Does He Have a Death Wish?

Bang!

A Dunjian arrowhead flew across two hundred meters and slammed into the black curtain wall. White ripples bloomed half a meter beyond the white dot, not much different from the first arrow.

But he fired two arrows in a row before even reaching the beginner level?

Liu Yong raised his brows slightly.

Reaching the beginner level in archery mainly meant gaining control over the Blood Qi Bow. Without being able to control the Blood Qi Bow, one naturally could not be considered a beginner. But if one had not mastered the rhythm of drawing in and expelling qi and blood, recklessly firing consecutive shots with the Blood Qi Bow would leave the arm's muscles and bones aching as though they were splitting apart.

In severe cases, the arm might truly be shattered by the Blood Qi Bow's recoil.

Twang, whoosh—

Another piercing whistle suddenly tore through the air. Perhaps his luck had improved; it finally landed on the edge of the circle formed by the aiming point, sending ripples spreading out.

Liu Yong's brows slowly furrowed. His gaze shifted toward Jiang Qiu like a hunting cat tracking a mouse. In an instant, his pupils widened. "He's shooting again?!"

Without a sound, he nocked an arrow. With a hum, the blood-red streamers on the Black Rubber Bow flared as he drew it open. The bowstring pressed against the fingertips of his right hand; the arrowhead aligned with his shoulder, chest, and elbow. His half-closed right eye locked unmoving on the distant white dot.

Twang, whoosh—

As the veins in Jiang Qiu's right arm bulged with a roar, the wooden arrow shot through the air like a blood-red dragon, crashing through the barrier of air!

Bang!

Tap, tap.

The sound of the wooden arrowhead hitting the ground drifted over from afar. Jiang Qiu had already casually drawn another Dunjian arrow. A bead of sweat dropped from his chin with a tap, and he instantly straightened his chest like the ancient Da Yi, the white dot in his eyes seeming like ten suns high in the sky.

He nocked the arrow and drew the string. His right arm trembled like a cicada's wings, while soft tapping sounds seemed to spring from his chest. Blood-red streamers swirled around the Blood Qi Bow like a blood-drawing demon!

Does he have a death wish?!

Liu Yong drew a deep breath through his nose. The greatbow in his hand hung by his leg, his eyes cold as nails as he gritted his teeth slightly.

Not reaching the beginner level meant not reaching it. With only this brief buffer before the challenge, did he really have to risk his life just to fire a few more arrows?

At such intensity, he had definitely taken a bottle of Blood Boil Liquid too. With those effects stacked together, unless his body was tough enough, his right arm would be ruined within five arrows!

What was the point of doing this?!

"Brother Jiang."

A strained voice leaked out from the center of the spectator stands. Zhang Shan unclenched his fists, his ten fingers twitching for no reason.

Xie Kuang, standing alone in a corner, widened his eyes. His gaze was like clouds covering the sun, his chest rising and falling like a bronze bell.

Beside him, Liu Zili bit her lip and clenched her fists. The reflected image of the boy drawing his bow filled her almond eyes, speckled with starlight.

Li Si, Hu Yeye, Baldy, and the others held their breaths. The tap-tap-tap of their heartbeats rang around their ears, their alarm and worry like hammers crashing down upon their heads.

That was a Blood Qi Bow. Few families present could afford one, but everyone knew how ferocious it was.

It was impossible to use a Blood Qi Bow continuously before reaching the beginner level!

What Brother Jiang was doing was no different from self-harm!

Twang, whoosh—

The sound of tearing air seemed like high-pressure currents blanketing the archery range.

"Director Zhao, I can understand him trying the bow again before the formal challenge, but this is too much." Liu Qi's brows sank deeply, the cross-shaped scar on his right cheek twitching slightly. His voice was like a wolf lying in wait. "If he doesn't accept the challenge, he can just say so. I can take Liu Yong away right now."

Twang, whoosh—

Liu Qi's mouth twitched, and his gaze twisted coldly. "But if he's going to cripple his right arm right in front of me, then the challenge definitely can't go on. Why did I even bring Liu Yong here?"

"..."

Zhao Gongzheng stared gravely at Jiang Qiu's figure as he nocked another arrow. Another twang rang out, and his cheek twitched. "Jiang Qiu!"

"Here!"

Jiang Qiu exhaled a breath of hot air and bent at the waist as he turned halfway around. Zhao Gongzheng's narrowed, frowning eyes happened to reflect in his own. Scorching qi and blood immediately burst from his high-pressure heart chamber, and his shout rolled like muffled thunder. "Director Zhao, I'm almost getting the feel for it. I'm fine!"

Eight more arrows until beginner level!

The thought flashed through his Bright Sight like lightning. With a swish, he drew another Dunjian arrow from the basket. His shrimp-curled body straightened and rose once more. As hot sweat streamed down his face and gathered at the tip of his chin, it dripped to the floor in a continuous patter.

Twang, whoosh—

Twang, whoosh—

Twang, whoosh—

Twang, whoosh—

Tap.

The arrow fletching pinched between his fingertips fell into the basket. Jiang Qiu's mouth was like a dam gate, hot air rushing in and out as his chest rose and fell in waves. A broad stretch of flooring beneath his feet reflected the gleaming light.

Ancient Martial Arts Archery (Not Yet Beginner)

96/100

"Four more arrows."

Muttering inwardly, Jiang Qiu gritted his teeth. A nearly imperceptible bronze glow surfaced over his right arm, as though an iron shell had bound the writhing, savage flesh. Though fine cracks had spread across the bones in his arm, they still held his right arm in place like a crossbeam!

Tap.

He bit open the Blood Boil Liquid he had pulled from his pocket and gulped it down.

With a snap, the emptied vial fell to the ground. The bloodshot veins in Jiang Qiu's eyes had become red lightning clawing toward his pupils, while thunderous booms erupted from his chest.

Grrr—

His teeth trembled as he clenched them, and he casually took another Dunjian arrow.

Draw—

Gulp.

The low sound of saliva rolling through a throat quietly shrank inside Liu Yong's mouth. The corners of his lips twitched, his heartbeat racing hotly.

How could he be this insane? He drank Blood Boil Liquid just to fire a few more arrows?!

The ultimate amplification of the blood and the intense draining of qi and blood by the Blood Qi Bow were happening at once. It was no less than suffering ice and fire together. What kind of body could withstand it?!

Even if Jiang Qiu's body was abnormally strong and could endure a little longer, what was the point of firing so many arrows?!

Besides, his previous arrows had all been roughly at the same level—completely ordinary.

Twang, whoosh—

With a bang, the arrow struck. Suddenly, cries of surprise rose from the No.8 Middle School students. "Brother Jiang seems to be getting close to hitting that white dot!"

Liu Yong's chest jolted. He abruptly turned to the arrow wall, and his pupils instantly widened. "The center of the ripples is only one decimeter from the aiming point?!"

It must be a coincidence. After firing so many arrows, one of them was bound to land relatively close.

Twang, whoosh—

Another whistle sliced past his eardrums. The streak of shadow traced a subtle arc before smashing into the rotating circle around the aiming point, ripples spreading outward!

Another error of around one decimeter?!

Liu Yong drew a deep breath and clenched his right hand into a fist. Then he heard two more whooshes. He stood as rigid as a wooden post, a trace of qi and blood squeezing into his dark pupils. "The gap is already less than one decimeter?!"

It seemed it had never been luck. The dozen-odd arrows from before might have appeared to differ little, but in truth, they had been steadily improving.

Even if some arrows showed no improvement at all, he had been repeatedly drawing the bow before reaching the beginner level. Who knew how badly his body had been overdrawn?!

With his physical condition worsening by the moment, merely keeping the distance from widening would already have taken immense perseverance and talent—let alone this.

Tap.

The soft sound of nocking an arrow struck everyone overhead. Jiang Qiu's left arm was stiff as an iron pillar, heavier than a blacksmith's anvil. The veins in his right arm writhed like horned dragons, the bronze glow reaching its peak as it trembled violently.

He opened his mouth and inhaled like a giant whale swallowing the sea, countless currents of air flowing back like rivers.

His chest rose again, expanding the muscles of his back. His bent waist straightened as he drew the string. The blood patterns on the bow grip slowly lit up, while the small beads at either end gathered light like red suns.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

His heart was like an iron hammer, pounding Jiang Qiu's body with all its strength until a faint crisp crack sounded from the bones of his right arm. It drained his qi and blood dry, pouring it into his right palm and merging it into the thick bowstring.

He aimed at the tiny white dot two hundred meters away, spinning like a second hand.

"The last arrow."