hsntnovel Chapter 32: Practical Assessment
Chapter 32: Practical Assessment
For the next month, Lin Yun hardly went out.
Aside from visiting the Extreme Martial Arts Academy on the first day after completing the Five Hearts Towards Heaven training, where he directly displayed nearly 10000 kilograms of punching power in front of Jiang Nian, leaving Jiang Nian dumbfounded, and then leaving gracefully, it also meant that Lin Yun had fulfilled the first and second clauses of his contract with the martial arts academy, and even exceeded them. His first training in gene energy had tripled his punching power! And with a punching power of 3 kg, he was already at the level of a senior junior warrior!
Once Lin Yun completes any one of the remaining tasks, he can apply to enter the War God Training Camp. Although he can reach the peak of the War God level without any bottlenecks even without going to the War God Training Camp, he will still need some guidance to break through to the Planetary level later. The War God Training Camp is the best opportunity for that!
After that, the villa in Mingyue Community became his training base. Every morning, he would practice movement techniques and basic swordsmanship in the yard, striving to reach the state of subtle movement as soon as possible; in the morning and afternoon, he would sit cross-legged in his room, holding a magical beast crystal core, circulating the Five Hearts Towards Heaven cultivation method, and absorbing the life energy in the crystal core; at night, he would switch his consciousness to the Panlong World, meditating in the back mountain of Ernst Academy, refining his magical power and soul power.
Two worlds, two bodies, cultivating in sync, promoting each other.
The effects of the crystal cores were even better than he had expected. He consumed a few level three and four crystal cores daily as his "food," steadily increasing his genetic energy. He used level five and six crystal cores to break through minor bottlenecks, each absorption bringing a noticeable improvement. Nourished by the life energy, his body grew stronger and more resilient.
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
On the evening of February 28th, the day before the practical assessment, Lin Yun sat cross-legged on the bed in his room, holding a level-six crystal core in his hand, slowly absorbing the energy within.
The life energy within the crystal core flowed into his body like a trickle, greedily devoured by his cells. He could feel that the genetic energy within his body had reached its limit; each cell was like a water tank filled to the brim, unable to hold another drop.
Peak of advanced warrior.
He's just one step away from becoming a God of War.
Lin Yun opened his eyes, shook off the crystal core residue that had turned to powder in his hand, and let out a long breath.
"Almost," he murmured, "just one more opportunity."
The God of War level is a watershed moment on the path of a martial artist. The difference between a high-level warrior and a low-level God of War is not just the total amount of genetic energy, but a qualitative leap. Many martial artists are stuck at this threshold for years, decades, or even their entire lives.
But Lin Yun wasn't in a hurry. He had plenty of time and resources. Moreover, he had the cultivation system of the Panlong World as a supplement. With the accumulation from both worlds combined, breaking through to the God of War realm was only a matter of time.
He stood up and stretched. His bones crackled slightly, and his muscles, like taut bowstrings, were brimming with explosive power. He clenched his fist, feeling the power gathering in his palm—the mental strength of a peak-level advanced warrior combined with that of a peak-level intermediate war god. Looking at the younger generation of the entire Jiangnan Base City, it was likely impossible to find another like him.
"Tomorrow is the practical assessment." Lin Yun walked to the window and looked at the sky gradually darkening outside. "With my current strength, participating in the assessment... is like using a cannon to kill a mosquito, a waste of talent."
He couldn't help but laugh.
The practical assessment for aspiring martial artists involves facing monsters at the beast soldier level. For ordinary aspiring martial artists, this is a life-or-death test; but for him, a peak-level advanced warrior, it's no different from taking a stroll.
However, he cannot reveal his full strength.
A fifteen-year-old advanced warrior—this talent is astonishing. While the Limitless Martial Arts Academy will focus on nurturing him, what about other forces? The HR Alliance, Thunder Martial Arts Academy, underground forces… even foreign organizations might have their eyes on him. Geniuses are often most vulnerable before they reach their full potential.
"Keep a low profile, keep a low profile," Lin Yun reminded himself. "Just show the level of a junior general. That'll be enough to pass the assessment without attracting too much attention."
A junior warrior, fifteen years old. While still an astonishing talent, it's at least within the "understandable" range. The Limitless Martial Arts Academy headquarters has several such geniuses, so it won't cause too much of a stir.
The next morning, Lin Yun got up early, changed into the training clothes of the Extreme Martial Arts Academy, and checked his equipment.
Grandpa Lin Guodong stood at the doorway, watching his grandson's retreating figure, his eyes filled with pride and worry. He wanted to say something, but after opening his mouth, he only managed to utter one sentence: "Yun'er, be careful."
"Don't worry, Grandpa." Lin Yun turned around and gave his grandfather a hug. "I'll be right back. We'll have a nice meal tonight and invite Luo Feng and his family too."
Lin Guodong nodded, his eyes slightly red.
Lin Yun let go of his grandfather and strode out of the house.
Jiangnan Base City, North Gate Assembly Point.
By 7 a.m., nearly a thousand people had already gathered here.
When Lin Yun arrived, he could see the gathering point of the Extreme Martial Arts Academy from afar. Dozens of prospective martial artists wearing Extreme Martial Arts Academy training uniforms were gathered in twos and threes. Some were talking in hushed tones, some were checking their equipment, and some were resting with their eyes closed, all with varying degrees of tension on their faces.
Feng Lu was also in the crowd. When she saw Lin Yun walking over, she waved to him: "Lin Yun, over here!"
Lin Yun walked over and stood beside her. Feng Lu looked him up and down, then smiled and said, "You seem to have grown quite a bit taller in the month since I last saw you. How's your cultivation going?"
"Not bad," Lin Yun smiled. "How about you?"
"My punching power has exceeded 1000kg, and my speed has also increased a bit." Feng Lu's tone carried a hint of pride, but it quickly turned into tension. "However, I'm still very worried. I heard that actual combat assessment and training are completely different things. When facing a real monster, many people can't even hold a knife steadily."
Lin Yun nodded, saying nothing more. He knew, of course, that Feng Lu was right—training and actual combat were indeed two different things. But in the past month, he had experienced countless life-or-death battles in the Magical Beast Mountains of the Panlong World, and he was already very familiar with that feeling of dancing on the edge of a knife.
But he couldn't say it. He could only pretend to be a newcomer going to the battlefield for the first time, just as nervous and expectant as everyone else.
"Everyone, assemble!"
A loud voice rang out. A middle-aged man in a black uniform stepped to the front of the line, the Extreme Martial Arts Academy badge pinned to his chest, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's. Lin Yun recognized him—Zhuge Tao, the manager of the Extreme Martial Arts Academy in Jiangnan Base City, a powerful expert at the level of a high-ranking warrior.
"I am Zhuge Tao, the person in charge of this practical assessment." His voice wasn't loud, but everyone present could hear him clearly. "The rules are simple—you will be deployed to the assessment area in the wilderness. Your mission is to survive for 24 hours and hunt at least three beast-soldier level monsters. The more you hunt, the higher your score, but you must meet the minimum requirement. You can form teams during the assessment, but the final score will be calculated based on the number of monsters hunted individually."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone: "The assessment area is a C-level area, and the monsters are Beast Soldier level. The HR Alliance and the Ultimate Martial Arts Academy will deploy surveillance equipment within the area, and every battle you fight will be recorded. If anyone cheats, they will be disqualified on the spot and permanently banned from taking the exam."
"Finally—the wilderness is not a training ground. The monsters will not show mercy. If you feel you are not up to the task, you can withdraw now. Once you enter the testing ground, you are responsible for your own life and death."
No one quit.
Zhuge Tao nodded and waved his hand: "Get in the car."
The train carrying the prospective warriors left the base city and traveled through the wilderness for nearly two hours before finally coming to a stop.
Lin Yun jumped out of the car, and what came into view was a desolate wasteland. Collapsed buildings, dried-up riverbeds, and roads covered with vines. In the distance, several dilapidated high-rise buildings stood like tombstones on the horizon. The sky was gray, and the air was filled with an indescribable, fishy stench.
A loud voice reached the ears of every prospective martial artist: "Welcome to the North Military Region of Jiangnan City. This time, the martial arts combat assessment for 1850 of you will be held in my North Military Region. I hope that most of you will pass the assessment, and I also hope that all of you will survive this combat assessment!"
After receiving their equipment, the group entered Monster Town in twos and threes.
Lin Yun didn't rush into action. He found a relatively secluded spot and slowly spread his mental energy outwards. Everything within a radius of one kilometer was clearly presented in his consciousness.
With his current strength, this assessment is indeed not challenging at all. But he needs to put on a show—not appearing too relaxed, nor too strained. He needs to demonstrate the strength of a "junior warrior" in just the right way, passing the assessment without attracting attention.
"Then... let's take it slow." Lin Yun withdrew his mental energy, chose a direction, and walked over at a leisurely pace.
The first monster was encountered a quarter of an hour later.
It was a beast-soldier-level armored lizard, about the size of a calf, covered in black scales, gnawing on something beside a collapsed building.
Lin Yun didn't use throwing knives or his mental powers. He drew his battle sword from his waist and strode forward.
Sensing the threat, the armored lizard abruptly turned its head, a fierce glint flashing in its vertical pupils. It opened its massive jaws, letting out a low growl, and then, with a burst of power from its limbs, pounced towards Lin Yun.
Lin Yun dodged to the side, his battle blade tracing an arc, precisely striking the armored lizard's neck—the weakest point of its scales.
"Snap!"
The blade sliced into flesh, and the armored lizard's head fell off. Its headless body twitched a few times on the ground and then lay still.
One fatal blow.
Lin Yun shook off the blood from his knife, cut off the armored lizard's ear, and put it in his backpack—the ear was a hunting certificate, and the army would use the number of tails to calculate points.
The whole process was clean and efficient, taking less than ten seconds.
"Too weak." Lin Yun sighed inwardly and continued walking in the next direction.
Over the next few hours, he "encountered" more than a dozen monsters—Shadow Cats, Tiger Mastiffs, Iron-haired Boars… each one killed with a single blow, without hesitation. His battle sword was like the Grim Reaper's scythe, and wherever it went, no one could withstand its attack.
By the afternoon, his backpack was filled with more than twenty monster ears.
"That's about enough." Lin Yun glanced at the sky. "If we keep fighting, we'll draw too much attention. Let's find a place to rest and wait until the assessment is over tomorrow."
He found a relatively intact building and settled down in a room on the third floor. He set up a few simple traps at the door and windows, then sat down against the wall, closed his eyes, and began to meditate.
Panlong World's body simultaneously entered a meditative state, with magical power slowly flowing and mental energy rapidly recovering through the resonance between the two realms.
The night was peaceful. Several foolish monsters tried to approach, but they were all caught in traps and killed. Lin Yun didn't even have to open his eyes.
The next morning, the signal to end the assessment was given.
Lin Yun opened his eyes, stood up, dusted himself off, and, carrying a backpack full of monster ears, headed towards the meeting point.
A considerable number of people had already gathered at the meeting point.
Lin Yun glanced around and noticed that most people wore expressions of relief at surviving a disaster, while others looked somber—their teammates hadn't returned. A complex mix of emotions filled the air: joy, sorrow, exhaustion, and relief.
Feng Lu was also in the crowd. Her left arm was bandaged, and there were several bloody marks on her face, but she seemed to be in good spirits. Seeing Lin Yun, she forced a smile: "Are you alright?"
"It's alright," Lin Yun said. "Your hand..."
"I got scratched by a shadow cat, it's nothing," Feng Lu waved her hand. "And you? How many did you kill?"
"A dozen or so," Lin Yun casually said, a number that was neither too high nor too low.
Feng Lu's eyes widened: "A dozen or so? You alone?"
"Um."
Feng Lu was silent for a moment, then shook her head: "You're a monster."
Lin Yun smiled but didn't reply.
Zhuge Tao stood on the roof of a truck, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and slowly said, "The assessment is over. Congratulations to those who returned alive—from today onwards, you are all official martial artists."
A cheer erupted from the crowd. Some were moved to tears, some hugged their teammates tightly, and some roared to the sky, releasing the fear and pressure that had accumulated over the past 24 hours.
Lin Yun stood in the crowd, watching all of this, his heart as calm as still water.
Formal martial artist.
From this day forward, he is no longer a "quasi-martial artist," but a true martial artist. This means he can legally enter the wilderness to hunt monsters, accept missions from martial arts schools to earn contribution points, and learn more advanced guiding techniques and secret arts.
The journey has only just begun.
It was already evening when I returned to Mingyue Residential Area.
Lin Yun pushed open the door to his home, where Lin Guodong was sitting anxiously on the sofa in the living room. Seeing his grandson walk in unharmed, the old man suddenly stood up, his eyes instantly reddening.
"You're back? Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Lin Guodong circled around Lin Yun twice, looking him up and down, afraid of missing a single wound.
"Grandpa, I'm fine," Lin Yun said with a smile. "Not a single hair is missing."
"That's good, that's good..." Lin Guodong nodded vigorously, then remembered something, "Oh right, didn't you say you were going to invite Luo Feng and his family to dinner? I've already called them, they'll be here soon."
Lin Yun nodded, went upstairs to take a shower, and changed into clean clothes.
Just as I was going downstairs, the doorbell rang.
Lin Yun opened the door, and Luo Feng stood in the doorway, followed by his parents and younger brother Luo Hua.
"Congratulations, Lin Yun, you've become a martial artist!" Luo Feng grinned, punching Lin Yun on the shoulder. "You've officially become a martial artist! Impressive!"
"Don't give me that." Lin Yun laughed and pulled him inside. "Come in and sit down."
Luo Feng's father, Luo Hongguo, was an honest and unassuming worker, not good with words, just smiling憨厚ly as he carried a bag of fruit. His mother, Gong Xinlan, held Lin Yun's hand, looked him up and down, her eyes full of affection: "Xiaoyun, you are a golden phoenix that has flown out of our area, your grandfather is so lucky."
"Aunt Lan, please don't say that," Lin Yun said somewhat embarrassed. "Come in and sit down, the food will be ready soon."
Luo Hua, in a wheelchair, was pushed into the living room by Luo Feng. He was four years younger than Lin Yun, eleven years old this year, and had a cheerful and optimistic personality. Although he was disabled in both legs, he never complained. He curiously looked around the villa's furnishings, marveling, "Brother Lin Yun, this house is huge! It's bigger than ten houses back home!"
"Come stay often if you like," Lin Yun said with a smile. "There are plenty of rooms anyway."
Lin Guodong brought out plates of dishes from the kitchen, filling the table. The old man had specially cooked his signature dishes today—braised pork, sweet and sour pork ribs, steamed sea bass, garlic greens… The aroma filled the entire dining room.
Everyone sat around the dining table and ate in a lively atmosphere.
During the meal, Lin Yun and Luo Feng talked about cultivation.
"What level of strength have you reached now?" Lin Yun asked.
Luo Feng put down his chopsticks, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes: "Advanced student. Your punching power has already exceeded 800kg, and your speed is almost at the standard of a quasi-martial artist."
Lin Yun nodded, secretly pleased.
In the original story, Luo Feng reached the advanced student level at the age of seventeen. In this life, under his supervision and guidance, Luo Feng reached that level at the age of fifteen, a full two years ahead of schedule. The two grew up together, trained together, and sweated together. This healthy competitive relationship allowed Luo Feng's progress to far exceed that of the original story.
"Not bad," Lin Yun said. "At this rate, you'll be able to participate in the preliminary martial artist assessment before you turn sixteen."
"That's what I think too," Luo Feng grinned, "but I'm still far behind you. What exactly is your strength now? Intermediate Warrior? Or Advanced Warrior?"
Lin Yun didn't answer, he just smiled.
Luo Feng understood, shook his head, and sighed, "You pervert."
The two looked at each other and smiled.
After finishing their meal, Luo Feng and his family said goodbye and left.
Lin Yun stood at the door, watching their figures disappear into the moonlight, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.
He is not alone in this world. He has his grandfather, Luo Feng, and all those who care about and support him.
He wants to become stronger, not only for himself, but also to protect these people.
Lin Yun turned around and went back into the house, upstairs, and into his own room.
He sat cross-legged on the bed, took out a level-six crystal core from his spatial ring, held it in his palm, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate.
Gene energy flows slowly within the body, and the life energy in the crystal nucleus continuously flows into the body, nourishing every cell.
Peak of advanced warrior.
He's just one step away from becoming a war god.
He won't have to wait long for this step.