5: Chapter 5 Practical Test: Lin Yuan Makes His Appearance
"Yo! The good-for-nothing has grown some backbone? You dare talk back to me now. I hope your strength is as tough as your mouth. Don't chicken out when it's time to get on the ring later!"
Wang Qing glared fiercely at Lin Yuan upon hearing this.
"Yuan Zi, let's go, ignore him!" Huang Dongdong tugged at Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan indeed couldn't be bothered to deal with him anymore, so he left with Huang Dongdong. Strength would prove everything; saying more to him now was useless.
"Look, Lin Yuan is actually going up against Wang Qing. Wang Qing is a genius with an B-rank Ability, and he reached the Body Tempering Initial Stage two months ago. Is Lin Yuan looking to get beaten up?"
"Sigh... You guys still don't know Wang Qing? He gets arrogant easily when he has a bit of talent, and his mouth is foul. Too bad Lin Yuan couldn't keep his temper; he's going to suffer later."
"Do you think Lin Yuan is hiding his strength? Maybe he's the real big shot."
"Heh heh—Brother, you're thinking too much. He's just an F-rank Ability user, what's there for him to hide?"
The surrounding classmates were all discussing animatedly, with no one favoring Lin Yuan. After all, an F-rank Ability was truly an eyesore...
Forget challenging the genius Wang Qing; he probably hasn't even broken through to the Body Tempering Initial Stage yet.
Not long after, the Martial Arts Level testing concluded. Wu Ze led the Class Three team out of the classroom and headed toward the training grounds.
The training grounds were vast, with each class occupying a section to conduct their practical combat tests.
"Classmates, for this test, among our class's 56 students, 23 have reached the Body Tempering Realm. Students who feel confident in their strength can come up to be the ring master and let everyone challenge you. Who wants to be the ring master first?"
Wu Ze said with a smile. He was in high spirits; the proportion of Class Three students who broke through to the Body Tempering Realm was quite high.
The bonuses for this year were secured, and the class even produced a genius at the Body Tempering Mid-stage. Perhaps he could snag an Excellent Teacher Award this year.
At this moment, the students of Class Three looked at each other, but no one was willing to step up to be the ring master.
After all, being the first one up, even if one won a few matches, there were still so many matches left. No matter how strong one was, they couldn't sustain that kind of consumption.
This was related to the spots for the special training camp, and no one wanted to miss the opportunity. Everyone chose to wait cautiously.
"I'll do it!"
Just then, Wang Qing walked out arrogantly. He stood tall with his chest puffed out, his eyes filled with disdain for everything.
Wang Qing stood firmly in the center of the area, and his two lackeys immediately started cheering him on.
"Brother Qing, so domineering! Look at Brother Qing's courage! Who among you dares to challenge Brother Qing?"
"Exactly! It has to be Brother Qing, so mighty! Let everyone see what a genius is!"
Wang Qing stood on the field, feeling somewhat inflated after hearing his two cronies.
He pointed at the crowd of Class Three students with his nostrils and said arrogantly:
"Who dares to come up? Let Big Brother give you some pointers!"
"Wang Qing, you are too arrogant!"
"What big talk!"
... The students of Class Three immediately felt their anger rise. They were all classmates. Even if Wang Qing was strong, this was too dismissive of others.
Several students who had passed the test and reached the Body Tempering Initial Stage were eager to try. After all, they were all at the Body Tempering Initial Stage; who was afraid of whom?
"Students who want to challenge, please go ahead. Let's start the test."
As soon as Wu Ze spoke, a male student eagerly jumped onto the stage.
As soon as this male student entered the ring, he charged toward Wang Qing.
"Wang Qing! Take this punch!"
"Heh heh... Come on then!"
Wang Qing grinned and met the charge.
For a moment, fists and shadows interwove, and the two fought fiercely.
But everyone could see that Wang Qing clearly held the upper hand, practically suppressing the other fighter.
Sure enough, after a few exchanges, the male student exposed an opening and was knocked to the ground by a punch from Wang Qing.
Wang Qing won the round and became even more smug, sweeping his gaze across the Class Three members with an air of superiority.
"Too weak! Anyone capable? Don't come up just to be fed a beating, you weaklings!"
"Wang Qing! Don't get carried away, I'll take care of you!"
Immediately, someone rushed up angrily...
But the result was the same. After a few exchanges, they were all knocked down by Wang Qing.
Four or five students rushed up consecutively, and Wang Qing still handled them with ease.
The martial arts talent of a B-rank Ability user was truly incomparable to ordinary students like them. This was the huge gap brought by Ability ranks.
Wang Qing won several matches in a row and became increasingly conceited.
But the others had no choice. After witnessing his strength, they knew that stepping up now would only lead to humiliation.
For a time, no one dared to enter the ring...
"Wang Qing has a B-rank Ability. He has the highest Ability rank in our class. How can we fight him?"
"Yeah, his Martial Arts Level is almost breaking through to Body Tempering Mid-stage, right? Isn't this just bullying?"
"With Wang Qing's strength, he could rank in the top five in our entire school. Fighting us is completely crushing weaklings!"
The students were discussing, but not a single person dared to step onto the stage.
Wang Qing thoroughly enjoyed the way everyone looked at him—that satisfying feeling of being looked down upon but being unable to defeat him.
Wang Qing's gaze fell upon Lin Yuan in the crowd, his eyes filled with deep contempt.
"Lin Yuan, you've been watching for a long time. Don't dare to come up, huh? Turns out your mouth is the only tough thing about you."
"Yuan Zi, don't be impulsive. He's deliberately trying to provoke you onto the stage."
Huang Dongdong grabbed Lin Yuan's arm, fearing that Lin Yuan would impulsively rush up only to be crushed.
"Dongzi, don't worry."
Lin Yuan gave Huang Dongdong a reassuring look, patted his shoulder, and then slowly walked onto the stage.
"Yuan Zi, you..."
Huang Dongdong knew he couldn't persuade him, so at this moment, he could only choose to trust him.
After all, being Lin Yuan's friend for so long, he knew Lin Yuan's temperament; once he made a decision, persuasion was useless.
But Huang Dongdong also knew that Lin Yuan's personality was very steady and he never acted rashly, so he must have some confidence.
"Yuan Zi, I hope you can do it!" Huang Dongdong clenched his fist.
"This kid is finally going to make a move. I wonder who is stronger between him and Hao Qiang from Class One."
Wu Ze immediately became expectant when he saw Lin Yuan step onto the stage.
Hao Qiang was the strongest genius in No. 6 High School, possessing an A-rank Ability, and had already reached the cultivation level of Body Tempering Mid-stage.
"Lin Yuan, you actually dared to come up. Don't beg for mercy later!"
Wang Qing was somewhat surprised to see Lin Yuan enter the ring. He had initially intended to humiliate him and be done with it, but he didn't expect him to actually dare to come seeking death.
"Heh heh... Beg for mercy? You're overthinking it. Come on, let's take you down quickly; I have other things to do."
Lin Yuan sneered dismissively and beckoned Wang Qing over.
Being mocked by Lin Yuan immediately sent blood rushing to Wang Qing's head. You, an F-rank good-for-nothing, what right do you have to be arrogant... This is turning the tables!
"Lin Yuan, you're asking for death!"
A fierce look flashed across Wang Qing's face. He clenched both fists and charged directly toward Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan's eyebrows shot up. He suddenly exerted force with his feet, and his figure instantly vanished from the spot, shooting toward Wang Qing like a cannonball.
Wang Qing hadn't expected Lin Yuan to dare to charge him, and his speed was astonishingly fast.
"So what if you have some speed? A weakling is still a weakling. This will only make you die faster!"
Wang Qing coldly sneered, raising his fist to smash toward Lin Yuan's face.
But when his fist was only a foot away from Lin Yuan, his pupils suddenly contracted, and a sense of danger immediately surged into his heart---