Chapter 42: Chapter 40: Taking the Stage

Just then, the team of Martial Artists that included Zhou Yu came forward.

Female Martial Artists were a rare sight, and with Zhou Yu’s pretty face, she instantly drew a great deal of attention.

Having witnessed the performance of her martial brothers, Zhou Yu took a deep breath. ’I have to do well and not bring shame to the Zhou Institute.’

“Whoa! Is that woman actually going to try for the Eight-Stone Bow?” someone whispered.

Zhou Yu walked slowly to the Eight-Stone Bow. Focusing her mind and gathering her strength, she began to draw back the string.

In an instant, her face turned beet red, and large beads of sweat broke out on her forehead.

As the bowstring moved slowly, the expressions on the faces of the crowd changed along with it.

“Draw!”

Zhou Yu let out a low cry as her strength exploded forth.

The bow was drawn!

HUMMM!

Her strength finally gave out. Her fingers slipped, and the bowstring released with a crisp hum.

“Such a shame…”

Zhou Yu couldn’t hide the dejection on her face. She had hoped to draw it twice, but her arms were already spent.

“Ji-15 (Zhou Yu), Grade B-Middle!”

This result could only be considered decent, far from outstanding.

Now, it was Qin Lie’s turn.

The disciples of the Zhou Institute all turned to look, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Zhou Yu said earnestly, “Junior Brother Qin Lie, we’re counting on you!”

Qin Lie said in a deep voice, “Don’t worry, Senior Sister. I won’t let you down.”

With that, he strode out onto the square.

From a distance, the watching Zhou Liang also focused his gaze on the field.

Shen Zhenzhong, who was beside him, smiled. “Brother Zhou, I can see that Qin Lie’s vitality is flourishing. He’s not far from achieving Great Success in Dark Force. I believe he’ll soon be able to attempt his third breakthrough. With his level of strength, passing this examination is practically a certainty.”

This was none other than Shen Zhenzhong, a Martial Artist from the Shen Institute. His Thirty-Six Paths of the Seven-Star Palm was quite famous in Gaolin County.

The Mantis Fist expert beside them, Liu Ze, stroked his mustache and added, “It seems Brother Zhou has invested a great deal of effort in this closed-door disciple of his.”

Zhou Liang had a few close friends among the other Martial Artists, and they all looked out for one another.

Besides Shen Zhenzhong of the Seven-Star Palm, Liu Ze of the Mantis Fist was also one of them. Both had met Qin Lie on several occasions.

In this world, what Martial Artist doesn’t have a few enemies? Taking on a closed-door disciple to provide for one’s old age and offer protection is a commonplace practice.

Satisfaction filled Zhou Liang’s eyes, but he immediately shook his head and sighed. “The third breakthrough… is still too difficult, in the end. He needs to consolidate his vitality further before he’ll have a chance to attempt it. Your beloved disciple, on the other hand, Brother Liu, has a much better chance.”

“What chance? He’s failed three times. I’d say he has no chance at all.”

“A ’chance’?”

A bitter smile touched Liu Ze’s lips. “That worthless disciple of mine has already failed three times… What chance could he possibly have left!”

He let out a long sigh and lamented, “This third breakthrough… in the end, it all comes down to fate.”

Manifest Force, Dark Force, and Transmutation Force—the three barriers are distinct.

The first two barriers, though fraught with peril, can still be overcome. But the third breakthrough is like a heavenly chasm, an impassable abyss. Those who can cross it are few and far between.

And for that, Root Bone, resources, and fortune are all indispensable.

Many eyes were drawn to him. Qin Lie was, after all, a fairly well-known young elite.

Qin Lie walked straight to the Nine-Stone Bow. He took a deep breath, his palm clamped down on the bowstring, and he suddenly put all his strength into it!

HUMMM!

He had actually managed to draw the heavy Nine-Stone Bow.

Qin Lie’s features twisted with the effort. His eyes swept over the crowd below as a roar tore from his throat.

VMM! VMM! VMM! VMM! VMM!

He drew it five times in a row, only stopping when his strength was completely depleted.

“Ji-19 (Qin Lie), Grade A-Low!” the Junior Official announced at the top of his lungs.

Gasps of astonishment erupted from the crowd, and the disciples from the Zhou Institute were overcome with excitement.

Only Zhengzi Bridge’s expression faltered for a moment before he quickly composed himself.

As for Luo Qian, watching the radiant Qin Lie, her heart was filled with a mix of emotions.

Sun Shun also nodded. “Junior Brother Qin is a shoo-in now.”

In the distance, Zhou Liang’s face showed his relief. A great weight had finally been lifted from his shoulders.

“Ji Team, withdraw! Ding Jia Team, step forward!”

The Junior Official’s command rang out.

In the Ding Jia Team, one person looked so nervous he nearly bumped into the Martial Artist in front of him. He hurriedly apologized, “Sorry! I’m so sorry!”

This person was Chen Heng.

His palms were slick with sweat and his heart pounded with anxiety. He repeatedly muttered to himself, ’Man proposes, God disposes… Man proposes, God disposes…’

Chen Qing was in the next team. Seeing Chen Heng’s lips moving as he muttered to himself, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. ’Is he still relying on superstition? As if that will help him pass!’

The Martial Artists of the Ding Jia Team began their strength test.

Chen Heng took a deep breath, then grabbed a Four-Stone Bow. Using all his strength, his arm trembled violently as he painstakingly drew the bowstring back inch by inch.

VMM!

A light twang from the bowstring sent a jolt of ecstasy through Chen Heng.

During practice at the Martial Arts Hall, the most he could ever draw was a Three-Stone Bow. This was already far beyond his usual performance.

“Ding Jia-15, Grade C-Middle!”

But the Junior Official’s cold announcement was like a bucket of icy water dumped over his head.

“’Grade C-Middle?’”

Chen Heng opened his mouth to protest, but he remembered his senior brother’s words and swallowed them back down. He silently followed his team off the platform, brushing past Chen Qing, who was preparing to go up.

Chen Heng puffed out his chest, affecting the tone of a seasoned veteran. “Don’t be nervous. Just do your best. There’s always next year.”

Chen Qing walked straight to the center of the training grounds as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

On the field, the various stone-weight bows were lined up in a row:

Three-Stone Bow.

Four-Stone Bow.

Five-Stone Bow.

Six-Stone Bow.

….

The Martial Artists of the Dingyi Team stepped forward one by one to select a longbow for the test.

Chen Qing, however, didn’t stop. He walked straight past them all, stopping only when he was in front of the Ten-Stone Bow.

Once you’ve spent some of your strength, it becomes much harder to draw a bow. For this reason, most Martial Artists played it safe and didn’t attempt to push their absolute limits.

Seeing Chen Qing take the field, Zhengzi Bridge muttered, “What is Junior Brother Chen doing?”

“The Ten-Stone Bow!?”

Luo Qian sneered. “Is this kid just trying to play to the crowd?”

“Junior Brother Chen is overreaching.”

Zhou Yu said worriedly, “If he exhausts all his strength on the first try, what will he have left for the rest of the test?”

When Qin Lie saw Chen Qing walk toward the Ten-Stone Bow—a bow that even he hadn’t attempted—his gaze involuntarily fixed on that figure, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.

He had attempted the Ten-Stone Bow before, but had only managed to draw it once out of ten tries, and with great difficulty at that.

Though it was only a one-stone difference from the Nine-Stone Bow, that small gap was incredibly difficult to bridge.

That was why, to play it safe, Qin Lie had chosen the Nine-Stone Bow.

No one believed Chen Qing could draw the Ten-Stone Bow. Even the veteran disciples didn’t dare attempt it. How long had it even been since he’d broken through to the Dark Force realm!?

It wasn’t just the people from the Zhou Institute. Most of the crowd had turned to watch.

After all, anyone who dared to challenge the Ten-Stone Bow was no simple character.

Judging by his clothes, he was just some country bumpkin!

Whether he was just grandstanding or had real strength, they were about to find out.

Under the watchful eyes of the entire crowd, Chen Qing grabbed the Ten-Stone Bow. The vitality within his body surged, and he began to put force into his arms.

CRACK! CRACK!

His Power erupted, accompanied by a series of sharp cracking sounds. The veins on his arm bulged, coiling and twisting like a ferocious Qiu Dragon.

CRREEEEAK! CRREEEEAK!

The bowstring, which required a pull of twelve hundred jin to draw, began to tremble. A series of groans escaped the string and the bow’s body.

THUD!

The sound was so powerful it seemed to take on physical substance, spreading out in every direction.

Instantly, the expression on every face changed.

….

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep