The Fourth Disaster: People become gods through high martial arts and gaming

Chapter 322 The Surprise in the Martial Arts School's Underground Location

"Will you open a store in the regional city?"

Ling Ye and Yi Feng were momentarily stunned upon hearing this, never expecting the Obsidian Martial Arts Academy to have such an interesting twist.

At this moment, not only were Ling Ye and the other two dumbfounded, but even Yinuo, who was standing to the side, was stunned.

Others open martial arts schools by paying for it themselves, but Lin Qi opens a martial arts school by asking others to pay for it.

However, Ino could understand this.

The facilities at the Obsidian Martial Arts Academy are extraordinary. Anyone who enters Tianhe City and obtains a place to study there, or joins the Obsidian Martial Arts Academy, can enjoy the academy's facilities. It's like they're indirectly selling intermediate gravity chambers and beginner meditation rooms, but the power is in their hands.

If the intermediate gravity chamber and the beginner meditation chamber are sold directly, it means that the intermediate gravity chamber and the beginner meditation chamber sold will have no relation to the Obsidian Martial Arts School, and Tianhe Domain City can use them however it wants.

However, if Obsidian Martial Arts Academy only opens one martial arts academy in Tianhe Domain City, then all the equipment will still be controlled by Obsidian Martial Arts Academy, and Tianhe Domain City cannot use it as it pleases, even if Tianhe Domain City tries to force it.

Currently, even the daily managers of the martial arts school don't know how to replenish the equipment. Whenever the equipment in the school runs out of energy, they can only ask the school master, Lin Qihou, for it to operate normally. No one else can truly control those devices.

Under Tianhe Domain City's forceful actions, all Tianhe Domain City received were some unusable martial arts school equipment.

“If neither of you is interested, we won’t force you,” Lin Qi said calmly.

After a long silence, Ling Ye and Yi Feng exchanged a glance. Ling Ye took a deep breath and looked at Lin Qi, saying, "Master Lin, although we are very interested in the martial arts school's intermediate gravity chamber and beginner meditation room, simply allowing the Obsidian Martial Arts School to set up shop in the Domain City will only bring us limited benefits. Moreover, according to the Obsidian Martial Arts School's rules, we outsiders cannot use the intermediate gravity chamber and beginner meditation room unless we become trainees or join the Obsidian Martial Arts School as elite disciples or above. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for us to pay for it?"

The fact that Obsidian Martial Arts Academy could open a school in Tianhe Domain City did indeed tempt them. After all, traveling between Tianhe Domain City and Chiyue Town was not easy. If there was an Obsidian Martial Arts Academy in Tianhe Domain City, it would undoubtedly be very convenient for them when they needed an intermediate gravity room and a beginner meditation room.

However, there is a problem here: the use of the intermediate gravity chamber and the beginner meditation chamber requires the identity of the Obsidian Martial Arts School. Without the identity, even if the Obsidian Martial Arts School is in Tianhe Domain City, it cannot use the intermediate gravity chamber and the beginner meditation chamber, which is of no benefit to them at all.

“Using the intermediate gravity chamber and the basic meditation chamber does indeed require a certain status.” Lin Qi nodded and smiled slightly. “However, this shouldn’t affect you two. Our Obsidian Martial Arts Academy is just a martial arts academy, a place specifically for training martial artists, much like the Martial Arts Association. Joining our Obsidian Martial Arts Academy and becoming a disciple doesn’t mean you can’t join other forces or work for them, as long as you don’t oppose the Obsidian Martial Arts Academy. Under these circumstances, do you two still think my suggestion is excessive?”

"Is it the same as the Martial Arts Association?" Ling Ye couldn't help but feel tempted after hearing this.

The Martial Arts Association is a neutral organization in the Four Domains, or rather, a platform that serves martial artists. Except for the need to deal with monsters in specific situations, it does not require members to do anything else. There are even Martial Arts Associations in the domain cities of the Four Domains. Ninety-nine percent of the students in the domain cities will join, after all, the Martial Arts Association's network of information about monsters in the wild is more reliable than that of the domain cities of the Four Domains.

If Obsidian Martial Arts Academy is like the Martial Arts Association, then joining Obsidian Martial Arts Academy will indeed not have any impact. On the contrary, having one Obsidian Martial Arts Academy in a city can only benefit the people of that city, allowing them to grow faster.

Seeing the two men's eager expressions, Lin Qi couldn't help but smile and ask, "Are you two interested in discussing the price now?"

He had already tested the system's recognition of martial arts school disciples. Once someone was recognized as a disciple by a martial arts school, unless they voluntarily announced their withdrawal from the school, they would always be recognized as a martial arts school disciple by the system. This would not change even if these martial arts school disciples joined other forces and fought against martial arts school disciples from other forces.

This is also why he released the Lightning Palm technique. This way, he can attract a large number of people to join the Obsidian Martial Arts School with the new weapon. However, considering the limited number of facilities inside the martial arts school and the limited resources provided to the disciples, a certain screening process is still necessary. Not just anyone can join.

“If that’s the case, we are indeed somewhat interested.” Ling Ye nodded and asked in a low voice, “I wonder what price Master Lin is looking for?”

Lin Qi responded bluntly, "First, you need to provide a martial arts school built according to our requirements. This school will then belong to our Obsidian Martial Arts School. Second, you will also need to bear the cost of the equipment built within the school. A mid-level gravity chamber costs 20 energy blood essences, a beginner meditation room costs 30 energy blood essences, and an advanced training room costs 20 energy blood essences. The usage fees will be calculated separately according to the requirements of our Obsidian Martial Arts School."

“This price is indeed cheap.” Ling Ye looked at Lin Qi, then shook his head. “However, the martial arts school will belong to Obsidian, and these facilities will also be managed by you. It’s our money and resources that are being spent, and everyone in the city is using them. What benefit is there for the two of us?”

Yi Feng nodded. Following Lin Qi's suggestion, they introduced the Obsidian Martial Arts School, which only benefited everyone, but the two of them did not gain any benefit. So why did they do such a thankless thing?
"Please don't be in such a hurry, both of you. Next, I'll tell you about the benefits." Lin Qi chuckled as he looked at the two who were about to refuse. "Although the martial arts school and equipment belong to our Obsidian Martial Arts School, we don't intend to interfere much in their daily management. Once you become disciples of our Obsidian Martial Arts School, you can directly become core disciples and manage the operation of the entire school's equipment. We will only send people to supervise and see if the school is operating according to our Obsidian Martial Arts School's rules."

"You two are already aware of the effects of the intermediate gravity chamber and the basic meditation chamber. You should know how important these two devices are to martial artists. How to arrange personnel is entirely up to you two. We won't interfere, but the usage fees must not be reduced by a single penny."

Tianhe Domain City is too far from Chiyue Town, and it's also a place where a Grandmaster of the Celestial Realm is stationed. He certainly wouldn't risk going there, let alone send anyone to oversee it. Otherwise, he might get into a lot of trouble with the various factions in the Domain City. So he had already thought it through.

It's best to leave the affairs of the city to the locals and entrust the daily management of the martial arts school to the two of them. It's like the two of them opened a franchise of the martial arts school. He only needs to count the money. Compared to creating a city to earn energy essence, isn't it better to have the major forces work for the Obsidian Martial Arts School? He only needs to sell the martial arts school.

Upon hearing this, Ling Ye and Yi Feng's eyes lit up.

They wanted to purchase the intermediate gravity chamber and the beginner meditation chamber so that the teachers could use them. Although the intermediate gravity chamber and the beginner meditation chamber still belonged to the Obsidian Martial Arts School and they had lost absolute autonomy, if they could manage the daily use of the equipment and arrange the personnel, they could do a lot more.

The simplest point is that when the equipment is full, it can be used first. After all, they can't use these devices 24 hours a day. There are many things they need to do in Tianhe City every day, especially to complete many tasks to earn resources.

If we can guarantee that they can use the intermediate gravity chamber and the beginner meditation chamber as soon as possible, it will have already achieved their goal of purchasing the intermediate gravity chamber and the beginner meditation chamber, and the price will be much cheaper.

"Alright, we accept this price." Ling Ye looked at Lin Qi and found him to be a pretty good person. This would make persuading the teacher much easier, and they wouldn't be short of benefits either. "Give me the martial arts school design drawings, and I'll prepare them as soon as possible. Also, give me ten intermediate gravity chambers and ten beginner meditation rooms." "No problem." Lin Qi nodded and recommended, "Why don't you two get a few advanced training rooms? The advanced combat puppets inside are excellent sparring partners for Bone Forging Realm martial artists, and they're also quite effective for early and mid-stage Blood Condensation Realm martial artists."

The advanced training room is a building that can only be modified by a level 3 administrator. The advanced combat puppet can unleash the strength of a martial artist at the limit of the Bone Forging Realm. Even without using super-limit martial arts or the extraordinary state, it is not easy for him to defeat the advanced combat puppet.

In terms of skill, the high-level combat puppets have completely surpassed the level of the Microscopic Realm. According to the system introduction, the combat skills of high-level combat puppets can reach the initial stage of the Realm of All Things.

In the Realm of All Things, it is no longer about ultimate control over oneself, but about influencing the outside world. High-level combat puppets can use the environment to fight. Everything can be used, even the opponent's weapons and martial arts. Although there are not many things that can be used, it is still difficult for him to hurt high-level combat puppets. This is because he has a spiritual world covering him.

For players without a spiritual world, even the strongest ones who activate their transcendent state are no match for high-level combat puppets.

Thanks to the advanced training room, his combat skills have improved rapidly recently. Although he hasn't reached the realm of all things, he has taken a step forward.

With this half-step, he was already confident that he could defeat any mid-stage Blood Condensation Realm martial artist without using his extraordinary state, super-limit level martial arts, or his big club, even if the opponent had learned super-limit level martial arts.

"Battle puppets?" Ling Ye looked at Lin Qi, who had taken the initiative to suggest it. Although she thought this advanced training room was completely unnecessary, as Tianhe City had a large number of monsters as opponents, including even those of the Cataclysmic level, there was no need for battle puppets to practice with. However, she did not intend to refuse Lin Qi's request and nodded, saying, "Since Master Lin recommends it, let's have two rooms."

Subsequently, Lin Qi and Ling Ye officially signed a contract. Once the martial arts school was built in Tianhe City and Ling Ye paid 70% of the energy blood essence, the Obsidian Martial Arts School would complete all the renovations of the school within four natural days. Only then would Ling Ye pay the remaining balance.

Ling Ye, along with Yi Feng, immediately returned to Tianhe Domain City with the contract, without lingering in the reception room.

"Master, isn't the price offered for this equipment too low?" Ino asked Lin Qi as she watched Ling Ye and the other person leave. "They bought so much at once, and they probably won't add any more equipment in the future. The cost of using that equipment, which is energy crystals, will no longer generate any energy blood essence. Yet their faction can grow rapidly in Tianhe City."

Having experienced the intermediate gravity chamber and the beginner meditation chamber, she knew all too well how much these two things could help martial artists; they were practically mass-produced masters.

If it weren't for the limitations imposed by her energy and blood essence, she could have easily made a slight attempt to break through to the half-step Celestial Realm through the intermediate gravity chamber and the beginner meditation chamber, not to mention the super geniuses in Tianhe Domain City.

With just 540 energy blood essences, Ling Ye and the others really made a fortune.

Lin Qi shook his head slightly, looked at Ling Ye and the other two who were leaving, and said with a smile, "This is just the beginning. We will only have more and more energy blood essence in the future."

Intermediate Gravity Chamber, Elementary Meditation Chamber, Advanced Training Chamber – anyone who uses these three buildings knows how good they are. There are many factions in the Domain City, but once the martial arts school is widely adopted, it's only a matter of time before other factions find it inconvenient to use it and come to buy martial arts schools from him.

Moreover, he didn't think that ten intermediate gravity chambers and beginner meditation chambers would be enough for Ling Ye and the others. After all, he had already modified more than twenty intermediate gravity chambers and beginner meditation chambers in his three martial arts schools, which was still not enough for his own use. And how many people did the Obsidian Martial Arts School have?
Not to mention that this deal with Ling Ye is just the first step in his efforts to promote his martial arts school.

Ino wasn't quite sure about this either, and then reported, "Master, according to our investigation, Smiling Skull and Earth Star Pharmaceuticals have been invited to a meeting at the headquarters of the Red Moon Merchant Guild to discuss matters concerning our Obsidian Martial Arts School. It's very likely that the three of them will join forces."

"The three of them are joining forces?" Lin Qi frowned slightly upon hearing this.

He wouldn't worry about facing any one of the three factions in the Dead Mountain Range, but if the three factions really joined forces, the experts they could send out would be terrifying, since the number of players was currently inferior to that of Smiling Skeleton.

The Smiling Skull has even adopted a new strategy to counter the players' attrition tactics. It will not engage in prolonged battles with the players. Instead, it will use overwhelming force to quickly decide the outcome and then retreat swiftly back into the depths of the Dead Mountains via flying transport vehicles and sky behemoths. This prevents the players from retaliating, as they cannot even find anyone in the vast Dead Mountains, resulting in the stalemate that has lasted until now.

If the three parties were to join forces, it wouldn't be impossible for them to drive the players out of the Mountain of the Dead.

“Master, the current number of gray-robed disciples is simply insufficient to support such a battle. Otherwise, we could send some ordinary disciples over. Although these disciples cannot fight, they can assist in exploring the Mountain of the Dead through life detectors. As long as there are enough people, we can discover the Smiling Skull's people in the Mountain of the Dead first and launch our operation ahead of time,” Ino suggested.

In the current battle between Smiling Skull and the gray-robed disciples of the martial arts school, the gray-robed disciples are at a significant disadvantage in terms of both numbers and equipment. On the other hand, Smiling Skull can fight and run at will, especially with his numerous flying transport vehicles. He can use life detectors to create a vast net across the Dead Mountain Range, which is far too weak for the gray-robed disciples' limited fleet of flying transport vehicles.

Moreover, as the battle progresses, the number of flying transport vehicles is constantly decreasing, and once they are all used up, the situation will become even more passive.

"Should we further increase the number of players and send out those ordinary disciples again?" Lin Qi couldn't help but fall into deep thought after hearing this.

In the extremely dangerous Dead Man's Mountain, the advantage of being the first to spot the enemy is immense. This is something that even the Obsidian Martial Arts School can't match for the Smiling Skull. This is also why, up until now, players still haven't been able to defeat the Smiling Skull.

With their high-end combat power already inferior to the Smiling Skeletons, and their numbers also outnumbered, the players were surrounded and attacked by the Smiling Skeletons even with the map almost fully open. If it weren't for the fact that players could respawn infinitely, they would have been wiped out long ago.

Once the Mountain of the Dead is resolved, Crimson Moon Town will face immense pressure, something he absolutely does not want to see.

Just as Lin Qi was pondering for a moment, a system notification suddenly sounded in his ear.

System: Congratulations to players Lu Fanchen, Lin Xinyao, and Li Tianxing for triggering the special advanced hidden quest 'Earth Vein Essence' and collecting 10,000 units of Earth Vein Essence. The reward is the right to build a Basic Spirit Tower. (The Basic Spirit Tower can forcibly increase spirit by 20% within its walls and halves the resurrection time of dead players within a 20-kilometer radius.)
(End of this chapter)