Chapter 319: The Exam
Chapter 319: The Exam
As soon as there was a brief pause from the other end, Hong Fu's voice could be heard again, "Chen Chuan, your application has been accepted."
"The exam will take place at 3:00 PM on June 5th, at the Specialized Examination Arena on the 60th floor. The main examiner will be Jiang Tian. Please arrive at the designated exam location on time; otherwise, your eligibility for this exam will be canceled. Please make your decision carefully."
Since there was an exam tomorrow, Chen Chuan didn't want to tire himself out with intense training. Instead, he took his medication and did some regular unarmed combat exercises and practiced some breathing techniques to sharpen his focus and energy.
At 2:50 PM, Chen Chuan changed into his school uniform, gathered the necessary items, and held the Xuejun Blade. He then took the elevator to the 60th floor.
When the elevator doors opened, he walked through a short corridor and entered the examination area, discovering that the entire floor was filled with training grounds. As his eyes scanned the space, he felt like he was looking into an endless expanse.
At this moment, there were already teachers and students responsible for the exam at the arena entrance.
Among them was the main examiner, Jiang Tian, a man in his thirties with long hair and a scruffy beard. He had an unbuttoned shirt collar and his hands in his pockets, giving him a carefree appearance.
Not far away was an assistant teacher responsible for recording the exam, and the last person was a student around twenty years old, likely the senior student who would spar with Chen Chuan.
After all, the gap between a teacher and a newly admitted student is quite significant, and it can affect performance to some extent.
"Looks like you're ready," Jiang Tian said, his tone implying he was asking if Chen Chuan had eaten.
"Hello, Teacher Jiang," Chen Chuan greeted him.
The senior student also sized up Chen Chuan and nodded politely in greeting.
Chen Chuan reciprocated with a polite nod.
The assistant teacher, meanwhile, glanced up at the two of them and then continued to tap his pen unconsciously, eager for the exam to be over soon.
After all, students who undergo such exams typically have limited skills, and there isn't much to watch.
Jiang Tian flipped through Chen Chuan's records and commented, "Just a few months ago, your grades went from below average to above average. Did you think you had room for improvement back then? Hmm, let's see how you perform today..."
Chen Chuan replied, "Teacher Jiang, I'm ready."
The assistant teacher reminded him, "Chen Chuan, please wait a moment. You're not the only one taking the exam today. There's another student before you."
At that moment, they heard the sound of the elevator doors opening, and a male student, slightly shorter than Chen Chuan, entered the arena.
As the student, Liang Xin, approached, he appeared slightly nervous. He greeted the teachers and the senior student, saying, "Hello, teachers and senior. My name is Liang Xin."
Jiang Tian said, "Even though it's not exactly the appointed time, since you're here, let's begin. The sooner we finish the evaluation, the sooner we can all rest."
The assistant teacher added, "You can use your own weapons or choose from the weapons on the rack over there. You should have read the exam rules beforehand, so I won't repeat them."
Liang Xin hadn't brought a weapon with him, so he went to the side and picked up a three-meter-long spear. He lifted it with ease and stood in position.
The assistant teacher observed that students rarely chose such large weapons due to their inconvenience.
Even with retractable or collapsible spears, one would still need to pull and assemble them during combat, and without a teammate's cover, such an opportunity might not arise. It would be more practical to prepare two short weapons or short spears, or even a two-section or three-section staff.
Jiang Tian turned to the senior student and asked, "How are you feeling?"
The senior student replied, "No issues here, teacher." He went to the side and picked up a spear, slightly shorter than Liang Xin's, measuring just over two meters.
The assistant teacher took out the record book to document the exam, even though Hong Fu could record the entire process. However, paper documentation was necessary for archiving, allowing for cross-referencing.
The students' performance and their ability to showcase their skills were up to them, but the final score depended on the examiner's evaluation. A strict or lenient examiner could significantly impact the grading.
These two students were fortunate to have a relatively lenient examiner who would pass them as long as they didn't perform terribly.
After Liang Xin obtained the long spear, his initial nervousness vanished, and he stood tall with newfound confidence. As soon as Jiang Tian signaled the start, Liang Xin leveled his spear, aiming it at the senior student.
After a brief exchange of glances, Liang Xin took the initiative and thrust his spear towards the senior student. However, the senior student suddenly leaned forward, and as he straightened up, he swiftly rubbed the incoming 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 grip and rolled out of his palms. Realizing the situation, Liang Xin tried to grab it again, but the senior student's spear was already pointed at his chest, forcing him to retreat.
Guo Xueyuan, the senior student, swiftly hooked his foot around the handle of the long spear that had just been knocked down, bringing it into his grasp. He took a step back, planted the spear vertically on the ground, and said, "Junior, there's no need to continue the fight."
The primary focus of this evaluation was the students' weapon handling skills. With the weapon disarmed, there was no point in continuing the match.
Liang Xueyou was genuinely surprised that the assessment ended after a single exchange, and his face paled.
Chen Chuan, witnessing the entire process, observed that while Guo seemed to have seized the perfect opportunity, it was actually his accurate prediction of the opponent's initial strike that led to this outcome. It wasn't just his exceptional judgment but also his initial stance and the way he held the spear, subtly guiding the opponent to attack specific, fixed points.
This revealed a gap in combat experience and wisdom. Liang Xueyou had been somewhat unfairly defeated, as a true test of skill would not have resulted in such a significant disparity between the two.
At this moment, Liang seemed to realize where he had fallen short. His expression was one of resentment and defiance, feeling that he had only been momentarily careless. If they were to engage in a serious fight, he was certain he wouldn't be led astray by his opponent again, and he could showcase his skills.
Teacher Jiang spoke up, "Alright, Xueyou, if you're not satisfied, you'll have another chance later. But you'll have to wait until Chen Chuan's evaluation is complete."
Hearing this, Liang obediently retreated to the side. Although he had a second chance, his evaluation score would undoubtedly be lower than the first attempt. Still, it was better than having none.
The assistant teacher turned to Chen Chuan and said, "Chen Chuan, it's your turn now."
Chen Chuan looked at Guo and suggested, "Senior, why don't you take a quick break first?"
Guo nodded and stepped aside to adjust his breathing. Although he had just exerted his full strength, he needed to be in optimal condition to face his opponent, which could earn him additional evaluation points.
After a two-minute break, Guo returned to the arena with his long spear, nodding to Chen Chuan, "Junior, I'm ready."
Chen Chuan drew his sword and approached Guo, holding the sword with both hands in front of him, the tip pointing directly at Guo's centerline.
Guo widened his stance, sinking his waist, and held the spear with one hand on the handle, leaving only a short section of the spearhead exposed, while the other hand gripped the middle section, pointing diagonally towards Chen Chuan.
Both participants stood in a brief standoff, and then Guo initiated the attack, twisting his hips, and the long spear came swinging.
Chen Chuan, however, remained motionless. As the spearhead was about to make contact with his body, he swiftly sidestepped with incredible speed, avoiding the spearhead. His body moved along the path of the spear, and his sword followed, swiping towards Guo's spear-wielding hand.
At this moment, Guo only needed to exert force with his waist and abdomen to deflect the sword and counter the attack. He could even sweep Chen Chuan off his feet.
However, Guo suddenly felt a heavy, sticky force on the spear, making it difficult to swing. This indicated that his strength was not sufficient to overpower Chen Chuan, leaving him no choice but to dodge the incoming sword strike.
Guo remained calm, determined not to be controlled by his opponent like Liang Xueyou had been. He knew a technique called the Throw-Catch Style, which allowed him to regain control of the spear and counterattack even after releasing it.
Usually, a simple grip on the spear with one hand could harness the force and regain control, but Chen Chuan's swift and stable sword strike left him no choice but to dodge.
As Guo spun to dodge, he used the momentum to twist his body, aiming to stab Chen Chuan with the spearhead.
The observing teacher couldn't help but admire this Dragon Tail Maneuver, which allowed Guo to evade and counterattack simultaneously.
When Chen Chuan dodged, his initial sword strike seemed to lose its momentum, requiring him to follow up with another move. This was the primary reason Guo felt confident in his next action.
However, at this moment, Guo's altered body tissues activated, propelling his body forward seamlessly.
Guo stepped forward with his left foot, raising his left hand to press down on the sword's spine, and in the next instant, the sword was already against Guo's neck, and he froze upon feeling the chill on his neck.
...
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(End)
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