82 Chapter 81: Level 6 Tes (2/2)

Then again, test dummies aren't humans to begin with. Strange…wasn't the purpose of test dummies and battle puppets to mimic and imitate real martial artists as much as possible? What's the point of having them move so…monstrously?

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to dwell on that question. The test dummy was lunging at me again, its lens flaring red.

”Heh…that guy is getting his ass kicked.”

”The test dummy is only level 6 and he's already having this much difficulty?”

”To be honest…doesn't the test dummy feel stronger than a level 6 one? I don't remember it being that strong when I took the level 6 test.”

”Did they raise the difficulty of the test or something?”

”Or maybe it's that kid…I heard he wasn't able to absorb any artificial qi.”

”But he did steal qi from over a hundred martial artists, didn't he?”

Above, behind the soundproof window, the spectators were murmuring amongst themselves. Down here, I couldn't hear them, but I had a rough idea of what they were talking about. More so when Tong Xue filled me in later. Whatever the case, I didn't have time to object or protest against their comments.

The test dummy was hurtling toward me again, and I just barely managed to dive out of the way before it crashed iinto the wall, carving a huge dent in the reinforced material.

”Holy…”

Pushing my glasses back up, I scrambled to my feet and got ready to evade again just before the test dummy whirled and rotated along its joints, and propelled itself toward me once more. Disappearing into a blur, it lashed out at me with a kick that would have taken my head off if I didn't instinctively drop to the ground.

”Phew…!”

Panting, I rolled away just before the test dummy stomped on the ground, leaving a tiny crater and a shower of debris. Jumping back to my feet, I crossed my arms in reflex just as it struck me with a powerful punch.

”Kuh…!”

The blow was so powerful that despite me parrying it, my whole body was lifted off the ground and hurled into the opposite wall. I slammed into the concrete, coughing out some blood before I slumped to the floor.

Strong…!

There was no way I could beat this test dummy…at least not in a competition of strength.

But it'll be all right. I'll find a way, as I always have.

I had barely climbed to my feet when I was forced to dive to the side in reflex, the test dummy's fist hammering into the wall and leaving yet another small crater. Rolling to my feet, I lashed out with a Ghost Shadow Sword, and it was the test dummy's turn to react on reflex, crossing its arms to defend against the sharp ice blade.

Clang!

As I expected, my attack left no mark on the sturdy test dummy. Instead, my ice sword shattered and the test dummy burst through the frosty fragments to strike me again. This time, I dropped down and kicked, sweeping the test dummy's legs from under it and tripping it up.

The test dummy flailed helplessly it as it tumbled into a heap, sprawled helplessly on the floor. However, as usual, it rotated around its joints and stood up like some creepy insect, lifting its body off the ground while stranded on all fours.

I refused to give it the chance to recover.

Placing my foot on top of the test dummy's head, I unleashed the volatile pure qi from my leg and executed Seismic Step. The ground around us imploded and shattered from the tremendous impact, the test dummy vanishing within the enormous explosion.

Did that do it?

No.

I suddenly felt a jerk as the test dummy seized my foot. Still remaining unseen within the expanding cloud of dust, it yanked me off balance and spun me around before throwing me at the wall. I flipped my body about and slammed both feet into the wall, tearing chunks of concrete off the surface and barely saving my life.

If I had hit my head at that velocity…I might have died from the impact.

This thing isn't playing around…

No, I already knew that. But I was still stunned at how resilient the test dummy was. While I dropped to the ground and straightened up, the test dummy emerged from the dust, with jerky and laggy movements. Evidently I had damaged it, but not sufficiently to the point where it was incapacitated. As it couldn't feel pain, it would keep on fighting until it was completely destroyed.

This is supposed to be level 6?!

Briefly, I wondered if there was some mistake. But there was no point voicing out loud. Teacher Cai Pan hadn't stepped in and interfered, and any protests I made right now would be perceived as excuses. I had to overcome this, whether I liked it or not.

But how?

My ice swords were ineffective. This was the main reason why I chose to stay in the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect instead of choosing to leave after passing the entrance examination. Sure, part of the reason was because I had no intention of wasting the opportunity after taking trouble and spending all that time and effort passing the entrance exam, and of course not wanting to disappoint Tang Qi Hong and wanting to stay by her side as her assistant was also a major factor, but my primary motive was to forge my own weapons.

There was only so much I can do with such fragile ice weapons, even if I had inscribed the Heaven and Earth Spirit Engraving into them. Eventually I would meet people with powerful spirit armaments and consummate skill, and they would obliterate whatever ice weapons I froze out of thin air. No, I needed a proper weapon.

However, despite spending the last three months or so as Tang Qi Hong's assistant, I had yet to polish my blacksmithing skills. That was why the five Ice Soul Python scales had remained untouched, lying on my shelf. One day…perhaps about three or four months later, I would finally reach the level I found satisfactory before I dared to attempt blacksmithing. Now, I would just screw everything up and waste the highly precious spirit materials.

No point thinking too much about that now, though. I've to focus on my opponent.

Despite the damage it had received, the test dummy was still moving at a terrifying speed. It had straightened up and launched itself at me, disappearing into a blur. Sparks continued to ring out from its metal plating, but its movements seemed unhindered.

”!”

I dodged under its kick and parried its punch. As before, I found myself skidding back, but at least this time I managed to keep my feet on the ground. Without any hesitation, the test dummy smashed its feet onto the ground and whirled around to ruthlessly strike me. I dodged it and responded with a kick to its midriff.

Bam!

The test dummy staggered backward, but otherwise managed to hold its ground firmly. It responded with a merciless hook that would have taken my head off if I didn't use a footwork technique and disappear behind it.

Spinning around, I rammed my foot against the test dummy's head, executing a powerful Shadow Kick that would have either snapped the neck of any human opponent or send him tumbling to the ground unconscious.

Unfortunately, the test dummy was not human.

While its head remained pinned in place by my foot, the rest of its body rotated around in a disturbing manner until its hands and legs were facing me. It then lashed out to capture me, but I used Tui to widen the distance between us.

Just what does it take to incapacitate that thing!?

The glowering red lens had cracked from my kick, but it continued to move and attack unimpeded and continued to move as quickly as before. It tilted its head, almost as if curious, and then lunged forward again.

Don't tell me I'll be forced to use Heaven and Earth Formula?!

No way. My schoolmates had passed the level 6 test without resorting to such fancy ultimate techniques. There had to be a way to win this with conventional methods, without using techniques as powerful as Heaven and Earth Formula.

Don't falter! Meet the test dummy head-on!

Suddenly, a voice spoke up in my head, sounding almost like Master's. I hesitated a moment, but the test dummy was barreling at me too quickly for me to dither. Taking a deep breath, I gambled on the voice in my head and stood my ground. Right as the test dummy arrived, I dodged its punch by the narrowest of margins and then counterattacked with a kick to its core.

The test dummy flew back, wheezing in a mechanical noise. Not waiting for it to land, I used Jin and launched myself after it. Mercilessly slamming my foot against it, I kicked it to the ground and pinned it there. The test dummy was no pushover, however, and grinding its limbs against the ground, began to push me off…

I executed a second Seismic Step. Then a third. And then a fourth.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

By the time I was done with the fourth, the test dummy was finally a tangled mess of exposed wires and broken parts. Breathing heavily and feeling slightly lightheaded, I stepped away. Keeping my eye on my fallen opponent, I retreated to a safe distance and waited, just in case it decided to get up and attack me again.

The test dummy struggled to raise its head, which was now attached only by a few wires. Sparks flew from the exposed metal even as the test dummy fixed me with its red lens…and then the demonic light died out and the test dummy slumped over like a broken puppet whose strings were cut.

”The test is over!” Teacher Cai Pan announced, his voice reverberating across the enclosed space of the coliseum. ”Student Fei Wu, you have passed the level 6 test!”

”Finally.” Taking a deep breath of immense relief, I leaned against the wall wearily and closed my eyes.

*

”Satisfied now?”

Teacher Jiao glanced at Xiao Zhang, who was watching the test in his office with his fingers steepled.

The elderly principal nodded briefly and smiled.

”That test dummy was actually programmed to be level 8, and yet he still succeeded in destroying it. Not bad. Not bad at all. It seems that my faith in his ability has been justified, after all.”

”So we should give him level 8 status then?”

”Not yet.” Xiao Zhang smirked. ”Wait and see. If I'm not mistaken, I bet Student Fei Wu has a reason for wanting to remain level 6. If he takes a level 7 test in the near future, give him a level 9 test dummy as his opponent, and promote him to level 9 immediately if he passes, or regardless of the results, tell him the truth and give him level 8 status. But if he holds off from taking any other level tests…”

”Why would he do that?” Teacher Jiao looked puzzled. Xiao Zhang shook his head in amusement.”

”Shi, even though you've been his homeroom teacher for so many years, you still haven't grasped his character…or the kind of tricks students pull.” He leaned closer and dropped his voice into a dramatic whisper. ”The school tournament is only four months away. Any sensibile participant with an eye on winning and becoming the champion will want to hide their true strength.”

”Ah…” Teacher Jiao understood. ”I'll do that then.”

”This year's tournament is going to be very interesting. Not just that student Fei Wu…” Xiao Zhang turned around and activated his tablet. ”Bai Ning Xue. Zhu Jiao. Tang Qi Hong. Du Lang. Li Chun Long. Feng Tian Yong. Even that new student from the White Tiger Sect, Jian Ling Zhao. A lot of promising candidates this year…and most of them are from your class. Who would have thought, huh?”

”I was just lucky.” Teacher Jiao bowed his head, his expression neutral.

”Perhaps. Nonetheless, I'm sure you must be proud of your students.” Xiao Zhang nodded. To be fair, Teacher Jiao didn't teach most of them actual martial arts, only theory. The ones who deserved the credit for teaching these students martial arts were their parent sects. However, Xiao Zhang was still aware of the contributions that Teacher Jiao did for those students. Tapping his fingers on his desk, the principal of Wu Ling Academy studied the numerous student photographs intently with a broad smile. ”Who do you think will win the tournament this year?”