You Really Mastered It?

"What did you say?"

Sun Dajun froze for a moment, staring at Ji Zhixing in disbelief. "You said you mastered the Army-Breaking Staff Technique?"

"Yes." Ji Zhixing nodded.

The other teachers looked surprised as well, their gazes all landing on Ji Zhixing.

He Yanbing had been talking to another teacher. At those words, she immediately turned around, her eyes fixed on Ji Zhixing.

"Ji Zhixing, is that true?" she asked.

"It is." Ji Zhixing nodded firmly.

Sun Dajun stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled. "All right, show me a round!"

With a thought, an earthen-yellow staff appeared out of thin air in his hand, and he offered it to Ji Zhixing.

The entire staff was earthen yellow, thick and heavy, with a rough surface that gave it a weighty, steady feel.

"This is gene equipment I bought myself. It's much like the Bedrock Staff in the school's Equipment Vault, and it also comes with the Stonewall Staff Technique," Sun Dajun said. "Try using this to perform the Army-Breaking Staff Technique."

"All right!"

Ji Zhixing took the Bedrock Staff, feeling its slight heft in his hands.

Holding the unfamiliar staff, he walked out into an open space.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, then opened them again.

The next moment, he moved.

Shatter Space!

The staff rose high before cleaving down, carrying an unstoppable momentum, as though it would split the very void apart!

Earth-Shaking!

The staff struck again with tremendous force, its passage through the air producing a deep, heavy howl!

Thunderclap!

Army-Breaking!

Battle Across the Eight Directions...

Move followed move, flowing like drifting clouds and running water.

Every swing carried a powerful army-breaking will.

That will seemed to take solid form. Even from far away, onlookers could feel its unstoppable momentum, its conviction that with him present, no foe could prevail!

"Holy shit!"

In the distance, Liu Qifan and the others waiting for Ji Zhixing saw the scene and were instantly dumbstruck.

Liu Qifan's mouth fell open, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.

Zhang Haocheng, Luo Yongguang, and Xie Jia were equally stunned, staring blankly without a word.

They might not have known much, but they certainly understood what it meant for Ji Zhixing to wield such a powerful Army-Breaking Staff Technique even after switching staffs.

"He really mastered it?" Liu Qifan murmured. "Ji really mastered it?"

Zhang Haocheng swallowed. "How many days has it been? How many days has he even practiced?"

Luo Yongguang shook his head, speechless.

Nearby, He Yanbing, Sun Dajun, and the other teachers were also visibly shocked by the staff technique Ji Zhixing displayed.

Sun Dajun watched Ji Zhixing, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.

He Yanbing said nothing, but she was just as excited.

She had never imagined Ji Zhixing would master the Eight Army-Breaking Staff Moves so quickly.

The only uncertainty now was whether Ji Zhixing had developed his Innate Staff Heart ability.

There was no way to test a passive ability like that.

But for Ji Zhixing to master the Eight Army-Breaking Staff Moves in so little time, his talent with the staff was simply outrageous.

Even if someone told her now that he hadn't awakened a staff technique talent, she wouldn't believe them.

"Excellent!"

When Ji Zhixing finished the final move and stood with his staff lowered, Sun Dajun was the first to applaud.

He Yanbing and the other teachers joined in, appreciative smiles on their faces.

"Well done, kid!" Sun Dajun laughed heartily. "I underestimated you! I really did!"

Ji Zhixing walked back and offered the Bedrock Staff to Sun Dajun.

Sun Dajun didn't take it. He simply waved a hand. "No need to return it. Leave your Army-Breaking Staff with me for safekeeping, and take the Bedrock Staff to refine."

"Just return it when you've mastered the Stonewall Staff Technique, or when you graduate."

Ji Zhixing paused, then joy welled up inside him. "Thank you, sir!"

Sun Dajun smiled and patted his shoulder. "Keep practicing. I have high hopes for you."

In the distance, the students who had doubted Ji Zhixing all stared at the scene in astonishment.

"Ji Zhixing really mastered the Army-Breaking Staff Technique?"

"It's only been a little over half a month, hasn't it? That's a First-Order Two-Star Staff Technique, not a basic staff technique!"

Whispers rose all around, and many people now looked at him differently.

"How could this guy be so fast?"

Zhou Yuan stood in the crowd, watching the figure surrounded by teachers' praise in the distance, his emotions surging.

He had fused with the Blade-Armed Mantis gene and possessed a first-order two-star saber technique talent. Yet even after all this time, he still hadn't fully mastered the Basic Saber Technique.

Meanwhile, Ji Zhixing had already mastered a First-Order Two-Star Staff Technique!

"Is the gap... really that big?" Zhou Yuan murmured.

Farther away, Qi Xingzhou and the others stood together, watching the scene from a distance, their expressions shifting as well.

They had all treated Ji Zhixing as a joke before.

He had supposedly awakened a second-order gene aperture, only to choose the weakest first-order gene. He had even talked about developing his Innate Staff Heart talent and evolving his gene.

What was that, if not a joke?

Who could possibly be fooled by talk like that?

But now...

"This guy..." Qi Xingzhou frowned slightly. "He actually mastered it?"

"Still, evolving a gene takes more than a strong talent with the staff," Qi Xingzhou said slowly, looking at Ji Zhixing from afar with a slightly darkened expression.

He still didn't believe Ji Zhixing could evolve a gene like the Three-Inch Stone Monkey's.

Evolving a gene required developing multiple gene abilities, listening accurately to the gene's voice, and investing vast amounts of resources and time. How could it be that easy?

"Somewhat interesting, but even if a Three-Inch Stone Monkey gene evolves, it'll only be a second-order gene." Still farther away, the students from Rain City Middle School were also a little surprised.

But then they shook their heads and looked away, not paying it much mind.

Even the weakest among them had fused with a third-order gene, while Gu Zheng had fused with the fourth-order Sword-Feather Peacock Gene.

Even the lowest-quality gene abilities they had mastered were three-star quality, far beyond anything these students from Rain City No. 3 High School could compare with.

In their eyes, a student who had mastered a First-Order Two-Star Staff Technique was nothing special.

"Teacher Sun, I'll be going." Ji Zhixing took out his Army-Breaking Staff and handed it to Sun Dajun, then held the Bedrock Staff as though he couldn't bear to put it down.

Sun Dajun smiled and waved. "Go on. Practice hard, and ask me anytime if there's anything you don't understand."

"Yes." Ji Zhixing nodded, then turned and left.

Sun Dajun and the other teachers watched him leave, all voicing their admiration.

"Teacher He, you really have a good eye," one teacher said. "Even under those circumstances, you managed to help him apply to the school for gene equipment."

"With the talent this kid has shown, he might actually be able to evolve his gene."

"I think so too." Another teacher nodded.

He Yanbing nodded, then shook her head and sighed softly. "It's just a shame. He probably won't make it in time for Rain City University's admissions this year."

At that, the teachers all fell silent for a moment.

Yes, it was a shame.

If Ji Zhixing wanted to develop the Stone Skin and Gigantification talents as well, especially Gigantification, he would have to put up real, hard cash.

A Stone Skin Gene Potion cost ten thousand, and a Gigantification Gene Potion cost a hundred thousand.

Even if he got lucky and managed to refine some, gathering everything he needed in such a short time would be almost impossible.

"It's up to him," Sun Dajun said. "With talent and perseverance, even if he misses Rain City University's admissions this year, he'll definitely achieve more than we have in the future."

Meanwhile, before Ji Zhixing could reach the school bus, Liu Qifan and the others came straight over to meet him.

Eyes wide, Liu Qifan grabbed Ji Zhixing's arm.

"Holy shit, Ji, you really mastered it?"