Daily life of a teacher in the martial arts department

"Please speak!"

“Although people are free to create, I suggest you see a psychologist.” The black-haired girl paused, then said, “That’s what he said.”

"...?" Ahe fell into deep thought. "What does this mean...? The boss must have a deeper meaning behind saying that. Creativity... Have I had any creative work lately...?"

Ignoring Ahe, who was starting to reminisce, the black-haired girl went into the board game store, looked around, and quickly found Ying Qin Guan and Jiu Yi.

"Excuse me." She bowed slightly, then took out a small notebook from her bosom and handed it to Ying Qin Guan.

"This is..." Ying Qin Guan took the notebook but did not open it immediately.

"The boss asked me to bring you several initial drafts of the general's concept art and several finalized versions of skills. You can take a look; there's still room for improvement in the skills. But as for the concept art, I hope you can choose the one you're satisfied with now... because we don't have many dedicated concept artists for Three Time and Space Kill, and drawing them all would take a lot of time."

—As time went by and the company grew larger, the requirements for the artwork in Time and Space Kill became increasingly stringent. Now, almost all the artwork possesses a certain level of artistry and historical accuracy. However, skins don't adhere to these standards; they're basically designed to entice players to spend money. Therefore, Time and Space Kill has always kept its character and skin gacha pools separate.

Closer to home.

High-quality concept art naturally requires better artists. All the concept art for the game "Time and Space Kill" is currently close to art level; almost no other skin's artistic value surpasses it. This is evident in the fact that all the voice cards use concept art.

"Let me see..." Ying Qin Guan didn't think too much about it and casually flipped it open.

Jiu Yi came over. Although he felt a pang of sadness, he had to help Ying Qin Guan make a decision at this time.

The two looked at them and saw that there were three original paintings in total, all of which were set in the arena, with Ying Qin Guan facing Darius.

The three paintings depict the moment before the battle, during the battle, and the instant the battle ends.

The Qin generals in the picture are all handsome, but... that's all they are.

These three images... lack any artistic merit. This is because Ying Qin Guan lacks depth. If someone like a Nephalem were to create a card, it would contain numerous details. For example, a certain item might be included to represent a past mission of the Nephalem. These details, accumulated, could create a painting rich in detail and allusions, brimming with artistry. But someone like Ying Qin Guan, who rose to fame in a single battle... can't afford to do all that; he can only try to make the character look cool.

However, Ying Qin Guan didn't care about the details in the original artwork. He was quite satisfied with all three paintings and felt that any of them would be fine, so he hesitated for a moment. So he flipped through a few pages, intending to take a look at the skill designs at the end.

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Three Versions

General:

Ying Qin Pass

Era: Modern

Version 1:

Physical strength: four

【Exquisite Sword】: During your turn, you may look at a character's hand and select one card. This is considered as you using the card. Cards used in this way have no range restrictions. If the card is a "Kill" card, it does not count towards the number of uses.

If the selected card cannot be used or is an equipment card, you gain that card and draw a card. (Examples: Dodge, a Peach when at full health, or a Borrowed Blade when there are no weapons on the field)

If the selected card causes damage, you can deal additional damage to the character who was damaged.

If the selected card does not meet the above two conditions, it is considered that you have used this card twice, and you can choose different targets. (For example, Five Grains, or a Kill card that does not cause damage.)

[Instant Kill]: After you take damage, a judgment is made. If the result is red, you can immediately activate [Exquisite Sword].

Version 2:

Physical strength: 5

[Illegible Time]: Before your preparation phase begins, you can gain an extra draw/play phase.

【Consciousness Slash】: Once per turn during your play phase, you may place a card on top of the deck and treat it as a kill of any attribute, unlimited range, ignoring armor, on a target. If the kill deals damage, you may draw two cards from the bottom of the deck and refresh the number of uses of this skill. If you do so, you may not use this skill on that character again this turn.

Version 3:

Physical strength: three

【Time-Space Cut】: Locked Skill. You can use cards without range restrictions. When you target a card/after damage is resolved, you can remove that target's skill/hand card from the game until the end of that turn.

【Time-Space Distortion】: Before a character’s preparation phase begins, you may discard one card and then swap the opponent’s two phases. You may also discard cards in the judgment zone in this way.

The three versions of the generals... didn't have a single duplicate skill name.

Ying Qin Guan originally thought all his skills would be called "Illusory Time Exquisite Sword," with only different effects. He never expected that the woman, based on her limited understanding of him, could create six different skills.

"A three-health martial artist, that's rare indeed," Jiu Yi muttered to himself, slightly criticizing the third character. Generally, martial artists have four health. However, the third version's general's intimidating power after sacrificing health is a bit ridiculous... Actually, in 8-player mode, it's not that outrageous. Since you have this ability, you'd probably use up most of your other cards before dealing damage. Besides, they might not even necessarily target you; it's just that this AoE ability to clear the entire field is a bit over the top.

"The skills in this exchange phase seem very useful, especially in the second round, which almost makes people skip all the turns."

"I think the first character is really strong. He has card draw, multiple attacks, increased damage, out-of-turn defense, demolition, and the ability to see the hand. He has many options and is very flexible. I feel like I should choose him."

"If you put it that way, the second one also has card draw, top control, super heroic posture, super first, virtual kill, multiple attacks, small balance, or is a noble five-health general, which has a lot of synergy with teammates who sell blood."

"However, this third one seems very strong if it has an area-of-effect (AOE) attack. One AOE could clear all the cards in the hand, and then another could leave the entire field with no cards and no generals, just a bunch of blanks. But no matter what, three health is too low..."

Ying Qin Guan and Jiu Yi exchanged a few words.

"Mr. Ying, there's no need to rush about this," the black-haired girl said. "We're still adjusting the card strength. If you feel the last two cards are too weak, they might be strengthened later... Until that's confirmed, everything is still uncertain. Of course, we'll take your opinion first, but there's no rush right now."

"What you need to do now is finalize the original artwork... Which of those three original artworks are you most satisfied with?"

Three original drawings.

The first original artwork is set before the battle. Ying Qin Guan is holding his right wrist with his left hand, as if he's stretching, with a half-smile on his lips. Darius is opposite him, but his body is blurry and appears very small due to perspective... which basically foreshadows his fate.

The second original artwork depicts the moment Ying Qin Guan reaches out and places his hand on Darius's shoulder during a battle. The artist added a touch of artistry, depicting Ying Qin Guan with his head slightly raised, his figure magnified, his gaze looking down at everything with disdain, his face expressionless and arrogant, like a god descending to earth, unstoppable.

The perspective is quite high, obscuring the ground and Darius lying on the ground. Next to Ying Qin Guan's calf, a silver cross is shaken up from the ground, hinting at the fallen Darius and the fact that he "just was knocked down." Ying Qin Guan in the painting looks around, his dead fish eyes expressionless, with a few tears at the corners of his eyes and his mouth slightly open, as if he has just finished yawning. He appears extremely...despicable.

Of the three original artworks, the first one is definitely the coolest, the second one has a terrifying aura, and the third one is incredibly powerful upon closer inspection. It's clear that the artists put in a lot of effort. Each of these three artworks conveys a different state of mind and posture: the confidence before the battle, the invincibility during the battle, and the boredom after the battle...

The details in these images, the control over the characters' postures, expressions, and stances... it's no wonder that the original artist of Time and Space Kill managed to depict a battle that ended in an instant like this.

Ying Qin Guan also felt that he was having a hard time making a choice.

Damn it! I should have acted like that when I fought! This artist is really something! I'll call him my personal posing consultant!

Ying Qin Guan made sacrifices of one or two cards, ultimately deciding to use the third... Although it carried a risk of being too sophisticated and unpopular, those unfamiliar with Ying Qin Guan would likely find it inexplicable, but he couldn't refuse this offer.

"Would you consider making skins for the other two?" Ying Qin Guan expressed his wishes and returned the notebook to the black-haired girl.

"If there is an opportunity," the black-haired girl said, clearly unable to make the decision herself, and evaded the question, "then, I'll take my leave."

"Okay, goodbye." Ying Qin Guan waved his hand. Clearly, the other party had brought him good news, which made him feel a little better.

The black-haired girl left, while the girl with the bun hairstyle remained, deep in thought.

“Let’s continue,” Ying Qin Guan said, looking at Jiu Yi.

However, Jiu Yi, perhaps struck by something, shook his head solemnly and said in a deep voice, "Ying Qin Pass..."

"?"

Feeling that he was far from getting his card back, Jiu Yi uttered a philosophical thought.

What is life?

"..?"

"I feel... I can't continue like this."

"?"

Suddenly, Jiu Yi's expression hardened. He slammed his cards onto the table and said earnestly, "I've made up my mind. From today onward, I will strive to improve myself. This mediocre life cannot continue. Otherwise, even a hundred years from now, I'll have very little chance of drawing a military general card..."

"You still have to rely on yourself. Just like you and Chu Kuangren, you had no reputation at all before. Chu Kuangren only lost to the Nephalem in the end. Otherwise, he would have been able to get a card in a few years. You, on the other hand, got one right away. It's true that martial artists still have to earn their reputation through their own efforts!"

"Well said." Ying Qin Guan flipped open the general card. "I'll reward you with a God of War."

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Barefoot in Battle

"So, what are you planning to do?" After thoroughly beating Jiu Yi with the invincible Battle God, Ying Qin Guan decided to hear his thoughts. "Go to the Odd Jobs Shop? That's not a good idea. Yu Xietian is a top-tier expert, but whether he can get into the Time-Space Killing is a matter of luck, let alone letting you in."

—Top-tier players are almost guaranteed entry into the Time-Space Kill pool, unless they die in an unknown event. But for first-tier players... whether they are strong first-tier or weak first-tier, the chances of entering the Time-Space Kill pool aren't that different. First-tier means you're a master, but you're usually not ranked in the current era. So, strong first-tier and weak first-tier don't make much difference in Time-Space Kill; it mainly depends on reputation.

The concept of "super-elite" is completely different. As long as there are no powerful figures who have been granted godhood, every super-elite is capable of competing for the title of "Number One in the World". And the debates that such a title would generate need no further explanation.

Even Yu Xietian himself might not be able to enter the Time-Space Killer, let alone send Jiu Yi in. You should know that Jiu Yi is not as good as Yu Xietian.

Jiu Yi's gaze turned deep as he looked at Ying Qin Pass. He rubbed his hands together like a fly, then shamelessly said:

"Little Ying, why don't you throw a match for me..."

The best way for a martial artist to become famous... has never changed throughout history.

To rise to power by stepping on one's predecessors, always doing so, and to defeat those whom others believe are stronger than oneself—that is the essence of a martial artist.

In contrast, mages almost never engage in such private duels. Martial artists compare combat strength, typically A versus B, C versus D, and then it depends on whether BC, BD, AC, and AD have any prior experience fighting each other. Mages, however, differentiate themselves by the level of armies they have faced, rather than by two mages fighting each other. Mages rarely spar with each other.

Ying Qin Guan picked at his ear with his little finger and said absentmindedly, "Okay, you can choose the time and place. Come on."

"..." Jiu Yi squinted and said, "I feel like you want to beat me up."

"Hey, it's so obvious... no, I mean, how could it be, Jiu Yi? We've been playing cards for so long, don't you know what kind of person I am?"

"You admit it!" Jiu Yi jumped up and down, "You just want to beat me up! You admit it! Damn it, I knew this was unreliable, and that Nephalem guy wouldn't agree either, he's so competitive..."

Nephalem may seem to be retired, but his competitive spirit is extremely strong. He will do anything to win. If Ying Qin Guan simply doesn't want to fix matches, then Nephalem is like saying, "You're dreaming if you think I'll be your stepping stone."

Seeing that crooked methods were not working, Jiu immediately changed his approach.

"Damn it, even though I've become the Dean of the Imperial Academy, do I really have to go back to practicing martial arts all over again? I don't want to do that!"

Jiu Yi was actually only twenty-five years old, and hadn't been out of school for more than a few years. But martial arts are something you only realize when you haven't practiced for a day, your body will realize it after two days, and your enemies will realize it after three days. Although Jiu Yi hadn't neglected his cultivation methods and his attributes were still quite high, he hadn't practiced how to use them in a long time. In other words, he was like the kind of extra in fantasy novels—a character with an inflated cultivation level but poor martial arts skills who was ultimately defeated by the protagonist despite being much stronger.

It's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. After a few years of a relaxed lifestyle, it would be psychologically unacceptable for Jiu to go back to martial arts training. The same applies to so-called martial artists; once they're over thirty or forty, it's a miracle they don't decline, let alone make any progress. There are so many things in this world that tempt people to degenerate; without a heart of steel, how can one resist them?

Thinking of this, Jiu Yi had another wicked idea. He used the fly-rubbing technique again and shamelessly asked, "Little Ying, do you have any quick ways to raise them?"

To be honest, Jiu Yi never knew what Ying Qin Guan's cultivation method was.

A proper martial arts style consists of cultivation methods and application methods, with the style name usually focusing on the application method. For example, Ying Qin Guan's main application method is the "Illusory Time Exquisite Sword"... but what is his cultivation method? Nobody knows.

"There is no quick way to cultivate martial arts." Ying Qin Guan shook his head. Although his martial arts skills were extraordinary, he did not know much about martial arts. Even so, he understood this principle: there may be quick ways to use martial arts, but there is absolutely no quick way to cultivate martial arts.

"Really? I don't believe it. I've heard that your Southern Qin has a Star Absorbing Technique that can absorb other people's inner energy and make it your own."

"Damn, when I first arrived at Qiyao, I heard that this was the capital of the Great Black Dragon, and everyone had a set of Black Dragon armor. You actually believed that... But it's hard to say for sure, I've never been in contact with the martial arts world of Southern Qin."

Undeterred, Jiu asked, "Then what kind of cultivation method do you practice?"

He and Ying Qin Guan had been playing cards for so long that, even if they weren't sworn brothers, they were at least close friends, so there was nothing he couldn't ask.

Ying Qin Guan said, "I modified it myself... It was originally the Qi Cultivation Classic."