"His... his strength... how is it so powerful?" Lin Ningshan bit her lip, her eyes locked on Zhang Ruochen.
The result was too much for her to accept.
Lin Fengxian was equally stunned, staring at Zhang Ruochen in the martial field, as if he had turned to stone.
While many young warriors could see Zhang Ruochen's extraordinary strength, the more experienced martial artists were even more shocked.
First, when Zhang Ruochen stomped the ground and sent the 1,000-pound stone disk flying into the air, it wasn't just raw power that did it. He had infused his true energy into the ground, creating waves that lifted the disk from below.
The intricate control he displayed over his true energy was breathtaking, and even some seasoned martial masters found themselves humbled.
Second, when the stone disk fell from five meters high, the impact force was terrifying—far beyond what a Yellow Extremity Realm martial artist should be able to handle. But Zhang Ruochen used waves of true energy to cushion the disk's fall, absorbing the force and catching it effortlessly.
This level of mastery was only visible to those with keen eyes. The sheer precision and skill Zhang Ruochen displayed with his true energy left the onlookers astonished.
It was clear: a martial prodigy had been born!
As Zhang Ruochen walked out of the arena, passing by Lin Ningshan, she gave him a cold glare and said, "You've been hiding your strength well, haven't you? Are you trying to humiliate me on purpose? Let me tell you, power can be temporarily enhanced by consuming certain rare treasures. But in real combat, strength alone doesn't guarantee victory. The year-end exam has just begun, and I will show you the true gap between us."
Lin Ningshan, unable to see through Zhang Ruochen's precise control of true energy, assumed his power came from luck or some special resource.
In fact, it wasn't uncommon for ordinary people to gain immense strength after accidentally consuming rare flowers or fruits.
Hearing her words, Zhang Ruochen shook his head lightly, not bothering to respond, and walked over to Lin Fei.
"Mother, I did it!" Zhang Ruochen said.
Standing among the other concubines, Lin Fei looked as if she had been struck by lightning, her eyes welling up with tears. Trembling, she asked, "Chen'er... is it really my Chen'er?"
Lin Fei embraced Zhang Ruochen tightly, sobbing uncontrollably.
She had waited so long for this day, believing it would never come. But Zhang Ruochen had done it—he had become a martial artist, a young warrior who could command respect and silence all mockery.
All Lin Fei ever wanted was fairness, and now she felt vindicated.
Seeing this, many of the concubines, maids, and eunuchs thought to themselves, "We must be careful not to offend Lady Lin in the future!"
"Good!"
Yunwu Commandery Prince suddenly stood up, his gaze fixed on Zhang Ruochen with excitement. "Jiu'er, you've matured late, but better late than never. I'm deeply gratified. No matter the outcome of the exam, the royal family will celebrate for three days. Jiu'er, come over here and let me take a closer look."
"Chen'er, quickly, go greet your father," Lin Fei urged, wiping away her tears as she led Zhang Ruochen toward the prince.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" both Lin Fei and Zhang Ruochen saluted.
Yunwu Commandery Prince looked Zhang Ruochen up and down. "Your cultivation has reached the Small Extremity of the Yellow Realm, hasn't it?"
Having witnessed Zhang Ruochen's earlier display of power, it was impossible for the prince not to notice.
"Yes," Zhang Ruochen confirmed.
"In just three months, you've reached the Small Extremity of the Yellow Realm. This is not something ordinary people can achieve. Jiu'er, have you encountered some fortuitous opportunity recently?" the prince asked.
Zhang Ruochen responded with calm confidence, "Indeed, I've had some lucky encounters, but those are my secrets, which I have the right to keep. I do not wish to reveal them."
"How dare you! Your father is asking, and you refuse to answer?" the queen snapped angrily.
The Yunwu Commandery Prince raised his hand slightly, signaling for the queen to stop. He looked at Zhang Ruochen with admiration and said, "Every martial artist has their own secrets. Since you don't want to share, I won't force you. Focus on the year-end exam. I look forward to your next performance."
The next participant to enter the arena was the Ninth Princess.
Ninth Princess Zhang Yuxi was a stunning beauty, her skin flawless, her figure tall, and she exuded a noble and elegant air.
She was only a day older than Zhang Ruochen, and her martial talents were comparable to Lin Ningshan's. In both beauty and skill, she was also one of Yunwu Commandery's Four Great Beauties, known alongside Lin Ningshan as one of the "Two Beauties of the Royal City."
The Ninth Princess also lifted the tenth stone disk, throwing it thirteen meters—slightly less than Lin Ningshan, who had thrown it fifteen meters.
With a slight frown, the Ninth Princess left the arena and approached Zhang Ruochen with a charming smile. "Ninth Brother, be careful during the next trial in Wangshan hunting grounds. I'll be your competition!"
As children, Zhang Ruochen and the Ninth Princess had played together often, but as she began focusing on martial arts, they had grown distant.
Now, Zhang Ruochen felt even more estranged from her, and he simply nodded, saying little more.
The next to enter the arena was the Eighth Prince, Zhang Ji.
Initially, the Eighth Prince had thought that after reaching the Small Extremity Realm, he could easily crush Zhang Ruochen during the exam and earn praise from the Yunwu Commandery Prince.
However, Zhang Ruochen's stunning performance shattered his confidence.
"I must lift the tenth stone disk! Zhang Ruochen is a waste. If he can do it, so can I."
Having only just reached the Small Extremity Realm, the Eighth Prince hadn't originally planned to attempt the tenth disk. But after seeing Zhang Ruochen's display, he was determined to succeed.
"Up!" he shouted, gripping the massive stone disk with both hands, his veins bulging as he strained to lift it.
He managed to raise it half a meter before his fingers slipped, and the disk came crashing down onto his foot.
"Ahhh!"
The Eighth Prince let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered. "My foot! Help! My foot!"
His foot was crushed, and he passed out from the pain, lying motionless in the middle of the arena.
Two guards rushed in to move the heavy stone off of him and carried him away.
After that, more young warriors stepped into the arena.
These participants, all over sixteen and hand-picked from various elite families, were the best of the best. More than half of them managed to lift the 1,000-pound stone disk.
Among the most impressive were three warriors, all at the Great Extremity of the Yellow Realm. Each of them threw the stone disk over twenty meters.
Fifth Prince, age nineteen, Great Extremity of the Yellow Realm—threw the disk twenty meters.
Situ Linjiang, age seventeen, the top young warrior of the Situ family—threw the disk twenty-three meters.
Xue Kai, age nineteen, grandson of the national preceptor—threw the disk twenty-four meters.
The first round of the strength test had produced many standout performers, including Zhang Ruochen, Lin Ningshan, and the Ninth Princess. But these three young men had clearly distinguished themselves as top contenders.
Now, the second round would begin: the Wangshan Hunting Grounds.
Only those who had lifted the tenth stone disk were eligible to participate in the second round.
Forty-three young warriors had lifted the 1,000-pound disk.
In preparation, forty-three sturdy horned antelopes were brought into the arena. These creatures were as large as small elephants, each with a sharp horn and clad in silver armor.
A iron-string bow and five thunder arrows were strapped to the back of each antelope.
The national preceptor stood on the stone platform and announced, "If you could lift the 1,000-pound stone disk, that means you're strong enough to face a first-tier savage beast. However, remember, even a first-tier beast is far stronger than you may imagine. Their speed is terrifying."
"To pierce a savage beast's hide, you must use the thunder arrows. Each of you will receive five arrows. The more beasts you kill, and the stronger the beasts, the higher your score."
"Only those who successfully kill a beast will advance to the third round: martial combat."
"Remember, the hunting grounds are dangerous, and death is a real possibility. If you encounter a second-tier savage beast, flee immediately!"
"Now, the Wangshan Hunt begins."
With a swift movement, Lin Ningshan leaped gracefully onto one of the antelopes, displaying her agile and elegant skills. Before she sped off into the hunting grounds, she glanced at Zhang Ruochen and said, "Cousin, the strength test was my weak point. Now it's time for me to show my true abilities. Try not to fall too far behind me."
With a flick of her whip, Lin Ningshan's antelope bolted into Wangshan, leaving a cloud of dust behind her.