Chapter 212 - A Woman Drifting on the Water

November 15th.Nearly two months had passed. Time used to fly by, but for Jiang Man and the others, these two months had been a long, drawn-out torture.

Climbing mountains, diving into the sea, facing packs of beasts alone.

They had all been through it.

At that moment, the group stared at a school of man-eating Demon Beasts in the sea, their faces grim.

The current combat lesson required them to jump in, use the Magic Skills they had learned, and do everything they could to survive for the time it took an incense stick to burn.

Because everyone’s strength was different, the Demon Beasts they attracted wouldn’t be the same, either. This was to keep the difficulty consistent for everyone.

"Foundation Establishment Perfection... isn’t that a bit excessive?"

Mr. Yan asked tentatively.

"It’s fine. These Demon Beasts have average Attack power, but their Defense is a bit stronger. It’s just right for their training," Ji Hao said casually.

Mr. Yan was speechless. "..."

The Inner Sect prodigy really wasn’t treating them like outsiders, using Inner Sect methods to teach them combat.

They should have been reaping all the benefits.

But when the others learned what this session entailed, they complained endlessly.

These past two months were no way for a human to live.

When they first arrived, they were told they were here to scavenge for opportunities.

Now, their suffering was truly beyond words.

What was even more terrifying was...

"I’ll go first."

Jiang Man stepped forward.

And then...

"I’ll go again."

"I’ll keep going."

"Let me go one more time."

Watching Jiang Man charge ahead time and time again, the others didn’t know whether to stand or sit.

How could they rest?

There was no way to rest!

Just hold out for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn?

Impossible. They had to participate in the training constantly.

And then what?

Cultivation. Non-stop Cultivation.

When the time came, they would take Elixirs to sate their hunger and restore their Spiritual Qi, then continue to control their Spiritual Qi and participate in combat.

Injuries?

They had to endure them. Once they made it to a rest period, Mr. Ji would help heal them.

For the past two months, Mr. Ji had been inhuman, but Jiang Man was even more relentless.

If he didn’t stop, who would dare to?

If he didn’t rest, who would dare to?

Zhuo Bufan had brought a large supply of Elixirs, some to sell and some to consume.

He felt like just an ordinary Student Cultivator, suffering alongside a genius. In Jiang Man’s brilliant light, he felt there was no difference between him and the person ranked fiftieth.

Only Jiang Man remained standing, unyielding even when covered in wounds.

The sharp glint in his eyes never faded.

Every time they saw that radiant look in Jiang Man’s eyes, the others had no choice but to push on with him.

It was as if he saw a wide, open road to success before him.

How could they possibly rest?

By now, Jiang Man was soaked to the bone.

He had to admit, he couldn’t defeat those Demon Beasts either. ’Their hides are too thick. Nothing I’ve learned so far can break through their Defense. I wonder if a higher level of Purple Mist Divine Light could do it.’

Over the past two months, he had a distinct feeling that the power within his body had been perfectly refined. If he was once a bloated fatty with immense Spiritual Qi, he was now a lean, sturdy man with that same immense Spiritual Qi.

His entire body was brimming with explosive power.

His application and burst power with Magic Skills were on a completely different level than before. ’I could easily defeat my former self.’

Furthermore, while his combat techniques hadn’t improved much in two months, his spiritual tempering had become extremely refined.

The strength of his Physical Body was also gradually syncing up.

His body could now barely keep up with the reactions of his Spirit.

He was now at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, with a Physical Body Sixth Layer and a Spiritual Seventh Layer.

Both his Physical Body and Spirit had advanced.

However, he had also run out of Elixirs, with only ten Fire Element Pills left.

He even had to buy Qi Blood Pills from others just to eat.

’Ji Hao is a true prodigy, and he hasn’t held anything back. Our combat techniques might not have improved much, but our combat power certainly has. Zhuo Bufan will probably take the top spot in the Seventh Courtyard’s annual assessment, because I won’t be there. And neither will Wei Ran and the other two. Of course, the top three from the Eighth Courtyard are also qualified to go to the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Courtyards. They’ll compete for rankings to obtain the Secret Technique Upper-Middle Chapter. Right now, Zhuo Bufan only has one qualification. I, on the other hand, earned a qualification and then took first place, so I can directly cultivate the Upper Chapter.’

"My turn!" Wei Beichuan pushed past the others and charged in.

One by one, they all rushed into the horde of Demon Beasts.

Wails of agony rang out endlessly.

Everyone was struggling to flee and fight back.

Watching everyone work so hard, Ji Hao couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration.

’Having someone who cultivates non-stop truly makes a difference. None of these people are willing to be left behind. The moment they slack off, they’ll be surpassed. It’s a terrifying thought. If you don’t walk this path, someone else will. No one will wait for you.’

"After today, we’ll go back and rest for a day. Then, we’re going scavenging," Ji Hao announced.

Yan Yiqiu was curious. "So soon?"

"Soon?" Ji Hao said with a smile. "How is this soon?"

"Didn’t you say we would go after the lessons were almost over?" Yan Yiqiu asked.

Ji Hao gave a mysterious smile. "They are almost over."

"Then what are we going to do for the last month?"

"Perhaps we have other things to do?"

Yan Yiqiu felt this prodigy spoke like a cryptic old man, deliberately being mysterious. ’As long as he doesn’t test me, it’s fine.’

When Jiang Man heard the word "scavenging," it caught his attention as well.

’Scavenging is my home turf, isn’t it? I only learned a little about combat techniques this time, but my power has increased by more than just a little. Taking action is what suits me best. Besides, Lin Qingshan learned the most. He improves more by learning techniques, while I improve more through sheer Cultivation. Our paths are different.’

「The next day.」

「November 16th.」

After resting, the group headed out beyond the archipelago.

Once they passed the waters of the archipelago, they would be able to see more islands.

The Inner Sect’s grand competition was being held in that area.

Everyone from the Seventh Courtyard sped across the sea’s surface, relying on their Wandering Dragon technique.

They handled the occasional large waves with ease.

Not only that, but even the Demon Beasts that appeared couldn’t catch them.

Thanks to the Wandering Dragon, each person left afterimages on the water’s surface, their speed so fast it was as if great dragons were soaring across the sea.

However, seeing the endless expanse of the sea, they all felt a little intimidated.