Duel

Seeing Yang Wei back down, Xia Qi'an knew when to stop. He released Yang Wei.

He turned and picked up the bundle lying on the ground.

Yang Wei, battered and miserable, struggled to his feet. Rubbing his swollen, reddened face, he climbed back to his own bed in a foul mood.

Wang Xie merely shook his head with a bitter smile. Then, as before, he lay down and closed his eyes to rest.

After night fell, the three men in the tent tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

No one knew who had started it.

Before long, the three of them began chatting, one sentence at a time.

From their idle conversation, Xia Qi'an learned that Wang Xie, like Yang Wei, had been sent by his Lineage to the Wei Dao Si training camp just to go through the motions and secure a title.

Yang Wei was skilled at running businesses, not fighting people. Once the training camp ended, he would certainly be assigned to the Snake Guard.

Wang Xie, on the other hand, was a martial arts expert who had already undergone four blood exchanges. He was a Mid Blood Refining Realm martial artist.

Yet, like Yang Wei, he would return to his Lineage as soon as the training camp ended.

They lacked neither cultivation techniques, silver, nor status.

Therefore, they did not need to accumulate merit points through missions like Xia Qi'an did.

As they chatted, Xia Qi'an suddenly felt as though he had returned to the dormitory of his university life in his previous existence.

The next day, early in the morning.

A rapid drumbeat jolted the sleeping trio awake.

They clearly knew it was the signal to assemble.

Soon, all ninety-three people filed out of their tents and gathered in an open area of the valley.

The instructor of this training camp was a burly, bearded man.

The man stood on a jutting rock with his arms folded across his chest, looking down at the rookies below.

His voice was powerful and sonorous as a bell, making their eardrums ache.

"Let me introduce myself... My name is Lin Beihai... and I'm the head instructor for this training camp's selection! You may call me Instructor Lin!"

"The selection training for the Wei Dao Si's new recruits officially begins now."

"The training camp will last one month. That may be too short to help you improve your martial cultivation, but it can help you quickly become a true martial artist capable of standing on your own—a qualified member of the Wei Dao Si."

"At the end of the training camp, you'll also have to participate in a martial contest. The three best performers will receive martial arts techniques, pills, silver, and a large number of merit points."

"Your performance will also determine whether you are assigned to the Snake Guard or the Hound Guard."

"Well then... everyone... follow your respective instructors and begin training!"

According to the group assignments, there were originally six people in each group.

However, there were ninety-three people in total this time.

Therefore, Xia Qi'an's group, consisting of Wang Xie and Yang Wei, had only three members.

Their instructor was Jiang Feng, a resolute young man in his twenties and a Hound Guard.

Over the following month, Xia Qi'an's schedule was packed every day.

Starting at dawn, he had to practice standing meditation for two shichen.

Then he studied cultural knowledge for two shichen before practicing stances and punches for another two.

In the afternoon, he had to search the wilderness for spirit herbs and fruits and learn how to identify them. In the evening, he studied how to use various weapons.

All of this was extremely novel to Xia Qi'an. As a result, he trained with great enthusiasm and meticulous focus.

He earned Instructor Jiang Feng's deep appreciation.

As for Wang Xie and Yang Wei, although they were somewhat lazy, Jiang Feng turned a blind eye after considering their backgrounds as members of prestigious families.

During this time, the three of them grew familiar with one another. Although Xia Qi'an and Yang Wei had clashed at first, Xia Qi'an discovered after spending time with him that Yang Wei's nature was not bad.

Their past conflict was soon laughed off.

After they had spent some time together, Xia Qi'an found Jiang Feng and told him that he was cultivating the Golden Body Technique.

He also asked Jiang Feng how to practice it for the best results.

After hearing this, Jiang Feng expressed his willingness to help Xia Qi'an cultivate the Golden Body Technique.

He even privately taught Xia Qi'an a set of boxing techniques.

Jiang Feng had obtained this boxing technique during one of his missions. It was called the Great Strength Vajra Fist.

Jiang Feng wielded a pair of maces and was not skilled with his fists, so he was willing to teach the technique to Xia Qi'an.

As its name suggested, the Great Strength Vajra Fist followed a path of sheer ferocity. Its techniques were fierce and tyrannical, broad and powerful in execution—exactly to Xia Qi'an's liking.

Thus, besides completing his regular daily training,

Xia Qi'an also had to endure Jiang Feng's vicious beatings in the dead of night.

There was no other way. To cultivate the first layer of the Golden Body Technique, he had to temper every inch of his skin.

Taking a beating was the best method.

Fortunately, Jiang Feng was extremely strong. He was a late-stage Bone Tempering Realm martial artist, and his control over his strength had reached perfection.

With Jiang Feng's wholehearted assistance, Xia Qi'an's cultivation of the Golden Body Technique advanced at astonishing speed, as if aided by the gods.

In a mere half month, Xia Qi'an underwent a phoenix-like rebirth and completed the process of tempering his skin.

After the Golden Body Technique's skin-tempering was completed, Xia Qi'an once again underwent the blood-exchange process, shedding his old self and gaining a new one. By then, he had undergone four blood exchanges.

Yet his martial realm remained stuck at the Early Blood Refining Realm. He had a fixation in his heart: he wanted to challenge the legendary nine blood exchanges before entering the Bone Tempering Realm, to see what kind of miracle might occur.

After all, Jiang Feng had undergone only five blood exchanges when he entered the Bone Tempering Realm.

Now that he had mastered the first layer of the Golden Body Technique, Xia Qi'an's entire body gave off a faint metallic sheen, like a copper wall and iron rampart. Even if someone hacked at him with a blade, it could leave only a pale mark. Ordinary sabers and swords could hardly harm him at all.

Not only that, Xia Qi'an's strength had also increased.

It had reached the Strength of Five Bulls.

Who would have thought that merely mastering the first layer of the Golden Body Technique would increase his strength by four bulls?

If he cultivated it to perfection, Xia Qi'an could not imagine how exhilarating it would be.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

Before they knew it, the day of the martial contest had arrived.

The contest was also conducted in groups, with two contestants facing off each time. Whoever was left over had to fight an extra match.

The battles continued until the final victor was determined.

Since the contestants varied in age and their martial realms ranged from high to low,

the rules prohibited the use of qi and blood power for the sake of fairness.

However, weapons were allowed.

Thus, the contestants were tested on their application of martial techniques and their combat talent.

Xia Qi'an's first opponent was a handsome young man two years older than him who was skilled with a longsword.

"I am Su Changqing... Please enlighten me!"

Su Changqing had delicate features and an extraordinary bearing. He seemed to come from a prestigious family as well.

"Xia Qi'an... Please enlighten me!"

After the two exchanged greetings,

the battle erupted.

Su Changqing struck first, thrusting his longsword straight at Xia Qi'an's face.

The sword was incredibly swift. In the blink of an eye, it had reached Xia Qi'an's eyes.

Su Changqing's intention was obvious: overcome his enemy with speed.

He focused on Xia Qi'an's vital points, forcing him to exhaust himself defending before breaking through his defenses.

But he had clearly underestimated Xia Qi'an's strength.

Xia Qi'an's lips curved into a faint smile. His right hand shot out like lightning, slapping precisely against the incoming blade. The palm strike appeared light and casual, but it contained boundless force, forcibly changing the blade's trajectory.

That astonishing palm strike was like using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds. Not only did it throw Su Changqing's body off balance, it also exposed a massive opening in front of him. Xia Qi'an's right fist, already withdrawn, burst forth like a tiger breaking free of its cage. He suddenly exerted his strength and unleashed the Great Strength Vajra Fist, hammering toward Su Changqing's chest like a violent storm.

Su Changqing's expression changed dramatically. His body blurred as he hurriedly executed an advanced movement technique, struggling to retreat a single step. In his haste, he could only raise his sword horizontally before his chest, attempting to block this thunderous strike.

"Bang!"

With a dull impact, Su Changqing flew backward like a kite with its string cut. The longsword in his hand also flew free like a startled bird, tracing a graceful arc through the air before sailing far away.

His body skidded several zhang like a cannonball before finally coming to a slow stop.

Fortunately, this was only a martial contest, and Xia Qi'an had held back. Su Changqing had merely been sent flying by the overwhelming force and had not suffered any serious injuries.

Su Changqing struggled to his feet and brushed the dust from his clothes. A trace of disappointment appeared on his face. "Brother Xia, you have incredible strength... I've lost this match!"

"You were too kind!"

Xia Qi'an returned the salute with clasped fists, then turned and left the arena with effortless grace.

To see through the strength and weaknesses of his opponents, he watched every remaining match from the sidelines without missing a single one.

After all, the victor's rewards—whether techniques, pills, silver, or merit points—were all things Xia Qi'an desperately needed.

Therefore, he was determined to take first place in this martial contest. After all, the use of qi and blood power was forbidden, while someone who tempered his physical body like him possessed an advantage granted by heaven itself.

With his own Strength of Five Bulls and his fierce Great Strength Vajra Fist added to that, he was brimming with confidence and feared no opponent.