inspire-indiana Chapter 664 Fame Spreads Throughout the World 12
Chapter 664 Fame Spreads Throughout the World 12
The winter snow melted, and spring arrived in the capital. The day for the preliminary martial arts examination finally arrived.
The somber atmosphere at the western training ground dispelled the lingering chill.
The crowd was bustling with young talents from all corners of the world, their hearts filled with ambitions to be ennobled and appointed generals.
The clamor, tension, and probing gazes intertwined to form an invisible net.
Yun Chu stood in the long queue, her expression calm and composed.
During the routine roll call and physical examination, when she was led behind the screen for a routine check by the old official, a glint flashed in her eyes.
An imperceptible, soothing spiritual force gently brushed over the inspector's senses, enough to make him overlook any subtle differences that shouldn't exist. When his gaze swept over her deliberately flattened chest, he felt that everything was normal and he passed through smoothly.
The preliminary examination included a variety of tests: lifting stone weights, drawing a hard bow, wielding a 100-pound halberd, mounted archery, foot archery, and practicing basic fist, footwork, and swordplay.
Yun Chu's movements were not flashy; in fact, she deliberately restrained six-tenths of her strength and speed, maintaining only a level far above the passing grade and overwhelming most of the other talents in the field.
The hundred-pound stone lock felt as light as a feather in her hands, and she steadily passed it over her head, drawing gasps of amazement from those around her.
The powerful bow was easily drawn to its full extent, and three arrows were fired in quick succession, each piercing a wooden stake as thick as a thumb a hundred paces away.
The halberd, twelve feet long, moved like a silver snake in her hands, effortlessly wielding heavy weapons. Every strike, sweep, point, and flick contained the profound meaning of handling lightness with weight and weight with ease, a perfect harmony of inner energy and martial arts skills reaching the pinnacle. This caused the eyes of the several military instructors present to suddenly become serious.
The swordsmanship was utterly devoid of any artifice; the moves were the routines of ordinary military drills, yet each strike was precise, concise, and efficient, stopping short of the intended attack and leaving the examiners guessing what would happen next. The lingering sword energy in the air made the examiners who were close by feel a slight tightness in their skin.
She did not reveal any strange or unusual abilities, nor did she use any exquisite martial arts techniques that exceeded the scope of the assessment.
What is displayed is only the purest, most solid, and most impeccable physical qualities and martial arts foundation—the basics, yet so powerful they are breathtaking.
Her grades were all among the best, and she surpassed everyone else by a large margin in every aspect.
Her composed and confident demeanor, her maturity and magnanimity far beyond her years, had already made her the most dazzling presence in the entire preliminary examination hall.
Ling Han's name began to spread among thousands of candidates.
On the day of the final exam, outside the Forbidden City, at the martial arts training ground.
Hundreds of elites who passed the preliminary exam gathered together.
The emperor sat high on the viewing platform, with civil and military officials standing solemnly on both sides. Banners fluttered, armor gleamed, and a solemn atmosphere enveloped the heavens and earth.
The final assessment is a one-on-one practical skills competition!
Only by winning first place here can one truly catch the emperor's eye and qualify for the imperial examination!
The opponents are young powerhouses selected through multiple rounds of screening, each with a distinguished background or an impressive track record.
Some people possess immense strength, some are as swift as the wind, and some have unparalleled swordsmanship.
It was Yun Chu's turn to take the stage.
The opponent was a burly swordsman and shield bearer from the border army, who had experienced the baptism of war. He was fierce and brave, with eyes like a hawk.
"Please." Yun Chu stood still, sword in hand, her voice clear and steady.
The battle begins!
The swordsmen roared and charged forward, shields protecting them, their blades flashing like bolts of lightning! Their momentum was astonishing.
Yun Chu advanced instead of retreating!
His figure cut into the gap between the blades like a phantom. The Cold Moon Sword was not yet drawn, and he only lightly touched the edge of the shield with the scabbard—the position was perfect, just when the opponent was most vulnerable and difficult to defend against.
A subtle, gentle force penetrated the shield!
The burly swordsman and shieldman shuddered violently, feeling a strange force guiding his own power back at him!
He stumbled back three steps, his shield-wielding arm aching and numb, his blood churning! His face instantly filled with horror! What kind of technique was this, using an opponent's force against them? He'd never heard of it before!
Before he could regroup, Yun Chu's figure had already closed in! The Cold Moon Sword was suddenly drawn three inches from its sheath!
The sword light was not a thrust, but a slash condensed to the extreme!
It wasn't aimed at the opponent's vitals, but rather precisely sliced through the buckle of his arm armor strap!
"Ding!"
A crisp sound of metal breaking echoed throughout the venue!
The burly swordsman's heavy arm armor slid off with a thud and crashed onto the bluestone floor with a dull thud!
He felt his arm suddenly lighten, but a chilling sword aura had already solidified three inches in front of his throat.
"You flatter me." Yun Chu sheathed her sword with fluid movements, as if she were merely dusting it off.
Quick! Bizarre! Effortless!
The hall fell silent! The emperor looked approving, and the Minister of War stroked his beard and nodded.
The subsequent battles were even more thrilling:
*A battle against a swordsman with extremely fast movements. The swordsman is like a butterfly flitting among flowers, his sword flashing in the distance.
Yun Chu, however, seemed to have foreseen the future. Her movements were simple and efficient, and each move precisely blocked the path of her opponent's next attack.
With the utmost precision, the Cold Moon Sword parried the vital attacks, then lightly tapped the opponent's joints and tendons several times with the end of the hilt before finally knocking the sword from his hand.
*Facing a burly man who specializes in Iron Shirt martial arts. The opponent roars and charges at him without dodging or avoiding.
Yun Chu avoided the opponent's sharp edge, her figure elusive, the cold moon sword sheath sometimes pointing, sometimes brushing, each time precisely landing on the opponent's weak point or the point where qi and blood flowed, like a butcher carving up an ox.
The burly man possessed immense strength but had nowhere to wield it. After several attempts, his breathing became disordered, and his face turned as red as blood. Finally, Yun Chuyi struck his Tanzhong acupoint with a seemingly gentle palm strike that actually contained a shocking force, and his massive body crashed to the ground!
*A battle against the scions of renowned spear-wielding families from the North. A forest of spears, blocking all directions.
Yun Chu, however, was like a fish swimming upstream, cutting into the net of spears at an incredible angle. With a flick and twist of the Cold Moon Sword along the spear shaft, she deflected the spear, and the tip of the sword instantly touched the edge of the breastplate on the opponent's chest.
What she displayed was not flashy moves, but a terrifying understanding of the essence of combat: precise timing, flawless exploitation of weaknesses, exquisite application of power (transformation between hardness and softness), extremely simple movements, and an inner strength as solid as a rock yet containing a storm within.
Each victory was met with thunderous applause from the audience after a period of suppressed excitement! The emperor's gaze also grew increasingly appreciative.
Finally, she stood in the center of the arena for the final showdown. Her opponent was another highly popular son of a military family who had also swept aside his peers.
The moment the two clashed, they attracted everyone's attention, their metallic clang resounding like a symphony!
Ten moves! Just ten moves!
When the opponent unleashed his full power and used the "Mountain-Breaking Spear" that condensed his life's strength, Yun Chu's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Instead of retreating, she advanced and charged towards the spear's force that was tearing through the air!
Just as the spear tip touched her body, she swayed slightly like smoke, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow, while simultaneously swiftly slashing upwards with her Cold Moon Sword!
"Qiang——!"
A sharp, tearing sound!
The opponent's spearhead, forged from fine steel and seemingly indestructible, was actually severed at the root by the Cold Moon Sword!
The broken gun fell to the ground! The opponent's hands, which were gripping the gun, were shaken so badly that blood flowed from their thumbs and forefingers, and he stood there dumbfounded!
Yun Chu's sword tip was already firmly poised to strike his throat.
A dead silence!
Immediately, thunderous cheers, exclamations of surprise, and incredulous discussions erupted! It almost lifted the glazed tiles from the eaves of the Forbidden City!
The emperor clapped his hands and laughed, "Well done! Well done, Ling Han! What a fast sword! What exquisite skill!" His eyes were full of admiration and scrutiny as he looked at Yun Chu.
The martial arts examination has concluded, and the name "Ling Han" resounds throughout the capital! He rightfully earned the top spot!
On the day the top scholar rode through the streets on horseback, the entire capital was in an uproar, with everyone eager to witness this martial arts champion who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere!
Young, handsome, with an extraordinary demeanor, and his martial arts skills are unfathomable!
No one knows her true origins or gender. The secrecy of the Heavenly Secrets Sect and the disguise of the system are the most solid barriers.
While riding through the streets, Yun Chu shouted that "he" was a disciple of the Tianji Sect. He had thought that being under the Emperor's tutelage would give him a worthy opponent, but he was greatly disappointed.
After saying that, Yun Chu flew away.
Leaving everyone stunned!
The current emperor was tricked and wanted to issue an order to arrest him, but the words "Heavenly Secrets" were carved on his desk (carved by fire iron flying ants).
These people from the Heavenly Secrets Sect can come and go freely in his palace! How high must their skill be!
Issuing a warrant for his arrest is completely useless; in fact, it could put his life in danger.
In the end, the emperor could only let the matter drop.
Because of Yun Chu's actions, the Tianji Sect truly became famous throughout the world.