High Martial Arts: Grinding for the Supreme Talent

Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Soaring Upwards

Lin Qi hadn’t expected Jiang Zhiguang’s gift to be so extravagant.

He immediately logged into the Red Dome House to check it out:

[Item: Spirit Potion]

[Effect: Greatly increases Spiritual Power. Note: For best results, consume for the first time in conjunction with a Spiritual Power Technique.]

[Price: 8,000,000 Xia Country Coins/vial]

...

Lin Qi was inwardly shocked. ’It’s so expensive! The price is nearly ten million.’

As expected, resources involving Spiritual Power were never cheap. Most importantly, one also needed a Spiritual Power Technique to go with it.

This made Lin Qi hesitant to use it rashly. He decided to wait until he was at Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy and had a more thorough understanding before taking it, ensuring he could maximize its effects.

With that thought, he put the Spirit Potion away, opened the official website, and checked the enrollment status.

[Academy: Sixth Academy]

[Dean: Lin Qi]

[Number of Applicants: 1000/1000]

With less than five hours until midnight, the Azure Sky Sixth Institute had just barely filled its one thousand slots.

Looking at the other academies, it was a far cry from the First, Ninth, and Second Institutes. They had filled their rosters long ago.

They had even kicked out many of the weaker students, continuously selecting for the best.

Lin Qi even suspected that his Sixth Institute might have ended up with many students the other academies didn’t want.

’It doesn’t matter. Once we get to the academy, the competition will start all over again.’

’In any case, it’s the collective strength of the top one hundred that counts. As long as these students don’t hold me back, I’m confident we can surpass the other academies.’

Lin Qi was calm, and even felt a growing curiosity about the nine geniuses ranked ahead of him.

...

「June 23rd. Just past midnight.」

The application period for Xia Country officially came to a close.

The buzz surrounding the college entrance exams quickly faded, and news about Calamity Beasts once again dominated the public’s attention.

It was as if everyone’s lives had returned to normal.

The global environment was gradually deteriorating, and Xia Country was no exception.

News of Calamity Beast attacks was everywhere. They launched Disaster Beast Tides, and countless Martial Artists died every day. At the same time, a new generation of graduating Martial Artists was stepping onto the battlefield.

The world was changing daily, and Lin Qi was now a part of this new era’s grand tide.

...

Before the Martial Arts Calendar, third-year high school students had a nearly three-month-long vacation after the college entrance exams.

In the Martial Arts Era, that vacation was cut down to one month.

All Martial Arts Universities began their academic year in early July.

After his university acceptance celebration, Lin Qi’s life returned to a state of calm.

He didn’t train desperately like before. Instead, he gave himself a vacation. Aside from maintaining his Source Energy Skill cultivation, he barely touched his spear.

He spent his days traveling around Cang Province with his parents, Lin Zhen and Fang Huiyi, enjoying delicious food and a relaxed life.

He allowed his taut nerves to completely unwind.

He believed it was like throwing a punch: pulling back your fist isn’t a retreat, but a way to gather power for a stronger strike.

It wasn’t until the beginning of July that he resumed his training.

He had a feeling that he wouldn’t have such a leisurely break again for a long time.

...

「Martial Arts Calendar, Year 2046. July 8th.」

Underground Martial Arts Room

Lin Qi, dressed in a Martial Arts Uniform, brandished the large, black Thunder Horn Spear.

SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH~~

With a flick of his wrist, the long spear in his hand pierced the air, creating a blur of afterimages as he thrust it out again and again under his precise control.

In a single second, he unleashed more than a dozen thrusts. Simultaneously, his muscles tensed, and power flowed through his body like successive waves, pouring into the spear’s shaft before being released.

17, 18, 19...

20.

CHIII~

As he violently executed the final thrust, a ferocious power tore through the air with a loud whoosh, emitting a sharp whistle.

[Through training, you have improved your Spear Technique. Spear Technique +1%]

[Spear Technique: Tier Two 55% → 56%]

...

"Whew~"

Lin Qi stopped to rest, shaking his head as he looked at the still-sharp Thunder Horn Spear in his hands.

He was currently wearing two-hundred-pound Gravity Rings on each arm, yet he could still execute twenty thrusts per second.

He could turn an ordinary person into a human sieve in an instant.

At the same time, he could feel that the Thunder Horn Spear in his hands was getting lighter.

’I need to buy a new long spear!’

he thought, his gaze finally falling upon his status panel.

[Name: Lin Qi (18)]

[Class: Martial Artist]

[Template: True Monarch Erlang Yang Jian]

[Fusion Degree: 14.7%]

[Talent: Stomach Enhancement, Dragon Energy and Tiger Fierceness, Steel Bones and Iron Flesh]

[Cultivation Technique: Hunyuan Posture, Five Elements Fist (Five Elements Training), Vajra Tiger Evolution Technique, Foundation, Mountain Collapse, Drip Water, Rock Gun Skill, Mountain Splitting Spear Technique]

[Qi and Blood Value: 30.52]

[Fist Technique: Tier Two 70%]

[Spear Technique: Tier Two 56%]

[Body Technique: Tier Two 37%]

...

Lin Qi reviewed his stats. Having taken a rare vacation after the college entrance exams, his strength hadn’t seen much of a boost.

His Qi and Blood Value had barely broken past 30, and he could feel that beyond that point, the growth rate of his Qi Blood had slowed down again.

If he stayed at home, his progress would only continue to slow. He needed to get to a Martial Arts University.

His Fist Technique improved as steadily as ever. After resting for more than ten days, his body and mind were relaxed, and surprisingly, his Spear Technique had improved at its fastest rate yet.

It was even about to break through to the Tier Two Middle Stage.

He exhaled and chugged an energy drink.

Tomorrow, he would be heading to Azure Sky Martial Arts University. He was filled with anticipation.

...

「July 9th. The sky was clear and the sun was scorching.」

Dozens of students had already gathered inside the Red Dome Martial Arts Dojo. They were traveling light, carrying only backpacks.

These were the students from Cang Province who had enrolled in the Azure Sky Sixth Institute, and they had all gathered here.

The hall was filled with the buzz of conversation.

"I can’t believe you enrolled in Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy too! We’re going to be classmates."

"Which institute are you in?"

"The Sixth Institute, obviously," said Lv Xiang. "Ask anyone here. We all want to follow Hidden Tiger Lin Qi."

As he spoke, knowing smiles appeared on the faces of those around them.

"Aheng, I can’t believe Wang Qiufeng and Zhou Xiyin also came to Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy."

Lv Xiang leaned in and whispered to Guo Heng.

Guo Heng nodded. He saw several experts—in fact, a good number of the top ten masters from Cang Province were gathered here.

"Lin Qi is here!"

Someone looked outside the hall, just in time to see a small blue car pull up and two figures get out.

The first was a powerfully built young man with tanned skin, broad arms, and muscles that looked like they were forged from steel.

He had sharp, handsome features and radiated an aura as solid and powerful as a Vajra.

Everyone recognized him as Jiangtao, nicknamed Sword Ape, the eighth-ranked student in Cang Province.

The person next to him had an even sharper presence. He was tall and stood ramrod straight, his body seemingly packed with explosive power.

His expression was cold and aloof, keeping others at a distance. His eyes were bright and deep, as if they could see right through a person’s heart, making it impossible for anyone to meet his gaze.

This was the current top student of Cang Province, ranked tenth in the nation—Lin Qi, the "Hidden Tiger."

As the pair slowly entered the hall, dozens of people gradually rose to their feet to watch them.

"Brother Qi, we’re finally classmates in the same academy!" Guo Heng was the first to speak, a wide smile on his face.

He held out his fist, and Lin Qi bumped it with his own.

Lv Xiang, Wu Feng, and Qiu Siying followed suit. Finally, Lin Qi glanced around and saw many familiar faces.

"Lin Qi, once we’re at Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy, I’m sticking with you," the handsome Wang Qiufeng said with a smile as he approached.

"Me too!" added the tall and slender Zhou Xiyin, smiling.

"Count me in!" The burly and powerful Li Zhou also raised his hand.

"And us!" cried the students from Tianhai No. 2 Middle School.

Lin Qi looked around at the crowd. This group would form his foundation at Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy.

At the same time, he spotted Yu Jing in a corner, which came as a surprise. He hadn’t expected him to enroll in the Azure Sky Sixth Institute as well.

...

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