High Martial Arts: Grinding for the Supreme Talent

Chapter 265: Chapter 265: The Top-Ranked SS-level Genius

"Isn’t it obvious? It’s got to be Huo Wanyang!"

"Even if Huo Wanyang was weaker than Lin Qi before, their Martial Arts weren’t that far apart."

"But now that he’s Awakened, his Cultivation Talent has transformed and his Comprehension has improved."

"Comprehension is the hardest thing to improve. Even a tiny increase brings about massive changes. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he’s been completely reborn."

"In one month, he’s had more than enough time to surpass Lin Qi."

"Besides, his Power now has the Red Flame Attribute, allowing him to deal far greater Destruction. Lin Qi can’t compare at all."

"The Dean will take back first place."

A student from the Azure Sky First Institute stated decisively after this analysis.

"You’re overthinking it. You guys clearly don’t know how amazing Brother Qi is. How many times have you been proven wrong and still haven’t learned your lesson?" a student from the Azure Sky Sixth Institute retorted.

"It changed!"

Someone suddenly shouted. Hearing this, the hearts of students from both institutes leaped into their throats, each hoping their own Dean was the one who had passed the trial.

"It’s Lin Qi!!" someone yelled, announcing the final result.

"Impossible!"

The faces of the students from the Azure Sky First Institute changed drastically; they couldn’t accept this outcome.

Everyone turned to look at the leaderboard for the Azure Sky Sixth Institute, which had indeed changed.

[First Place: Lin Qi, Floor: 4→5]

Looking back at the Azure Sky First Institute’s leaderboard, the floor number behind Huo Wanyang’s name was still "4," unchanged.

Many felt as if they’d been plunged into an icy cavern. Endless disappointment flooded their hearts, as though their very marrow had been sucked out, leaving them completely drained of strength.

"Brother Qi is fucking awesome!!"

In stark contrast, the people from the Azure Sky Sixth Institute erupted in celebration, cheering loudly.

"As expected of Lin Qi. He’s as strong as ever!" students from other institutes exclaimed.

"Huo Wanyang is an SS-level genius now, and even after a month, he still can’t surpass him."

"It seems it will still take him a very long time to surpass Lin Qi."

...

「Disaster Beast Trial Tower, 4th Floor」

"PSHHH—"

The burly Huo Wanyang swung his Red Halberd, lopping off the head of the last Unihorned Black Pig.

’It’s finally over. I’m definitely the first one to pass the 4th Floor.’

An excited look appeared in his eyes as he looked at the message that popped up.

[Student Huo Wanyang, congratulations on successfully passing the 4th Floor trial. Do you wish to proceed to the 5th Floor trial? Yes/No?]

After seeing the message, Huo Wanyang’s expression instantly froze.

’How is this possible? I’m not the first one to pass?’

’How could Lin Qi be faster than me?’

"CRACK!!"

He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles cracked, forced to accept the reality of the situation.

’I’m an SS-level genius! I’ve Awakened! Just give me a little more time, and I will definitely surpass Lin Qi!’

With this thought, Huo Wanyang’s spirits lifted, and he began the trial for the 5th Floor.

...

「In another space, 45 minutes after the 4th Floor trial began」

"HAAH... HAAH..."

"BAM!!"

An Iron Spike Wild Boar let out an unwilling roar as it collapsed heavily onto the concrete ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Lin Qi raised a hand and flicked the blood off his Black Great Spear, then glanced around at the Calamity Beast corpses littering the ground.

He was only breathing slightly heavily. With his Third Rank Spear Skill, he was already capable of killing 200 Calamity Beasts with just a 9.99 Qi and Blood Value.

[Student Lin Qi, congratulations on successfully passing the 4th Floor trial. You are the first freshman to do so.]

[You will receive a generous reward. Do you wish to begin the 5th Floor trial? Yes/No?]

...

When Lin Qi saw that he was the first to pass the trial, he knew he had won.

Just as Jiangtao had said, he had suppressed Huo Wanyang once again.

’Someone I’ve defeated once can never surpass me, especially now that my own Talent and Comprehension have improved.’

[Yes]

There was still a little time left, so Lin Qi chose to continue directly to the 5th Floor trial.

"WENG!"

In the next instant, the surrounding corpses of the Iron Spike Wild Boars and Unihorned Black Pigs vanished.

[5th Floor Trial: Kill 230 Calamity Beasts within 60 minutes. This includes 150 First-Level Calamity Beast Iron Spike Wild Boars, 50 Second-Level Calamity Beast Unihorned Black Pigs, and 30 Second-Level Calamity Beast Iron-Scaled Eagles!]

[You must kill all required Calamity Beasts within the time limit to pass the assessment. Otherwise, it will be considered a failure!]

[Countdown: One minute...]

...

After reading the trial’s content, Lin Qi’s expression changed slightly. This time there were 30 more Second-Level Calamity Beasts, but the difficulty had soared.

[The 5th Floor trial has officially begun!]

"RUMBLE!!"

"GRAAWR!"

He was surrounded on all sides by Iron Spike Wild Boars and Unihorned Black Pigs, a gray tsunami charging toward him.

"SCREEE—"

A gray-black cloud in the sky rapidly approached, casting a large shadow that enveloped Lin Qi.

It was a flock of iron-gray avian Calamity Beasts—the Second-Level Calamity Beast, the Iron-Scaled Eagle!

They resembled eagles but were enormous, with wingspans of up to two meters. Their entire bodies were covered in hard, iron-gray scales that glinted with a metallic luster in the sunlight.

Their feathers were actually scales, with edges as sharp as blades, like a suit of natural armor.

Their red eyes were sharp and fierce, their beaks were as pointed as hooks, and their talons were thick and powerful.

Lin Qi’s expression grew solemn. With Calamity Beasts surrounding him on the ground and in the sky, they had truly left him no room to maneuver.

"SWOOSH—"

However, he once again transformed into a bolt of black Lightning, charging out as he swung his Black Great Spear.

"PFFT— PFFT—"

He thrust his spear out several times in quick succession, leaving bloody holes in the throats of the foremost Iron Spike Wild Boars. His Power exploded within them, extinguishing their life force and causing them to drop dead instantly.

Suddenly, Lin Qi felt a surge of intense danger. His Perception warned him of a threat rapidly approaching from the sky.

"SCREECH—"

"WHOOSH—"

An Iron-Scaled Eagle transformed into a black gust of wind, extending its thick iron talons as it dove down. Its speed was incredible, like a sudden Gale.

"CLANG—"

Lin Qi raised his spear to block. The talons struck the spear’s shaft, sending a shower of sparks flying and leaving behind scratch marks. The force of the blow knocked him back a step.

’So fast!’

Lin Qi frowned. The Iron-Scaled Eagle’s body was leaner than the Unihorned Black Pig’s, giving it greater explosive speed.

Empowered by that speed, its thick talons could easily tear his skin, even piercing through flesh and blood.

"SCREECH— SCREECH—"

At the same time, the thirty Iron-Scaled Eagles surrounded him, launching attacks aimed at his head. If he was hit even once, the trial would be over.

Lin Qi had no choice but to use the Thunder Shadow Instant Kill Step to dodge rapidly, his figure flickering like Thunder Light.

The Iron-Scaled Eagles also used their sharp wings, beaks, and talons as weapons, attacking relentlessly.

Lin Qi was struggling to keep up!

His Perception constantly warned him of danger signals from every direction—front, back, left, right, and from the sky above.

The Iron-Scaled Eagles were already pouncing with their talons extended. He had become the prey of all the Calamity Beasts.

The space available to dodge their attacks was compressed to the absolute limit.

’I can’t keep dodging!’

Lin Qi knew his Body Technique Realm had reached its limit; he couldn’t evade anymore.

Realizing this, he immediately swung his Long Spear and thrust it fiercely at the Iron-Scaled Eagle before him.

He channeled his body’s force, and the Mountain Shaking Power formed in an instant, erupting violently. It surged like a Spiritual Snake, converging at the tip of his spear.

"VMMM!"

"SHLICK—"

The spear tip vibrated continuously, flashing with a cold light.

"PFFT—"

A panicked look appeared on the Iron-Scaled Eagle’s face as it watched its own neck get pierced. The Power exploded, instantly scrambling its brain.

The Iron-Scaled Eagle was dead!

"PFFT— PFFT— PFFT—"

Lin Qi swung his Long Spear in a circular arc, slitting the throats of three Iron Spike Wild Boars in a row.

Die, die, die!

In just a few moments, he killed ten more beasts. His spear tip trembled, tearing through the air as the wind howled, stabbing one Iron-Scaled Eagle after another to death.

The Mountain Shaking Spear Technique also unleashed its might. Every swing of his spear carried the force of a thunderbolt.

With each thrust, the Black Great Spear was like a furious dragon in the wild, possessing the power to shatter mountains.

Lin Qi let loose, slaughtering madly. His Mountain Shaking Power erupted—anything it touched died!

In just over ten minutes, he had hunted down more than half of the Calamity Beasts.

The consequence, however, was that bloody scratches had appeared on his body, left by the Iron-Scaled Eagles.

"You’re courting death!"

Facing a diving Iron-Scaled Eagle, he thrust his Long Spear out fiercely, once again easily piercing through its neck.

"SCREECH—"

Its cry lingered in the air as Lin Qi felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. A thick talon had pierced his collarbone.

His Qi and Blood Value was only 9.99 right now. His skin and membranes hadn’t been tempered yet, and his Combat Suit was only Tier One.

He couldn’t withstand the sharp talons of the Iron-Scaled Eagles. His body was surrounded by a flock of them and was finally, completely overwhelmed.

A few seconds later, Lin Qi reappeared in his original spot. All the Calamity Beasts had vanished. Lin Qi shook his head; he had died in the end.

’With these 30 Iron-Scaled Eagles, the difficulty of winning has increased several times over.’

Lin Qi silently reviewed the entire battle. The Iron-Scaled Eagles were extremely fast, even faster than the Unihorned Black Pigs.

Moreover, they could fly, giving them a spatial advantage. Their periodic harassment was enough to distract him.

’The biggest worry is getting lifted into the air. Once I have no foothold and can’t use my Body Technique, I’ll be a lamb to the slaughter.’

’No wonder there are no avian Calamity Beasts in the Practical Training Camp or the Disaster Beast Hunting Competition.’

Lin Qi understood now. If there were avian Calamity Beasts, they would gather together and inflict massive damage on Martial Artists, and the death toll would skyrocket.

[Student Lin Qi, we regret to inform you that you have died!]

[Azure Sky Sixth Institute Trial Ranking: 1]

[Academy Overall Ranking: 21,001]

[You have unlocked the Freshman Genius Rankings for the Ten Institutes. Do you wish to view it? Yes/No?]

Lin Qi wasn’t surprised by his overall ranking. The academy had a total of 36,000 students across four years. Even excluding those who died from various accidents, there were still over 35,000 students.

To be ranked at 21,001 was already quite impressive.

It meant he had already surpassed many second-year upperclassmen.

Then he looked at the last item. ’The Ten Institutes’ Genius Rankings?’

He immediately opened it:

[Disaster Beast Trial Tower Rankings (Ten Institutes)]

[First Place: Yu Zhuoran, Floor: 6]

[Second Place: Pei Jiu, Floor: 5]

[Third Place: Xiang Long, Floor: 5]

...

After reading it, Lin Qi’s eyes lit up. It was indeed the Disaster Beast Trial Tower rankings for the geniuses of the Ten Institutes.

And the person in first place, Yu Zhuoran, was the only SS-level genius among this year’s freshmen at Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy before Huo Wanyang’s awakening.

Lin Qi was shocked to see that their floor was 6.

They actually passed the 5th Floor. Lin Qi was inwardly astonished. ’Just how strong are their Martial Arts Skills?’

...

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