My Arts Evolve When Perfected

Before everyone’s bulging, disbelieving eyes, a fleeting arrow transformed into the silhouette of a Flood Dragon and scattered the dense purple mist. In an instant, it lit up the area like a thrown torch, streaking past ruined walls and small buildings.

Then, King Niu’s back appeared in everyone’s sight, a kilometer away. It was sprinting wildly down a main road, and the very instant it was about to leap again—BOOM!—the Flood Dragon shadow bit down. The full Strength of [Azure Dragon Chasing Shadow] poured through the arrow that had pierced its neck.

SQUELCH—

Its massive body, as tall as a two-story building, collapsed to the ground and skidded for over ten meters, its back and legs twitching. The purple mist slowly filled the void, hiding its figure and the skid marks on the road until nothing could be seen or heard.

[Slaughter Drill x1]

[Flood Dragon Jade Sinews (Gestating)]

[Qi Blood Points: 100/100]

Ten Qi Blood points from a single Top Tier Demon Beast. He had crossed into the Jade Sinew Realm.

"Hooo..."

The [Black Flood Dragon] bow in Jiang Qiu’s hand vanished. He took a deep breath as his vertical pupils gradually rounded out. Still, his vision remained a grayscale world overlaid with a purple filter.

With a shift in his thoughts, his soul sank into the sea of his consciousness.

Deep within his consciousness lay a vast lake. Its mirror-like surface reflected the massive body of a Flood Dragon. As he met its dark green, abyss-like vertical pupils, he saw an image of himself, wrapped in a red radiance that was coalescing into an egg.

[Bloodline Talent Advanced]

[Flood Dragon Tong]

[Feature 1: Pupils of the Flood Dragon, Glimpse of All Things]

[Feature 2: Pupil-Bearing Dragon Spirit, Casting Tendons to Summon]

The interface flashed through his vision. In the blink of an eye, Jiang Qiu’s sight returned to reality. He scanned the purple mist in all directions. Now, switching to the grayscale view was merely a matter of thought; he no longer needed to physically change to his vertical pupils.

"Much more convenient."

Muttering to himself, he narrowed his pupils into vertical slits again and faintly perceived a red egg within them. It looked as if it were carved from Blood Jade, possessing an innate spirituality.

[Flood Dragon Jade Sinews (Awaiting Incubation)]

[Spirit Charm (Vacant): 0/9]

’My middle school general studies class never went into detail about what Casting Jade Sinews was. For most people, it was probably a very distant concept. But they did mention one thing.’

"Nurture one’s own Jade Sinews using external objects, supplementing them with Spirit Charms like the five elements to await awakening..."

The knowledge from several years ago slowly spilled from Jiang Qiu’s lips. His pupils returned to their round shape, pure as water and faintly glimmering with starlight.

’I’ve heard that after being accepted into Northwest Martial University, students who eventually reach the Jade Sinew Realm go through one or two years of tempering. They supplement a certain number of Ranks of Spirit Charm and then, with the university’s resources, begin their awakening. Those who succeed become officially certified Martial Artists.’

’The more Ranks, the stronger the person, and the greater their potential. How many Ranks one can achieve depends on the Jade Sinews themselves, personal Talent, and no small amount of luck.’

’To become a Martial Artist, you need at least a First Rank Spirit Charm.’

’In other words, I need to go find Spirit Charms now?’

As his thoughts reached this point, Jiang Qiu frowned slightly. "It seems no one ever told me how to gather Spirit Charms..."

TAP. TAP. TAP.

The sound of Sun Yongsheng and the others’ footsteps slowly approached. A few scattered calls of "Brother Jiang" interrupted his thoughts. Many of them lowered their heads, their fists clenched loosely, long spears in hand.

’Half of them are gone,’ Jiang Qiu thought as his calm gaze swept over the students who had stayed behind. Sun Yongsheng’s eyes darted about nervously, Liu Zili’s were wide as she bit her lip, and Li Juefeng’s gaze burned with fervor. Zhang Shan and Li Si looked ashamed of their weakness. ’But even Qian Cheng, the weakest one, didn’t run?’

It seemed all the students from the Eighth Middle School’s designated area had stayed. The frustration pent up in his chest mostly dissipated.

’At least this many people stayed. I haven’t completely failed Director Zhao’s trust. Maybe the ones who fled went to find the examiners for help...’

"Brother... Brother Jiang Qiu, the purple mist seems to be getting thicker. Can you... take us with you?" A dry, hoarse voice came from not far away. Turning to look, Jiang Qiu saw Zhang Heng clutching his abdomen as he stood up, his face as pale as snow. His bloodshot eyes, a mixture of respect and shame, nevertheless met Jiang Qiu’s gaze resolutely. "There might be more than one Top Tier Demon Beast here. Please, take us from Sanliang City’s Inner City Fourth Middle School with you..."

"And... and us from Tengyuan City’s Inner City Second Middle School! Please, Brother Jiang Qiu, take us with you! This area might be a trap. We were all dragged here by another Top Tier Demon Beast, the Toad King."

A prodigy from the Steel Bone Realm, his armor completely shattered, struggled to his feet while clutching his stomach. He raised a trembling right hand high, his eyes filled with a desperate will to survive.

After him, student after student lying on the ground pushed themselves up. Their voices, though faint, swelled into a surging wave. They were like a drove of parched kittens staring at Jiang Qiu, their only source of water.

Among them, a student with worried brows hanging over droopy eyes also followed the crowd and lifted his head. His gaunt cheeks were deeply etched with lines, and his murky eyes overflowed with dejection.

’I don’t know how long I’ve been lying here,’ he thought, ’watching helplessly as squad after squad of students wandered into this place, only to be knocked to the ground by King Niu, one punch at a time.’

’Those who tried to escape were caught by the other hidden Top Tier Demon Beasts. They were either carried back in their mouths or tied together and dragged back.’

’The purple mist corrodes your consciousness and amplifies your deepest fears. Who would be willing to lead several thousand burdens out of here?’

’Even if this prodigy, Jiang Qiu, possesses the legendary [Flood Dragon Tong] of the Ancestral Great Demon Zhu Li and can see through vision-obscuring illusions like this purple mist, there’s no way he can take care of so many people all by himself.’

’Ask him to take us with him?’

’Sigh... might as well just keep lying here.’

"..."

Jiang Qiu stood at the center of everyone’s gaze, like the first candle flame to pierce the night. He remained silent, thinking.

’I only promised Director Zhao I’d look after the students from my own school. I could just ignore everyone else.’

’Besides, there might be other Top Tier Demon Beasts in the mist. There’s no time to waste. I should just take Liu Zili and my group and find a way out of here immediately...’ 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

At that thought, Jiang Qiu took a deep breath and shouted in a deep voice, "Anyone who can stand, follow me!"

’My past self probably wouldn’t have wanted to help so many people. But Director Zhao also said to first ensure your own survival, and then extend your help to others.’

’Since I was able to kill King Niu, I can kill other Top Tier Demon Beasts. It’s just a matter of clearing a path through the purple mist. As long as they can keep up, we’ll all get out together.’

’After all, the first mission of the college entrance exam is to kill demons. The second is to provide aid.’

’The audio and video recording devices strapped to each of us are documenting everything. It’ll all be used as a reference for our final scores.’

’The heartless and disloyal are not welcome at Northwest Martial University. I can’t let this be the thing that trips me up...’

"Yes... Yes, yes!"

"Thank you, thank you, Brother Jiang Qiu."

Shout after shout erupted like flying sparks. One by one, students in shattered armor struggled up from the ground. They looked like heavily wounded soldiers from ancient times, leaning on their long spears and panting for breath.

Those who were still unconscious were woken with a couple of slaps and helped to their feet. Those who truly couldn’t walk on their own were supported by others.

In that moment, Zhang Heng’s powerful frame trembled with joy that lit up his face. Ye Shu, the Steel Bone Realm prodigy who had previously mocked Jiang Qiu, looked away, biting the corner of his lip as his nose began to tingle.

For a moment, a chorus of thanks rose and fell, their gazes burning like torches.

Even the droopy-eyed student who had just been sighing in despair couldn’t help but lift his face from the ground. He stared at the well-built, bare-chested young man. "This is what a true prodigy is like..."

Several thousand students scrambled to their feet before the purple mist could fill the clearing. They reformed their ranks according to Jiang Qiu’s instructions. In total, there were students from four different schools, all of them Inner City High Schools.

There were over three thousand of them in total, but not a single corpse among them.

"Eighth Middle School students, right behind me! The rest of you, follow them in order. Stay close to the person in front of you, and don’t get separated!"

After his shout, the long, mighty column of over three thousand people marched into the dense purple mist. They looked all around but couldn’t make out the outlines of anything more than ten meters away. All they could do was take small steps and follow the person in front of them.

The droopy-eyed student at the back of the line sighed softly. The long column ahead seemed to be swallowed by the purple mist, which only grew thicker the deeper they went.

You couldn’t see your hand in front of your face...

"GROOAK—"

Suddenly, a bizarre toad’s croak echoed from within the purple mist. A series of thuds and bumps followed as people from behind ran into the backs of those in front. Only then did they realize the column had stopped. A chill immediately shot up their spines.

The only answer was another "GROOAK—".