Invitation

"Li Yi, are you serious?"

Cai Xiaodong was both excited and nervous.

"Of course."

"Are you confident you can take down Zhang Xuqiang?"

When he asked that question, Cai Xiaodong could not help holding his breath.

That was a powerhouse ranked twenty-third!

A veteran evolver in the Special Selection Class!

Though he was still at the lower rank.

His experience and depth of learning were in no way comparable to Zhang Qingjian, who was ranked forty-second.

Even if Li Yi was the strongest rookie fighter in history, he was not even an evolver yet. Where did he get the confidence to take down Zhang Xuqiang?

That was what Cai Xiaodong had thought at one point.

But now, standing before Li Yi and seeing his calm expression, he began to hesitate again.

Maybe he really could do it?

After all, this guy had always created miracles through combat techniques.

"Yesterday, I wasn't confident either. But after looking through the investigation materials and battle videos you sent me, I felt that most of the people ranked above me were nothing but chickens and dogs."

Li Yi smiled. He genuinely thought so.

It might look like his physique had only improved a little.

It might look like he had only finished learning the basics of mech techniques.

But taken together, they had greatly boosted his strength.

Originally, he had thought that those ranked higher had lightning-fast reactions, could withstand greater loads, use Divinity Techniques skillfully and continuously, and were proficient in mech techniques. He had assumed he would probably be no match for them.

But now, against anyone ranked below thirtieth, he could basically win without fail.

As for those ranked below twentieth, he could still win after some maneuvering.

Only the top twenty were opponents he could not handle for now.

Since that was the case, he might as well seize this opportunity to obtain their Divinity Radiation Rights.

It would also pave the way for his intended path of obtaining every sequence and a full quota of Divinity Genes.

"Chickens and dogs... All right, then I'll look forward to your performance. Are you planning to challenge them tomorrow?"

At that moment, Cai Xiaodong felt that Li Yi had become infinitely imposing, and his heart overflowed with envy.

Sure enough, strength was a mech pilot's courage.

Without strength, one had to hold back in everything one did.

"After training ends tomorrow, we'll get started."

Li Yi planned to put in another intense training session tonight, then focus on catching memory fragments related to mech techniques while falling asleep.

Any improvement, no matter how small, was worth it.

That way, he could face tomorrow's challenge in peak condition.

Though he was very confident he could crush his opponents.

If they had hidden strength or had improved recently, he did not want to end up in a hard fight.

Before making a move, he had to make himself stronger.

As they spoke, he rapidly wolfed down the food on his tray and the high-energy Xeno-Beast Meat, eating at an astonishing speed.

"Come on. Once we're done eating, I'm going back for more training."

"Hey, then I'll train more too. I can't let you be the only one grinding yourself to the limit. I'm going to grind harder than everyone else too."

Cai Xiaodong hurried after him.

Outside the sealed training hall.

Chen Qiong Zhi had just walked out when her beautiful eyes landed on Li Yi approaching from the intersection ahead. Without even glancing at Cai Xiaodong beside him, she said in surprise,

"Oh, not bad. You came back for extra training?"

"Yes. Have you settled the instructor matter?"

"More or less. Some old fossils are just like that. All they know how to do is lie on their past achievements and give blind orders, tripping up those of us who actually get things done."

This iron-blooded woman rarely complained, making Cai Xiaodong's eyes widen.

Li Yi found it strange as well. "I never thought even an instructor had to worry about these things."

"It can't be helped. The Deep Space Fleet's system has been running for over a century. Certain rules emerged naturally, but they no longer suit current trends and have begun to restrict our development."

Chen Qiong Zhi added, then changed the subject.

"All right, it's enough that you've heard about this. Don't dwell on it too much."

"Your most urgent task is still to focus on your own training and cultivation."

"Understood, Instructor."

Li Yi and Cai Xiaodong responded in unison.

Chen Qiong Zhi nodded and prepared to leave.

After thinking it over, Li Yi still called out to her.

"Instructor, this is a rare opportunity. How about we spar a little more?"

Chen Qiong Zhi smiled at Li Yi. "You haven't activated the Pluto Mech. Do you expect me to wait half an hour for you?"

Li Yi immediately replied,

"How about we go barehanded? I'm planning to challenge a few classmates with higher rankings tomorrow. I want to use your help to polish the new techniques I've been studying and increase my chances of winning tomorrow."

"Use me to polish your techniques?"

Li Yi was so blunt that Chen Qiong Zhi did not know what had struck her funny. She burst into laughter.

"Sure, sure. You're direct enough, kid. I like that. Come on, then. Let me see just how skilled the strongest rookie fighting champion in history really is at barehanded combat."

Her laughter was bright and hearty, her chest rising and falling. She was indeed quite charming.

Cai Xiaodong felt envious again. Li Yi is handsome, strong, and performs so well. No wonder, in the instructor's eyes, I'm no different from air standing beside him.

Inside the training grounds.

"Instructor, let's make this clear first. I'll go all out, so please don't hold back. Let me see how great the gap between me and an evolver really is."

"You're sure you want a veteran mid-rank evolver like me to go all out just so you can measure the difference between yourself and evolvers?"

Li Yi was speechless.

"All right, I'll go all out. You can do as you please."

Chen Qiong Zhi shook her shoulders and grabbed the trench coat draped around her with her right hand, tossing it aside.

Her tall, athletic body was revealed, its lines clean and sharp, her figure powerful and graceful.

Just standing there, she exuded an overwhelming aura.

"You may begin."

"Fine."

The moment he spoke, Li Yi bent forward, his feet pushing off the ground as immense power surged forth in an instant.

Then—

He lunged forward!

A light wave of air rose from where he stood.

A figure rushed over at high speed.

Smack!!!

Chen Qiong Zhi stretched out her palm and easily blocked Li Yi's powerful punch.

"Not bad. You used the technique of stacked vibrations to build momentum? You've effortlessly adapted a mech technique into a fighting technique, and even used it through your feet. Impressive indeed."

As she commented, her hands did not slow. Her five fingers suddenly spread, gripping Li Yi's fist. With a pull and a swing, she whipped his entire body toward the ground like a cracking lash.

The swing was so fast that Li Yi seemed to have no room to react at all.

The abrupt shift from attack to defense made Cai Xiaodong blurt out exclamations of shock.

At the final 0.1 seconds before Li Yi's head hit the ground, he suddenly hooked one leg around Chen Qiong Zhi's arm, locking tight. His body clung to her like a sticky plaster; no matter how she flung her arm, she could not shake him off.

"Good grief, you adapted the Adhere-Word Technique to your legs too?"

Chen Qiong Zhi was slightly startled. Li Yi's talent for fighting and combat instinct had actually allowed him to drag such a massive disadvantage into this situation?

She instinctively increased the force she put out, only then managing to fling Li Yi away.

Li Yi had anticipated being thrown this time. He twisted sideways in midair, then landed steadily.

"So this is the new technique you've been studying? It really is good."

Chen Qiong Zhi sighed. "With this alone, your practical combat ranking in the class could rise by ten places."

"It's still not enough, Instructor."

Li Yi said.

"Not enough? You mean your practical combat ranking can go even higher?"

"No. I mean the speed and strength you used just now were only thirty percent greater than mine. The pressure that puts on me is still far from enough."

Hearing that, Cai Xiaodong could not help secretly giving Li Yi a thumbs-up. Damn, that's awesome.

Chen Qiong Zhi was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

"Then as you wish... From here on, don't blink."