Lunch break soon ended, and in the blink of an eye, it was time for the afternoon classes.
The sunlight outside the window gradually slanted westward.
The name of the afternoon course was Practical Combat Response and Team Coordination.
It was instructed by a retired adventurer coach.
The coach was a one-eyed burly man named Groot. It was said that he had fought against the demons at the border for many years, and the scar on his left eye was left by an abyss hound.
After Jiang Lin arrived at the scene, he still found a corner to sit cross-legged and cultivate.
"Today is free combat practice!" Groot roared in a raspy voice.
"Groups of two, free combat! Lethal skills are forbidden, anything else goes!"
The students quickly formed groups.
Because Jiang Lin's strength was too terrifying, the vast majority of students in the class did not want to be in a group with him.
After all, the gap was too large; they would only be crushed.
And since the number of students in the elite class was even, if Jiang Lin didn't join a team, someone else was destined to be left out.
So, in the end, Crixus, who was ranked second, was left alone.
Crixus looked at Jiang Lin sitting cross-legged in the corner, his eye twitching.
Me fighting Jiang Lin? Are you for real?
The teacher also noticed the situation over here.
At yesterday's elite class group meeting, he had already heard the report from Jiang Lin's class teacher.
He had learned about the changes in the students' statuses after the summer break.
Thus, he walked toward the two of them.
"Is there a problem with you two?"
Jiang Lin opened his eyes. "Teacher, the gap between my current combat level and theirs is too large. Fighting them serves no purpose for either me or them."
Hearing this, Groot was somewhat surprised.
Beside them, Crixus also said, "Teacher, he's too strong. I'd only be crushed by him."
Hearing this, Groot was even more astonished.
Although he had heard that this student named Jiang Lin had suddenly become much stronger, hearing it from the mouth of the class's top student, Crixus, gave it a new weight.
However, since the other party had said so, they likely knew what they were talking about.
Groot wouldn't assume the two were being overly arrogant or humble.
After all, based on his understanding of these geniuses, while they were proud, they also possessed self-awareness.
Since they felt that fighting each other was useless, it probably was.
Groot thought for a moment and said to Jiang Lin, "Then you come and fight me. Let me see where your limit is. I will gradually use more power."
Hearing this, Jiang Lin's eyes lit up.
The teacher before him, named Groot, had the strength of the 4th-rank, and his combat experience and battle power were unknown levels above that 'attack helicopter' in Emerald City.
Previously, he could barely maintain a fifty-fifty split with the 'attack helicopter,' but now that he had broken through to the 2nd-rank and mastered a peerless holy art, he wondered if he could trade blows with this practical combat teacher across two ranks.
Then bring it on, teacher, let me see where your limit is!
A flash of eager excitement flickered in Jiang Lin's golden eyes. He walked up to Groot and bowed slightly. "Please guide me, teacher."
Groot's single eye sized up Jiang Lin and he nodded. "Mhm. I'll start by fighting you at a 2nd-rank level."
Hearing this, Jiang Lin hesitated to speak, but after a moment, he said nothing.
Soon, the battle began.
Groot controlled his power to the level he had when he was at the 2nd-rank.
At the same time, his posture sank slightly, assuming a simple opening stance.
He did not use any weapons, facing the enemy with only his fists—an expression of absolute confidence in his combat skills.
Sensing the opponent's aura briefly, Jiang Lin did not use his 【Eight Extremities Holy Sword】. Instead, he pushed off with one foot, dashing toward Groot like a cannonball.
In almost an instant, Jiang Lin charged in front of Groot like a heavy truck.
At the same time, the physical strength that Jiang Lin had cultivated to a terrifying extreme was poured entirely into his right fist.
Boom!
The wind from the punch whistled. Carrying Jiang Lin's staggering power, the fist swung toward Groot's face.
Groot's pupils shrank. He felt that if he didn't get serious, this punch would at least severely wound him.
And if he truly only had the strength of the 2nd-rank, this punch might have directly turned his head into a blooming flower.
However, his reactions were fast. Relying on his rich combat experience, he dodged to one side while simultaneously moving to parry!
But it was as if Jiang Lin had already seen through his movements. The moment Groot dodged the punch, a whip kick came sweeping in with a whistling wind.
【Chronowalker's Evil Eye】!
As an ability that allowed him to see possible scenes within the next second, Jiang Lin was becoming increasingly adept at its use.
Moreover, the power he could exert with it was growing day by day.
This time, Groot had nowhere to dodge and could only mobilize the magic essence in his body for defense. In an instant, a 2nd-rank shield skill rose around him.
However, to his surprise, this 2nd-rank shield was like paper in front of Jiang Lin, shattering almost the instant it made contact with the whip kick.
The momentum of Jiang Lin's whip kick remained undiminished as it continued toward Groot's body.
At this moment, Groot had controlled his physical attributes to his 2nd-rank level. Facing this kick that had already reached the 3rd-rank level, he was sent flying like he had been hit by a heavy truck!
Boom!!
With a loud crash that silenced the entire field, Groot smashed heavily into the wall at the edge of the arena.
The scene was deathly quiet.
Amidst the rising dust, everyone's breathing could be clearly heard.
Jiang Lin's strength had once again exceeded their understanding.
They had originally thought that Jiang Lin might at most use the higher ceiling provided by the 2nd-rank to crush them, while they were still tempering their physical attributes at the 1st-rank.
They hadn't expected that Jiang Lin could defeat a strong opponent within the 2nd-rank so easily.
Even more so, the opponent wasn't a pure 2nd-rank, but a 4th-rank controlling his power at the 2nd-rank level.
Then, Groot slowly walked out from the dust.
According to the law of 'no damage within the smoke,' he hadn't suffered any injuries.
The moment he was hit by Jiang Lin, he had used his 4th-rank power to protect himself.
And while Jiang Lin's power was exaggerated, it ultimately couldn't overcome Groot, who had reached the 4th-rank.
After feeling Jiang Lin's power, Groot also had a clear idea.
This kid's power had already reached the early stage of the 3rd-rank.
What a monster...
Groot was also slightly shaken in his heart.
In his many years of teaching, he had seen almost no other student with such talent besides Jiang Lin.
"Good lad..." Groot grinned.
"It seems the 2nd-rank is too easy for you. Next, I'll use the power of the early 3rd-rank."
Jiang Lin took a deep breath, and the magic essence in his body began to circulate faster.
He could finally get serious.
However, if the opponent was only at the early 3rd-rank, he wasn't afraid at all.
After all, he had already defeated a bald man at the peak of the 3rd-rank.
It was just that he had used skills that time. This time, he planned to fight using only his physical body and some magic that enhanced it.
He nodded, the battle intent in his golden eyes growing stronger. "Please guide me, teacher."
Groot no longer held back. The magic essence fluctuations belonging to the 3rd-rank spread out. Although not fully unleashed, it already made the observing students feel a sense of pressure.
His figure flickered, his speed nearly twice as fast as before. He was no longer simply dodging, but actively launching an attack.
A punch boomed out, the wind from it solidifying, faintly carrying the sound of breaking air.
The power, speed, and concentration of strength in this punch were entirely different from when he was at the 2nd-rank.
Jiang Lin's pupils constricted, and the 【Chronowalker's Evil Eye】 operated at full capacity. Several images of the next second flashed rapidly through his mind.
He stepped sideways, narrowly avoiding the direct impact of the punch, but the wind from the fist brushed past his cheek, bringing a sting.
"Good reaction," Groot praised, but his offensive was relentless.
Punches, palms, elbows, knees... every part of his body turned into a weapon. The attacks were like a storm, yet precise and ruthless, each strike aimed directly at Jiang Lin's weaknesses.
Jiang Lin combined the 【Chronowalker's Evil Eye】 with his powerful physical attributes, shifting and turning through the dense attacks.
He no longer met them head-on, but used anticipation and speed to maneuver, looking for an opportunity to counterattack.
Suddenly, Jiang Lin seized a tiny gap in the transition of Groot's offensive and began his counter.
In just a single breath, the form of their offense and defense began to reverse.
After these few rounds of exchange, Jiang Lin found that he could no longer crush Teacher Groot in terms of physical attributes; they were evenly matched.
He estimated that Teacher Groot had specifically adjusted his power based on Jiang Lin's strength.
And Teacher Groot's many years of teaching experience meant his combat level in all aspects was not poor.
Although Jiang Lin had the limit-broken basic punching, this no-rank skill only gave him enough control over his own body and a high utilization rate of his power.
Therefore, he could not crush Teacher Groot in terms of combat technique either.
Thus, the battle between the two reached a familiar stalemate where neither could do anything to the other.
After several more rounds, Jiang Lin also gradually adapted to this combat rhythm and began to rely on the advantage of the 【Chronowalker's Evil Eye】 to gain the upper hand in the exchange.
When Groot threw a heavy punch toward Jiang Lin's chest, Jiang Lin did not retreat but advanced. He turned his left hand from a palm into a blade, precisely cutting toward the inner side of Groot's wrist—the weak point of power transmission.
At the same time, his right fist was ready to strike, aimed directly at the opening under Groot's ribs.
"Good lad!" A hint of surprise flashed in Groot's eye as he quickly changed his move.
He flipped his wrist, turning his fist into a claw to catch Jiang Lin's wrist while slightly turning his body to block Jiang Lin's right fist with his elbow.
Bang!
Fist and elbow collided, producing a dull thud.
Both of them retreated half a step simultaneously, leaving shallow dents in the ground.
The watching students held their breath, their eyes fixed on the field without blinking.
It was brilliant!
Although neither of them used skills and were purely clashing with physical techniques, because both of their techniques were quite seasoned, it looked smooth, natural, and pleasing to the eye.
Groot felt his blood churning.
In his heart, his evaluation of Jiang Lin rose several points again.
This student not only had a powerful physical body but had not slacked in combat techniques either.
"I'm going to start using skills," Groot said.
As Groot's voice fell, the aura around him suddenly changed.
The magic essence of the early 3rd-rank was no longer restrained but surged out like an awakening beast.
A layer of dark red flames condensed on the surface of his body—this was his signature combat technique, 【blood rage mad flames】.
It could significantly increase strength, speed, and defense while imbuing attacks with extra tearing and burning effects.
"Watch out."
Groot gave a low shout, and his figure suddenly surged forward again, turning into a dark red afterimage straight for Jiang Lin.
This time, his speed was nearly fifty percent faster than before. Before the wind from his punch arrived, the searing heatwave had already hit Jiang Lin's face.
Jiang Lin's pupils shrank, and within the 【Chronowalker's Evil Eye】, dozens of possibilities for the next second flashed crazily in his mind.
He no longer held back, the magic essence in his body surging as he also entered full power mode.
Groot's punch, carrying the 【blood rage mad flames】, was already before his eyes, the air compressed into a sonic boom.
Jiang Lin did not take it head-on. His footwork shifted, and his body drifted back like willow catkins in the wind. Simultaneously, his hands traced patterns in front of him, and a five-colored magic barrier instantly condensed—【Five Elements Shield】.
Boom!
The dark red punch slammed hard into the shield. The golden barrier shook violently, ripples appearing on its surface, but it did not shatter.
Jiang Lin used the force to retreat three more steps, shedding the impact, a golden light swirling in his eyes.
"Good defense, but just taking hits won't work."
Groot grinned and moved again. This time, it wasn't a straight-line dash but a flickering movement from left to right, creating several afterimages that made it hard to catch his true body.
The combat technique 【phantom step】 was performed with absolute mastery in his hands.
His fists turned into a sky full of shadows, each one carrying the searing and tearing power of the 【blood rage mad flames】, completely enveloping the space around Jiang Lin.
Jiang Lin's 【Chronowalker's Evil Eye】 spun frantically, finding the traces of the opponent's strikes among the various fist shadows and energy flows.
He moved through the fist shadows, his movements minimal, yet he always managed to dodge the attacks by a hair's breadth.
Occasionally, when a dodge was impossible, he used his arms or legs, wrapped in condensed magic essence, to parry, producing dull collision sounds.
His body vibrated slightly from the repeated impacts, but his eyes remained calm as he operated his passive breathing technique to recover his stamina and heal his injuries.
"You can't win by just dodging and parrying," Groot barked.
His punch style suddenly changed, shifting from violent coverage attacks to condensed point thrusts.
The dark red flames retracted into the knuckles, his speed increasing again as he thrust straight toward the Shanzhong point on Jiang Lin's chest—one of the vital nodes for magic essence circulation in the human body.
This thrust was fast, accurate, and ruthless, sealing off all of Jiang Lin's conventional dodge routes.
Groot watched Jiang Lin. If the boy could not handle this strike, he would immediately withdraw his strength to end the match.
At the same time, he found it somewhat strange.
He had already used skills, so why was Jiang Lin still not using any offensive skills?
Could it be that he wanted to settle the early 3rd-rank version of him using only physical techniques and defensive skills?!
The golden light in Jiang Lin's eyes intensified, and the future images froze in his mind.
He did not retreat but instead took half a step forward. His left hand reached out like a swimming fish, not to parry, but to stick to the wrist of Groot's thrusting hand, leading it to the side.
Deflecting a thousand pounds with four ounces!
Rate on N.U.
