C284 The Power of Chu Yi's Punch
High Order Gold!
While many had already been privy to Chu Yi's true level, such individuals were in the minority.
Only a select few in Redmarsh were aware of this. To most citizens across the Adirang Region, and even to the top prodigies from other areas, Chu Yi's actual level remained unclear.
But now, the secret was out.
High Order Gold!
This was the genuine article.
Previously, the public didn't hold a strong concept of High Order Gold; Bronze signified strength, and Silver denoted a person of great importance.
But Gold...
To them, there was little distinction between the different tiers of Gold.
That perception has now shifted dramatically.
Having witnessed the national examination and encountered numerous elite prodigies, they've come to truly grasp what Gold represents.
It signifies immense power, sheer terror, an adversary formidable enough to take on tens of thousands.
Terrifying, isn't it?
Indeed, it is beyond measure.
Yet, what they had seen was merely Elementary Gold and Intermediate Gold.
Even the seeded players were at the Intermediate level. Reaching High Order Gold was possible for them only due to their formidable backgrounds.
Left to their own devices, they would remain at the Intermediate tier.
But now, everyone has witnessed Chu Yi's actual level and felt his true power!
This is High Order Gold, achieved without reliance on any legacy, purely through Chu Yi's innate talent and diligent cultivation!
Many eyes sparkled with admiration.
As a leading seedling, Chu Yi's strength already surpassed his peers, and his true level further cemented his status.
In both strength and level, Chu Yi stood as an unrivaled figure, leading the pack of seedlings.
The public was unaware of the strategies of the noble families and the government, oblivious to the hidden, truly unparalleled geniuses prepared for the national conflict.
To the masses, what they had seen represented the pinnacle of the Adirang Region's young generation.
And Chu Yi, surpassing them all, signified that his presence was the foremost in the entire Adirang Region!
In a flash, the online world was abuzz.
Though many had speculated, the reality of the moment brought an indescribable shock to their hearts.
Chu Yi stood as the foremost among his peers—the undisputed number one of the younger generation.
With a cryptic smile, he regarded Zhao Wuheng.
Despite Zhao Wuheng having reached the pinnacle of the Gold rank, Chu Yi remained at the Gold High Order. Yet, for reasons unknown, many felt that if anyone embodied the Gold limit, it should be Chu Yi, not Zhao Wuheng.
Taking a deep breath, Zhao Wuheng reflected on his journey. He had been at the peak of the Gold middle level, seemingly a mere half-step from the High Order. But Zhao knew all too well the immense challenge of that half-step. His current position at the Gold rank's limit had been achieved through the use of countless resources. Advancing recklessly to the High Order could lead to the very problem he had pondered before.
The Gold middle level, therefore, signified the near-limit for the younger generation. Yet Chu Yi had surpassed it, ascending directly to the Gold High Order.
And there was more...
Zhao Wuheng's pupils narrowed as he sensed the truth.
Chu Yi's Gold High Order was at its utmost limit. Chu Yi hadn't reached this level recently; he had achieved it long ago.
"Now, you truly have the right to battle those few," Zhao Wuheng said with grave seriousness.
Chu Yi paused, his mind racing to the formidable talents that emerged in national battles. With a casual smile and a nonchalant shake of his head, he dismissed the thought.
Zhao Wuheng was puzzled by his reaction, but Reinhard, perched in the stands, understood. While the rest of the audience might not have caught Zhao Wuheng's words, Reinhard heard them loud and clear.
"Ready for battle?"
"Ridiculous," Reinhard scoffed.
Cage, standing nearby, shook his head in resignation, yet he found himself agreeing with Reinhard. Although he had yet to encounter those fabled prodigies, Cage believed they were somewhat stronger than the current crop of so-called seeded players, but only to a certain extent.
At most, those formidable beings were on par with him. Yet, when compared to Reinhard, there was undeniably an insurmountable chasm.
Cage understood this well.
And who was Chu Yi?
He was the young prodigy whom even Reinhard held in high regard, the very one Reinhard had considered swearing brotherhood with. Would such a figure be concerned with those so-called 'legendary geniuses'?
Cage shook his head.
Of course, the truth of the matter would only be revealed after the battle.
This fight would be the perfect opportunity to gauge Chu Yi's true capabilities...
...
Inside the arena, Chu Yi remained silent, his face adorned with a smile.
Zhao Wuheng inhaled deeply, his formidable aura escalating rapidly. Within mere moments, Zhao Wuheng's presence had soared to its zenith.
The pinnacle of Gold was just that – the pinnacle!
Zhao Wuheng was evidently far more powerful than when he had fought with Lee Zi, Young Master Lee, who was of the High Order Gold tier.
As a result, when his full might was unleashed, not just the arena, but the entire stadium, housing over half a million spectators, felt the impact.
Silence prevailed.
Overwhelmed by such an imposing aura, they found themselves speechless, their only option to gaze wide-eyed at the two youthful silhouettes at the heart of the arena, shivering slightly.
"Chu Yi, let's go!"
The moment his challenge was issued, Zhao Wuheng's aura climaxed.
His punch was like a ferocious beast, reawakened from a bygone, prehistoric era.
Zhao Wuheng had always been understated, even serene.
Indeed, he was the epitome of tranquility among warriors, never exuding an ounce of brutality.
But now, as Zhao Wuheng tapped into his full, formidable power, when he truly unleashed his fury in battle, that fearsome influence manifested instantaneously.
A prehistoric beast bellowed into the void!
That daunting aura surged toward Chu Yi.
At last, a flicker of interest sparked in Chu Yi's eyes.
Zhao Wuheng's strength, or rather, his current display of power, had finally piqued Chu Yi's curiosity.
Yet —
It still wasn't enough!
With a resounding bang, Chu Yi launched his punch.
His demeanor remained as serene as ever, just as it had been when facing those ordinary elite prodigies, betraying no sign of change.
Many had speculated about the true power behind Chu Yi's seemingly simple punch. How was it that he could almost always overpower his adversaries with a single blow?
Apart from Lee Gang, Chu Yi's confrontations typically ended with just one punch.
As a result, the potency of Chu Yi's punch had become one of the year's top ten enigmas on the internet.
Today, that mystery has been unraveled!
Zhao Wuheng tapped into his deepest reserves, elevating himself to the pinnacle of the Gold rank, surpassing Chu Yi by a level. After amassing a vast array of forces, he finally delivered a punch of cataclysmic proportions.
And Chu Yi?
He remained as effortlessly composed as he had always been.
That was the fundamental difference between them.
Yet, the outcome was...
Zhao Wuheng was sent flying backward, disbelief etched on his face, before crashing heavily to the ground.
Chu Yi, however, did feel the impact of Zhao Wuheng's formidable strike, retreating four or five steps...
Just four or five steps...
Could it be that under such an extreme and fearsome assault, Chu Yi only stepped back four or five steps?
At this point, there was nothing left to say.
Even the most formidable experts online were at a loss for words.
They could sense the might of Zhao Wuheng's world-shaking punch, even through their screens.
High Order Diamond?
Indeed, this was the power of a High Order Diamond Level. Even a typical High Order Diamond would have sustained serious injuries from such a strike!
But Chu Yi countered this fearsome blow with a simple, ordinary punch, effortlessly deflecting it.
This was the measure of Chu Yi's strength.
And such strength...
"Peak Diamond!"
"This is undoubtedly the power of a top-tier Diamond..."
No other realm could so casually withstand Zhao Wuheng's devastating punch, except for that of a Peak Diamond.
Hence, Chu Yi's true strength is—
Peak Diamond!
"Peak Diamond..."
Within the hall, those who had attained the Peak Diamond level looked on with complex emotions.
They too had once been prodigies, even freaks of nature, with the Peak Diamond as their ultimate threshold.
Reaching this level had drained all their potential.
Perhaps in their Gold rank days, they were considered geniuses, capable of rivaling ordinary Diamonds.
But upon depleting their potential, even as Peak Diamonds, they were merely the most common among the elite.
Currently, Chu Yi was just shy of twenty years old...
No!
Everyone was aware of Chu Yi's age!
Chu Yi was not even close to turning nineteen yet!
So, here was an eighteen-year-old young man whose strength was already on par with theirs...
...
Chu Yi shook his arms, a hint of surprise evident in his demeanor.
Clearly, Chu Yi's astonishment was genuine, not feigned.
"Not bad, it looks like I underestimated you before."
Chu Yi had thought that after their last encounter, he wouldn't be affected in the slightest, let alone be forced to take four or five steps back.
But the truth was...
The truth was that this turn of events was quite astonishing to Chu Yi.
Zhao Wuheng slowly got to his feet from the ground.
Chu Yi's words had inflicted deep humiliation on Zhao Wuheng, but Zhao Wuheng understood that Chu Yi hadn't meant to do so.
His strength was indeed formidable, and his words were simply an honest reflection of his heart.
It just meant that his own strength was too lacking...
Despite the bitterness of this realization, Zhao Wuheng was, after all, one of the most exceptional talents within the Terran Federation. Yet, when compared to Chu Yi...
He shook his head; they were simply not on the same level!
Nevertheless, Zhao Wuheng wasn't ready to give up.
Even though he was aware that he was no match for Chu Yi—far from it—if he had chosen to unleash his full potential and bloom at his brightest, then retreat was not an option.
So the only choice left was —
To battle!
"Attack!"
