My Arts Evolve When Perfected

[Fiery Flame Dragon Body]

[Soldier Cultivation Method: 0/3]

[Description: The first step to officially begin cultivation in the Spirit Body Realm is [Weapon Forging and Spirit Fusion]—to forge a Lifebound Weapon and completely fuse your own Spirit Charm into it.]

A brand-new panel was imprinted in Jiang Qiu’s mind. His fingers twitched, and his vertical pupils, crimson with golden patterns, slowly returned to normal. In his vision, Luo Beixing had already withdrawn his hand.

He took a deep breath, clasped his fist to his palm, and bowed, his eyes filled with respect. "Thank you, Grand General Luo."

"Mm. I have matters to attend to, so I won’t stay long. I will guide you again if the opportunity arises."

As soon as his voice fell, Luo Beixing’s figure dissipated with the wind. Jiang Qiu felt a surge of emotion as if he’d drunk strong liquor, his chest filled with burning passion.

’It’s probably because I stole the Origin of the Demon King [Chen] that Grand General Luo is paying so much attention to me. My future cultivation and life will likely be inextricably linked to [Chen].’

’Unless the Demon King [Chen] dies.’

TAP. TAP.

Shangguan Yue raised her hand and patted Jiang Qiu’s right bicep, sighing with a smile. "Keep it up, young man. Elder Luo’s Soldier Cultivation Method isn’t easy to practice. But he just sent word for me to take you to Dongqi Lake. When do you think you can go?"

"Ah... You’re taking me?" Jiang Qiu looked down at her youthful face and frowned slightly. "Can we go in a couple of days? I still need to go back to Eighth Middle School to see my teacher and director..."

"Sure. I’ll be in Gao Yuan City all month. Let’s add each other as friends. You can contact me anytime."

The two took out their phones and exchanged contact information. Niu Yao’s mouth twitched, and he let out a stuffy grunt. "I’m leaving."

’Grand General Luo even passed on his Soldier Cultivation Method, and Shangguan Yue doesn’t act like an instructor at all—she’s acting just like a little girl. There’s no point in me sticking around just to feel awkward.’

He strode over the threshold, simmering with resentment, and walked alone down the narrow street. ’He’s just some prodigy from Gao Yuan City. Does he really deserve so much attention from so many people?’

’I’ll head to Outer City Eighth Middle School first. I heard there might be some good prospects after the hot spring transformation. I can recruit some people for the academy who are willing to endure the hardships of Body Refining.’

...

After Niu Yao left, Shangguan Yue chatted with Jiang Qiu for a bit before taking Liu Zili by the hand and leaving. She said they needed to preview the content for the Refining System and forge real Jade Sinews.

’How nice. Liu Zili is also going to Northwest Martial University, and as a personal disciple handpicked by an instructor, no less.’

Watching the backs of the two girls—one tall, one small—disappear into the distance, Jiang Qiu let out a breath of relief. He turned to look at his small brick house and remained silent for a long while. ’Time to move.’

He called the number Director Zhao had left him. Before long, the Martial Education Department sent someone to deliver the keys to a large villa, along with a dedicated moving truck for his luggage.

Unfortunately, the furniture in the small brick house was old and worn, and most of it was unusable. All he needed to take was a portrait of his parents and a large wooden tub.

"Xiaoqiu, you’re moving out?"

The owner of the steamed bun shop hurried out. Seeing two movers in uniform carrying a large wooden tub past his door, he quickly waved at Jiang Qiu, who was following behind. "Can we get a picture? We’ve been neighbors for over ten years, after all. I want a souvenir!"

"Sure."

With a CLICK, the bun shop owner, holding a phone whose screen was shattered into a spiderweb of cracks, chuckled as he watched Jiang Qiu and the others depart. "How wonderful. The top prodigy of the ten, getting to live in a big villa in the Inner City. He’s really turned his life around. Oh, no—he’s soared to the heavens!

Now I’m someone who’s had his picture taken with the city’s top student. I’ve got to get it framed and hang it by the door, haha."

...

In Gao Yuan City’s Inner City, Celestial Pride Villa District, a black sedan glided down a straight road and stopped in front of a large, walled villa.

It was a five-story building, an estate covering a total of five hundred square meters, complete with a swimming pool. The interior furnishings were even more exquisite than those in the suite attached to the Virtual Training Pod, filled with all sorts of smart furniture.

CLICK—

He slid open the glass shower door, and a large bathtub came into view.

Jiang Qiu chuckled softly and closed the door. He found a large bedroom on the second floor, took a framed photo out of his Storage Ring, and placed it gently on the nightstand. "Mom, Dad, we’ve moved into the Inner City."

Sadly, his parents had died on the battlefield three years ago. Now, all his good news was shared with a picture frame.

In the Northwest, death was the greatest fate. The struggle between humans and demons had begun the moment the Secret Realms revived.

As long as the Demon Race was not completely wiped out and the Demon Kings still existed, every city could face the risk of war. More and more people were dying to demons.

Jiang Qiu had never thought of himself as a world-shaking hero. He just clenched his fists and persevered on his own path of Martial Arts.

He would kill as many demons as he encountered.

’Even if it’s a Demon King, one day I will kill one for all the world to see.’

After all, his [Reincarnated Medium] state had vanished with the death of the Red Flame Spider Mother. His current state was [Great Dao Imperfection].

[State: Great Dao Imperfection]

[Description: The reincarnation plan that [Chen] plotted for many years has been destroyed, resulting in a curse from the Great Dao. If the gap is not filled, it will never be able to return to its former power. The sliver of Ancient Origin and the massive amount of Fiery Flame Spirit Charm you stole are that gap.]

...

After spending a day wandering around the Inner City and familiarizing himself with the area around the Celestial Pride Villa District, he called Director Zhao the next day and was driven back to Eighth Middle School by his assigned chauffeur.

CLICK.

The car door slid open, and the familiar campus appeared before him. A large crowd of students was gathered around the large garden just inside the entrance, where several reporters were standing guard by a new statue.

"See that? That’s the statue of Jiang Divine from arena number eight! He led us to first place in the provincial team score! Our Eighth Middle School made history in Gao Yuan City! And I only survived because of Jiang Divine!"

"Because of Jiang Divine, the good days have come for Eighth Middle School! The Martial Education Department has decided to invest resources equivalent to an Inner City High School! A lot of powerful Martial Arts Instructors are coming!"

A few graduating students who were being interviewed spoke with flying spittle, their faces flushed with excitement. A large group of underclassmen listened, their blood boiling with passion.

Jiang Qiu studied the statue of himself—bare-chested, holding a long spear, exuding a formidable killing aura—for a moment, then shrugged with a slight smile. He was about to take a detour to see Director Zhao and Teacher Wu Shan when a young girl’s shriek came from the side. "Ah! It’s... it’s the legend!"

The moment she spoke, students swarmed him. The reporters’ eyes went wide, and they sprinted over, cameras in hand. In an instant, the area was packed so tightly no one could move, and the air was filled with a constant stream of screams from boys and girls alike.

It wasn’t until Zhao Gongzheng and Wu Shan heard the news and hurried over that they managed to disperse the students and pull Jiang Qiu away.

"Thanks to you, Eighth Middle School has received a lot of resources. It’s become a high school that both the Military Department and the Martial Education Department are paying special attention to. Even the personal disciples of the instructors in charge of admissions for Northwest Martial University have been stopping by frequently. Many Inner City High Schools don’t get this kind of treatment."

Zhao Gongzheng stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his face beaming. "And I heard that the students in the hot spring who were closer to you felt relatively less pressure. In the end, they were all saved. Not a single person from our Eighth Middle School was injured or killed, and they all got into Northwest Martial University!"

He eagerly described the changes at Eighth Middle School over the past few days, overjoyed that so many students were making their way out of the Outer City. Wu Shan also laughed heartily the whole way, delighted to see Jiang Qiu.

Furthermore, Wu Shan had already resigned. This would be their last meeting before he went abroad.

Surprised, Jiang Qiu thanked both him and Director Zhao. "Director Zhao, Teacher Wu, although I haven’t fully matured yet, if you ever need anything in the future, please don’t hesitate to find me. I will never forget the guidance you’ve both given me."

Wu Shan smiled and casually wiped away a speck of dust from the corner of his right eye, which seemed to be wet. He couldn’t let go of the guilt in his heart. Director Zhao patted Jiang Qiu’s shoulder, saying that the debt of gratitude was repaid the moment all the students from Eighth Middle School returned safely.

"Goodbye, Director Zhao, Teacher Wu."

"Goodbye! We wish you fame throughout the Northwest after you get to the Martial Arts University!"

Watching the two men waving at the entrance, tears glittered like starlight in the corners of Jiang Qiu’s eyes, but his gaze grew even more resolute. He wiped his tingling nose, turned, and pulled out his phone to call Shangguan Yue.

His life at Eighth Middle School was over. It was time to start paving the way for his life at Northwest Martial University.

’First, I’ll follow Grand General Luo’s instructions and ask Instructor Shangguan to take me to Dongqi Lake. I’ll see if I can complete the Refinement of Zhu Li’s remnant soul...’