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Chapter 178 The Hidden Dragon Project, The Power of Nature!! (Update 55 of 2 words)

Upon hearing the title "Sister Jiang," Fang Qingyu was slightly taken aback at first, then his lips involuntarily twitched upwards, almost choking on his own saliva.

"cough"

He suppressed the absurd smile, but his eyes held a knowing look.

In fact, deep underground, when Jiang Wei said, "I will help you this time," Fang Qingyu had already vaguely sensed a completely different, far more subtle aura emanating from her.

That is definitely not a power that can be mobilized by someone at the Subtle Realm.

However, the situation was critical at the time, and there was no time to think it through.

It now seems that she did indeed break through before that life-or-death battle underground.

"Yes, that's right." Qi Hao also leaned closer, his face still showing shock.

"You didn't see it, Qingzi! Little Jiang, uh, Sister Jiang, after she woke up, that look in her eyes, that aura."

"Tsk tsk, she seems like a completely different person. Although she's still small, the moment she stands there, even the medical team experts sent by Deputy Director Zhao don't dare to speak loudly. Her aura is incredibly strong! When the test results came out, they said that her spiritual origin leap was complete, making her a clear third-level cultist! Our Qingjian City branch is in an uproar!" Qin Hui added, "Moreover, she recovered incredibly quickly. She woke up two days earlier than you and is now lively and energetic. She just doesn't talk much anymore and stays by your ward corridor every day. She's sleeping now."

Fang Qingyu nodded knowingly.

He knew Jiang Wei's uniqueness better than anyone else; this breakthrough was both unexpected and reasonable.

Seeing that Xiao Jiang was alright, Fang Qingyu began to inquire about the aftermath of the sinkhole.

"What happened to the pit afterward? What about that molting-level life ghost?" Fang Qingyu asked, his voice still a little hoarse.

Qin Hui and the others immediately began to recount their story, one after another: "Martial Saint! Qingzi, you didn't see it, the real Martial Saint! He fell from the sky like a meteorite, and with a bang, he smashed that fleshy monster that was over thirty meters tall to pieces! He shattered it into dust!"

Qi Hao danced with excitement, spitting as he spoke.

"It's the Pavilion Master of Longyuan Pavilion, Pavilion Master Yan Shouzhen! Banmeng's master!" Old Qiao added, his face full of admiration.

"That aura, wow."

"Another Martial Saint has also arrived. He's like a dragon, appearing and disappearing without a trace. He directly grabbed a sack of the mole from Chuangsheng Technology and threw them at Deputy Director Zhao!" Lu Chen couldn't hide his excitement.

"Pavilion Master Yan even went underground and retrieved the corpse of that giant white snake!" Qin Hui's expression turned somewhat strange as he said this. "After examining the snake's wounds, he said that you and Sister Jiang worked together to kill it!"

Fang Qingyu listened quietly. When he heard that the two Martial Saints had taken action, especially when Yan Shouzhen confirmed that Peng She had died at the hands of him and Jiang Wei, the faint smile on his lips deepened.

This result was something he fought for with his life on the line.

It seems that Deputy Director Zhao Qiming did not fail at the crucial moment.

"Zhao Qiming, was he the first one to rush in and block that fleshy monster?" Fang Qingyu asked.

"Yes!" Qin Hui nodded emphatically, his tone full of certainty. "The situation was critical at the time. The monster was blocking the passage from which the monster was flowing out. Deputy Director Zhao's eyes turned red, and he led his men to rush in, shouting 'Hold on to the death!' He shouted until his voice was hoarse! He was truly a man of honor!"

Fang Qingyu hummed in agreement and said nothing more.

He was able to lead the charge in such a desperate situation, and he truly deserved the title of "man".

After chatting for a while, seeing that Fang Qingyu's face was getting increasingly tired, Qin Hui said, "Alright, Qingzi, you just woke up, don't exhaust yourself. We'll leave first, you should get some rest. As for Sister Jiang, uh, don't worry about her, she's fine, she's just being a bit arrogant right now." With that, the group left the ward quietly with mischievous smiles.

The ward fell silent again.

Fang Qingyu did not immediately close his eyes to rest.

Instead, it's a slight thought that causes consciousness to sink deep into the mind.

[Illustration] That familiar light screen unfolded in my consciousness.

The first thing to look at is the core [Martial Artist Class] panel:
Occupation: Martial Artist (★)
Level: Lv.3 (0/800)
"Indeed, he has attained enlightenment."

Fang Qingyu murmured to himself, not particularly surprised.

When he was hammering the earth-elemental chosen one underground, he already sensed that the invisible barrier within his body had already loosened under the pressure of that life-or-death struggle.

The panel clearly confirms this at this moment.

Fang Qingyu then glanced at the other skills.

On the martial artist's panel, apart from the already perfected Qi and Blood Technique, Visualization Technique, and Thunderstrike Eight Slashes, other skills such as [Thunder Strike Cloud Trail] and the two hard skills that are not yet perfected have all seen a significant increase in experience.

The various fundamental skills of the Candle Bearer.

After frequently using [Eternal Night Curtain] and [Blazing Armor], the experience gain is even more significant.

Then, Fang Qingyu's gaze fell on the bedside table.

There was an open box there, inside which lay a palm-sized, shimmering scale.

Red python scales!
As Fang Qingyu focused his attention on the red python scales, the diagram displayed a prompt again:

[Advanced material 'Crimson Python Scale' (Color Quality) detected!]

[Do you wish to immediately consume this material to advance your 'Martial Artist' class?]

[Prerequisites not met; 'Martial Artist' class level must reach Lv.3 (Max). Advancement failed.]

"Everything is ready, all we need is the east wind."

Fang Qingyu looked calmly at the only unmet need.

Now all you need to do is max out the experience points for this level 3 martial artist, and max out the health and visualization skills for the new stage, and everything will fall into place naturally.

Looking back on the journey to the pit, from the head-on confrontation with the Peng Snake to the battle against Sikong Zhen in the ruins, each time was a crazy test of life and death.

The slightest misstep could lead to utter ruin, and one might not even have the chance to see their great-grandmother again.

A strong sense of lingering fear mixed with a chilling shiver quietly swept over my heart.

This was definitely the most dangerous and crazy journey Fang Qingyu had ever taken since entering the extraordinary world.

"Dong dong dong."

A gentle knock interrupted Fang Qingyu's thoughts. The door opened, and Wei Banmeng's aloof figure appeared in the doorway.

She still had that sharp look, but her dark purple combat uniform had been replaced with simple sportswear, and her long hair was tied up high, revealing her smooth forehead and clear eyes.

"woke up?"

Wei Banmeng walked in decisively, her gaze lingering on Fang Qingyu's face for a moment, as if to check on his condition.

"Mm." Fang Qingyu nodded slightly, gesturing for her to sit down.

Without any formalities, Wei Banmeng sat down on the chair by the bed and got straight to the point: "You've broken through to the Profound Realm?" Her eyes were sharp, with a hint of inquiry.

Fang Qingyu nodded again without saying anything more.

He didn't want to show off, especially not in front of this equally talented opponent.

However, to Fang Qingyu's surprise, after hearing the confirmation, Wei Banmeng's face showed no disappointment or frustration. Instead, the corners of her cool lips curved upwards slightly, revealing a smile that was almost one of relief.
Then, she deftly pulled out a metal card with a special material, printed with intricate patterns and the Federation emblem, from her inner pocket and handed it to Fang Qingyu.

"Congratulations." Her voice was still clear and crisp, but less cold than usual. "You've been selected to join the 'Hidden Dragon Project'."

Fang Qingyu was slightly taken aback, and took the card that was warm to the touch.

The front of the card features the Federation's logo and a soaring dragon motif, while the back displays a numerical code and the two ancient seal characters for "Hidden Dragon."

"Project Hidden Dragon?" Fang Qingyu repeated the unfamiliar name.

"Yes." Wei Banmeng nodded and explained, her words quick but clear, "The Federation's highest-level talent martial artist training program has only one goal: to concentrate the best resources and environment to help these geniuses reach the second tier as quickly as possible and with the highest probability!"

"This is a place that all martial arts geniuses would kill to get into. It's only open once a year, and the selection process is extremely rigorous. This session starts in a month." She paused, looking into Fang Qingyu's eyes, "Your performance in the pit, especially the final hammer kill of Sikong Zhen, earned you a nomination from my master."

Fang Qingyu stroked the patterns on the card, lost in thought.

The title of Martial Arts Grandmaster is a realm that countless martial artists dream of achieving.

But opportunities are often accompanied by unknown challenges and constraints.

Wei Banmeng seemed to have something else to do. Seeing Fang Qingyu deep in thought, she stood up and said, "Keep the card safe. The specific information and meeting point will be sent directly to your phone. We'll meet in a month. Take good care of your injuries first." After she finished speaking, she turned and left the ward without any hesitation, her steps still as swift as a soldier's.

The room fell silent again, leaving only the cool touch of the metal card between Fang Qingyu's fingers and the heavy weight of the words "Hidden Dragon".

"Dong dong dong."

The knocking sounded again.

It seems like quite a few people came looking for me today.

Fang Qingyu looked up and saw that it was Su Wanqing who appeared at the door this time.

She seemed to have just come from a formal occasion, or perhaps it was just a habit.

She wore a well-tailored burgundy velvet dress that accentuated her stunning curves, while her chestnut hair was casually draped over her shoulders, making her skin appear even whiter than snow.

She walked in gracefully, her charming peach blossom eyes filled with laughter.

She was also carrying a familiar silver briefcase, the same one that had been used as a "deposit" back then.

"How are you feeling, great hero?"

Su Wanqing casually placed the suitcase against the wall, walked to the bed, and sat down naturally. Fang Qingyu was so close that he could smell the faint, slightly cool perfume on her.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at Fang Qingyu with a smile, her tone teasing.

Fang Qingyu smirked: "What great hero?"

"What a great hero of Songdu City!" Su Wanqing said, her red lips parting slightly, her smile bright. "The forums are buzzing with excitement. He ventured deep into the abyss, bravely fought ferocious beasts, turned the tide, and hammered down the traitorous Chosen One. If it weren't for you, the four of us might have really been trapped inside and died, never to see the Martial Saint descend." Her words were filled with sincere gratitude.

Fang Qingyu smiled but didn't reply.

He knew in his heart that the final victory in this war depended on the restraint of the four second-tier powerhouses in the core area and the swift and decisive actions of the two Martial Saints.

What I did was to act as a fulcrum in that desperate meat grinder, initially breaking the deadlock and later struggling desperately.

While crucial, he was by no means the decisive "hero."

Su Wanqing's gaze inadvertently swept over the "Hidden Dragon Project" card that Fang Qingyu had casually placed on his pillow, and a knowing look flashed in her eyes.

She crossed her long legs, which were covered in sheer black stockings, with great interest, the tips of her high heels lightly touching the ground, exuding a lazy and alluring charm.

"What's wrong?" She raised an eyebrow and looked at Fang Qingyu. "Are you struggling with whether or not to go on the Hidden Dragon Project?" Her tone carried a sense of knowing.

Fang Qingyu was surprised that she saw through his thoughts at a glance, and nodded honestly.

Su Wanqing's smile faded slightly. She stood up, walked to the window of the ward, and with a "whoosh," pulled open the heavy curtains.

The bright afternoon sun streamed in instantly, illuminating the floating dust particles.

Outside the window, Songdu City is slowly recovering. In the distance, the ruins left by the earthquake can still be vaguely seen, but on the nearby streets, pedestrians and vehicles have resumed their usual flow, carrying a sense of calm and resilience after surviving a catastrophe.

With her back to Fang Qingyu, she gazed out the window, her voice becoming somewhat distant, as if recounting an ancient secret:

"Fang Qingyu, do you know what the key is for a martial artist to break through to the Martial Arts Grandmaster level?"

Before Fang Qingyu could answer, she continued speaking to herself, her voice soft but each word clear:
"It's not about the pinnacle of skill, nor about comprehending the true meaning of martial arts, nor even entirely about the accumulation of energy. It's about 'the power of nature'."

"Have you ever had this feeling? In extreme weather conditions with howling winds and torrential rain, your blood inexplicably boils and your spirit becomes unusually excited? That's not an illusion."

"Because that kind of weather is the strongest signal of natural imagery between heaven and earth. Gale-force winds and torrential rain, snow flying all over the mountains, and waves crashing against the shore. They will erode your perception of human social order in an extremely domineering way in an instant."

Su Wanqing turned her head slightly, the sunlight outlining the delicate contours of her face, her gaze seemingly piercing through glass, seeing into the distance:
"At that moment, your vision will be expanded invisibly. You will clearly realize that you are not trapped in a cage of steel and concrete, but truly exist on this vast planet, in this boundless universe. Your heartbeat will resonate with the wind and thunder, your breath will synchronize with the mountains and rivers. Only then will you truly establish the most direct and primal connection with the earth beneath your feet, the sky above your head, and the origin of all things in this world."

Her voice had a strange, captivating quality:
"What people are fascinated by may not be the storm itself, but the wind that rushes in from the crack when the seemingly unbreakable order of daily life is torn open, carrying the scent of grass and earth. The clamor and excitement of that moment is the wild cave that the soul finds in the concrete jungle. All the cheers are wet with rain, like some ancient yet fresh ritual. It is 'nature' calling and giving."

Su Wanqing turned around, leaning against the window frame. The sunlight gilded her, and she looked at Fang Qingyu, who lay on the hospital bed lost in thought. A deep light flickered in her charming peach blossom eyes.
"The purpose of Project Hidden Dragon is to allow you to experience nature most authentically. Its core is to send you 'hidden dragons' into the 'abyss' that best stimulates this 'natural sensitivity.' It is a cruel place that cannot be compared to artificial environments."

(End of this chapter)