Chapter Thirty: The Test Begins

"Haha, Chu Feng, you'd better give us a good show later, so we can truly broaden our horizons."

"Exactly, let us see what real comprehensive strength and combat prowess look like," the crowd echoed with casual laughter.

Chu Feng had always been well known in Camp Twenty, though mainly for his reputation as a good-for-nothing. Few truly knew his real strength. Such was the way of the world: if the strong speak, even if they are wrong, people pay heed and consider them right; if the weak speak, even if they are right, they are ignored. In everyone’s eyes, Chu Feng was undoubtedly the weak one; his words were dismissed with a smile, some even secretly mocked his ignorance of his own limitations.

Chu Feng simply walked his own path, indifferent to others’ opinions. He believed in one principle: facts speak louder than argument.

At that moment, Ye Rong in the crowd gave Chu Feng a friendly smile, and Luo Peng nodded to him as well.

Clearly, the two were not as arrogant and ignorant as Zhou Xing, and were quite supportive of Chu Feng’s views.

Chu Feng smiled faintly and nodded back to them. For the first time, he felt a sense of belonging in Squad Nine, where he’d always felt like an outsider.

After a while, Instructor Xiao Yue arrived, holding a stone book in his hand.

He glanced at everyone and spoke, "I’m sure you already know why you’re gathered here today—it’s mainly to see the results of your training over the past month or so. Consider it a form of encouragement. During the test, do your best; the top ten will be rewarded."

Xiao Yue paused and continued, "Now, we begin with the weightlifting."

At his words, Zhou Xing glanced back at Chu Feng, wearing a scornful smile, as if to say: "So much for comprehensive strength, isn’t this just a test of brute force?"

Zhou Xing was full of confidence in his own strength. In his mind, not just in Squad Nine, but among all five thousand in Camp Twenty, few could surpass him in raw power.

Xiao Yue took out a small brocade pouch. After spiritualizing, with a wave of his hand, he withdrew a disk from the pouch.

At that moment, everyone’s eyes lit up—not at the disk, but at the pouch itself. It was clearly a storage artifact. Chu Feng had never seen such a thing before and marveled silently, thinking how convenient it would be to carry food in such a pouch into the Scripture Hall.

“What’s so special? If you keep improving, getting a mere storage artifact is no difficult matter,” Xiao Yue admonished the crowd.

Everyone refocused their attention on the disk.

The disk was bronze-colored, nearly two feet in diameter, covered in intricate runes, with a handle on either side.

Xiao Yue explained, "The disk itself weighs just a hundred pounds, but it contains an array. Through the array, the weight can be freely adjusted. Choose according to your strength. You must hold it for three breaths to pass. Now, let’s begin."

He activated the stone book. "Zhang Yi."

Zhang Yi stepped forward, and Xiao Yue asked, "How much will you lift?"

"Three hundred fifty pounds," Zhang Yi replied.

Xiao Yue immediately manipulated the array, and the disk glowed. Soon, the surface displayed "350 pounds."

---

Zhang Yi approached, spiritualized, gripped the handles, and with a loud shout, lifted the disk.

Three hundred fifty pounds was truly his limit; his face flushed, his body trembled, but he managed to hold for three breaths.

"Good," Xiao Yue nodded and recorded it in the stone book. Zhang Yi then set the disk down.

The test proceeded one by one. Most managed just over three hundred pounds, the weaker ones over two hundred.

Soon, Zhou Xing stepped up and easily lifted six hundred nineteen pounds, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Next were Luo Peng and Ye Rong, their results matching the rumors: Luo Peng lifted five hundred forty pounds, Ye Rong five hundred one.

After more than fifty participants, these three remained firmly in the top spots, just as expected.

"Impressive, Zhou Xing truly deserves to be number one—his future is limitless," people commented, even as the test continued.

Rumors were one thing; confirmation was another. Now, many gathered around Zhou Xing, eager to praise and befriend him.

Zhou Xing basked in their flattery, his eyes half-closed, his face full of smug satisfaction.

"Chu Feng," Xiao Yue called.

Everyone turned to look. Zhou Xing opened his eyes, staring at Chu Feng with a cold smile.

"This should be good—our camp’s bottom-ranker is finally stepping up," someone whispered near Zhou Xing.

Chu Feng strode forward and said directly, "Six hundred twenty pounds."

He too felt pride. Even when facing the arrogant Eastern King, he had not flinched; why should he let Zhou Xing act so wildly before him?

At his words, Zhou Xing’s expression darkened, his eyes flashing coldly. Whether Chu Feng succeeded or not, he saw it as a provocation.

The crowd erupted; Zhou Xing had just lifted six hundred nineteen, and now Chu Feng wanted six hundred twenty. It was a direct challenge.

"Chu Feng is full of surprises—last time, he faced that official just like this. He’s got character," someone remarked.

"Character, maybe, but six hundred twenty pounds? He hasn’t even spiritualized—how could he possibly lift it? He’s overestimating himself," another shook his head.

"He’s just showing off; in the end, he’ll only embarrass himself," a youth near Zhou Xing said.

Xiao Yue chuckled and, saying nothing more, quickly set the disk’s weight to six hundred twenty.

Under everyone’s gaze, Chu Feng, calm and collected, bent slightly and effortlessly lifted the disk.

In that instant, silence fell. Everyone was stunned, as if petrified, witnessing something unimaginable.

Even Zhou Xing was dumbfounded. He had never expected someone without spiritualization to possess such strength. He himself, without spiritualization, could only lift two or three hundred pounds.

Six hundred nineteen was his absolute limit. Even one pound more would defeat him. Yet Chu Feng, lifting six hundred twenty, appeared entirely at ease—this was clearly not his limit.

---

It was an astonishing result, shattering everyone’s assumptions. In their minds, someone who could not spiritualize could not possibly be so strong.

As their shock settled, they noticed Instructor Xiao Yue’s face remained calm, unmoved.

"Did he already know?" people wondered, recalling the time Xiao Yue had asked Chu Feng to fetch a five hundred pound soft armor. Chu Feng had returned with it effortlessly, and they’d thought he was just being perfunctory.

Now, it was clear the armor really weighed five hundred pounds. Thinking back to Chu Feng carrying it so easily, everyone could not help but gasp—what kind of strength was this?

After three breaths, Chu Feng gently set the disk down and smiled at Xiao Yue.

Xiao Yue, knowing this was far from Chu Feng’s limit, joked, "Finished showing off? Move aside."

"Li Si," Xiao Yue called loudly.

Li Si answered and stepped forward. The crowd, awakening from their daze, felt as though the world itself had changed.

"Brother Chu, you’ve hidden your strength well," Luo Peng approached.

"Chu Feng, I’m truly impressed! You’ve opened my eyes today," Ye Rong said, stepping forward.

"Heh, you flatter me," Chu Feng replied with a smile. He’d never interacted much with them before, but after today, he felt quite fond of the pair.

As for the others, they dared not even breathe loudly, staring at Chu Feng as if he were a monster. Though he couldn’t spiritualize, he inspired a sense of despair in them.

Zhou Xing’s face was dark as thunder. He had always considered himself the top of Squad Nine and acted with considerable arrogance. Now he’d been thoroughly upstaged by someone unable to spiritualize—it was intolerable.

"Without spiritualization, it’s all meaningless. A waste remains a waste. I don’t believe you can be that strong. Once I awaken my spiritual attribute and master secret techniques, I’ll wipe you out with a mere gesture," Zhou Xing muttered to himself.

Soon, the weightlifting test ended. Chu Feng was the undisputed first, Zhou Xing second, Luo Peng third, Ye Rong fourth.

"This result is simply unbelievable," many sighed. Some regretted missing the chance to befriend Chu Feng.

Xiao Yue stowed the disk in the storage pouch and barked, "Don’t look so lifeless. That was just the first event—next is running!"

"What, there's more?" someone groaned.

Xiao Yue shot a glare. "Did you think testing strength alone is enough? You might end up on the battlefield one day. In battle, high cultivation or great strength does not guarantee victory. Today’s multi-event test is to make you understand: while cultivation is crucial, training in physique and movement techniques is equally important. In combat, comprehensive strength is the true key to victory—great power does not always equal great combat prowess."

The crowd was dumbfounded, glancing at Chu Feng, surprised that the instructor’s words echoed Chu Feng’s earlier remarks.

"Sigh, I’m convinced—Chu Feng is no ordinary man. Surviving the catastrophe in Ancient Qilin City was no accident," someone muttered.

Xiao Yue swept his gaze over everyone and continued, "Let me give you an example: in battle, sometimes victory is decided by a single move. If the party with higher cultivation and greater strength lacks explosive power, their ten punches may do less harm than the opponent’s one explosive strike. And only with explosive power does one gain speed. Remember, explosive power comes from the physical body, not merely from internal spiritual energy. Do you understand?"