After the white-haired young man finished speaking, a few of the remaining candidates unconsciously glanced at a youth wearing a silver earring.

Wang Su averted his gaze, his expression becoming somewhat unnatural.

It was clear the idea was his.

The crew-cut burly man, however, was composed. His eyes were fixed on the white-haired youth, and he said in a deep voice, "Xiao Mubai, don't make baseless claims."

"Moreover, even if it was really related to us, it's still permitted within the rules."

"Even if you're upset, you can't find fault with us..."

"Heh..."

A sneer touched Xiao Mubai's lips as he suddenly reached out and ripped off his shirt.

"SHRED—"

Beneath his blue short-sleeved T-shirt, he wore a black, skin-tight undershirt.

The material of this undershirt was unknown, but under the indoor lighting, it exhibited a lustrous, scale-like sheen.

Upon seeing this garment, the pupils of the crew-cut burly man and his companions contracted sharply.

The oval-faced girl blurted out, "A B-class R-II type protective suit?!"

One of the short-bearded young men shrieked, "Xiao Mubai, have you no shame! You're wearing this kind of gear for the Ancient Martial Arts Crane Sect's Direct Disciple Assessment? Even a martial master with Vigor might not be able to break through that!"

"This is precisely why you are all trash."

An undisguised sneer and look of contempt crossed Xiao Mubai's face. He said with a smirk, "There are so many things allowed within the rules, yet you can only think of such petty and despicable tactics..."

"Damn it!"

In an instant, the faces of the crew-cut burly man and the other four turned incredibly grim.

"Alright, I'm done wasting my breath on you."

Xiao Mubai's expression grew colder. He twisted his neck lightly, and sounds akin to the whirring of machinery echoed from within his well-proportioned, slender body.

He extended his hands and casually clenched them twice in front of him, producing crisp, popping sounds in the air.

An invisible pressure rapidly spread out from him as the center, engulfing the entire room in the blink of an eye.

The remaining candidates' faces grew even grimmer, and some even began to show signs of wanting to retreat.

Xiao Mubai was already the strongest among the candidates; he had entered PracticeOrgans, comprehended a True Skill, and, to top it off, had even developed Crane Strength.

Now, he also wore a high-tech protective suit that could likely withstand attacks from a martial master. Their already slim chances of winning dwindled further.

Seeming to sense everyone's mood, the leading crew-cut burly man gritted his teeth and swiftly took an unknown potion from his pocket, swallowing it down.

Tossing the vial aside, his voice seemed to become even huskier and deeper.

"Don't be fooled by him!

No matter how strong he is, he's just one person. Besides, we still have tricks up our sleeves.

Let's attack together and stick to the original plan!

Don't forget, the Sect Master is watching!"

The eyes of the other four flickered. They quickly made up their minds and each brought out their own methods.

Some took pills, others stuck talismans or objects onto their bodies, and one even began to administer acupuncture to himself on the spot.

Lu Yuan, watching from the sidelines, was dumbfounded.

Damn, how does every single one of these people have ways to boost their combat power on the spot?

Speaking of which, are all these things even allowed by the rules?

So why did Lin Zhiquin only give me a detoxification pill?! Isn't that too stingy?

This so-called Crane Sect Direct Disciple Assessment is so chaotic...

"Attacking together? Perfect."

Xiao Mubai seemed completely unfazed by their actions, an air of immense calm and confidence surrounding him.

"It'll save me the trouble of dealing with you one by one."

He slightly raised his chin, taunting the group before him with an extremely scornful gaze.

"Trash will always be trash. Even when piled together,

it's just a pile of trash."

"Attack!"

The crew-cut burly man roared, his feet forcefully pushing off the ground. He shot towards Xiao Mubai, shattering several wooden floorboards beneath him.

The other four quickly followed.

If one were to look down from above at that moment, they would clearly see five dark figures shooting like arrows towards Xiao Mubai, the target at the center.

Xiao Mubai, the target of their combined assault, remained unhurried and calm.

The figures of the five attackers were reflected in his pupils, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

A fierce expression appeared on his face. Not only did he not retreat, but he instead lunged forward.

As he lunged, his right hand shot out to the side, intending to grab something—anything—to use as a makeshift weapon and sweep away his opponents.

But as he closed his hand on his target—

"Huh?!"

Xiao Mubai was sure he'd grabbed something, but when he pulled... it didn't budge.

He used a little more force and yanked again, but still, it didn't budge.

"Shit!"

Seeing the crew-cut man and his four companions closing in, irritation flashed across Xiao Mubai's face as he abruptly turned his head.

He found himself looking straight into a pair of eyes filled with a strange and complex mix of emotions.

Lu Yuan stood quietly in place, his arm firmly gripped by Xiao Mubai, who was still trying to pull.

The two silently locked eyes. Time seemed to stop at this moment.

"Why... why did you have to pick me first?

I'm just a spectator..."

"Sigh..."

A helpless sigh echoed throughout the vast and empty assessment hall.

.....

"BOOM!"

A heavy, muffled sound came from the direction of the assessment hall.

It sounded as if something heavy had slammed hard against the floor or a wall.

Even though the assessment hall was enclosed on all sides by thick steel plates, those outside could still hear a significant commotion.

Upon hearing the sound, the conversations in the courtyard abruptly ceased.

Almost all of the direct disciples' expressions shifted slightly.

Then everything returned to normal. However, it was clear that a part of their attention had now shifted towards the assessment hall.

"Xiao Mubai has made his move."

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