The Palace Examination’s Martial Arts Examination was scheduled to last one day.
As the Emperor of Great Yuan announced the start of the Martial Arts Examination, the rules for this session were revealed to everyone.
The system was simple, yet cruel.
Those who could withstand one punch from a Yuanchu Mountain expert would become a Military Scholar. Those who could withstand two punches would qualify to compete for the titles of Martial Champion Scholar, Martial Runner-up Scholar, and Third Place Scholar.
Those who remained standing after two punches would then compete against each other to determine the final rankings, selecting this year’s Martial Champion Scholar, Martial Runner-up Scholar, and so on.
The moment the rules were announced, an uproar swept through the crowd.
Chu Lingguang, Yan Zhen, and Qin Yu had all encountered experts from Yuanchu Mountain before. In their eyes, people like Zhang Xuan and Li Mao were beings of unfathomable power.
But in this Palace Examination’s Martial Arts Examination, there were over two hundred candidates.
Everyone’s strength had reached the Qi Sea Perfection realm, or even higher. Chu Lingguang estimated that among these two hundred-plus people, Yan Zhen and Qin Yu were likely not the only ones who had reached the True Martial Realm.
This was because according to the Court’s regulations, after passing the examination to become a Martial Scholar, one could rest for up to three years to await the next examination. Among these two hundred-plus people, many were Martial Scholars from the previous session. They had lain low for three years, their ambitions burning, with many of them aiming for the title of Martial Champion Scholar.
Even Yan Zhen and Qin Yu felt immense pressure.
Therefore, most people should be able to withstand one punch from a Yuanchu Mountain expert. As for two punches, Chu Lingguang felt he could also endure it.
However, when the crowd was expecting a group of Yuanchu Mountain experts to appear before them, only three arrived at the Beast Taming Circle.
They were none other than Yun Hong, Zhang Xuan, and Li Mao.
As an Outer Disciple of Yuanchu Mountain, Yun Hong stood behind Zhang Xuan and Li Mao, awaiting their orders.
"Bring out all of your defensive power. Don’t hold anything back. Otherwise, if you die at our hands, you’ll have only yourselves to blame."
Zhang Xuan said.
Everyone began to whisper amongst themselves. ’Are they the only two who will be testing our strength?’
"BOOM!"
But just then, a terrifying, oppressive aura erupted from both Zhang Xuan and Li Mao. The crowd couldn’t help but crouch down, feeling as if the sky itself was about to collapse.
Chu Lingguang discovered that the seemingly harmless fluctuations within the Beast Taming Circle were now being drawn by Zhang Xuan and Li Mao’s auras, transforming into primordial beasts that watched the crowd from above.
"This is..."
Yan Zhen’s eyes widened. He felt as though Zhang Xuan’s aura had merged with the Essence of Heaven and Earth throughout the entire Beast Taming Circle, allowing him to control this power for his own use.
"Potential Energy... what terrifying Potential Energy! It’s far stronger than my Sword Momentum, and your Sword Momentum. How is he doing that?"
Qin Yu said in shock.
"I feel like he’s resonating with heaven and earth. The entire Beast Taming Circle is his domain. His Mental Realm has reached at least the state of Unity of Heart and Will, or maybe even Unity of Heart and Thought."
"They can clearly capture the responses from outside their bodies, allowing them to control external forces for their own use at any moment. This is far more powerful than the Potential Power we’ve mastered. In fact, this is the true form of Potential Power!"
Chu Lingguang said in rapid succession.
With his Sea of Consciousness Power being even greater than Yun Hong’s, he could not only clearly sense how strong Zhang Xuan and Li Mao’s auras were at this moment, but he could also perceive that Zhang Xuan and Li Mao had seemingly transformed into two great deities.
They seemed able to manipulate the Heaven and Earth Power with just a thought. This was countless times more formidable than his own ability to control the Wind and Wave Power with his consciousness.
He could only control one or two streams of Potential Power within a limited range, whereas Li Mao and Zhang Xuan could instantly manipulate the entire Heaven and Earth Power of the Beast Taming Circle. This Heaven and Earth Power contained more than just a single stream of Potential Power.
It was as if a natural Qi Sea Power had appeared above the crowd.
"Brace yourselves!"
Zhang Xuan said.
His voice was faint, yet it exploded like thunder in everyone’s minds. In that instant, even True Martial Realm experts like Yan Zhen and Qin Yu unleashed their strongest defenses.
Chu Lingguang didn’t dare to be careless either.
He not only activated his six-layered Dharma Aspect and bolstered his Qi Power Gang Shield, but he also summoned his Black Tortoise Divine Power.
"BOOM!"
As Zhang Xuan’s voice fell, he threw a punch, activating that Heaven and Earth Power.
In an instant, a series of materialized Fist Seals rained down from the sky, pouring out from the Power of Heaven and Earth and striking everyone in the chest.
Yan Zhen and Qin Yu both grunted heavily.
Chu Lingguang, however, only took a small half-step back.
As for the others, most of them collapsed. Their Dharma Aspects shattered, their Qi Power Gang Shields disintegrated, and their Bloodline Divine Abilities were thrown into disarray.
At that moment, Chu Lingguang felt his earlier thoughts were laughable. ’To think I actually expected a group of Yuanchu Mountain experts to show up at the Beast Taming Circle and test everyone’s strength one by one, giving each person a punch.’
So this was what it meant to reach a certain level of cultivation. One could manipulate the Power of Heaven and Earth, forming a terrifying domain far more powerful than any Sword Momentum or Spear Stance. With a single thought, they could obliterate a person.
He finally understood why Yuanchu Mountain could stand behind the Great Yuan. No matter how many times the Court changed hands, Yuanchu Mountain had always remained unshaken.
’So this is power that transcends the mundane world.’
At this moment, Chu Lingguang, Yan Zhen, and the others also realized why the Court had Yuanchu Mountain’s experts test everyone’s strength for the Palace Examination.
It was to crush them with martial might, to make them understand just how powerful Yuanchu Mountain was. It was to instill in them awe and reverence for Yuanchu Mountain, which would in turn ensure their loyalty to the Court as they strove to achieve great deeds and earn the right to enter Yuanchu Mountain to cultivate.
One punch. Just a single punch.
And half of the candidates had already fallen.
Even among the many who were still standing, their Dharma Aspects had already collapsed, and they were struggling to hold on with only their Qi Sea Power.