From Five Animal Exercises to being hailed as a saint and ancestor

Qinglu Academy, Martial Arts Academy.

The towering Martial Arts Tower, like a giant black sword, stands in the center of the wide bluestone square.

The tower is mottled and exudes an ancient and somber aura.

At this moment, the area in front of the tower was bustling with noise, even more so than the Ling Shi Ge (Spiritual Affairs Pavilion).

Countless outer court disciples who had not yet obtained the qualification for the secret realm gathered here.

Prepare to challenge this testing ground that truly measures combat prowess, and fight for a chance to enter the Meteorite Realm.

Yao Mengkang strolled over. Although he knew he could definitely pass the first level of the Martial Arts Tower, he still had to go through the proper procedures.

Get a feel for the atmosphere, and also observe the strength of the fellow disciples you might encounter in the future secret realm.

If possible, see if you can beat the second floor.

He had just stood still on the outskirts of the crowd when a voice, tinged with a cool yet subtly concerned tone, rang out beside him:

"Senior Brother Yao."

Yao Mengkang turned his head and saw that Xu Ziyi had come to his side at some point.

Today she was wearing a light purple outfit that perfectly accentuated her slender figure.

Her dark hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and her fair cheeks glowed like jade in the morning light.

Those clear eyes were looking at him, carrying a hint of barely perceptible joy.

"Junior Sister Xu," Yao Mengkang smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping over her with a hint of appreciation, "Are you going to challenge this Martial Arts Tower?"

Xu Ziyi nodded, her eyes resolute:

"Hmm. Although I'm only at the eighth level of the Meridian Opening stage and haven't challenged the Martial Arts Tower yet, I want to give it a try. I don't want to miss out on the opportunities in the secret realm."

She paused, then lowered her voice, "And... I don't want to fall too far behind."

This last sentence seems to have a hidden meaning.

Yao Mengkang understood, knowing that she was referring to the gap in strength between him and the current top student in the Foreign Languages ​​Department.

He touched his nose and chuckled, "With Junior Sister Xu's strength, passing the first level will be no problem. However..."

He deliberately drew out his words, looking at her mischievously:

"I've heard that the guard puppets on the first floor of the Martial Arts Tower are all rough and unrefined men who don't know how to be gentle with women when they fight."

"Such a beautiful girl as my junior sister, if she were to get even a scratch from that rough man, wouldn't that be a terrible waste?"

"How about I go and plead with the elder guarding the tower to let you go directly?"

He was joking, of course; he didn't have the ability to let his junior sister pass directly.

It was just to tease this cute junior sister.

However, he himself did not realize that he was completely different from his usual composed self at this moment.

Xu Ziyi was taken aback at first, then realized that he was joking with her.

Two blushes instantly rose on her fair cheeks, like red plum blossoms blooming in the snow, a truly beautiful sight.

She couldn't help but burst out laughing, and her initial aloofness and restraint vanished instantly.

She gave Yao Mengkang a reproachful look: "Senior Brother Yao! What nonsense are you talking about! Who asked you to plead for me! I can get through this on my own!"

Her smile was like spring ice breaking, radiant and captivating, drawing the attention of many disciples around her, their eyes filled with amazement.

Looking at her coquettish expression, Yao Mengkang's heart fluttered, and he continued to laugh:

"Yes, yes, yes, Junior Sister Xu is just as capable as any man. I misspoke."

"But junior sister, when you go in, you must go easy on them. Don't destroy the puppet guarding the gate, because the junior brothers behind you will still have to pass the gate."

"You...you still dare to say that!" Xu Ziyi was both amused and annoyed by his words.

She couldn't help but raise her small fist and gently punch his shoulder. The force was so light that it was more like tickling than hitting him.

"Senior Brother Yao, I never expected you to be so glib!"

"I'm just telling the truth," Yao Mengkang said seriously.

"After all, we can't find another person as beautiful and strong as Junior Sister Xu in our outer academy."

Their playful banter naturally caught the attention of the many disciples around them.

"Look! It's Senior Brother Yao and Senior Sister Xu!"

"They look so well-matched! A perfect couple!"

"Was Senior Brother Yao just making Senior Sister Xu laugh? My goodness, I never knew Senior Brother Yao had this side to him!"

"Senior Sister Xu has such a beautiful smile... I usually think she's a bit cold."

"I heard that Senior Sister Xu successfully challenged the tenth-ranked person before, so she's quite strong! Senior Brother Yao is even more unfathomable... If they could get together..."

Many disciples whispered among themselves, their gazes towards the two filled with envy and blessings.

Some of the younger female disciples stared at Yao Mengkang's profile with a cheerful smile, whispering amongst themselves and blushing.

"Is that Yao Mengkang, the top student in the School of Foreign Languages? He certainly has an extraordinary presence!"

"He has such a handsome smile...and he seems to have a great temper, and he knows how to make girls happy..."

"If only he would look at me..."

Yao Mengkang seemed oblivious to the surrounding chatter and stares, but Xu Ziyi was somewhat overwhelmed, her ears turning bright red.

She quickly changed the subject: "I...I'm going to queue up!"

After saying that, he practically fled into the line of people waiting for the challenge, not daring to look back at Yao Mengkang.

Yao Mengkang watched her slightly hurried departure, a pleased smile curving his lips.

It feels quite nice to tease this usually aloof junior sister.

Soon, it was Xu Ziyi's turn.

She took a deep breath, the blush on her face faded, and her eyes regained their firmness and sharpness. She bowed to the elder guarding the tower.

He resolutely stepped into the dark doorway.

Outside the Martial Arts Tower, a huge water mirror floats in mid-air, clearly displaying the scene of the challenges inside the tower.

This is to facilitate external observation and learning, and also serves as a form of supervision.

All eyes were focused on the water mirror.

Upon entering the first level, Xu Ziyi was confronted by a burly puppet, over ten feet tall, wielding a giant axe and made entirely of an unknown metal.

The puppet's eyes flashed red light, devoid of any emotion. Upon meeting, it unleashed a powerful and heavy axe strike, accompanied by a howling wind!

Xu Ziyi let out a delicate shout, her figure as agile as a butterfly flitting among flowers, her slender sword drawn from its sheath, transforming into countless cold stars.

Instead of directly confronting the puppets, he used his exquisite footwork and swordsmanship to find weaknesses in their moves and constantly maneuver and fight.

Her swordsmanship was delicate and meticulous, and her Yuan energy flowed smoothly. Although she was only at the eighth level of the Meridian Opening stage, her combat power was by no means weak.

The crowd outside the tower watched with bated breath.

"Senior Sister Xu's movement skills are amazing!"

"His swordsmanship is exquisite; he must have put in a lot of hard work!"

"That puppet is too powerful; we can't take it head-on. Senior Sister Xu's strategy is correct!"

Yao Mengkang watched quietly and nodded slightly.

Xu Ziyi has a solid foundation and good fighting spirit, so it seems that her ability to maintain her tenth place is not just a fluke.

The battle lasted for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Xu Ziyi seized another tiny opening in the puppet's attack, and her rapier, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, precisely struck the joint of the puppet's axe-wielding wrist!

"clang!"

With a crisp sound, the runes on the puppet's wrist dimmed slightly, and its movements froze for a moment.

Xu Ziyi would not let this opportunity pass by. She moved quickly forward, her slender sword flashing with a sharp arc, and thrust straight at the core energy source in the puppet's chest!

"puff!"

The sword tip penetrated three-tenths of an inch, and the red light in the puppet's eyes instantly extinguished. Its massive body crashed to the ground, transforming into streaks of light and vanishing. Level One, Passed!

The disciples in front of the water mirror erupted in cheers.

The tower gate opened, and Xu Ziyi walked out.

She was breathing heavily, and her forehead was covered in sweat.

The left sleeve of her clothes was torn by the wind, revealing her fair arm underneath.

There was a shallow bloodstain on it, indicating that it had suffered a minor injury.

But her face showed the joy of success and a hint of relaxation after exhaustion.

Yao Mengkang stepped forward, handed over a clean, plain white handkerchief, and spoke with just the right amount of concern:

"You've worked hard. How are your injuries? Will they affect your trip to the secret realm in three days?"

His gaze fell on the bloodstains on her arm, and his brows furrowed slightly.

Xu Ziyi took the handkerchief, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and felt a warmth in her heart from the concern in his words. She shook her head and said softly:

"It's nothing, just a superficial injury. It will heal in a moment by circulating your Yuan energy and won't affect the secret realm."

"That's good." Yao Mengkang breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled.

"It seems my description of him as a 'rough guy' wasn't an exaggeration."

Xu Ziyi recalled his previous teasing, and the blush that had just faded began to return.

She glared at him reproachfully, but didn't argue back. She just tightened her grip on the handkerchief and whispered.

"Thank you for your handkerchief. I'll wash it and return it to you."

"It's alright." Yao Mengkang waved his hand, his gaze shifting to the dark tower gate, a glint of eager anticipation flashing in his eyes.

"Since I'm here, I might as well go in and stretch my muscles."

After saying that, he nodded to Xu Ziyi and, under the watchful eyes of countless people, walked steadily toward the Martial Arts Tower.

"Is Senior Brother Yao also going to take on the challenge?"

"He's already the top disciple among the ten, what's there to challenge?"

"You're new here, aren't you? Senior Brother Yao hasn't been around for long and hasn't challenged the Martial Arts Tower yet."

"Look at the water mirror!"

Everyone's attention instantly shifted from Xu Ziyi, who had just succeeded, to Yao Mengkang, who was about to step into the tower.

Even Xu Ziyi, disregarding the slight pain in her arm, stared intently at the giant water mirror, her eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation.

Yao Mengkang's figure disappeared into the dark gate of the Martial Arts Tower.

Outside the tower, all was silent, except for the scene reflected in the water mirror, which began to slowly change.