"There are A-grade breathing techniques on the market. The fee for learning one ranges from a few million to ten million!"
"I can afford the cheaper ones."
"But it wouldn't be wise to put all my money into a breathing technique!"
"A B-grade breathing technique would be a better fit for me."
Thoughts racing, Ning Chuan made up his mind.
He would switch to a B-grade breathing technique.
Its effects certainly wouldn't match those of an A-grade or S-grade technique, but compared with the D-grade Savage Bull Force, it would be a huge improvement.
"There's no rush to place an order."
Ning Chuan took out his phone and looked up information on various B-grade breathing techniques.
Qingshan No. 1 High School was a key municipal school with access to martial arts up to B-grade, and students could learn up to four techniques.
Ning Chuan had already reached the limit.
However, with his current strength, he stood a good chance of getting into any prestigious university except Galaxy University.
He had also earned great merit by beheading Zhao Weiping!
The school administrators might be willing to turn a blind eye and let him get another B-grade breathing technique for free.
Geniuses ought to have a few privileges, after all!
Before going to sleep, Ning Chuan thought for a moment and summoned his martial arts panel.
[Strength]: Awakening Stage Six [Savage Bull Force]: Minute Subtlety (progress: 12%) [Gale Step]: Perfect (progress: 7%) [Flash Thunder Slash]: Perfect (progress: 1%) [Thousand Bones Slaughter Art]: Proficiency (progress: 23%) [Vajra Body]: third level (progress: 27%)
"Huh?!"
Ning Chuan stared at the entries for Gale Step and Flash Thunder Slash in utter astonishment.
The Perfect Realm was special. There were no higher or lower levels within it.
Perfect was perfect.
That was why the realm had been given that name.
Ning Chuan thought back, and that was indeed how it was.
After the notifications told him those two martial arts had reached the Perfect Realm, no new insights had entered his mind.
That meant the martial arts really had reached their limits.
The rising progress seemed to be nothing more than changing numbers, with no practical significance.
"Is it a bug? Or is there another reason?"
Ning Chuan's thoughts churned.
After a long while, he still hadn't reached a conclusion, so he stopped thinking about it and closed his eyes.
Whatever the reason.
Once the progress reached one hundred percent, the answer would reveal itself.
The night passed without incident.
Having gone several days without sleep, Ning Chuan slept for a long time. He didn't wake until nine the next morning, refreshed and clearheaded. To his surprise, the pain in his body had almost completely vanished. After asking Zhou Wei, he learned that a professional healing ability user whom the Lu Family had brought in from the capital city had arrived the previous night.
After an examination, the doctor confirmed that Ning Chuan was in quite good condition, with only minor injuries, and could be discharged without any trouble.
Ning Chuan didn't linger. He asked a nurse for a cloth bag, packed the Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution, cash, and checks into it, said goodbye to Zhou Wei, and left the hospital.
The weather was lovely that day.
The sunlight was gentle, and the breeze carried a hint of warmth.
Ning Chuan was standing by the roadside, wondering whether to go home or return to school, when a shadow fell over him. He looked up to see Wei Bohu standing in front of him.
"What is it? If it's still about a ring match during the monthly exam, go ahead and arrange it."
Ning Chuan grinned.
His injuries would certainly heal before the monthly exam. More importantly, both his Gale Step and Flash Thunder Slash had reached perfection, so fighting someone at Awakening Stage Nine would be no trouble at all.
Even if that person at Awakening Stage Nine had mastered a B-grade fist art to the Mastery Realm.
It still wouldn't be enough!
If Wei Bohu dared manipulate the monthly exam, Ning Chuan would make sure he learned
what a surprise was!
Or, more precisely, the delight would last only until the moment he stepped into the ring. After that, there would be nothing but shock!
"You really think killing a badly wounded martial artist makes you a match for one?!"
Wei Bohu curled his lip, his tone mocking.
He hadn't seen the live broadcast and had only read a few news articles about it, which had praised Ning Chuan's saber technique to the skies.
But he didn't believe a word of it.
Wasn't exaggeration what journalists did for a living?
"Forget it. I'm not arguing with you!"
Wei Bohu shook his head and said, "I came to see you about something important."
Ning Chuan asked casually, "What is it?"
"This isn't the right place." Wei Bohu pointed to a black luxury sedan parked nearby. "Let's talk in my family's car!"
"All right."
Ning Chuan thought briefly, then nodded.
He was in the spotlight now, with the government paying attention and the media reporting on him. Unless Wei Bohu was an idiot, he wouldn't send people to ambush him.
Still, one should never let down one's guard against others.
Following Wei Bohu, Ning Chuan took out his phone, tapped it a few times, and slipped it into his pants pocket.
The two got into the car one after the other.
The cabin was exceptionally spacious. Unlike an ordinary sedan, it had two rows of leather-upholstered seats facing each other, with a four-section folding table between them. Its fine texture made it obvious that it was some kind of precious wood.
A middle-aged man sat in one of the seats, dressed luxuriously and bearing some resemblance to Wei Bohu around the brow.
His eyes, however, were somewhat long and narrow, giving him a more sinister look.
"As expected of the young hero who beheaded a high-level martial artist spy with one slash. You certainly have an impressive bearing."
The middle-aged man smiled warmly as Ning Chuan entered.
Wei Bohu introduced him proudly. "This is my dad, Wei Qiance, the current chairman of the Wei Financial Group!"
Without a change of expression, Ning Chuan sat down with an expansive air. "Let's not waste time. Whatever it is, get straight to the point!"
He couldn't be bothered to exchange pleasantries with someone like Wei Bohu.
Wei Bohu frowned slightly but kept his temper. "I want to buy your spot in the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp!"
"You can buy and sell those spots?!"
Ning Chuan was taken aback.
The Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp wasn't privately run. It was affiliated with the Donglin Administrative Region government and was a purely official institution.
"Normally, no!
But in Qingshan City, there's nothing the Wei Financial Group can't do!" Seeing Ning Chuan's expression, Wei Bohu smiled proudly. "I'll give you one million!
All you have to do is sign a transfer agreement!"
Ning Chuan raised an eyebrow and scoffed. "You talked the Wei Financial Group up so much, and that's all you're offering?"
One million, to him now, was one hair from nine oxen...
Still something he valued highly.
But it definitely wouldn't buy a spot in the genius training camp.
There were many private college entrance exam prep programs in the Federation.
The top-ranked ones each charged millions just to enroll.
The Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp had greater resources than they did.
Its enrollment fee ought to be even higher.
Not to mention that money alone couldn't get someone into the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp.
Wei Bohu gave a cold, derisive laugh. "You think a million is too little? You're an orphan. Have you ever even seen that much money? You couldn't earn it in half a lifetime..."
Bang!
Ning Chuan tossed the cloth bag onto the table in front of him.
Through the opening, several tubes of Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution could be seen among piles of banknotes.
A few checks protruded from the opening.
None of the amounts written on them was less than six figures.
Ning Chuan blinked and looked at Wei Bohu, his tone puzzled. "Sorry, the bag's so heavy I can barely carry it.
By the way, what were you saying?"
When it came to humblebragging!
He, Ning Chuan, was at the Glory rank with a hundred stars!
Wei Bohu instantly shut his mouth, his face turning alternately pale and red.
Beside him, Wei Qiance's expression remained unchanged. He smiled faintly and said, "Disagreements over price are perfectly normal in business. If you're dissatisfied with Bohu's offer, Ning, you can name your own price."
Ning Chuan considered for a moment, then ventured an offer. "Twenty million!"
He knew he was asking for a lion's share.
But in a negotiation, you asked for the sky and bargained down to earth. He had to leave enough room to maneuver.
His bottom line was ten million.
As long as Wei Bohu could afford the price, he was willing to sell.
As for whether Wei Bohu would come looking for trouble after growing stronger,
Ning Chuan was confident and unafraid.
The gains ten million would bring him would far exceed any improvement Wei Bohu made at the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp.