After they left the building, Lu Zhan asked Ning Chuan, "What do you make of what just happened?"
Ning Chuan thought for a moment. "The power that comes from money and status has too many constraints!
"There are countless things you have to avoid.
"Martial strength is different. The power it brings lets you run rampant, with nothing to fear!"
"Well said."
Lu Zhan gave Ning Chuan an approving look and stood with his hands behind his back. "A Divine General is still a Divine General when he walks alone!
"The Federation president, alone, is nothing but an ant!"
"Um... Uncle Lu."
Ning Chuan raised his hand and timidly reminded him, "One of the requirements to run for Federation president is to be a knight. If you call the president an ant, then you..."
The corner of Lu Zhan's mouth twitched. "Just get the gist. Don't look too closely at the details."
The boy had an excellent temperament and talent.
Unfortunately, he also had a mouth.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be going."
"What about the money..."
Ning Chuan called Lu Zhan back.
If the compensation had only been one or two million, he wouldn't have stood on ceremony and would have taken it.
But twenty million was too much.
Lu Zhan waved a hand. "No need to give it to me. It's just a little money; keep it for yourself."
"Ah... Uncle Lu, I wasn't planning to give it to you."
Ning Chuan smiled and said in feigned surprise, "I wanted to ask whether you had a way to buy the Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution at cost.
"Mengyue said the Lu Family buys the Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution for just 150,000 a vial. That's much cheaper than online!"
Lu Zhan stumbled despite himself, then vanished in an instant.
"Give the money to Mengyue. She'll buy it for you."
Lu Zhan's voice drifted over from afar.
Ning Chuan bowed and called with a smile, "Thank you, Uncle Lu!"
Saving thirty thousand on each vial of Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution was no small amount.
Then the smile faded from Ning Chuan's face, and he began to seriously consider the twenty million he had just acquired.
Without a doubt, it was a fortune.
In a place like Qingshan City, it was enough to live comfortably for the rest of his life.
But Ning Chuan had no such plans now.
He had realized something.
With twenty million as a foundation, Galaxy University, ranked first in the Federation, might not be beyond his reach.
"In that case, fifteen million for a hundred vials of Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution!
"With the remaining five million and the earnings from killing Zhao Weiping, I'll buy a top-tier A-rank breathing technique!"
Ning Chuan made his decision, his gaze resolute.
It wasn't the most cost-effective way to divide the money.
But it would improve his strength as quickly as possible.
The college entrance exam was less than three months away.
He had to do everything he could to increase his strength.
After all, even full-fledged martial artists could fail to get into Galaxy University!
Ning Chuan didn't linger. He hailed a taxi and headed straight for the Qingshan City Police Headquarters.
His Gale Step had reached the Perfect Realm.
It was time to ask Gu Tianyu to make good on his promise of a new martial technique!
At the police headquarters.
Many officers knew Ning Chuan because he had killed Zhao Weiping. Once he explained why he was there, someone promptly led him to Gu Tianyu's office.
"Make yourself at home. Sit wherever you like!"
Gu Tianyu sat behind a spacious desk. Seeing Ning Chuan enter, he smiled. "Stop by the finance office later to collect your one-million reward.
"I was originally going to wait a few days, until the agent from the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp arrived, before asking you to come over. That would have saved you an extra trip."
"An agent?"
Ning Chuan was curious. "Are they going to check whether I'm qualified?"
Gu Tianyu shook his head. "Not exactly. They're just collecting your personal information, such as the martial techniques you practice, your current realm, what weapons you're good with, and so on."
"The most impressive thing about the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp is that it enrolls students first and recruits instructors afterward.
"It searches the entire Donglin Administrative Region for the instructors best suited to each student's individual traits.
"Without the government backing it, that would be impossible!"
Gu Tianyu explained.
"That is impressive!"
Ning Chuan nodded in admiration. A moment later, he grew serious. "Director Gu..."
"No need to be so formal."
Gu Tianyu interrupted him with a smile. "You're Mengyue's friend, and you saved her life. Just call me Uncle Gu, like she does."
In truth, there was another point he hadn't mentioned.
Ning Chuan's talent was also an important reason.
"All right, Uncle Gu!"
Ning Chuan naturally wouldn't turn down such goodwill. He grinned. "Could you let me learn the martial technique you promised me?"
"Even if you hadn't brought it up, I was going to teach it to you."
Gu Tianyu smiled.
After a pause, he asked, with a hint of a test in his tone, "Do you know anything about creating martial techniques?"
"Not much."
Ning Chuan answered honestly, "I only know that martial techniques embody their creators' profound understanding of the martial path.
"So only knights and Divine Generals are capable of creating martial techniques.
"Even the most basic E-rank techniques!"
"You've got a good grasp of the theory."
Gu Tianyu smiled and nodded, then asked, "What do you think of Gale Step?"
Ning Chuan thought for a moment. "It's excellent. Even some E-rank movement techniques created by Divine Generals can't compare."
He wasn't saying that just to flatter him.
Gale Step was easy to learn and worked well. Countless people in the Federation practiced it.
When the Martial Arts Alliance selected the top hundred basic martial techniques, Gale Step was among them.
"That shows just how talented you are, Uncle Gu. There's bound to be a place for you among the Federation's Divine Generals in the future!"
Ning Chuan said with a grin.
That remark did carry a hint of flattery.
The Donglin Administrative Region had a population of hundreds of millions, yet it had produced only a handful of Divine Generals, few enough to count on one hand.
Gu Tianyu shook his head and gave a wry laugh. "Stop flattering me. I know my own talent. I couldn't create a martial technique of that caliber."
With that, Gu Tianyu explained to Ning Chuan.
It was true that Gale Step came from him.
But it wasn't his original creation.
Gu Tianyu had adapted it from a movement technique created by his university mentor, the Wind Blood Divine General.
After hearing him out, Ning Chuan said sincerely, "Adapting a martial technique takes skill too."
"The significance of the two is as different as heaven and earth!"
Gu Tianyu seemed to recall something, and the regret in his eyes showed despite himself.
Only after a long while did Gu Tianyu regain his composure. He said solemnly, "The martial technique I'm going to pass on to you is that movement technique of the Wind Blood Divine General's: Three Thousand Wind Shadows!"
Ning Chuan's heart immediately began to pound.
Three Thousand Wind Shadows.
The name alone put it beyond comparison with Gale Step. It had to be A-rank at the very least.
After all, although there were no real restrictions on naming martial techniques, their creators still knew their own limits.
An E-rank martial technique would never be called the Heaven and Earth, Four Seas and Eight Wastes, Star-Filled Galaxy, I Alone Reign Supreme Technique!
Most importantly, his Gale Step had already reached the Perfect Realm. Although its progress was still rising, it was no longer improving in any meaningful way. He was in need of a powerful movement technique.
"An S-rank movement technique?"
Ning Chuan asked tentatively.
Apart from breathing techniques, other S-rank martial techniques were guarded somewhat less strictly.
"That's right!"
Gu Tianyu turned his palm over, and a cyan martial seal appeared. "It's also one of the very best S-rank movement techniques!
"Naturally, it's also exceptionally difficult to cultivate!"
Ning Chuan's eyes lit up. He ignored the latter half of Gu Tianyu's words and eagerly held out both hands. "Uncle Gu, to be honest with you, the thing I fear least is difficulty cultivating martial techniques.
"As long as the rank is high, the harder the better!"
Gu Tianyu assumed Ning Chuan was simply delighted to find something worth pursuing. He chuckled and handed him the cyan martial seal.
"Receive the inheritance here. I'll tell my people not to disturb us for now."
"Thank you, Uncle Gu!"