At this moment, all eyes were gathered on Lin Yue.
It was well known that this Seventeenth Prince had only awakened his bloodline just over a year ago. To reach this level of Cultivation in such a short time was already quite impressive.
Judging from his performance in last month’s Outer Hall examination, it seemed his speed was noteworthy but nothing more.
However, this level of strength placed him on the lower end among those taking the Inner Hall examination, making it unlikely he would pass even the first round of the life-and-death battle.
Therefore, the onlookers were merely observing out of curiosity.
"It seems that most people below have misjudged."
Up in the grandstand, the Hall Master of Tianguang Hall softly said, "Judging from the way the Seventeenth Prince intercepted that strike from Cai Jue of Jingtian Bureau, he should be able to pass the first round."
"The Seventeenth Prince is practicing the Ultimate Killing Skill, Thirteen Flames, I believe," Prince An Qing said nonchalantly. "From the speed of that strike, it seems he has mastered the Ninth Strike. It’s said that he also possesses a Mind Forbidden Technique. With nine consecutive bursts of speed, he indeed has a significant chance to forcibly break through Grandmaster An’s defenses and strike the core of the Heavenly Soldier Puppet."
"A considerable improvement in just a month," Duke Heng remarked in surprise.
Last month, Wu Nu had mentioned to him that Lin Yue had just achieved the Second Layer Realm in Martial Arts Intent, having mastered the Eighth Strike of the Thirteen Flames.
This Martial Arts Realm and Ultimate Killing Skill, theoretically, would become harder to advance the further one progressed.
To think that in just a short month, His Highness had made another breakthrough?
"The Seventeenth Brother truly has a gift for Martial Arts."
The Twelfth Prince smiled calmly, "Though he barely passed the first round of the life-and-death battle, it’s not bad."
He wasn’t particularly concerned.
After all, with Lin Yue’s current strength, he fell far short of Qi Tianxing, with no chance of securing a spot as an Inner Hall disciple.
This Martial Arts Talent might be above ordinary geniuses, but compared to the extraordinary nature of the princes, it wasn’t comparable.
Only someone as remarkably talented in Martial Arts as Prince An Qing would warrant the princes’ attention.
Prince An Qing began practicing Martial Arts at eleven, mastered the True Intent in two months, and in just a year, reached the threshold of the Martial Arts True Self. Now that was terrifying!
"Seventeenth Prince, to have reached this step is already commendable."
Grandmaster An smiled at Lin Yue, flicked his sleeve, and released a golden bean that transformed once more into a majestic Heavenly Soldier Puppet, which he then possessed with his Martial Arts Soul Split.
As a Martial Arts Grandmaster, he naturally saw that after a month, His Highness’s strength had improved again, with his Cultivation ascending a minor level and breakthroughs in his Martial Arts Intent. The Thirteen Flames had likely reached the Ninth Strike.
If he used that Mind Forbidden Technique to make up for his foundational deficiencies, he would probably be stronger than Xiahong Baiye, whom he certainly couldn’t handle.
However, even so, Grandmaster An predicted he could withstand at most seven to eight consecutive eruptions of the Thirteen Flames, which was his limit.
The Heavenly Soldier Puppet, controlled by Grandmaster An, formed a long spear in its hands, ready with a solemn stance.
When facing such a speed astonishing opponent, the ideal strategy was to slow pace to counter speed, and stillness to counter movement.
Lin Yue stood calmly thirty feet away from the Heavenly Soldier Puppet. With a single hand, he drew out the dark golden long blade, a First Grade Magic Treasure.
Grandmaster An showed a hint of surprise.
Why wasn’t the Mind Forbidden Technique being employed?
Silently, Lin Yue suddenly vanished from his spot.
In an instant, a flash of blade light appeared. Lin Yue’s figure emerged behind the Heavenly Soldier Puppet.
Grandmaster An stared at Lin Yue, mouth slightly ajar, unable to utter a word, his eyes full of disbelief.
On the grandstand, the four powerful figures with sky-piercing Cultivation were all momentarily stunned.
The crowd watching plunged into shock.
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How had His Highness suddenly appeared behind the Heavenly Soldier Puppet?
At this moment, the chest of the Heavenly Soldier Puppet revealed a perfectly smooth crack, as its entire body began to dissolve into little points of light.
Everyone around was frozen in this instant.
The Heavenly Soldier Puppet was defeated in an instant?
Wasn’t it said this Seventeenth Prince had only been cultivating for a bit over a year and couldn’t even pass the first round of the life-and-death battle?
Among the examiners, only a scant few had seen what transpired in that fleeting moment.
Qi Tianxing stared at Lin Yue. "A single strike? He directly cleaved open the Heavenly Soldier Puppet from the front with just one blade? Impossible, this can’t be, last month his displayed strength was negligible; how could he now be this strong?"
The black-robed swordsman Sha Jiu also turned his gaze towards Lin Yue.
"Has His Highness suddenly become this powerful?"
Baili Fengzhi was also taken aback. "Before going into seclusion last month, His Highness wasn’t even a match for that Heavenly Soldier Puppet; how could he have improved so much in just a month?"
She had watched Lin Yue improve little by little, so she knew his strength best.
Even with a month spent in seclusion, it didn’t make sense to have progressed this much, she thought.
But… what was going on?
He hadn’t even used the Mind Forbidden Technique yet managed to defeat the Heavenly Soldier Puppet with just one strike?
This progress was beyond belief.
After a brief silence, it was actually the cold and striking Prince An Qing who spoke first.
"Martial Arts True Self."
Prince An Qing said softly, "From the look of that strike, this Honor has crossed into the threshold of the Martial Arts True Self, surely mastering the final strike of the Thirteen Flames. With the Wind and Fire Intent perfected, he glimpsed a hint of Heaven and Earth Law, allowing Wind Passes Silently and Fire Instant."