7: Chapter 7, Round 1

As the voice faded, the crowd immediately began to whisper.

Everyone knew the standard: 300 kilograms of force.

This was the minimum requirement for admission to the Combat Academy.

The first group of twenty students stepped forward—thirteen boys and seven girls.

Each of them stood in front of a punching target machine.

Their reactions varied; some swung their arms, eager to try, while others were nervous, their arms trembling.

The atmosphere in the room grew tense without anyone realizing it.

"Begin!" Gao Changpeng ordered.

The students raised their fists, adjusted their stance, took a deep breath, and then punched simultaneously.

Bang!

The sound of twenty fists striking the targets echoed throughout the room like a series of explosions.

As the machines whirred, the numbers on each display screen began to flicker rapidly.

Machine 1: 291 kg, Machine 2: 356 kg, Machine 3: 301 kg... Machine 9: 332 kg... Machine 13: 345 kg... Machine 20: 300 kg.

Once all the numbers were finalized, Gao Changpeng nodded slightly.

"The fourteen of you pass."

The six who failed were instantly dejected.

One by one, they lowered their heads in silence.

A girl clenched her fists, her body trembling slightly as she neared an emotional breakdown.

Months or even years of training had finally yielded results at this moment, but they had not advanced.

Old Man Yang stepped forward and said in a gentle voice, "Do not be discouraged. Failing the Awakening this time does not mean the end of your path of cultivation."

"Afterwards, you can enter a cultural university, where you can continue to work hard."

"Many successful warriors only passed their Awakening exam and achieved Awakening while they were in university."

"As long as you are willing to work hard, you can cultivate anywhere."

"Your lives have just begun; a temporary failure is nothing. Those who fall early may climb even higher."

As a veteran of the school who had witnessed the ups and downs of many generations of students, Old Man Yang's words carried significant weight.

The students who hadn't passed lifted their heads, their eyes brightening slightly.

The disappointment hadn't vanished, but it had been hidden away, replaced by a determination to stand up again and a hope not to give up on the future.

Meanwhile, the fourteen who passed were beaming with joy, high-fiving each other in celebration.

After the first group, another group stepped forward.

In the second group, thirteen people passed the assessment.

Then came the third group.

Zhang Guo was in this group.

The room suddenly quieted down significantly.

Everyone widened their eyes, staring with curiosity at that prominent figure of the school.

Zhang Guo swaggered to his machine, chin held high.

There was not a trace of nervousness on his face, only confidence.

He deliberately raised his hands and slowly adjusted his gloves, ensuring everyone could see his movements, before taking a deep breath, striking a perfect pose, and throwing a punch.

Bang!

As the numbers climbed rapidly, the display screen beeped: 100... 200... 300... 350...

Immediately after, the room was filled with heavy gasps.

"400 kilograms!" someone exclaimed.

"Incredible..." another said.

"The Zhang family is truly a cultivation family. Following Old Master Zhang Feihong, another true Dragon has appeared."

Zhang Guo stood motionless in front of the machine, listening to the praise rolling in from the crowd like a tide.

He turned slightly, his eyes scanning the room, searching for someone: Lu Chen.

He wore a smug expression, but when he saw Lu Chen's face, he froze.

There was no surprise or shock on the other's face, only indifference.

There wasn't even any expression at all; it was as calm as if nothing had happened.

Zhang Guo couldn't help but be furious.

He clenched his fists and glared at him viciously.

"Just you wait, you lowly ant. After this assessment, you will live under my shadow forever."

Then came the next group.

Luo Nianwei and Ke Ji were in this group.

Ke Ji walked forward hesitantly.

He looked around before focusing his attention on machine number 3.

In contrast, Luo Nianwei was as calm and composed as ever, walking unhurriedly to machine number 11, just as if she had performed the same action hundreds of times before.

"Begin."

Bang!

The machine in front of Ke Ji displayed 276 kilograms.

It was a decent result, a testament to his hard work over these days, but it was still below the passing line.

His face darkened instantly.

At this moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on Luo Nianwei's machine.

The numbers on the display screen scrolled rapidly... 200... 300... finally settling at 560 kilograms.

The room fell into dead silence.

Everyone opened their mouths in astonishment, and even Gao Changpeng raised his eyebrows.

Old Man Yang chuckled softly, nodding in satisfaction.

"560 kilograms... 60 kilograms over the minimum limit of 500 kilograms..." Gao Changpeng muttered to himself.

"A talent like this—even in those base cities above C-grade, it is rare."

The students were buzzing with discussion, exclaiming in amazement.

By then, Luo Nianwei had already turned and began walking back, no arrogance or surprise on her face, only a faint smile.

Ke Ji was feeling somewhat dejected.

Lu Chen walked over and patted him gently on the shoulder.

"Don't be discouraged," he grinned.

"When I become the Chairman of the Human Alliance, I will promote you to be my Grand Marshal."

Ke Ji blinked, then smiled.

"Yes, Mr. Chairman."

Their lighthearted joke eased the tense atmosphere at the scene.

Soon, it was Lu Chen's turn.