Austin moved ahead, attacking the dummies at the second level of the Energy Gathering Realm with ease. He surged at them with his fists, slamming into them without hesitation.
His cultivation base was at the sixth level of the Energy Gathering Realm. To Austin, dealing with the dummies of the second level of the Energy Gathering Realm was akin to an adult dealing with children.
Witnessing the invincible power of Austin's fists, the grunt disciples stood stock-still, stunned. The dummies Austin had just confronted were no match to him. They could hardly hinder his movements for even a moment.
Austin advanced about twenty-five meters when a dummy, wielding a long spear with a fluttering red tassel perched atop, materialized in front of him and rushed forward.
The dummy was at the third level of the Energy Gathering Realm.
Austin narrowed his eyes into slits. The dummies within the first twenty-five meters had all been at the second level of the Energy Gathering Realm.
But as he crossed farther, it became apparent that the dummies stationed here belonged to the third level of the Energy Gathering Realm.
It hardly mattered to Austin. He still gathered his vital energy into his fists and punched the attacker in front of him.
Pow!
The long spear snapped into two and the punch threw the dummy sideways. He landed unceremoniously on the ground. The sand traced a haphazard path as his body sidled across it.
With only one punch, the dummy had been bested.
Wow!
The grunt disciples on the sidelines gasped in surprise. They gawked at Austin with their wide eyes open, as if he was a ruthless monster.
"Austin!"
Suddenly, the keen sound of a girl rang out in the air.
Austin turned around and saw Denali's slender figure come into view. Her body was a mesmerizing silhouette against the deep green lights coming from the passageway where he had fought the dummies.
She ambled over to him confidently and Austin's face cracked into a smile. He nodded at her in acknowledgment.
They had met on a few occasions now, and Austin's fondness for her only grew each time. He was especially touched last time when Denali had stepped forward and spoken up in defense of Evan. He had felt grateful toward her.
Of course, such fondness was not the kind be
verbal hit, Austin continued walking forward with Denali.
Given the cold shoulder, Matias fumed silently and followed behind. From time to time, his gaze would occasionally lock on Denali's attractive, curvy figure, and he would swallow hard.
The further they advanced, the fewer grunt disciples there would be left as most of them were unable to pass the test and go forward.
Along the way, they constantly confronted dummies at the third level of the Energy Gathering Realm. The dummies continuously jumped out from the periphery of the passageway and flanked them.
Denali's swordsmanship was quite advanced, even mysterious. Matias's knife skills were extraordinary. They struck back the dummies with ease.
Austin saw that Denali had reached the fourth level of the Energy Gathering Realm. She must have made a breakthrough recently; it required hard work.
For Austin himself, it was a piece of cake to fight the dummies at the third level of the Energy Gathering Realm.
He didn't have to rack his brains for a line of attack. As soon as he saw a dummy, Austin punched him with his fist and the dummy vanished right away. He hardly had to employ a second strike to defeat them.
Austin's extraordinary strength had captured Denali. She stared at him in wonder now and then, her eyes twinkling with admiration.
Matias's face darkened even more. He was no longer insulting and taunting Austin, for it didn't escape his notice how his rival defeated the dummies even more effortlessly than he himself did.