The duel between Zhang Ruochen and Situ Linjiang became increasingly fierce on the training ground, with the clashes of swords and spears resounding loudly.
"Boom!"
Situ Linjiang wielded his spear with both hands, striking the ground and shattering the stone tiles into fragments. With a sweep of the spear, he launched the shards toward Zhang Ruochen.
"Bang! Bang!"
Zhang Ruochen swung his sword, slicing through the fragments, reducing them to dust.
Just then, Situ Linjiang thrust his spear through the dust cloud, aiming for Zhang Ruochen's chest.
Believing victory was within his grasp, Situ Linjiang's vision suddenly blurred as a flash of blue light streaked before his eyes—a swift sword gleam.
In an instant, he felt a sharp pain in his wrist, and the black spear was disarmed, flying out of his grip.
Zhang Ruochen's sword had left a shallow cut on his wrist, narrowly missing severing his hand entirely.
"I haven't lost yet!"
Despite being momentarily stunned by his disarmed spear, Situ Linjiang immediately charged at Zhang Ruochen, aiming a punch at his face, desperate to turn the tide.
"Still want to fight?"
Zhang Ruochen held his sword in one hand and formed a palm with the other, his body arched like a bow as he surged forward, executing the first move of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm, Stampede of the Savage Elephant. The strike unleashed the strength of sixteen oxen.
Simultaneously, Zhang Ruochen's arm trembled, and the Blue Water Sword emitted a piercing screech, lunging forward like a white streak, creating seven sword shadows.
This was the Heart of the Sword Technique: Plum Blossom Pierce.
He combined his palm technique and sword technique, attacking with both simultaneously.
It seemed as though Zhang Ruochen split into two entities—one using his left hand and the other his right, each moving independently.
His combat strength doubled instantly.
"Boom!"
Situ Linjiang's fist collided with Zhang Ruochen's palm. To his surprise, he found that Zhang Ruochen's palm strength was formidable enough to match his own.
He had unleashed the power of sixteen oxen; could Zhang Ruochen wield such terrifying strength too?
Before Situ Linjiang could ponder further, Zhang Ruochen's sword pierced forward again.
"Swish!"
The sharp blade brushed past Situ Linjiang's neck, leaving a crimson line.
Zhang Ruochen alternated between palm strikes and sword thrusts, forcing Situ Linjiang to retreat continuously.
Situ Linjiang had never seen anyone who could use their left and right hands so independently, as if he was fighting two Zhang Ruochen at once. He gradually found himself on the defensive.
Soon, he accumulated two more sword wounds on his body.
"I concede!"
Situ Linjiang voluntarily admitted defeat, unwilling to continue.
Zhang Ruochen immediately halted his advance, retracting his sword and preparing to leave the training ground.
Situ Linjiang called out, "I want to know how you manage to multitask, using both a palm and a sword at once."
Zhang Ruochen turned back, giving him a calm look. "When your mental strength reaches a certain level, not only can you multitask with two things, but you can even manage three or four simultaneously."
"Do warriors need to train their mental strength?" Situ Linjiang asked in confusion.
"If you want to, you can. If not, you don't have to. The choice is entirely yours." Zhang Ruochen replied indifferently.
In Kunlun Realm, professions like weapon refiners, alchemists, and beast tamers trained their mental strength. A strong mind was essential for inscribing runes, crafting true martial weapons, and refining elixirs. Moreover, taming beasts required inscribing runes in their bodies to turn them into mounts and war beasts.
Most warriors, however, saw training their mental strength as a distraction that wasted valuable time they could spend refining their martial arts.
In reality, as warriors advanced in their martial paths, their mental strength did increase, but at a very slow pace. Without dedicated training, a warrior could only reach the level of multitasking after reaching the Heavenly Extreme Realm.
In his past life, Zhang Ruochen had trained his mental strength alongside his martial arts, achieving a high level. Even though he reincarnated into a new body and lost his cultivation, his mental strength remained intact.
With his current level, he could easily manage three tasks simultaneously, not just two.
When Situ Linjiang admitted defeat, the sounds of war drums and horns echoed outside the training ground, signaling the end of this year's end-of-year assessment.
The top five young talents of this year's assessment were, from first to fifth: Zhang Ruochen, Situ Linjiang, Xue Kai, the Fifth Prince, and Lin Ningshan.
The top five received access to train in the Savage God Pool, as well as additional rewards.
Zhang Ruochen's prize was a Grade Six True Martial Armor called the Icefire Kirin Armor. It was said to be forged from the scales of the legendary Kirin, the king of beasts, making it extremely valuable with incredible defensive power.
At the same grade, armor was far more valuable than weapons.
The value of a Grade Six True Martial Armor was equivalent to that of a Grade Seven True Martial Weapon.
"This Icefire Kirin Armor is worth at least a million silver coins, comparable to a low-level spiritual martial art manual. Even in the Yunwu Commandery's royal treasury, such treasures must be rare. The first prize for the end-of-year assessment is indeed generous," Zhang Ruochen thought as he glanced at Yunwu Commandery Prince seated above him.
Then he understood.
After all, he was the prince's son. Giving him the Icefire Kirin Armor meant it still remained within the royal family's possession.
If Situ Linjiang had won first place, the prize would not have been something of this caliber. Furthermore, the prince's decision to award him the armor was likely an attempt to make up for the years of neglect.
The Icefire Kirin Armor covered the upper body. When Zhang Ruochen channeled his True Qi into it, the armor emitted both blue and red hues, exuding cold and fiery energies.
"Hmph!"
Watching Zhang Ruochen don the armor, the queen's face turned cold, and a flash of killing intent glinted in her eyes. She stood up, flicked her sleeve, and left, showing only her aloof back.
The Fifth and Sixth Princes watched Zhang Ruochen enviously.
The Fifth Prince inwardly seethed, thinking, "What good is talent? The more talented you are, the quicker you'll die. Just wait. The queen won't let him grow."
"No matter how talented he is, he's still far from the Seventh Prince. Haha, even the woman he likes will become the Seventh Prince's concubine. What's he so proud of?" The Sixth Prince sneered.
Their feelings were simple—jealousy. And with jealousy came hatred.
The Savage God Pool, one of the most sacred places in the royal family.
Over centuries, the royal family's powerful figures captured thousands of savage beasts, using their blood to form a massive blood pool. This pool became the Savage God Pool.
Only the most outstanding talents were allowed to train there.
The Savage God Pool was located beneath the Royal Shrine.
Every year, during the Royal Shrine's sacrificial ceremony, beasts were slaughtered, and their blood flowed into the Savage God Pool, replenishing it with fresh essence.
Infused with sacrificial blood, the pool gained mysterious powers. Warriors who trained within could absorb the essence to enhance their bodies and open more meridians.
The stronger the talent, the greater the benefit.
Led by the national preceptor, Zhang Ruochen, Situ Linjiang, Xue Kai, the Fifth Prince, and Lin Ningshan arrived at the Royal Shrine.
"Entering the shrine requires bowing to honor the great emperors and rulers of the Kunlun Realm, especially the revered Empress Chi Yao! Her majesty dominates the world, ruling the four corners, her youth eternal, and her spirit undying!" the preceptor chanted devoutly, kneeling in prayer.
"Empress Chi Yao! Supreme ruler, omnipotent and eternal!"
Situ Linjiang, Xue Kai, the Fifth Prince, and Lin Ningshan echoed the chant as they knelt and bowed to the statue of Empress Chi Yao.
Zhang Ruochen, however, stood still, showing no respect. His eyes burned not with reverence but with deep hatred.
Chi Yao, just wait. When I have regained my strength, we shall meet again.
Eight hundred years have passed! You probably don't know yet that the person you killed has returned to life.