Chapter 67
Chapter 67 - "They Can Be Replaced" (Please Follow)
Lin Qi slowly rose from the Neural Pod, took a sip of Energy Brew handed to him by Jiang Tao.
Jiang Tao glanced at the Scarlet List displayed on the massive screen. "At ten o'clock sharp, the Scarlet List will refresh. Ten minutes left."
Leaning in conspiratorially, he whispered, "Bro, Qi, are you actually Yang Jian?"
Lin Qi calmly nodded. "It's me."
Jiang Tao's face lit up. "Haha! I knew it! With your spear techniques, you must've ranked extremely high on the Scarlet List. I heard from Lü Xiang that Yang Jian not only uses a spear but practices the Mountain-Shattering Spear Method! That makes it obvious. You're the only one on the entire Scarlet List who fits those criteria."
Lin Qi nodded, unsurprised. He knew Jiang Tao would eventually figure it out.
"Don't worry, bro. I'll keep your secret", Jiang Tao grinned.
The pair walked over to where Guo Heng was waiting. As they entered the lounge area, they found crowds already gathered chatting.
"Siying, I heard you faced that Yang Jian too and lost?" Lü Xiang asked Qiu Siying, who sat at a corner table.
Nodding, she replied, "Yang Jian's strength is formidable. At the same Second Stage cultivation level, he effortlessly countered my sword techniques and killed me."
"He's definitely no ordinary opponent", Guo Heng interjected with a smirk. "If I ever face him, I'll make sure to teach him a lesson. I'll show him just how strong our No.1 High truly is."
As he finished speaking, Lin Qi and Jiang Tao approached. Jiang Tao raised his eyebrows meaningfully at Lin Qi.
"Lin Qi, Tao's here!" Guo Heng greeted them.
The six settled together.
"I wonder if Wang Qiufeng can still maintain first place on the Scarlet List now that it's expanded province-wide", Qiu Siying mused aloud.
"The update's starting!" Guo Heng suddenly announced. All eyes turned to the giant screen dominating the Virtual Chamber.
The chamber held over a thousand people, its space packed with martial artists.
"Whoosh!"
The Scarlet List projection ignited into a roaring crimson flame.
"Boom!"
After a moment of silence, the flames exploded outward, reforming into a blazing new ranking list.
Everyone leaned forward intently, trying to spot the first name:
[Scarlet List (Cang Province)]
[1st: Chen Li, Rank: Star]
[2nd: God of Wind, Rank: Star]
[2nd: Silent Melody, Rank: Star]
...
[85th: Yang Jian, Rank: Star]
...
"The rankings are out!" someone shouted.
The chamber erupted into chaotic discussion.
"Who's this Chen Li? He actually surpassed God of Wind?"
"Wang Qiufeng got overtaken?!" Qiu Siying stood, stunned. Lü Xiang and Wu Feng frowned.
Lin Qi narrowed his eyes. He'd witnessed Wang Qiufeng's strength firsthand - a top-tier expert. Who could possibly be stronger?
Guo Heng answered their unspoken question. "After yesterday's Midterm Evaluation, we received the province's top ten list besides our reports. This Chen Li is the Midterm Evaluation's Cang Province champion - nicknamed 'Domineering Sword' from Egret City's Shuangshi High. He defeated Lek of No.3 High in seconds during the Martial Arts Exchange Tournament. That Yang Jian we faced is currently ranked fifth on the Scarlet List."
Hearing this record, the crowd nodded in understanding.
Lin Qi silently committed "Chen Li" to memory. If he wanted to challenge for the provincial championship, this would be his strongest rival.
"Chen Li? I faced him once. His sword techniques were brutal - one strike shattered me completely", someone recalled with lingering fear.
"Ridiculously strong! No wonder he's first."
Lin Qi checked his own rank at 85th. Jiang Tao at 95th, Guo Heng at 208th. Even Li Zhou had dropped from the top ten.
"Brother Qi, everyone's buzzing about the top three. So many will idolize them", Jiang Tao said wistfully.
Lin Qi watched the excited crowd nodding along.
"Brother Qi, do you think we could ever reach the top three? Take their places?" Jiang Tao asked suddenly serious.
Lin Qi looked at his friend, a smile playing at his lips. "Sure. I'll take first, you take second."
"Eh? Why can't I be first? I'm strong too, you know! I'll definitely overtake you during the finals!" Jiang Tao retorted.
...
At the Martial Arts Education Bureau director's office, He, the bureau chief, sipped a revitalizing elixir after a long workday.
Skimming reports, he paused at one file. "Lin Qi from No.2 High... The one who applied for the Special Genius Loan? Got rejected last time but reapplied? Now he's in the top ten rankings?" He stamped approval. "Confirmed. I expect great things from you, young man."
...
Later that day at 503 Martial Arts Training Hall, Lin Qi finished lunch and prepared to train.
"Buzz!!" His phone vibrated.
[Your Icbc account ending in xxx received 2,000,000 Xia Kingdom Yuan on November 13, 12:10 PM!]
"The Special Genius Loan funds arrived!" Lin Qi's eyes lit up. This morning, Teacher Yan Hong had informed him the loan was approved.
Calculating his finances - his B-Rank Contract's 3,000,000 Yuan paid off 2,000,000 in debts, leaving over a million. Adding the new 2,000,000 loan, he now held 3,000,000 Yuan.
"In Xia Kingdom, as long as you prove your talent, resources will never be lacking", Lin Qi mused while taking two stamina elixirs and applying crimson blood healing balm.
He exhaled deeply as his body temperature rose. Nutritional meals, stamina elixirs, and healing balm - this triple combination maximized training efficiency.
His skin flushed red, his stomach radiated heat, muscles activated, and vital energy surged through every cell during the intense training.
Gritting his teeth, he seized his long spear. The crimson balm's unique property allowed simultaneous muscle strengthening while refining spear techniques.
"Shwshws!" He poured power into the spear, muscles straining, tip vibrating in rapid succession.
Ten thrusts per second.
"Not fast enough! More!" He pushed himself harder, accelerating spear techniques. Though his style favored brute force, speed remained crucial.
True six-sided warrior development required both power and velocity. His signature technique especially demanded unparalleled speed.
"Shwsh!!"
"Chsh!" The spear tip sliced air, growing faster. Ten... eleven... twelve!
"Boom!" With a final thrust, gales erupted around him. He'd broken through - twelve consecutive strikes in one second.
[Vital Energy parameter increased +0.01]
[Spear Techniques refinement improved +0.01]
[Spear Techniques proficiency increased]
[Vital Energy: 9.21 → 9.25]
[Spear Techniques: Second Stage 2% → 3%]
Lin Qi exhaled a misty breath, sweat drenching his clothes. His calloused hands, now torn and bleeding from training, hung at his sides.
He guzzled an energy brew - two bottles gone.
"Exhilarating!" Though exhausted, he felt invigorated. Pain meant progress. The Midterm Evaluation ended, but his journey continued forward.
(End of Chapter)
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