glance that he was an old man who could uproot willows.

"Who is this?"

"Oh, this is the owner of the Luo City branch of the Elephant Dojo, Zang Qintian. He's a C-rank martial artist. However, he's full of sword intent. Even the Red British Alliance leader is inferior to him in terms of swordsmanship."

"You talk too much. You're disturbing my cultivation," Zang Qintian said calmly, her eyes closed.

"I know, I know." Xiang Zhen waved his hand.

A sword manual before Zang Qintian attracted Xu Zhong's attention at this precise moment.

"Can I take a look?" Xu Zhong asked.

"Yes, but are you sure you can understand it? This sword manual requires 3,000 vitality points to cultivate."

The vitality value of an E-rank martial artist had to exceed 1,000, and the level or objective standard for a D-rank martial artist was to reach 3,000.

D*mn, only D-rank martial artists could cultivate. Was the standard so high?

Hiss, but…

When Xu Zhong touched the sword manual, his lips curled up slightly.

[Detected martial technique, Azure Wave Sword Technique]

[Do you want to simplify it?]

Xu Zhong did not hesitate.

"Simplify!"

[Host confirmed!]

[Martial technique, Azure Wave Sword Technique, simplifying…]

[Simplification complete.]

[The Azure Wave Sword Technique has been simplified to draw the sword…]

Good, he had done it in one go.

Xu Zhong was very satisfied.

He thought momentarily and couldn't help but pick up a wooden sword from the shelf beside him and try it.

Without the need to swing his sword, a mere draw sufficed.

Gently pulling the wooden sword from its sheath, as anticipated, the system notification echoed within his mind.

[Azure Wave Sword Technique Proficiency+5]

[Sword Intent +1]

Instantly, a surge of sword intent coursed through Xu Zhong's being.

Simultaneously, the elderly man who had been in deep meditation with his eyes closed abruptly opened them. His gaze fixated on Xu Zhong as if beholding a monstrous anomaly.

Decades of existence had exposed him to countless sights.

Yet never before had he encountered such an extraordinary display.

He then withdrew his gaze, resuming his cross-legged cultivation.

Reluctant to continue drawing his sword, Xu Zhong harbored concerns about revealing too much to the older man.

One should not underestimate C-rank martial artists, Xu Zhong reminded himself.

Although he appeared surrounded by mediocrity, some formidable individuals could effortlessly overpower him. He needed a more cautious and stable approach to his future endeavors.