In the vast crowd gathered around in the big River Square, tens and thousands of young martial arts students had filled the space. The latest Martial Arts Student Exam had formally begun!
Among the crowd, although Qin Wushuang did not stand out, he also did not pretend to be abject. In fact, an exam at this level was too childish for him. He always thought it was not appropriate for him to mingle with the other children.
But when in Rome, do as the Romans do. This world made the rules. If you did not pass the exam, it would be impossible to achieve the title of Power Force and Genuine Force.
The Martial Arts Student Exam served as the first test in the journey of one’s martial arts training. And you must go through it. Unless you had the power of the gods to force the examiners to give you the green light.
At the start, the judges announced the rules in a full explanation. Qin Wushuang did not pay close attention to the rules. He had already thoroughly researched the rules before he’d got here.
There were three different tests in the Martial Arts Student Exam: The Strength Test, the Agility Test, and the Combat Power test.
In the Strength Test, it tested the limits of a variety of a martial artist’s strengths. It would test the arms, core, legs, physical fitness, and many other things.
They utilized a traditional method to test the arm and core strength—Lifting an iron ball!
They used an even more traditional method to test the leg strength and physical fitness—Marathon!
As soon as the examiners gave the command, tens of thousands of martial art students started running. The requirements of this test were to run five laps around the city wall outside the city. The total distance was around one hundred thousand meters, equivalent to sixty miles.
Each time you finished a lap, you must obtain a flower symbol from the two designated places to prove that you had run a full lap. Cheaters would be kicked out of the examination and never be allowed to re-participate.
Qin Wushuang did not run around foolishly. However, only a few of them could follow his footsteps even if he ran unhurriedly.
In the first lap, Niu Dou gathered a few other martial art students and deliberately blocked his way. He looked as if he wanted to give him trouble. Qin Wushuang expressionlessly pressed on one of the points in Niu Dou's body using the air. He had sealed one of the most important acupuncture points on his waist.
He gave a cold sneer and ran past them. Niu Dou remained unaware, and he was still under the delusion that Qin Wushuang feared him. Thus, he acted arrogantly.
However, he did not know that Qin Wushuang had already done something to his body so that he would not be able to finish these five laps.
After another two laps, no one ran could catch up to Qin Wushuang. By the third lap, he was ahead of everyone else by a whole lap.
When he was running his fifth lap, he saw that idiot, Niu Dou, was moving like a snail near the starting line of the fourth lap.
When he’d finished his five laps and returned to the city, the examiners were still snoozing. They felt disbelief when they saw that he had come back with the ten exam flower symbols.
They repeatedly checked his flower symbols and realized they were real, without a trace of forgery.
Then they looked at the time, and realized it had already surpassed all the previous records!
First come, first served. The next test subject was to lift the iron balls. Rows of metal balls were placed in front of Qin Wushuang.
Starting from one hundred and fifty kilos to two hundred, three hundred, four hundred and all the way up to seven hundred and fifty kilos. Each of the iron balls was fifty kilos apart.
Qin Wushuang did not want to show off. However, with his current strength, even the heaviest iron ball was too light for him.
"There’s nothing heavier than this, right?" Qin Wushuang asked carefully.
"What? You are at the martial art student exam! If you want to be brave, go to the “Power Force Commentary.” They have an iron ball that weighs two thousand five hundred kilos!" The examiner did not like this arrogant young man as he immediately rebuked him, hoping to pour a pot of cold water on his head.
“Ok! I am going to start!” Qin Wushuang lowered his body and revealed a bitter smile because they had misunderstood him. With a little bit of strength, he snatched that seven hundred and fifty kilo iron ball. As he raised it nine times without stopping, his breathing remained even and his face showed no signs of exertion. He asked as he lifts the iron ball on his shoulder: "That's right, could I ask how many times should I lift it to get a perfect score?"
“Enough enough…” That examiner stared at Qin Wushuang as if he were a monster. He could not help but look at the registration form: "Honestly, are you really only sixteen years old?"
"To lie about the age, I thought only the Wealthy Class have this privilege? Have you ever seen Humble Class children get such preferential treatment?" Qin Wushuang asked rhetorically.
“This is crazy!” That examiner whispered. He immediately switched back to his usual seriousness, “Having the strength does not mean you will do good on the other two tests. The next trial will test your agility! Go find the testing grounds!”
This examiner wiped his sweat after Qin Wushuang had walked away. He grabbed the arm of another examiner and yelled excitedly, “I feel that a genius is about to emerge from River County!”
Inside the testing grounds for the Agility Test, a few examiners sat there looking bored enough to hit the flies.
Because the marathon was still unfinished, it was not their time to work yet. Each and every one of their eyes opened widely and stared at Qin Wushuang when he charged in.
Qin Wushuang felt somewhat lacking in confidence as they all stared at him. He scratched his head and asked: “Did I come to the wrong place?”
"Which test are you here for?" One of the examiners asked after he stood motionless for a moment
“The Agility Test.”
"Then you are at the right place." One of the exams with a grizzled beard stood up and said to his friends, "You’ve already finished the Strength Test? It seems that a genius does exist in this tiny River County!”
He took Qin Wushuang’s previous report card. When he glanced at it, he was slightly startled. However, he immediately returned to normal and waved his hands: “Come with me!”
When they’d arrived at the center of the testing ground, the grizzled beard examiner explained: "There are three levels in the Agility Test. They are ‘easy,’ ‘intermediate’ and ‘difficult.’ Which level do you plan to choose?"
“Difficult!” Qin Wushuang replied without thinking.
"Ok. The easy level requires you to dodge flying stones. There will be ten flying stones, and you will pass if you can avoid six of them. In the intermediate level, you are to catch flying birds. You will pass if you can pick three out of five birds. In the difficult level… Haha! You must catch both the birds and the throwing knives! You will pass if you can catch two birds and two throwing knives out of three tries. Do you understand?"
Qin Wushuang nodded to show that he understood.
"That's good! Stand on that sandy area and stay alert. We will let the first bird go at the most unexpected time. Remember, each bird will fly out behind your back. And at the same time, you will face a throwing knife. Power Force Warriors will be throwing these knives. Don't act tough if you cannot catch it!"
It seems that this grizzled beard examiner was a humanitarian.
Qin Wushuang stood on the sandy area like an old pine tree, tall and straight yet solemn!
To Qin Wushuang, it was second nature to be able to stand like a pine tree and to sit like the bells.
Ji Ji! An oriole bird flew out from behind of Qin Wushuang. Qin Wushuang instantly turned like a sparrow hawk, jumped from the ground, and stretched his hand out, catching the oriole bird.
Xiu!
With the sound of breaking air, something flew toward Qin Wushuang’s ribs at a tricky angle!
Without looking, he pinched his two fingers together. Qin Wushuang had caught that knife. It was more accurate than a hawk catching chickens!
“Good! You passed the first part. Please give me the things you caught.” The examiner spoke at the same time when Qin Wushuang returned to the ground. However, Qin Wushuang realized that knife had a blunt head.
After he had handed over the goods, he returned to the sandy area. This time, he had to catch two birds and two throwing knives!
Ji Ji Ji…
Qin Wushuang discerned the position of each flying object with his ears. First left, then right, both of his hands moved in the opposite direction. His hands rapidly extended and caught the objects. The two oriole birds had been caught and he put quickly them in his pocket. At the same time, he swung his hands and grabbed the two throwing knives that simultaneously came from his left and right.
“Great!”
Even the examiner could not help but exclaim at Qin Wushuang’s unusual agileness!
“Martial arts student, Qin Wushuang, you’ve already passed the Agility Test. If you are interested, you can take the challenge to catch three birds. If you’re not interested, you can head to the next testing area!"
Since Qin Wushuang had already decided to compete with his full strength, he would naturally not miss a chance to challenge himself.
To Qin Wushuang, he only had to extend his hands one more time to catch the three birds and the three throwing knives. Of course, he finished it easily.
The grizzled beard examiner took the objects he caught and wrote a big tick on the perfect score section. Then, he stamped it.
“Martial arts student Qin Wushuang, I can vouch for you! You will have the best score in this martial arts student exam. With your strength, you are at least at Stage Six of the Power Force! The martial arts student exam is too easy for you! After the exam, would you be interested in having a meal with me?”
“I don’t dare to reject the invitation from an elder!” Qin Wushuang felt a surge of genuine feelings to this examiner.
“Ok, head to the next testing area!” The grizzled beard examiner patted Qin Wushuang’s shoulder and felt good feelings develop towards this serious young man.
The last test tested one’s combat strength. This test inspected a martial art students’ technique! It demanded students to have high-level martial arts skills. If you had never learned exquisite martial arts techniques, you would suffer no matter how hard you had trained your basics!
The method for the Combat Power Test—Hitting the puppets in the formation!
The examiner was also a little surprised when he glanced at Qin Wushuang’s grade report. However, all the inspectors had come from the Zhen Wu Holy Place and had seen a lot of geniuses. Although they were surprised, they did react exaggeratedly.
"There are three levels. You can challenge three puppets, six puppets, and nine puppets. The highest level would be to hit nine puppets. If you can endure for ten minutes, then you pass!"
Qin Wushuang had already studied the rules. Of course, he chose the most difficult level.
A unique technique had constructed the puppet formation. As soon as you entered the testing ground, puppets would appear automatically and attack the martial art student with their pre-configured moves.
The strength of these puppets was designed to be under stage six of a martial art student.
Many martial art students became dejected after the last test since most of the students could not get a lot of points at this level.
Because this test dragged their grades down, most martial arts students, who did excellent on the other tests would end up getting a bad final grade. However, to Qin Wushuang, it was something he practiced for every day.
As soon as Qin Wushuang entered the testing grounds, a shockwave from a fist came from behind.
The fight had begun!
Without turning his head, Qin Wushuang kicked backward. With a sound of “Pu Teng,” the entire puppet was shattered as he chopped it with his kick!
Even the examiners were astonished by this scene!
They had made this puppet according to the average strength of a martial art student. Even the strongest martial art student could not destroy them.
But Qin Wushuang’s kick had slashed the puppet into pieces. This strength…
Only warriors at the peak of Power Force could do it, Ah! The examiner could not help but look at the age section again. They wondered if he was honestly a sixteen-year-old martial art student?
The rules did not say you could not destroy the puppets. After moving back and forth a few times, Qin Wushuang struck to the left and right at the puppets. Instantly, all nine puppets were defeated and turned into broken pieces of wood.
"Excuse me, Mr. Examiner. Do I have to stay at the testing grounds for a full ten minutes to pass?” Qin Wushuang was embarrassed. He’d only spent less than a minute to destroy all nine puppets.
But the rule said ten minutes!
That examiner still had not regained his senses. He had never encountered such a situation during the time he’d proctored. He stuttered: “This… There is no need, come out!”
After some brushing, another perfect score went on the grade report.
After the completion of the three tests, Qin Wushuang had shocked the group of examiners. They hurried to report the situation to the head inspector. A genius martial art student like him, how could the Zhen Wu Holy Place ignore him?