Xu Wuyi's pupils constricted slightly.
Zeng Bonan, from Class One of the third years at Honghe First Middle School, the undisputed number one in Martial Arts!
His Life Energy Level had broken through 10.5 even before winter break. He was the school's star candidate for getting into a top-tier Martial Arts University and the target all Martial Arts Students were chasing.
He never expected that his first virtual opponent would be this famous figure from his own school!
It seemed the matchmaking on the "Junior Stage" wasn't entirely random. It probably prioritized matching people from the same region.
When Zeng Bonan saw Xu Wuyi, a flicker of surprise also crossed his eyes, but he quickly returned to his usual serious expression.
He gave a slight nod, which served as a greeting.
"Student Xu Wuyi." Zeng Bonan's voice came through, not with arrogance, but with a certain eagerness. "I didn't expect to be matched with you. I heard from Teacher Zhou that you've made great progress. This is perfect. Let's have a sparring match."
Zeng Bonan was the ace of Class One and naturally had a close relationship with the Martial Arts Teacher, Zhou Yun, from whom he had learned of Xu Wuyi's existence.
Of course, Zeng Bonan hadn't been idle during winter break either. His Life Energy Level was already approaching 11.
In reality, he would never have challenged Xu Wuyi, as their physical attributes were on completely different levels. A virtual battle, however, was just right.
As he spoke, he naturally fell into a Starting Form. The movements carried the faint sound of wind, clearly indicating a Fist Technique of a rather high grade.
The powerful fluctuations of his Qi and Blood, combined with a solid and steady aura, exerted a heavy pressure that Xu Wuyi could feel even from across the stage.
This was the power of the school's number one!
Zeng Bonan was famous at Honghe First Middle School because more than one teacher had commented that his talent and comprehension weren't exceptional. His achievements today were built on sweat and hard work!
Xu Wuyi took a deep breath, suppressing all the distracting thoughts in his mind.
Facing such an opponent, he felt pressure, but even more so, a soaring fighting spirit was ignited within him!
He sank his consciousness into his sea of knowledge, and the Mountain Shifting Technique began to circulate quietly. Its steady, heavy Mental Realm spread out, instantly calming his Heart and Spirit and making him focused.
He assumed the defensive stance of the Basic Body Refining Technique, his gaze locked tightly onto his opponent.
"Please, instruct me," Xu Wuyi said in a low voice.
The battle was about to begin.
Zeng Bonan moved.
His figure was like an arrow loosed from a bow, his speed far surpassing that of Han Mengmeng, whom Xu Wuyi had fought in reality.
In the blink of an eye, Zeng Bonan had closed the distance. His right hand formed a blade with his fingers, carrying a sharp aura as it stabbed straight for Xu Wuyi's throat.
Before the fingertips even arrived, a fierce, oppressive feeling washed over him.
D-level Martial Arts, Wind-Breaking Finger!
Xu Wuyi's heart tightened. This attack was aimed to kill, completely different from a normal sparring match. This was a truly realistic battle.
If it weren't for the virtual machine, Xu Wuyi would never have had the chance to experience this kind of combat.
He didn't dare to be the slightest bit negligent, his eyes locked on Zeng Bonan's every move.
He rooted his feet to the ground and, following the foundational Step Technique of the Basic Body Refining Technique, slid back steadily. At the same time, he raised his left arm, muscles tensed, meeting the knife-hand strike with a standard blocking posture.
"THUD!"
A dull thud echoed across the virtual stage.
The force transmitted through his arm was incredibly solid, far surpassing Han Mengmeng's Spiritual Snake Hand. It was enough to make Xu Wuyi's arm go numb and his Qi and Blood churn slightly.
Although their virtual bodies were both standardized to a Life Energy Level of 10, differences in Martial Arts Techniques for power generation and the efficiency of Qi and Blood circulation naturally resulted in different power bonuses.
'His foundation is very solid,' Zeng Bonan thought to himself. There was no trace of contempt in his mind; instead, he felt a sense of earnest confirmation.
His assault continued without pause. The Wind-Breaking Finger morphed into a palm strike, the wind from the blow whistling as it enveloped several vital points on Xu Wuyi's upper body.
His moves flowed together extremely quickly, and he fluidly changed his attacks. It was clear that his proficiency in Martial Arts was far beyond that of an ordinary student.
Xu Wuyi was plunged into the most difficult moment since the battle began.
He was like a reef in a storm, able to do nothing but constantly block and dodge, gradually accumulating injuries.
Zeng Bonan's attacks were like a relentless tide. He employed all sorts of Martial Arts Techniques with ease, his fingers, palms, fists, and legs shifting unpredictably. Every strike came from a tricky angle and was packed with power.
Xu Wuyi fought with his hands tied. Even though their Life Energy Levels were the same, he was being completely suppressed. The real difference lay in their combat experience.
Zeng Bonan had reached Level 10.0 at least half a year ago and was long accustomed to the virtual battlefield, whereas this was Xu Wuyi's very first fight.
There were small tricks—feints turning into real strikes—that Xu Wuyi felt he probably wouldn't fall for a second time, but the losses he suffered from them in this battle were unavoidable.
The situation was looking grim, and Xu Wuyi couldn't help but feel a little impatient.
"SHRIIIP—"
He dodged a fraction too slow, and Zeng Bonan's fingertips grazed past his shoulder.
His virtual combat suit was torn open, and a burning sting spread across his skin. Although he wasn't truly injured, the pain simulation was extremely realistic.
Xu Wuyi glanced at the wound. A chunk of flesh had been gouged out. If this were a sparring match at school, he would have been sent to the infirmary.
But in a battle on the virtual stage, this was just one of many ordinary injuries.
'Can't get impatient. The more anxious I get, the faster I'll lose.'
Seeing the situation become more and more one-sided, Xu Wuyi paradoxically began to calm down.
He performed a Visualization of a great mountain in his mind, and his entire being seemed to become that mountain. His state of mind instantly stabilized.
He pushed the defensive stance of the Basic Body Refining Technique to its limits, almost completely abandoning offense. Every movement was as precise as a textbook example.
His center of gravity was stable. No matter how fiercely Zeng Bonan attacked, his feet, though constantly retreating and adjusting, never lost their form.
His Spirit was highly concentrated. The calmness brought by the Mountain Shifting Technique allowed him to analyze the battle with clarity.
He discovered that although Zeng Bonan's Martial Arts were numerous and refined, the power behind each strike wasn't particularly strong. It was as if he were probing for weaknesses.
There was nothing wrong with this fighting style, of course. Against an enemy of the same level, rushing in would only expose one's own openings. Caution was the correct choice.
But Xu Wuyi was a novice. It was precisely Zeng Bonan's caution that allowed him to survive the initial onslaught and find his footing.
If Zeng Bonan had gone all-out from the start, a swift defeat would likely have been his only option.
On the other hand, he also noticed that Zeng Bonan's Martial Arts routines were actually somewhat similar to his own—
they were all derived from the Basic Body Refining Technique!
In other words, Zeng Bonan was also a Martial Artist who focused on fundamentals. He had merely dabbled in other Martial Arts, using them as general-purpose moves rather than his core discipline.
This path of building a solid foundation, one step at a time, was undoubtedly the proper way to practice Martial Arts, but a flame of hope ignited in Xu Wuyi's heart.
When it came to the Basic Body Refining Technique, he truly feared no one.
He had already cultivated his Body Refining Technique to Entry-Level Perfection and was just a step away from Minor Achievement. He was absolutely unique among the students of Honghe First Middle School; even some of the Martial Arts Teachers might not have reached this level.
This was because after their Life Energy Level surpassed 20 and they became an Official Martial Artist, most people would switch to practicing a High-Tier Body Refining Technique.
But as for the Zeng Bonan before him, now that Xu Wuyi could observe him calmly, he realized that his level in the Basic Body Refining Technique was at most around 30% of the Entry Level, a significant gap from his own.
'Just a little longer. Wait for an opportunity,' Xu Wuyi decided. 'This is a contest of raw strength and mentality. Whoever relaxes first, loses.'