Over a dozen youths drew their numbers one by one. At this moment, Lin Xiaotian, who had been sitting in his seat, nodded to a Vice General beside him.
Seeing this, the man stood up and loudly announced the match-ups. The dozen or so youths had various expressions upon hearing the list, but when Lin Yun's name was called, his opponent broke into a wide grin.
The people around him cast looks of envy and jealousy, muttering under their breaths, "That kid really hit the jackpot, getting matched with Lin Yun."
Everyone was certain that this person was guaranteed to enter the second round. How could a piece of trash at the Eighth Layer of Body Refining Realm possibly be a match for someone in the Opening Realm?
"Let the competition begin!" a Vice General shouted. With that, the battles began one after another. Since these were just sparring matches, no one used lethal force; they only fought to determine a winner.
One match followed another, and after a total of five, the sixth match finally came. It was Lin Yun's turn. Hearing his name, Lin Yun walked calmly onto the platform in the Martial Arts Training Ground.
Watching Lin Yun walk up to the platform step by step, the surrounding soldiers and commoners all started to boo. He was eighteen years old, yet Lin Yun still hadn't broken through to the Opening Realm.
"Brother Lin Yun, don't worry. I'll be gentle. I shouldn't hurt you," a young man in black clothes said mockingly from across the platform.
The young man's name was Lu Tao. He was the younger son of Lu Xiong, one of Lin Xiaotian's eight Vice Generals. His talent was average, and he had only just broken through to the Opening Realm this year.
Normally, Lu Tao would have had no chance of making it to the second round. But who knew what kind of luck the kid had, actually drawing Lin Yun.
Hearing Lu Tao's words, Lin Yun gave a faint smile. "It doesn't matter. If my skills are inferior and you injure me, it's what I deserve."
Lin Yun didn't seem nervous at all, which infuriated Lu Tao. 'You're just an ant at the Eighth Layer of Body Refining Realm, yet you dare to act so composed in front of me.'
At this thought, Lu Tao decided he would definitely teach Lin Yun a lesson. Although Lin Xiaotian was the commanding General of Iron Gate Pass, as long as no one was killed or crippled in a duel between the younger generation, none of the elders would interfere. They could only blame their own descendants for being too weak.
"Good! Since you've said so, Brother Lin Yun, I can rest easy. Fists and feet have no eyes, so you'd better be careful." With a loud laugh, Lu Tao finished speaking and charged at Lin Yun.
Upon reaching the Opening Realm, one possessed Elemental Power within their body. Every move, enhanced by Elemental Power, was far beyond anything the Body Refining Realm could compare to.
One could say that someone in the Body Refining Realm was still just a mortal, different only in their slightly tougher physique. However, once a person reached the Opening Realm, it was a completely different story. Possessing Elemental Power meant one had truly set foot on the path of Martial Arts, completely separating them from ordinary mortals.
"Stone-Breaking Fist!" With a furious shout, Lu Tao threw a punch at Lin Yun. Stone-Breaking Fist was the most basic Fist Technique, one that nearly every officer at Iron Gate Pass knew.
When mastered, a single punch from the Stone-Breaking Fist could shatter a giant boulder.
Watching Lu Tao's fist rapidly approach, Lin Yun also extended his right fist, unleashing the same Stone-Breaking Fist. However, the difference between their two fists was clear to see.
Lu Tao's fist was enveloped in a faint layer of Elemental Power, while Lin Yun's fist held only pure Physical Strength.
"Haha, has that guy Lin Yun gone stupid? He's actually using his physical body to counter a Stone-Breaking Fist enhanced with Elemental Power."
"He'll be defeated in a single blow."
Seeing this, the youths below the platform began to voice their contempt, and some even burst into roaring laughter.
But before the laughter could even die down, Lin Yun's and Lu Tao's fists had already collided.
"Brother Lin Yun, are you overestimating yourself? Or are you just too stupid to know the difference between the Body Refining Realm and the Opening Realm?" Lu Tao said with a laugh.
However, the moment the words left his mouth, Lu Tao's expression changed. Lin Yun's fist was like a block of hardened black iron. When his own fist collided with it, a sharp, intense pain shot through him.
The one-sided outcome everyone had imagined did not occur. Instead, it was Lu Tao who stumbled back three steps, while Lin Yun remained standing in his original spot, as if his feet were rooted to the ground.
"The Opening Realm? It seems you've only just barely broken through. The fluctuations of your Elemental Power are weak and chaotic," Lin Yun said calmly, looking at Lu Tao.
He was in the Body Refining Realm, true, but when it came to pure physical might, absolutely none of the dozen-plus youths present were his match.
As for Lu Tao, he had only just managed to break through to the Opening Realm. The Elemental Power in his body was extremely weak, and he didn't know how to wield it properly. In Lin Yun's eyes, this made him no different from someone at the Ninth Layer of Body Refining.
He was the one at a disadvantage after a single blow. Lu Tao's mocking expression had turned grim. A publicly acknowledged piece of trash had actually forced him back with one punch. How could Lu Tao show his face now?
"General, Lin Yun's physical body is truly formidable. If it weren't for his low Realm, I imagine he would surely be the leader of the younger generation." At this moment, Lu Tao's father, Lu Xiong, spoke to Lin Xiaotian with a smile.
Although he was smiling, one could still hear the subtext in Lu Xiong's words: no matter how strong his son Lin Yun's physical body was, he was still only in the Body Refining Realm.
Hearing this, Lin Xiaotian replied calmly, "Realms can be raised. The Celestial Spirit Continent is vast. In our Southeast Domain alone, there are countless experts who were late bloomers. This is not something Vice General Lu needs to worry about."
Among the eight Vice Generals, only Lu Xiong and Lin Xiaotian were not of one mind. This was because he had never been Lin Xiaotian's man. And in his heart, Lin Xiaotian knew that Lu Xiong was merely a spy from the Imperial Capital, placed by his side to report on his every move at Iron Gate Pass.
Hearing Lin Xiaotian's words, Lu Xiong gave a cold snort and said no more. 'In any case, Lin Yun is a good-for-nothing; he's not worth my attention.'
"Lin Yun, at best you're just a Martial Apprentice! Even if I've only just stepped into the Opening Realm, I'm still not someone a piece of trash like you can compare to. Take this!" Now thoroughly angered, Lu Tao no longer bothered with pleasantries.
"Wolf Spirit Claw!" Forming his right hand into a claw, Lu Tao charged menacingly toward Lin Yun.
Seeing Lu Tao make his move, the crowd began to murmur again. He was actually using a Martial Skill against Lin Yun. One must understand that cultivators could learn Martial Skills upon reaching the Opening Realm, and the difference between a Martial Skill and a Body Refining Realm Martial Art like Stone-Breaking Fist was like the difference between heaven and earth.
As expected, facing Lu Tao's Wolf Spirit Claw, Lin Yun didn't choose to meet it head-on, instead dodging continuously while Lu Tao attacked with wild abandon.
With a Martial Skill at his command, a single strike from Lu Tao's claw left several scratch marks on the hard surface of the platform. One could only imagine the consequences if such a claw were to land on a person.