Chapter 126: I Have Higher Expectations for Zhao Xing

"Swish!" Zhao Xing pulled the Hundred Flower Hat from a martial artist's abdomen and quickly hooked it onto his arm, scanning his surroundings. The Hundred Flower Hat, as the standard equipment of the Shennong officers, not only enhanced Heaven School's spells but was also exceptionally durable.

Its edge was sharp and could be used as a weapon to cut down enemies when thrown.

It could also serve as a shield, with its smooth convex surface easily dispersing the force of strikes.

"The number of people on the training field has been halved, and the flow of energy has become extremely chaotic."

Having taken down the surrounding opponents, Zhao Xing took a moment to assess the situation on the field.

The chaotic energy flow had reached a peak, leading to one inevitable result: most people's martial techniques could not be properly executed, or when they were, they became distorted.

Because the martial techniques of those who had reached the ranked levels (9th rank and higher) typically relied on releasing external energy, the battle was no longer just hand-to-hand combat.

"With the chaotic energy, only experts can maintain a high rate of knockouts under these conditions."

"Most martial artists now have to get in close for hand-to-hand combat to take down the Shennong officers."

Zhao Xing observed a burly martial artist nearby using his fist techniques to push back two Shennong officers, but due to the chaotic energy, he was unable to knock them out—just push them back.

Without a choice, he had to move in closer.

"Bang, bang, bang!" He threw punch after punch, and only after ten punches did he manage to knock down the two Shennong officers, leaving them utterly powerless.

"The martial artists' slower knockout efficiency means even more suffering for the Shennong officers," Zhao Xing winced slightly at the sight.

It's important to note that Shennong officers weren't physically weak. They were wearing rain cloaks and hats for protection, but being repeatedly pummeled until they lost consciousness, until they could no longer resist, was sheer torture!

"This whole exercise seems to be designed to improve the Shennong officers' resilience. Through high-intensity training, their bodily coordination, reflexes, and martial techniques will all see substantial improvement."

"After taking enough hits, anyone would learn how to survive on the battlefield."

Zhao Xing's lips twitched as he fired a Sound Thorn that pierced the knee of the martial artist who had knocked down the two Shennong officers.

"That's the twenty-fifth one down. Too bad knocking down other Shennong officers doesn't count towards the tally, only who lasts until the end." Zhao Xing wasn't the type to passively take hits.

He had always taken the initiative. In his previous life during group battles, he never took the conventional route.

Wherever there's a breakthrough, that's where I'll push through. Victory belongs to the brave; this has always been Zhao Xing's belief!

"What's this?" Zhao Xing suddenly noticed three martial artists approaching.

"Their blood vitality is as thick as mercury, and their bodies are as tough as iron—these three are strong."

"At least elite martial artists from one of the four martial academies."

Even though he couldn't use spells, Zhao Xing's senses were sharp. The movement of the wind allowed him to gauge the strength of the trio.

After Zhao Xing had taken down dozens of martial artists, it was inevitable that he would attract the attention of some elite warriors from the martial academies.

Some geniuses seek challenges. Despite having weaker Shennong officers nearby, these three martial artists clearly wanted to take Zhao Xing down first.

"Take this—Armor Piercing Fist!" Chen Fang's blood surged like a hunting leopard, and he lunged forward, his fist forming a three-sided spike with a sharp wind swirling around it.

Even amidst the chaotic energy, Chen Fang was able to stabilize his energy and execute his martial technique—clearly an expert.

But just as his punch was about to land on Zhao Xing—

"Roar!"

Zhao Xing crouched slightly, and with a sudden shout, he let out a thunderous roar.

Chen Fang's whole body trembled. The coppery hue of his skin instantly faded, and his blood began to boil, his iron-hard bones letting out a painful creaking noise.

His body was so affected that his martial technique completely disintegrated.

Zhao Xing grabbed Chen Fang's hand, pulled him back, and with a quick movement, suspended Chen Fang horizontally in mid-air.

"Bang!" Zhao Xing delivered a devastating knee strike, sending Chen Fang flying.

"Swish, swish, swish!"

Three Sound Thorns shot through the air, piercing Chen Fang's abdomen and propelling him out of the training ground.

"Roar!" Zhao Xing directed his precise sound waves at the other two approaching martial artists.

Hu Bing and Dan Fei, who had initially intended to steal the kill, were only a step behind Chen Fang.

Their reflexes were swift. Seeing Chen Fang sent flying, they quickly switched from offense to defense, their bodies swiftly coated with a shiny layer of bronze.

This was a defensive technique that martial artists could use after reaching the seventh transformation, forming a bronze sheen like a bell that protected the body, making them impervious to weapons. This technique could only be used by those who had mastered the Copper Skin Iron Bone technique.

But just as the bronze light began spreading to their necks, it met an invisible barrier.

Zhao Xing's Kui Niu Thunder Roar had hit at the perfect moment, interrupting their Bell Shield technique.

Hu Bing and Dan Fei's eyes twitched violently, blood pouring from their eyes, blinding them. Their ears rang as they lost all sense of hearing.

Kui Niu Thunder Roar: The sun and moon lose their light.

The two of them were completely blinded, their hearing gone.

"Bang, bang!"

Zhao Xing kicked Hu Bing and Dan Fei aside, pinning them to the ground with Sound Thorns.

Their injuries were too severe, and they were swiftly teleported off the field to receive treatment from the healers stationed outside.

"Chen Fang?!"

"Hu Bing, Dan Fei?!"

"What in the world…" Zhang Jie, who had dodged Zhao Xing's attack, looked at the three fallen martial artists in shock. "Is this guy really a Shennong officer? What kind of monster is he?"

As Zhang Jie looked up, his eyes met Zhao Xing's.

As Zhao Xing's gaze swept over him, Zhang Jie felt his scalp tighten, his heart as if gripped by an unseen hand.

"Danger! Extreme danger!"

Every fiber of Zhang Jie's being screamed in resistance. Instinctively, he wanted to flee from Zhao Xing's gaze.

Fortunately, Zhao Xing didn't pursue him. He simply confirmed that Chen Fang, Hu Bing, and Dan Fei were incapacitated before moving on.

"Thump, thump!"

"Hah… Hah…"

After Zhao Xing turned away, Zhang Jie finally exhaled, his heart pounding wildly.

"That was terrifying. It felt like I was being hunted by some ancient beast."

"Too brutal. He took out three martial academy elites in an instant."

Just moments ago, Zhang Jie had thought this training session was too easy. After knocking down thirty-nine Shennong officers, he had felt the exercise wasn't challenging enough.

But now, his opinion had completely changed.

"Is this guy really a Shennong officer? I'd believe it if someone told me he was one of the top talents from Azure Dragon Martial Academy…"

Zhang Jie quickly moved away, shedding his earlier arrogance.

But just then—

The air behind him rippled, forming a faint spherical shape.

"Bang!"

An overwhelming force slammed into Zhang Jie, sending him flying face-first out of the field.

"Damn, another expert…"

Zhang Jie's back was a bloody mess as he lost consciousness.

"Good job, hahaha! Well done!" Lu Bang burst into laughter from above the training grounds. "He's even mastered the Kui Niu Thunder Roar! He's taken down several martial academy elites."

"All three of his sound-based martial techniques are impressive." Zuo Zizhi nodded. "Earlier, against regular martial artists, he didn't even need to use the Kui Niu Thunder Roar. His two Folded Sound techniques were more than enough. Lord Tian, are you sure he learned these in just a month? He hadn't practiced them before?"

"He became an official officer and was immediately selected for transfer," Lord Tian responded. "When would he have had the time to learn martial techniques? He wasn't even at the ranked stage during Jingxin Year 15."

"Talk about natural talent." Zuo Zizhi sighed. "To have mastered sound-based martial techniques to this degree is quite something."

"The military needs more all-rounders like him," Lu Bang praised. "Even without spells, he has considerable combat power and won't become a liability."

"Lord Tian, you've really found a gem this time." Zuo Zizhi chuckled, glancing at Ge Jinsong nearby. "Seems like Tian School missed out on a great talent, and you swooped in."

"It's not that Tian School didn't recognize his potential," Lord Tian said, smiling at Ge Jinsong. "But don't overpraise Zhao Xing too much."

Ge Jinsong's expression twitched.

"Too careless," muttered Chen Min, a martial teacher from the Black Tortoise Martial Academy, who was observing his students, including Zhang Jie. "He thought that with the Black Tortoise Shield technique, he'd be untouchable. He failed to anticipate someone attacking from behind."

Chen Min, a martial master at the Black Tortoise Academy, had been closely monitoring his students, including Zhang Jie.

Zhao Xing's attention had shifted because he saw Zhuang Ziqing preparing to unleash his Yin Xun Nine Explosions technique, which was why he hadn't continued attacking Zhang Jie.

His mere gaze had captured Zhang Jie's complete focus. The aura from using the Kui Niu Thunder Roar still clung to Zhao Xing, intimidating anyone who looked his way.

"Brother Chen, don't be too harsh." Another martial master beside him remarked, "That kid isn't your average Shennong officer. It's no surprise your student got taken down."

"Indeed. Those two Shennong officers are no ordinary folks. From the start, they've been actively targeting and eliminating martial artists."

"The fewer martial artists remain, the more advantageous it becomes for those top-tier talents among the Shennong officers. It reduces the chances of them being overwhelmed and knocked out in the final stages."

Chen Min sighed. "True, but it's still a bit embarrassing that one of my Black Tortoise talents got knocked out by a Shennong officer."

"What's there to be embarrassed about? Even Azure Dragon Martial Academy lost a few of its elites."

In fact, the top-tier talents of the Shennong officers, those with the highest grades, were showing remarkable combat strength.

For example, Zhuang Ziqing, Cao Shuang, and Jiang Tianming had all brought their sound-based martial techniques to a high level. Some of them were even proficient in hand-to-hand combat.

On the observation platform, the two highest-ranking officials, Fan Zhaoli and Fang Wu, were also discussing the outstanding talents from both sides.

Fan Zhaoli commented, "Xia Jing and Fu Ying from Azure Dragon Martial Academy are probably the most impressive talents in this year's batch. Their movement techniques, defensive techniques, martial attacks, and sense of timing are all far ahead of the others."

Fang Wu smiled. "Xia Jing and Fu Ying have mastered martial techniques beyond the ninth transformation. They are indeed the brightest stars of this year's martial academies."

"Shennong officers like Shi Yong, Zhao Xing, and Zhuang Ziqing are also very commendable. It's rare to see such prowess in martial training among the Shennong officers."

Fan Zhaoli nodded and smiled. "Shi Yong has mastered five martial techniques."

"In addition to one sound-based technique, he has mastered a movement technique, two fist techniques, and a defensive technique."

"He has consistently ranked first in previous tests."

"Shi Yong is indeed the most outstanding of this year's batch and is quite versatile. The Hujiao Army certainly picked a good seedling."

"But no matter how outstanding he is, this training will test his limits."

"He's certainly exceptional," Fang Wu pondered aloud. "But if we're talking about well-rounded ability, I think Zhao Xing stands out more."

"Oh?" Fan Zhaoli raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that, General Fang?"

"He's mastered three sound-based martial techniques: two Folded Sound techniques and the Kui Niu Thunder Roar."

"With the combination of these three techniques, only Xia Jing and Fu Ying have a chance of quickly taking him down."

"Of course, in terms of raw martial prowess, Shi Yong is stronger."

"What impresses me most is Zhao Xing's sense of timing and organizational ability."

Fan Zhaoli listened carefully, waiting for Fang Wu to elaborate.

"Look at this: Shi Yong was quick to launch a counterattack and took down the most martial artists."

"But Zhao Xing's counterattacks were more effective."

Fang Wu focused on the field below. "From a commander's perspective, Zhao Xing's every move has involved coordinating with the other Shennong officers. Each time he takes down an enemy, he maximizes the impact by also freeing his allies."

"Shi Yong, on the other hand, has been focused on his own battles, offering little direct support to the others."

"I think Shi Yong views this as more of a personal challenge, missing out on the broader picture."

"But Zhao Xing is different. He's subconsciously organizing his fellow officers, even without any explicit communication. His strategic thinking is natural, and as he fights, more and more people gather around him, following his lead."

"Most people with the strength to lead lack the foresight, and those with the vision don't have the strength."

"If I were to choose someone to lead a battle, I'd pick Zhao Xing over Shi Yong any day."

"That's why I have higher expectations for Zhao Xing."

"It's getting harder."

On the battlefield, Zhao Xing was beginning to feel the pressure.

"The number of Shennong officers is dwindling, while there are still plenty of martial artists left."

"People on both sides are being knocked out, but the ratio of losses is heavily skewed."

After the chaos of the middle stages, the number of combatants had dwindled to fewer than five thousand.

Of those, Zhao Xing estimated there were still about two thousand martial artists left.

What did that mean? Nearly nine thousand Shennong officers had been knocked out, but fewer than a thousand martial artists had been taken down.

"Even though the Shennong officers have some talented fighters, the martial academies have even more."

The military selection process favored martial artists over Shennong officers, with over 100,000 martial artist recruits compared to just over 10,000 Shennong officers.

With such a large pool, it was only natural that more martial geniuses would emerge from the martial academies.

"There's no chance of winning. No wonder the objective from the start was simply to survive."

Zhao Xing shook his head.

At first, he had considered trying to organize a counterattack, but he quickly dismissed the idea.

The enemy had their own elite fighters, not just in terms of strength but also in leadership and organization.

The four martial academies were trained to become future military leaders.

Just as the top 200 from the four Shennong academies were eligible to become 7th-rank officers in one of the nine military branches upon passing their training.

"I better prepare to take a beating."

As Zhao Xing watched the tide of the battle shift, he resigned himself to the inevitable. There was no way he'd voluntarily step off the field.

The Shennong officers' rankings were based on how long they could last, with the last man standing ranked first.

As one of the top-tier talents, Zhao Xing had to be among the last twenty-one to remain standing. If he ranked lower than that three times in a row, he'd be demoted to a mid-tier talent, replaced by someone who performed better.

"Well, taking hits is a form of training too. This beating is going to be part of my training." Zhao Xing mentally braced himself for the final phase.

An hour later, only about fifteen hundred Shennong officers remained on the field.

There were still about two thousand martial artists.

By this point, the remaining Shennong officers had considerable hand-to-hand combat skills.

As the number of people on the field dwindled, the martial artists found it harder to knock out the Shennong officers.

Another half hour passed, and a tipping point was reached.

The number of martial artists being knocked out slowed down, while the number of Shennong officers plummeted to just over four hundred.

That was because the martial artists, with their numerical advantage, had begun to systematically hunt down the Shennong officers.

At the same time, the top talents from the four martial academies began to encounter the top-tier Shennong officers more frequently.

As the most elite Shennong officers started to fall, the collapse of their side became even more rapid.

Two more quarters of an hour passed.

The number of Shennong officers dropped to fewer than one hundred.

Every breath brought another Shennong officer crashing to the ground, unable to get back up.

At this point, Zhao Xing was covered in wounds.

As the number of combatants dwindled, the energy on the battlefield began to stabilize, and he was now facing martial techniques from all sides.

Even with the rain cloak and Hundred Flower Hat for defense, the martial artists attacking him were growing stronger, and Zhao Xing was having a harder time fending off their attacks.

He could no longer counterattack; his Kui Niu Thunder Roar had become purely a defensive technique, used to delay the attacks coming his way.

And so, Zhao Xing struggled to hold on as he continued to retreat across the battlefield.

Another quarter-hour passed, and there were fewer than thirty people left on the field.

"Bang!"

Zhao Xing was struck hard, knocked backward and landing flat on his back.

The Hundred Flower Hat, which he had been using to shield his chest, was now severely deformed, nearly shattered.

Zhao Xing glanced around, unable to tell how many people were still standing.

"Roar!" With one last effort, Zhao Xing unleashed a final Kui Niu Thunder Roar, fighting like a cornered beast despite his exhaustion and wounds.

The sound waves rippled outward, forcing most of the martial artists to back away in pain.

However, a tall young man leaped forward, unaffected by the roar, landing just three meters in front of Zhao Xing.

"I'm Xia Jing," the young man said calmly, extending a single finger toward Zhao Xing's chest. "Let me help you out."

"Swish!" A golden light shot forth, piercing the Hundred Flower Hat and leaving a small crater in Zhao Xing's rain cloak.

"Bang!" Zhao Xing felt several of his ribs break as he was sent flying backward.

As he soared through the air, he took one last glance at the battlefield.

But he couldn't catch sight of Shi Yong, Zhuang Ziqing, or the other top talents.

"I wonder what rank I finished in…"

When Zhao Xing finally regained consciousness, he found himself lying in Fu Chun Garden.

"Teacher."

"Hmm, you're awake." Lord Tian stood beside the bed. "You're mostly fine—just a few broken ribs. You should be able to check your own condition with your inner sense."

"Teacher, what was my final ranking?" Zhao Xing, however, was more concerned with his ranking than with his injuries