Chapter Six: The Spirit Endures Forever

After exchanging contact information with Old Tang, Jiang Ming hurried home. After a quick wash, he sat on the sofa, and as his vision focused, the system template appeared before him.

Name: Jiang Ming
Cultivation: Qi Sea Realm (Second Level of Martial Path)
Techniques: Yin-Yang Fist, Nine Slashes of Furious Thunder
Talents: Hundredfold Comprehension, Soul Sovereign (Temporarily Solidified)
Task: Become the provincial top scorer in the preliminary stage of the martial arts exam

A lot of information had changed.

His cultivation was now at the Qi Sea Realm, and even Jiang Ming himself hadn’t expected to open up a qi sea space spanning ten zhang. According to Old Tang, anyone with a space exceeding one zhang was already an unparalleled genius.

But his was ten zhang.

No record of a ten-zhang dantian qi sea had ever circulated online.

The highest was only three zhang, and even that was questionable.

Jiang Ming clenched his fists—the surge of power roared within him, like a great river sweeping everything before it, giving him the illusion that he could shatter a building with a single punch.

“Too strong!”

“After my tendons and bones resonated, and my strength became subtle, I already felt I could easily kill my former self. As for now—a single slap could end the me from back then.”

“The potential power refined by the ten-zhang qi sea has tempered my body to an unbelievable degree.”

Jiang Ming finally understood why each realm in martial arts was so distinct.

Even at the mere threshold of the second realm, his strength was extraordinary.

Suppressing the waves in his heart, he noticed other changes too, but what most attracted him was his talent.

[Soul Sovereign]: The soul as foundation, the mind as its tool. Your soul’s qualities have transformed, your spirit is powerful, and will continue to grow with your cultivation. You possess the potential to become a Sovereign of the Soul. Immune to most curses upon the soul and spiritual attacks. Techniques of similar nature are mastered upon first learning. You can see through the essence of the world. The soul is immortal, the spirit eternal.

That was the brief information provided by the system.

As for other abilities? He would have to explore them himself.

Jiang Ming closed his eyes and released his spiritual perception. Within a ten-meter radius, everything appeared in his mind, though shrouded in a light mist.

Yet even the slightest movement could not escape his notice.

He could even sense the general activity of his neighbors, and catch even their scents, as well as unique fluctuations—likely their individual life auras.

It was truly miraculous.

Opening his eyes weakened the sensation considerably. He looked at the cup in front of him, reached out, and with a thought, the cup wobbled and flew into his hand.

“Am I becoming a superman?”

He couldn’t help but laugh.

After several experiments, he found he could manipulate objects weighing no more than a kilogram.

The most astonishing aspect was his immunity to spiritual and soul-based attacks.

There had been powerful individuals on Blue Star who could wield spiritual force, but never had he heard of curses. However, once he set foot on the myriad worlds’ battlefield in the future, who could say?

Moreover, as his cultivation grew, this talent would grow with it, requiring no separate cultivation.

“From now on, this will be my trump card for survival—I must not use it lightly!”

After all, he knew little about this field; caution would serve him best.

“Just the provincial top scorer?” Jiang Ming felt a headache coming on.

The martial arts college entrance exam was divided into the preliminary, provincial, and federal stages before the final champion could be determined. According to Old Tang and records of past exams, securing the provincial top spot in the preliminaries would be extremely difficult.

Even with spiritual force, it was nearly impossible.

“Because of the martial arts experts…”

Raising his hand, he found true qi flowing out and quickly dissipating into the air.

He had not yet cultivated any techniques suitable for the Qi Sea Realm, nor mastered its methods, so he couldn’t effectively use his true qi.

In the second realm, if one’s true qi was sufficient, it could be imbued into fists and weapons, even unleashed as attacks.

As for the third realm?

That was even more formidable.

“The Myriad Worlds Pavilion—should I really go?”

He frowned.

He had already tasted the benefits of Soul Sovereign; giving it up was out of the question.

After a takeaway lunch and a short rest, he headed to school.

Just as he reached the gate, he saw a girl approaching from the other side—it was Yun Xiyao from the neighboring class. Her eyes lit up when she saw him, and she waved, calling out, “Wait up, classmate!”

She walked over quickly, her waist swaying.

“What is it?” Jiang Ming frowned slightly.

“Well…” Yun Xiyao hesitated, tucking her hair behind her ear before speaking with a playful tone, “I saw you practicing in Jinshui Park—I never thought we went to the same school.”

“I’m in class four, you’re in class five!”

“Heh, what a coincidence! Um, I noticed your understanding of the Shocking Fist far surpasses mine—could you give me some pointers?” she asked, a little shy but full of hope.

“Why not ask the teacher?”

“Our instructor is a middle-aged man who looks at people… oddly, and I heard he never even mastered the Shocking Fist himself. Now that he’s reached the Qi Sea Realm, he probably won’t practice it anymore.”

“I see. So, what’s the problem? Tell me,” Jiang Ming hesitated but nodded in agreement—after all, they were schoolmates.

“It’s the ninth move. No matter what I do, I can’t perfectly coordinate my breathing with the movement,” Yun Xiyao said quickly.

“Words alone won’t work. How about this: show me the routine,” Jiang Ming suggested, gesturing to the side and walking over.

“Okay!” Yun Xiyao replied cheerfully. She began her demonstration, and Jiang Ming’s voice soon came: “Stop!”

Yun Xiyao paused.

Jiang Ming placed his hand on her left shoulder to adjust her posture, instructing, “Before the ninth move, your inhalation must sink, settling at the navel. Lower your left shoulder by three degrees, and bend your wrist slightly.”

“Let go of her!” At that moment, a furious shout came from afar as a boy charged over like a cheetah, glaring and yelling, “How dare you molest Xiyao in broad daylight? You’re asking for it!”

Jiang Ming frowned, but reacted faster—he seized the boy’s wrist and tossed him aside, using the yielding force of the Yin-Yang Fist.

Once the boy steadied himself, Jiang Ming said, “Fellow student, do you even know what’s happening before you act?”

He glanced at Yun Xiyao, who looked excited, which confused him.

“I saw it with my own eyes!” the boy roared, lunging again, his fist aimed at Jiang Ming’s chest, only to be forced back once more.

“This is the second time,” Jiang Ming’s expression darkened. “Miss Yun, aren’t you going to explain?”

“How dare you threaten our goddess in front of me? You’re dead!” the boy shouted, leaping with a whirlwind kick aimed at Jiang Ming’s shoulder—at least he kept enough sense to avoid the neck.

“Once, twice—there won’t be a third time!” Jiang Ming was thoroughly angry. In his eyes, the boy’s speed was agonizingly slow.

He chopped the boy’s leg with his hand, then struck again, sending him sprawling to the ground, unable to get up.

Jiang Ming looked at Yun Xiyao expressionlessly, but she gazed back at him with shining eyes, full of expectation, as if to say: You’re amazing!

Damn it!

He walked over to the boy, whose face was twisted in pain, and said in a low voice, “She asked me for guidance on the Shocking Fist, and I was helping her. You attacked without knowing the facts. She didn’t stop you, nor did she explain. Even after you failed twice, she didn’t comfort you, nor did she offer any explanation. Do you understand?”

“You like her a lot, don’t you? But what’s the result? Ha!”

“A bootlicker will end up as nothing more than a dog.”

“Look at yourself—you’re just like a dog right now, a dog no one pities.”

With that, Jiang Ming turned to leave.

He’d thought Yun Xiyao’s habit of practicing in the park at dawn meant she had a decent character, but the reality left him fuming.

His good mood for the day was ruined.

“Hey, why are you leaving?” Yun Xiyao called after him in confusion.

Wasn’t his guidance just a way to pursue her?

Having beaten another suitor, shouldn’t he be showing off, asking for her contact details, maybe even begging for a relationship?

In her experience, this was always how boys behaved!

What was going on?

She truly didn’t understand.

The boy lying on the ground was mortified, but seeing Yun Xiyao’s indifference, he nearly spat blood.

Then Jiang Ming’s words echoed in his mind: You’re just like a dog right now, a dog no one pities!

I really have become a dog!

Damn it!

Jiang Ming found his homeroom teacher, Mr. Chen.

“Jiang Ming, didn’t you take extended leave? What brings you here?” Mr. Chen put down his pen. “Is there something you don’t understand in your training? Tell me!”

Jiang Ming raised his hand, and true qi flowed forth.

“True qi overflow? True qi! You’ve opened your qi sea and reached the second realm of martial arts!” Mr. Chen shot to his feet, stunned.

“Yes!” Jiang Ming smiled. “I just broke through, so I came to see you—and to get the school’s official certification.”

“How is this possible? I remember you hadn’t even reached the tendon-and-bone resonance stage—how are you already at the second realm?” After the initial shock, Mr. Chen was all smiles. “Come, let’s get you certified. Opening the qi sea is your ticket to top martial arts universities, plus all kinds of benefits. Excellent!”