We made you practice martial arts, and you've mastered the Great Golden Body?

Chapter 164 A Great Luo Golden Immortal?! (1 words, please vote!)

Outside the Wutaishan training grounds, on the plaza of the war base, one aerospace fighter jet after another took off and landed continuously.

Because many ferocious birds and beasts still exist within the Great Xia, making them difficult to eradicate, the ordinary civil aviation passenger plane industry simply cannot develop.

Many martial arts students who persisted until the last day emerged from the aerospace fighter jets.

After more than ten days of practical assessment.

At this moment, most of the martial arts students were no different from the destitute beggars on the street, their bodies stained with blood that they didn't know if it was their own or that of a ferocious beast.

And not far away, there were more than a dozen white stretchers lying on the ground.

No wilderness trial can guarantee 100% safety, even with a surveillance system.

In complex environments, it is difficult for the Sky Eye to aim and shoot down ferocious beasts in time. In addition, some martial arts students may never press the give-up button until their death.

This year's mortality rate is already among the lowest in the history of the Golden Cup League.

"Wow, this year's Golden Cup League is just too outrageous."

"Who can argue with that? So many senior students have lost face, and a freshman actually got tenth place."

"What?" a short-haired martial arts student asked with some confusion, "Haven't you heard of 'the greatest person in the history of Tiangang Academy'?"

After the previous publicity from Tiangang Academy, Shen Bailian has gained a little bit of fame within the Great Xia Martial Arts University, but only a little.

Because many junior and senior martial arts students don't pay much attention to these freshmen's petty squabbles.

Many senior students have focused their minds on their own cultivation, rarely having time for entertainment, except when they are venting their desires...

"The greatest person in the history of Tiangang Academy? Could it be that first-year martial arts student ranked tenth?"

"It really proves the old saying: 'The new waves of the Yangtze River push the old waves forward, and the old waves die on the beach.' The martial arts students who have emerged in recent years are getting more and more formidable."

Today's martial arts students are quite noisy.

Many martial arts students, after getting off the space fighter, did not rush to their reserved rooms to rest, but immediately went to chat with their teammates or friends from other martial arts universities.

A senior student from a top-tier martial arts university looked at the glaring ranking on the screen and couldn't help but sigh, which immediately resonated with many martial arts students from second-tier and top-tier martial arts universities around him.

In this year's Golden Cup League, a freshman even participated and won tenth place in the first round of the knockout stage.

This is tantamount to a slap in the face.

Therefore, many third- and fourth-year martial arts students began to inquire about Shen Bailian.

After all, a freshman was able to win tenth place among dozens of martial arts prodigies who were in the late stage of the Transcendent Realm and close to the peak of the Transcendent Realm.

It's easy to imagine how prestigious this ranking is.

As for Yuwen Changkong?

Those who can be awarded the title of Holy Son in the Starry Sky Martial Hall are at least top-tier geniuses, and must also possess a powerful manifest Holy Body.

In addition, Yuwen Changkong's fame is not a recent development, and most martial arts students are familiar with this Nine Heavens Divine Thunder.

There are so many potential applications for electricity and lightning, especially electromagnetic wave detection, which even many geniuses can't help but shed tears of envy.

Knowledge is power, and this is perfectly embodied in the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Sacred Body.

"I wonder how Senior Brother Li is doing." Shen Bailian had just gotten off the space fighter and looked at the dozen or so stretchers in the distance, and his heart suddenly felt heavy.

Li Hao can be considered the weakest of the five Tiangang Academy members participating in the Golden Cup League. Even after breaking through before the competition, his physical attributes were only at level 17.4.

Shen Bailian initially didn't understand why Tiangang Academy would send such weak martial arts students to participate in the Golden Cup League.

However, after further investigation, it was discovered that this was to comply with the requirements of the Great Xia government, so that the six universities and martial arts halls at all levels would focus more on the college league.

"Junior Brother Shen, you've kept this from us for so long!" Suddenly, a clear and crisp voice rang out behind Shen Bailian.

Shen Bailian turned around and was shocked to find that it was Lu Yingzi, Han Tiemei, and Wang Haoran. This situation made his heart skip a beat.

Could Li Hao really be gone?
The joy of taking tenth place was somewhat diminished.

"Senior Sister Lu, Senior Sister Han, Senior Brother Wang." Shen Bailian managed a forced smile.

"Don't worry." As if she had noticed what Shen Bailian was worried about, Lu Yingzi said directly, "Xiao Hao was just injured. He broke one of his legs."

Upon hearing this, Shen Bailian breathed a long sigh of relief.

In the present-day Great Xia, with the existence of medical pods, as long as one can afford the corresponding level of longevity potion, losing a leg is really not considered a serious injury.

Only injuries like a blown-out head or heart are incurable; other injuries pose little risk as long as the patient is promptly transported to a medical bay.

"No." Hearing Shen Bailian still calling him Senior Brother Wang, Wang Haoran couldn't help but give an awkward smile and shook his head, saying:
"I am not worthy of being called Senior Brother Wang now. Just call me Senior."

Wang Haoran had witnessed Shen Bailian's true strength firsthand; he single-handedly killed 70% of the hundreds of Firestorm Apes.

If it weren't for the fact that no points were awarded for cooperating in killing the ferocious beast, Wang Hao guessed that Shen Bailian would have had a very high chance of reaching ninth place.

“Indeed, in the martial arts world, those who are skilled come first.” Han Tiemei said with a smile, “I didn’t expect that Junior Brother Shen would be so strong. I can no longer bear the title of Senior Sister. Just call me Senior Sister.”

Shen Bailian smiled without saying a word and nodded.

"Junior brother," Han Tiemei suddenly asked curiously, "Could you tell me exactly what level your strength has reached?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Haoran and Lu Yingzi also turned their attention to the boy. To be able to win the top ten in the first round of elimination, he must have the combat power of the late stage of the Transcendent Realm.

"Just lucky." Shen Bailian scratched his head, noticing the slightly doubtful looks from the three men, and quickly came up with an idea. He added, "I believe you senior brothers and sisters are aware of my performance in the second round of the wilderness trial for freshmen. I have a strong sense of ferocious beasts, and my mental strength is also very high, so..."

"So that's it."

Hearing this, Lu Yingzi and the other two nodded thoughtfully.

Many senior students who watched the second round of wilderness trials for freshmen did indeed keenly notice this problem.

Shen Bailian was able to pinpoint the location of the ferocious beast every time, even in the dense forest where danger lurked and visibility was limited.

It's like having a full map view cheat.

However, Shen Bailian would never admit that he was cheating. He believed that it all stemmed from his extraordinary wisdom and hard work, and that it was all the result of his sweat.

"Senior Sister Lu, why aren't they leaving?" Shen Bailian looked around in confusion and found that even though many people had already disembarked from their space fighters, they were still gathered in the square of the war base, showing no signs of leaving.

“Junior Brother Shen, you’ve been through this.” Lu Yingzi pointed to the dozen or so white stretchers a hundred meters away.

Shen Bailian glanced at the location of the white stretcher, nodded, and immediately understood.

It seems that this custom is not a ritual unique to Tiangang Academy, but a common ritual among all martial arts universities within the Great Xia Dynasty.

However, it seems understandable why, of all the countries in the world, only the Great Xia is currently in a stable state of unification.

If a country is too lazy to even do such a simple ritualistic project, what can you expect from it?

"Sister Yingzi, this must be Junior Brother Shen, right?"

Just as Lu Yingzi and the others were chatting, a light and melodious voice suddenly rang out not far from the four people from Tiangang Academy.

Just as Shen Bailian shifted his attention, he saw a woman with a voluptuous figure, wearing a tight-fitting outfit, and with a tuft of fiery red hair slowly walking towards him.

Very strong!

The moment the woman walked over, the surrounding air seemed to become hot and dry.

This was Shen Bailian's first impression of the woman. She was like a live volcano; once she erupted, it would be a catastrophe.

Someone who is so familiar with Lu Yingzi can't possibly be some nobody; they must be a top-tier martial arts student, capable of fighting opponents of higher levels as easily as drinking water.

If Shen Bailian is matched with an opponent in the preliminary rounds at this stage, he can probably just go home.

Li Hongling!
This was Shen Bailian's second impression of the woman, solely because of her long, fiery red hair.

But when Shen Bailian thought of Li Hongling, he realized that there had been no news from Li Hongling for a long time, as if she had vanished into thin air.

"Perhaps I can ask Teacher Duan when I have time."

A thought flashed through Shen Bailian's mind.

As the saying goes, when fellow villagers meet, their eyes well up with tears; I'm not kidding you.

However, Shen Bailian has yet to encounter any fellow villagers who dare to deceive him. For example, the Lionheart Society has been around for more than half a semester, and it has always been Chen Yifei who has been busy with everything.

He was a very competent and comfortable hand-off manager, rarely getting involved in the affairs of the organization except for some important decisions.

"Perhaps, if I have time later," Shen Bailian thought to himself, "by the end of this semester, my strength should be able to reach the peak of the Transcendent Realm, and I can lead the club members to do some tasks."

Shen Bailian understood that only by bringing benefits to the commune members could he continue to be a comfortable, hands-off manager.

There are many missions available at the Heavenly Gang Academy, and if a Transcendent Realm martial artist focuses on these missions, earning several million Great Xia coins a month is not a problem.

After all, the narrowest point of the Great Xia territory spans more than 100,000 kilometers.

There are also many small border cities, such as Bozhou City and Qingyun City, which are constantly threatened by ferocious beasts. In these small cities, a Transcendent Realm martial artist is considered to be of mid-to-high-end strength.

While Shen Bailian was deep in thought.

"Congratulations to Sister Mingyue for winning first place." Lu Yingzi and Zhantai Mingyue were both prodigies, and since they were both women, they were naturally quite familiar with each other. She immediately smiled and became the introducer for Shen Bailian and Zhantai Mingyue.

"Junior Brother Shen, let me introduce you. This is Zhan Taimingyue, who is also the first place winner in the first round of the Golden Cup League knockout stage."

"Sister Mingyue, this is Shen Bailian, the first person in the history of our Tiangang Academy."

"Hello." Shen Bailian bowed slightly, clasping his hands in greeting, in accordance with the standard etiquette among martial artists.

Getting to know more outstanding individuals is paving the way for his future.

However, Shen Bailian never cared much about such things. He firmly believed that as a martial artist, as long as one possessed great strength, one would naturally have no shortage of followers.

"Hello, junior brother." Zhan Taimingyue returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute.

She felt a slight attraction to Shen Bailian from the first moment she saw him, not the kind of attraction that comes from romantic love, but rather from her appreciation of his strength and good looks.

Because of differences in physique, each martial artist has a different body shape and muscle definition; some are extremely exaggerated, while others are lean and wiry.

Since martial artists at the Transcendent Realm are considered new humans, their strength is not simply determined by muscle size, but by cellular strength.

Shen Bailian is the latter. He is over 1.9 meters tall, and every muscle is just right. Any more or less would ruin the aesthetics, giving people a sense of balanced strength.

Furthermore, the boy was in excellent spirits, with a proud and upright demeanor and a pair of sharp and deep eyes. Although he had some dirt on his body, it was not much, which contrasted sharply with the many martial arts students around him.

This proves that Shen Bailian's achievement of a top-ten ranking was not due to opportunism, but rather to genuine skill.

For a time, the conversation at Tiangang Academy attracted the attention of many martial arts students nearby.

To be able to participate in the Golden Cup League as a freshman and achieve a tenth place is as rare as being a giant panda.

However, many martial arts students who were eager to get to know Shen Bailian backed down after seeing Lu Yingzi and Zhan Taimingyue.

Don't be fooled by Lu Yingzi and Zhan Taimingyue's friendly attitude towards Shen Bailian; it's only because Shen Bailian's talent and strength are already enough to enter that circle.

Outside the school, many martial arts students privately call Zhan Taimingyue "Mother Tyrannosaurus".

Lu Yingzi was equally impressive.

Although Zhan Taimingyue was curious about just how strong Shen Bailian was, she couldn't directly use her mental power to probe him, as this was a major taboo among martial artists, even among acquaintances.

Moreover, for martial arts students of the highest caliber, physical fitness only represents the lower limit of their strength; their combat power is definitely higher than the data on paper.

Only by personally going on stage to fight can we determine the boy's strength.

Zhan Taimingyue had heard of Shen Bailian before, after all, he was the first person in the history of Tiangang Academy and had been officially recognized by Tiangang Academy.

but.

Shen Bailian and Zhan Taimingyue were meeting for the first time, and being of the opposite sex, they weren't very familiar with each other, so they simply greeted each other.

Subsequently.

Zhan Taimingyue then started talking to Lu Yingzi. Her purpose in coming here was very simple: to meet Shen Bailian and get to know him briefly, nothing more.

As for whether to develop a deeper relationship, that's up to fate.

Most of the top-tier martial arts students, while outwardly appearing amiable and approachable, possess a unique arrogance when it comes to the realm of martial arts and their areas of expertise.

Shen Bailian was the same.

"We were lucky this time, we encountered a large pack of hundreds of Netherworld Wolves, and our points increased by nearly two thousand at once," Zhan Taimingyue explained with a faint smile.

"I see." Upon hearing this, Lu Yingzi's face showed a look of sudden understanding, and she couldn't help but sigh, "If only I had met him, I might have been able to move up a few places."

"Hahaha……"

……

Upon hearing this, Han Tiemei and Wang Haoran exchanged awkward glances and smiled, because the topic Lu Yingzi and the other person were discussing was too advanced, and the two of them couldn't get a word in edgewise.

Hundreds of Netherworld Wolves, treated as mere playthings?

Wang Haoran and his companion were not martial arts novices; the academy also provided instruction on the Netherworld Demon Wolves, a typical pack-fighting ferocious beast.

There is a very useful method to judge the strength of the Netherworld Demon Wolf King.

That means that once the number of Netherworld Wolves reaches a hundred, it means that the strength of the Netherworld Wolf King is at least at the peak of the second tier, which is equivalent to a Transcendent Realm martial artist of level 20.0 or above.

According to outside information, Zhan Taimingyue is in the late stage of the Transcendent Realm. Although the specific level is unknown, the fact that she can challenge the Wolf King at the peak of the second tier means that she is not far from the peak of the Transcendent Realm.

Another top-tier prodigy comparable to Xu Changqing.

Because if we consider Xu Changqing's talent and cultivation speed, he should be able to reach the threshold of a top-tier genius, and he should break through to the Sea Opening Realm in the second semester of his sophomore year.

The reason why he didn't break through until the first semester of his junior year was purely because of Xu Changqing's personality. He never refused any martial arts students, juniors, or seniors in the same year who had problems with cultivation.

Just like on the day the funeral ended, when Shen Bailian and Xu Changqing met for the first time, Duan Wuyai's first words were to urge Xu Changqing to start cultivating quickly.

From Duan Wuyai's perspective, Xu Changqing's behavior was putting the cart before the horse, wasting his cultivation talent.

However, it was precisely Xu Changqing's personality that earned him the reputation of the senior disciple of the entire Tiangang Academy. His powerful strength could only make everyone outwardly submit, but what they really thought in their hearts was unknown.

If force were effective, there wouldn't have been so many dynastic changes before the new era, and humanity wouldn't have rebelled against the gods and ascended the steps to godhood.

Only by combining physical strength with moral virtue can one win people's hearts and minds.

Furthermore, the Heavenly Gang Academy showed no inclination to favor Shen Bailian and Xu Changqing, two top prodigies.

Because their development paths were completely different.

If Shen Bailian grows normally, he is capable of becoming a top-tier expert, but he would never be a qualified principal. At most, he could hold the titles of honorary teacher, dean, or principal at Tiangang Academy.

Xu Changqing's training objective was to become Xiong Kuohai's successor.

Sudden.

"Ok?"

Because Shen Bailian's mental strength had broken through to level 19.0, his perception was now exceptionally sharp. He sensed a sharp gaze fixed on him from behind.

Unlike other martial arts students who simply glanced at it.

Shen Bailian turned his head and saw a young man standing like a pine tree, dressed in simple clothes, looking at him from several hundred meters away. The moment their eyes met, his gaze became even more dazzling, as if lightning was flashing between them.

When the young man saw the boy turn around, a faint look of surprise appeared in his eyes. Then he gave a kind smile and turned his gaze back to the boy.

"That's Murong Fu from Longxiang Academy." Wang Haoran walked to Shen Bailian's side, a look of envy on his face, and answered:

"A third-year martial arts student, aiming to be like Senior Brother Xu Changqing from our Tiangang Academy, probably wants to get to know you."

"I see." Shen Bailian nodded, and then paid no more attention to it.

The six major academies of the Great Xia Dynasty are the Four Symbols Academy, the Mountain and Sea Academy, the Heavenly Gang Academy, the Five Sacred Mountains Academy, the Flowing Star Academy, and the Dragon Soaring Academy.

Among them, Longxiang Academy, similar to a military academy, is the cradle of officers of the Great Xia Dynasty.

More than ten minutes later.

All the martial arts students who could attend the Golden Cup League gradually arrived.

After the moment of silence, some of the martial arts students who did not make it into the top 96 prepared to go home, since the virtual reality space was no different from watching it in person.

Some martial arts students planned to stay for a few days before going home... The majority of the remaining martial arts students planned to stay and watch, and make some friends along the way.

Shen Bailian was planning to go back to the hotel to rest with Wang Haoran and the others.

Suddenly, a deep voice rang out from the sky. “Yingzi, Xiao Shen… wait a moment.” The four turned around and saw a bald, burly man flying down from the sky.

"Dean Cheng."

"Hello, Dean Cheng." Upon seeing this, Wang Haoran and the others immediately became solemn and greeted Cheng Shangwu.

"The performances this time were all quite good." Cheng Shangwu had a happy smile on his face: "This time, our Tiangang Academy actually had four people in the top ninety-six and two people in the top ten. We have made historic progress, which is really impressive."

In previous years, Tiangang Academy often had only one student among the top ten.

"It's all thanks to the excellent teaching of our school's teachers."

"..."

Wang Haoran and Han Tiemei quickly replied, and Cheng Shangwu smiled even more happily.

"Good, good, good." Cheng Shangwu said with a smile, "Principal Ji has decided that Haoran and Tiemei will each be rewarded with one million Daxia coins, and Xiao Shen and Lu Yingzi will each be rewarded with three million Daxia coins."

"Really?" Han Tiemei's heart skipped a beat. She had never heard of such a benefit before.

Wang Haoran glanced at the boy beside him, intentionally or unintentionally. Using the process of eliminating variables, he thought of another possibility: this time it was very likely that he had benefited from Shen Bailian's influence.

Tiangang Academy has participated in so many editions of the Golden Cup League, and generally only those who enter the top 16 will receive rewards from Tiangang Academy.

This is the only year that a special case has occurred.

The reason Cheng Shangwu came here this time was probably specifically to see Shen Bailian; otherwise, he could have sent the message through his smart bracelet.

"Alright, Yingzi, you take the two of them back first." Cheng Shangwu looked in Shen Bailian's direction and said with a smile, "Little Shen, come with me for a moment."

Then, Cheng Shangwu walked away into the distance.

"Okay." Shen Bailian nodded, waved to the three people behind him, and hurriedly chased after them.

"No wonder there's a reward for making it into the top 96 this time." Han Tiemei looked at the two departing figures, pondered for a moment, and immediately realized: "So it's because of Junior Brother Shen."

"You just realized it, silly girl." Lu Yingzi smiled and tapped Han Tiemei's head: "Let's go back and get some rest. You two still have to compete for a spot in the top 64 tomorrow."

"I'm not a fool," Han Tiemei said angrily, standing still.

"Whoever arrives at the hotel last has to treat everyone!" Wang Haoran suddenly shouted, then disregarded all principles of fairness and justice, and immediately took off running.

Lu Yingzi was stunned for a moment, then her whole body surged with energy, and with a loud bang, she chased after it without hesitation.

"Holy crap, you two are cheating!"

……

Cheng Shangwu led Shen Bailian to a secluded place, and then cautiously used his immense primal force to create a soundproof barrier.

The noise and disturbance from the outside world, including the takeoffs and landings of spaceplanes, could not penetrate in.

It was nearly dusk, and the sunset was breathtaking. The sky gradually changed from golden to deep red, and the brilliant colors reflected on their faces, adding a touch of solemnity to their expressions.

Shen Bailian felt uneasy, wondering if his display of strength was too great and some unforeseen mistake had occurred.

He quickly considered whether he should pretend not to know if Cheng Shangwu asked about this, or attribute it all to the so-called hidden sacred body.

Suddenly, Cheng Shangwu turned around.

"Actually, the reason I called you here today is to convey a few words to your master. He wants to hear your thoughts and your inner choices."

Cheng Shangwu's eyes were deep and resolute, his voice low and powerful, each word seemingly carefully considered. He gazed at Shen Bailian as if trying to see into his very soul.
“Something happened today that concerns your future, so Lao Duan can’t make a decision for you directly.”

"Just now, after the first round of elimination matches, Lao Lei chatted with me for a bit," Cheng Shangwu explained. "Lao Lei, whose full name is Lei Zhentian, is an elder of the Starry Sky Martial Hall."

"What he means is that if you agree to transfer to the Starry Sky Martial Hall, he can give you the same treatment as Yuwen Changkong, who is the ninth holy son of the Starry Sky Martial Hall."

To be honest, Cheng Shangwu was also shocked when he heard Lei Zhentian's conditions, as were Duan Wuyai and Ji Chenghu.

Besides Shen Bailian himself, only Duan Wuyai and Ji Chenghu knew Shen Bailian's specific physical attributes and his hidden sacred body.

Neither of them would leak the secret.

Therefore, Lei Zhentian's decision this time is nothing short of a high-stakes gamble, a gamble involving at least 200 million Daxia coins.

However, Cheng Shangwu understood Lei Zhentian's decision, since the other martial arts students who participated could not see Shen Bailian's dazzling performance in the first round of the Golden Cup League knockout stage.

However, these representatives from the academies, as well as Lei Zhentian, the representative from the Starry Sky Martial Hall, saw everything clearly.

Shen Bailian's combat strength has reached level 19.1-19.3 in the late stage of the Transcendent Realm. According to the top geniuses, they can fight a whole level higher than others in the Transcendent Realm.

This means that Shen Bailian's physical fitness is at least level 18.1 or higher.

Of course, Lei Zhentian wasn't the only one offering the conditions for transferring schools. Apart from Yu Linglong, representatives from the other four universities also came to find out Cheng Shangwu's opinion.

It's just that Lei Zhentian offered the highest price, and the name "Starry Sky Martial Hall" itself holds extraordinary significance in the Great Xia Dynasty.

Upon hearing this, Shen Bailian breathed a sigh of relief and replied directly, "Dean Cheng, I have made up my mind. I have no intention of transferring schools."

"Are you sure you don't want to listen to the conditions Lei Zhentian is offering?" Cheng Shangwu said with a smile. "Don't feel any pressure. If you really choose to go to the Starry Sky Martial Hall, Lao Duan and Lao Ji will support your choice."

"No, thank you." Shen Bailian shook his head.

He knows his own situation well; what use are so many resources and Da Xia currency to him?

Buying a house?

Shen Bailian knew that the time he needed was for actual combat and experience points to upgrade his skills. Right now, his need for resources was not as great as Ji Chenghu and the others had imagined.

Moreover, if he were to agree to transfer schools, Shen Bailian would have a vague feeling of being a traitor to three masters.

"Okay." Cheng Shangwu also breathed a sigh of relief, but in his heart he cursed Ji Chenghu and Duan Wuyai for being inhuman, for actually entrusting him with the role of such "bad guys".

"By the way, your strength has improved rather quickly lately. Have you used any rare and precious herbs or forbidden drugs?" Cheng Shangwu asked bluntly.

"Of course, I'm not doubting you, it's just that while using certain rare and precious herbs in combination can quickly enhance strength, it also greatly diminishes potential."

"I'm sure there isn't any." Shen Bailian shook his head. He wasn't stupid; even some food mixtures could contain toxins.

Not to mention rare and precious natural treasures.

Therefore, Shen Bailian had already listened to Duan Wuyai's explanation or consulted relevant information before consuming the corresponding rare and precious herbs.

"Okay, that's all. You can go back and rest now."

"what?"

Shen Bailian was stunned. All that solemnity and time was spent just to talk about this one thing.

Cheng Shangwu noticed his hesitation and chuckled, saying, "What, do you want to share your secret to rapidly increasing your strength?"

Shen Bailian smiled calmly and replied directly, "Okay."

"?"

This time it was Cheng Shangwu's turn to be stunned. He didn't expect that a casual remark would actually get the kid to talk. He then put on a listening posture.

"Want to quickly improve your strength? It's simple. First, go to bed at midnight every night and get up at five in the morning. Spend half an hour washing up and eating breakfast, then practice basic breathing techniques for four hours... Here we go..."

Shen Bailian became more and more enthusiastic as he spoke, while Cheng Shangwu's face grew darker and darker as he listened.

Is this definitely not self-harm?
Martial arts cultivation is not the same as immortal cultivation. Martial arts cultivation is a process of repairing the body after it has been completely drained... In essence, it is a process of accelerating the evolution of life.

Therefore, such a reckless training method is a complete waste of one's own talent.

but.

Looking at Shen Bailian's serious expression, Cheng Shangwu couldn't help but interrupt him, "Stop, stop, stop. You're not kidding me, are you?"

With only five hours of rest each day, even with an elixir of immortality, one's body would collapse in less than a month.

Not to mention the six hours of basic breathing exercises.

It should be noted that at this stage, even for a group of Sun-level Dragon Gate martial arts students like Li Feiyu, they can only practice basic breathing techniques for a maximum of five hours a day.

In addition, there is the training of other martial arts skills, classes, and practical training with instructors.

In contrast to Shen Bailian's relaxed and leisurely cultivation pace, the academy also mandated that first-year martial arts students spend one day each week resting and releasing their energy...

"No." Shen Bailian shook his head and said calmly, "If Dean Cheng doesn't believe me, he can check the surveillance footage from the underground training room."

Shen Bailian was telling the truth; this was his most authentic daily cultivation process.

Although you have innate talent, skill upgrades require experience points, and if you want to quickly gain experience points, you can only grind like crazy.

With the Iron Body skill, no matter how tired one is, as long as there are sufficient nutrients, one can recover most of their condition in less than an hour.

The reason I sleep for five hours is entirely to restore my mental energy.

"Alright, you can go now. Go back quickly." Cheng Shangwu looked dejected and waved his hand hurriedly. "Go back and rest. There's a preliminary round in a couple of days. If you get eliminated, just head home."

Will Shen Bailian be able to advance to the top 32?
Without a doubt, no!
According to data from previous years, most of those who made it to the top 64 have a physical fitness level of 19.3 or higher, and they generally have the ability to fight against opponents of higher levels.

In Cheng Shangwu's view, Shen Bailian's physical fitness could not possibly exceed level 19.0. Without level 19.0, there was no possibility of advancing to the top 32.

……

December 4th, 345th year of the New Era.

Galaxy Hotel, underground training room.

This underground training room, spanning several hundred square meters with an astonishing ceiling height of over ten meters, was currently occupied only by Shen Bailian.

This is the privilege of a spokesperson.

Although they are not in the same city, the privileges they enjoy are valid nationwide.

Shen Bailian didn't mind at all. While Wang Haoran and Han Tiemei were outside for the second round of eliminations, he chose to stay in the underground training room to cultivate.

"Rumble--"

The entire underground training room was filled with the sound of rushing water, like a long river.

Shen Bailian sat cross-legged in the center of the vortex of heaven and earth's elemental energy, his eyes tightly closed, his consciousness sinking, his internal organs, muscles, bones, and flesh all vibrating rhythmically.

At the same time, a series of notification sounds kept popping up on his panel.

[Congratulations! Your basic breathing technique skill has been improved. Experience points +2]

Congratulations! Your character level experience has increased by 2.

Congratulations! Your Iron Body skill has been upgraded. Experience points +1

【…】

More than half an hour later.

Shen Bailian focused his mind, the tremors in his internal organs gradually subsided, and then stopped. His eyes flashed slightly, and the control panel immediately appeared—

Character Level: LV9 (1078/3000)

Physical Strength: 18.9; Spirit: 19.0

【Eight-in-One Great Sun Visualization Method LV2 (131/900)】

Divine Skill: Shadow Follows LV1 (0/1) (Energy Storage: 1 times)
Eye of God LV2 (276/700)

Active Skill: Gale LV2 (382/600)

Tian Gang Qi LV3 (500/1100)

Basic swordsmanship LV4 (700/1100)

Basic Breathing Techniques LV3 (1098/1100)

Passive Skill: Iron Body LV5 (94/2000)

【Cure point: 0】

[Divine Matter: 1150]

"just."

Shen Bailian looked at the basic breathing technique, which was only two experience points away from being upgraded, and a satisfied smile immediately appeared on his face. The strength he had shown at this stage was already amazing enough; any more would be shocking.

The strategic objective of acquiring divine matter has been successfully achieved.

As for why he was stuck at two experience points, it was because Shen Bailian became much more cautious (and timid) after experiencing the Divine Ruins incident.

By holding onto two experience points, you can use the power-up from skill upgrades to forcibly boost your combat strength in special situations.

What if we increase our combat power and still can't win?
Very simple.

Then just go die.

With the passive effect always present, Shen Bailian could simply find a suitable time and place to revive and fight again, or choose to escape.

Thinking of the ever-present presence, Shen Bailian's eyes flashed slightly, and he clicked on its detailed page—

【Following You Like a Shadow LV1 (0/1)】

[Skill Description: Shadow, does it exist in the present? The past? Or the future?]

[Passive (The sun endures, the shadow endures, the sun ceases, and I myself am the light!): After death, you can...]

[Active (Not yet unlocked)]
Unlock requirements: 700 Divine Matter / 3 Skill Solidification Points.

Shen Bailian focused all his attention on the active effects. He felt his heart race and his breathing become heavy in an instant, and a strange excitement surged into his heart.

Activating the passive effect requires only 300 points of divine substance, while activating the active effect requires 700 points of divine substance.

In terms of activation price alone, it's obvious which one is more effective.

However, in terms of practicality, Shen Bailian felt that the passive resurrection effect was already at the top level, and the practicality of the active effect was probably only on par.

However, we'll have to activate it first to find out the specifics.

"Hoo~breath~"

Shen Bailian took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. With a slight thought, he focused his attention and clicked the [Unlock] option.

In an instant, a notification message and a progress bar popped up on the panel.

[The divine skill "Shadow Follows" is being fully activated...]

At the same time, the divine substance at the bottom of the panel was also rapidly decreasing.

1150, 1140, 1100...

When the divine matter level dropped from 1150 points to 450 points, a message popped up on the panel.

Congratulations! You have successfully activated your divine skill!

【Following You Like a Shadow LV1 (0/1)】

[Skill Description: Shadow, does it exist in the present? The past? Or the future?]

【…】

[Active (past, present, future, I alone stand outside the river of time): Converge the timeline.]

Note: Currently, this feature can only bind past timelines, consuming 1 point of divine matter per day. Once activated, it cannot be deactivated.

"?"

Shen Bailian was initially puzzled as to why there were only a few words this time.

But the next moment.

"Fuck!"

"The ceiling has been punctured!"

Shen Bailian suddenly jumped up from the ground, his pupils contracting sharply as he stared in disbelief at the description of the active effect on the panel.

Convergence timeline? Error!

A Great Immortal? Correct!
Transcending the river of time is clearly an ability that only a Great Luo Golden Immortal can possess!
I was engrossed in a novel about a super-rich tycoon yesterday, so I apologize for the late update.

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(End of this chapter)