Chương 31: War God — Chapter 31

And not just him. Beside him, Xia Sichen's eyelids were twitching. He didn't practice the blade, but even he knew this technique was brutally difficult to master. If someone told him a high school senior had learned it once and reached perfected mastery in a single week— Even if that student was from First High— He, Xia Sichen, wouldn't believe it for a second. Unless they'd independently awakened a martial talent, with talent boosting them. That he could understand. But what he was seeing right now?

He truly couldn't wrap his head around it. Yet the facts were right there. If Xia Sichen couldn't understand it, the other class representatives had even less hope. Especially Li Zihang from Class 4.

"..."

"I'm dreaming. I must be dreaming..." Li Zihang looked dazed. Chen Yuting had been shocked from the moment Wang Xian started. By the end, her entire body was trembling. Then, suddenly, she went still. Calm. Watching Wang Xian. No one knew what she was thinking. In the crowd, probably only Ye Miyue had watched from start to finish with a faint smile in her eyes. Though toward the end, she'd felt an urge to hit someone too. Wait. How is he so... good... Yesterday he was totally lying to me, wasn't he?

Saying his innate life force and overall aptitude weren't good enough, that there weren't many slots. If Class 4's homeroom teacher knew about this, the school would force an extra slot into existence. He just didn't want to go on stage! And no wonder. Training to this level, the only thing left to improve is life force. Because even with a grandmaster's guidance, reaching peak mastery is incredibly difficult. Simple reason: the stronger a martial art's power, the higher the physical demands.

The higher the life force requirement. Even basic blade techniques need a certain level of physical strength to unleash peak mastery power. So if you can't reach that threshold, comprehension is useless. Hmph! Bai Hongtian narrowed his eyes at the young man before him. The astonishment in his gaze was half because of the perfected mastery blade realm. The other half was something else entirely.

"Principal Xia..." Bai Hongtian glanced back at Principal Xia, his voice carrying deeper meaning.

"I didn't expect your school to have this kind of martial prodigy. I've traveled far and wide for many years. I truly don't see this often." He was speaking the truth. Back when he was at this stage, he'd only barely grasped Flowing Water Blade Technique. Reaching perfected mastery came after the Martial Exam. Of course, his martial talent wasn't top-tier. In that era of Dragon Nation, it was only decent. As for someone like this, reaching this level in a week... Hard to say.

Setting aside the transcendent factor of martial talent, this was the first time he'd ever seen it. Principal Xia thought to himself: I've been principal for so many years, and it's my first time seeing it too.

"Student Wang's top priority right now isn't martial realm..." Bai Hongtian saw it clearly and smiled.

"Guidance is hardly necessary. Just focus on raising your life force." Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

"With your martial talent, even if you awaken the worst talent, your future won't be worse than mine." Extremely high praise. Unfortunately... Sorry to disappoint you. I don't even have the worst talent. Wang Xian chuckled inwardly. As the only martial artist in his past life to reach the eighth realm within the Old Martial Arts system, Wang Xian knew very clearly: martial talent, this new-era transcendent power, whether you awaken it or not has absolutely nothing to do with personal martial aptitude.

"That's for certain! Student Wang's courage in saving lives, his character, you can see it right there." Principal Xia declared with conviction.

"Our school will do everything to cultivate Student Wang Xian! We'll wait for him to shine brilliantly in this year's Martial Exam!" Are you kidding? He's Seventh High's ace this year! Damn it. Suppressed by First High and Fourth High for so many years. This year, we're finally turning the tables! What was it? Seventh High grandsons, Fourth High dads, First High lackeys acting like lords? Reverse it. Reverse it all!

"Hahaha..." Bai Hongtian laughed.

"Then I'll be watching with great anticipation. This year's Martial Exam has reforms, and as one of the chief examiners for Western Shu, I should be there!" And so, this grandmaster's visit and martial demonstration came to a perfect conclusion. The moment it ended, Wang Xian's name spread throughout the entire campus. [Brave Rescue Without Seeking Fame, Martial Prodigy's Edge Cannot Be Hidden!] [Rong City Seventh High Sharpens Its Sword for a Decade, Western Shu Martial Exams Test the Blade Again!] The journalists who'd watched from beginning to end wielded their brushes, writing up all kinds of headlines about this grandmaster's martial demonstration. After school let out.

"Student Wang, Grandmaster Bai would like to speak with you alone." At the school gate, Cheng Wu smilingly pulled Wang Xian aside. Wang Xian didn't refuse. He followed Cheng Wu to a special vehicle with white-background, black-character plates.

"Student Wang." Bai Hongtian nodded slightly.

"Today's demonstration was at your school's invitation. Now, speaking with you privately, I have some personal words I'd like to share." Wang Xian nodded. Bai Hongtian considered for a moment, then said slowly, "When you performed the final move of Flowing Water Blade Technique just now... I sensed a hint of my transcendent martial skill, 'Tiger Soul Tyrant King Slash.'" Bai Hongtian paused.

"Have you seen me before?" That's right. From that Wave Roar Shakes the Heavens, Bai Hongtian had faintly sensed a trace of Tyrant King blade intent. Very subtle. Very delicate.

"No." Wang Xian answered bluntly. Bai Hongtian's eyes narrowed.

"Then when you watched my demonstration, did you comprehend something?"

"Not exactly. Just a tiny bit of insight..." Wang Xian said modestly.

"Still far from it." In truth, Wang Xian felt that if he went back and tried, he could probably thoroughly comprehend this Bai Hongtian's Tyrant King blade intent, then directly fuse it into Flowing Water Blade Technique to make it shine with new brilliance. Bai Hongtian subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. No way. I actually thought you might have comprehended my Tyrant King blade intent just by watching me perform it once. That would truly be heaven-defying. Even I couldn't accept that.

Seeing this, Bai Hongtian smiled faintly.

"One more thing. I want to thank you, personally, as an individual." The words barely left his mouth.

"You're Xiao Xi's family?" Wang Xian said directly. Bai Hongtian wasn't surprised. He nodded.

"Yes. The little girl you saved is my daughter." Wang Xian made a sound of acknowledgment. Before, he'd only assumed Xiao Xi must be the daughter of some influential person. But earlier on stage, he'd already figured it out.

"You don't need to thank me." Wang Xian shook his head and smiled.

"Because Grandmaster Bai, you don't owe me anything."

"Why do you say that?" Bai Hongtian asked, puzzled.

"You saved Rong City, and you saved me. I saved your daughter. Naturally, you don't owe me anything." After saying this, Wang Xian opened the car door and stepped out. Leaving the two people inside the car silent for a long time, unable to say a word. Wang Xian was telling the truth. Whether past life or this one, without this Grandmaster Bai's intervention, who knows how many people in Rong City would have died. He himself didn't even know if he would have survived.

Returning home, Wang Xian didn't dwell on the day's events. Instead, he focused on harvesting what he'd gained.

"Second-stage peak blade technique, and... Grandmaster Bai's Tyrant King blade intent..."

"Straight to real combat, then..." Wang Xian pondered for a moment.

"Intent, this kind of thing is something you normally only touch at the fourth or fifth stage of technique, but that doesn't mean you can't comprehend it early. The technique will reach that level sooner or later anyway."

"Once Flowing Water Blade Technique reaches return to simplicity, I can use that to make some improvements."

"Comprehending it thoroughly now and slowly fusing it into Flowing Water Blade Technique counts as preparing in advance." Wang Xian believed in real combat to break through the upper limit. Grinding to raise the lower limit. Since it was real combat, then naturally, straight into Martial Arts Unending. It had been about a week since he'd last logged on. Right as he logged on: [You have 99 friend request messages] The game's intelligent AI, Bubble Gua Gua, kept chiming nonstop.

Wang Xian opened it and found they were all from a week ago, friend requests from that 'Tong Laoye Loyal Unto Death' from the final match. Persistently adding him for an entire week.

"..." Wang Xian. Lost and unwilling to accept it, wants another round, huh? Wang Xian thought for a moment and chose to accept. Tong Laoye: Holy crap, bro, you finally added me! Are you kidding? Lost the match, gotta win it back! What's more, he was a major streamer. And based on instinct, ever since that day, he'd felt this 'Cao Thief Ruined Me' was no ordinary player. Unfortunately, the guy hadn't logged on at all this entire week.

Wang Xian was just about to reply when the guy immediately sent an invitation for a personal arena duel. Wang Xian directly declined. Cao Thief Ruined Me: Another round? At that rank, you can't beat me. Tong Laoye: No, I just didn't use martial arts last time! Dare to go one more round? Wang Xian chuckled. Even if you used martial arts, it wouldn't help. Back then, maybe you had a sliver of a chance to beat me. But now, with perfected mastery Flowing Water Blade Technique, you really have no chance of winning.

And after that last match, Wang Xian had already gauged the other's strength. So he found it pointless. Better to match upward, bound to run into stronger opponents eventually. This kind of invited duel didn't count toward personal records anyway. Cao Thief Ruined Me: Not interested. Tong Laoye: Damn, you win once and just walk away? I haven't been able to sleep all week! Look, if you beat me one more time, just one more time, I'll introduce you to my sister!

Saying that, he immediately sent over a prepared stunning beauty shot. ➤ Next: Form Like a Crane's Shape