In the earliest simulation, Chen Xiaojin had initially launched his attack by leaping into the air, but this time he did not.
While jumping did add a bit of power, he had realized he could compensate for that deficit by adjusting his posture. Furthermore, he noticed that regardless of which angle he attacked from, the opponent invariably raised a fist to meet him, remaining rooted to the spot.
He reasoned that this was likely tied to the examiner's subsequent method of exerting force, so he altered his offensive approach, thereby evading the subsequent grapple.
Seeing the adjustment he made, Chen Chuan nodded inwardly. This showed that Chen Xiaojin was not rigid or stubborn. Though his knack for seizing combat openings was mediocre, he knew how to think and question.
Even though Chen Chuan had provided a train of thought, the boy hadn't blindly accepted it as absolute truth or the optimal choice. Instead, he made constructive modifications of his own. With such potential, there was a real chance he could forge his own path in the future.
Though this might seem simple, it required overturning the initial approach given to him while finding an alternative way to exert force to make up for his lack of raw power.
Chen Chuan had hoped Chen Xiaojin could achieve this.
Had Chen Xiaojin failed, it would only have proven that while his focus was high, his mental flexibility was still lacking. In that case, Chen Chuan would have scrapped his original teaching plan and switched to another method.
Different personalities and traits required different methods of teaching and guidance; only then could an individual's latent potential be fully unearthed.
But that was a matter for later.
For the moment, even though Chen Xiaojin had successfully evaded the opponent's grapple, that alone was not enough. Ultimately, this challenge was about securing victory; if he could not win, it was entirely meaningless.
Chen Chuan said, "Given enough time, you could indeed find a way. But because of your lack of experience, even if the boundary field resources were kept open to you indefinitely, it would take at least a month.
"By then, you would miss the chance for the assessment—not to mention that others would get ahead of you.
"So here is one more hint. Watch closely."
Chen Xiaojin turned around. He saw another version of himself appear in the arena, but this time, the projection followed the attack method he had just used.
Yet after repelling the opponent with a strike, instead of rolling back to evade, the projection allowed the opponent's hands to latch onto him.
At the very instant the opponent gripped him, however, the simulated youth suddenly snapped a kick out, striking square into the hollow of the opponent's knee. That forced the opponent's posture to buckle sideways.
If it were orthodox grappling jin, once the throw or bear-hug mechanics engaged, even if it failed to subdue an enemy immediately, the mutated tissue throughout the entire body would become fully taut and braced, completely impervious to ordinary punches and kicks. But this examiner clearly lacked that trait.
Seizing that momentary opening, the simulated Chen Xiaojin suddenly flipped backward, clamped both legs around the opponent's neck, twisted his hips—
*Crack!*
He snapped the neck cleanly.
"This..."
Even though he wasn't the one fighting in person, watching this unfold left Chen Xiaojin breathing heavily, his adrenaline surging.
Chen Chuan said, "In theory, you can defeat the examiner. But the sequence just now demands an extremely high level of precision: the angle of exertion, the explosive burst of power, the timing of the strike, and so forth. A single slip, and your chance is gone.
"I'll give you the morning. If you can successfully defeat the examiner, you'll earn the eligibility to enter the tournament. If you can't pass, give it up for now, polish yourself first, and worry about other things later."
He knew Chen Xiaojin possessed tremendous tenacity—the type who grew fiercer with every setback and could unleash his inner potential in extreme situations. Thus, he intentionally ratcheted up the pressure.
Chen Xiaojin inhaled deeply, his gaze turning intensely focused. In that moment, everything else seemed to fade; the only thing in his eyes was the opponent before him.
Over the next several hours, he relentlessly charged the opponent, suffering failure after failure.
Yet he didn't blindly mimic the exact sequence shown; he continuously experimented with his own adjustments.
Chen Chuan stood calmly to the side, watching. Strictly speaking, the disparity in strength between the two was vast; this was not a fair contest.
However, he could tell this was a problem specifically devised by the tournament organizers for the students. Those who could understand the problem and overcome it were likely the ones the organizers truly cared about.
Chen Chuan didn't care whether the organizers offered additional benefits—anything they could give wouldn't match what he could provide. He merely wanted to use this platform to hone Chen Xiaojin and steadily draw out his potential.
The morning slipped by quickly. Only the final half hour remained until noon, yet Chen Xiaojin had still failed to make a breakthrough.
Moreover, due to physical exhaustion, his movements were growing increasingly sluggish.
At this point, Chen Xiaojin halted. He stepped aside, drank some water, ate a slice of dried meat Chen Chuan had given him, and sat cross-legged to rest.
Chen Chuan stood by without making a sound.
Ten-odd minutes later, Chen Xiaojin opened his eyes, which now gleamed brightly.
He stared at his opponent. He had realized earlier that every time he kicked the examiner's knee, he couldn't produce the effect seen in the simulation. This was likely an issue of physical coordination—after all, the simulation depicted his ideal state, which he currently could not match.
So he had devised another way.
He rose from the floor, took several strides forward, and suddenly leaped into the air.
This time, he leaped extraordinarily high. Mid-air, he flipped upside down, throwing a punch down toward the examiner from an inverted position!
Yun Kui tilted his head up and threw an identical upward punch. When their fists collided, because Chen Xiaojin had channeled his power so thoroughly this time, the opponent was forced back two steps.
Chen Xiaojin, on the other hand, used the impact to rebound slightly higher. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the opponent immediately steadying himself and reaching out to seize him.
At that moment, Chen Xiaojin suddenly twisted mid-air and landed a heavy kick against the side of Yun Kui's skull, dazing him, while his own body inevitably plummeted downward.
Right then, he executed another move: catching the opponent's arm with one hand, he engaged his abdominal muscles to raise both legs and hook them around the neck. The moment his feet touched the ground, he used the arm as a pivot and snapped his hips around. A sharp crack sounded instantly, and he felt the body beneath him go limp, toppling forward. The moment he landed, he planted a hand on the floor and sprang backward.
Watching the fallen body, he wiped the sweat pouring down his forehead, panting heavily.
In that fleeting instant, his mental and physical stamina had been drained almost completely. Every inch of his muscle trembled faintly; even standing upright took sheer effort now.
After a long moment, he looked toward Chen Chuan. "Teacher."
Chen Chuan looked at him and said, "You passed."
Chen Xiaojin let out a low cheer and pumped his fist vigorously.
Chen Chuan recalled the moment Chen Xiaojin leaped into the air—it was as if Chen Bitong's Flying Dragon Fist Jin had unfolded before his eyes.
He said, "Xiaojin, next I'll be putting you through a series of special training sessions. The intensity will be quite high, and it might be very tough to endure. You need to be mentally prepared."
Chen Xiaojin said firmly, "Teacher, I can do it."
Chen Chuan tapped his boundary credential, transmitting a pre-drafted regimen over to Chen Xiaojin.
Chen Xiaojin followed the path of loose-hand jin. Though unremarkable on the surface, it offered greater malleability and potential. With a single glance, Chen Chuan could foresee how Chen Xiaojin's mutated tissue would develop, so he tailored a cultivation method specifically for him.
"From now on, cultivate according to these steps. If there's anything you don't understand, come and ask me. I have some business to attend to tomorrow and need to leave for a few days. Train on your own during this time. Go to the assessment by yourself; I won't be accompanying you. I believe you can pass."
"Yes, Teacher!" Chen Xiaojin nodded vigorously.
After giving his instructions, Chen Chuan had him rest for a bit, then guided him through practice drills based on his pointers, correcting several mistakes until the youth could execute them properly on his own before calling a halt.
He then left behind a bag of dried meat, leaving the boy to train alone inside. Stepping out, he said to Hongfu, "During the assessment, ensure the safety of both the student and the examiner."
Hongfu replied, "Understood, Section Chief Chen. We will guarantee the safety of every examiner and student."
Chen Chuan knew that while simulated combat was fierce, the actual assessment usually did not go to the bitter end. Once a decisive, game-winning maneuver was demonstrated, a pass would be awarded immediately.
After leaving the academy, he returned home to freshen up. When the time approached, he changed his clothes and arrived at the Shutianxia Hotel to attend a celebratory banquet with Delegation Leader Jiang, Delegation Leader Xie, and the members of the two visiting delegations.
Due to his special status, Mr. Fan had already returned to Zhongjing without entering Center City, and thus did not attend.
Nor did Chu Zhixian make an appearance. No one cared about his absence; the delegations were dissolved anyway, and unless one held an office in the Central Government, they might never cross paths again.
During the banquet, Chen Chuan learned from Delegation Leader Jiang that the higher-level meetings had not yet concluded. This matter did not pertain solely to him, but also involved matters concerning Skyline.
With the addition of a world-class Dongxuan View martial artist like him, the scales of power were tipping toward the faction supporting Skyline, while the opposing side sought to swing them back into equilibrium. It was entirely foreseeable that a turbulent shakeup would follow.
After the banquet concluded, Chen Chuan bid farewell to the members of the delegation. As he walked out, he saw Gui Zihan waiting for him.
"Team Leader Gui, is something the matter?"
Gui Zihan said solemnly, "Section Chief Chen, during this visit, I learned a great deal from you. If you ever need me to do anything, just send a telegram. Also, once I return, I will do everything I can to push Hedong Dao into joining Skyline."
Although he did not hold an office in Center City, the stance of a martial artist stationed here carried significant weight. This did not stem from hero worship of Chen Chuan, but from a heartfelt endorsement of what Chen Chuan was doing. Moreover, over the past few days, he had personally experienced the convenience Skyline brought, as well as the benefits it would offer in combating the Great Impact in the future.
Chen Chuan looked at him, smiled, and said, "Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony."
After parting ways with Gui Zihan, he returned home and rested peacefully for the night. The next day, he headed to the branch, met up with Mr. Zhuan and his companion, and together they boarded an airship, heading for the Purist Faction headquarters.
Chapter 1348