Chapter 8: Practical Assessment

"You are Yang Tong from Class Five? I have long heard that you are now a trainee Level 3 martial artist. I would like to see just how formidable you are," Tong Zhengbin said, looking at Yang Tong.

Tong Zhengbin gradually became somewhat impatient and shouted, "Are you a turtle? How infuriating! Take this, Whirlwind Sweep Kick!" Tong Zhengbin swiftly spun around and executed a sweeping kick.

In simple terms, Yang Tong's body has not yet fully adapted to the sudden increase in neural responses

A qualified warrior learns to endure blows before striking others; this is a principle that Yang Tong understood from a young age. His father began training him early on, and Yang Tong learned to defend himself through the experience of taking hits

Yang Tong was unaware that her remarkable grades had attracted the attention of the school's higher-ups. However, Yang Tong was acutely aware of her own changes; her neural responses were three times faster than before

After about ten minutes of engagement, it was always Tong Zhengbin on the offensive while Yang Tong remained on the defensive

Such rapid progress in such a short time can only be explained by the mysterious copper coin that still resides within one's own sea of consciousness

At the moment Yang Tong executed this sweeping leg move, he captured its trajectory. However, it was already a bit late to evade, so he simply stepped forward, using a knee strike to counter Tong Zhengbin's ultimate move. Then, he sidestepped and delivered a shoulder charge, sending him flying out.

"Yang Tongsheng, the next round." The referee nodded and announced, glancing at Yang Tong. He was somewhat uncertain about this young man. It was evident that the youth's fundamental skills were exceptionally solid, his defensive capabilities were profound, and his defensive awareness was outstanding, comparable to many young masters in their twenties.

Yang Tong and a boy of the same age jumped onto the ring. The referee spoke up: "No hitting the head or the lower body, understood?"

It is and it is not; once I receive the first prize for this exam, I will be able to give it a try.

Each person received a set of leather armor and a leather helmet, which are not heavy when worn. They are made from a special type of beast hide, providing excellent protection for vital areas.

"Yang Tong, Tong Zhengbin. You two go first, Feng Xiaobo, Ge Lu prepare," a teacher responsible for managing the battle line shouted loudly.

This battle left Yang Tong in a very passive position, as he could only exert two to three tenths of his strength. His awareness was too quick, but his body could not keep up. What should he do

A grand arena at wwwhetushucom.com features forty-eight participants, who are divided into eight groups. The scoring system awards one point for a win, zero points for a draw, and deducts one point for a loss. The participant with the highest score in each group becomes the group leader. Subsequently, the eight group leaders compete in elimination rounds to determine the champion, who will then face off against the champions from sixteen other grand arenas in a knockout tournament.

After listening to the rules, Yang Tong calculated that he would need to play at least ten matches. Besides the frequent round-robin matches under the points system, there is sufficient rest time for the other matches.

"I acknowledge." Yang Tong said.

Yang Tong began to defend himself, as his body could no longer evade. This was different from the virtual body created during the neural response test, where the speed of consciousness dictated the speed of movement. Now, although his consciousness was quick, his body could not keep up.

The teacher in charge of the refereeing began distributing protective leather armor, stating as he handed them out: "The competition will stop at the designated point; one may concede defeat. Excessive force is not permitted, and intentional harm is prohibited; otherwise, strict penalties will be imposed according to school regulations"

However, Tong Zhengbin's practical experience is evidently very rich; when he launches a series of combination attacks, each strike targets vital points and joints

The body's speed cannot be matched in a short period; one can only slow down the rhythm to adapt to one's own body. Slow down... Yang Tongling had a sudden inspiration, "Tai Chi!"

This time, over a thousand students from the entire grade participated in the practical assessment, which is bound to take a long time to complete

Carefully recalling the previous competition, Yang Tong experienced a flash of inspiration, as if grasping something.

This leg movement is extremely fast, twice as quick as the previous strikes

This principle is quite simple; data is a concrete entity with ample room for growth. Moreover, the larger social context dictates that if one cannot pass practical assessments, how can one expect to leave the county? Therefore, schools begin cultivating students' practical abilities from a young age, placing great emphasis on practical experience; otherwise, there would be no need to offer substantial rewards.

"Hmph, I want to see how long you can hide," Tong Zhengbin said angrily, as his fist and leg speed began to accelerate

Tong Zhengbin rushed over, bending down, and in the blink of an eye, he was in front of Yang Tong, delivering a fierce kick.

"Can this copper coin not only attract energy but also enhance my neural responses?" Yang Tong muttered to himself, his voice very low.

"Good! I didn't realize your defense was so strong, even able to withstand the fierce attacks from Baofeng Bin, impressive!" Feng Xiaobo is much more outgoing than Yang Tong and is well-informed; he has heard of Tong Zhengbin's nickname and knows that his practical combat ability is very strong

Tong Zhengbin stood up, patted his chest, and replied: "You are impressive, I concede."

Yang Tong received his number plate from the class teacher. Generally, as long as the previous data exam scores are passing and the performance in the practical assessment is not too poor, graduation is achievable. However, if the exam data is excellent but the practical assessment is very poor, a retake will be required. Conversely, if the exam data is unsatisfactory but the practical assessment is strong, graduation can still be granted

"Hehe, it's your turn now, go ahead, do your best." Yang Tong smiled slightly, feeling quite fond of this deskmate.

Yang Tong furrowed his brows, constantly evading. His practical combat experience was not lacking, as he had a skilled father at home who often sparred with him. The reason he did not retaliate was that he needed time to adjust his own state.

"Begin!" the referee announced

Tong Zhengbin's ultimate move was interrupted midway, causing him great discomfort. Before he could stabilize his footing and secure the book, he was struck by a powerful force and sent flying out.

Indeed, how could I forget that the old man at the temple on the mountain taught me Tai Chi. What I learned was not the external health-preserving forms, but the authentic Daoist Tai Chi, which consists of only thirteen postures. However, I remember the essence of Tai Chi very clearly.

Yang Tong stepped back to the side, gracefully extending one leg

Yang Tong suddenly experienced a sensation of being scattered in combat. However, the Sanda boxing of his previous life was different when compared to here. Can you imagine a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy delivering a punch with over 200 kilograms of force? This is a high martial arts world, where people can fly and traverse the earth at will, far beyond the comparison with the end of the Dharma age on Earth

The competition will be conducted in a group format. Sixteen large arenas have already been constructed on the playground, with eight smaller arenas distributed around each large arena. Each large arena is a square measuring 20 meters on each side, while each small arena has a side length of only 10 meters.

Yang Tong's neural response has now increased threefold. Although the speed of this kick is fast, at the moment he initiates the kick, Yang Tong has already calculated the angle and force of the kick, as well as the optimal evasion angle and method. He can even provide a direct response; however, while Yang Tong's neural response is quick, his body does not meet the same standard.