So Sorry, I Couldn't Entertain Lord Xu...

Ji Juechen gasped for air, his muscles taut and veins bulging across his body!

He had never experienced the agonizing thrill of forcing the Nine Dragon Power of six Spirit Emperors into his body all at once.

The pain was like countless ants struggling within his veins, and like flames raging through his bone marrow.

Ji Juechen looked at Xu Qing, who had retracted his stance, his blood-red eyes clearer than they had ever been!

He felt it!

That sincere intent behind the punch!

How pure! How resolute!!

And how enviable...

This kind of powerful martial soul, this kind of talent that crushed others... it had never appeared in him...

He raised his hands, gripping his longsword tightly, as his entire will surged toward the blade in his grasp.

Xu Qing naturally sensed the change in Ji Juechen and decided to return to his morals and uphold his martial virtue.

He would give him a chance to unleash his move.

What kind of surprise would you bring me?

The arena fell into a deathly silence, with only Ji Juechen's voice echoing through the vast combat testing zone.

"My name is Ji Juechen."

He spoke in a low voice, his expression devout.

"My innate spirit power was only level three, and my martial soul is nothing more than an ordinary sword."

"Heh... the reason I've reached this point is through constant persistence, constant persistence, and goddamn constant persistence!"

"Aside from persistence, I have nothing."

How difficult can one person's persistence be!?

Every spirit master present could answer that question.

So, what was Ji Juechen's answer?

There was no verbal reply, but the longsword in his hand had already become the answer.

That dull, fire-poker-like sword now shone like a miniature sun, illuminating the entire underground space.

"There are no useless martial souls, only useless spirit masters—I have always believed in this with absolute conviction!"

Ji Juechen raised his head, his blood-red eyes fixed on Xu Qing.

"This strike is the sum of all my Obsession."

"It is also a sword technique I have just realized; I call it—Obsession!"

Clang, clang, clang!!

Blinding beams of light blurred the vision of everyone present.

Everyone except Xu Qing!

"Tsk... what do you mean, a sword technique you just realized..."

You call this having nothing but persistence?

Xu Qing twisted his neck, the joints popping as his gaze turned solemn.

His spirit power was exhausted, and only a negligible amount of mental energy remained...

Was he at the end of his rope?

No!

[Martial Soul Trait: Undying!!]

An unyielding will erupted once more!

His rapidly beating heart declared that this body was nowhere near its limit!!

"Second-stage Blood Burst!"

A flash of red light flickered deep within his pupils!

BOOM—!!!

A visible shockwave exploded from Xu Qing's body, and the metal floor beneath his feet cracked into a spiderweb pattern with him at the center.

Faint, blood-colored patterns emerged on his skin, and his muscles swelled, yet they retained their fluid lines.

Self-created Body Sect secret technique—Blood Burst!

A special form unlocked by controlling the heart rate to exceed five hundred beats per minute.

To this day, in the entire Body Sect, aside from him, only the old man—whose martial soul was his own body—could perform it.

He took a deep breath, then surged forward!

"I have one punch!"

"Mountain Mover!"

BOOM—!!

A blood-red fist slammed into that blade of light, erupting with a deafening roar!

"River Breaker!"

BOOM—!!

Ji Juechen had actually withstood two full-force strikes! The only price paid was a few tiny cracks appearing at the webbing between his thumb and forefinger.

Blood seeped continuously from the corner of his mouth. He remained expressionless, his mind emptied, pouring every last ounce of his being into his sword.

He cherished this battle; this sense of clarity was something he had never experienced before.

It was refreshing, intoxicating, and he was loath to let it end.

Xu Qing's figure vanished once more, leaving only the sound of rhythmic sonic booms and the whistling gale of his incoming fists!

"Sea Overturner!"

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!!

Yet, in the end, Ji Juechen's sword strike never came to pass.

In the end, he still lacked the necessary foundation...

The gale swept over him, the searing heat rushing against his head and snapping him back to reality.

Xu Qing had held back in the end. He stared at that black fist, his expression dazed.

He remained speechless for a long time. When he finally tried to open his mouth, he found it filled with the metallic tang of blood, followed immediately by blood spurting from wounds all over his body.

The Nine Dragons at the level of a six-ringed Soul Emperor, combined with the backlash from his own sword technique and Xu Qing's fists.

He was already critically injured and on the verge of death.

"Heh... my apologies. In the end, I still couldn't... let you enjoy yourself, could I..."

"Juechen!!"

Lin Jiayi, the Dean, was the first to rush up, faster than anyone else. He shoved a baby bottle into Ji Juechen's mouth while simultaneously using his communication soul device to contact the academy's medical staff.

"Hold on, Juechen!!"

"Don't worry, I have a way to keep him alive."

A faint blue light flickered in Xu Qing's palm as a blue syringe appeared.

"This is the latest research from the main body. I call it adrenaline. One shot, and I guarantee Ji will be lively and vigorous again!"

Lin Jiayi's mouth twitched uncontrollably, his gaze darting between Hall Master Jing, who had already stepped onto the stage, and the blue syringe in Xu Qing's hand.

"Hurry and use the adrenaline on him, Xu Qing." Hall Master Jing had absolute faith in his own people. "I have some medicinal pills here that can temporarily stabilize his injuries. Give him the shot first."

The implication was: Don't worry, even if it doesn't work, Grandpa here has medicine!

Xu Qing nodded, knelt down, and injected the adrenaline. Ji Juechen immediately opened his eyes and sat up!

Adrenaline could force the body to operate beyond its limits; even if someone was half-dead, they could still get up and kick about for a while.

It was just incredibly expensive—a single shot cost fifty thousand gold soul coins!

The production process was so complex that it was considered T0 difficulty.

However, this sudden, violent physical exertion caused the small, healing wounds on Ji Juechen's body to burst open once more.

Blood began to bloom across his body again.

Hall Master Jing's eyes lit up. Heh, one shot and he's alive!

If this stuff could be mass-produced, the casualty rate in the event of a war would plummet!

Thinking this, he pulled out an ink-green pill the size of a dragon's eye and stuffed it into Ji Juechen's mouth. The injuries on his body began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"That should do it. Jiayi, take Juechen to the infirmary first."

"Understood, Hall Master!"

Lin Jiayi brought out a soul-device stretcher, placed Ji Juechen on it, and then used his soul power to drag him away.

Xiao Meng had come up as soon as the battle ended and had been hiding behind Xu Qing, holding a high-quality medicinal ointment and applying it to his wounds.

It was icy cool, warm and soothing, soft and fragr...

Ahem, medicinal fragrance, medicinal fragrance.

"Huh? It's healed... Brother Xu, you're so fast..."

Xu Qing's face darkened. He reached out into thin air with a dark hand, pulled out a piece of clothing, and draped it over his body to cover himself.

A boy out in the world must protect himself.

The outside is full of people who covet your body!

He looked at Hall Master Jing, whose eyes were filled with kindness and satisfaction, and asked:

"Hall Master..."

"Hey! There are no outsiders here now, why are you still calling me Hall Master?"