After dinner.
Jiang Hao headed straight to the courtyard without delay.
He began his daily Stance Training.
He smoothly assumed the stance for the Seventh Revolution of the Nine Revolutions Stance Skill.
His Blood Qi surged through his body.
When he finished the seven rounds, Jiang Hao slowly brought the training to a close.
The notification in his mind arrived right on cue.
[Ding, completed one "Nine Revolutions Stance Skill: Seventh Revolution" practice] [Proficiency +1] [Nine Revolutions Stance Skill Mastery - Seventh Revolution (42/100)]
Jiang Hao felt the changes in his body.
A thought crossed his mind, and he opened the Information Panel!
[Host: Jiang Hao] [Strength: Martial Trainee (Blood Qi Intensity 9.07)] [Nine Revolutions Stance Skill Mastery - Seventh Revolution (42/100)] [Martial Skill: Spear Arts · Perfection (0/100)]
His Blood Qi Intensity had steadily increased from yesterday's 9.0 to 9.07!
It had gone up by 0.07 in a single day!
A spark of excitement flickered in Jiang Hao's heart.
The more advanced the Stance Training, the more pronounced its effect on tempering Blood Qi.
He was already looking forward to what it would be like when his Stance Training reached the ninth revolution and perfection.
In the Alliance, they said that anyone capable of cultivating Basic Stance Training through all nine revolutions was a once-in-a-million genius.
But Jiang Hao knew!
He didn't need that elusive kind of talent.
All he needed was to grind.
As long as he was willing to grind, he could perfect anything!
He suppressed the thoughts in his mind.
Jiang Hao's gaze fell on the Martial Skill column.
[Martial Skill: Spear Arts · Perfection (0/100)]
Jiang Hao's expression shifted slightly.
"Even the Perfection Realm isn't the end?"
"There's still more proficiency to gain?"
He had assumed that perfection was the limit of a Martial Skill.
But now it seemed there might be another step beyond perfection?
"I'll try practicing in the Training Room tomorrow."
Jiang Hao settled on a plan.
The next day.
Longxing Eighth Martial High!
In front of the cafeteria's supply vending machine.
Lu Ming stared wide-eyed at what Jiang Hao was doing.
"B-Brother Jiang, you're buying... Medium-grade Nutrient Solution?"
Lu Ming had kept his promise from before!
After Jiang Hao defeated Lin Qiu, he'd started calling him Brother Jiang.
Lu Ming's voice was shaking.
The price tag—"10,000" Alliance Coins—made his eyes ache.
Jiang Hao took out the bottle of deeper, azure-blue liquid and remained calm.
"On the day of the Key Class Assessment, Lin Qiu will probably make a move with Lin Fan's help."
"I need to get a little stronger."
The shock on Lu Ming's face turned to solemn concern.
He nodded firmly.
"The pressure's coming from Lin Qiu's big brother, Lin Fan, right?"
"I heard before that Lin Qiu only learned the rudiments of that Shadowless Blade from his brother Lin Fan!"
As he spoke, Lu Ming gritted his teeth.
"Jiang Hao, I've still got some savings. Do you want—"
"No need."
Jiang Hao calmly cut him off. Then he looked at Lu Ming and changed the subject.
"Besides, Lu Ming, you should get moving too."
"Use these last few days to break through to the sixth revolution in your Stance Training."
"Push your Blood Qi to 9.0, and we'll try for the Key Class together."
"Then we can be together again."
"Me?"
Lu Ming shook his head with a bitter smile.
"Brother Jiang, don't joke around."
"I'm not some freak like you."
"Mastering Stance Training isn't something you can break through that easily."
Jiang Hao's expression didn't change. He simply reached out and patted Lu Ming on the shoulder.
"With someone like me, who's reached the seventh revolution, here..."
"Are you really worried you can't break through a mere fifth-revolution bottleneck?"
"Let's work hard together."
Jiang Hao's voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable confidence.
Lu Ming stared at Jiang Hao, stunned.
He remembered how, yesterday, Jiang Hao's guidance had made everything suddenly click.
"Okay!"
Lu Ming could only grit his teeth and nod firmly!
Inside the Second Class's private Training Room.
Jiang Hao found a corner.
He twisted open the bottle of Medium-grade Nutrient Solution worth 10,000 Alliance Coins.
Then he tipped it back and downed it in one gulp!
"Boom!"
A pure wave of heat, ten times more powerful than the Low-grade Nutrient Solution, exploded in his abdomen. Like boiling magma, it surged toward his limbs and every part of his body!
Jiang Hao's expression didn't change. He immediately assumed the stance for the Seventh Revolution of the Nine Revolutions Stance Skill and began practicing!
As his Stance Training progressed, it fully drew out and guided the immense medicinal potency!
Humm—!
A terrifying surge of Blood Qi, carrying an oppressive force that made the heart quail, swept outward from Jiang Hao!
The wave was concentrated and mighty, and its pressure made everyone's blood run cold!
"What the hell is going on?!"
"Th-This feels awful! I can't breathe!"
"It's Jiang Hao!"
The students training nearby instantly flushed red. They felt as though they'd sunk into a quagmire, and even circulating their Blood Qi had become difficult!
Once they realized Jiang Hao was the source of the crushing pressure, they sucked in sharp, horrified breaths and scrambled away from the area where he stood!
"H-He's not hiding it anymore?"
"Holy crap! He's a freak!"
"He's just practicing Stance Training! Is his Blood Qi really going to suffocate us to death?"
Jiang Hao paid no attention to anything happening around him.
At that moment, he was staring at his Information Panel in shock!
[Ding, completed one "Nine Revolutions Stance Skill: Seventh Revolution" practice] [Blood Qi Intensity slightly increased...]
When he finished one set of Stance Training, Jiang Hao clearly felt his Blood Qi surge!
"Just one round!"
"My Blood Qi Intensity went up by 0.05?!"
Waves of shock rippled through Jiang Hao's mind!
In the time it took to complete a single set of Stance Training, his Blood Qi Intensity had shot up from last night's 9.07 to 9.12!
That was insane!
Was this the power of Medium-grade Nutrient Solution?!
"But this stuff is way too expensive."
Feeling the medicinal potency still surging through his body, Jiang Hao thought to himself.
"One bottle costs 10,000 Alliance Coins."
"It burns money!"
"Seriously, it burns way too much money."
Perhaps this was what it meant to suffer and enjoy it at the same time!
Jiang Hao still had more than 30,000 Alliance Coins left.
The Alliance Coins his little sister had contributed seemed like a drop in the bucket, too!
The Medium-grade Nutrient Solution would last him at most three days. He estimated it could push his Blood Qi Intensity to around 9.5 or 9.6!
But even so!
Jiang Hao was very satisfied!
In the blink of an eye, it was time to leave school!
Jiang Hao practiced Perfected Spearmanship once, and a notification about increased proficiency immediately appeared in his mind!
[Ding, completed one "Perfected Spearmanship" practice] [Proficiency +1] [Spear Arts · Perfection (1/100)]
As the notification sounded, Jiang Hao seemed to feel that the Spear Light on the tip of the alloy spear in his hand had taken on an indefinable quality!
It seemed sharper, more nimble, and more penetrating!
Just as Jiang Hao was thinking this, Song Jun's voice suddenly rang out!
"Perfecting Basic Spear Technique isn't actually the end!"
"Once Spear Light appears, the next step is to comprehend Spear Intent!"
"If Spear Intent is infused into Spear Technique, then any Martial Skill can be broken with ease!"
"Infuse a spear Martial Skill with Spear Intent, and its power will multiply!"
Song Jun walked into the Training Room one step at a time. His eyes filled with deep admiration as he looked at Jiang Hao. "Jiang Hao, your performance has exceeded my expectations!"
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