Chapter 131: Practical Assessment

Before the end of the year, Haotian Royal Academy finally welcomed its annual final examinations. As a student in the Martial Cultivation Department, Du Long once again secured first place in the class for the theoretical assessments in martial cultivation, literary studies, and military training, with the help of the enchanting Spirit Guardian.

At last, the much-anticipated annual practical assessments arrived: the military training sand table exercise and the martial combat test. For students in the Martial Cultivation Department, both military training and martial arts subjects comprised theoretical and practical examinations.

These two assessments were crucial, significantly influencing each student's future military career, and thus held great importance within the Royal Academy.

The martial combat test primarily targeted fourth-year students, who represented the pinnacle of the Academy’s strength. Lower-year students could apply to participate, but those below the eighth rank of the Cyclone Stage rarely signed up; after all, even the least powerful fourth-year students had reached the seventh rank, with many already at the ninth.

No one with merely a sixth or seventh rank Cyclone Stage power would dare enter, only to be mercilessly defeated.

At first, Du Long was reluctant to apply. After all, he was only just promoted to the second year. However, upon learning that lower-year students who ranked in the top five during the competition could qualify for early graduation, his interest was piqued.

To be honest, Du Long held little regard for the martial cultivation knowledge taught within the Royal Academy; the guidance from the Spirit Guardian was far superior.

The chance to graduate early—once reaching the Qi Sea Stage—allowed one to apply for graduation at any time, which was a tremendous incentive for Du Long.

In any case, obtaining the Royal Academy’s diploma was a mission assigned by both his grandfather and father, one he was determined to fulfill.

Graduating ahead of schedule meant more time could be devoted to developing the Fengli Prefecture territory, sparing him the constant exhaustion of running back and forth.

The martial combat test soon commenced on the grand training ground of the Royal Academy. News of Du Long’s application stirred a sensation throughout the academy.

Many knew he had defeated Fan Tong, who had early seventh-rank Cyclone Stage power, over half a year ago. Yet, in the recent basic martial power evaluation, Du Long had only reached the fourth rank. His unusual constitution baffled even the old dean, and given his history of concealing his true strength, most doubted the results.

In short, a mere second-year student in the Martial Cultivation Department daring to enter the academy’s highest-level practical martial combat test, to face fourth-year students ranked between seventh and ninth, caused a stir not only within the Royal Academy but throughout the imperial capital.

The Royal Academy’s annual martial combat test attracted widespread attention, drawing crowds eager to witness how this lower-year student would challenge the senior veterans.

Five battle platforms were hastily constructed on the academy’s grand training ground, each accommodating ten competitors at once.

A total of forty-one martial cultivation students registered for the test, with opponents determined by drawing lots. Each round would see one fortunate participant receive a bye.

Encouraged by friends, Du Long left the spectators’ stands and approached the lot-drawing area.

“Fire Phoenix! What rank Cyclone power do you think Du Long has reached? The matches are about to start—can’t you give us a hint?!” Impatient Du Caini called out as Du Long walked away.

Du Long refused to reveal his true strength, and Fire Phoenix and Xia Qinglian were tight-lipped as well, much to the frustration of Du Caini and others who had been probing for days since hearing of his participation.

“Sigh! He doesn’t want to say, so there’s nothing we can do. Caini, please don’t pressure him!” Fire Phoenix sighed in frustration. Being talkative herself, keeping this secret was a challenge.

Had it been the old Fire Phoenix, she would have blurted out the “secret” long ago. But having spent time with Du Long and learned many of his secrets, she knew that once she let this one slip, future questions would inevitably unravel more, which would surely displease Du Long.

“What kind of nonsense is this?! The matches are about to begin; I refuse to believe he won’t unleash his full power! At this point, what’s the point of keeping it a secret?!” Du Caini muttered in frustration.

While their chatter continued, the lot drawing swiftly commenced under the old dean’s supervision. When the forty-one competitors revealed their numbers, thousands of spectators gasped.

The reason was simple: nearly half the audience had come to see how Du Long would fare against the senior experts, only to discover he’d been incredibly lucky—he received the bye!

Out of all forty-one participants, he was the one who advanced without fighting, directly securing a spot among the top twenty-one.

This disappointed many. Were it not for their faith in the academy’s fairness, some would have suspected foul play.

The competition quickly began. Most participants were above the eighth rank of the Cyclone Stage, with only one or two seventh-rank challengers who were severely outmatched.

Soon, the first twenty qualifiers emerged. To maintain fairness, the judging panel selected one strong, uninjured competitor from the eliminated group to rejoin the second round, ensuring there would be no byes in that round.

The second lot drawing followed promptly, and Du Long drew number three—meaning he would have to fight immediately.

Excitement rippled through the crowd.

Since many had exhausted themselves in the first round, a half-hour break was scheduled to allow recovery with medicinal pills and healing.

The second round began quickly. On battle platform three, Du Long faced an eighth-rank Cyclone Stage opponent with formidable practical combat skills.

“Du Long! You probably don’t know me—I’m Zhao Chong. I heard you defeated Fan Tong, who had seventh-rank Cyclone power, half a year ago. Too bad! Your first-round luck ends here! I’ll make sure you lose terribly!” Zhao Chong sneered arrogantly at Du Long.

“Zhao Chong! A member of the Zhao family, and Zhao Lin’er’s cousin!” the Spirit Guardian introduced Du Long’s opponent as a matter of course.

A faint smile played on Du Long’s lips as his gaze drifted toward the stands, spotting a familiar figure—Zhao Lin’er, who had only just been admitted to the Royal Academy this year. Beside her stood Li Xiaojun and Fan Wei, along with Fan Tong, who hadn’t been seen for over half a year.

“Oh? So you’re Zhao Lin’er’s cousin? Planning to avenge your cousin?” Du Long smiled brightly, replying calmly.

“That bitch has nothing to do with me! I just want to tell you that meeting me today is your greatest misfortune! Heh heh!” Zhao Chong’s answer surprised Du Long into a brief pause.

Before they could exchange more words, the referee announced the match’s start. On the platform, Du Long and Zhao Chong skipped formalities and charged at each other instantly.

The Twin Waves of Mysterious Yang technique multiplied the force behind every punch and kick—a level of cultivation utterly unknown in this world.

Though the Fan family’s Sky-Splitting Palm could boost attack power, it exhausted internal energy rapidly, making sustained combat impossible like Du Long’s style.

After just a dozen exchanges, Zhao Chong’s expression darkened. While his strength rivaled Du Long’s, his body’s resilience was inferior, and his speed even more so. He quickly realized his fate.

As expected, Zhao Chong’s fatal mistake was exposed by Du Long’s ghostlike, unpredictable movements. Seizing the opportunity, Du Long unleashed a storm of fierce assaults, each blow landing squarely on Zhao Chong’s face.

Zhao Chong’s arrogant mouth had sealed his doom. Blood and shattered teeth flew with each of Du Long’s relentless punches, culminating in a final kick that sent him flying off the platform.

Within minutes, the battle on platform three concluded. Du Long’s clean and decisive performance drew cheers and applause.

Watching from the stands, Fan Tong’s expression was unreadable as he observed Du Long’s impressive display.

“In just half a year! His strength has soared again! Could it be that he’s been consuming second-grade spiritual elixirs multiple times within the year?” he wondered.

Not only Fan Tong entertained this thought; the old dean of the Royal Academy, sensing Du Long’s Cyclone Stage sixth-rank aura unleashed fully, pondered the same.

It was known that even with the help of the Spirit Gathering Cave, increasing one’s Cyclone Stage rank took at least a year. Aside from second-grade spiritual elixirs, no one could imagine such rapid advancement.

“This boy! I hope he’s not recklessly consuming second-grade elixirs to accelerate his power growth at the expense of his future development,” the old dean mused silently.