My Arts Evolve When Perfected

As the sound reverberated, the sparring partner’s Qi Blood surged outward like a roaring flame. The muscles on his right arm suddenly condensed, looking like coiling steel bars.

VMMM—

The three-pointed, double-edged weapon rose level with his right shoulder and elbow, held perpendicular to the right side of his chest. He looked like an executioner raising his beheading axe, like Hou Yi nocking his Sun-Shooting Arrow, or Lü Bu brandishing his Fangtian Halberd.

His movements were slow. Everyone could clearly see how he raised his arm, how he circulated his Qi Blood, how he gathered Strength in his right arm. Yet, in those few short breaths, it was like watching a hundred streams flow into a river, a thousand rivers converge into the sea.

A monstrous wave of Qi Blood materialized behind the sparring partner in the shape of a red moon. The scarlet hue on the three-pointed, double-edged weapon was like hot blood melting ice. A cold gust of wind blew his hair aside, the corners of his clothes whipping and snapping.

The same rippling, cold wind lifted Jiang Qiu’s bangs. He took a deep breath, gripping his spear with both hands. His Qi Blood silently gathered in his arms as the Double Arc Blade Spear Head glinted with a cold light, giving off the feeling of a hidden dragon lying in wait in the abyss, ready to strike.

’In my life, aside from King Niu, this sparring partner modeled after Lin Wei is the most aggressive opponent I’ve ever seen.’ The impending Moon Ascending Slash felt like a steel spring compressed to its absolute limit. The oppressive feeling from its Strength alone was enough to overturn High Heaven.

’I can already tell that in terms of raw destructive power, this move will be far stronger than Soaring Dragon Thrust.’

’But in terms of explosive force, it can’t possibly match the fearless Spear Stance of my Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven!’

Off to the side, Wu Hao and the twenty-seven other Optimizers saw the profoundness of this technique, their blood boiling with excitement.

They had seen Lin Wei himself use this move to instantly kill three High Tier Demon Beasts in the past. Regardless of what Spear Skill Jiang Qiu had, getting to watch a slow-motion Moon Ascending Slash for free was a win-win.

After all, they didn’t know Jiang Qiu, but they certainly knew Lin Wei, the number one genius who possessed the Martial Arts Talent!

Meanwhile, Yang Yu, Qiu Hu, Sun Yongsheng, Cheng En, and the other prodigies who had witnessed Jiang Qiu in action before clenched their fists, their blood boiling and their Bright Eyes shining like lanterns.

Moon Ascending Slash was certainly formidable, but Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven was the peerless Spear Skill that had crippled King Niu’s right arm and stalled him for over ten seconds that day!

"Moon Ascending Slash!"

A thunderous roar drew everyone’s gaze. A crescent of red light slashed out. The Qi Blood, which had been building for several breaths, was like a great saber from High Heaven, swinging out in a half-moon arc with the force of Thunder!

And yet, rising to meet the gale, was a Dragon’s Roar.

BOOM—

A faintly visible Azure Dragon reared its head from the spear’s tip. The storm it carried was more ferocious than a hundred miles of Thunder, tearing the red moon of Qi Blood to shreds with incomparable force.

The two techniques collided like a flash flood crashing into an ocean wave. The resulting Qi Blood shockwave shook the invisible Barrier a hundred meters away, making it ripple like the surface of a pond in a downpour.

In that instant, everyone’s pupils contracted. Lin Wei’s sharp, dashing eyebrows furrowed deeply. Liu Qi’s eyes shot open, Lin Xiao frowned, Yang Yu’s Bright Eyes widened, and Qiu Hu clenched his fists. A thousand pairs of eyes went wide.

They watched as the dragon’s head, wreathed in a storm, shredded the red moon. The remaining power instantly tore through the sparring partner, engulfing him like a bloody flash flood. His body disintegrated and scattered like a sand dune in a gale.

Vmmm...

The last of the Gale’s power exhausted itself and dispersed, leaving only Jiang Qiu’s figure on the field. He took a deep breath, and a large mouthful of snow-white Qi Blood swirled into his mouth. His depleted chest once again swelled, as proud as a mountain peak, and his wind-whipped hair slowly settled.

’Compared to the Military Department test, now that I’ve reached the skull stage of my cultivation, I can achieve this much power by only using half my Qi Blood.’

’It’s a shame I didn’t get to unleash its full power. I still haven’t seen the true limit of Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven.’

’What an unsatisfying fight.’

[Recording Complete]

[Analysis complete. Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven is a Quasi Tier Two Spear Skill, temporarily classified as a Tier One Spear Skill. Difficulty: Five Stars.]

The moment the electronic voice finished, a thunderous wave of astonishment erupted from the crowd. "Holy shit, I knew it! The rumors said he crippled the Top Tier Demon Beast King Niu’s right arm with one strike. It had to be a Quasi Tier Two Spear Skill!"

"Lin Wei’s sparring partner, at the same Realm, got one-shotted by Jiang Qiu?!"

The discussions flared up like a fire doused in diesel. Qiu Hu’s face was flushed as he pumped his fist in the air and roared, "I knew Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven was incredible! That move is even stronger than Moon Ascending Slash!"

As he shouted, the prodigies who were witnessing Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven for the second time felt their blood run hot. Pointing at the lone figure on the field, they yelled like thunder, "See? I wasn’t fucking lying! That day, it was Brother Jiang who used this very move to cripple King Niu’s right arm!"

At that moment, the prodigies from the junior classes of the Optimizer Project stared with wide eyes and clenched fists. Their boiling blood fueled the fiery gazes they fixed on the young man holding the Double Arc Blade Spear, as if they were witnessing the sun rise in the east.

As the thunderous cheers echoed outside the Barrier, Liu Qi slowly closed his slightly agape mouth. ’No wonder he could fight above his Realm and cripple King Niu’s right arm,’ he thought in astonishment. ’With such a relentless Spear Stance, a Spear Skill that surpasses Moon Ascending Slash... how could a mere Top Tier Demon Beast possibly stand in his way?’

In the center of the front row, Lin Xiao squinted and took a long, slow breath. His eyes swept over the other exclaiming Optimizers before settling on the young man standing with arms crossed, his gaze profound.

DING—

[Optimizer Jiang Qiu’s Spear Skill, Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven, has been recorded. Spear Skill Leaderboard refreshing.]

The electronic tone cut through the uproar like a bird’s song next to a waterfall, its crisp sound clearly audible. Everyone looked up as an enormous panel materialized.

[Spear Skill Leaderboard]

[1st Place — Jiang Qiu — Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven (Five Stars)]

[2nd Place — Lin Wei — Moon Ascending Slash (Five Stars)]

[...]

’First place on another leaderboard. When the Demon Blood Fragrance arrives, I should get first pick, right?’ Jiang Qiu looked up, his eyes glinting. ’The best Demon Blood Fragrance is refined from the Essence Blood of the Ancestral Great Demon Zhu Li. An Ancestral Great Demon...’

’As long as I’m number one in the overall rankings, I’ll get first pick of the resources. With a little over ten days left, I still have a chance to break through to the Jade Sinew Realm.’

’Last night, Officer Liu Qi said the highest-grade Demon Blood Fragrance is an extreme Casting Body type of Su Fragrance, beyond what even a Non-Martial Artist could endure. It’s one of the best options for forging the highest quality Jade Sinews.’

’Even though I haven’t reached the Full Steel Bone Realm and am still in the skull stage, I can use this medicinal bath to rapidly transform my body, preparing it to Cast Jade Sinews later.’

Ancestral Great Demons were powerful members of the Demon Race who ruled over entire mountains and lakes. They were never seen unless a great war broke out or a new, medium-sized or larger Secret Realm appeared. Furthermore, their Essence Blood was incredibly difficult to extract. Obtaining Demon Blood Fragrance refined from their blood was a matter of sheer luck.

Every time he thought of this, Jiang Qiu’s heart pounded and his palms grew hot with anticipation for the day he would use this Demon Blood Fragrance to undergo his transformation.

But the competition wasn’t over. The number one spot in the overall rankings wasn’t set in stone.

At that thought, he turned his gaze and met Lin Wei’s. Though a hundred meters separated them, and Lin Wei’s eyes were as placid as black Go stones, his soaring Strength cut through the Barrier like a steel blade, bearing down on Jiang Qiu.

With a faint smile, he uncrossed his arms. His eyes narrowed as he spoke, his voice like that of a young general conquering a great desert, "I, Lin Wei, wish to test Jiang Qiu’s number one Spear Skill, Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven. I want to hear its Dragon’s Roar up close!"

His voice was as resonant as a great temple bell. That one casual shout drowned out the clamor of a thousand people. Countless gazes shifted from Jiang Qiu to him, eyes wide, and erupted into even more fervent cheers. "Holy shit! Holy shit! We get to see Lin Wei fight in person today! AHHHH—"

"Bro, is that him? The number one prodigy in the Optimizer Project? I heard he has the one-in-a-hundred-thousand Martial Arts Talent and already cultivated the Steel Bone Realm to Perfection three years ago?"

"He’s getting in the ring himself. He must be trying to lock in first pick of the Demon Blood Fragrance ahead of time. I heard the most important batch was refined first and is already done..."

"Wasn’t it already decided? Lin Wei’s at the Half-Step Jade Sinew Realm!"

"Shh! Quiet down, everyone! Lin Wei is taking the stage—"