Chapter 319: The Evaluation
Chapter 319: The Evaluation
As soon as Hong Fu paused, her voice echoed again, "Chen, your application has been accepted. The evaluation will take place at 3:00 PM on June 5th, at the Specialized Testing Arena on the 60th floor. The main examiner will be Teacher Jiang Tian. Please arrive at the designated examination location on time, as late arrivals will result in the cancellation of your evaluation eligibility. Please consider this carefully."
Since there was an evaluation tomorrow, Chen Chuan didn't engage in overly exhausting training today. Instead, after taking his medication, he did some regular free sparring and practiced some breathing techniques to sharpen his focus and energy.
At 2:50 PM, Chen Chuan changed into his uniform, gathered his belongings, and held the Snow Lady Sword. He took the elevator to the 60th floor.
When the elevator doors opened, he walked down a short corridor and entered the evaluation arena. The entire floor was a training ground, and as his gaze swept across, he felt like he couldn't see the end.
At this moment, the teachers and students responsible for the evaluation were already at the arena entrance.
Among them was the main examiner, Teacher Jiang Tian, a man in his thirties with long hair and unruly facial hair. His shirt buttons were left undone, and his hands were in his pockets, giving him a more bohemian appearance, almost like an artist.
Not far away was an assistant teacher responsible for recording the evaluation, and the last person was a student in his early twenties, presumably the senior student who would spar with Chen Chuan.
After all, the gap between a teacher and a student who had just enrolled was significant. While the teacher could make better assessments, an unexciting match would inevitably affect the students' performance to some extent.
"Ah, you're here," Teacher Jiang Tian said, looking at Chen Chuan with an expression that seemed to ask if he had eaten.
"Hello, Teacher Jiang," Chen Chuan greeted him.
The senior student also sized up Chen Chuan and nodded politely in return.
The assistant teacher recording the evaluation glanced at the two of them and then looked down again, unconsciously tapping his pen. He was already thinking about finishing up quickly.
Students who were subjected to such evaluations typically had very limited skills, so there wasn't much to watch.
At this moment, Teacher Jiang Tian flipped through Chen Chuan's records, "Oh, in just a few months, you've improved your grades from below average to above average. This isn't even your recent record. At the time, you didn't take the evaluation because you believed you still had room for improvement. Hmm, let me see your performance later..."
Chen Chuan said, "Teacher Jiang, I'm ready."
The assistant teacher reminded him, "Chen, please wait a moment. You're not the only one who applied for the evaluation. There's another student before you."
Just then, they heard the sound of the elevator doors opening outside, followed by the entrance of a male student who was about half a head shorter than Chen Chuan.
He walked up, slightly nervous, and approached the group, saying, "Hello, teachers and senior. My name is Liang Xin."
Teacher Jiang Tian said, "Even though it's not quite time yet, since you're here, let's start early. The sooner we finish the evaluation, the sooner we can all go back to rest."
The assistant teacher said, "You can use your own weapons, or you can choose from the weapon rack here. You should have read the evaluation rules in advance, so I won't remind you again."
Liang Xin didn't bring a weapon with him. He walked to the side, picked up a three-meter-long spear, and carried it to the center of the arena.
The assistant teacher observed that it was rare for students to use such a large spear because it was not very convenient.
Even with retractable and detachable poles, fighting with it required an extra action to pull and assemble. Without a teammate's cover, who would give you that chance? It would be better to prepare a couple of short sticks or short spears; even a two-section or three-section staff would be more convenient.
At this moment, Teacher Jiang Tian turned to the senior student and asked, "How are you feeling?"
The senior student replied, "No problem, teacher." He walked to the side, picked up a large spear as well, but it was slightly shorter than Liang Xin's, measuring just over two meters.
The assistant teacher picked up the recording board to document the evaluation. Although Hong Fu could record the entire process, paper documentation was required for archiving and cross-referencing.
The performance in the evaluation depended on the students themselves, but the final score was ultimately up to the main examiner. A strict or lenient examiner could make a significant difference in the grading.
These two students were quite lucky to have a relatively easy-going main examiner who would pass them as long as they didn't perform too poorly.
After receiving the long spear, Liang Xin's initial nervousness quickly dissipated, and he instantly became confident and spirited. Waiting for Teacher Jiang Tian's signal to begin, Liang Xin held the spear firmly, aiming it directly at the senior student.
After a brief moment of eye contact, Liang Xin took the initiative and thrust his spear towards the senior student. At that moment, the senior student suddenly leaned forward and then, using the momentum of rising, forcefully rubbed Liang Xin's spear shaft.
In an instant, a powerful force transmitted through the spear, causing Liang Xin's hands to go numb. The spear slipped from his grasp and rolled out of his palm. Realizing his mistake, Liang Xin tried to grab it again, but the senior student's spear was already pointing at his chest, forcing him to retreat.
Guo Xueyuan, at this moment, hooked his heel and caught the falling long spear in mid-air, bringing it to his hand. He took a step back, planted the spear vertically on the ground, and said, "Junior, no need to continue the fight."
The focus of this test was on weapon-handling skills, and with the weapon knocked away, there was no point in continuing the match.
Liang Xueyong was genuinely surprised that the test ended in a single exchange. His face paled, unable to hide his disappointment.
Chen Chuan, standing nearby, had witnessed the entire process. On the surface, it seemed that Guo Xueyuan had seized the perfect opportunity, but in reality, he had predicted the opponent's initial stance and spear positioning, subtly guiding them to attack specific areas.
This was a clear demonstration of the difference in combat experience and wisdom. Liang Xueyong had been at a disadvantage from the start, and in a genuine test of skills, the gap between the two was not as significant.
Liang Xueyong seemed to realize where he had fallen short. His expression showed discontent and frustration, feeling that he had only been momentarily careless. If they were to fight seriously, he was certain he wouldn't be led astray again and could showcase his skills.
At this moment, Jiang Laoshi spoke up, "Alright, Liang Xueyong. If you're not satisfied, you'll have another testing opportunity later, but you'll have to wait for Chen Chuan's test to finish."
Hearing this, Liang Xueyong retreated to the side, knowing that even with a second chance, his evaluation score wouldn't be as high as the first attempt. Still, it was better than nothing.
The assistant instructor turned to Chen Chuan, "Chen Chuan, it's your turn."
Chen Chuan looked at Guo Xueyuan and suggested, "Senior, why don't we take a short break first?"
Guo Xueyuan nodded and stepped aside to catch his breath. Although he had only made one move, that single release of power had concentrated all his strength. If he could defeat the testee quickly, he could also increase his evaluation score. He needed to be in top form to face Chen Chuan.
Two minutes later, Guo Xueyuan was ready. He strode into the arena with his long spear and nodded at Chen Chuan, "Junior, I'm ready."
Chen Chuan drew his sword and approached, holding it with both hands in front of him, the tip pointing directly at Guo Xueyuan.
Guo Xueyuan sank his waist, holding the spear with one hand on the tail, leaving only a short section of the tail exposed, while the other hand gripped the middle section, pointing diagonally at Chen Chuan.
After a brief standoff, Guo Xueyuan made the first move, twisting his waist and hips to thrust the spear forward.
Chen Chuan remained motionless. Just as the spear was about to touch his body, he still didn't react. Guo Xueyuan furrowed his brows slightly, but he wasn't deterred. The spear could have shifted between real and feigned attacks, but Chen Chuan had already anticipated his move. He tapped the spear upward.
However, Chen Chuan's side-step was incredibly swift, avoiding the spear tip in an almost impossible move. As his body followed the spear's path, his long sword slid along the spear shaft, aiming a strike at Guo Xueyuan's weapon-holding hand.
At this moment, Guo Xueyuan only needed to exert force from his waist and abdomen to block the incoming sword and even sweep Chen Chuan off his feet with enough power.
But suddenly, he felt a heavy and sticky force on the spear, preventing him from dislodging it. Realizing his strength was no match for Chen Chuan's, he reluctantly released his grip, abandoning the spear.
Unfazed, Guo Xueyong was determined not to repeat Liang Xueyong's mistake of being controlled after discarding his weapon. In his spear technique, there was a move called the "Dragon Tail Sweep," which allowed him to recapture the spear and counterattack his opponent.
Typically, by grasping the spear tail with his fingers, he could twist and retrieve the spear using the force exerted. However, Chen Chuan's advancing sword was steady and swift, leaving Guo Xueyong no opportunity to do so. He had to dodge the incoming sword strike first.
As he spun, his trailing foot lifted the spear, which had dropped below, back to the upper position. With a swift twist of his body, he gripped the spear shaft with both hands, and in a swift reversal, he aimed the spear tail tip at Chen Chuan.
The recording instructor witnessing this move couldn't help but silently exclaim in admiration. The Dragon Tail Sweep was executed perfectly, allowing defense and counterattack simultaneously.
As Chen Chuan spun to dodge, the force from his initial sword strike seemed to have dissipated. The subsequent power transmission was the reason Guo Xueyuan dared to make his next move.
However, at this moment, the altered tissue within Chen Chuan's body activated, and his movements became fluid and continuous, pushing him forward without pause.
Chen Chuan stepped forward with his left foot, raising his left hand to press against the back of his sword. A semi-circular arc of light appeared on the side of Guo Xueyong's neck, who had not yet fully turned around. Feeling a chill on his neck, Guo Xueyong froze in place.
...
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(End of Chapter)
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