novellaaa Chapter 73 Results Announcement: First Class!
Chapter 73 Results Announcement: First Class!
"Huh?!" Ke Jinglan turned around abruptly, looking at the bandit soldier. "Another master of the Wind-Breaking Blade technique?!"
In Licheng, besides the imprisoned Qin Lie, the only other person who has mastered the Wind-Breaking Blade technique is...
"Master...where were you last night?"
Lu Baixiao: "?"
......
Sweetwater Lane, Water House.
Jiang Qi picked up a bowl of freshly brewed [Moonlight Blood-Coagulating Soup], tilted his head back, and drank it down.
The medicine began to work in his body. He took a deep breath and focused his mind on his body.
According to the "Blood and Bone Forging" technique, he guided pure blood and qi, equivalent to the total amount of twelve streams of qi and blood, to slowly flow to his hands.
Initially, the flow was smooth, but when the Qi and blood entered the metacarpal and finger bones of both hands—
"hiss!"
A sharp, piercing pain suddenly shot through my hands!
Even though he had experienced it several times, Jiang Qi still couldn't help but gasp.
This pain far exceeded the usual soreness and swelling caused by the circulation of qi and blood; instead, it penetrated straight to the bone marrow, as if every inch of the bones in both hands were being hammered and ground by an invisible hammer.
"...The pain of bone forging is no small matter." Jiang Qi gritted his teeth and endured it.
The opening of "Blood and Bone Forging" clearly states that forging bones is the same as refining the mind. The tempering of muscles and bones is accompanied by unimaginable pain, and only the resolute can do it.
If even this little bit of pain cannot be tolerated, and fear arises in the heart, the qi and blood will dissipate. At best, the bone strengthening will fail; at worst, it will damage the bones and meridians, leaving hidden ailments.
Therefore, bone forging is both a physical test and a tempering of the will.
After calming himself down, he picked up a bowl of [Moonlight Blood-Coagulating Soup] and drank it down.
However, as the circulation of Qi and blood increases and the bone-strengthening effect intensifies, the pain of bone cracking becomes even more intense.
Before long, his hands felt as if they were being forged in a furnace and repeatedly hammered by iron tongs.
But Jiang Qi remained steadfast and unmoved.
Although bone-strengthening is painful, the effects are also obvious.
With the continuous tempering of Qi and blood, the bones in the hands are undergoing a transformation.
Time passed amidst the excruciating pain.
After an unknown amount of time, when another powerful medicinal force was absorbed, the sixth stream of qi and blood in the body, which was already close to perfection, naturally reached the state of perfection!
The six paths of Qi and blood are complete, which is equivalent to the twelve paths of Qi and blood being complete for an ordinary martial artist.
Immediately afterwards, nourished and propelled by the complete flow of Qi and blood, the seventh seed of Qi and blood sprouted at the point where Qi and blood converged in the chest.
Just like when I broke through from the initial stage to the middle stage, the surface of this newly sprouted blood and qi was also covered with a thin film, which is the so-called late stage barrier of the Blood Burning Realm.
But with the experience from last time, and with a stronger foundation and resources now, Jiang Qi was much more at ease in dealing with it.
With the powerful mobilization of Qi and blood, supplemented by the [Moonlight Blood-Coagulating Soup], the medicinal power and Qi and blood surged like a tide over that thin membrane.
Not long after, a barely audible crisp sound rang out.
The pass was breached in response.
The seventh bud of Qi and blood broke free from its restraints.
Late stage of the Blood Burning Realm, achieved!
Qi and blood circulate within the body, unleashing a tremendous surge of power.
The seventh stage of Qi and Blood has been formed, which is equivalent to the thirteenth stage of Qi and Blood in an ordinary martial artist!
Jiang Qi did not pause, guiding the qi and blood into his hands.
With this more robust support of vital energy, the cultivation efficiency of "Blood Qi Forging Bones" is significantly improved.
The transformation of the bones in my hands under the influence of blood and qi became increasingly clear, and the excruciating pain seemed to become bearable.
Another hour or so passed.
Suddenly, deep within my consciousness, the [Book of a Hundred Trades] flashed with light, and new characters appeared:
[Blood and Bone Forging (Incomplete): Beginner Level 1/100]
Become!
Almost at the same moment, Jiang Qi felt a strange tremor in his hands.
The excruciating pain that had penetrated to the bone subsided, replaced by an unusual sense of power.
He looked down at his hands; the bones beneath his skin seemed to be covered with a dark red luster, and the joints of his ten fingers made a "crackling" sound like the tinkling of gold and jade.
Clench your fist, then relax.
A sense of solidity I'd never felt before filled my palm.
It was as if these hands were no longer flesh and blood, but rather tempered metal.
Take out another short blade, spread your five fingers, and then... slowly close them to grip the blade.
A series of metallic cracking sounds were heard.
The metal dagger was twisted and deformed by his bare hands.
"These are... the hands after the initial bone forging!" Jiang Qi's eyes flashed with a sharp light.
"Although I am currently only at the late stage of the Blood Refining Realm with seven strands of blood and qi on the surface, with the total amount after purification by [Blood Gathering] and my hands that have undergone initial bone forging... my actual combat strength should be considered to be at the Strong Bone Realm."
With power in hand, a sense of security arises spontaneously.
"Continue!" Suppressing his excitement, Jiang Qi drank another bowl of medicinal soup and immersed himself in cultivation.
......
The next day.
The plaza outside the military headquarters was bustling with people, even more so than on the day of the assessment.
The square was packed with martial artists, friends and relatives who came to see the rankings, spies from various factions, and ordinary people who were just there to watch the spectacle.
A huge red notice was posted on the high wall, with the names of those who had obtained the title of "Martial Artist" in bold ink, along with their evaluation levels.
Jiang Qi and Zhang Xiao squeezed to the front and looked up.
"Li Tianren, on top."
"Xu Zhao, ranked in the top tier."
"Yue Qing, Class A."
"Jiang Qi, Class A."
"Zhang Xiao, Class A, below."
"..."
......
The list, from top to bottom, is dazzling.
At the very top, the large characters "Li Tianren, Jia Shang" are particularly eye-catching.
"Top Grade! It's actually Top Grade! It's been several years since we've had a Top Grade award, hasn't it?"
"As expected of the young master of the Green Water Gang, he's truly formidable!"
"But I heard that this Li Tianren, who wore the armor, is dead."
Someone in the crowd whispered something, which immediately caused a stir.
"What? Dead? Impossible! Li Tianren is the young master of the Green Water Gang! How could he be dead?"
"It's from the Blood Blade Hall that they say their leader, Yan Liangyan, has also been killed."
"Hiss! Who's so bold as to dare kill the young master and hall master of the Green Water Gang?"
"I don't know, he's dead anyway. His name, 'Jia Shang,' is probably going to be lost forever. What a pity..."
"It's truly a pity; such a gifted individual, yet he died young..."
"What a pity." Zhang Xiao, standing next to Jiang Qi, also shook his head and sighed, then nudged Jiang Qi's arm, "Brother Jiang, don't you think so? Jia Shang, just like that, gone."
"Yes, it is a pity." Jiang Qi nodded with a normal expression.
"The world is a dangerous place, and even geniuses are like shooting stars." Xu Zhao, the senior disciple of Zhenyuan Martial Arts School, looked at the names at the top of the red list with a solemn expression. "We should take this as a warning and strive to improve ourselves. Only our own strength can be the foundation for our survival."
"What Senior Brother Xu said is absolutely right," Zhang Xiao replied.
"Congratulations, Senior Brother Xu and Brother Jiang, on achieving first-class honors. You have a bright future ahead of you." Ouyang Chen cupped his hands in congratulations to Xu Zhao and Jiang Qi.
"Congratulations, Junior Brother Ouyang, you are also ranked first." Xu Zhao returned the greeting.
"Speaking of which, Junior Brother Jiang won first place in the assessment on his first attempt. His talent and potential are truly amazing," Xu Zhao said to Jiang Qi in admiration.
"Junior Brother Jiang is truly amazing. He has reached the mid-stage of the Blood Burning Realm in less than a year and even won the top-tier prize. I admire him." Ouyang Chen's eyes were complicated.
When this junior brother Jiang first arrived at the inner courtyard, he was thinking of recruiting him into his family's Weiyuan Escort Agency as a bodyguard, just like Ye Lan and Wu Yue.
Who would have thought that his potential was so great that the martial arts assessment gave him a higher rating than he himself.
Fortunately, they have always treated me with great respect, addressing me as a fellow disciple...