Body Tempering Fluid

Baldie's boxing gloves were the most valuable. Shorty readily agreed to take them for one hundred thousand Star Coins. Together with various odds and ends of loot and materials, Jiang Yan's total haul this time came to three hundred thousand Star Coins.

With more than three hundred thousand in his hands, Jiang Yan became the kind of filthy rich bastard everyone envied and despised overnight.

The "Explosive Step" that cost nearly one hundred thousand on the official website was only ten thousand Star Coins here with Shorty, so Jiang Yan bought it without hesitation.

After Shorty left, Jiang Yan looked at the Alloy Long Blade, chipped all along its edge, and sighed regretfully.

"The bodies of Fierce Beasts are far too tough. One fight takes too much out of the blade. In a few days, I should head into the city and see if there are any good sabers."

He knew full well that Wilderness Hunters earned money quickly, but spent it just as quickly. Potions, weapons, and armor all needed constant replenishment and replacement. The slightest carelessness could bury the seeds of one's future death.

A good saber would definitely cost a fortune. Though Jiang Yan now had over three hundred thousand Star Coins in hand, it was still somewhat difficult for him to pick out a truly good blade.

As night approached, Jiang Yan stopped going out and simply bought a tent, setting it up near the Exchange.

Quite a few Wilderness Hunters had gathered nearby as well.

Living rough, eating in the wind and sleeping under the dew—that was how it was.

Jiang Yan gradually began to blend into this place.

The next day.

Linjiang First High School, athletic field.

Principal Liu Hair-Ren stood on the podium, delivering an endless speech.

"There is less than a month left until the College Entrance Exam. Once again, I sincerely wish all of you can make the most of your strengths, achieve good results, and get into good universities."

"But—

"The College Entrance Exam is no child's play. It is a battlefield. In that examination hall, you will face geniuses from other places, and you will face exceptionally savage Fierce Beasts. If you only cultivate behind closed doors, you will never achieve good results.

"Therefore, fifteen high schools from Linjiang City, Jiangyu City, Hequan City, and Nanqi City will jointly hold a practical mock College Entrance Exam.

"The location will be the Wilderness!"

Liu Hair-Ren paused at just the right moment, listening to the students' reactions below.

Sure enough, the third-year students of Linjiang First High School erupted into chaos.

"Ah, why is the venue in the Wilderness? I heard Fierce Beasts lurk all around out there. What if we get eaten?"

"Wuwuwu... I don't want to go into the Wilderness. Can I withdraw? Wuwuwu..."

"Hahahahaha! Linjiang First High School has finally wised up. I've been looking forward to leaving the city for training like students from the big cities!"

"More than ten schools competing together... I wonder where I'll rank?"

"By the way, are there any rewards for this competition? I'll join if there are rewards. Otherwise, I'm withdrawing."

Some students were afraid, some were curious, and some were eager to give it a try. But without exception, they all reacted strongly to this sudden trial.

"Ahem, everyone, quiet down."

Liu Hair-Ren's voice through the microphone drowned out the crowd below.

"This competition has been personally approved by the Education Bureau. The top ten will receive precious Body Tempering Fluid as a reward, while the top hundred will also receive considerable rewards."

The entire field exploded at those words.

For low-level martial artists, Body Tempering Fluid was an exceedingly rare treasure. After taking and refining it, it could equal half a month of bitter cultivation, visibly strengthening the body.

More importantly, Body Tempering Fluid did not enter the market. It was personally controlled by the authorities, impossible to buy even with money. Only defective products could be found on some black markets, and even those defective products were worth one hundred thousand Star Coins!

That alone showed just how precious Body Tempering Fluid was.

Body Tempering Fluid had strong drug resistance—the more one took, the weaker its effects became. But if it was taken for the first time, it could instantly raise a martial artist's realm.

Quite a few students at Linjiang First High School had no confidence in getting into university, but if they used Body Tempering Fluid...

It was not just the ordinary students. Even some Talent Users and Aperture Awakened individuals had burning eyes.

Linjiang City was merely a small city. It had no channels whatsoever to obtain such precious Body Tempering Fluid.

Therefore, even some students from wealthy families had never tasted Body Tempering Fluid.

Amid the restless crowd, only Ai Ning remained calm, looking at the excited students with disdain in his eyes.

"Boss, it's Body Tempering Fluid! With it, maybe we can get into better universities!"

"Heh, it's just Body Tempering Fluid. I took it long ago."

"Hiss—"

His lackey sucked in a sharp breath.

"However..." A flicker of emotion appeared on Ai Ning's face. "This trial is worth making a move for."

Ai Ning's family had once pulled some strings to acquire two bottles of Body Tempering Fluid. One had been consumed by him, while the other had been given to the child of a high-ranking official in Linjiang City.

As he carefully recalled the sensation of taking Body Tempering Fluid for the first time, his eyes burned with heat. "Just a little more... Just a little more, and I'll break through to Blood Coagulation Late Stage..."

Liu Hair-Ren looked at the students' reactions below with satisfaction. Then he remembered Jiang Yan, who had refused his attempts to keep him, and sneered.

"Without Linjiang First High School, I'd like to see which university would want you. Even if you begged me now, I wouldn't give you the chance to return to school."

Students who had Body Tempering Fluid would definitely far surpass Jiang Yan, a wild stray who had even stopped attending school.

There was no doubt about it. Liu Hair-Ren firmly believed so.

"You fought a deadly battle against twenty Black Wolves. Thick-Skinned Physique greatly increased, physique slightly increased, and Fierce Bull Strength proficiency increased."

"You fought a deadly battle against thirty Black Wolves. Thick-Skinned Physique seemed to begin mutating, physique slightly increased, and Explosive Step proficiency increased."

"Explosive Step proficiency increased."

"You killed twenty Black Wolves. During battle, your Fierce Bull Strength broke through to perfection."

Jiang Yan opened the Status Panel.

Host: Jiang Yan

Talent: Thick-Skinned Physique (Evolving)

Realm: Body Tempering Perfection

Martial Arts:

(Unranked) Basic Saber Technique — Perfection

(Yellow Grade Low Rank) Fierce Bull Strength — Perfection

(Yellow Grade High Rank) Explosive Step — Proficient

Traits: Heaven Rewards Diligence (Innate), Desperate Truth (Blue), Swiftness

Jiang Yan noticed the words "Evolving" behind Thick-Skinned Physique, and his eyes blazed.

Just a little more. Just a little more, and it can evolve. I need battle!

He glared viciously at the few surviving Black Wolves. For a moment, his bloodthirsty gaze made it impossible to tell who was the Fierce Beast.

"Wuu..."

The Black Wolves let out several whimpers, their legs trembling as they backed away.

Fear—they were afraid!

The Black Wolf pack, always valiant and skilled in battle, had actually been beaten into fear by Jiang Yan.

With Fierce Bull Strength reaching perfection, Jiang Yan no longer used his fists. He picked up the Alloy Long Blade from the ground, and an icy sharpness filled the battlefield.

"Kill!"

The perfected Basic Saber Technique carried no flashy effects. As the long blade danced, he weaved and darted through the wolf pack like a roaming dragon teasing a phoenix, smashing through their formation with unstoppable force.

At that moment, an earth-shaking wolf howl rang out.

The wolves prostrated themselves. From within the pack, a towering, majestic silver body slowly stepped forth.