Chapter 223: I Still Have to Answer to Them?

Chapter 223: Chapter 223: I Still Have to Answer to Them?

"Guan Mountain’s Saber Technique recently broke through to the High Stage of Tier Two!"

"He’s gotten much stronger. None of us are a match for him. He should be able to last a bit longer against Brother Qi," the others started to discuss.

SWOOSH~

Guan Mountain wore a grave expression. To his Perception, Lin Qi seemed full of openings, but his intuition screamed that his opponent was extremely dangerous.

Finally, he made his move. He brandished his Battle Saber, his figure vanishing in a flash. The air glinted with the light of his blade.

They were less than ten meters apart. In a single breath, he was upon Lin Qi.

The flash of his saber was like a bitter winter wind, exuding a bone-chilling cold that concealed a deadly killing intent.

This time, Lin Qi calmly brandished his Training Lance, his eyes locked on Guan Mountain.

He flicked his wrist, thrusting out in an instant. The Training Lance tore through the air, its tip striking like a swift and agile arrow.

Each thrust precisely struck the weakest point in the arc of the blade.

_Meteor Spear Technique_—Starlight Stab!

BANG BANG!!!

In that instant, all Guan Mountain could sense was Lin Qi’s Training Lance, like a meteor streaking across the night sky.

The Battle Saber and the Training Lance clashed, releasing a burst of Power.

The onlookers were stunned as they watched Lin Qi’s Spear Technique, exchanging glances of disbelief.

"Is that the _Meteor Spear Technique_ Brother Qi is using?"

"Isn’t he practicing the _Mountain Splitting Spear Technique_?" Li Zhou asked, a confused look on his face.

"Looks like Brother Qi is practicing a new Spear Technique!"

Jiangtao said calmly, already long accustomed to this sort of thing.

In the heat of battle, Guan Mountain frowned. Lin Qi’s sudden switch in Spear Technique had thrown him completely off balance.

His _Cold Wind Saber Technique_ was fast, designed to slay an opponent in an instant.

Against an ordinary Martial Artist, he could easily fell them with a single strike.

But facing Lin Qi was a completely different story. It felt as if Lin Qi had seen through his Saber Technique entirely.

Lin Qi’s spear thrusts broke through his techniques with precision, simultaneously launching a counterattack like a torrential downpour, a volley of a thousand arrows.

This was completely different from how he’d felt during the Genius Tournament. The Lin Qi of today was simply unfathomable.

BANG! BANG!!

Lin Qi relentlessly swung his Training Lance, thrusting again and again until only a blur of afterimages remained.

Guan Mountain retreated again and again, desperately blocking with his saber. Finally, with his back to the wall, Lin Qi’s Training Lance shot out and tapped the flat of the blade. A burst of Power erupted, penetrating through it.

BAM!

Guan Mountain gritted his teeth against the searing pain. The muscles in his arm went numb, and the Battle Saber slipped from his grasp, clattering to the floor.

In the next instant, the tip of the lance was at his throat.

"Guan Mountain, you’ve lost," Lin Qi said calmly, holding the lance in one hand.

Guan Mountain clutched his right arm and said with a bitter smile, "I’ve lost!"

As Lin Qi pulled him to his feet, he sighed.

"Brother Qi, you’re too strong! I couldn’t resist at all!"

The onlookers were inwardly amazed; the gap between the two was enormous. But Wang Qiufeng saw even more.

’In that spar,’ he thought, ’if Lin Qi had wanted to, Guan Mountain would have been dead in two or three moves.’

’They aren’t even in the same league.’

"Brother Qi, how long have you been learning the _Meteor Spear Technique_?" Jiangtao came over and asked curiously.

"Less than twenty days," Lin Qi replied, putting down the Training Lance.

"’This skilled in less than twenty days!’ The crowd exchanged glances. Seeing how proficient he was, they would have believed him if he’d said he had been practicing for months."

Lin Qi himself was rather surprised at how quickly he’d picked up this Spear Technique.

He had encountered almost no obstacles, smoothly learning how to channel his Power, improving his Spear Technique Realm, and then mastering the first and second Killing Techniques.

...

「One hour later.」

Lin Qi returned to his villa and walked into the spacious Martial Arts Room with practiced ease.

"Master, you have a message!" Little Chan said as her projection materialized.

With a wave of her small hand, a green screen materialized in the air, displaying the message.

[To student Lin Qi: For ranking first in individual performance within the Azure Sky Sixth Institute in the September Disaster Beast Trial Tower, you will be awarded 1,000,000 Xia Country Coins.]

[Additionally, for ranking first among all new students, you will receive 2,500,000 Xia Country Coins. As the first new student to clear the second level of the Disaster Beast Trial Tower, you will also receive two units of Skin Tempering Ointment.]

’Not bad,’ Lin Qi thought, quite satisfied.

That was 3,500,000 Xia Country Coins in rewards alone, and that was just for one month.

If he could keep this up for a year, he would earn at least 42,000,000 Xia Country Coins.

It was an astronomical sum, and in reality, he was eligible for even more rewards.

Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy truly spared no expense in cultivating its geniuses, pouring in massive amounts of wealth and resources.

Lin Qi was also very pleased with the two units of Skin Tempering Ointment, which were worth a full two million Xia Country Coins.

Last month, from the Disaster Beast Trial Tower alone, he’d raked in rewards worth 5,500,000 Xia Country Coins.

Phew~

Lin Qi let out a breath, calmed his heart, and began his nightly Source Energy Cultivation.

He sat cross-legged, his hands in the Five Hearts Facing Heaven Technique posture.

He focused his consciousness, performing the visualization of the Level 8 Disaster Beast Vajra Tiger. Sketched from 360,000 strokes, the majestic tiger materialized, its eyes blazing as it instantly came to life.

It opened its great, blood-red maw and began absorbing the dense Source Energy in the Martial Arts Room. River-like streams of Source Energy flowed into Lin Qi’s body.

The energy flowed into him, devoured by his cells. Some of it even remained floating within his body, awaiting gradual absorption.

Lin Qi guided the Source Energy into his skin cells, causing the membranes to transform.

Meanwhile, the transformation of his muscles and Great Tendons continued, strengthening them further.

His very genes were being optimized, evolving toward the Extraordinary.

Lin Qi savored the process of cultivation. The feeling of his body growing progressively stronger was addicting.

「Two hours later.」

[You have completed a Source Energy Cultivation session. Qi and Blood Value has increased. Qi and Blood Value +0.5]

[Qi and Blood Value: 49.5→50]

...

Lin Qi opened his eyes, a Golden Light flashing within them as a powerful aura radiated outwards. He noted the increase to his Qi and Blood Value and slowly rose to his feet.

’My Qi and Blood Value finally broke past 50.’

Lin Qi felt like he had been improving by leaps and bounds, making progress every day, yet when he took a hard look, his Qi and Blood Value had only just broken past 50.

He was still 50 points away from a Qi and Blood Value of 100. There was a long road ahead.

Lin Qi glanced at his status panel.

[Name: Lin Qi]

[Template: True Monarch Erlang Yang Jian]

[Fusion Degree: 17.5%]

[Spiritual Power: 62]

[Qi and Blood Value: 50]

[Fist Technique: Tier Two 99%]

[Spear Technique: Tier Two 95%]

[Body Technique: Tier Two 83%]

...

Lin Qi exhaled. This was his current strength. More than a month had passed since the freshman tournament, and his power had already changed dramatically.

He looked at his Fist Technique and Spear Technique Realms, which were both bottlenecked.

This was his next goal: to break all his Martial Arts through to Tier Three.

That way, he would have a better chance of winning the championship in the upcoming national freshman competition.

’The _Meteor Spear Technique_ is incredibly effective. What Wang Zixuan said about not biting off more than you can chew doesn’t apply to me at all!’

’Learning another Spear Technique will only help my own breakthrough.’

’So, just like in high school, I’ll learn a defensive Spear Technique Secret Manual. That way, I’ll have no weaknesses and more options when facing powerful opponents.’

Lin Qi resolved. He had already witnessed the power of a classmate who knew three different spear techniques.

Now, he would do the same.

...

Another month at Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy passed in the blink of an eye.

「Early November.」

Autumn began to settle over the Imperial Capital. The temperature dropped, and a cool breeze could often be felt.

The national competition at the end of November was fast approaching.

The students of the Azure Sky Sixth Institute were still immersed in a fiercely competitive atmosphere.

The Hall Master’s office on the top floor.

The perpetually calm Dean Liu looked at Lin Qi opposite him and poured him hot tea.

He glanced at the black Metal Cylinder beside him and said, "Are you going to the Gravity Room to cultivate later?"

Lin Qi took a sip of hot tea and said:

"Yes!"

Dean Liu said slowly, "I called you over this time to remind you that the national freshman competition will officially begin on November 25th!"

"Today is November 10th. There’s only half a month until the national freshman competition. Are you ready?"

Lin Qi frowned. Time really did fly. The national freshman competition was about to begin before he even realized it.

Dean Liu smiled again. "By the way, let me tell you one more thing."

"In every year’s freshman competition, besides S-class geniuses like you, the geniuses from the Tenth Institute who have Awakened Special Abilities might also participate."

"They might participate too?"

Lin Qi’s hand froze. He was inwardly stunned.

’If geniuses with Awakened Special Abilities are allowed to join, who could possibly beat them?’

"That’s not fair, is it? They have Special Abilities. No one can defeat them, not even me," Lin Qi asked doubtfully.

Dean Liu said calmly, "Naturally, there are restrictions."

"They are forbidden from using their Special Abilities."

Lin Qi breathed a sigh of relief. That was more like it.

"Even so, the S-class geniuses who have Awakened Special Abilities possess strength far beyond that of others."

"In the annual national freshman competition, if even one person from the Tenth Institute participates, they can easily take the championship."

"You should know that whether someone Awakens a Special Ability is purely a matter of unpredictable luck."

"Once Awakened, not only do they gain a Special Ability, but their innate physical Talent and Comprehension are also greatly enhanced."

"Coupled with an abundance of resources and guaranteed admission to the top three academies, they have ample time for Cultivation."

"Even without using their Special Abilities, they are still the most elite geniuses."

"To them, participating in the national freshman competition is a complete curbstomp."

"And I forgot to mention, the geniuses from the Tenth Institute... all of their Martial Arts have already reached Tier Three."

Dean Liu finished, taking a sip of his hot tea.

Lin Qi’s expression grew grim. ’They’ve all reached Tier Three already?’

"So, our only option is to pray they don’t participate. Since they’re also freshmen, they’re eligible to compete under the rules, so we can’t ban them."

"However, to ensure competitiveness, each academy only has one participant slot."

"In previous years, one might occasionally join, but sometimes none do. It’s entirely up to them."

"If none of them participate, you’ll have a shot at the championship."

Lin Qi shook his head. "So whether I can win the championship now depends on the whims of those geniuses from the Tenth Institute?"

Dean Liu replied calmly, "That is the reality of the situation. You have no choice but to accept it."

"If you’re not resigned to it, then train with all your might."

Lin Qi finished his tea and said, "I understand!"

...

「A dozen or so minutes later.」

The door to Gravity Room 306 slowly opened, and Lin Qi, carrying a backpack and a black Metal Cylinder, slowly walked in.

He silently changed into a Martial Arts Uniform and applied the white Skin Tempering Ointment to his body.

Dean Liu’s words echoed in Lin Qi’s mind.

’Our only option is to pray they don’t participate... It’s all up to them?’

’Pinning my hopes on the decisions of others... that’s not my style.’

He shook his head, his expression turning resolute. "’They can’t use their Special Abilities, which just makes them ordinary geniuses.’"

’I have nothing to be afraid of!’

’I won’t know if I can win until I fight them.’

"Little Chan, activate six times gravity!" Lin Qi roared.

"Okay, Master!" Little Chan activated the gravity, and the multiplier on the large screen on the wall instantly jumped to the number "6".

’I will break through to Tier Three Spear Technique today!’

...