Chapter 399: Lin Qi's Ranking

Chapter 399: Lin Qi’s Ranking (5000-Word Chapter, Monthly Vote Request)

"Crack!"

With a heavy impact, Lin Qi's Vital Force surged through his spear, shattering the Skullhead of the Bloodscale Iron Pillar in an instant.

"Boom!"

The beast's massive body, as sturdy as an armored vehicle, was launched into the air, crashing into the pack of Obsidian Horn Boars like a boulder.

"Roar~roar~"

Five Obsidian Horn Boars were struck, their spines shattered by the force of the collision.

Six Disaster Beasts fell in the first exchange.

"Screech~"

Simultaneously, the Ironscale Hawks descended like black arrows. Lin Qi shifted his spear style, transitioning from Mountain-Style to Flowing Water Technique.

Wrapped in golden Vital Force, the Black Long Spear pierced the air. Its tip moved like flowing water—light and swift.

River and Mountain Spear Techniques—Flowing Water Pierce!

"Pfsh! Pfsh! Pfsh!"

In an instant, Lin Qi's spear danced furiously, striking dozens of times. Within the confined space, ten Ironscale Hawks had their skulls pierced.

Blood sprayed into the air like crimson blossoms.

"Boom! Boom!"

The hawk corpses crashed to the ground, but Lin Qi's assault continued.

The spear's shadow flowed like a river, endless and unbroken.

The spear moved like water—fast, agile, unpredictable. He no longer relied on a single fixed stance.

"Pfsh! Pfsh!"

Lin Qi felt the rhythm of the Flowing Water technique and unleashed it recklessly.

At the same time, he activated his Body Techniques—Thunderflash Instant Kill Step.

"Pfsh! Pfsh! Pfsh!"

He charged into the black tidal wave of beasts, moving like a solitary reaper through a field of death.

As he slaughtered, his Body Techniques advanced.

Faster and faster—his entire body seemed to merge with lightning itself.

"Screech!"

"Whoosh!"

At one moment, facing a barrage of Ironscale Hawks, the rushing wind tore across his face.

Lin Qi controlled his body like lightning, and in an instant, he became lightning.

"Vrrr!" (Sound effect stylized)

Everything around him slowed—the hawks' movements, the airflow, even temperature changes became crystal clear.

Lin Qi's body seemed to be surrounded by lightning.

Faced with the onslaught, he reacted instantly. His spear lashed like a dragon, its shadow flowing like water—endless, relentless.

Flowing Water Pierce!

"Shshshsh!!"

"Pfsh! Pfsh! Pfsh!"

The spear shadows, trailing crimson, reaped the lives of every Ironscale Hawk.

[Congratulations! During this intense battle, your Body Techniques—Thunderflash Instant Kill Step—has reached Perfection, granting you the Lightshadow Realm. Body Techniques +10%]

[Body Techniques: Third Circle 99% → Fourth Circle 9%]

Lin Qi felt the surge of power and smiled inwardly.

His entire body brimmed with energy under the Lightshadow Realm.

Too slow! Way too slow!

The Bloodscale Iron Pillar, Obsidian Horn Boars, and Ironscale Hawks moved in slow motion in his eyes.

He furiously unleashed River and Mountain Spear Techniques—Flowing Water Pierce!

Combined with the Lightshadow Realm, he annihilated the Disaster Beasts.

They were like fish on a chopping board, helpless against his slaughter.

40 minutes later...

"Roar~roar~"

"Boom!"

On the concrete highway, the last Obsidian Horn Boar fell. Silence fell.

[Congratulations, Lin Qi! You've passed the 10th layer trial.]

[Class Ranking: 3rd]

[Total Ranking: 90th]

[Enter 11th layer trial? Yes/No]

Lin Qi stared at the notification, surprised. Third in class already?

Yu Zhuoran and Kong Ruoxuan hadn't broken through yet. They were still stuck in the 10th layer, while he'd surpassed them all in one leap.

Third place—only Du Shanyan and Chu Yu remained ahead.

[Enter 11th layer Disaster Beast Trial!]

He immediately chose to continue, eager to test his limits.

"Vrrr!"

Instantly, all surrounding Disaster Beasts vanished.

Lin Qi's injuries healed completely.

New information appeared.

[11th Layer Trial: Kill 500 Disaster Beasts within 60 minutes. 200 Level-3 Disaster Beast Grayspine Wolves, 200 Level-3 Disaster Beast Ironblood Scaled Boars, 100 Level-3 Disaster Beast Ironscale Hawks.]

[Failure if not completed within time limit...]

[Your Vital Energy Stat has been adjusted to 399]

Lin Qi exhaled sharply. The difficulty had increased again. This time, even the Level-2 Obsidian Horn Boars were gone.

Replaced by Level-3 Grayspine Wolves. Their speed and combat power far surpassed the previous beasts.

And all enemies were Level-3 this time. He still had to finish within an hour.

He could feel power surging through him. His Vital Energy Stat remained at 99—the peak of the Third Circle.

[Countdown: 3... 2... 1...]

[11th Layer Trial Begins Now!]

"Awooo~"

"Huff! Huff!"

Wolf howls filled Lin Qi's ears. Before him, two-meter-tall beasts charged like supercars on a highway.

Their gray fur formed a gray wave rushing forward, shaking the ground violently.

Behind them came the Ironblood Scaled Boars, massive as armored vehicles.

And above, the black cloud of Ironscale Hawks brought even greater pressure.

Lin Qi activated Thunderflash Instant Kill Step, dashing forth as a black bolt of lightning.

"Whoosh!"

"Pfsh!"

He charged into the wolf wave. The Black Long Spear, glowing with golden Vital Force, swept horizontally like a mountain collapsing.

The spear tip cleaved downward with a river's fury.

River and Mountain Spear Techniques—Mountain-River Collapse!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The spear shattered a Grayspine Wolf's skull, burying it into the concrete. The shockwave tore the throats of three other wolves, blood spraying.

Flowing Water Pierce was the fastest technique among the six styles, while Mountain-River Collapse was a wide-area attack.

"Boom!"

An Ironblood Scaled Boar was launched into the air, crushing several Grayspine Wolves and clearing space.

Lin Qi, a lightning blur, thrust his spear repeatedly, hunting the wolves.

"Pfsh! Pfsh! Pfsh!"

In a state of absolute focus, he unknowingly entered the Lightshadow Realm again.

Unleashing River and Mountain Spear Techniques continuously, his proficiency soared.

Wave after wave of epiphanies surged through him.

...

58 minutes later...

On the concrete road, countless Grayspine Wolf corpses littered the ground.

Blood soaked the pavement.

"Clang! Clang!"

"Pfsh!"

Lin Qi swung his Black Long Spear, blocking the Ironscale Hawk's steel talons.

The spear released a golden arc of Vital Force, severing the hawk's throat.

"Boom!"

"Whoosh~"

Hearing the hawk's corpse hit the ground, Lin Qi gasped for breath.

His body felt unbearably heavy. In this trial, even a Martial Artist's stamina wasn't infinite.

Fatigue set in!

The fatigue caused his lethality to plummet sharply.

His entire body was drenched in blood. A status panel hovered in the air—less than three minutes remained!

According to his perception, twenty Disaster Beasts remained.

Just a little more! He was so close to clearing the 11th layer!

"Awooo~"

Several agile Grayspine Wolves leapt into the air, mouths wide open, creating a storm of blood and gore as they surrounded Lin Qi.

"Huff~"

Lin Qi gathered all his remaining Vital Force. Though his physical strength was limited to 99,

His Spiritual Power remained at 600, allowing him to sense every beast's movement.

He activated Thunderflash Instant Kill Step again, dodging two wolves' attacks as he slipped past.

Simultaneously, his Black Long Spear lashed out like a dragon, releasing Mountain-Shaking Intention.

With the Intention enhancement, his spear speed surged dramatically.

"Pfsh!"

"Die! Die! Die!!"

Gritting his teeth, Lin Qi seized the last chance to attack the remaining Disaster Beasts.

"Screech~"

The Ironscale Hawks in the air were pierced instantly. Their Vital Force exploded, their heads detonating.

"Pfsh! Pfsh!"

Before he realized, only one Ironblood Scaled Boar remained!

"Huff! Huff!"

"Crash!"

The beast's iron hoof struck the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.

Lin Qi leapt high. The spear crashed down, and an immovable mountain appeared on his body.

Mountain-Shaking Intention—Mountain Pillar Seal!

"Boom!!"

The spear tip smashed into the Ironblood Scaled Boar's skull. With a thunderous impact, the beast's head crunched into the concrete.

Lin Qi clearly heard the sound of bones shattering.

The concrete road fell silent once more.

【Lin Qi, congratulations on successfully passing the 11th floor trial. Time used: 59 minutes, 35 seconds.】

【Grade Rank: 3】

【Overall Rank: 90→60】

【Would you like to enter the 12th floor trial? Yes/No】

...

Lin Qi stared at the glowing message in his palm, deep in thought.

He'd barely passed the 11th floor trial. Based on his analysis, most cultivators required at least 20% mastery of Fourth-Circle Spear Techniques and 15% mastery of Fourth-Circle Body Tempering Techniques to break through.

He'd achieved neither. His success relied purely on his extraordinary combat talent.

Looking at the rankings, he'd surged 30 spots forward. Among the 181 awakened prodigies, he now ranked 60th overall—a position solidly in the upper-middle tier.

Even some junior S-Rank Awakened prodigies couldn't match him.

【Start 12th floor trial!】

Without hesitation, Lin Qi activated the next trial. He wanted to test his limits.

【12th Floor Trial Objective: Eliminate 600 Disaster Beasts within 80 minutes: 200 Level-3 Grayspine Wolves, 200 Level-3 Ironblood Scaled Boars, 150 Level-3 Ironscale Hawks, and 50 Fourth-Rank Disaster Beasts.】

【Countdown Sequence: 3...2...1...】

【12th Floor Trial officially commenced!】

The air vibrated with a cold, synthetic voice.

...

40 minutes later

"Roar~"

"Splosh~ Splosh~"

Lin Qi's body was sent flying by a Bronze Wild Ox, immediately swarmed by a pack of Grayspine Wolves.

【Lin Qi, we regret to inform you of your death.】

【Grade Rank: 3】

【Overall Rank: 60→42】

Lin Qi materialized outside the trial space. He exhaled sharply while checking his updated status—the sensation of dying still left a bitter aftertaste.

He blinked in surprise at his new standing. He'd broken into the top 50 far faster than expected.

Only 41 cultivators now ranked above him.

Most were seniors who'd already mastered Fourth-Circle martial arts.

Without hesitation, he exited the Disaster Beast Trial Tower.

...

Seconds later

"Brother Qi, you've finished your trial too!"

Wang Ming stepped out of the trial chamber, spotting Lin Qi with curious eyes.

Lin Qi nodded, glancing at the public leaderboard.

Wang Ming tilted his head to read the rankings:

【Second-Year Disaster Beast Trial Leaderboard】

【1st: Chu Yu, Floor: 14】

【2nd: Du Shanyan, Floor: 14】

【3rd: Lin Qi, Floor: 12】

...

Wang Ming wasn't shocked to see Lin Qi's name at third place. But the 12th floor achievement still stunned him.

So strong?

Yu Zhuoran, Kong Ruoxuan, and Wang Mingxi were still stuck on the 10th floor. The gap was larger than he'd imagined.

"Brother Qi, you're incredible!" Wang Ming exclaimed.

Lin Qi remained composed, scanning the full leaderboard:

【4th Yu Zhuoran, 5th Kong Ruoxuan, 6th Wang Mingxi, 7th Pei Jiu, 8th Huo Wanyang, 9th Li Hanjiang, 10th Wei Peng!】

The second-year rankings matched his expectations—Sss-Rank geniuses led, followed by SS and S-Rank talents.

His gaze shifted to the overall standings:

【1st: Shen Heng, Floor: 16】

【2nd: Lei Shuang, Floor: 16】

【2nd: Zhang Tianyang, Floor: 16】

...

【15th: Chu Yu, Floor: 14】

...

【42nd: Lin Qi, Floor: 12】

...

【43rd: Wang Hailong, Floor: 12】

...

Seeing Wang Hailong right behind him surprised Lin Qi. This freshman Sss-Rank genius was closing in fast.

Wang Ming muttered while reviewing the overall rankings:

"The current leader is Shen Heng, a senior Sss-Rank genius.

"The next two are seniors too—both SS-Ranks. They're crazy strong at Floor 16.

"They might complete the trial soon. Rumor says you need to breakthrough to the late stage of Fourth-Circle martial arts to clear Floor 16."

Lin Qi nodded. Fourth-Circle late stage—that was the realm of high-tier martial artists.

Wang Ming continued:

"I heard there are two Sss-Ranks in our senior class. But the other Sss-Rank genius already breakthrough to the Seventh Realm.

"He skipped joining our institute's competition entirely."

Lin Qi raised his eyebrows: "They advanced to Seventh Realm upon entering senior year? That fast?"

Wang Ming sighed:

"Brother Qi, even among SS-Ranks, there are huge gaps.

"The same goes for Sss-Ranks. There's no absolute standard."

Lin Qi nodded silently. No matter how talented one was, there would always be someone stronger. Sometimes, the gap between prodigies was insurmountable.

...

Minutes later, inside the Martial Arts Training Hall

【Your intense battle with Disaster Beasts significantly improved your River and Mountain Spear Techniques mastery. Spear Techniques +1%】

【Your fierce combat with Disaster Beasts dramatically enhanced your Body Tempering Techniques comprehension. Body Techniques +3%】

【Spear Techniques: Fourth-Circle 15%→16%】

【Body Techniques: Fourth-Circle 9%→12%】

...

Stepping out of the Neural Pod, Lin Qi reviewed his status panel with satisfaction.

This trial had been a breakthrough for his Body Tempering Techniques, finally reaching Fourth-Circle mastery and unlocking the Lightshadow Realm.

More importantly, it confirmed his standing among the 181 participants.

His next goal? Overtake those above him.

"I should purchase a new Body Tempering Techniques manual soon."

...

As night fell

Inside the top-floor conference room of Heavenly Dome Tower, a sleek, white circular table buzzed with high-ranking officials.

Eight-Stage leaders radiated terrifying auras while watching the projected leaderboard.

Dean Liu, his white robe immaculate, pointed at the screen:

"All 181 students have entered the Disaster Beast Trial Tower.

"This is the generated ranking list."

Xue Zhou, his demeanor casual yet sharp, chuckled:

"Now that the rankings are public, everyone will feel pressure.

"This competition will push their potential."

Other leaders nodded, watching their affiliated students' standings.

A broad-shouldered man in dark green military uniform rumbled:

"Relying solely on the Disaster Beast Trial might be too monotonous. Martial arts and physical strength equally define a martial artist's combat effectiveness."

The group murmured agreement.

Principal Li Qifeng, seated at the head of the table with an overbearing presence, nodded decisively:

"Excellent suggestion!

"True martial artists must cultivate through real combat.

"We'll discuss organizing live combat matches—perhaps inter-grade competitions or even mixed-age tournaments."

Xue Zhou grinned: "A smaller-scale Global Martial Arts Championship?"

The leaders exchanged glances—suddenly, the idea didn't seem so far-fetched.

...

Meanwhile, across Xingxiu Residence

In luxury villas, prodigies watched the trial rankings with varying reactions.

Inside Chu Yu's Sss-Rank genius villa, the young man sat cross-legged in his personal training hall, observing the projections:

"15th place. Lower than I expected.

"It seems Xia Kingdom has many experts. At least I won't lack worthy opponents.

"But Shen Heng—the current top—is truly formidable. Surpassing him will be difficult."

"My goal? Second place."

...

In the adjacent villa

Du Shanyan, his white martial robe crisp and posture regal, glanced between the overall and second-year leaderboards.

"Chu Yu—Azure Firmament Martial Academy's Sss-Rank genius—he's stronger than me.

"And Lin Qi, a newly awakened S-Rank genius, reached Floor 12? Not to be underestimated.

"If I'd stayed at Xia Military Academy, I'd never comprehend such gaps.

"Only at Heavenly Dome Institute can I accelerate my Seventh Realm breakthrough and reach the battlefield."

Clutching his fist, Du Shanyan resolved to train harder.

...

Another villa

Wang Hailong, blue robes taut with tension, glared at the rankings:

"Lin Qi... you're stronger than I expected.

"But soon, I'll surpass you."

His gaze shifted to the overall standings. Seeing his low position sent urgency surging through him.

Grasping his long spear, he resumed practicing the Haihai Spear Techniques—the oceanic energy swirling around his blade mirrored his relentless ambition.

...

As the first day's Disaster Beast Trial rankings spread, Heavenly Dome Institute's competitive atmosphere intensified.

Everyone strived to climb higher.

Even top-ranked geniuses felt pressure—behind them, Sss-Rank prodigies chased relentlessly.

Outside Lin Qi's villa, Dean Liu approached in a flowing robe. A metallic orb floated behind him, carrying an obsidian steel case.

Settling onto the white sofa, he smiled:

"Lin Qi, I have good news for you..."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end