Chapter 272: Breakthroughs and Hidden Currents
Chapter 272: Breakthroughs and Hidden Currents (Requesting Monthly Votes)
Lin Zhen laughed heartily after hearing the news.
"Life now is beyond what we ever dared to dream back then. We're truly living in comfort."
"At school, the leadership and colleagues treat us with immense respect. No one gives us any trouble anymore."
"Everything’s going smoothly at work."
Fang Huiyi chimed in with a smile: "Your father and I have fully recovered our martial arts cultivation as well."
"Your father now has the strength of a Third-Circle Martial Artist, and I’ve reached the Second Realm. Every day, I feel myself improving further."
Lin Qi looked at them. Both his parents seemed much younger now, their vitality radiating.
Now that he’d become a prodigy, everyone around his parents had turned into kind-hearted allies, making everything in their lives effortless.
This was the benefit of a sudden rise in status.
Back in the day, how could things have been this easy?
"Xiaoqi, what stage are you at now?" Lin Zhen suddenly asked, curiosity lighting his eyes.
Lin Qi smiled calmly. "My Vital Energy Stat is 90 now."
The moment those words left his mouth, both Lin Zhen and Fang Huiyi’s pupils dilated. They exchanged glances.
"A Vital Energy Stat of 90? That means you’re already in the late Third Realm!"
"Are you preparing to break through to the Fourth Realm?"
"This soon?!"
Their hearts pounded. How long had it been?
Just months ago, he’d broken through to the Third Realm from the Second. That was already lightning-fast. But now, he was about to leap to the Fourth Realm?
In mere months, he’d surpassed years of progress for ordinary cultivators.
Lin Zhen’s expression turned complex. He’d been overtaken by his own son so quickly. Was this the power of an innate genius?
Lin Qi remained composed. "My speed is nothing special. There are geniuses out there even faster than me."
"Mom, Dad, I’ll transfer 5 million Xia Kingdom Currency to each of you. Use it to buy cultivation resources."
"Focus on raising your Vital Energy Stats."
Saying so, he pulled out his phone and initiated the transfers.
"No, no, we have enough money already!" Lin Zhen waved his hands.
"This is too much. You should use it on yourself", Fang Huiyi quickly added.
Lin Qi shook his head. "Mom, Dad, I earned nearly 100 million in Xia Kingdom Currency at Azure Firmament Martial Academy over these few months. The final exam alone gave me a 38 million scholarship."
"To me, this isn’t a large sum. In the future, I’ll earn even more. You need to get used to it."
"Uh…"
Lin Zhen fell silent, unsure what to say. He’d never imagined seeing such sums.
This was just the money Lin Qi earned in a single exam.
"We really do need to adapt now", Lin Zhen exhaled, shaken.
---
After dinner, Lin Qi returned to his bedroom. Despite months away, it was spotless, cleaned meticulously.
After a brief nap, he entered his Martial Arts Training Hall. A large plastic suitcase sat there—his luggage sent from school. He began unpacking.
"Xiaochan, open Crimson Heaven Residence!"
"Understood, Master!"
The blue metallic orb beside him projected a holographic girl, who summoned a green interface with a wave of her hand.
As soothing music played, Lin Qi browsed the Crimson Heaven Residence interface, mentally calculating.
"Winter break is almost a month long. The Spring Festival is on January 29th, and school resumes on February 15th."
"I need to make full use of this time."
He felt the Primordial Energy density in the air. It was far too thin here compared to the dorms at Azure Firmament Martial Academy.
He knew winter break was designed for students to rest.
Back at school, their nerves were always taut, grinding relentlessly every day. Humans weren’t machines—they needed downtime.
So during holidays, few pushed themselves hard.
Now far from the high-Primordial Energy environments, the Spiritual Cultivation Arena, the Gravity Chamber, the Disaster Beast Trial Tower, and other resources, his cultivation speed was inevitably slower.
He could only rely on purchased resources to maintain his progress.
"I need to take more Skin Tempering Balm. Previously once a day, now twice daily."
"In a month, my Vital Energy Stat must rise by at least 5."
"And my Spiritual Power needs better resources too."
He rapidly added items to his cart, buying 20 jars of Skin Tempering Balm—the full month’s supply. Then he noticed another item:
[Item: Spirit Nourishing Elixirs]
[Effect: Enhances the user’s Spiritual Power]
[Price: 2 million per vial]
After considering, he ordered five vials. Cheaper than Spiritual Power Elixirs, they were still effective in bulk. He added several other resources.
[Confirm purchase of Skin Tempering Balm, Spirit Nourishing Elixirs, etc.?]
[Total cost: 32 million Xia Kingdom Currency. With your 40% discount, final payment: 19.2 million Xia Kingdom Currency!]
[Fingerprint verified!]
[Payment successful!]
[Your items, including Skin Tempering Balm, will be delivered tomorrow.]
Lin Qi stared at the vanished 19.2 million. In less than a day, another 30 million had vanished.
He stood, grabbing his black training spear, and practiced fluid movements.
"My Spear Techniques are nearing breakthrough to the Third Stage. Soon, I’ll master the first deadly move of the Sky-Shaking Spear Techniques."
"For martial arts, the goal is to break into the early Third Stage and master the first killing move."
"Whoosh—"
He thrust the spear forward, slicing the air and creating a gust that billowed the curtains of the training hall.
---
The Next Day
At the entrance of Villa #66 in the Imperial Court Splendor Community, Lin Qi accepted a metal case from a burly, cheerful deliveryman.
"Delivery confirmed, Mr. Lin. Happy New Year!"
The courier smiled and departed.
Lin Qi carried the case into the villa.
At that moment, Lin Zhen hung up the phone, his face hesitant.
"Xiaoqi, Guo Heng and Li Zhou contacted me. They want me to join their new company with a stake. No work required—just annual dividends."
"Should I do it?"
Lin Qi paused. Guo Heng’s father and Li Zhou’s father. They’d reached out after his National College Entrance Exam results went public.
Inviting his father into business was likely because of his own influence. Dean Liu had warned him about this.
"Dad, it’s your call. Guo Heng and Li Zhou are reliable. They won’t overstep."
"That’s reassuring."
Lin Zhen sighed in relief. These sudden opportunities had unsettled him—a regular man unused to such rapid change.
He planned to bring his brother-in-law Fang Zhe into the venture to avoid being scammed.
---
Back in his training hall, Lin Qi set down several Obsidian Steel Cases. He opened them one by one, placing the Skin Tempering Balm into cabinets.
The last case held five vials of pale-yellow Spirit Nourishing Elixirs.
"Taste it!"
He took a vial, uncapped it, and drank it down. A faint sweet orange flavor lingered.
From his cabinet, he retrieved an orange scroll, placing it on a cushion before sitting cross-legged, steadying his breath.
He began circulating the Atlas of Calamities.
"Roar—"
With each breath, a muscular, adult-tiger-sized Blazing Tiger Hound materialized in his mind’s eye.
Simultaneously, he activated the orange scroll. A beam of orange light shot into his consciousness.
Instantly, over a hundred Disaster Beasts appeared in his Consciousness Realm: Obsidian Horn Boars, Blazing Tiger Hounds, Boulder Serpents, Ironscale Hawks…
Surrounding the Blazing Tiger Hound.
"Roar—"
Lin Qi remained calm, his mind sharpened by the Spirit Nourishing Elixirs.
The Blazing Tiger Hound glowed, surging into the beast horde, a whirlwind of carnage.
Each fallen beast revived instantly, endlessly aggressive.
Lin Qi controlled the Hound, battling the hundred beasts.
"Puh! Puh!"
"Boom!!"
Two hours later—
"Roar—"
The fur-covered Blazing Tiger Hound opened its maw and bit the Boulder Serpent in half.
All surrounding beasts vanished. The Hound itself dissolved.
Lin Qi shuddered. His Consciousness Realm’s gray mist, representing his Spiritual Power, had swollen to the size of a steamed bun.
He opened his eyes, the world around him crisp and vivid.
[You’ve consumed Spirit Nourishing Elixirs while cultivating the Atlas of Calamities. Martial Arts breakthrough achieved. Spiritual Power increased. Spiritual Power +4]
[Spiritual Power: 96 → 100]
Lin Qi slowly rose, sensing everything around him.
His senses felt heightened, the air currents, temperature—even detecting his parents Lin Zhen and Fang Huiyi within the villa.
He focused inward, feeling his muscle movements, blood flow, oxygen intake, and carbon dioxide expulsion.
His organs’ functions, once veiled, now felt as clear as peeling back paper.
"The Spirit Nourishing Elixirs, combined with breaking through the Atlas of Calamities, pushed my Spiritual Power to 100."
If Spiritual Power had realms like Vital Energy, he’d now reached the Fourth Realm.
Maintaining Spiritual Power above Vital Energy would further boost his martial arts.
"Now, mastering the first deadly move is within reach."
He exhaled and resumed practicing spear techniques with his training spear.
---
In a residential building in Tianhai City, two figures sat facing each other in a living room.
One was burly, the other lean, an unremarkable middle-aged man.
"After taking our master’s gene elixirs, you’ve broken through to the Fourth Realm’s Bone Tempering stage."
"Your genome has been altered with the Bug God’s genes. When activated, a Fifth Realm martial artist might even fall to your power."
"Lin Qi is still in the Third Realm and weaponless. You can kill him swiftly."
The burly man smirked confidently.
The other’s expression turned fanatical.
"Trust me. I’ll eliminate Lin Qi quickly."
The burly man stood, his aura surging. His exposed skin turned golden, like armor.
"Wait for the right moment. Kill him instantly."
"We’ll remember your contribution."
---
(End of Chapter)
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