High Martial Arts: Grinding for the Supreme Talent

Chapter 293: Chapter 293: Platinum Evil Tiger

”Little Chan, open Red Dome House!”

”Yes, Master!”

Little Chan raised her hand and opened Red Dome House, quickly projecting it. The familiar crimson background appeared before Lin Qi’s eyes.

After Lin Qi quickly logged in, elegant music began to drift through the Martial Arts Room.

He looked at the familiar homepage, found the Cultivation Technique module, and clicked to enter.

In the search bar, he looked up [Intermediate Source Energy Technique].

[Cultivation Technique]→[Intermediate]

He clicked confirm. The page refreshed, and a series of Intermediate Source Energy Techniques appeared before him.

Intermediate Source Energy Techniques were Cultivation Methods designed specifically for Middle Realm Martial Artists, those in the Fourth to Sixth Realms.

[Number of Intermediate Source Energy Techniques: 148]

Red Dome House had a total of 148 Intermediate Source Energy Techniques.

Lin Qi then filtered the results further, selecting only for five-star rated Intermediate Source Energy Techniques.

The page refreshed again, and this time, the number of Source Energy Skills was drastically smaller.

”There are only 24 five-star rated techniques.”

An image of 24 types of Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts surfaced in Lin Qi’s mind.

Since the Otherworld’s descent and the invasion of the Calamity Beasts, there had been an innumerable variety of beasts from Level 1 to Level 9.

In the 47 years of the Martial Arts Calendar, only 24 types of Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts have ever been recorded worldwide. This number corresponded exactly to the number of five-star Intermediate Source Energy Techniques.

He quickly scanned the techniques on the screen.

[Nine-headed Serpent Emperor Evolution Method], Category: Cultivation Technique, Rating: ★★★★★, Price: 20,000,000 Xia Country Coins, Note: Red Dome

...

[Titan Giant Ape Evolution Method], Category: Cultivation Technique, Rating: ★★★★★, Price: 20,000,000 Xia Country Coins, Note: Obsidian * 1.5

...

[Sea Suppressing Blue Whale Evolution Method], Category: Cultivation Technique, Rating: ★★★★★, Price: 20,000,000 Xia Country Coins, Note: Chongming * 1.5

...

Lin Qi briefly glanced at a few of the Source Energy Skills, and their prices astonished him.

The prices were truly expensive. A Basic Source Energy Technique only cost five million Xia Country Coins.

But for Intermediate Source Energy Techniques, the price quadrupled.

’I suspect the price of High-Level Source Energy Techniques might even exceed a hundred million,’ Lin Qi thought.

After a moment of thought, he looked at the other Source Energy Skills. Soon, all 24 Source Energy Skills were committed to his memory.

These Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts were all based on the most powerful animals from the human world of the past.

For example, tigers, bears, apes, lions, whales, elephants...

Some categories even had more than one, like the apes, which had both the Titan Giant Ape and the Mountain-moving Ape, both of which were Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts.

The Titan Giant Ape had been discovered and named by the Western countries.

The corresponding technique had also been created by Martial Artists from the Western countries, with the Obsidian Martial Arts Dojo acting as an agent to sell it in Xia Country.

Then, his golden panel displayed a compatibility rating next to each of the 24 Source Energy Skills.

Lin Qi quickly found the most compatible Source Energy Skill.

[Platinum Evil Tiger Evolution Method], Compatibility: 100%

[Nine-headed Serpent Emperor Evolution Method], Compatibility: 99%

[Earth-shaking Dragon Elephant Evolution Technique], Compatibility: 99%

...

To Lin Qi’s surprise, his compatibility with all 24 Source Energy Skills was over 90%.

This meant that even without his panel, any random choice would have been quite suitable for him. There were even 12 techniques with over 95% compatibility.

Finally, his gaze locked onto the Platinum Evil Tiger Evolution Method. It was the only Source Energy Skill with a compatibility rating as high as 100%.

It was also related to tigers. He had previously guessed that this evolution technique would have a high compatibility, and it seemed he was right.

The Platinum Evil Tiger was a Ninth-Level Calamity Beast, and an extremely powerful one at that.

Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts were also divided by strength. The Platinum Evil Tiger, along with a few others like the Nine-headed Serpent Emperor, the Earth-Shaking Dragon Elephant, and the Red Flame Bird, were all top-tier, King-Level Calamity Beasts.

Furthermore, the Platinum Evil Tiger was the evolved form of the Vajra Tiger. If a Vajra Tiger could one day devour the flesh and blood of a Platinum Evil Tiger, it would have a chance to complete its evolution.

For the Calamity Beasts of the Otherworld, their levels weren’t fixed; they could also evolve and upgrade.

Without humans, they evolved by devouring one another in the Otherworld.

To become a Ninth-Level Calamity Beast, one either had to be born to Ninth-Level parents or fight its way up the ranks.

If it was the latter, its power would be even more terrifying.

’I’ll go with the Platinum Evil Tiger!’

Having made up his mind, Lin Qi didn’t hesitate for a second, adding it to his shopping cart.

Next, he began to purchase other resources. Bone Tempering Liquid was his top priority.

He had already used up his previous supply and needed to buy more.

Considering he would be heading to the Otherworld for a while, he needed to prepare a larger stock.

So, Lin Qi directly placed an order for ten vials.

Then there was the Spiritual Potion, an indispensable item as always. He ordered ten vials of that as well.

[Mr. Lin Qi, are you sure you want to purchase the Cultivation Technique ”Platinum Evil Tiger Evolution Method,” Bone Tempering Liquid, Spiritual Potion, and other items?]

[Mr. Lin Qi, the total cost of your purchased items is 65,000,000. With your 40% discount, the final total is 39,000,000 Xia Country Coins!]

Lin Qi reached out his hand to pay.

[Fingerprint verification successful!]

[Payment successful!]

[Mr. Lin Qi, your purchased items will be delivered tomorrow.]

...

Lin Qi pulled up his phone and watched as the 50,000,000 he just received dropped by 39,000,000. His heart ached at the sight.

”Thank goodness I have a 40% discount. Otherwise, paying the original price would have been way too expensive.”

Lin Qi shook his head. Cultivation Resources were getting more and more expensive these days.

He would have to bleed a lot more cash when he went to the Otherworld. He had no idea how much money he’d have left by then.

”I hope the Intermediate Source Energy Technique doesn’t disappoint me.”

Lin Qi’s anticipation for the Intermediate Source Energy Technique grew.

...

「Red Cloud Building, Vice Principal’s Office」

The lean Vice Principal, Xu Wenji, exuded the dense aura of a scholar, giving no indication that he was an Eighth Realm Martial Artist.

He looked at the thirteen large screens projected before him, which displayed the live feeds of twelve geniuses, as well as their rankings on the Points Chart.

He stood up, looked at the Points Chart, and muttered to himself:

”Lin Qi has probably started buying his Intermediate Source Energy Technique by now, right?”

”There are only 24 five-star techniques, but with fourteen geniuses, the overlap in choices will be very high.”

”But there’s only one corpse for each type of Ninth-Level Calamity Beast in the Otherworld. It’s probably going to get very lively.”

Thinking this, Xu Wenji stroked his well-groomed beard and smiled.

...

「March 19th, Day Two of the Tenth Academy’s Disaster Beast Hunting Competition」

Azure Sky Sixth Institute, in front of Villa No. 01.

”Brother Qi, what did you buy this time?”

Jiangtao, who was passing by, asked curiously as he watched Lin Qi accept three Metal Boxes from a delivery person and hand them to a nearby smart robot.

Lin Qi smiled. ”I bought an Intermediate Source Energy Technique and some Cultivation Resources.”

”An Intermediate Source Energy Technique!”

”Is it the Platinum Evil Tiger Evolution Method?”

Jiangtao asked, a look of envy on his face.

”That’s right!” Lin Qi was quite surprised.

”Brother Qi, you’re a Mountain Monarch! Among the 24 types of Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts, none is more suitable for you than the Platinum Evil Tiger.”

”You’re basically a human-shaped Ninth-Level Calamity Beast—a Platinum Evil Tiger!” Jiangtao said with a grin.

”What about you?” Lin Qi asked with a smile.

Jiangtao chuckled. ”Me? My Basic Source Energy Technique uses the Eighth-Level Calamity Beast, the Vajra Ape, as its visualization object.”

”I’ve also decided on the visualization object for my Intermediate Source Energy Technique—the Ninth-Level Calamity Beast, the Mountain-moving Ape!”

”The two Calamity Beasts are in the same lineage. I feel it’s the most suitable one for me.”

Lin Qi nodded. His best friend hadn’t made any mistakes in his choice of Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals; he always chose what was most suitable for him.

”Brother Qi, I have to work hard too and try to break through to the Fourth Realm as soon as possible,” Jiangtao said, clenching his fists.

”You will!” Lin Qi nodded.

He believed in Jiangtao’s Talent. In this Disaster Beast Hunting Competition, on the unofficial personal leaderboard pieced together by students, Jiangtao was ranked in the top 10, having already surpassed two S-class geniuses.

He had shocked many people. In the future, he might even be able to enter the top three, or perhaps even have his Special Ability Awakened.

...

Two minutes later, after finishing his chat with Jiangtao, Lin Qi returned to his Martial Arts Room with the several Metal Boxes.

The first was a large Metal Box. Opening it revealed various miscellaneous Cultivation Resources of all sizes.

The other, more valuable Cultivation Resources, like the Bone Tempering Liquid and Spiritual Potion, were placed in separate Metal Boxes.

He had Little Chan control the smart robot to place the resources into his password-protected cabinet.

Finally, only one Metal Box remained in his hands.

”BEEP!”

After fingerprint verification, the metal box opened automatically. Inside were only three items: a Source Energy Skill manual, a USB drive, and an Obsidian Stone containing the Divine Intent.

The cover of the Source Energy Skill manual glowed with a dazzling platinum-gold light. When Lin Qi picked it up, he felt only heaviness.

On its cover were three large words written with elegant, flowing strokes:

”Platinum Evil Tiger!”

The moment Lin Qi finished reading them, he felt as if the three words had transformed, twisting into a ferocious, giant Calamity Beast.

”ROAR~”

It possessed an enormous body, over a hundred meters long, like a towering, mobile fortress.

Its fur seemed to be cast from platinum, shimmering with a cold and dazzling metallic luster, each hair as dense as steel needles.

Its head was like a small hill, and inside its cavernous, blood-red maw, sharp teeth intertwined. Its eyes, the size of bronze bells, were like blood-red gems.

Its four limbs were like pillars holding up the sky, its sharp claws like scythes. Its thick tail, like a giant python, was covered in sharp barbs.

This was the top-tier Ninth-Level Calamity Beast—the Platinum Evil Tiger!

Its body was shrouded in a dense, golden Evil Qi. It roared at the sky, shaking Lin Qi to his core.

When he came back to his senses, the Platinum Evil Tiger had vanished, and before him were still the same three words.

”Phew~”

Lin Qi felt as though he had just seen a vision, and it had been incredibly real.

The Eighth-Level Vajra Tiger had seemed majestic enough in his eyes, but it was nothing compared to the Platinum Evil Tiger.

It was a whole size smaller, like a little kitten next to the other beast.

Lin Qi calmed himself and began to flip through the Cultivation Technique.

The content of the technique wasn’t long, but the pages were made of a different material, giving them a sense of weight.

”The Platinum Evil Tiger Evolution Method is a technique created through the observation of the Ninth-Level Calamity Beast, the Platinum Evil Tiger.”

”By observing the Platinum Evil Tiger breaking free from its physical shackles, one can greatly increase the body’s speed of absorbing Source Energy and accelerate the improvement of their Qi and Blood Value.”

”This achieves the goal of becoming stronger faster.”

Reading this, Lin Qi nodded to himself. This was more or less what Ms. Luu Wei and Dean Liu had said.

The whole point of cultivating an Intermediate Source Energy Technique was to speed up one’s Cultivation.

He continued reading, but his brow gradually furrowed.

The content that followed felt unfamiliar.

...