With the experience of "Annihilation Divine Fist" and "A Step to the Ends of the Earth", coupled with the extraordinary comprehension brought by "Creation-Heaven-Penetrating Art", he quickly grasped the basics.
With fingertips brought together to form a sword, wisps of cyan sword energy flickered and swirled, sometimes as agile as a swimming fish, sometimes as sharp as a blade, carrying a charm that was both inexhaustible and purifying.
Cultivation knows no time.
In the days that followed, Xiao Han completely immersed himself in cultivation.
He made the most of the top-tier resources in the Core Sequence, including the A-level training room, the gravity chamber, Lin Qingxia's occasional guidance, and the Star Pavilion's data.
With the "Creation-Heaven-Penetrating Art" and the "Shadow Void Scripture" progressing in tandem, his cultivation steadily improved at the Third Level of the Martial Master Realm, his foundation became incredibly solid, and he even showed a faint tendency to advance to the fourth level.
"A Step to the Ends of the Earth" incorporates more spatial awareness, with increasingly ghostly and unpredictable footwork, and more skillful short-distance shadow jumps.
The Destruction Intent of "Annihilation Divine Fist" has become increasingly refined, and its power is even greater than before.
Although the newly acquired "Green Lotus Sword Song" is only a fragment, he has already mastered the opening stance and the first move "Lotus in Motion". The Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul finally has a decent means of attack, making up for one of his major weaknesses.
The synergy between his Twin Martial Souls has become increasingly seamless. The Chaos Green Lotus focuses on direct attacks, sustain, and purification, while the Eternal Night Monarch focuses on unpredictability, assassination, and control. The combination of the two has made his fighting style more versatile, and his strength is now vastly different from when he first entered the academy.
Time flies, and the annual grand event of the university— the Academy Grand Competition —is drawing ever closer.
Xiao Han stood in the center of the cultivation room, slowly finishing his practice, feeling the surging power within his body, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
Is this Academy Grand Competition?
Perfect, let's test the results of our training over this period of time.
Geniuses from the Imperial Capital Academy, I hope you... can bring me some surprises.
[Ding! Important event detected for the host (Academy Grand Competition). God-Level Choice System activated!]
Xiao Han's eyelids twitched, and a bad premonition immediately filled his heart. This system, every time it appears, it's never for good... no, every time it appears, it makes him pay some kind of "price".
[Option 1: Stability is Key! Prepare for the Academy Grand Competition step by step, consolidate your current level and martial arts proficiency, and strive for a good ranking. Reward: One bottle of Mind-Refreshing Pill (common quality, better than nothing, might save you from yawning a few times).]
[Option Two: Take a gamble and you might just win big! Head to the third basement level of the "Old Book Tower," one of the forbidden areas of the academy. Find the deepest wall, said to be covered in ghost faces, and shout at it: "Listen up, friends inside! I'm the junk collector next door! Bring out your old techniques, secret manuals, and magical treasures for sale!" Shout for one minute, ensuring your voice can cover the entire third basement level. Reward: [Academy Grand Competition Champion’s Blessing] (Effect: During the competition, the host's overall strength is temporarily and slightly increased, luck is slightly increased, and there is a certain chance of triggering enlightenment during battle), and a very small chance of obtaining one of the "Weakness Prediction" fragments related to the final opponent.)
Xiao Han: "..."
He silently looked at the task description for option two, his lips twitching uncontrollably a few times.
Old Book Tower? Three basement levels? Ghost Face Wall?
Imperial Capital Academy has a place like this? It doesn't sound like a respectable place.
And the task description... Shouting "collecting junk" at the Ghost Face Wall for a minute? And the sound has to cover the entire third basement level?
Is this system trying to make him even more outrageous than he's outrageous? Last time, bowing and scraping to that lousy book in the Martial Skills Pavilion was ridiculous enough, and now it's upgraded to shouting rap in a supposedly haunted place?
And this slogan... "I'm the ragpicker next door," is absolutely shameful!
Xiao Han could even imagine how "friends inside" would react to these words. Wouldn't they just rush out and beat him to death on the spot?
Let's take a look at the rewards.
[Academy Grand Competition Champion’s Blessing!]
A temporary boost to overall strength, an increase in luck, and even a chance for enlightenment! This is practically a god-tier buff for the upcoming competition! Not to mention the extremely low probability of obtaining the "Weakness Prediction" fragment; if we could actually get our hands on that, wouldn't the finals be a sure thing?
In comparison, Xiao Han felt that the biggest use of the "Mind-Refreshing Pill" in option one was probably to relieve the mental fatigue caused by excessive shame after he completed option two.
"Fortune favors the bold, integrity is worthless..." Xiao Han took a deep breath, silently reciting this slogan he had learned from who-knows-where, forcibly suppressing the intense sense of shame.
For the sake of strength, for the championship, for even greater resources... he endured this minor "social death"!
"System, I choose option two!"
[Ding! Selection confirmed! Please complete the task as soon as possible. Task validity period: 24 hours. Friendly reminder: The underground area of Old Book Tower is a forbidden area of the academy, rarely visited, but still protected by basic restrictions and energy detectors. Please be discreet and avoid being discovered by the academy's enforcement team, otherwise you will bear the consequences. (The system is not responsible for rescuing anyone.)]
"I know, I know, you talk too much," Xiao Han muttered to himself, annoyed.
He began to recall and inquire about information about the "Old Book Tower." This place was indeed not well-known in the university, and was even somewhat shrouded in mystery.
It is said that the place contains some extremely old, even incomplete and low-value books, and because of its antiquity and eerie environment, it has gradually become less frequented.
As for the three underground floors and the so-called "Ghost Face Wall," there are many supernatural legends associated with them, and they have been listed as restricted areas that should not be entered without permission.
"Forbidden areas are great, forbidden areas are wonderful, there are fewer people in forbidden areas, making it easier to call..." Xiao Han comforted himself and began to formulate an infiltration plan.
The Old Book Tower was located in the relatively remote northwest corner of the academy, a place rarely visited by people, which made it easy for him to sneak in. The key was how to avoid any possible restrictions and patrols.
However, this was not a difficult task for him, who possessed the "Shadow Void Scripture" and "A Step to the Ends of the Earth".
The night was as dark as ink, the moon hidden and the stars few.
In the northwest corner of the Imperial Capital Academy, a forgotten building stands quietly— the Old Book Tower, whose reputation is obscure and even carries a touch of eeriness.
Unlike the brightly lit and bustling areas of the university, this place is filled with an old and decaying atmosphere, with only a few dim streetlights barely outlining its mottled shape.
A figure almost blended into the shadows, gliding silently along the corner of the wall. Xiao Han activated the "Shadow Void Scripture," concealing his aura to the extreme. The power of the Eternal Night King Martial Soul covered his entire body, as if he were cloaked in the camouflage of night.
The ubiquitous energy detectors and patrols within the academy were rendered useless to him.