Chapter 22: Nothing Beats Digging Holes

Host: Lin Qi.
Age: 25.
Permission Level: Level 1 Priority Admission Rights.
Martial Arts Rank: Apprentice Candidate.
Strength: 109.8 kilograms. (Apprentice Standard: 200 kilograms)
Speed: 10.6 meters per second. (Apprentice Standard: 12 meters per second)
Training Method: Jing Shen Breathing Technique (First Layer Entry 10%)
Number of Players Allowed: 10 (Current online limit for host: 10; current reservations: 18,752.)

“Just 10% into the first layer, and the improvement is this significant?” Lin Qi stared at his data panel in disbelief.

In the high martial world, progress is notoriously slow. Even with abundant resources, few can reach apprentice status during high school. Yet, merely at 10% proficiency in the first layer of his breathing technique, his strength soared from 92.2 to 109.8 kilograms, and his speed jumped from 8.9 to 10.6 meters per second—an almost unbelievable leap.

Such advancement would take a martial arts high school student at least ten days or more, but Lin Qi achieved it in just two hours. If not for his somewhat low vitality, these figures might have been even higher.

“No wonder those martial arts students hire tutors so frantically. This training method’s enhancement is crucial. If I can fully master this first layer, becoming an apprentice would be effortless.”

Feeling his strength surge, Lin Qi’s gaze shifted to the player roster.

“Too bad I can only absorb five times a day. If I had more slots and more players learning the breathing technique, my progress would accelerate significantly.”

At this moment, Lin Qi thought perhaps the schedule for repairing the martial arts hall could be moved up.

The repair mission could add forty more slots at once. Even without upgrading permissions, just having forty additional players would increase the chances of discovering training prodigies.

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Lin Qi had noticed earlier that although all were absorbing the breathing technique, Fang Zhen and Twilight of the Gods each contributed only 1% proficiency, while Luo Wushang provided a full 5% at once.

That efficiency was five times greater than the others—equivalent to absorbing four extra players.

“This extraction permission can pull in the breathing technique, but I wonder if it can extract martial skills. If so, this permission would be truly extraordinary.” Lin Qi glanced at the remaining seven players available for extraction on the list, excitement building.

Martial skill training, like physical conditioning, may cause problems if done incorrectly—not as fatal as conditioning errors but enough to render someone helpless.

The Obsidian Martial Hall was located in an abandoned district. Even with an expert like Qin Mu present, venturing elsewhere was never entirely safe.

Though Lin Qi had finally become an ordinary person in this high martial world, danger still lurked.

Yet, mastering two apprentice-level martial skills would make traveling in the wilderness much safer. After all, repairing the martial hall required a large amount of timber, and trips to the mines for wood were inevitable.

Beneath the noon sun, the Obsidian Martial Hall’s underground was a furnace of activity.

Earlier, Fang Zhen and the others had excavated an underground garden, now a labyrinthine network of tunnels. One by one, players carried heavy burlap sacks filled with soil, yet their speed remained undiminished.

“Damn, wrong step again!”

“This Leopard Shadow Step is ridiculously complex—sixteen different leg power techniques, each matched with precise footwork. This game is way too realistic. Couldn’t they have simplified it? I just misapplied the force and step, twisted my leg 180 degrees, and lost a full 648 stamina.”

“Yeah, I wish it were simpler. I do part-time delivery work all the time; my legs have basically become one with my body. But learning this complicated footwork is harder than teaching a dog to do pull-ups.”

“You two are lucky. If you don’t want to carry soil, swap out now. I’ve been digging for an hour already. We agreed on ten-minute shifts. How many ten-minute intervals has it been now?”

The two soil carriers from the One Leaf Floating Cloud squad glanced nervously at the furious digger in the tunnel and promptly rushed forward without giving him a chance to protest.

Though the Leopard Shadow Step was tough to master, earning points for the martial hall while practicing skills was far more enjoyable than just digging soil. It was like playing games at work—no one wanted to give up the chance.

Meanwhile, in another tunnel, a tall, graceful figure moved like the wind, landing silently. Carrying a heavy sack of stones and soil, her speed remained unaffected, resembling an athlete sprinting on flat ground. With a few swift strides, she transported the sack away, leaving Twilight of the Gods astonished.

“Sister Wu, are you sure Sister Zhang’s mind was ever a problem?” Twilight of the Gods watched Zhang Qingwei’s agile steps, mouth agape.

The speed and reflexes displayed by Zhang Qingwei were beyond what even a healthy person could match.

Though Twilight of the Gods felt his own digging pace was swift, as soon as one sack was filled, Zhang Qingwei was already standing aside, hoisting the sack like a nimble rabbit before vanishing down the tunnel’s end in the blink of an eye.

“Qingwei’s brain did have issues,” Luo Wushang acknowledged with a nod, “but it seems this new technology in High Martial Arrival has resolved that problem.”

Previously, as a renowned expert in Pilgrimage, Zhang Qingwei’s neural reflexes were exceptional. Now, with the High Martial Arrival system’s help, she could unleash her true potential—albeit in a somewhat peculiar manner, but as long as she was happy, that was all that mattered.

Shortly after Luo Wushang spoke, Zhang Qingwei reappeared before them, her face flushed with excitement, like a starving wolf who hadn’t seen a beauty for three days. Though panting heavily, she still felt she could push on.

“Wushang, give me another half hour. I think I’m about to master it,” Zhang Qingwei gasped, reaching for another sack.

“Qingwei, doesn’t the guild have an important meeting today?” Luo Wushang reminded her, watching her tirelessly hauling soil. “Is it really okay for you to keep digging with us?”

As vice president of the guild, Luo Wushang was currently free from administrative duties but knew today was a big day for Tianwei.

The legendary Blade Saint Su Wuming from Pilgrimage was visiting to negotiate joining Tianwei—a momentous event.

In Pilgrimage, attaining the title of Saint was nearly impossible, a one-in-ten-thousand rarity. A Saint was a strategic-level presence, capable of commanding forces fearlessly.

Tianwei’s status as one of Pilgrimage’s five great guilds was largely due to its sixteen Saints.

Su Wuming, as one of Pilgrimage’s top ten Blade Saints, joining Tianwei was a huge deal.

“I’m just a minor secretary. That matter will be handled by the guild leader regardless, and this work is way more fun than a meeting,” Zhang Qingwei waved off the concern without a care. “As for the Leopard Shadow Step, I’m just a bit away from mastery. A few more rehearsals and I’ll be in!”

Luo Wushang looked at Zhang Qingwei, who seemed utterly unconcerned about the meeting, and sighed.

“But wasn’t it you who arranged the test for Su Wuming today?”