Upon hearing this, many students present were startled, believing Bai Zhenzhen had succeeded.

However, Li Xuelian sighed and looked at Bai Zhenzhen, saying, “To learn the forms of these nine martial arts by yourself in such a short time, your talent is truly one in ten thousand.”

“It’s just a pity that you still fall short of my father’s requirements.”

Hearing this, some of the students present breathed a sigh of relief, while others were secretly astonished.

Zhao Tianxing thought to himself, “This still isn’t enough? Just how powerful an apprentice does Master Xinghuo want?”

Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

She had just managed to trigger a change in the Martial Arts Illustration with a single attempt, leading her to believe she had succeeded. In her haste, she almost blurted out her refusal to Master Xinghuo’s apprenticeship offer.

Bai Zhenzhen thought, “Good thing I didn’t say anything, that would have been incredibly embarrassing. I knew something still felt off.”

After Bai Zhenzhen’s attempt, others also stepped forward to try performing the nine sets of martial arts, but none managed to trigger any further changes in the Celestial Martial Arts Illustration.

Curiously, Lian Tianji, who had always been overly confident, hesitated to try again. He seemed to be pondering the reason for Bai Zhenzhen’s failure, trying to figure out what they were all missing.

For a moment, the entire venue fell silent. Unconsciously, no one else stepped forward to try.

Just as Li Xuelian was lamenting that this was the end of it, Zhang Yu walked forward, holding his phone.

“Hmm?” Li Xuelian’s interest was immediately piqued. She thought, “After seeing so many people fail, he still has the confidence to go up. It seems he must have some assurance.”

But the next moment, she couldn’t help but frown.

This was because Zhang Yu had started playing a video on his phone, imitating Bai Zhenzhen’s movements from the video to practice the martial arts.

Apparently, he had just filmed Bai Zhenzhen practicing the martial arts.

As she watched Zhang Yu meticulously mimic the video, move by move, Li Xuelian’s frown deepened.

Clearly, aside from the boxing techniques he had personally comprehended, Zhang Yu was quite unfamiliar with the other eight sets of martial arts. Although he was now clumsily copying Bai Zhenzhen’s movements from the video, it only highlighted the significant gap in their understanding of these eight martial arts forms.

From a distance, Zhao Tianxing watched Zhang Yu, dressed in his security uniform, clumsily mimicking Bai Zhenzhen’s movements under everyone’s gaze. He felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, his toes curling so hard he felt like they could dig out a three-bedroom apartment.

Just watching, he imagined the onlookers’ gazes filled with disdain and mockery towards Zhang Yu. He could hardly imagine what it must feel like to actually be in that position, doing such a thing.

“Stop, Zhang Yu!” Zhao Tianxing couldn’t bear to watch any longer and yelled internally, “This is too embarrassing! You’re being made into a clown!”

Of course, Zhang Yu couldn’t hear Zhao Tianxing’s thoughts, nor did he care what the people in the exhibition hall thought of him at that moment.

He simply focused intently, performing each of the nine martial arts techniques, move by move, exactly as shown in Bai Zhenzhen’s video.

As he completed the last move, a flood of experience and insight suddenly surged into his mind. Zhang Yu instantly gained a new understanding of the Celestial Martial Arts Illustration, as if he had practiced it tens of thousands of times.

In that moment, the forms of the nine martial arts gradually faded from his mind, replaced by nine distinct concepts, faintly appearing and disappearing.

Zhang Yu suddenly realized that the nine martial arts depicted in the Celestial Martial Arts Illustration emphasized concepts and intentions rather than specific forms.

Practitioners were meant to contemplate the underlying essence within each move as they practiced the martial arts.

The killing intent to shatter armies, the unyielding will to fight even unto death, the courage to press forward without hesitation… these nine martial arts cultivated martial will, strengthening one’s Dao heart.

“This isn’t a martial art for combat or physical training,” he concluded. “It’s a martial art that tempers the Dao heart through martial will.”

This was a martial arts mental cultivation technique designed to elevate the Dao heart’s level!

Martial will, after being systematized by the Ten Great Sects, was the collective term for martial arts powers like sword intent, fist intent, blade intent, and so on.

Its most fundamental function was to strengthen the spirit and fortify one’s will, thereby raising a practitioner’s Dao heart level.

Moreover, a Golden Core Master like Master Xinghuo could even embed their martial will within a painting, influencing others’ spiritual consciousness.

At the same time, Zhang Yu’s demeanor underwent a profound transformation.

Killing intent, fighting spirit, courage, valor… an incredibly powerful aura emerged from within him, seemingly ready to coalesce into his martial will at that very moment.

Simultaneously, the figure in the Celestial Martial Arts Illustration became increasingly clear, even gradually gaining vibrant colors, as if transforming into a real person, intently watching the changes in Zhang Yu.

Everyone present who noticed this was astonished; this was by far the strongest reaction from the Celestial Martial Arts Illustration that day.

Lian Tianji, Qian Shen, Bai Zhenzhen… all stared intently at Zhang Yu. They all sensed the changes in him, and the same incredible thought arose in their minds.

“Is he really going to succeed?”

Yet, in the very next moment, the changes in Zhang Yu abruptly ceased, and the martial will that had seemed on the verge of solidifying instantly dissipated.

“What a pity, what a pity,” a message appeared on the painting. “Exceptional talent, but a single misstep.”

However, Zhang Yu’s face showed no surprise.

Heavenly Martial Heart Tempering Art Level 0 (1/1, 8.3/8 mana, 0.85/0.8 physical strength, Dao heart Level 1/3)

The Yu Book displayed a martial art called the Heavenly Martial Heart Tempering Art.

Unlike the martial arts Zhang Yu had learned before, this Heavenly Martial Heart Tempering Art had requirements for mana, physical strength, and Dao heart.

“Besides having to practice all the forms of boxing, palm techniques, leg techniques, and so on, it also requires 8 mana, 0.8 physical strength, and a Dao heart of Level 3.”

“I’ve met all the other requirements, but only the Dao heart of Level 3…”

Zhang Yu’s own Dao heart was only Level 1.

After attempting it this way, he was indeed stuck at the final step.

“This Heavenly Martial Heart Tempering Art, as it appears now, is a martial art meant to be used after reaching Dao heart Level 3, to condense martial will, strengthen one’s resolve with martial will, and temper the Dao heart.”

Zhang Yu thought to himself, “A requirement of Dao heart Level 3 is so high. How could a high school freshman, only three months into the school year, possibly achieve that?”

Li Xuelian looked at the failed Zhang Yu, her eyes sparkling with unusual brilliance.

Her original plan flashed through her mind; she hadn’t actually expected any of the high school freshmen present to succeed.

“From the information just sent by the security company, this person is Zhang Yu, a freshman from Songyang High School.”

“For him to reach this point, he truly possesses extraordinary talent.”

Recalling Zhang Yu’s recent performance, she mused, “Impressive, I almost misjudged him.”

“This person’s movements appeared stiff, every punch and kick clumsy, yet he was ultimately able to grasp the inherent concept within them.”

“This indicates that he prioritized the concept over the form, discerning the profound essence of the Heavenly Martial Heart Tempering Art early on.”

“Excellent, excellent. My father’s discipleship will gain another exceptional student.”

In fact, as soon as Li Xuelian checked the information on the participants present, she had already felt that no one would likely succeed in this test.

After all, students capable of mastering the martial arts in the Celestial Martial Arts Illustration on the spot would either come from prominent families or already be in their second or third year of high school, having long since signed contracts. It was highly improbable for such individuals to come and apprentice themselves to Master Xinghuo.

The probability of finding a genius who could master the Heavenly Martial Heart Tempering Art on the spot was already extremely low.

However, this didn’t mean no one could become his father’s disciple.

If among the freshmen present, someone could withstand the impact of martial will, learn all the forms on the spot, and comprehend the profound essence of martial will from them, then even if they couldn’t fully master it in the end, they would undoubtedly be a genius of extraordinary talent.

If such an individual had appeared a year later, they would certainly have mastered the Heavenly Martial Heart Tempering Art. Finding him now was like discovering him a year in advance, before he had fully developed and signed a contract elsewhere.

She believed her father would certainly be willing to accept such an outstanding disciple.

In that scenario, the freshman’s inability to fully master the Heavenly Martial Heart Tempering Art would not be a drawback. Instead, it would give Li Xuelian a slight advantage in negotiating the terms of a future contract.

Thinking this, she already started smiling towards Zhang Yu.

“Student,” she said, “although you haven’t truly mastered the Heavenly Martial Heart Tempering Art, you have already comprehended its profound essence. With time, mastering this martial art will be merely a matter of course.”

“I will ask my father shortly to see if he is willing to take you as a disciple.”

Hearing this, the crowd present was once again shocked.

Lian Tianji looked in Zhang Yu’s direction, took out his phone, and secretly snapped a photo of him. He intended to ask around and find out who this security guard was, and where such a powerful figure had suddenly emerged from.

Qian Shen stared at Zhang Yu in disbelief, screaming internally, “Impossible! How could someone with a 550 score be accepted as a disciple by a Golden Core Master? I must be dreaming, or is the Celestial Martial Arts Illustration still testing me!”

Bai Zhenzhen thought, “Yu Zi… did he just cheat?”

Discovering that his good friend, who had always been inferior to him in every way and who he had been in debt with, had suddenly soared, Bai Zhenzhen felt deeply uneasy.

“Yu Zi, it’s not that I don’t wish you well. If you ranked in the top ten, or even top five, in the grade, higher than before but still below me, then I, your brother, would definitely congratulate you.”

“But you had to suppress all the other heroes, even surpassing me.”

Yet, seeing people around him approaching to befriend Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen secretly thought, “Once Zhang Yu becomes a disciple of a Golden Core Master, he’ll definitely attract a lot of investment. I’ll have to thoroughly fleece him then, and borrow money from him.”

But the next moment, her thoughts shifted, and she frowned. “However, half of this Golden Core cultivation has been taken away, and it’s been optimized by a major sect. He has no resources, no background. If Zhang Yu truly becomes his disciple, he’ll be stuck doing all the grunt work for life.”

“Forget it, forget it. As brothers, I should still warn him not to be dazzled by the words ‘Golden Core.’ I must tell him to refuse the offer.”

On the other side, Zhao Tianxing’s eyes were wide, his mind blank. But he quickly recalled how he had just tried to persuade Zhang Yu, and a wave of embarrassment washed over him. “How humiliating,” he thought.

“He’s a true genius. When I said those things to him, he must have seen me as a clown.”

As Bai Zhenzhen walked towards Zhang Yu, many other students also gathered around him.

Some wanted to add Zhang Yu’s contact information, some wanted to ask him about the mysteries of the Celestial Martial Arts Illustration, and others wanted to take pictures with him.

Meanwhile, Li Xuelian had moved aside and called her father.

“Father, I’ve found a promising talent here in Songyang City…”