Self-Taught

"Xiao Qing, what's your Warrior level?" Qin Lin asked.

Xu Qing knew what she meant. "Sister Xin took me to get tested last time. I was a High-level Fighter."

"High-level Fighter?" Qin Lin was briefly surprised, then shook her head. "No, your speed and reaction time are both beyond mine, and I'm an Intermediate War General."

"Well, I think it's because I just started practicing the Guidance Technique. My strength has probably increased again," Xu Qing said after thinking it over.

"Mm, that's certainly possible," Qin Lin agreed.

If Xu Qing had been a High-level Fighter before, then after practicing the Guidance Technique, his strength might have surged enough to reach Junior War General.

After all, Xu Qing was a genius.

"Still, even if you're a Junior War General now, Xiao Qing, your speed and reaction time shouldn't be this astonishing," Qin Lin said, still unable to explain it.

"That's easy. You can amplify your speed and strength. For example, I can use one part of my strength to produce the effect of three. Naturally, my speed goes up too," Xu Qing explained.

Qin Lin's eyes lit up. "You're right. So, Xiao Qing, you know how to channel your strength? Even plenty of ordinary War General Level Warriors don't know that technique."

"Generally, to learn how to channel your strength, you need to study an advanced manual. For example, the first-ranked fighter Hong's spear technique, World Destroyer, or Thor's blade technique, the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade. There are plenty of others, too."

"I've learned the first three forms of the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade. I can bring out nearly three times my strength. Which manual did you learn, Xiao Qing? The Nine-Fold Thunder Blade, like me? Or the World Destroyer spear technique?"

"Uh... neither. I haven't learned any manual, actually. I already knew how to channel my strength. It's not that hard; I figured it out by working at it myself," Xu Qing said with a cheeky grin.

Qin Lin froze, as though she'd heard something unbelievable.

Xu Qing had learned how to channel his strength all by himself?!

It was like someone who looked like an elementary school student turning out to be a prodigy who'd already finished college-level courses and even advanced into more difficult fields.

"Isn't channeling your strength just about controlling your body? If you can control it well, you can use exactly as much strength as you want without wasting any. It's just about being economical."

"And once you've mastered your body, you can do lots of things. Like me, for instance—you can walk and space out at the same time... No, I mean walk and think without bumping into anything. Pretty impressive, huh?" Xu Qing offered as an example.

At Xu Qing's example, Qin Lin burst out laughing.

She'd wondered if he might be like that, but she hadn't expected it to be true.

"Don't laugh. I'm serious. I'm not just spacing out; I'm thinking the whole time, okay?" Xu Qing looked at her earnestly.

"All right, all right. I believe you." Qin Lin rubbed his face.

Mystery solved. Xu Qing wasn't merely a genius; he was a monster.

"Xiao Qing, when you were dodging just now, you always waited until I was about to catch you before you moved. Did you learn some amazing footwork?" Qin Lin asked.

To her, his footwork had already reached perfection.

Footwork had four levels: basic, micro-level, perfect, and artistic conception. Perfect was the third level, beyond the reach of the vast majority of War Generals. Most couldn't even reach the micro-level.

Even Qin Lin herself had only reached the micro-level in footwork, still a long way from perfection.

Xu Qing shook his head. "No. I just dodged. It doesn't take any technique. You just watch and dodge."

"..."

Qin Lin was speechless at his answer. What a monster—an absolute monster.

"Linlin, do you want to learn? I can teach you. First, relax your body and mind, then sense everything around you and merge with nature. Imagine you're the wind—free and light. Imagine you're water—supple and unrestrained..."

Xu Qing spoke with such animation that it seemed a dazzling radiance had enveloped him, and Qin Lin found herself captivated.

What Xu Qing described was the state of Unity of Heaven and Man.

"Linlin? Linlin?" Xu Qing noticed that Qin Lin seemed distracted and waved his hand in front of her.

"Huh? Xiao Qing, what is it?" Qin Lin came back to herself.

Xu Qing smiled. "Linlin, you were spacing out just now."

"That's because you're so captivating, Xiao Qing," Qin Lin said with a smile.

"Of course. I'm handsome. It can't be helped, so I can't blame you." Xu Qing folded his arms and nodded slowly.

Seeing his adorable expression, Qin Lin liked him more than ever.

"Xiao Qing, have you really never practiced any manuals?" Qin Lin asked.

"No. I've only practiced the Guidance Technique so far," Xu Qing said, shaking his head.

Qin Lin thought for a moment. "Xiao Qing, what weapon do you like?"

"A bow. I like bows. And Linlin, my archery is amazing. Sister Xin even bought me an A-grade bow. With it, I can easily kill even a War General-level monster," Xu Qing told her.

"Was that the time you registered late?" Qin Lin immediately realized.

"Mm. How did you know, Linlin?" Xu Qing asked in surprise.

Qin Lin smiled. "You're one of my students. You didn't enroll on time, so how could I not look into why?"

She'd found out that Xu Qing had spent over a week in the Wilderness Zone that time. Without a certain level of ability, he couldn't have come back unscathed.

So, Qin Lin didn't doubt him at all when he said he could kill War General-level monsters.

"That was the time. But that War General-level monster was too weak. It didn't even realize what was happening before it died. It must've been a Beginner Beast General," Xu Qing said with a cheeky grin.

"Your archery must be amazing, Xiao Qing," Qin Lin said, growing curious.

By now, no matter what Xu Qing told her, she wasn't going to be all that surprised.

"How about this, Xiao Qing? Let's go to the Limit General Hall downtown another day and test your Warrior level," Qin Lin suggested.

"Okay. My Warrior profile still lists me as a Beginner Warrior. I think that's a bit low, too," Xu Qing said with a nod.

Besides, he also wanted to know whether practicing the Guidance Technique had raised his physical fitness to War General level.

Qin Lin looked toward the city center. If Xu Qing's physical fitness had reached War General level, she would report the result to the president of the Jiangnan City Limit Dojo.

If it hadn't, she wouldn't do anything.

She hoped the result would be the second one. That way, Xu Qing could stay by her side longer.

It was selfish to think that way, but Qin Lin couldn't help it. Setting aside her identity as a Warrior, she was just an ordinary woman who wanted to be with the person she loved. No one could say she was wrong.

Everything depended on the test results.