Somewhere in the Inner Courtyard, Lin Shuguang slipped away from the others and began upgrading.
[Blood Energy Value: 330 cal] [Tiger Roar Saber Technique LV5 can be upgraded. Deduct 1,000 wealth.]
"Upgrade!"
With a thought,
a deeper understanding of the Tiger Roar Saber Technique instantly flooded Lin Shuguang's mind.
At the same time, the blood energy inside him began to surge, coursing through him like a true dragon. A faint sheen seemed to flow across his skin, vigorous and powerful beneath the evening glow.
He immersed himself in this unfamiliar sensation.
Lin Shuguang raised a hand, and the Soul Ring on his finger lit up.
He closed his eyes and instinctively manifested the Slaughter Blade. Gripping it in one hand, he began practicing the [Tiger Roar Saber Technique], though his movements were very slow, as if time had deliberately been slowed.
His breathing fell into a rhythm of inhalations and pauses, as though he had been drawn into some profound state.
"Buzzz-"
Suddenly, something like thunder rumbled through every limb and bone, buzzing incessantly.
Lin Shuguang's strength surged.
Half a minute later, he slowly opened his eyes. By then, his body had returned to normal.
But-
Teacher said before that the [Tiger Roar Saber Technique] was a nurturing technique. Once a nurturing technique reaches a certain level, it can condense blood energy, increase strength, and even improve defense. At its peak, it can even make you impervious to blades and spears. So that means my defense now...
Lin Shuguang stared intently at his left arm.
He raised the saber in his right hand... but in the end, he could not bring himself to slash down.
He checked the requirements for the next level.
[Tiger Roar Saber Technique LV6: Requires a top-up of 100,000 and a Blood Energy Value of 500.]
100,000!
Lin Shuguang was stunned.
But looking at it another way, a high price meant high returns.
The level-six Tiger Roar Saber Technique had to have something exceptional about it, or it would not cost so much.
Suppressing his impatience, Lin Shuguang began upgrading the [Star Prison Gale Slash].
[Blood Energy Value: 330 cal] [Star Prison Gale Slash LV4 can be upgraded. Deduct 10,000 wealth.]
"Upgrade!"
The next instant,
Blood energy churned inside Lin Shuguang, and an expanding vortex erupted beneath his feet. It seemed surrounded by brilliant, dazzling stars, yet carried no shortage of chilling killing intent!
Once he had finished receiving the skill, Lin Shuguang eagerly slashed out.
Countless tiny strands of force converged at once, traveling through his tendons, bones, and muscles into the Slaughter Blade.
The fierce gust blasted the ground along the blade's path, sending dust billowing as though a gale had swept through.
The wind blades Lin Shuguang had just unleashed were the hallmark of achieving mastery in the [Star Prison Gale Slash]. Had he not held back because he was inside the Martial Arts Hall and did not want to cause too much of a disturbance, the storm would have been even stronger.
In an instant, dozens of blade marks appeared on the ground.
Lin Shuguang withdrew his saber and smiled in satisfaction at the destructive power he had unleashed.
He thoroughly enjoyed this exhilarating power.
[Star Prison Gale Slash LV5: Requires a top-up of 100,000 and a Blood Energy Value of 500.]
"Did you do this?"
Song Shi's sudden appearance made Lin Shuguang tense. He had not even noticed him approaching.
Recovering his composure, he nodded hesitantly. The marks on the ground would not fully reveal his true strength.
Song Shi looked as though his suspicions had been confirmed, and his gaze grew even more appreciative as he watched Lin Shuguang.
He had underestimated Lin Shuguang after all.
"Good, good. It looks like you've gotten a foot in the door with the [Star Prison Gale Slash]. You've been working so hard lately. Are you planning to take the assessment next month?"
Lin Shuguang nodded in agreement.
After a moment's thought, Song Shi said, "With your strength, you could give it a try. Right, I have some assessment notes left by a former student, along with some of his insights into martial arts. Want them? I'll get them for you."
Lin Shuguang brightened. "Sorry for the trouble, Teacher."
"No trouble. If you make a name for yourself, it'll reflect well on me too. Now, where did I put that thing..."
Leaving the Martial Arts Hall alone, Lin Shuguang had not expected to come away with an extra reward.
He had barely taken a few steps outside when his little sister secretly called him.
"Big Brother, I want fried chicken. Buy two portions on your way back. I only want one."
Her words clearly said, See? I'm not trying to keep it all to myself. I'm even giving you a portion.
Lin Shuguang stopped at the intersection and glanced toward the fried chicken shop, which was not on his way. "Eating meat late at night makes you gain weight."
"I'm not scared!" Lin Xiaoxi replied without hesitation.
"Heh, you little brat." Lin Shuguang chuckled. "Give me a compliment first."
Lin Xiaoxi's brows twitched. Suppressing her anger, she called out sweetly, "My most, most, most, most handsome big brother in the whole world, could you buy a portion of fried chicken for your most, most, most, most adorable little sister in the whole world?"
"Depends on my mood."
Click!
The call ended.
Back home, Lin Xiaoxi was dumbfounded.
Never in her life had she met anyone so shameless!!!
"Lin Shuguang!!!"
Lin Shuguang tucked his phone into his pocket and turned away, thoroughly pleased with himself.
To save time, he deliberately chose a relatively secluded path that offered a short route to the fried chicken shop.
Perhaps because it had been overcast, the streets looked gloomy and hazy after nightfall, even with the streetlights. There was hardly anyone around.
Suddenly, the faint sound of weapons clashing fiercely came from an abandoned construction site.
Lin Shuguang stopped at the sound.
He scanned the deserted surroundings suspiciously, his gaze finally settling on the abandoned construction site, whose gate had a large hole smashed through it.
Driven by intense curiosity, Lin Shuguang quieted his footsteps and slipped inside.
There were no lights at the abandoned construction site, only a little illumination spilling over from distant streetlights, making it difficult to see what was happening inside.
The night wind howled, carrying over scattered snatches of speech.
"Three months ago... if not for... revenge... Martial Artist..."
At the words "Martial Artist," Lin Shuguang's entire body tensed.
A Martial Artist's blood energy value was at least a thousand. The explosive power produced by blood energy of that magnitude was beyond what a student like him, who was not even a Martial Arts Apprentice, could handle.
He was just about to leave when the sounds of fighting resumed.
"I looked into you. You're a teacher at Huaicheng No. 2 Middle School, aren't you? Once I kill you, I'll head to your school!"
"You're asking for death!"
Lin Shuguang's eyes instantly filled with shock and uncertainty.
That voice...
It was Old Fu!!!
He crept closer, and Old Fu soon came into view.
Under his opponent's onslaught, the axe manifested in Old Fu's hand disintegrated. The tremendous impact sent him staggering back a step. Clutching his chest, he spat out a mouthful of blood and slumped weakly against the stone pillar behind him.
Facing him stood a man with blood on the side of his face. His jacket had been blasted into strips during their fight, so he simply tore it off, exposing bulging, knotted muscles and several bloody gashes.
Compared with Old Fu, he was not in much better shape.
But he had gained the advantage with an earlier sneak attack, allowing him to keep Old Fu on the defensive.
The Demonic Cultivator Martial Artist stood where he was, secretly regulating his breathing. Staring at Old Fu, he spoke in a dry, chilling voice. "Do you have a brother?"
With his back against the stone pillar, Old Fu initially remained silent.
Only after a pause did he lift his head and spit out a mouthful of bloody foam, saying expressionlessly, "How many children did your brother kill to practice his demonic arts? How many families did he destroy? He deserved to die!"
"That's none of my concern. All I know is that I owe my life to my brother! You killed him, so I'll kill you to avenge him!" The Demonic Cultivator Martial Artist's face was filled with madness.
Old Fu closed his eyes and said nothing more.
Having more or less regulated his breathing, the Demonic Cultivator Martial Artist stepped forward, his long spear moving like a dragon as he leveled its tip.
"On your knees!"
Old Fu remained silent, secretly gathering his strength.
Suddenly, a sound came from one side.
Someone was there!!!
The Demonic Cultivator Martial Artist narrowed his eyes. "Who's there? Get out here!"
He thrust his spear!
"Whoosh!"
The silver spear streaked through the night like a burst of lightning, turning into a ribbon of light that slashed fiercely toward Lin Shuguang's hiding place.
At the same time,
Old Fu's eyes abruptly snapped open, blazing.
He hurled himself into a leap.
The instant the Demonic Cultivator Martial Artist attacked Lin Shuguang, he unleashed all the strength he had secretly accumulated and hacked down savagely with his axe.
"Boom!"
Before you continue