Zhou Tian Qi Art

Martial Spirit Incense.

Official martial arts resources had especially complex and stringent production processes. They simply could not be found on the market, and even if there really were channels, Jiang Qiu did not know them.

Such officially controlled martial arts resources were priceless despite being available in name. Not to mention that people from the Slum Area might never see them in their lives—even most people from the Commoner District could not afford Martial Spirit Incense.

Just as Wu Shan had said, some Outstanding Students had entered this place and still had not used Martial Spirit Incense even now. In less than three months, their high school years would be over. If they failed to get into Northwest Martial Arts University, where would they get Martial Spirit Incense afterward?

At that thought, Jiang Qiu quietly clenched his fist, his eyes, sharply divided between light and shadow, sliding toward Xie Kuang and the slash-like cut of his eye.

He could not miss such an opportunity. He had to fight for more Martial Spirit Incense, make it through the college entrance examination intact, and enter Northwest Martial Arts University.

And as long as he reached Xie Kuang's level, he could receive two portions of Martial Spirit Incense every month.

"Alright, that's all I have to say. Keep practicing." Wu Shan gulped down another mouthful of water, then beckoned to Wang Guanjia, Jiang Qiu, and the other two. "Come with me to the Small Room. There isn't much time left today, so I'll first teach you the basic Body Tempering Cultivation Method. Tomorrow, you'll gradually learn the complete Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique."

Jiang Qiu followed at Wu Shan's heels with the other three.

Before stepping into the Small Room deep within the grounds, he glanced back at Xie Kuang, who was surrounded by a crowd singing his praises. Faint scraps of wind-borne voices slipped into his ears.

"Haha, look at those eager faces. Do they really think becoming Outstanding Students means they'll get Martial Spirit Incense?"

"Heh, even among us, who were genuinely Outstanding Students from the start, half of us haven't used that stuff in two years. They have less than three months—what the hell can they fight for?"

"The school really is something else. Why give these trash from the ordinary classes a chance? It's like this every year, but how many of them ever get into Northwest Martial Arts University?"

"You can't put it that way. If the school didn't give them a chance, Old Wang wouldn't have had one. And that Jiang Qiu fellow would have had even less chance to defeat Old Wang and get in."

As the voices fell, Xie Kuang's dark pupils drifted toward the corners of his eyes, meeting Jiang Qiu's turned-back gaze. His lips curled dismissively.

Ridiculous. Wang Guanjia had actually gotten his rod blown apart by someone born in the Slum Area.

His backbone must have been broken two years ago.

The longer he lived, the more worthless he became.

Click.

The one-way glass door of the Small Room shut.

"After secret realms around the world began to revive, beasts evolved into demons, and we humans benefited from it as well. That was how martial artists came into being." Wu Shan strolled past several Iron Stakes standing level with one another and stopped before a Small Porcelain Table. "The earliest martial artists developed Body Tempering Cultivation Methods based on ancient martial arts classics and special texts brought back from the secret realms. At its core, it is a breathing rhythm that tempers the body by compressing invisible qi.

"The mainstream body-forging art in our Northwest Province is the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique. It has a long and storied lineage, while the mainstream Body Tempering Cultivation Method is the Zhou Tian Qi Art. The two complement each other."

Thud. The Black Ink Bottle struck the porcelain table. Wu Shan glanced back at Wang Guanjia, who understood at once and tossed over his long spear. It landed steadily in Wu Shan's hand.

"The Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique only teaches ordinary students the First Eight Moves, because they do not harm the body and already possess killing power. There is no need to demand more.

"As for the Last Twelve Moves, they must be cultivated together with the Zhou Tian Qi Art, and they also require sufficient energy intake. If you lack certain conditions and fail to temper your body properly, your life will be shortened."

The instant his words fell, a streak of black light swept through the room, as though daylight had plunged into night.

Bzz—

Jiang Qiu's pupils trembled violently. When he fixed his gaze, he saw that the shaft of Wu Shan's spear had landed squarely against a nearby Iron Stake. Looking closer, the spear shaft was trembling in secret, the Iron Stake was shaking, yet the hand gripping it was like Azure Mountain clutching an empty valley—fierce and utterly unmoving.

Thud.

The long spear was flung back through the air into Wang Guanjia's hands. As though he had caught a scalding hot potato, his index finger jerked back like it had been electrocuted. Only on the second attempt did he grip it firmly, his arm veins purple-blue as his eyes bulged round. "What tremendous force!"

Liu Zili and Hu Yeye both widened their eyes, secretly shaken to the core.

Only then did they realize that the Iron Stake, already covered in crisscrossing dents, had gained another half-inch horizontal groove from that light touch of the spear shaft!

"The Last Twelve Moves of the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique can be summed up in one sentence: they train Subtle Force. Once your comprehension reaches a certain level, you won't need the spearhead—the shaft alone can shatter armor!"

Wu Shan stood with his hands behind his back, his right eye sweeping over them. His voice crashed like terrifying waves. "Take your positions, assume the stance, and wield your spears. I will teach you the Zhou Tian Qi Art!"

Whoosh—

With the united sound of air tearing apart, the four spear shafts cut into a single line. Jiang Qiu stood at the far right with no one to his left, his heart's blood boiling like magma.

At Wu Shan's command, all four began practicing the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique. Though it was only the most basic First Eight Moves, under his guidance, it felt as if they had been plunged into a high-pressure deep sea.

He lifted his chest, and a stream of air burrowed into his lungs and organs. High pressure formed along their inner walls, twisted tight by tendons and muscles, then echoed with the air outside his skin. It was like a pair of massive hammers, striking the surface of his skin from within and without!

The condensed airflow also scattered with each blow, squeezing impurities out through his pores as though an ancient steam train were venting, carrying the savage texture of an iron beast.

Zhou Tian Qi Art practiced once

Mortal Body

1/100

"Qi travels the Zhou Tian; the flesh sheds mortality.

"When the invisible qi you draw into your body can complete a full Great Zhou Tian cycle, it means the Zhou Tian Qi Art has carried you across the four great barriers of Copper Skin, Iron Flesh, Steel Bone, and Jade Tendon.

"But what you need to consider now is how to quickly cultivate Copper Skin. If you can cultivate Iron Flesh before the college entrance examination arrives, that would be even better.

"Circulating the Zhou Tian Qi Art during a medicinal bath is far more effective than practicing the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique. Remember to soak often."

Wu Shan's muffled words lingered in Jiang Qiu's mind. Carrying two stacks of brand-new black martial arts short shirts, he stepped out of the Elite Training Hall. The setting sun slashed a shadow across the side of his face, while his bright eyes headed toward the fading glow of sunset.

What medicinal bath?

Even the cheapest medicinal bath on the market cost over a thousand yuan per session. Do it once or twice, and his high school living expenses would graduate ahead of schedule.

Besides, how could medicinal bath resources sold on the market compare to official Martial Spirit Incense?

After leaving the school gates, turning through an alley, slowing his pace, and crossing the first zebra crossing, he stopped and looked back. "You're going to Thirteenth Street in the Slum Area too?"

Across the road, Liu Zili had been looking down at the new short shirts in her arms. Her short hair trembled as she raised her head in surprise. She glanced at the flashing green light, then ran over with quick taps of her feet. Her oval face gradually opened into white teeth and crescent eyes. "No, I live on Eleventh Street."

"Mm. It's on the way."

Jiang Qiu raised a brow and started walking again. Liu Zili's head bobbed with her small steps, sometimes catching up to his right shoulder as they walked down the road together.

"Jiang Qiu, you comprehended the Ming Jin move Spear Tip Pierces Armor in such a short time and defeated Wang Guanjia. Your Martial Arts Talent is very high." Liu Zili pressed her lips together and secretly glanced at Jiang Qiu. "Xie Kuang will definitely be impatient to settle victory and defeat with you.

"He was already formidable before becoming an Outstanding Student, but Wang Guanjia had beaten him before. Later, in order to secure more future Martial Spirit Incense allocations, Wang Guanjia challenged Li Juefeng, who had the second-best talent, and suffered a crushing defeat. He failed to become an Outstanding Student and was gradually overtaken by Xie Kuang. That's why Xie Kuang wants to reclaim the face he lost from Wang Guanjia."

"How do you know that?"

Jiang Qiu turned his head and glanced at Liu Zili as well. Meeting her clear, light-gathering eyes, he thought it over, then furrowed his brow. "It does seem like that happened. Wang Guanjia was talked about when he first came to Class Eight."

But if no one brought it up, he would not have remembered.

After all, it had little to do with him.

"Mm. So Xie Kuang might not want Wang Guanjia or you to obtain the qualification to receive Martial Spirit Incense."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"You not only defeated Wang Guanjia, you're also an Outstanding Student who rose out of the Slum Area—the first in recent years."