Battle Qi Stage Seven

The cold night wind swept over the thatched roofs of the servant quarters, rustling softly.

Jiang Donghua stood inside, his gaze sweeping over the dilapidated grass hut he had lived in for several months. There was not a trace of reluctance in his eyes.

It was time to go.

Jiang Donghua swiftly packed his belongings, folding the few rough hemp garments he owned and stuffing in a bundle of dry, hard flatbreads.

Finally, he pulled a heavy cloth bundle from beneath the straw mat and gave it a gentle shake. Clatter!

The crisp sound of coins colliding rang especially clearly through the silent room.

The corners of Jiang Donghua's lips rose slightly as his fingers parted the cloth bundle, golden light immediately reflecting onto his face.

Five hundred gold coins!

This was enough money for him to live comfortably for several years in any town or city!

Only a dozen or so coins were the meager savings he had accumulated over the years as a servant. The rest...

Had all been "contributed" by Zhang Hu, Zhao Tiezhu, and Wang Mazi!

"Heh, those three pieces of trash were actually pretty good at saving money."

Jiang Donghua sneered, wrapped up the coins again, and hid them close to his body beneath his inner clothes.

He gave the room one final look, making sure he had left no trace behind, then pushed open the door and silently disappeared into the night.

Jiang Donghua moved briskly, racing down the rugged mountain path.

Though the Azure Mist Sect was not some top-tier great sect, it still had powerful experts at the Dou Shi and even Da Dou Shi levels stationed within.

If anyone investigated the disappearance and crippled cultivation of Zhang Hu and the other two, it was only a matter of time before it led back to him.

A servant disciple rising from Battle Qi Stage Three to Stage Six in a single month?

That was no longer something exceptional talent could explain!

At the very least, there were hardly any people with such extraordinary talent around this sect.

Once suspicion was raised, at best, he would be seized by the sect and tortured for his secrets. At worst, some old monster might directly search his soul and seize his treasures!

"Heh, I don't want to become someone else's 'fortuitous encounter.'"

A trace of chill flashed through Jiang Donghua's eyes, and his pace quickened.

First, he had to leave the Azure Mist Sect's sphere of influence. Then he could find somewhere peaceful to cultivate and strive for a breakthrough to Dou Zhe!

Once he broke through to Dou Zhe and unlocked the system's second avatar, his cultivation speed could double again!

By then, with the world so vast, where could he not go?

By the time Jiang Donghua entered the town, the horizon had just begun to pale with dawn.

The town was not large, but early-rising vendors had already begun setting up their stalls along both sides of the streets. The fragrance of steaming buns drifted through the morning mist.

Lowering his conical hat, he hurried toward the relay station at the town center.

"Shopkeeper, when does the next carriage to Black Iron City depart?"

The old man behind the counter looked him over and drawled lazily.

"Three-quarters past the hour of the Dragon. Twenty gold coins per person."

Without another word, Jiang Donghua slapped down twenty gold coins.

"Give me a seat."

The old man accepted the money and handed him a wooden token.

"Come wait by the end of the hour of the Rabbit. Miss it, and you miss it."

Jiang Donghua nodded, turned, and left the relay station. He found a breakfast stall in town and sat down.

He ordered a bowl of hot porridge and two baskets of meat buns, eating at an unhurried pace.

At three-quarters past the hour of the Dragon, the carriage departed on time.

Jiang Donghua sat in a corner of the carriage compartment, resting with his eyes closed as the system panel floated quietly in his mind.

text
[Host: Jiang Donghua]

[Realm: Battle Qi Stage Six (201/400)]

[Idle Gain: 1 point/hour]

[Estimated Breakthrough Time: 8 days 7 hours]

The corners of his lips lifted imperceptibly.

Eight days later, Black Iron City.

By then, he would be at Battle Qi Stage Seven!

The wheels rumbled onward, kicking up clouds of dust.

Azure Mist Sect, at the edge of the medicinal fields.

Three outer sect disciples stood on the ridges between the fields, listlessly scanning their surroundings.

"This damned place doesn't even have a soul in sight."

One of them kicked at a clod of dirt by his feet, his face full of impatience.

"The steward insisted we come investigate. Investigate what?"

"It's just a few servant disciples who went missing. It's not like it's a big deal."

Another man yawned and replied lazily.

The last man crouched down, rubbed some soil between his fingers, and frowned slightly.

"This dirt... the color's a little dark."

The other two glanced at it and snickered.

"Isn't the soil in medicinal fields always like this? They probably used too much fertilizer."

"Exactly. Don't tell me you think there are bodies buried here?"

The crouching outer disciple hesitated for a moment before finally standing and brushing the dirt from his hands.

"Forget it. There are no clues anyway. Let's go back and report that we checked."

The three turned and left. None of them noticed the faint hint of dark red seeping through the deep brown soil beneath them.

Jiang Donghua sat by the window, holding a cup of clear tea as he gazed through the window toward the distant Azure Mist Sect.

He had been staying here for three days.

In those three days, there had been no movement at all—no pursuers, no wanted notices, not even the slightest rumor about missing Azure Mist Sect disciples.

It was as though the four of them, himself included, had never existed.

"Heh..."

Jiang Donghua chuckled softly and shook his head.

He had still overestimated the Azure Mist Sect's bottom line.

Or rather, he had underestimated just how insignificant servant disciples were in the sect's eyes.

He had originally worried that the sect would launch a massive investigation, perhaps even dispatch the Enforcement Team to search for them.

But now, it seemed...

Servant disciples did not even deserve to be investigated.

Dead, rotten, buried—they were no more than a handful of fertilizer for the medicinal fields.

Jiang Donghua tipped back his head and drained the tea in his cup. The last trace of concern in his eyes vanished with it.

In that case, he could finally let go completely and focus on walking his own path!

text
Host: Jiang Donghua

Realm: Battle Qi Stage Six (267/400)

Idle Gain: 1 point/hour

Estimated Breakthrough Time: 5 days 13 hours

In another five and a half days, he would be able to step into Battle Qi Stage Seven!

Jiang Donghua closed the panel and left the inn.

Black Iron City, East Market.

Jiang Donghua stood by the roadside, holding a crudely made map he had just bought, his brow slightly furrowed.

Three days had already cost him fifty gold coins. Prices in Black Iron City were far higher than he had expected.

The inn was nice, but even five hundred gold coins would not last him more than a few months if he stayed there long-term.

"I need to find somewhere cheaper to stay..."

He put away the map and strolled slowly down the street, his ears keenly picking up the conversations around him.

"Did you hear?"

"A Jia Nan Academy instructor is coming in ten days!"

"Really?"

"How many students will they take this time?"

"Who knows? They only took thirteen last year. If they can take two more this year, that'd be a tremendous blessing!"

Jiang Donghua paused, a glint flickering in his eyes.

He was no stranger to the name Jia Nan Academy.

In the original owner's memories, it was one of the most renowned top academies on the Battle Qi Continent. More importantly, Jia Nan Academy did not care about one's background!

Without drawing attention, he approached the merchants chatting nearby and casually asked, "Gentlemen, how will Jia Nan Academy select students when its instructor comes to Black Iron City?"

The men turned to inspect him. Seeing that he was plainly dressed yet carried himself with calm composure, they did not look down on him.

"Little brother, you're from out of town, aren't you?"

"Jia Nan Academy's instructors come once a year. They mainly test bone age and Battle Qi talent. If you qualify, they can take you away on the spot!"

"But the requirements aren't low. You must be at least Battle Qi Stage Seven, and no older than eighteen."

Jiang Donghua's heart stirred.

At the system's current pace, he would break through to Stage Seven in another five days!

As for his age, the original owner of this body was only seventeen this year, fully meeting the requirement.

Half a day later, Jiang Donghua rented a small courtyard on the edge of the eastern district.

The courtyard was not large, but it was quiet. It cost only twenty gold coins a month and even came with a small training ground.

"It's a little shabby, but it'll do."

He sat cross-legged on the stone platform in the courtyard, closed his eyes, and regulated his breathing.

The system panel displayed:

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[Host: Jiang Donghua]

[Realm: Battle Qi Stage Six (289/400)]

[Idle Gain: 1 point/hour]

[Estimated Breakthrough Time: 4 days 15 hours]

In four and a half days, Battle Qi Stage Seven!

Jiang Donghua took a deep breath, suppressed the anticipation in his heart, and began focusing on cultivation.

Although the system could idle automatically, he also tried circulating his Battle Qi on his own to speed up his cultivation.

Over the next few days, Jiang Donghua kept a low profile.

As news of Jia Nan Academy's instructors' imminent arrival spread, the atmosphere throughout Black Iron City gradually grew more fervent.

"I heard the city lord's youngest son has already broken through to Battle Qi Stage Eight. He'll definitely be selected this time!"

"Heh, not necessarily. The Liu family's young miss also broke through a few days ago. They say her talent is exceptional!"

"And that kid Lin Yan who came from the mountains—apparently, he's only sixteen and already at the peak of Stage Seven!"

Jiang Donghua sat beside a tea stall, leisurely sipping tea as he noted down each piece of information.

If any of them proved useful, he could try making connections.

Late on the fifth night, Jiang Donghua sat cross-legged in the courtyard, Battle Qi swirling around him like mist. Suddenly, the system notification sounded.

Realm breakthrough!

Battle Qi Stage Seven (1/500)

A force far stronger than before erupted from his dantian, instantly surging through his entire body!

Jiang Donghua abruptly opened his eyes, a brilliant gleam bursting from them.

"I did it!"

He rose to his feet and felt the surging Battle Qi within him, a confident curve lifting at the corner of his mouth.

Battle Qi Stage Seven—he met the standard!

Now, all that remained was to wait for Jia Nan Academy's instructors to arrive!

Jiang Donghua sat on a stone bench in the small courtyard, slowly chewing on a freshly bought meat bun as he considered his plans for the future.

"Joining Jia Nan Academy isn't a bad choice."

He muttered to himself.

This decision had not come on a whim.

Ever since gaining the system, Jiang Donghua had been considering the path of development best suited to him.

"With the AFK System, I can grow stronger even while lying down."

He took a bite of the bun, meat juice running down the corner of his mouth.

"Then why would I go risking my life?"

The reasoning was simple: safety came first.

Cultivate in the wilderness?

Who knew when he might run into some passing expert who would casually crush him like an ant?

Join a small sect?

Not only would resources be limited, but there would also be endless scheming and infighting.

By comparison, a proper academy like Jia Nan Academy was much safer.

"Most importantly..."

Jiang Donghua wiped his mouth.

"Cultivation methods, battle techniques, cultivation resources—I won't have to worry about any of that myself."

What he lacked most right now were precisely these basic things.

Although the system could automatically raise his Battle Qi level, without matching cultivation methods and battle techniques, his strength would ultimately be greatly diminished.

"I can't keep fighting with wild flailing punches, can I?"

Jiang Donghua recalled how he had relied entirely on brute force to fight back at the Azure Mist Sect and could not help shaking his head.

Besides, cultivating at the academy had another advantage: it would not attract attention.

"If an ordinary student improves gradually, who would suspect anything?"

Jiang Donghua narrowed his eyes.

"If I were outside and rose several stages in a month, I'd probably be treated like a monster and hauled off for research."

"Besides, what kind of freakish prodigies hasn't Jia Nan Academy, with its thousand-year legacy, seen before?"

"Getting stronger while lying down—that's the choice of a smart person."

Jiang Donghua leaned against the tree trunk and let out a comfortable sigh.

The system panel appeared before his eyes.

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Host: Jiang Donghua

Realm: Battle Qi Stage Seven (12/500)

Idle Gain: 1 point/hour

Estimated Breakthrough Time: 20 days 8 hours

At this rate, even if he did nothing at all, he would break through to Stage Eight in another twenty days.

If he entered the academy and gained better cultivation methods and a better training environment, the speed would definitely be even faster.

"By then, I can idle away while learning some proper battle techniques..."

Jiang Donghua had already begun imagining his future life at the academy.

But before that, he had to pass the selection.

Although he had now reached the minimum standard, just to be safe...

Jiang Donghua sat up straight and began trying to mobilize the Battle Qi within his body.

Though the system cultivated automatically, he had discovered that if he actively cooperated, the efficiency could improve by a tiny bit.

"I'll treat it as a final sprint before the exam."

He closed his eyes and sensed the energy flowing through his body.

Late at night, Jiang Donghua lay on the hard wooden bed, tossing and turning.

"How old is Xiao Yan now?"

The thought suddenly barged into his mind, driving away all drowsiness.

He rolled over and sat up, scratching his messy hair.

After transmigrating for so long, this was the first time he had seriously considered this life-or-death question.

"With Jia Nan Academy around, at least it isn't one or two thousand years before Xiao Yan's era..."

Jiang Donghua muttered under his breath, trying to infer the timeline from the information he knew.

And Black Iron City had never appeared in the original story either. Jiang Donghua had no idea where exactly he was in this Battle Qi Continent.

"Please don't let this be the period when Hun Tiandi became an Emperor."

Jiang Donghua's fingers unconsciously tapped against the window frame, producing dull tapping sounds.

Thinking of the scene in the original story where Hun Tiandi used the blood sacrifice of the Central Plains, a chill ran down his back.

Before a disaster of that level, let alone a small fry like him, even a Dou Zun expert would struggle to escape death.

"System, oh system..."

Jiang Donghua shook his head with a bitter smile.

"You have to let me grow stronger."

He returned to the bedside and sat down, beginning to calculate the worst-case scenario.

If he really caught the Soul Clan causing trouble, he would at least need to reach the Dou Zong level before disaster struck to have a chance of fleeing to the Central Plains for refuge.

"I'm not even a Dou Zhe yet..."

Jiang Donghua tugged at the corner of his mouth in self-mockery.

But then again, since Jia Nan Academy was still recruiting students as usual, that meant the situation on the continent was at least relatively stable for now.

Xiao Yan might not have been born yet, or perhaps he was still a child?

"I need to find a way to get information about the Misty Cloud Sect."

Jiang Donghua suddenly thought of this crucial point.

If the Misty Cloud Sect was still at its peak and Nalan Yanran had not yet broken off the engagement, then the timeline was relatively clear.

He lay back down on the bed, resting both hands behind his head.

The hard plank bed dug into his shoulders, but compared to his worries about this unknown era, that discomfort was nothing.

The system panel glowed faintly in the darkness.

Host: Jiang Donghua

Realm: Battle Qi Stage Seven (35/500)

Idle Gain: 1 point/hour

Estimated Breakthrough Time: 19 days 5 hours

Watching the numbers steadily rise, Jiang Donghua felt slightly reassured.

No matter what era he was in, improving his strength could never be wrong.

"Let's set a small goal first,"

he murmured into the darkness.

"Before the disaster that may come, I need to at least reach the Dou Wang level."