The Martial Saint rose to power starting as a substitute bridegroom.

After one incense stick has burned.

The disciples of the Qingniu Martial Arts Society all drew their assigned spots.

Qi Xiuyuan drew group four, while Chen Ting drew group six;

The crowd gathered around Lu Qing, and only after seeing him draw a lot that belonged to Group Three did they finally breathe a sigh of relief, showering him with compliments: "Go, Junior Brother Lu! You can definitely do it!"

Whether it's a friendly sparring match or not, no one wants to be grouped with such a formidable opponent.

Lin Chong patted Lu Qing on the shoulder, "The Green Ox Martial Arts Club is counting on you."

In other martial arts schools and clubs, there was also a chaotic cacophony of sounds, all of which were the guidance of teachers and the encouragement of fellow students.

Li Yuan looked at the number one he had drawn and walked towards the examination room for his group.

After a while of bustling activity, the candidates from the six groups were finally lined up neatly in their respective areas.

"This is the strength-testing copper wall," the clerk said, standing on the platform and pointing to a fist-shaped imprint about seven inches deep on the copper wall behind him. He shouted, "Do you see that fist-shaped imprint? This is the strength-testing wall. Martial arts students must strike the wall with their strongest blow to test the depth of the fist-shaped imprint."

Of course, the depth of the wall will vary depending on the refinement of your power and the strength of your martial arts realm.

Only those with a fist imprint exceeding three and a half inches in depth will be eligible to enter tomorrow's grand finale! Each person has three attempts, with the highest score determining the winner!

The clerk glanced around, then held up a small white bottle. "The top performer in each group will be awarded a Qi Gathering Pill! Taking the Qi Gathering Pill will not only quickly restore your stamina, but also make you more energetic."

The crowd gasped in surprise.

This kind of elixir has never been seen on the market before; it must have been brought over by the examiners from the Guicang Alliance on the high platform.

It can quickly restore physical strength and make one more energetic, which will play a very important role in the subsequent arena battles.

The top scorer in each group was a popular candidate who made the list in high school. Guicang Alliance's move was not without the implication of showing goodwill in advance. They really put their heart into it.

Ignoring the discussions, Li Yuan leisurely stood at the back of the line, preparing to observe the performance of the other players before making a decision.

He looked around and noticed an unfriendly gaze coming from the direction of Tianlong Martial Arts School, which was staring intently at a figure in one of the three arenas.

In fact, ever since the Qingniu Martial Arts Club entered the venue, the eyes of the people from the Tianlong Martial Arts School had never left that figure.

Li Yuan quickly looked away and returned to the field.

"Gentlemen, what's so special about this force-measuring wall? Tu Lie will try it out first!"

Before the words were finished, a burly man with a strong physique stepped into the arena. His eyes were like copper bells and his beard was like steel needles. He clasped his hands in a fist salute to the surroundings.

This man had a booming voice, and his body was covered in bulging muscles like steel bars. He was clearly a master of hard kung fu, and his strength was definitely not lacking.

He just looks older than his age, and doesn't look like he's under thirty-five at all, but in reality, he's only in his early twenties, which is why he looks older.

After handing the number thirty-ninth slip to the clerk, he turned to face the force-measuring wall.

Tu Lie's muscles tensed like a bowstring, and with a deep, muffled roar, he swung a fierce punch at the force-measuring wall.

Bang!

With a loud bang, a fist-shaped mark about an inch deep was left on the copper wall.

"Force reading: three inches!"

Tu Lie frowned, defiantly channeling his inner energy, and suddenly unleashed another punch.

"Force reading: three inches!"

Nothing has changed.

Bang!

"Force reading: three inches!"

The entire room fell silent; you could hear a pin drop. But no one uttered a sound of laughter.

A moment later, the sound of discussion arose.

"Senior Brother Tu Lie, even with your innate superhuman strength, is this not enough?"

"Haven't you heard? These test results reflect strength and the true essence of martial arts. Tu Lie has just broken through to the Ming Jin level, so this result is within expectations..."

"In comparison, the senior who struck with a seven-inch deep fist mark is truly formidable. He must be a master from the Guicang Alliance. The martial arts foundation of the Guicang Alliance is truly terrifying..."

Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, Tu Lie waved his hand and roared unwillingly, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, I will come again!"

The crowd erupted in cheers.

As the competition progressed, the clerk continuously announced the results:

"Xu Wenzhou, the force measurement is two inches!"

"Xu Kewen, the force reading is two and a half inches!"

......

As more and more candidates took to the stage, the discussions in the audience grew increasingly lively.

"Even Senior Brother Xu can't do it? He's at the mid-stage of the Ming Jin realm!"

At the Qingniu Martial Arts Club's seat, Lin Chong frowned, his face solemn, his gaze fixed on the figure in the third arena, never leaving his eyes for a moment.

Several Ming Jin disciples from the Qingniu Martial Arts Society failed the test and returned to his side dejectedly.

Chen Ting is 2.5 inches tall and is eliminated.

However, she remained calm, and her mind was not on the martial arts exam. She secretly identified several outstanding martial arts disciples, planning how to take the opportunity to befriend them.

"Senior Brother Yang Cheng's strength measurement is four and a half inches!" A disciple ran back from the second group's field, shouting excitedly.

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed.

Four and a half inches!

This is the highest score I've heard of so far.

As expected of the senior disciple with profound experience, he easily exceeded the winning standard with his first move.

Immediately afterwards, Yang Cheng also came over.

There was little joy on his face. He clasped his hands in a fist salute to Lin Chongyi and said with a hint of regret, "I'm sorry, Master Lin, I guess I won't be able to get the first place reward."

Lin Zhong showed little joy or sorrow. "Not bad, you've done your best."

In just a moment, his gaze returned to the three courts.

Yang Cheng followed Lin Shi's gaze and saw that Lu Qing had entered the arena from the three groups of players.

Lin Chong tightened his grip. "Lu Qing, it's up to you!"

Lu Qing took a big step and leaped into the third group's examination platform, winning a round of cheers.

The members of Tianlong Martial Arts School immediately opened their eyes wide and stared intently at the genius young man from Qingniu Martial Arts Society.

duang!

"Lu Qing, strength measurement: six inches!"

As the clerk announced the news, the entire audience fell silent instantly.

The next second, cheers and murmurs erupted.

This is the best result achieved so far.

Lin Chong stroked his beard, a slight smile appearing on his face.

What's the big deal?

Lu Qing was just performing as expected.

The real shock will come in tomorrow's arena battle.

It's not a sure thing that Lu Qing will make it into the top ten, but it's practically a certainty.

Leaders of forces on good terms with the Green Ox Martial Arts Association came up to offer their congratulations, all envying Lin Chong for having taken on such a good disciple.

Qi Xiuyuan's expression changed slightly, but he immediately relaxed his furrowed brows and shouted excitedly, "Junior Brother Lu, well done!"

Chen Ting lowered her head secretly, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

Li Yuan remained calm and secretly observed the reaction of the Tianlong Martial Arts School.

The man who seemed to be the owner of the hall, named Xiao Changfeng, fixed his gaze on Lu Qing with increasing coldness and ruthlessness. His face turned green, and he squeezed the armrest of the chair so hard that it creaked and finally crumbled into dust under the weight.

Li Yuan was secretly alarmed.

Let's turn our attention back to field number two.

Just then, a boy dressed in a light blue training uniform was called out and entered the arena.

He walked with his head down, muttering to himself as he went:

"May the gods bless you, bringing you great fortune! May the gods bless you, bringing you great fortune!..."

It stunned everyone.

Li Yuan was taken aback. Wasn't this his younger brother, Li Hao?

Ye Wenqing frowned slightly in the Qingfeng Martial Arts Academy camp.

The other disciples mostly smirked slightly, thinking, "They've even got to the metaphysics now?"

Those "brothers" who usually drank and chatted with him all turned their attention elsewhere at this moment.

boom!

"Li Hao, force measurement: three inches!"

As expected.

Li Hao was covered in cold sweat. "Didn't we get three chances? I'll try again! It seems like I was just a little short!"

He clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and his lips moved as if he were muttering something.

Seeing the long line of candidates still waiting behind him, the clerk impatiently shouted, "Are we still taking the test or not?"

Li Hao shuddered. "I'll take the test."

boom!

"Li Hao, force measurement: three inches!"

Li Hao panicked immediately.

Bang!

Another punch.

"Li Hao, strength measurement: two and a half inches!"

In this panic, he lost even more strength.

Li Hao's legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Li Hao, after three tests, the highest score is taken. His strength value is three inches, so he is eliminated!" the clerk announced expressionlessly.

"You have no ability, yet you pretend to be something you're not!" Teng Wenjie sighed. "Do you really have the ability to rise to power by associating with the sons of powerful families?"

Ye Wenqing did not respond, but her eyes showed deep disappointment.

Li Hao himself was quite talented; in fact, he was considered one of the better disciples.

But instead of making good use of his talent, he complained that practicing martial arts was too hard and instead went to associate with rich kids, spending all his money and energy on eating, drinking and having fun.

That's why we have this result today.

What's there to say? He brought it on himself.

Ye Wenqing once again felt that breaking off the engagement with Li Hao was an incredibly wise decision.

Li Yuan remained expressionless, showing no emotional fluctuation whatsoever, as if his younger brother had never existed.

Li Hao slunk off the field and huddled in a corner, looking dazed.

"Next!" the clerk continued to announce.

As the test progressed, the candidates took turns going up one by one.

However, the results were lackluster, and some candidates even became intimidated by the sight of the bronze wall and secretly slipped away before even taking the stage.

Li Yuan was also feeling drowsy, so he found a comfortable corner to sit down.

"This is the last one..." The clerk was interrupted by a voice halfway through his sentence.

"I'll go!" A tall, elegant young man in white robes shouted softly and leaped onto the stage.

It was Gu Yunzhou of the Gu family, with a face like jade and lips like painted vermilion. He was the youngest promising disciple of the Tianlong Martial Arts School and once the number one person below the level of Dark Force.

With the precious fish that his father, Gu Jitang, spared no expense in nourishing him, he finally succeeded in breaking through the Dark Force barrier on his third attempt.

The resources spent on this project are astronomical figures that an ordinary family can hardly afford in a lifetime.

boom!

"Gu Yunzhou, strength measurement: five and a half inches!"

call--

A stir broke out in the arena as the highest score in the competition was achieved.

All eyes were fixed on Gu Yunzhou. Some were shocked, some were envious, some were jealous, some were resentful... and some even revealed a hint of fervor and greed, as if they were plotting how to curry favor with him.

Gu Yunzhou smiled slightly, clasped his hands in a fist and gestured around the room, "Gentlemen, you are too kind."

Turn around and look again.

The clerk calmly gathered the slips together, sealed the record book of scores into a box, and then turned to leave.

Gu Yunzhou frowned slightly. "Examiner, where's my reward?"

"What reward?" The clerk looked bewildered.

"Didn't you say that the winner would receive a Qi Gathering Pill?" Gu Yunzhou felt a surge of anger, and his expression turned grim.

"You shameless official! How dare you steal prizes in front of such important figures from the Guicang Alliance! Come on! Everyone, be the judge!"

Gu Yunzhou's loud shout attracted everyone's attention.

The clerk let out a long sigh, slammed the box down on the table, and said righteously, "The rewards have all been distributed. If you continue to cause trouble, believe me, I'll report you to the chief examiner and have you disqualified from the exam!"

Gu Yunzhou spread his hands, "You...you're making false accusations. You clearly didn't give it to me, and everyone can testify to that."

There was a flurry of discussion among the crowd.

The clerk rolled his eyes and said irritably, "Why should I give it to you? You weren't even the top student in your group!"

impossible!

"My strength test score is five and a half inches, first in the whole group, as everyone can see!" Gu Yunzhou said without giving an inch.

"Five and a half inches," the clerk sneered, pointing again to the seven-inch fist-sized mark in the center of the strength-measuring bronze wall, "Is it as deep as this?"

"But wasn't that something that was already there before the test started? Was it something the Guicang Alliance showed as a signal?" Gu Yunzhou swayed slightly.

"Who said that?" the clerk immediately replied, "The one who left this fist mark was a candidate!"

A collective gasp filled the arena.

The seven-inch fist mark was actually made by a test taker!

How is that possible?

Is this guy even human?!

They had all experienced the power of the Copper Wall of Force. What kind of monster could leave a seven-inch fist mark?

But no one dared to question the veracity of the news. The three important figures of the Guicang Alliance, sitting on the high platform, calmly surveyed the entire scene, not missing a single detail. They were not easily fooled. This lowly official would only dare to do such a thing if he didn't want to die.

Gu Yunzhou recalled his "utterly shameful behavior" just now, and his face turned deathly pale. At this moment, he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

The crowd looked at the clerk with puzzled expressions, all wanting to know who this examinee was.

The clerk paused for a moment, keeping everyone in suspense, before continuing, "Candidate number one, Li Yuan."

It turned out that while the candidates were bustling around encouraging each other in their respective teams, Li Yuan was the first to arrive at one of the test sites and completed the test ahead of everyone else.

After the last person finished testing, amidst the commotion, he took away the Qi Gathering Pill.

Only then did everyone look at the receding figure on the sidelines.

Gu Yunzhou staggered back two steps, his mind reeling, and it took him a long time to recover.

"It's him again? Li Yuan!" He gritted his teeth, and his clenched fists trembled slightly.

He had been humiliated by Li Yuan at the Ming Jin Small Meeting of the Qingniu Martial Arts Society, and was almost crippled.

Unexpectedly, before he could avenge the first arrow, he was attacked again... After a short while, he shook his head helplessly, let out a long breath, and his clenched fist loosened.

Given the gap in strength, what can I do?

Next, leveraging the connection with Gu Laoqi of Gu Family Village, it would be the right path to cultivate a closer relationship with this unparalleled genius disciple.

Li Hao's expression suddenly froze, and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes.

"He...not only passed the test, he actually came in first place?"

How is that possible?

That can't be true, I must be dreaming.

He quickly closed his eyes, let out a long breath, and then slowly opened them.

The scene before me remained unchanged.

hum!

His head was filled with a jumble of noises.

On the other side, Li Yuan, carrying the Qi Gathering Pill, walked easily to Lin Zhong and said, "Master Lin, I passed."