Chapter 53: War Fortress?

The arena fell into an eerie silence as Yun Che's bold declaration hung in the air. Instructor Ya Tan, usually composed and stern, found himself stunned by the audacity of the young man before him. It was a challenge unlike any he had encountered during the recruitment process.

Then, like a sudden burst of thunder, Instructor Ya Tan's laughter erupted. His deep, booming laughter echoed throughout the arena, and it was infectious. The audience, once shocked into silence, couldn't help but join in, their laughter ringing out in unison.

"Hahaha! It's been a while since I had a good laugh... Hahahaha!!" Ya Tan's hearty laughter filled the arena.

"He's only at the Peak of the Nascent Profound Realm! He thinks he can beat Instructor Ya Tan? These recruits who aced the test really do have their noses in the air," one of the disciples in the crowd mocked.

"Hmph, I barely passed the test, and this guy thinks he can beat the instructor? Such arrogance," another recruit chimed in, expressing their disgust.

"You may be the highest scorer in the second test, but that doesn't mean you can beat the instructor. Who do you think you are?" shouted a recruit from the audience area, their words dripping with disdain.

Yun Che maintained a straight face, his calm demeanor in stark contrast to the laughter and mockery around him. He couldn't blame them; after all, he appeared to be just a Peak Nascent Profound cultivator. To think that he believed he could defeat a Peak True Profound Realm instructor was, in their eyes, nothing short of a fool's dream.

But Yun Che couldn't help but wonder, "I wonder what's for dinner? Maybe I'll check it out after beating this guy."

Retsu wore a small, knowing smile. She had an inkling that the expressions on these faces were about to change dramatically. As for Xia Yuanba, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry. With Yun Che, you never knew what stunt he might pull next.

"There's no use keeping a low profile now. I only intended as a small elite member but didn't expect the second test drag my name too high. Now, every eye is mocking me. So much for keeping a low profile." He said in his heart.

Instructor Ya Tan's laughter ceased abruptly as he adopted a serious demeanor, his gaze locked onto Yun Che. He couldn't help but feel a sense of incredulity and irritation.

"Hmph, to think someone with no strength would dare challenge me, a Peak True Profound Realm fighter?" Ya Tan's voice dripped with disdain as he released his aura, attempting to suppress Yun Che.

As the pressure bore down on him, Yun Che stood firm, his expression unchanged. The aura of a Peak True Profound Realm cultivator washed over him, but he didn't waver.

Ya Tan's eyebrows furrowed in frustration. He was used to recruits cowering under the weight of his aura, but this one didn't budge. It was as if Yun Che possessed some hidden power or artifact that nullified his aura.

In response to Ya Tan's challenge, Yun Che stated calmly, "I am the combination of Strength, Speed, and Defense, the War Fortress, Ya Tan. Forget about three short incense of time; you won't even pass the test at all."

Yun Che attempted to provoke Ya Tan further. "Then, I can fight without holding back."

"THEN SHOW ME HOW YOU CAN ACTUALLY BEAT ME!!!" Ya Tan suddenly dashed toward Yun Che, his intentions clear.

Without a hint of fear in his eyes, Yun Che maintained his composure. He had longed for the excitement of battle, and he wouldn't back down now.

Ya Tan swung his arm, aiming for Yun Che's face. The punch was fast and powerful, but Yun Che merely tilted his body to the side, gracefully evading the attack.

"He DODGED IT?!?" Ya Tan exclaimed, shock written all over his face.

"Impossible. No one can dodge Instructor Ya Tan's moves directly. Those earlier recruits jumped, moved, or ran around him. They weren't even worth his attention. As long as they had some skills, they passed," the examiners murmured among themselves, equally surprised.

Undeterred, Ya Tan swung his fist again and again, but Yun Che effortlessly dodged every strike. The audience fell into stunned silence as they watched this seemingly impossible display of agility.

"DIE!!!" Ya Tan lost his composure and threw a barrage of punches at Yun Che. However, his opponent remained unfazed, dodging each strike with ease.

Suddenly, Yun Che felt Ya Tan's aura and strength increase. He simply taunts him. "Hooo, you're finally going all out?"

"You are the first one to be this BRAZEN in front of me. Take this and SCRAM!!!!" Ya Tan unleashed a devastating punch, creating a massive explosion that tore through the arena. Smoke and dust billowed into the air as the shockwave rippled outward.

As the smoke cleared, Yun Che had vanished from where he had stood. Ya Tan was bewildered, unable to comprehend how Yun Che had moved so quickly.

"Behind you…," Yun Che's voice rang out from behind, his grin evident in his tone.

Ya Tan's eyes widened as he turned to face his opponent, but it was too late. Yun Che swung the wrapped Zangetsu toward Ya Tan.

"Hmph, you think this strike would be enough to beat me?" Ya Tan raised his arms to block Yun Che's strike, but to his shock, the club grew heavier with each passing moment.

"What?!!? IMPOSSIBLE!!!!" Ya Tan struggled to hold back the increasingly heavy strike. The ground beneath them cracked and crumbled under the immense force.

"BOOM!!!!"

The strike created a colossal explosion that sent nearby recruits flying, and the arena was reduced to rubble. Ya Tan, unable to withstand the attack any longer, was sent hurtling through the shattered ground.

The audience had to shield their eyes from the blinding light and force of the explosion. Dust and smoke filled the air once more.

As the smoke began to clear, the spectators could finally make out a figure in the center of the destruction.

It was Yun Che.

"Chee, how disappointing." Yun Che slowly walks to the center where Instructor Ya Tan passed out from the strike.

"You said you were the combination of strength, defense, and speed. Where's all that bravado now? I thought you were smarter, being an instructor and all. In the end, I was able to beat you that easily," Yun Che mused aloud, punctuating his words with a light kick to Ya Tan's unresponsive form.

The surrounding audience fell into stunned silence, their eyes wide with disbelief. During the second test, Yun Che's strength had been at least at the Peak of the Nascent Profound Realm, a fact confirmed by the profound pearl. They had tested it before, punching the strength-measuring pearl. This high scorer had just defeated a True Profound Realm master with a single strike?

"I was hoping to exchange a few blows with you. Since those dumbbells looked heavy, you're at least different from those ordinary cultivators. Here I am, wanted to keep a low profile just to enter this palace. There's no use playing low now, right?" Yun Che continued, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

Then, in a stunning display of skill and power, Yun Che spun the wrapped Zangetsu by its white thread faster than the human eye could follow. He suddenly grabbed its hilt, producing another shockwave of explosion that left the entire audience in awe.

"Hmph, I am actually way stronger than you expected, right?" he taunted with a grin, his white robe fluttering in the air.

His performance left the nearby examiners, including Yuanba, astounded. Retsu, on the other hand, couldn't help but smile at her young master's prowess.

With his striking appearance and remarkable abilities, Yun Che had the entire audience captivated. Females regarded him as their knight in shining armor, while males saw him as a formidable force.

"Hey, examiners? Did I pass or fail?" Yun Che nonchalantly inquired, causing the audience to nearly choke in disbelief. In their minds, they thought, 'You just defeated a True Profound Realm master with a single hit, and you're asking if you passed or failed?'

"You… you pass," the instructor managed to utter, still in shock over Yun Che's extraordinary performance against the "War Fortress" Ya Tan.

"Ah, I just knocked out the instructor. So, how are you going to conduct the test now?" Yun Che casually remarked, his hands in his pockets. He had a point; if he had incapacitated the instructor, how would they proceed with Retsu's test?

"Don't worry about that. We have plenty of instructors to test the remaining recruits. After we fix the stage, of course," the examiner replied nervously.

"Ah, very well then…" Yun Che leaped from the destroyed stage and joined Retsu and Yuanba.

"Brother-in-law! That was so cool. How did you get stronger in a year? Instructor Ya Tan was unbeatable below the Spirit Profound Realm, but you defeated him with a single shot!!!" Yuanba exclaimed, his admiration for Yun Che evident. The latter just sweat dropped as if this boy didn't see his real strength during the wedding. He didn't know whether it was a praise to him or he didn't know his real strength.

Yun Che glanced sidelong at Yuanba, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Yuanba, were you asleep during my wedding?" he teased, recalling the demonstration of his power during that significant event. "Or were you too busy gorging on the feast to notice?"

Yuanba scratched the back of his head sheepishly, his cheeks turning a light shade of red. "Well, you know, there was a lot going on that day. Between the festivities and, well... the sheer number of dishes," he trailed off, casting a guilty glance at Yun Che.

Retsu giggled softly, finding Yuanba's flustered state rather amusing. "It seems like someone was too engrossed in the culinary delights to notice your prowess, young master." she quipped.

Yun Che chuckled, placing a reassuring hand on Yuanba's shoulder. "It's alright, Yuanba. Just be sure to pay more attention next time, okay? Otherwise, you might miss some more of my 'cool' moments."

Yuanba nodded vigorously, determination shining in his eyes. "Promise, brother-in-law! I won't miss another display of your strength ever again!"

"Well played, young master," Retsu chimed in, smiling. She knew that the faces that had mocked her young master into silence were now rendered speechless themselves.

Yun Che returned the smile and patted Retsu's head. "Yeah, Retsu, there's no need to keep a low profile now. Just play nice."