Lu Ming: "I'm so angry!"

Jiang Hao slowly exhaled a mouthful of Turbid Qi.

The surging blood qi within his body gradually settled down.

Feeling the surging power of his Blood Qi Intensity reaching 8.8, Jiang Hao's expression was excited.

But as he happened to look up, he saw Jiang Keke standing in the living room, her expression dazed.

Jiang Hao's eyebrows lifted slightly.

She must have seen all of that breakthrough just now!

Thinking this, Jiang Hao stepped into the living room and walked up to Jiang Keke.

"What's wrong?"

Jiang Hao asked knowingly.

"Ah?"

Jiang Keke snapped back to reality as if waking from a dream.

She looked at her brother, who appeared completely at ease, and the expression on her small face flickered unpredictably.

Shock, doubt, confusion.

"Nothing!"

Jiang Keke forced herself to stay calm with a light hum, masking the turmoil inside.

"It's just... Ge, you seem to be cultivating a bit fast!"

Since she had already seen it, Jiang Hao decided not to hide it. Besides, this kind of situation would probably only become more frequent from now on—his Golden Finger wouldn't be exposed!

But he couldn't exactly sneak around with his cultivation, could he?

And even if he hid it for a while, could he hide it forever?

Jiang Hao nodded.

"That's right."

"Blood Qi should be at 8.8 now."

"The stance skill just reached the Seventh Revolution."

"I should have a shot at the Martial Arts University."

"Maybe I can even get into the same university as you."

After saying this, Jiang Hao added a teasing remark:

"Who knows, I might even surpass you, Jiang Keke."

"Impossible!"

The moment those words left his mouth, it was like stepping on a cat's tail.

Jiang Keke immediately retorted in a huff.

"Stinky Ge! You're still a hundred years too early to surpass me!"

Seeing this, Jiang Hao smiled faintly, then reached out and ruffled her glossy black hair, ignoring her protests.

Jiang Keke huffily slapped his hand away and ran back to her room.

Just as the door was closing, she couldn't help but sneak a strange glance back at Jiang Hao.

Really!

In just a little over half a month—a mere ten-plus days!

Jiang Hao had changed too fast!

Nighttime!

After dinner.

Jiang Hao returned to the courtyard once more.

He began his first practice of the Seventh Revolution of the stance skill.

[Ding, completed one "Nine Revolutions Stance Skill: Seventh Revolution" drill]

[Proficiency +1]

Jiang Hao clearly felt that after breaking through to the Seventh Revolution, the difficulty of practicing the stance skill had increased.

"Seventh Revolution stance skill, can manage eight rounds."

[Nine Revolutions Stance Skill Mastery: Seventh Revolution (8/100)]

"Eight proficiency points a day."

"Still need ninety-two points to reach the Eighth Revolution."

"About nine days should be enough."

Jiang Hao silently calculated in his mind.

"No."

"After the seventh cycle, the efficiency of Qi and Blood refinement is higher, and my body recovers faster. I might be able to hold out for nine rounds."

"At this rate, breaking through to the eighth cycle in ten days is a sure thing."

"That point in time..."

Jiang Hao's gaze drifted toward the direction of Eighth Martial High.

"It'll be right around the deadline for the Key Class Assessment."

"By then, my Qi and Blood will definitely meet the standard for the Key Class!"

On Jiang Hao's side, he was steadily and calmly mapping out his path to strength.

But on the other side of Rongguang City.

Lu Ming was staring at the Class 3-2 group chat with a dark face.

The only word he could use to describe how he felt right now was—

"Pissed!"

Because the people in the class group were gossiping about Jiang Hao again.

And they'd dragged him into it too!

"Hey, what do you think happened to that Jiang Hao? He's been quiet lately."

"Who knows? The day he mastered Stance Training, I thought he was about to rise up."

"It's been almost half a month, right? Not a peep out of him."

"I told you long ago, a Dust-grade Martial Bone is a joke!"

"That Stance Training mastery of his was one hundred percent dumb luck. Maybe he ate some rare treasure and burned through his potential!"

"Exactly, how else could there be zero follow-up? He's probably still stuck at 8.1 Qi and Blood."

"A genius is a genius, a waste is a waste. Luck can't change a lifetime."

Seeing this, Lu Ming rolled his eyes.

But the next part of the chat made his blood boil.

"Speaking of Jiang Hao being quiet, that Lu Ming who stood up for him last time? He's been making quite the 'noise.'"

"Hahahaha, don't even bring it up, I crack up just thinking about it!"

"One-shot Instant Kill by Lin Qiu's Shadowless Blade, his Alloy Staff sent flying—hilarious!"

"With his 8.5 Qi and Blood, he dared to challenge Brother Hui? Who gave him the guts?"

"Stood up for a waste and became a waste himself. What a perfect match!"

"Lu Ming probably doesn't even dare to speak in the group now, right?"

"@Lu Ming, come out and take a walk? Are your injuries healed?"

Lu Ming stared at the stinging messages on the screen, feeling a rush of blood surge to his head. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging slightly into his flesh.

"Lin Qiu!"

"And you bastards kicking a man when he's down!"

Lu Ming took a sharp, deep breath, forcibly suppressing the urge to curse back in the group.

What good would cursing back do?

It would only get him mocked even more!

In the martial world!

Strength is everything!

"Jiang Hao said to wait half a month for him..."

Lu Ming's mind flashed back to Jiang Hao's earnest expression.

But he quickly shook his head.

That promise was too vague.

Half a month!

From 8.1 to challenging Lin Qiu at 8.8?

Besides!

Lin Qiu was probably at 9.0 by now, preparing for the Key Class Assessment!

Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

He had to reclaim his own honor!

A flame of unwillingness blazed in Lu Ming's eyes.

"A scholar who has been away for three days must be looked at with new eyes!"

"Just you all wait!"

Lu Ming closed the group chat and walked to his own yard to begin his Stance Training.