Chapter 48: Peak Punch Power! Breaking the Record!

"How's that? Not bad, right?"

Liu Wentao asked with a smiling face.

"It really is impressive," Xu Jingming did not deny.

Whether in physique or appearance, this girl was far superior to internet celebrities filtered through beauty apps from his past life.

"But aren't you the guy who claims to know everything? Do you know who she is?"

Xu Jingming teased Liu Wentao with his nickname "Know-It-All," not expecting him to actually know.

But to his surprise, Liu Wentao puffed out his chest proudly and said:

"Of course I know—her name is Song Qiuyun, a Rank One Upper-tier, possessing a Class A Nature-based Light ability."

"Oh, not bad."

Xu Jingming was slightly startled.

It seemed Liu Wentao's self-proclaimed "Know-It-All" title wasn't all bluff.

"Of course—Song Qiuyun is from Sichuan Province.

This year's Wu Ke Gaokao score was over nine thousand points; she's the provincial top scorer of Sichuan!"

Liu Wentao replied with a grinning face.

In fact, even before the Wu Ke Gaokao, Song Qiuyun had already gained minor fame in Rongcheng, the provincial capital of Sichuan, thanks to her stunning looks, impressive physique, and formidable strength.

In Rongcheng, the provincial capital of Sichuan, he was already somewhat famous.

On the other side, Song Qiuyun, walking with her friends, suddenly halted.

Her Class A Nature-based Light ability, called Dawnlight, not only granted her considerable offensive power

but also bestowed upon her an extremely acute sense of perception.

It was precisely this perception that allowed her to avoid dangerous beast-infested zones in advance during the Wu Ke Gaokao.

Just now, she had sensed a terrifying gaze, akin to that of a beast.

This gaze carried no malice, yet it was overwhelmingly oppressive.

The gaze came swiftly and vanished just as quickly.

Still, Song Qiuyun sharply identified its source: a slightly tall figure not far ahead.

"How could a human possibly emit an aura similar to a beast's?"

Song Qiuyun furrowed her delicate brows, puzzled.

In the end, she could only attribute it to her imagination.

Yet the tall figure ahead—Xu Jingming—left a faint impression in her mind.

Jiangcheng's Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym serves over a million people across Jiangcheng.

The Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym of the Metropolis Psychic University serves only around ten thousand faculty and students.

Yet this Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym's scale is even larger than the one in Jiangcheng!

Opposite the Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym lies the Bearstorm Martial Arts Gym, also six or seven stories tall, crouching like a giant beast.

"I must say, the Metropolis Psychic University has pushed the construction of such facilities to the extreme."

With a sigh of admiration, Xu Jingming and Liu Wentao stepped into the Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym.

The first floor of the Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym was a spacious lobby, with a reception desk at the front.

Around it were several sofas for resting; now, people who had finished training sat on them, drinking beverages and chatting.

"Welcome to Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym. How may I assist you two students?"

A female attendant in a short skirt greeted them warmly.

"We're looking for a training room with a strength-testing device."

Xu Jingming replied.

Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym offers free access only to Gao Zhongsheng; college students must pay a membership fee.

The membership fee, like Bearstorm Martial Arts Gym's, is 100,000 Daxia Coins per year.

However, the Metropolis Psychic University pays the membership fee for all students annually.

Thus, for them, all facilities within the gym are free to use.

"The training rooms are on the third floor. Please follow me."

The staff smiled sweetly and led the way; Xu Jingming and Liu Wentao followed behind.

Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym treats every guest with such warmth.

You may accept or decline.

Since this was Xu Jingming's first time at the Metropolis Psychic University's gym and he was unfamiliar with the layout, he chose to let her guide him.

"Dingdong~~, third floor arrived."

With a pleasant chime, the elevator doors opened.

Before them stretched a spacious hall.

The hall was crowded, but most people looked bizarre.

Some emitted flames from their bodies, others stood two or three meters tall, and some even had limbs transformed into animal forms.

Accompanying them were various noisy shouts:

"Hah! I've finally mastered my Class C combat technique, Yangji Flame!"

"Heh, so what if you did? Still can't break through my metalized skin."

"You're all trash! My Triple Gigantification can slap you all against the wall with one swipe!"

"You're all trash! My Triple Gigantification can smash you all against the wall with one slap!"

「...... 」

These people all seemed to be training, and some who knew each other occasionally bickered back and forth.

"This is our hall's public training room, capable of accommodating three hundred people simultaneously."

"The entire hall is cast from C-grade alloy mixed with memory metal, so you needn't worry about damage from abilities or combat techniques."

"Of course, if you find it too noisy, you may choose a private training room."

The staff explained.

Xu Jingming heard this without much surprise.

Such a public training hall also exists at Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym in Jiangcheng.

The atmosphere in a public training hall is better, since so many people around are training, and you won't slack off.

Many people with poor self-discipline choose to train in the public training hall.

Moreover, when someone successfully masters a combat technique, the cheers from those around them bring a strong sense of accomplishment.

But the downside is that your techniques and training results become known to others as well.

"Alright, let's stay here."

Xu Jingming had originally planned to go to a private room, but since he had a roommate nearby, he chose the public training room instead.

"Very well, please follow me."

The staff led the two toward the hall.

Almost everyone who entered Magic Capital Energy University was an energy user.

Thus, as they moved through the hall, they frequently felt powerful energy fluctuations from other energy users testing their combat techniques.

"Damn, are these guys competing to see who's stronger? Each one's more explosive than the last."

Liu Wentao, feeling the floor beneath his feet shake, couldn't help muttering.

As a mental-type energy user, he naturally couldn't create such commotion.

Meanwhile, Xu Jingming's attention was drawn to five pillars standing in the center of the hall.

On these five pillars, countless names were written densely, each followed by a string of numbers.

The top three names on each pillar were largest of all, glowing with golden light, extremely eye-catching.

"These are our punch strength challenge rankings, with five lists corresponding to energy users from first to fifth tier."

"Would you two like to try? Enter the top three thousand, and you'll earn fifty credit points as a reward."

The staff beside them smiled warmly and explained.

"Enter the top three thousand and get a reward? Is it that easy?"

Liu Wentao immediately became interested.

After all, Magic Capital Energy University had only slightly over four thousand students total.

"Just swipe your student ID on the pillar's sensor to begin the challenge. But punch strength tests forbid the use of abilities or combat techniques—otherwise it's a violation."

"Alright, Ah Ming, wait here—I'll give it a shot."

Liu Wentao nodded and strode straight into the center of the hall.

He then swiped his student ID against the sensor on the first pillar.

"Welcome! Student ID Liu Wentao has initiated the punch strength challenge! Everyone, cheer for him!"

As if triggering a switch, a loud, high-pitched announcer's voice echoed throughout the hall.

Then, beams of spotlight fell upon Liu Wentao.

Everyone in the hall turned their attention, instinctively glancing toward this spot.

"Oh? Someone's starting a punch strength challenge!"

"Haha, the aura's only mid-first tier—seems like a freshman."

"Hehe, this'll be fun to watch."

"..."

Many upperclassmen and upperclasswomen in the hall smirked with amusement at the figure in the center.

But Liu Wentao, standing in the center, was stunned—he hadn't expected the announcement to be this loud!

But now that he'd started, there was no turning back.

So he took a deep breath, gathered all his strength, and slammed his fist with full force into the target before him!

Boom!

The target emitted a muffled thud, then shook violently back and forth.

"Huh—"

Liu Wentao slowly exhaled, satisfied with the punch.

Entering the top three thousand should be no problem.

"Punch strength: 476 kilograms. Excellent performance."

The voice spoke again, first announcing the power with excitement, then sounding slightly disappointed:

"But unfortunately, your punch strength ranks below 100,000th place."

"10... 100,000th place?"

Liu Wentao was stunned—Magic Capital Energy University only had slightly over four thousand students total!

But he quickly realized—the punch strength rankings included not just current students, but all past graduates as well!

Magic Capital Energy University had been operating for over a century, admitting over a thousand students each year.

Accumulated over time, that easily totaled over a hundred thousand students!

"What a scam! No wonder everyone was staring—I was just their entertainment!"

Only now did Liu Wentao realize, his cheeks burning hot, and he hurriedly slunk away.

"After 100,000? That's hilarious—I wasn't this low when I was a freshman."

"Look at the kid, his face is as red as a monkey's butt—definitely a freshman."

"......"

The entire training hall erupted in lively chatter due to Liu Wentao's performance.

"Aming, want to give it a try? You'd definitely do better than me."

Unable to bear the gossip any longer, Liu Wentao quickly urged Xu Jingming beside him.

Two people looking foolish is better than one, isn't it?

"Fine, I'll give it a try too."

Xu Jingming didn't refuse upon hearing this.

His original purpose for coming here was to test his physical strength—punch power is part of that.

Besides, he wanted to see.

With his current strength, where would he rank among all the geniuses who've enrolled at Metropolis Psychic University since its founding?

"Welcome! Xu Jingming, student ID 【blank】, has initiated the punch power challenge! Everyone, cheer for him!"

When Xu Jingming swiped his student card, the same high-pitched voice rang out again.

"Huh? Someone else just started a challenge."

"Looks like the companion of that guy just now."

"Tsk, this one's even weaker—seems like only Rank 1 Lower Tier."

"Rank 1 Lower Tier? He probably can't even hit 400 kilograms of punch power."

"......"

Unsurprisingly, the audience had little faith in Xu Jingming, who was only Rank 1 Lower Tier.

Yet Xu Jingming himself remained completely unfazed; he took a deep breath.

Then, Xu Jingming pushed his entire blood and qi to its limit!

He stood straight, engaged his waist, and used his waist to twist his arm.

With that force, his fist shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, becoming a black blur as it slammed into the target before him.

Boom!!

A deafening sound, like a sledgehammer striking, exploded through the hall, followed immediately by the high-pitched cheer:

"Punch power: 4,589 kilograms! Peak punch power! Congratulations—you've broken the record!"