Nine Yang Divine Skill

Li Qingshan swept his blade sideways. The broad, heavy edge drove the air before it, and the mats in the training area split apart at once, a long scar stretching out from beside his feet.

As the blade forms gradually unfolded, a vast amount of saber-training experience poured into Jiang Yuan's mind. The system began to exert its power!

[Tyrant Blade Fragment Infusion Progress: 70%, 90%, 100%!]

The blade stopped half a meter before Jiang Yuan's chest, and the airflow it raised fluttered his training uniform.

As Li Qingshan sheathed his saber, a translucent system panel filled Jiang Yuan's vision.

[Congratulations, Host, for completing the hidden achievement: Master's Transmission!]

[Achievement Description: Encountered a master who imparted all of his knowledge and bestowed an ultimate art.]

[Achievement Reward: Volume One of Nine Yang Divine Skill!]

Jiang Yuan's facial muscles tightened, and he nearly failed to keep his expression under control.

He had only just obtained the A-rank fragment of Tyrant Blade, yet the system immediately stuffed another internal cultivation art into his hands.

Dense lines of text flooded into his mind. The distribution of meridians, the circulation routes, and the rhythm of breathing all became clear in an instant.

The residual qi and blood from the Creation Pill within his body were drawn into motion, flowing from his abdomen through the meridians of his entire body as his temperature rose.

Once the qi and blood entered the circulation route of the Nine Yang Divine Skill, the power scattered through his flesh began to gather. It condensed through cycle after cycle, finally forming scorching inner force.

White steam rose from his collar. Sweat quickly soaked through his training uniform, the fabric clinging to his back with a searing heat that made him uncomfortable.

"Stand steady!"

Li Qingshan stepped forward and clamped five fingers around Jiang Yuan's shoulder. The qi and blood in his palm sank into Jiang Yuan's body, forcibly stabilizing his increasingly heated muscles and tendons.

"To stir the qi and blood of your entire body the first time you encountered an A-rank martial skill—your comprehension is truly frighteningly high, kid."

After circling to the front, Li Qingshan pressed on Jiang Yuan's wrist, shoulder, and neck, checking the flow of qi and blood point by point. Only after confirming that his meridians were unharmed did the tension in his shoulders and back ease.

"Your qi and blood are churning fiercely, but the circulation route isn't in disarray. You've stumbled into an enlightenment. Don't move for now—steady your breathing first."

Following his reminder, Jiang Yuan adjusted his breathing and gradually drew the inner force racing through his meridians back into his abdomen.

The heat on the surface of his body slowly dispersed, and his restless qi and blood settled as well.

Neither the system nor the Nine Yang Divine Skill could ever be exposed.

"Thank you, Teacher, for imparting the cultivation art."

Jiang Yuan clasped his hands in salute and bowed respectfully.

What he had gained this time far surpassed a single A-rank fragment. He had firmly engraved the favor Li Qingshan had shown him in his heart.

"Enough. Don't bother with these empty formalities."

Li Qingshan raised a hand, then held the training saber out before Jiang Yuan.

"Tyrant Blade emphasizes blade momentum. Don't hold back when you strike. Master the basic movements first, and when the practical combat assessment comes, I'll inspect your results."

After leaving the martial arts hall, Jiang Yuan did not return to the classroom. He turned and headed for the infrared testing room.

Today's test results had already been entered into the school system. After he swiped his student terminal, the punching-force testing machine lit up, its internal mechanisms emitting a low rumble.

Standing before the testing machine, Jiang Yuan circulated his inner force according to the Nine Yang Divine Skill's route. The heat in his abdomen passed through his shoulder and elbow, gathering entirely into his right fist.

This punch did not use the force-generation techniques of Tyrant Blade. He used only the basic straight punch taught uniformly by the school.

Bang!

The testing machine swayed backward, and its fixed base let out a dull boom. The numbers on the screen jumped continuously before finally stopping at 450 kilograms.

Compared with the previous 435 kilograms, the figure had only increased by fifteen kilograms. He was still at the peak of the Body Tempering First Layer.

Jiang Yuan raised his fist and carefully examined the machine's surface, with no disappointment on his face.

The outer casing of the testing machine remained intact, but the alloy steel plate inside, meant to withstand punching force, had caved inward.

The equipment recorded frontal impact force. The penetrating power hidden within his fist force had not been fully calculated.

If this punch landed on a human body, the injuries to the skin and flesh might not be severe, but the internal organs would immediately bear a second impact.

"The data only increased by fifteen kilograms, but the actual killing power is completely different."

Jiang Yuan moved his right arm. The inner force he had just consumed was already flowing back into his meridians, and the soreness in his arm was rapidly fading.

The most troublesome thing now was still controlling his strength.

Qi and blood relied on the physical body to exert force, inner force traveled through the meridians, and Tyrant Blade had its own independent force-generation techniques. Forcibly layering the three together would only make them interfere with one another.

After pulling up the school facilities page, the gravity chamber listing was already marked with a green permission symbol.

Students ranked in the top ten of their grade could use it for free for two hours every week.

With today's test results having just been uploaded, Jiang Yuan had already gained the right to use it.

He submitted an application on the spot.

[Application Approved.]

[Gravity Chamber Usage Time: Today, 18:00 to 20:00.]

"Perfect timing."

High gravity could continuously pressure his qi and blood, and it would also make it easier to test the recovery speed and protective capabilities of Nine Yang Inner Force.

The next morning, the practical combat assessment roster spread throughout the entire senior year.

This assessment used a free-challenge system. The final rankings would directly affect the distribution of core cultivation resources for the second half of the semester.

Jiang Yuan's name was ranked near the top of the list, and his relevant test data had also been posted on the front page of the campus terminals.

Inside Class Eight's senior-year classroom, more than a dozen students gathered around the screen, discussing the targets they planned to challenge and the order in which they would do so.

Song Xi stood outside the crowd, her gaze fixed on the two figures: 20.8 meters per second and 435 kilograms.

A moment later, she took out her communication terminal and entered the changing area alone.

"I want to apply for the experimental equipment in the storage room."

The person on the other end of the line asked several questions in succession.

Song Xi reported Jiang Yuan's changes in performance over the past month one by one. Her thumb remained resting at the edge of the terminal without moving.

"The school is about to hold a practical combat assessment. I can collect field data for the equipment on behalf of my family. Deduct the crystal cores used from my cultivation quota."

Half an hour later, a Song family logistics worker delivered a black carrying case to the school.

When the case opened, metal components fitted for the limbs and spine lay neatly embedded in the cushioning layer, every piece marked with a serial number.

Song Xi fastened the miniature exoskeleton over her training uniform piece by piece. As the power modules activated, fine energy circuits lit up section by section and established a connection with the qi and blood inside her body.

Once her preparations were complete, she stood before the testing machine and punched the force-bearing plate.

The numbers on the screen rapidly climbed before finally stopping at 503 kilograms.

This set of equipment was standard auxiliary protective gear. It could increase instantaneous force output through the consumption of crystal cores.

The school rules did not explicitly forbid such equipment. Even if others raised objections, they could not use that as grounds to revoke her assessment qualification.

Inside the assessment arena, Li Qingshan projected the challenge rules onto the giant screen. Harsh white light illuminated half the venue.

"The loser withdraws from the current ranking competition. The winner may continue accepting challenges. Practical combat performance determines your share of cultivation resources. If anyone isn't convinced, settle it in the arena."

On the second-floor viewing platform, the principal and the dean of academic affairs stood side by side behind the railing, both of their gazes fixed on Jiang Yuan's position.

Footsteps sounded from the other side of the arena.

Song Xi entered the combat zone wearing a black exoskeleton, its metal joints giving off soft clicks with every step.

She raised her arm and pointed directly at Jiang Yuan.

"First match. I challenge you."