Great Accomplishment!

At this, an uproar swept through the crowd below.

The apprentices stared, stunned.

Zhou Cang's voice rang across the entire arena. "Next, begin practicing according to my method. Watch with your eyes, think with your mind, and comprehend with your body."

With that, Zhou Cang began reciting the mantra.

"Sink your qi to your dantian, focus your intent on your spirit platform..."

The apprentices quickly sat cross-legged and closed their eyes, focusing their minds.

Following Zhou Cang's instructions, they began trying to regulate their breathing.

Lin Guanhuo sat among them, but unlike the others, he didn't bury himself in practice.

Instead, he opened the System interface.

[Name: Lin Guanhuo]

[Realm: Body Tempering third-grade]

[Martial Arts: Precept Breaking Saber Art (Killing move)]

[Current lifespan: sixty-two years]

[Remaining Draw Sword count: 1,400]

After breaking through to Body Tempering third-grade, his lifespan had increased by a full sixty years.

In this Chaotic World, where the average life expectancy was less than forty, that was already a ripe old age.

As for those 1,400 Draw Sword counts, he'd accumulated them by drawing his saber over the past few days.

Little by little, they'd added up to a respectable number.

"Since the Demon Suppressing Breathing Technique is only a basic technique, it shouldn't be hard."

Lin Guanhuo considered it. "I'll spend 1,000 and see how far that gets me. If it's not enough, I'll figure something out!"

With that, Lin Guanhuo addressed the system in his mind. "System, spend 1,000 Draw Sword counts to instill the Demon Suppressing Breathing Technique!"

[Draw Sword counts consumed: 1,000.]

[Deducting the Demon Suppressing Breathing Technique...]

Within his mindscape, the glowing figure appeared again.

It sat cross-legged and began rapidly drawing in and expelling breaths.

Lin Guanhuo had thought that 1,000 counts would at most bring the technique to entry-level or Minor Accomplishment.

After all, even pouring 1,000 counts into the fourth level of the Precept Breaking Saber Art hadn't made so much as a ripple.

Yet the next second, the system's notification left him stunned.

[Deduction complete.]

[The Demon Suppressing Breathing Technique has reached Great Accomplishment!]

"That's it... It's maxed out?"

Lin Guanhuo opened his eyes, not sure whether to laugh or cry.

Just 1,000 counts to max it out?

That was ridiculously cheap!

"But there's no such thing as knowing too many skills."

Now that he'd maxed it out,

there was no point sitting around pretending to practice.

So, while everyone else was still practicing with their eyes closed,

Lin Guanhuo brushed off his backside, stood up, and went back to the corner to draw his saber.

On the raised platform,

Zhou Cang, who'd been watching him the whole time, furrowed his brows.

"Not even a quarter of an hour, and he's already given up?"

Watching Lin Guanhuo's dull, repetitive saber draws, Zhou Cang felt the last trace of hope he'd held for him vanish.

When he'd seen the saber marks on the stone wall that day, he'd thought the boy was a hidden genius.

Or perhaps one of those strange prodigies who seemed foolish but were brilliant underneath.

Now, it seemed those saber marks had probably just been... a coincidence.

"Impatient and flighty, with no perseverance."

Zhou Cang shook his head. He couldn't even quiet his mind enough to practice the most basic breathing technique.

A person like that wouldn't get far on the Martial Path.

Another two hours passed.

"I did it! I did it!"

On the Martial Arts Arena,

a delighted shout suddenly rang out from among the apprentices.

The person in the front row was Shen Yifan. He opened his eyes, his face alight with joy.

Right in front of him,

a newly formed, still-faint vortex of qi slowly revolved.

It was the sign that he'd successfully reached entry-level!

"Brother Shen mastered it?"

"Th-that was way too fast!"

At the sight, the other apprentices couldn't help turning to look.

Their faces were full of envy and admiration.

"His talent is incredible..."

"We haven't even sensed the qi yet, and he's already formed a vortex!"

The surrounding apprentices were so envious their eyes practically turned red. They crowded around him, eager to curry favor.

"Not at all, I just got lucky!"

Shen Yifan stood up and waved his hand, putting on a modest air.

But the smug, pleased smile on his face was impossible to hide.

Seeing this, Instructor Zhou Cang, whose face was usually impassive, also let a rare smile show.

"Not bad. Reaching entry-level in two hours is only the first layer, but it still puts you among the best of the newcomers."

Time passed, and before long, afternoon arrived.

One by one, several more apprentices comprehended the breathing technique.

Shen Yifan had naturally achieved the best results. His talent was indeed exceptional; in a single afternoon, he'd managed to form three qi vortices!

Next came Zhao Ming, from Blood Heaven Martial Arts School, who formed two.

Li Miaomiao, a popular female apprentice, had also comprehended the technique. Though she'd formed only one qi vortex, that was enough to make her stand out among the newcomers.

As for everyone else, more than half hadn't managed to produce so much as a fart.

"Young Master Shen, I still don't quite understand the route the qi follows. Could you give me some pointers?"

Li Miaomiao walked up to Shen Yifan, her pretty face faintly flushed as she humbly asked for guidance.

"Of course."

Shen Yifan was in high spirits. How could he pass up a chance to show off in front of a beauty?

Then Shen Yifan patiently explained the technique to Li Miaomiao.

Shen Yifan did have talent. His explanation helped Li Miaomiao learn quite a bit.

"Thank you, Young Master Shen." Li Miaomiao smiled sweetly.

She turned her head without thinking,

and looked toward the corner of the Martial Arts Arena.

There, Lin Guanhuo was still drawing his saber...

Over and over, tirelessly repeating the same movement.

"Hm?"

Shen Yifan followed Li Miaomiao's gaze.

At that moment, quite a few people in the arena had also noticed Lin Guanhuo.

After all, he'd spent the past few days drawing his saber in the corner, and Instructor Zhou Cang had even gone out of his way to stand up for him today.

To outsiders, Lin Guanhuo really was an odd one.

"What's he doing?"

A female apprentice beside them muttered under her breath, "Why does he keep repeating the same move all by himself...?"

Another apprentice chimed in. "I think he just can't learn it, so he's putting on an act."

"You can't win on the Martial Path just by persevering. He could draw his saber there until the end of time, and it still wouldn't help his martial arts..."

"Exactly. I heard he got in through connections. He probably doesn't have much talent."

Listening to the chatter around her,

Li Miaomiao looked at Lin Guanhuo's figure, disappointment flashing in her eyes.

When she'd first met him in the Miscellaneous Room Courtyard, she'd thought that though the young man's clothes were worn,

his calm, aloof air had been appealing. She'd assumed he was a skilled fighter whose talents had gone unrecognized.

Now, it seemed... she'd been overthinking it.

How many hidden masters could there really be in this world?

Most people were merely ordinary, and didn't even know it.

In the corner, faced with the murmurs and stares around him,

Lin Guanhuo didn't care. He simply kept drawing his saber, again and again.

[Draw Sword count +1]

[Draw Sword count +1]

[Draw Sword count +1]

Just then, a voice suddenly called out.

"Brother, could you stop for a moment?"

Lin Guanhuo turned his head and saw several figures walking toward him.

At their lead was Shen Yifan, the most outstanding apprentice of this year's intake.

Li Miaomiao and several other apprentices were with him.

Lin Guanhuo furrowed his brows. He'd barely interacted with these people during the few days since he'd arrived at the Demon Suppressing Division.

What had they come over for?