High Martial Arts: Grinding for the Supreme Talent

Chapter 235: Chapter 235: Participation from the Tenth Institute

”In this Tenth Institute competition, you were dead last.”

”Don’t you want to join the tournament, crush all those geniuses, and show them how strong you are?” the girl suggested with a smile.

The round-faced boy shook his head hard. ”Forget it. I’m fine just watching.”

’The girl is right,’ he thought. After he Awakened his Special Ability, he was the center of attention in high school.

After graduating, he entered the Tenth Academy of Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy. All twelve students in the academy were geniuses who had Awakened a Special Ability.

But among them, he seemed Ordinary. He couldn’t beat anyone in the competitions and was stuck at the bottom, which was a huge blow to his confidence.

The girl’s proposal tempted him, but he was afraid of being laughed at, so he hesitated.

”I’ll think about it...”

he thought, clenching his fists. The idea of competing began to take root in his mind.

...

The National Freshman Competition had been going on for half a day, and at the same time, the second phase officially began!

”Everyone!”

Xu Wenji’s projection reappeared. In his hand was a projected screen displaying the 256 geniuses who had advanced to the fifth round.

”First, let’s congratulate these 256 contestants on successfully advancing to the fifth round of the main tournament!”

Lin Qi looked at the screen. Of the 256 people, the three great academies averaged less than 90 participants each. Within Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy, they were all top-ten geniuses from the Nine Great Academies.

From their Azure Sky Sixth Institute, only he, Jiangtao, Guan Mountain, Guo Heng, Zhou Xiyin, Li Zhou, and a few others were left.

People like Chen Zichuan had been eliminated long ago.

The competition between the Nine Great Academies was also happening concurrently. Every student who advanced to the next round would earn a certain amount of Points.

The later the round, the more Points awarded. At the end of the tournament, the total Points would be calculated to determine the rankings.

As for Lin Qi, as long as he could take the championship, the Points he earned would be enough to bring the Azure Sky Sixth Institute to first place.

”Next, we will proceed with the fifth round of the competition. Of the 256 contestants, only 128 will advance to the sixth round.”

”Furthermore, any contestant who advances will receive a reward of 3 million Xia Country Coins.”

Xu Wenji spoke slowly. As the competition progressed, the prize money kept increasing.

Even the geniuses who weren’t short on cash couldn’t ignore it.

Lin Qi was no exception. The fifth round alone was worth 3 million Xia Country Coins. If he won the championship, the prize money would be at least ten million.

BOOM!

A torrent of blue, water-like special effects suddenly erupted around Xu Wenji’s body. The streams of water formed a massive Vortex, which finally coalesced into a brand-new match bracket.

Lin Qi quickly saw his opponent.

[Match 5: Lin Qi (Azure Sky) vs. Gong Hui (Shanyu)]

”Brother Qi, this Gong Hui’s luck is pretty bad. It’s only the fifth round and he’s already run into you.”

”Looks like this Gong Hui is destined to join Mao Jia in the revival matches,” Jiangtao couldn’t help but laugh from the side.

After looking at the bracket, Lin Qi had to admit that out of the 128 matches, only two pitted seeded contestants against each other.

Gong Hui was one of them, and he had even ranked eleventh nationwide in the college entrance exams.

In the stands for Shanyu Martial Arts University, a lean man with a long face let out a breath, his expression turning grave.

”Dean, your opponent is Lin Qi. He’s very strong. You must be careful,” a friend reminded him from the side.

Gong Hui nodded. ”My strength is on a different level from Mao Jia’s.”

”I was ranked 11th in the national college entrance exams. Here at Shanyu Martial Arts University, I’m also one of the top three geniuses.”

”Even if I can’t win, there’s no way I’ll be insta-killed.”

”Lin Qi might be able to take out others with a single move, but facing me is a completely different story.”

”I can last at least 30 moves!” As he said this, a sense of confidence welled up inside him involuntarily.

”As expected of our Dean!” a classmate praised.

...

The fifth round of the main tournament began again in quick succession!

「Fifteen minutes later」

[Match 4: Guo Heng (Azure Sky) Wins!]

On the arena floor, Guo Heng’s eyes were bright and his spirits high. His opponent had been powerful, but he had successfully defeated him.

His goal this time was the seventh round—the further the better.

After Guo Heng returned to the stands, Lin Qi slowly stood up. Without a word, he transformed into a crimson pillar of light and descended upon the arena.

The arena was still a landscape of rubble and ruins. His opponent wore a tan Combat Suit and held a golden Long Spear.

His aura was steady, like a time-worn, unmoving boulder. His face was completely expressionless, like someone with facial paralysis.

He was over two meters tall, with fluid muscle definition. His broad, thick shoulders made his head look narrow and long. His arms were thick and long, even more exaggeratedly so than Jiangtao’s.

From his demeanor alone, Lin Qi knew Gong Hui’s combat style.

[Countdown: 3, 2, 1...]

[Fifth Round, Match Five, Officially Begins!]

The A.I. voice’s announcement echoed above the arena.

SWOOSH!

Lin Qi stomped on the ground, leaving a deep footprint. Like a tiger descending a mountain, he thrust his Black Great Spear, piercing through the air.

Gong Hui felt a terrifying killing intent, as if a giant tiger was stalking him.

’He really is strong!’

Gong Hui knew Lin Qi was powerful, but thinking of his own strength, his confidence quickly returned.

His center of gravity sank, rooting him to the earth. He brandished his golden Big Gun, the shaft as majestic and unmoving as a Vajra, steady as the Pan Stone.

This was the Spear Technique he cultivated, the Vajra Spear Technique, which excelled at defense and counter-attacks.

It was the perfect counter to Martial Artists who used speed-focused combat styles like the Meteor Spear Technique.

His gaze locked onto the tip of Lin Qi’s spear, eager for a fight. He was confident he could withstand Lin Qi’s attack.

’Bring it on!’

Lin Qi laughed inwardly.

’He knew all along that Gong Hui cultivated the Vajra Spear Technique, and he was all too familiar with it.’

’In his mind, he instantly simulated how Gong Hui would use the Spear Technique to defend.’

In that same instant, he snapped his wrist, precisely controlling the power in his muscles. Meteor Power surged, coating the shaft of his spear.

BUZZ! BUZZ!

The spear shaft trembled. In a fraction of a second, he thrust out several times in succession, like meteors streaking across the sky, leaving only afterimages.

Starlight Stab!

”That move is useless against me!”

Gong Hui suddenly gripped his Long Spear with both hands and spun it horizontally, using it like a circular shield to block the attack.

CLANG! CLANG!

The first spear! The second!

After blocking two consecutive strikes, joy flared in Gong Hui’s heart. But then, a cold light flashed, and his eyelids twitched.

’Fast, fast, too fast!’

He violently spun his Long Spear, trying to block the third strike.

PFFT—

It was too late!

The gleaming spear tip instantly pierced his neck and throat!

The spear tip drew blood, signifying the end of the battle.

For Lin Qi, this was the simplest way to kill someone. It was a pity Gong Hui’s strength was decent; he hadn’t managed to insta-kill him with a single spear thrust.

[Match 5: Lin Qi (Azure Sky) Wins!]

The A.I. voice announced into the air.

In the stands for Shanyu Martial Arts University, Gong Hui was teleported back to his seat.

His face still showed little emotion, but his constantly twitching eyelids betrayed his inner turmoil.

”Dean, didn’t you say you could last 30 moves?” a classmate asked in confusion.

Gong Hui said flatly, ”Did I?”

”Did I say that? You must have misheard!”

The classmate swallowed. ”I... I must have misheard!”

Gong Hui clenched his fists and ground his teeth in secret. He never expected to lose so miserably.

’Thirty moves? No, it was over in three!’

”Lin Qi’s Spear Technique has broken through to Tier Three, while I’m still stuck at Tier Two. I’m no match for him at all!” He quickly summarized the reason for his defeat.

Everyone knew that Tier Three Martial Arts were powerful, but breaking through was not easy.

He had been stuck for some time, yet someone else had already broken through.

They were both geniuses, but the gap between them was still immense.

...

CLAP! CLAP!

”Lin Qi is awesome!!”

”That’s Lin Qi for you! Even against a seeded contestant, he ends the fight in three strikes.”

”It seems the championship is already Lin Qi’s for the taking.”

Thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the audience.

As for Martial Artists, they revered the strong, and right now, Lin Qi was that strong one.

In the Shanyu Martial Arts University stands, Liang Yu thought to herself:

’The files said he practices the Mountain Splitting Spear Technique, but now he’s using the Meteor Spear Technique. To be able to use two Secret Manuals so proficiently... his strength is immense.’

Li Hanjiang of Nether Sea Martial Academy also clapped vigorously and laughed.

”The stronger the better!”

”That’s what makes this fun!”

...

The tournament continued, but Lin Qi had already chosen to log off and return to his Martial Arts Room to begin his Cultivation.

The fifth round began on the afternoon of November 27, with 256 contestants advancing to 128.

It ended that night, and the sixth round began on the morning of November 28, with 128 contestants advancing to 64.

Lin Qi once again easily defeated his opponent and advanced to the top 64. All of the top 64 were decided by that morning.

In the afternoon, the revival matches began. Among the contestants eliminated from the third round onward, four were revived to enter the seventh round.

When the revival matches ended that night, four contestants were revived, including Mao Jia, who was previously defeated by Lin Qi. Gong Hui also re-entered the seventh round.

And the 68 contestants who entered the seventh round were the strongest of this year’s freshmen in all of Xia Country.

...

「In a standalone villa in the Tenth Academy of Shanyu Martial Arts University.」

In a pink-decorated living room, a tall, pink-haired woman smiled as she looked at the large projected screen in front of her.

”Has it already reached the seventh round? 68 contestants... I suppose it’s time for me to make a move.”

”Otherwise, the registration will close before the top 34.”

With that thought, she began to enter her information to register.

[Name: Tan Pei’er]

[School: Shanyu Martial Arts University]

...

Finally, she clicked ”Confirm.” After submitting, she laughed.

”I wonder if Liang Yuxin will fall into despair when she sees I’ve entered the competition?”

...

「Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy, the Tenth Academy, also in one of its villas.」

In a luxurious, oversized living room of more than 500 square meters, a burly, round-faced man over two meters tall frowned, a conflicted expression on his face.

Projected in front of him was a screen—a special backend system developed exclusively for the Awakened geniuses of the Tenth Institute.

As long as they wanted, they could register for the National Freshman Competition through it.

’After entering Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy, I became dead last. My understanding and control of my Special Power are the weakest.’

’I’m no match for these monsters, but against Ordinary geniuses, I’m on a whole other level—it’s not even a fair fight.’

’But bullying them feels a bit shameful!’

Just as he was wrestling with his decision, the screen in front of him refreshed and changed.

...