The time is still early, I'll kill you nine more times!

"Mizong Step has finally reached Great Accomplishment!"

Li Qingshan murmured softly, his gaze sweeping over the Status Panel.

[Li Qingshan]

[Realm: Body Tempering 15/100]

[Technique:

The Thirty-Sixth Set of Broadcast Gymnastics—The Stars Are Calling 52/1000 (Proficient)]

[Martial Skill: Mizong Step 1/3000 (Great Accomplishment), Wind Shadow Blade 112/1000 (Proficient)]

[Function: Martial Arts Space Lv1 (1/100)]

[Available Time: 335 days]

[Time Flow Rate: 1:10]

His Body Tempering progress had reached 15/100.

Based on previous tests, 9 points equaled one level.

He was only 3 points away from Body Tempering Second Level.

The Stars Are Calling had only gained a few dozen points of proficiency, not much.

As for Wind Shadow Blade, since he'd also trained it in the Martial Arts Space, it had been pulled straight to Proficient.

"Mizong Step from Great Accomplishment to Perfection requires 3,000 proficiency?"

Li Qingshan raised an eyebrow, but wasn't too surprised.

3,000 was a lot, but not unreasonable.

His gaze continued downward, finally landing on the [Available Time] column of the Martial Arts Space.

Compared to when it was first unlocked, the available time had decreased by 30 days.

"30 days! That means I only spent a month to train Mizong Step to Great Accomplishment?"

Li Qingshan muttered, somewhat dazed.

From beginner to Great Accomplishment in Mizong Step, according to Wan Keshan, took at least two years.

Of course, that didn't mean he'd become a martial arts prodigy.

In reality, the Martial Arts Space ignored physical exhaustion, and thanks to Wolf Poison, he'd gone without sleep or rest the entire time.

This one month, when tallied up, was no less than the two years Wan Keshan had mentioned.

"I'm just too hardworking!" Li Qingshan sighed softly.

He might not be a genius, but he could definitely claim the title of diligent.

In one month, he'd covered the training path of an Ordinary Person over two years.

What's more, Wolf Poison's projection had accompanied him throughout the entire training.

Heaven knows how many times Wolf Poison had bitten him to death!

"Mizong Step at Great Accomplishment—time for revenge!"

A fierce glint flashed in Li Qingshan's eyes. He gripped his blade tightly and closed his eyes.

When his eyelids opened, the familiar circular platform came into view.

Li Qingshan moved his feet, spun his body, and charged forward without hesitation.

"Wolf Poison!"

Wolf Poison snarled and roared, leaping up.

The two rushed toward each other, the distance shrinking rapidly.

Just as they were about to collide, Li Qingshan shifted his right foot, stepping out with uncanny precision.

In the blink of an eye, he was behind Wolf Poison, slashing upward with a backhand.

Roar—gah!

Wolf Poison's howl shot up in pitch, then cut off abruptly.

After landing, its hind legs clamped together, its blood-red eyes glaring fiercely at its opponent.

"Haha, looks like you forgot how you ended up here? Perfect timing, let me refresh your memory."

Li Qingshan laughed freely, twirled his blade in a flourish, and charged at Wolf Poison again.

Wolf Poison roared in fury, swiping with its claws.

But the human who had been right in front of it a second ago suddenly vanished.

Pain shot through its lower body once more, and the infuriating laughter rang out from behind.

"Hahaha, you're too slow!"

Wolf Poison stomped all four limbs, leaping high into the air and pouncing behind itself.

But there was nothing behind it—it had missed again.

"Are you looking for me?"

The voice came from behind, and another slash landed between its legs.

Its crimson eyes blazed with bloodlust; Wolf Poison went completely berserk.

Its limbs moved like phantoms, shifting positions constantly, trying to find that detestable human.

Yet no matter how it changed direction, it caught no trace of him.

Only the searing pain in its lower half, again and again, reminded it that he was right behind.

A cornered beast still fights; Wolf Poison darted around like a headless fly.

Behind Wolf Poison, Li Qingshan stuck to it like a shadow, swinging his blade unhurriedly.

At that moment, he finally understood what the instructor in the Mizong Step tutorial video meant by "the cicada senses the autumn wind before it stirs."

In both speed and strength, Wolf Poison far surpassed him, rivaling Body Tempering fifth level.

But battle wasn't a simple race or a comparison of stats.

No matter how great the power, if it couldn't hit the enemy, it was useless.

Just like now—

Every attack Wolf Poison made, he predicted in advance.

He didn't need to be faster than Wolf Poison; he just had to stand in the right spot ahead of time.

If it had been a Body Tempering fifth-level cultivator trained in martial techniques, Li Qingshan might not have handled it perfectly.

But Wolf Poison was just a Fierce Beast, acting purely on instinct—it couldn't escape his predictions.

As time passed, Wolf Poison's roars grew weaker, its lower half a mess of blood and flesh.

Finally, with a "pfft," the long blade pierced its belly, and its entrails slid out.

Wolf Poison shuddered violently and collapsed.

In its dying moments, that demonic figure finally appeared before its eyes.

"I told you, I'd kill you ten thousand times."

"Remember, this is only the first. There are 99,999 more."

Li Qingshan held the dripping Chopping Knife, watching Wolf Poison's corpse vanish.

At the same time, at the edge of the circular platform, a two-meter-tall statue of Wolf Poison materialized out of thin air, lifelike.

With a thought from Li Qingshan, the statue disappeared.

The familiar roar rang out.

Li Qingshan turned around, licking the corner of his mouth.

"It's still early. I'll kill you nine more times."

Half an hour later, Wolf Poison collapsed for the tenth time.

Li Qingshan tossed aside the Chopping Knife, stretched his limbs, and began practicing The Stars Are Calling.

The Martial Arts Space ignored physical exhaustion.

Li Qingshan didn't stop, repeating it over and over, until his mind could no longer take it—then he lay down right there and slept.

When he woke up, he got up and kept practicing.

Ding ding ding!

Buzz buzz buzz!

The alarm rang. Li Qingshan opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the Status Panel.

[The Stars Are Calling 52/1000 (Proficient)] → [The Stars Are Calling 72/1000 (Proficient)]

"Twenty points in one night. At this rate, I'll reach Great Accomplishment in just over a month!"

Li Qingshan stretched lazily, feeling refreshed.

"Finally back on track."

This was the training plan he'd had from the start.

Afternoon, First High School.

After finishing a day of training, the Martial Arts Class students were wolfing down food in the cafeteria.

Li Qingshan cleared two trays, took a sip of soup, and looked at Zhao Hongzhou.

"Hongzhou, where are you working part-time lately?"

Zhao Hongzhou came from an average family and had always liked working for pocket money. After joining the Martial Arts Class, he'd never stopped taking side jobs.

Zhao Hongzhou quickly swallowed his last bite of food and said in surprise, "Brother Shan, you're looking for a job?"

"That's the idea." Li Qingshan nodded.

He'd just paid rent, his savings were down to a few thousand, and he only had twenty bottles of Nutrient Solution left. Time to prepare for a rainy day.

Yu Lei was sitting right across from Li Qingshan. She looked up in surprise. "You can still find the time?"

After she went back and did two rounds of Body Forging at night, it was already ten o'clock.

Li Qingshan did four rounds of Body Forging every night, which meant he couldn't finish until well past midnight.

"Time, you just squeeze it..."

Yu Lei's face visibly darkened, and Li Qingshan quickly changed the subject. "There's always some to save."

Now that he could rest in the Martial Arts Space, he wasn't afraid of training late.

"Brother Shan, I'm heading back to Yinghai Gym. Want to come along?"

"Yinghai?" Li Qingshan frowned in confusion. "Didn't you say the pay was too low before? Why are you going back?"

Last year, both he and Zhao Hongzhou had worked at Yinghai Gym.

But the wages were too low, so they didn't stay long.

"It's different this time. I'm not just doing odd jobs." Zhao Hongzhou grinned smugly, showing off. "I'm a personal trainer now. Five hundred per session, two sessions a day."

"That high?" Li Qingshan looked at Zhao Hongzhou with suspicion, sizing him up.

If it weren't for the still-innocent, boyish look on that face, he'd have suspected the guy had gone into some shady business.

Zhao Hongzhou was still basking in his pride, but Yu Lei caught on to what Li Qingshan was thinking and said flatly, "Don't get the wrong idea. The Martial Arts Class name still carries some weight."

"Those middle schoolers' parents can't afford a real Martial Arts Teacher, so they have to settle for Martial Arts Class students."

"Even first-years?" Li Qingshan raised an eyebrow, feeling a bit guilty about making money that way.

Those middle schoolers hiring personal trainers just wanted to practice The Stars Are Calling.

But that technique depended entirely on personal insight. No matter how much a teacher explained, it might not help.

Just like his class—

A month had passed, and besides him, no one had broken through to the third level.

"Brother Shan, you don't want to go?" Zhao Hongzhou sensed Li Qingshan's hesitation and said regretfully, "Too bad. You're First in the new intake in Luoying City. You could get at least a thousand per session."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Qingshan grabbed Zhao Hongzhou by the shoulder and yanked him to his feet.

"Hurry up. Don't be late for work."