"Thanks so much for today."
Xu Yihan thanked Jiang Yuan sincerely, then added with a trace of guilt, "I'm sorry for dragging you into this, but I..."
"We're all members of the same guild. Of course we should help each other out. Besides, it's no big deal. You let me use the Gravity Chamber, after all," Jiang Yuan said with a smile.
"But I still feel bad. How about this? I'll teach you my family's martial art." Xu Yihan looked at him earnestly.
Jiang Yuan had been about to refuse,
but then he heard what Xu Yihan said next.
His eyes lit up, and he changed his mind.
"...I'll also teach you the accompanying Visualization Method, which can train your mental strength. You awakened a Psychic Class talent, right? I think this method should be useful to you."
Essence, energy, and spirit.
Jiang Yuan's only shortcoming was his mental strength. He lacked a Visualization Method that could temper it, and Visualization Methods on the market were prohibitively expensive. He couldn't afford one right now.
Xu Yihan's offer was exactly what he needed.
Even if the method wasn't high-grade, he could use [Supreme Analysis] to improve and upgrade it.
So Jiang Yuan nodded. "All right, then I'll accept."
A radiant smile bloomed on Xu Yihan's lovely face, like a flower opening after the rain.
"Mm!"
At last, someone would inherit the martial art passed down through her family!!
It was past noon.
The rain had eased somewhat.
Nanjiang City Martial Arts Middle School.
Chen Hao lay sprawled across his desk, staring at the empty seat in front of him that belonged to Jiang Yuan.
"It's been so many days, and that guy hasn't come to school once. What on earth is he doing at home?"
"Ugh... I'm so bored."
Chongming Martial Arts Hall.
"Whoosh!"
The spear whistled in Jiang Yuan's hands, rising and falling as countless spear images lashed through the air with the sound of ripping silk.
Within a three-zhang radius, the spearpoint's keen edge carved out crisscrossing fissures that lingered in the air like slashes.
Jiang Yuan thrust one final time. The spear let out an ear-piercing shriek, like a thousand birds crying out at once, and the iron shaft in his hands shattered into pieces.
"Hah..."
"That should do it. This martial art is pretty good."
Jiang Yuan nodded.
He had learned the accompanying Visualization Method as well. He'd study it further when he had time after returning.
Xu Yihan, dressed in a loose training uniform, stood nearby with a blank expression.
Watching Jiang Yuan take just half an hour to master her family's ancestral three-star martial art, the Void-Splitting Spear, from minor mastery to great mastery, she couldn't hold back. Two words escaped her lips.
"Monster..."
She'd trained since childhood, for over a decade, and had only reached great mastery.
He'd done it in half an hour. Half an hour...
What kind of monster was he?!
Unaware that Xu Yihan was still reeling, Jiang Yuan asked her, "Senior Sister Xu, do you know how to register for the Star Domain?"
Xu Yihan came back to her senses. "You need the number on your Martial Artist Badge."
The Star Domain was a virtual network connecting people around the world. Only registered martial artists could log in, and it supposedly had a hundred million users who had transferred classes.
You could check information about Instance Dungeons in different regions, vicious beasts, and martial artist rankings. You could also make private trades, take part in virtual fights, watch martial arts livestreams, and even view videos filmed by reckless martial artists in dangerous areas. It had all sorts of things.
"You're going to register as a martial artist at the Martial Artist Association, right? I've already spoken to the woman there. You can just go."
For the first time, Jiang Yuan felt that having a senior sister wasn't bad.
She was easy on the eyes and capable.
As Jiang Yuan left Chongming Martial Arts Hall and headed for the Martial Artist Association,
Wang Xinlong, still fuming after his humiliating defeat, returned to the hall and went to the training room on the third basement level.
When Wang Xinlong entered,
a young man was fighting a boy, while a bald old man stood nearby.
"Useless! You're useless!"
Bare-chested, with tattoos across his muscles and face, the ugly, buzz-cut boy worked up his blood and energy. Eyes blazing, he cursed as he threw punch after punch. His steps were as steady as a mountain, while his blows came as fast as thunder, accompanied by a whistling wind. His assault was vicious.
The young man was driven back again and again, utterly battered.
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, the young man's arm was broken by a blow. He collapsed to the ground, howling in pain.
The ugly boy planted a foot on his head and spat.
"Senior Brother Li, is that all you've got?!"
"You're absolute trash!"
"Ah... Junior Brother Liang, I... I can't go on..." the young man begged.
"Yes, you can!"
He grabbed the young man's hair and snarled, "Get up. Keep going!"
The bald elder not only didn't stop him, but praised him. "Not bad, not bad."
He turned to Wang Xinlong, who had walked over. "Look, Liang Cheng's Wind-Thunder Fist has improved a lot lately. By the time of the college entrance exams, he should reach great mastery. He's improving a lot faster than you did back then."
"I was never good at training in martial arts. What's the point of comparing me to him?"
"What's wrong? Why the long face? Who upset you this time?"
"That bitch Xu Yihan, that's who." Wang Xinlong lit a cigarette.
"You went after her again? She's a wild one."
"That's what makes breaking her in fun."
"Then why'd you come away with nothing again?"
"...Don't remind me. Damn it, some brat ruined everything."
"What happened?"
"A student about the same age as Liang Cheng. He said he was a disciple of Chongming Martial Arts Hall and knocked Song Qiao out with one punch. He must've broken through his limits and become a martial artist already."
The bald elder looked surprised. "Oh?"
The ugly boy stopped and turned to look, intrigued. "About my age? What's his name?"
"Jiang Yuan. He should be taking the college entrance exams at a Martial Arts Middle School too. Do you know him? I think he awakened a Psychic Class talent." Wang Xinlong spoke as he smoked.
"Jiang Yuan... Psychic Class talent...?"
Liang Cheng thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Never heard of him."
Liang Cheng was a student in the S Class at Martial Arts High School. He had awakened an A-rank talent, Nether Thunder, and transferred into the rare Berserker class.
Wang Xinlong was surprised. "You haven't heard of him?"
"I only care about people stronger than me. I don't even notice trash like that." Liang Cheng dropped the young man, limp as a rag, and sneered. "There are only four people at school I consider rivals: Xia Qinghou, Luo Xi, Qin Nansun, and Lin Junhao from the White River Group."
The bald elder clasped his hands behind his back and nodded. "They certainly outclass you in talent, class, and family background. You consider them rivals, but do they know that?"
Liang Cheng snapped, "What did you say, old man?"
"I said it's the truth. You can't measure up to any of those four."
"How would you know if we haven't fought?" Liang Cheng retorted angrily. "My blood and energy are only a little short of the Tier-One Martial Artist threshold. With my talent, class skills, and martial arts, even ordinary Tier-One Class-Transferred Warriors can't beat me!"
"What's so special about being a Tier-One Martial Artist?" The bald elder shook his head. "People your age this year have already become martial artists, and there are more than just one or two of them. In previous years, even one would have been remarkable."
"Besides those four geniuses, it seems a monstrous girl with an SS-rank undead talent has appeared in Beijiang City."
"And now another dark horse has emerged."
"They're all heaven's chosen. People who would've been provincial champions in past years are cropping up in droves this year."
"Liang Cheng, keep training. Don't think your A-rank talent is anything special. Compared to these geniuses, the only thing you can beat them at is how stubbornly you cling to life. Train like your life depends on it. If you don't, you won't even get into a decent Martial Arts University this year."
Liang Cheng ground his teeth, then glared angrily at Wang Xinlong. "Master! Where's Chongming Martial Arts Hall? I want to test that guy's strength. I don't believe he's stronger than me!"
"No need. You'll see him in five days."
"In five days?"
Wang Xinlong exhaled a plume of smoke. "I made a bet with Chongming Martial Arts Hall. In five days, we'll hold another disciple sparring match. This time, we can only win!"
"I can use my talent, right?"
"Yes. What's more, I'll spend the next few days using plenty of resources to build you up, so you can push your blood and energy past ten and become a Tier-One Martial Artist." Wang Xinlong put a hand on Liang Cheng's shoulder. "You can do it, right?"
A glint flashed in Liang Cheng's eyes. He smacked his fist into his palm.
"Don't worry, Hall Master. Once I become a martial artist, there's no way I can lose!"
"Good!"
Wang Xinlong growled, his fleshy face creased and his small eyes glinting with sinister coldness.
"I don't care what kind of genius he is. If he dares ruin my plans, I'll make sure he can't even take the college entrance exams!"
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