Yang Qingxuan raised his head, staring intently at the martial spirit form behind the blue-robed man. The beast shared an almost perfect resonance with the man's essence, energy, and spirit, as if they were seamlessly fused together into one.
"I understand now. A martial spirit is essentially the manifestation of one's comprehension of martial arts, combined with one's cultivation and other factors, materialized into a tangible form to enhance combat ability."
At that moment, Yang Qingxuan suddenly achieved an epiphany. Simultaneously, a subtle sensation stirred in his heart, as though a light was beginning to coalesce within his body.
"This isn't good. My martial spirit is starting to take shape!"
Startled, Yang Qingxuan was alarmed. Having already reached the pinnacle of martial arts on Earth, he had been unable to advance further due to the restrictions of its laws. Now, upon comprehending the essence of a martial spirit, his body was naturally poised to break through.
But just then, a sharp pain flared on his left shoulder. The mark sealed there by Yang Zhao seemed to stir once more.
"No! I can't condense my martial spirit now, or I'll suffer a backlash from that mark! My current physical body won't be able to withstand it, and I'll end up just like on Earth—with my body collapsing entirely!"
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Yang Qingxuan quickly suppressed the burgeoning light within him. Meanwhile, the blue-robed man's attack reached him. Yang Qingxuan deftly shifted his hands, adopting an unconventional stance. Astonishingly, he was employing a counter-technique: "Returning one's attack in kind!"
The force of the blue-robed man's punch landed squarely in Yang Qingxuan's palm, only to be rebounded in an instant by an identical force!
"Bang!"
The sound of shattering bone rang out as shockwaves rippled through the air. The blue-robed man's face paled as intense pain surged up his arm. His sleeve was instantly reduced to dust.
The man staggered backward, retreating more than ten paces before he could stabilize himself.
Yang Qingxuan, on the other hand, remained rooted in place, though the stone slab beneath his feet cracked into a spiderweb-like pattern. While most of the force had been diverted into the ground, he still sustained minor injuries.
The blue-robed man seemed worse off, his expression a mixture of shock and rage. He barked, "You got lucky today, kid. I'll deal with you another time!" With that, he fled, abandoning his four companions without a second thought.
The three injured men were even more terrified. Scrambling to their feet despite their worsening injuries, they fled in panic. This left behind the student the blue-robed man had stomped into the ground earlier. The boy remained motionless, covered in blood and his condition unclear.
"They didn't even bother with their own comrades. Truly a pack of trash," Yang Qingxuan muttered disdainfully. He adjusted his breathing, then walked over to the fallen student. Kicking him lightly, he checked for any signs of life. "Still breathing. Just gravely injured. Someone will probably come by to help him soon enough. He should survive."
Satisfied, Yang Qingxuan turned and walked away.
Shortly after, two gray-robed men appeared on the ancient, desolate path. They stared at the injured student and the shattered stone slabs with narrowed eyes.
"Hmph. Fighting right under our noses. These students are getting more and more unruly!" one of them—a middle-aged man—complained with a deep frown.
The older man beside him let out a cold chuckle as he bent down to check the injured student's breathing. "Still alive. Doesn't seem like he'll die. Discipline is one thing, but strength is another. Five against one, and they still got utterly crushed. Students these days are getting more pathetic by the day. The reputation of the North Five Nations' top academy is really on shaky ground."
The middle-aged man countered, "That's unfair. Those were ordinary class students. The true measure of the academy's strength lies in the inner court—especially the top ten of the Hidden Dragon Rankings."
The older man snorted, "Aside from the four kings on the list, how many others are truly capable?" He paused, then added, "Still, this student is quite interesting."
Intrigued, the middle-aged man nodded. "I thought he was interesting before, but now I find him fascinating. A tenth-layer Qi Martial cultivator, taking on five opponents, one of whom had awakened his martial spirit, and emerging victorious."
The older man mused, "This young man is extraordinary. If I'm not mistaken, during the fight, it seemed as though he was on the verge of a breakthrough, yet he managed to suppress it."
"What?!" The middle-aged man was stunned. "Are you saying he deliberately kept his cultivation at the Qi Martial realm, refusing to advance?!"
The older man sighed, "I can't be sure. Most people would do anything to break through. Who would go to such lengths to suppress it? I'm beginning to doubt myself, wondering if I saw it wrong."
The middle-aged man gave a wry smile. "With your level of cultivation, you're unlikely to have made a mistake."
The older man shook his head slightly. "I'm getting old. Not as sharp as I used to be."
"You jest! You're one of the six Origin Martial powerhouses of the academy, revered alongside the headmaster as one of the Heavenly Constellation Seven Elders. Who would dare say you've lost your edge?"
Despite the compliment, the older man's expression turned somber. "I'm not being modest. Did you notice the boy's final move that sent the blue-robed man flying?"
Recalling the fight, the middle-aged man's face grew serious. "That move was indeed strange—not an ordinary martial technique."
The older man nodded. "In my eighty-plus years as a martial artist, I've seen countless techniques. But I've never encountered such a profound style. Using the enemy's strength against them, perfectly countering their attack. The boy's comprehension of martial arts has reached near perfection. His martial intent is extraordinary, and his future is limitless."
"Could it be a profound-grade technique?" the middle-aged man speculated.
After some thought, the older man shook his head. "Unlikely. While the technique was ingenious, its power falls short of profound-grade techniques. Moreover, the academy has only a handful of profound-grade techniques, and it's hard to imagine how the boy could have acquired one."
A sudden realization lit up his face. "With such profound martial intent, I'm not surprised by his earlier remark."
"What remark?" asked the middle-aged man, confused.
The older man smirked. "'He's just gravely injured. Someone will pass by and help him. He should survive.'"
The middle-aged man froze. "What's strange about that?"
Suddenly, his expression shifted. His eyes widened with shock. "You're suggesting... he said that to alert us to save the student?!"
The older man chuckled bitterly. "I find it hard to believe, too. But from the moment he stepped onto this path, I felt we were being observed. Add in his remarkable martial prowess and keen insight, and nothing seems impossible anymore."
After a pause, his eyes gleamed with amusement. "Remember how those fools mentioned Yue Qi Yue giving him a token of affection? If that's true... heh, Yue Qi Yue's judgment far surpasses ours."
The middle-aged man was left speechless for a long moment before muttering, "If that's the case... this boy is terrifying."
The older man's eyes twinkled. "Terrifying? No, no. He's fascinating. This academy has been too dull in recent years. If we can add a few interesting people, the place might come alive again."
With a helpless smile, the middle-aged man said, "Fine. Let's call him fascinating. But let's save this boy first before he really dies under our noses."