Red Sky Martial Arts Hall (Please Read On)

"Beep!"

Lin Qi scanned the items in his hands one by one over the checkout machine.

"Total payment: 2,525 Xia Guo Bi!"

Lin Qi packed everything into his backpack and walked out of the Red Sky Martial Arts Supermarket with an aching heart.

Of the remaining 3,000, less than 500 was left in an instant. That was all his food money.

"With these Qi and Blood Capsules and Qi and Blood Elixirs, I have enough to take a shot at it."

"And Tao Zi... I hope he can find a reliable part-time job."

Lin Qi thought to himself.

That evening, Martial Arts Room classroom

After evening self-study ended, quite a few students stayed behind to train, beginning their third session of the day.

Morning, noon, and night—three training sessions a day.

Wearing a Martial Arts Uniform, Lin Qi took out the Qi and Blood Capsules he had bought that afternoon from his backpack. He squeezed out one capsule and swallowed it, then washed it down with a Qi and Blood Elixir.

The taste was mediocre.

"Phew~"

A moment later, the Qi and Blood Capsule and Qi and Blood Elixir took effect at the same time. Lin Qi felt his body begin to heat up, his stomach seeming to burn like a furnace.

"Time to train!"

One hour later

Bang! Bang!!

The two-meter-tall, thick Fist Stake kept spinning as two Tiger Claws struck it repeatedly. The powerful force made it boom without end.

Lin Qi swung his sharp claws, his legs rooted firmly to the ground, steady as bedrock. Both hands curled into claws, his entire body flushed red and drenched in sweat.

Qi and blood spread through every part of his body as he unleashed his Fist Technique upon the Fist Stake, his expression grave.

The Fist Stake was covered in a layer of Special Materials that could absorb force and reduce damage.

Feeling how the force traveled, Lin Qi frantically performed the Fist Technique while carefully observing the changes in the Fist Stake and the direction in which the force shifted.

His waist drove the force forward. Stimulated by qi and blood, his muscles erupted violently, strength flowing all the way to his fingertips.

Bang! Bang!

As the Tiger Claws collided with the Fist Stake, the force traveled through his arms into his body, continuously jolting him.

Qi and blood coursed through his body, rapidly tempering his muscles amid the vibrations.

Lin Qi's mind raced as every key point of the Tiger Form Fist flashed through it.

[During intense exercise, your qi and blood value has increased significantly. Qi and blood value +0.02!]

[You have gained a new insight into Tiger Form Fist. Fist Technique +0.1%]

"..."

Notifications kept popping up on the Panel. Both his qi and blood value and Tiger Form Fist had improved to varying degrees.

[Name: Lin Qi (17)]

[Template: Erlang Shen Yang Jian (Fusion Rate: 1%)]

[Qi and Blood Value: 5.63 → 5.69]

[Fist Technique: First Order 85% → 85.3%]

[...]

"Phew~"

Lin Qi withdrew his fists and exhaled, feeling streams of heat within his body transform into endless strength.

"As expected of a Qi and Blood Elixir. The effect is incredible. Training after taking one massively boosts efficiency, and my qi and blood value rises especially quickly."

"With enough Qi and Blood Capsules, my qi and blood value can definitely break through 6.0 before the test!"

Lin Qi felt that the future was bright.

On the night of September 3rd, the weather was no longer as hot as daytime, but it was still sweltering.

Lin Qi and Jiang Tao stood side by side at the entrance of a massive building. Beneath the night sky, white lights illuminated the place brightly.

"Qi Ge, we got lucky. Yesterday, I found a well-paid part-time job."

"It's sparring practice. One thousand Xia Guo Bi an hour."

Jiang Tao explained from beside him. Lin Qi was startled when he heard that. The pay was pretty good.

"If they set the location here, they're probably not scammers." Lin Qi nodded.

It was still the scorching heat of August. Their sweat-soaked short-sleeved shirts clung to their skin, giving off waves of sweat odor.

The transparent glass doors opened, and a blast of cold air met their overheated bodies, driving away the heat.

It was chilling to the core, instantly refreshing them.

On the wall of the massive building was a huge crimson Flame logo. Beneath it were five large characters:

"Red Sky Martial Arts Hall!"

"The Red Sky Martial Arts Hall belongs to the Red Sky Group. It was founded thirty years ago by the world's strongest expert and the first titled Nine Realms martial artist, the Crimson Emperor."

"The Red Sky Martial Arts Hall is also one of the strongest Martial Arts Halls in the Xia Kingdom."

"It has branches in every city. Anyone who can come here and afford to spend money inside is either rich or powerful."

Listening to his best friend, Lin Qi raised his head to look at the enormous Martial Arts Hall, spotless, brightly lit, and brimming with futuristic style. Standing before it, he seemed incomparably small.

Before him stood the Red Sky Martial Arts Hall, one of the nation's top Martial Arts Halls. There were no advertisements at its entrance, only a simple introduction. It had no shortage of customers.

Because its name was its signboard.

He exhaled and calmed himself down.

"Let's go in!"

Lin Qi said.

At the front desk in the Main Hall sat two beautiful women in fitted black uniforms, both with clean and elegant temperaments.

One of the receptionists quickly spotted the two figures entering.

They were two boys with sturdy builds and bright, spirited eyes.

They gave off the youthful aura unique to students.

Still, their handsome appearances made her eyes light up.

Especially one of them. He wore a black short-sleeved shirt, and his sharply defined features could not be concealed even by his simple crew cut.

After entering, he carried himself openly and naturally, his expression calm.

Her eyes lit up, and she could not help looking at him again.

Ordinary people visiting the Red Sky Martial Arts Hall for the first time would usually tense up and look unnatural.

She had been the same once.

But this person was different.

It did not match his ordinary outfit at all.

Seeing the two approach, she put on a professional smile.

"Hello, students. How may I help you?"

When Jiang Tao entered, he felt the luxury around him and looked at his own clothes. A sense of inferiority immediately rose within him.

But when he saw Lin Qi beside him looking so natural, he felt admiration.

As expected of Qi Ge. Ever since we were kids, no matter how big the occasion, he never changes expression.

Influenced by Lin Qi, he straightened his chest as if he had gained confidence.

"Hello, we have an appointment to be Guo Heng's sparring partners in Room A-128. Could you tell us how to get to Room A-128?"

"Room A-128 is on the first floor..."

The receptionist moved both hands over the desk, and a 3D map suddenly projected into the air. The entire Red Sky Martial Arts Hall was displayed clearly before them.

"Alright, thank you!"

After seeing the location clearly, Jiang Tao thanked her and signaled Lin Qi with his eyes.

The two turned and walked through the Main Hall, heading farther inside.

Like country bumpkins entering a grand estate, they curiously observed everything around them.

The men and women passing by were dressed extravagantly and carried powerful auras. Their bodies radiated terrifying pressure, like dreadful humanoid beasts.

"As expected of the Red Sky Martial Arts Hall. It's so luxurious. When will I be able to train here too?"

Jiang Tao sighed enviously.

Lin Qi felt the same way.

But when he heard that even the most ordinary Martial Arts Room here cost 1,000 Xia Guo Bi an hour, he immediately gave up on the thought.

"Unfortunately, 1,000 is too expensive. Do you know how many Qi and Blood Capsules that could buy?"

Jiang Tao shook his head and sighed.

A moment later, the two arrived at their destination—A-128.

It was a silver-white metal door with a combination lock installed on it.

Rumble~

The metal door opened, and a boy in blue clothes walked out clutching his arm. He limped toward the entrance, accompanied by a strong smell of sweat and a faint scent of blood.

After glancing at Lin Qi and Jiang Tao,

he limped away toward the entrance.

Lin Qi and Jiang Tao exchanged a look, both feeling an inexplicable pressure.

Then they entered the Martial Arts Room together.

Bang~ Bang~

The first thing they saw was a spacious, brightly lit Martial Arts Room nearly three hundred square meters in size.

At the center of the Martial Arts Room, two figures collided.

Both wore tightly wrapped black protective suits as they circled and clashed across the training ground.

One of them was taller and attacked fiercely, while the other was being driven back step by step beneath the savage assault.

As Lin Qi watched their movements, an unusual gleam seemed to flicker in his eyes.

"Are you the sparring partners?"

As soon as Lin Qi and Jiang Tao entered, they heard a woman's voice.

Turning around, they saw a tall Beautiful Woman in her twenties wearing blue clothes. Her chest was full, and she held a tablet in her hand. Upon seeing them, she asked expressionlessly.

"Yes, you must be Sister Lian, right? We agreed on WeiXin. We're here to be sparring partners."

Jiang Tao stepped closer and answered first.

The woman in blue looked down at Lin Qi and Jiang Tao, sweeping her gaze over them from head to toe.

When she noticed their worn clothes and heavily scuffed sneakers in particular, she frowned.

"Let's make this clear first. Sparring partners get 1,000 Xia Guo Bi each. If you do well and stay on long-term, it'll be 1,500 Xia Guo Bi each time."

"Medical expenses are included as well. Any problems?"

"No problem!"

Lin Qi and Jiang Tao exchanged a glance, then nodded in reply.