Unsubstantial and Unbearable Cultivation

At Seventeenth High School, everyone had spread out along the edges of the field, forming a massive martial arena.

They had only ever watched battles between Eighth-grade Martial Artists online before. Seeing one in person was a first for them.

What was more, these two Eighth-grade Martial Artists attended the same school as them.

"Who do you think will win this match?"

"Do you even need to ask? It'll definitely be Luo Tianji. He broke through to Eighth-grade Martial Artist earlier than Jiang Li, and he cultivates the Hua Tian Breaking Army Art."

"The Hua Tian Breaking Army Art? That's Hua Tian Martial Arts Hall's top-tier cultivation technique. I heard it costs 2.3 million. As expected of Brother Luo."

"With Luo Tianji's family background, he definitely has a Breathing Technique too. Just watch—I bet Jiang Li won't even last ten moves before suffering a crushing defeat."

"Ten moves? You think too highly of Jiang Li. I say he'll lose within three moves!"

The students stared at Jiang Li and Luo Tianji in the arena, chattering endlessly.

A mocking sneer also curled across Lu Wanning's face as she looked at Jiang Li.

"So what if you've really turned your life around? No matter how much a salted fish flips over, it's still a fish. How could you possibly compare to an outstanding man among men like Luo Tianji?"

"So what if you've broken through to Eighth-grade? I want you to remember this: any man standing beside me, Lu Wanning, is ten thousand times more outstanding than you, Jiang Li."

Luo Tianji stood tall in the arena, holding an eighth-grade spear, his expression confident and unrestrained.

He raised his spear and pointed it straight at Jiang Li. "Jiang Li, I began laying the foundations of martial arts at the age of five, tempering my body in medicinal baths. By the age of ten, I had officially stepped into the realm of a Ninth-Rank Martial Artist."

"Everyone thinks I, Luo Tianji, broke through to Eighth-grade a month ago. Let me tell you the truth: I was already an Eighth-grade Martial Artist half a year ago."

"All these years, I've cultivated bitterly day and night. I've consumed more Qi and Blood Pills than you'll ever see in your lifetime. And you think you can fight me? What makes you think you can?"

The entire venue erupted in an uproar.

"What? He broke through to Eighth-grade Martial Artist half a year ago? My god!"

"Damn, Brother Luo really is something else. So he's been hiding his cultivation this whole time?"

"Looks like there's no suspense at all in this match. Jiang Li is bound to lose."

The watching students grew even more excited, their gazes toward Luo Tianji filled with envy and awe.

"You talk too much." Jiang Li carried the Black Horizontal Saber on his back and looked at Luo Tianji calmly.

Bitter cultivation!?

Jiang Li still did not know what bitter cultivation felt like. Rather than spend time cultivating bitterly, he might as well make a few more purchases in the Golden Foot Celestial Phenomenon.

The increase in Blood Qi Value might even be faster that way than through bitter cultivation.

Seeing Jiang Li's silent demeanor, Luo Tianji assumed he was afraid and could not help but laugh. "Jiang Li, I'll show you what a true gap is. Even if we're both Eighth-grade Martial Artists, there are people you'll never be worthy of reaching."

As soon as he finished speaking, he circulated his cultivation technique. His Blood Qi Value surged as he charged fiercely toward Jiang Li.

A wild gale swept around him, carrying the momentum of an army-breaking charge.

As he closed in on Jiang Li, the spear in his hand suddenly shot forward. His body was like the wind, his spear like thunder.

The Swift Wind Thunder Spear was itself a high-tier eighth-grade martial art. It contained both movement techniques and spear techniques, and when used together, its explosive power was extraordinary.

Yet just as the spear was about to strike Jiang Li, Jiang Li vanished from Luo Tianji's sight.

The next instant, a faint voice sounded beside Luo Tianji's ear.

"Even a lion uses its full strength when hunting a rabbit. Don't you know that?"

"You still dare hold back against me?"

The moment the voice fell, Luo Tianji felt a tremendous force slam into his chest, sending his body flying high into the air.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Luo Tianji landed on the ground and staggered backward again and again. Only when he planted the butt of his spear against the ground did he finally stop retreating.

This scene left every student watching utterly dumbfounded.

"What? What did I just see?"

"Luo Tianji was actually forced back by a single palm strike from Jiang Li!?"

"How is that possible!"

The outcome clearly shocked everyone.

Even Yun Fei was among them. What shocked Yun Fei was not Jiang Li's palm strike, but the martial art he had used.

Phantom Shadow Maze Steps!

The Phantom Shadow Maze Steps Jiang Li had displayed just now were absolutely not at the beginner level. He had at least reached the minor mastery realm.

But how long had Jiang Li possessed the Phantom Shadow Maze Steps? Less than a week. To reach minor mastery in an eighth-grade movement martial art within one week—

What kind of comprehension did this kid have? Was he a monster?

Luo Tianji, meanwhile, felt as though he had suffered the greatest humiliation. His eyes turned incomparably vicious.

Holding back? He had absolutely used his full strength just now, all so he could win beautifully and shock the entire crowd.

But he never expected that he wouldn't even be able to see how Jiang Li had attacked.

"Jiang Li, I merely gave you one move. What are you so smug about?" Luo Tianji roared furiously. He gathered his strength into a stance, and at the same time, his breathing changed. The Blood Qi Value within his body actually rose once more.

"Breathing Technique!?" Even some of the teachers' pupils contracted.

Bang!

Luo Tianji shot forward, the great spear in his hand tearing through the air as it pointed straight at Jiang Li.

With such speed and power, if Jiang Li were struck, there was no way he could survive.

Jiang Li merely frowned slightly. In his eyes, Luo Tianji's speed was painfully slow.

When I had just broken through to Eighth-grade Martial Artist, with a Blood Qi Value of 1.09, I was already several times faster than him when testing my movement technique.

Forget it!

Jiang Li still had the leisure to reminisce as that spear came hurtling toward him with the sound of splitting air.

Only then did he move. With a motion of his back, the Black Horizontal Saber behind him soared high into the air and fell into his hand.

The instant the great spear came stabbing in, Jiang Li lightly shifted aside, letting it strike empty air.

At the same time, he gripped the Black Horizontal Saber in both hands and fiercely slashed at the great spear in Luo Tianji's grasp.

In an instant, blade light flashed and sparks flew. The terrifying force made Luo Tianji feel as though he could barely keep hold of his spear.

When the edge of the Black Horizontal Saber completely swept past the long spear, Jiang Li's skin finally took on a crimson hue. Then, he slashed down once again.

This slash was true martial arts—the Swift Wind Thunderous Charge Saber.

Most of those present saw only a blurred shadow. Then, the great spear in Luo Tianji's hands was forcibly cleaved in two by that slash.

Half the spear flew high into the air before crashing onto the ground.

Luo Tianji stood rooted in place, clutching half the spear shaft. The web between his thumb and forefinger had split open, blood flowing from it.

Jiang Li held the Black Horizontal Saber in one hand, its edge resting beside Luo Tianji's neck.

"You're too weak."

Jiang Li spoke blandly. He was telling the truth.

If there was nothing wrong with the Blood Qi testing device, then there was only one possibility: Luo Tianji was simply too weak.

Sure enough, this was what happened to people who had been popping pills since childhood and cultivating bitterly day and night—their strength was hollow and unstable.

His own cultivation and martial arts, meanwhile, had all been raised through the Yellow Book, steadily and solidly, at the cost of years upon years of lifespan.

They were as far apart as heaven and earth!

At that thought, a faint smile curled at Jiang Li's lips.

"The Awakening Stone is mine!"

Jiang Li sheathed his saber and turned to leave.

Little did he know that his expression and words had completely shattered Luo Tianji's defenses.

He had wanted to put on a grand show before the entire school. Who would have thought that, before everyone's eyes, he would end up looking like a complete pile of shit...

Having never suffered such frustration or such a crushing defeat since childhood, Luo Tianji went completely mad.

Staring at Jiang Li's back, his eyes bloodshot, the veins on his body bulged as his Blood Qi Value rose once more.

"Jiang Li, I want you dead!"

With a nearly crazed growl, Luo Tianji picked up the half of the great spear bearing its tip and charged at Jiang Li's back at top speed.

Pfft!

The spear came down, yet Luo Tianji found himself standing in front of Jiang Li.

Jiang Li slowly slid the Black Horizontal Saber back into the sheath on his back as he looked at Luo Tianji, whose body had stiffened as he suddenly clutched his chest.

"Don't be afraid. Take a deep breath."

"Feeling dizzy is normal."

Luo Tianji turned toward Jiang Li in terror. He could not believe Jiang Li actually dared to kill him.

Jiang Li withdrew his gaze and looked at the Yellow Book before him.

[Killed one enemy. Obtained thirteen years of Cultivatable Lifespan]

[Cultivatable Lifespan]: 727