Bow Dao Transformation

Bones could be healed with bone-setting medicine. Severed tendons could be reattached. Even when blood was depleted, Blood Boil Liquid was not the only way to replenish it.

But if I did not give it my all in today's challenge, then I had already lost!

Buzz—

The bow bent into a half-moon, its startled string trembling.

The blood throughout his body boiled like a sea of fire. Every muscle seemed like steel bars twisted together. A blaze ignited around his heart, and scorching currents shot through his limbs and bones, rapidly raising his temperature!

A layer of bloodshot patterns wrapped around Jiang Qiu's jade-black eyes, with a speck of white starlight glittering at their centers. The sweat vapor rising from his body slowly lifted the hair before his forehead.

At that moment, he stood at the center of everyone's attention. With a twang, he released the string, and the hem of his drenched black shirt was lifted an inch by the wind.

Whoosh—

The black arrow streaked across the field and struck the white dot with a bang. White ripples instantly surged outward. Nearby, Wu Shan's right eye widened as his index finger twitched.

Liu Yong's pupils constricted sharply, his fist letting out a muted creak.

Liu Qi's brow jumped, and the muscles in his cheeks tightened.

The wrinkles around Zhao Gongzheng's eyes stretched open, dawn-like light appearing in his clouded gaze.

The students from all eight fields in the spectator area shuddered. Blood surged into their chests, then roiled up to their throats as they cried out in unison, "Brother Jiang is fucking awesome!"

"He hit it! Holy shit, Brother Jiang hit it!"

"Even Liu Yong didn't hit it, but Brother Jiang did!"

It was only a warm-up before the official challenge. He had only hit the target once in more than ten arrows, yet they acted as though they had already won, cheering and shouting.

Profound Archery practiced once

Ancient Martial Arts Archery (Beginner)

Traits: Blood Qi like a pillar, arrowheads pierce armor

0/500

"Whew—" Jiang Qiu bent over with his hands on his knees, panting like an old farmer beneath the blazing sun. "Hah—hah, hah."

Bow Dao Transformation

Blood Circulation

Traits: Opens the sinews and veins, circulates Blood Qi

Hundreds upon thousands of streams of blood poured from his heart, rushing through winding sinews and veins, sweeping over every fold and protrusion along the walls of his blood vessels.

As he drew in breath, his taut left arm drooped like a block of salt melting in hot water. His fingertips twitched lightly. The tiny fractures in the bones of his right arm were squeezed together and fused by the surging bloodstream, as though an invisible hand had hummed and clenched, making the supports holding his blood channels stand upright with a crunch!

Huff.

He exhaled a long stream of hot air, clearing away much of the stuffiness in his chest. Jiang Qiu's eyes brightened. "The Blood Qi wasted after drawing the bow is circulating back with my breathing, nourishing the inside of my body. The Blood Qi that had been completely drained seems to have built up a little again."

He slowly clenched the fingers of his right hand, wiping the sweat from his face in the motion. His burning gaze passed over Liu Yong's darkened expression before turning to Zhao Gongzheng and Liu Qi. "Sorry, Director Zhao. I kept everyone waiting so long. I'm done practicing the bow."

"Good. Rest first and recover some Blood Qi." Zhao Gongzheng let out a quiet breath, the corners of his lips lifting slightly. "Liu Yong, do you still need to get a feel for it?"

"..."

Meeting that hawk-sharp gaze, Liu Yong's cheek twitched. He loosened his fist. "No."

"Captain Liu, please continue inspecting the field."

"Mm." Liu Qi's bright eyes remained fixed on Jiang Qiu as he expelled a breath that had been brewing in his chest for some time. "Director Zhao and General Mo truly were not exaggerating. To think he possessed such astonishing determination in bowsmanship. Whether hitting the aiming point was luck or not, his perseverance alone is exceptional."

He gave a faint nod, then his heavy brows suddenly pressed down over his eyes. "However, those fourteen consecutive shots must have drained all his Blood Qi. His body cannot support taking another dose of Blood Boil Liquid for now either. He is already at the end of his strength.

Even if he rests and gathers enough Blood Qi to draw the bow again, can he truly compare to Liu Yong, who is still in peak condition?"

After a pause, Liu Qi sighed softly. "How about we tell him not to force himself? Even if the challenge is called off, seeing a student who has not even entered the beginner stage dare to draw a Blood Qi Bow fourteen times in a row has made this trip worthwhile.

If General Mo learns of this, he will surely take notice of him. Even if the large-scale deployment of resources means he cannot receive enough training opportunities right now, once he enters the Military Department in the future, his prospects will be limitless."

"No."

Zhao Gongzheng's resolute voice cut off Liu Qi's final words. Daylight reflected off his lenses. "Jiang Qiu has not said he is giving up. The challenge is not over."

"This is meaningless. I can see that his potential is excellent, but he is in poor condition right now and cannot compare to Liu Yong." Liu Qi shook his head. "If the challenge has not begun, it does not count as losing. But if they truly compete, then a loss will be a real loss.

Besides, with his talent, he will not fall far behind even if he stays at No.8 Middle School to practice archery. You know it too. This so-called extra slot in the Heavenly Prodigy Project was only meant to encourage Liu Yong and him under unavoidable circumstances.

Neither of them will be able to pass the Military Department's later tests. It would be better not to fight over it."

"Captain Liu, please inspect the field."

The abrupt words cut Liu Qi off. Meeting Zhao Gongzheng's gaze, like an eagle soaring through a dark sky, the cross-shaped scar on his face twitched slightly. He sighed inwardly. "Just as stubborn as back then."

He strolled toward the basket holding the conical arrows, casually drew one out, and bent it as though testing its flexibility. Suddenly, a red stream of light flared up in his hand like fire, wrapping around the entire arrow.

Confirmed that there were no special markings interfering with Blood Qi circulation

"Brother Jiang, Brother Jiang, how are you feeling now? Can you still draw the bow?!"

Zhang Shan led the students of Field No. 8 out of the spectator area, crowding around Jiang Qiu as he sat down on a bench. "You drew the bow sixteen times in a row without even reaching the beginner stage. Brother Jiang, your body is seriously strong, but your Blood Qi probably can't keep up anymore. How about we just don't compete?"

"Yeah, Brother Jiang. You've handled the Blood Qi Bow for less than three days, yet you just hit that spinning white dot from over two hundred meters away. You're even better than Liu Yong!"

"Even if this wasn't the official challenge, Brother Jiang, you're already better than him! In a month or two, you might completely surpass him in bowsmanship!"

Spittle flew all around him, and waves of heat hit his face. Jiang Qiu shook several beads of sweat from his chin. "If I'm not competing today, then why did I draw the bow?"

"Jiang Qiu. Tissue."

A small packet of tissues was suddenly offered to him. Jiang Qiu looked up and met a pair of bright, clear eyes. "Thank you."

"Mm."

Liu Zili withdrew her fair, lotus-root-like right hand and silently slipped out of the noisy crowd. Zhang Shan and the others' shouts filled Jiang Qiu's vision. "This is all Liu Yong's fault. Why the hell did he insist on challenging you? How can he compare to our Brother Jiang? Just thinking about it pisses me off. Brother Jiang's Blood Qi is depleted now, so that bastard gets to take a huge advantage!"

Students from the other fields also gathered together, freely discussing the unfairness of the challenge and speaking up for Jiang Qiu.

"Hmph."

Not far away, Liu Yong looked away. Holding his large bow, he stood alone behind the two-hundred-meter line, his upper lip pressed tightly against his lower lip as darkness flickered in his eyes. A bunch of people who only know how to complain. A challenge is a battle. He insisted on struggling before the challenge, drawing the bow fourteen times in a row until all his Blood Qi was gone, and now they call it unfair.

Could it be that I, the number one genius of No.1 Middle School, have to wait until Jiang Qiu is in his best condition and beg him to compete with me?

He raised his chin, his lips curling faintly. He hit one arrow, and that's enough to make them so proud? During training, I've hit the target no fewer than a hundred times!

Besides, I've already entered the beginner stage in bowsmanship and mastered thirty percent of Blood Qi circulation. My body is at its peak. What right does he have to compete with me in armor-piercing with a body that is nearly out of strength?