Jiang Li, Go Faster

"Again!"

Yun Fei refused to admit defeat. She was back on her feet in no time.

Jiang Li had no reason to refuse. Fighting an A-Class ability user was exactly the kind of combat experience he lacked.

Besides, Yun Fei was gorgeous. That made sparring all the more enjoyable.

They fought in the arena all afternoon, until both were exhausted.

After Yun Fei changed into fresh clothes, they found a nearby restaurant.

"I never imagined your innate ability could evolve," Yun Fei said between bites. "And even though it's C-Class, it has the Support System's Blood Qi Amplification, the Mental System's area perception, and the Enhancement System's defensive protection. If it gained the power of the Elemental System too, it would be capable of just about anything."

"It's incredible. If your ability is still undeveloped or continues to grow, who knows what its final form will be?"

By now, she had fully accepted Jiang Li's monstrous talent and strength.

"I'm curious what my innate ability really is, too," Jiang Li replied between mouthfuls. But improving it cost too much Lifespan.

He still had over a thousand years of Lifespan, but he also needed to cultivate the Heaven-Stealing Divine Art. It was nowhere near enough.

In two months, he would have to repay the Yellow Book eleven hundred years of Lifespan.

The thought made Jiang Li feel that he had far too little Lifespan.

If he weren't about to leave for training camp, he would already have headed back into the wilderness to hunt Mutant Beasts.

Yun Fei watched him eat. Without realizing it, she smiled.

Then her phone rang. She took it out, glanced at the screen, and her expression shifted.

"Your training camp registration went through. You've been assigned to Donghai Training Camp, one of the five major camps."

Jiang Li noticed her expression. "Is there something unusual about Donghai Training Camp?"

Yun Fei put away her phone and took a deep breath. "Very. Just as its name suggests, Donghai Training Camp is inside the Donghai Battlefield. Besides Mutant Beasts, there are huge numbers of sea beasts there. The East Sea Defense Line has fallen three times in the past century."

"Of the three coastal battlefields, the East Sea Defense Line is a true Meat Grinder. Countless heroes have died there."

"And Donghai Training Camp has the highest death rate of the five."

Jiang Li recalled what he had read about sea beasts. Great Xia's main battlefields were on land, but most of Earth was covered by ocean. In both area and number of Mutant Beasts, the seas far surpassed the land.

That was why Great Xia had established three coastal battlefields: the Eastern Sea, Magic City, and South Sea.

With so many sea beasts, far more soldiers died on those three battlefields than in other war zones.

The Donghai Battlefield was especially deadly, with its death rate only climbing in recent years. Fortunately, alongside the Military Department, the Li Family and Rong Family helped defend it, driving back wave after wave of sea beasts trying to come ashore.

"If you don't want to go, I can speak to someone and get you moved to another camp," Yun Fei said when she saw him thinking.

"No need." Jiang Li smiled faintly. "I don't care where I go, as long as there are Mutant Beasts to kill."

Her heart stirred at those words, and she liked him even more.

Just then, Jiang Li looked up. Their eyes met, and Yun Fei's composure faltered. She raised a glass of juice to her lips and spoke to cover it.

"Meet me at the Heavenly River Martial Arts Hall tomorrow. We still have a few days, so I'll give you some training beforehand."

"Train me?" Jiang Li sounded skeptical.

"Of course. What, would you rather train me?" Yun Fei arched an eyebrow, her gaze sharpening.

Jiang Li quickly waved his hands. "You train me, senior. You train me."

Still, something about those words sounded odd to him.

Jiang Li did not immediately cultivate the Heaven-Stealing Divine Art. For now, he wanted to sharpen his combat skills against Yun Fei.

If he cultivated it, his Blood Qi Value would soar, and he would have to hold back whenever he attacked. That would only make sparring awkward.

So for the remaining days, Jiang Li and Yun Fei threw themselves into combat at the Heavenly River Martial Arts Hall.

Bang!

Inside the Heavenly River Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Li and Yun Fei traded blows without pause.

In a head-on clash like this, Yun Fei was clearly no match for him.

Her face was flushed, but she still met him move for move.

Jiang Li steadily increased his strength. When Yun Fei could no longer withstand it, she used Godspeed, vanished in an instant, and appeared behind him.

She struck toward his back, but a Martial Soul emerged behind him.

Her palm hit it without raising so much as a ripple.

Martial Soul Protection. His blood qi surged!

Jiang Li spun and punched back, but Yun Fei vanished again.

Using Godspeed, she darted around him, searching for an opening.

Jiang Li was looking for a chance to counterattack too.

They traded moves until Yun Fei struck him below the ribs. What she did not know was that he had let her. With Martial Soul Protection shielding him, the blow barely hurt.

An arm of his Martial Soul emerged from beneath his ribs.

Yun Fei jolted in alarm, but the Martial Soul's hand seized her arm.

She looked up and saw that the Martial Soul Protection around Jiang Li's arms had disappeared. Now it was as though he had four arms.

Jiang Li drove a fist toward her face. Yun Fei struggled with all her strength but could not break free. She knew she had lost again.

Whoosh!

Wind roared around Jiang Li's fist as it stopped right in front of Yun Fei's face.

When he dismissed his Martial Soul, Yun Fei gritted her teeth. "Four arms? Who could beat you?"

Its defenses were formidable enough, but he could also control its arms to attack and defend. The ability was absurd.

More importantly, Yun Fei had tested it with Jiang Li's Black Horizontal Saber. Even a Seventh Grade martial artist wielding a sharp weapon would struggle to break through his Martial Soul's defenses.

Those defenses were also tied to Jiang Li's Blood Qi Value. The stronger his blood qi, the tougher his Martial Soul became.

"Should I hold back a little?" Jiang Li asked.

"No. Do you think I need you to go easy on me?" Yun Fei wiped the sweat from her face. After a short rest, she rose and beckoned. "Again!"

Jiang Li got up, and soon their figures were crossing the training floor once more.

This time, though, Yun Fei was faster. Her Godspeed had improved over the past few days.

"No. Faster!"

"Not enough. Faster!"

Yun Fei felt as though she had reached some kind of limit.

In her eyes, Jiang Li was like a final boss, bearing down on her.

Whoosh!

Another punch came at her. Yun Fei jerked aside, but the wind from it stung her cheek.

"Jiang Li, go faster!"

Her sudden shout made Jiang Li pause.

Then he seemed to realize something and immediately raised his Blood Qi Value again.

He unleashed both fists in a storm of blows.

Every punch missed. Yun Fei kept getting faster, and Jiang Li matched her pace.

Martial Soul Protection!

Jiang Li pushed his Blood Qi Amplification to four hundred percent and threw a punch Yun Fei could never have dodged before.

But now she did.

"Faster!"

Yun Fei shouted again.

"All right!"

Jiang Li's heart thudded, burning like fire.

Fire Spirit Breathing Technique, third level!

He stepped in and punched, his fist moving faster than ever before.

Yun Fei could no longer dodge. She could only raise both hands to defend herself.

Bang!

She flew backward and hit the floor.

Jiang Li's expression changed. Damn it. I used too much force!

With the third level of the Fire Spirit Breathing Technique and Martial Soul Protection together, that punch had exceeded the limits of the Seventh Grade by more than ten percent.

He hurried over to check on her, but before he reached her, Yun Fei's eyes snapped open. A tremendous aura swept outward.

She sprang up and struck Jiang Li in the chest with her palm.

This time, she moved so fast that even Jiang Li failed to react.

And the blow carried several times her previous strength. It drove him back more than a dozen steps.

When he finally steadied himself, Jiang Li pressed a hand to his chest and looked at her. "Senior, did you...?"

Yun Fei was a little disheveled, but her face shone with excitement.

"I broke through!"

She felt the trace of inner energy that had formed within her and cried out in delight.

"Jiang Li, I broke through!"

"I'm Sixth Grade now! A Martial Dao Master—Master Yun!"

"Hahaha!"

Overjoyed, she grabbed Jiang Li by the shoulders and shook him again and again.

Jiang Li's expression turned a little strange.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Yun Fei asked once her excitement eased.

Then she noticed where Jiang Li was looking: below her neck.

Huh?

Yun Fei looked down. Her expression changed instantly, and she clutched her collar shut.

"Like what you see?"

Jiang Li finally came to his senses. "Senior, have you heard that song?"

"What song?"

"'She says purple has a certain charm.'"

"You're dead!"

Jiang Li burst out laughing and dashed into the changing room.