40: Everyone in the room was shocked!

"Damn! Damn! Damn! 3800 points, first on the leaderboard, how did Li Ziyu do it!?"

"How can anyone be this strong! Isn't he an orphan? How could he possess such strength!! How am I, Bai Haoran, supposed to surpass him!"

"Cousin, your strength isn't just beyond my expectations, you're practically trying to scare your cousin to death!"

"Heh, before the Martial Exam, my mom even told me to take care of you. If she knew your current score, I really don't know what her reaction would be. I'm a little excited to find out."

"Holy cow! Yu-ge is awesome! Yu-ge is number one in the world!"

"Hiss! How did such a heaven-defying person appear in Third High School? To possess such powerful strength yet hide it so deeply, he's truly a sly one!"

Different reactions played out across the Martial Exam venues, all eyes drawn to the name firmly occupying the top spot on the leaderboard.

Jealousy, envy, shock, bitterness—all sorts of emotions were on display.

...

"Li Ziyu? Hmm, my ill-mannered neighbor seems to be named Li Ziyu too. What a coincidence, to have the same name."

The Martial Exam adopted a live broadcast format, and many parents were watching the live stream. Li Ziyu's Fat Woman neighbor was one of them.

Seeing Li Ziyu's name on the leaderboard, the Fat Woman was a little surprised.

However, she didn't pay much attention.

She knew her neighbor's background inside and out.

Blood Qi test result of 0.8.

Not to mention first place, it was impossible for him to even register for the Martial Exam.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have bullied him so brazenly.

Aside from envy, the Fat Woman didn't think much further and continued to watch her son's live broadcast:

"Good, good, good! Good son, you've already reached 500 points! That's enough to get into an undergraduate Martial University!"

"I never thought our family could produce a Martial Artist! We must call all our relatives over to celebrate properly!"

...

Martial Exam Command Center.

The Mayor, principals, and other high-ranking officials emerged from the lounge and walked together towards the live broadcast room on the top floor.

It was already the fourth day of the Martial Exam, and after watching for several days straight, they couldn't bear it anymore and took a collective night's rest.

As they walked towards the command center on the top floor, an argument erupted between the principal of First High School and the principal of Third High School.

The principal of First High School and the principal of Third High School refused to concede to each other, engaging in a heated discussion:

"Old Liu, your school has a genius like Li Ziyu, yet he's kept his abilities hidden all this time, a truly deep secret!"

"Hmph! You intend to astonish everyone with this Martial Exam, don't you?"

"Haha, your plan is quite ambitious, but although Li Ziyu's Knife Skill and Body Movement are both at the peak level, when it comes to actual combat ability, he's still a bit short compared to Nangong Ao from our school."

The principal of First High School adjusted his glasses and chuckled.

The principal of Third High School looked disdainful:

"Tsk, Li Ziyu's Knife Skill and Body Movement are both at the peak level, and his Blood Qi and combat power are both above Nangong Ao's."

"You're actually saying his strength isn't as good as Nangong Ao from your school? Aren't you just spouting nonsense!"

"What's the use of strong basic martial arts? In the later stages, it all comes down to talent, doesn't it?"

"Li Ziyu has a Blood Qi-type talent, which is only strong in the early stages. You'll see in the later stages if a Blood Qi-type talent can still keep up."

The principal of First High School scoffed disdainfully.

Every Martial Exam, the principal of Third High School always sat in the back row.

Now, because of Li Ziyu, he was sitting with him.

He was about to compete for the position of Deputy Director of the Municipal Education Bureau, and he wouldn't miss the chance to suppress the principal of Third High School.

The principal of Third High School was no pushover either. His school had finally produced a genius like Li Ziyu, so of course, he had to protect him with all his might.

His face was red and his neck was thick, arguing with the principal of First High School to a standstill.

They were just short of rolling up their sleeves and fighting.

"Alright! Stop bickering! You two are both school principals, what kind of decorum is this, arguing like this!"

Wang Jiannan snorted coldly, finally making the principals of First High School and Third High School cease their argument.

However, both still glared at each other, unwilling to concede, turning their heads away.

At this moment, Mayor Wang Jiannan spoke again:

"You are all elites of Xu Jiang City, there's no need to argue so much."

"However, the principal of First High School has a point."

"Although Li Ziyu's basic martial arts are stronger than Nangong Ao's, Blood Qi talent awakening is indeed only more powerful in the early stages. In the mid-to-late stages, it still can't compare to speed-type talent."

"Let's not discuss these for now. Let's go see the current rankings. I estimate that Li Ziyu's ranking has already risen to second place by now."

Wang Jiannan's words made the principal of First High School feel a surge of pride, while the principal of Third High School remained silent.

However, he also knew that Wang Jiannan was right.

Blood Qi amplification had a greater and more noticeable effect on combat power in the early stages.

But the further into the later stages, Martial Artists at the Grandmaster realm could easily have millions of Blood Qi, with their punches unleashing Blood Qi power like a surging river.

At that point, the difference in Blood Qi indeed wouldn't be evident.

But speed talent was different; even in late-stage battles, being a second faster than others could be fatal.

"However, it's still good that Li Ziyu can achieve second place in the Xu Jiang City Martial Exam."

The principal of Third High School consoled himself.

Immediately, a large group of people ascended to the live broadcast room on the top floor, their gaze falling upon the points leaderboard displayed in the center.

Then...

"Huh?"

"Hmm?"

"Hiss."

"Hiss hiss!!!"

"First place, Li Ziyu, 3800 points!?"

"What's going on?? How did Li Ziyu become first place after just one night?"

Wang Jiannan frowned, looking at the leaderboard suspiciously.

On the points ranking, Nangong Ao, who had been firmly in first place, had his name replaced by Li Ziyu.

And Li Ziyu's score was over 3800, a full 2000 points more than Nangong Ao, who was in second place!

The other principals also looked bewildered.

"Quick! Get me the replay of Li Ziyu's battles from yesterday, let's see what's going on!"

Wang Jiannan was the first to react, quickly ordering the staff responsible for the live broadcast in front of the command center.

A moment later, with the combined operation of the staff, Li Ziyu's figure in combat appeared on the live broadcast screen.

One slash, one slash, one slash.

Unlike last time, this time the scene showed Li Ziyu in the central area.

The fierce beasts had also changed from the previous First-Level Junior to First-Level Intermediate and First-Level Advanced.

But Wang Jiannan found that Li Ziyu was killing the fierce beasts even faster than before!

Originally, Li Ziyu still used Body Movement to maneuver around the fierce beasts, but in the central area, facing First-Level Advanced fierce beasts, he directly crushed them with brute force!

Some didn't even draw their Knife Skill, directly smashing them to death with a single punch!

Everyone present stared blankly at the scene of Li Ziyu brutally pushing through the fierce beasts on the live broadcast screen, unable to speak for a long time.

The scene was silent, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

After a moment, someone swallowed, exclaiming in disbelief:

"This... what is Li Ziyu's true strength??"

"Even with 5.99 Blood Qi, mastering peak-level Knife Skill and peak-level Body Movement, he shouldn't be able to kill First-Level Advanced fierce beasts like cutting melons and vegetables, right!?"

"Hiss... one-punch kill, could Li Ziyu be a Second-Level Martial Artist? But even if a Second-Level Martial Artist came, they wouldn't be able to kill First-Level Advanced fierce beasts this easily."

The principals of First High School and Second High School had their mouths wide open, their faces filled with shock, disbelief, and intense confusion.

They instinctively turned to look at Wang Jiannan, who was equally stunned.

"Mayor Wang Jiannan, can you tell Li Ziyu's strength?"