My Arts Evolve When Perfected

The armored vehicle sped eastward day and night. More than twenty hours later, it left the national highway. After passing several large fields, they saw a long line of trucks and armored vehicles stretching from the far end of the road.

Shangguan Yue turned the steering wheel, moving into a lane that didn’t require queuing. One large truck after another slid past the window as Jiang Qiu silently watched the various transport vehicles carrying Martial Artists.

Yongjiang City was the provincial capital of the Northwest Province. Located in the eastern part of the province, it was near the border of the Northeast Province and also situated close to the Southwestern and Jiangnan Provinces, sharing extensive borders with the Inland Provinces.

The property prices here were said to be absurdly high. The housing prices in Gao Yuan City’s Outer City paled in comparison to those here. And as for the housing prices in this city’s Outer City, you could break your neck looking up at the Inner City’s prices and still not see the top.

After all, this was the safest place in the Northwest Province. The few Demon Race disturbances here had barely made a splash. Living here long-term was no longer just a matter of money.

Furthermore, as a metropolis of fifty million people, the strain on its infrastructure was immense, and makeshift brick shacks could be seen everywhere outside the city.

’Thankfully, Shangguan Yue said that Northwest Martial University covers a lot of ground, and that an instructor’s personal disciples all get private, fully-equipped rooms...’

BEEP—

"Honored Instructor Shangguan Yue of Northwest Martial University, have a pleasant day!"

A crisp, mechanical voice sounded. The armored vehicle, which had slowed to a stop in the special access lane, suddenly shot through the checkpoint. Its taillights seemed to gaze back at the trucks undergoing round after round of inspections.

"When we get to the Northwest Martial University main campus, Zili, you’ll come with me to register. Jiang Qiu, a student from the Soldier Cultivation Academy will be there to receive you. If you run into any trouble at the university in the future, you can come find me."

"Okay."

The two replied in unison.

Two hours later, the armored vehicle passed through the dense, honeycomb-like buildings of the Outer City, drove into the Inner City, and arrived at Northwest Martial University.

CLICK.

Jiang Qiu stepped out of the back seat and felt as if he’d walked into a bustling city market. As far as he could see, there was a sea of people, their heads bobbing up and down like a rising tide. Several long lines snaked their way through the towering, twenty-meter-high university gate.

Many of the new students were roasting under the blazing sun, shouldering large trunks and carrying heavy bags, sweat steaming off them, their faces flushed bright red.

With a thought, the world turned to grayscale. Flames ignited within their bodies. The colors were faint, yet they gathered here like thousands of fireflies forming a bright lantern, brimming with youthful vigor.

"Instructor Shangguan!"

A sudden shout cut through the crowd. A young man with squinted eyes, dressed in a white t-shirt and black shorts, waved as he approached. "Sorry to trouble you! My master sent me to pick up Martial Uncle Jiang Qiu."

Seeing him approach, Jiang Qiu felt a prickling on his cheeks. The young man looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six. At first glance, his eyes were just two parallel slits. He was dressed casually and informally.

They had already spoken on the phone before his arrival. The man’s name was An Ling, the personal disciple of one of the Dean’s own personal disciples, and he was in charge of picking Jiang Qiu up.

He hadn’t expected, however, that the color of An Ling’s Qi Blood was far richer than even that of Martial Arts Team Captain Liu Qi. He had probably entered the Bright Soul Realm long ago.

Being called "Martial Uncle" by a student an entire High Realm above him inevitably made his cheeks feel a little warm.

"Okay, you can show Jiang Qiu around and get him settled. I’m taking my new disciple to get registered!"

Shangguan Yue nodded with a smile, then took the hand of Liu Zili, who kept glancing back, and hurried toward the special access lane.

Watching their retreating figures, An Ling smiled and remarked, "To think Instructor Shangguan found a third personal disciple out in the world. Looks like the Refining Academy is getting another genius. I just wonder what her strange quirks will be..."

Relieved that An Ling had dropped the "Martial Uncle" title, Jiang Qiu breathed a sigh of relief and raised an eyebrow slightly. "Strange quirks?"

"Yep. In the Refining Academy, both the instructors and students have strong personalities. The more of a genius they are, the more eccentric they become. Take Instructor Shangguan, for example. Don’t let her appearance fool you. She may look like a lively middle-school girl, but she’s the youngest instructor to ever come here from the Jiangnan Province. And she’s already about to reach the threshold of a Grandmaster in the Refining System..."

An Ling led Jiang Qiu onto campus, his conversation flowing endlessly. There was no awkwardness between them as he chattered on.

Half a day later, the registration was finally complete. They walked to the dormitory management office, where An Ling went with the person in charge to get the key. Jiang Qiu sat on a bench in the lobby, observing the young men and women coming and going.

THUD THUD THUD.

A few wide-eyed young men followed a curly-haired, middle-aged man with a stubbled chin into the lobby, peppering him with one question after another. "Senior, how many people are to a room?"

"Doubles for those Building Jade Sinews, four-person rooms for Steel Bone, six-person rooms for Iron Flesh, and the Copper Skins get thrown together wherever."

"Senior, I heard there’s going to be a Spirit Fusion Test at the university in a few days. We’re all still just in the Iron Flesh Realm..."

"Alright, stop asking about all that nonsense. Even a senior like me isn’t qualified for the Spirit Fusion Test, so what are you all worried about? The most you’ll be doing is watching from the sidelines. Your only job will be to go, ’Holy crap, that’s amazing!’ and that’s it."

The senior, who looked to be around thirty, waved his hand dismissively, tossed the ID Cards to them, and told them to go find the person in charge and get their own keys.

THUMP.

He plopped down on the bench next to Jiang Qiu, glancing at the Storage Ring on the young man’s left wrist. He pursed his lips and blew a curly lock of hair away from his nose. "New student, right? Which academy?"

"Yeah, the Soldier Cultivation Academy."

Jiang Qiu glanced back at him, a brow slightly raised.

This senior was wearing a plaid shirt and casual slacks. He had a high-bridged nose, a rugged, wheat-colored complexion, and stubble along his jaw. He looked mature and composed, apart from the lock of curly hair that dangled over his face.

"Oh, your senior here is from the Soldier Cultivation Academy too. Let me tell you, this place is competitive as hell. There are plenty of resources, but way too many people to split them with. It lives up to its name as the biggest academy at Northwest Martial University."

The senior’s interest was piqued. He draped his long arms over the back of the cold bench like an ape, a slight smirk playing on his lips as he spoke. "The pressure is immense. If you want to advance quickly in Martial Arts, hard work alone won’t be enough. Your senior here can recommend some channels to acquire resources. You can even trade for things like Wusu Fragrance without using Contribution Points."

"A lot of students with mediocre talent don’t even qualify for the department or academy-level tests. They’re all scrambling to get resources, just waiting until they can Cast Jade Sinews and enter the Spirit Body Realm. Only then do you cross the first real threshold and qualify for better resources."

"Even your senior here, who enrolled three years ago, is still hustling for them. I suggest you start preparing early, you hear?"

He was a smooth talker. He casually pulled a small slip of paper from his pocket and handed it over. "Name’s Xue Zhang. You can contact me for anything. Little marketplaces, private trading platforms... as long as you’re motivated to get ahead, your senior has the hookup."

Jiang Qiu took the small slip of paper. On it was a handwritten phone number, the script looking as messy as the man’s bird’s nest of curly hair.

After a moment’s hesitation, Jiang Qiu recalled what he had overheard about the Spirit Fusion Test and raised an eyebrow. "Senior, I heard there’s going to be a Spirit Fusion Test at the university in a few days. What’s the reward for first place?"

"Hey, as a new student, don’t be so ambitious," Xue Zhang said, frowning and pursing his lips. He shot another glance at the Purple Gold Patterned Storage Ring on Jiang Qiu’s left wrist before continuing in an earnest tone, "The Spirit Fusion Test is for the elite students who have already reached the Spirit Body Realm. We should take things one step at a time. Don’t look so far ahead. First, you should come to me to get more resources and raise your Realm..."

Just as he said that, he caught sight of the squinty-eyed young man emerging from the back of the hall. Xue Zhang rubbed his chin, his gaze turning serious as he nodded in that direction. "Weren’t you just asking what the first-place prize is? Look at him. His performance in the Spirit Fusion Test back in the day shook the entire academy. Now, he’s the personal disciple of an instructor!"