Chapter 65
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Chapter 65: Drained Savings
Under the Level 10 effects of the Heavenly Martial Heart Refining Technique, Zhang Yu felt his grasp of combat become even more refined. The slightest change in his opponent’s movements could not escape his observation, and he could now precisely channel every ounce of his strength into battle. His practical combat ability had skyrocketed.
However, this state also drained his energy at an alarming rate. After maintaining it for just one minute, Zhang Yu began to feel dizzy and lightheaded.
“This Full Concentration State should be reserved for critical moments in battle. I cannot afford to use it recklessly.”
The Level 10 Heavenly Martial Heart Refining Technique gave Zhang Yu a greater edge in the Martial Arts Competition.
“But it’s still not enough…”
Recalling the unfair and unjust competition at the Magic Power Competition and Zhang Pianpian’s words about winning the Martial Arts Competition, Zhang Yu wanted to increase his chances even further.
He reopened the shopping platform and examined the cultivation arts he had favorited over this period.
Zhang Yu had already considered what to cultivate after reaching Level 10 in the Heavenly Martial Heart Refining Technique.
Now, he was looking at an Expert-Grade Martial Art called the Indestructible Seal Technique. It was on sale for 30,000 yuan, half its original price. He scrolled through the user reviews and the Level 10 effects description.
This Indestructible Seal Technique, like the Heavenly Martial Heart Refining Technique, was an Expert-Grade Cultivation Technique.
It was a technique that focused on manipulating an opponent’s magic power through guidance and repulsion.
Not only was it incredibly difficult to learn, but achieving true proficiency was even harder. The user review section was filled with complaints about the technique’s difficulty, saying that anyone who bought it would have to spend money hiring a tutor.
★☆☆☆☆
AVOID! Don’t buy this! Self-study is impossible. I spent tens of thousands on a teacher just to get started.”
★★☆☆☆☆
I bought it for 60,000 yuan at full price, only to see it on sale later.
★☆☆☆☆
I’ll leave a positive review once I reach Level 10.
Zhang Yu suspected that the difficulty of learning and mastering the technique was the reason for its poor sales, which would explain the discount.
But this was not a problem for Zhang Yu because he discovered that the Indestructible Seal Technique only had four moves.
Furthermore, he could fully utilize its Level 10 effects during the upcoming Martial Arts Competition, and it would complement his Limitless Cloud Hands perfectly.
“While Limitless Cloud Hands excels at manipulating force and using an opponent’s strength against them, Formless Cloud Gang Qi has a weakness. It’s vulnerable to opponents using unique magic power to disrupt the Gang Qi.”
“But if I combine the Indestructible Seal Technique with Limitless Cloud Hands, I can attract and even repel their unique magic power.”
“With the Cosmic Orbit Energy Gathering Method constantly replenishing my Magic Power and the Heavenly Martial Heart Refining Technique letting me monitor the entire arena and grasp every detail…”
“My combat system will become far more robust. It will make me better at winning against stronger opponents and, more importantly, at avoiding injury even when victorious.”
In the Martial Arts Competition, avoiding or minimizing injury when facing opponents with higher stats was crucial for an impoverished student like Zhang Yu.
That was why he preferred defensive counter-attack cultivation arts over the more flashy, overbearing, and domineering offensive styles.
The only downside to the Indestructible Seal Technique was its price. Even after a 50 % discount, it still cost 30,000 yuan, and Zhang Yu currently had only slightly more than that in his account.
Buying this cultivation art would leave him broke.
But then he thought of being Songyang’s top first-year high school student and his goal of entering the Ten Greats.
I must enter the Ten Greats and win the competition. The first-place prize is 50,000 yuan. If I can’t win, holding onto this 30,000 yuan is useless.
With this thought, Zhang Yu gritted his teeth and spent all 30,000 yuan in his account at once.
In the blink of an eye, Zhang Yu received the electronic manual for the Indestructible Seal Technique.
After skimming through it, the Cultivation Art materialized from the Feather Book, and he set it as his specialization.
As a Cultivation Art focused on drawing and deflecting magic power, the core of the Indestructible Seal Technique lay in precise control. Its external stance techniques consisted of only four simple moves.
Less than a minute later, Zhang Yu had trained the Cultivation Art to Level 1.
Instantly, memories of practicing the Indestructible Seal Technique time and time again flooded his mind.
Zhang Yu felt his control over Magic Power become increasingly refined. He could even temporarily absorb an opponent’s incoming energy, convert it, and unleash it back.
Of course, this process also consumed magic power. However, the amount Zhang Yu expended was less than the power of the incoming attack.
Zhang Yu nodded inwardly to himself. As I continue to improve the Indestructible Seal Technique, I’ll be able to redirect more of an opponent’s Magic Power with less of my own.
According to the website’s description, once the Indestructible Seal Technique reaches Level 10, I will only need to spend 3 units of my own Magic Power to redirect 10 units of an opponent’s, a cost of just 30 percent.
At this thought, Zhang Yu nodded to himself and resumed his arduous training in the Indestructible Seal Technique.
***
Two more days passed in the blink of an eye, bringing them to the day before the Martial Arts Competition.
Figures flitted across the training ground, where Lei Jun was sparring with both Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen while guiding their techniques.
Witnessing their rapid progress over this period, Lei Jun grew increasingly astonished.
These two kids. Their understanding of various Martial Arts deepens daily, and their practical combat experience is skyrocketing.
These past few days, while limiting his power output to that of Level 2 Physical Strength, Lei Jun had been forced to employ more and more advanced combat techniques just to keep Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen suppressed.
But what truly amazed him was not this. It was something else.
Through daily grueling training and countless sparring matches with me, these two have gradually developed their own distinct fighting styles.
Lei Jun threw a punch, only to have it blocked by a ball of white Gang Qi controlled by Zhang Yu. He felt the force of his blow dissipate as his opponent neutralized most of it.
That kid Zhang Yu… his use of the Limitless Cloud Hands has grown increasingly trickier. He’s like a slippery ball. I can strike with my full force, and he’ll neutralize 70 or 80% of it. Every time, I have to use my unique magic power to break his Gang Qi first, which turns every exchange into a war of attrition over our magic power.
And now he’s gone and learned that Cultivation Art called the Indestructible Seal Technique, making his defense even more watertight.
Well, at least we don’t have to worry about him getting bankrupted by medical bills in the competition this time.
Lei Jun turned again, blocking Bai Zhenzhen’s sword finger with a palm strike. Bai Zhenzhen is a… true Martial Dao genius, he thought.
In just two short weeks, she’s already starting to anticipate my feints, see through the openings in my moves, and launch attacks that force me onto the defensive.
But her fighting style… is just too dangerous.
Boom!
As Lei Jun increased his power output again, a concussive wave of magic power erupted outwards, sending them both flying.
“That’s enough for today’s tutoring session.”
He remarked with a wistful smile, “You two have made remarkable progress lately. You’ve improved about as much as you can for now.”
“In tomorrow’s match, remember that safety comes first. Prioritize your own safety at all times. Don’t push yourselves too hard or try to force anything.”
Bai Zhenzhen had grown familiar with Lei Jun over this time and replied directly, “Got it, Old Lei. So, what are our chances? Think we can make it into the top few?”
Lei Jun considered for a moment before saying, “There’s a chance you can make the top ten.”
Bai Zhenzhen repeated in disbelief, “Just the top ten? And only a ‘chance’?”
Lei Jun smiled wryly. “The top three famous schools have too many methods that are on another level. Even their conventional methods are things you two can’t afford. Their Top Students’ stats are also higher. You’re not even on the same starting line. If you have a chance to make the top ten, you should be ecstatic.”
“Enough talk. Go back and prepare. And don’t forget to bring your competition medicine tomorrow.”
“We’ll meet at the Bailong High School entrance at midnight.”
This Martial Arts Competition was being held at Bailong High School.
Zhang Yu paused, slightly taken aback. “Midnight?”
Lei Jun replied matter-of-factly, “Bailong High School has classes during the day, so the matches are scheduled for midnight.”
Zhang Yu could only say that as expected of Bailong High School, it never failed to disappoint him when it came to being unreasonable.
Zhang Yu asked, “How do we get there?”
Lei Jun said, “Take the subway yourself.”
“You two are the only ones competing in the Martial Arts Tournament. You expect the school to provide a bus?”
Zhang Yu could only say that Songyang High School was also as expected, and just like Bailong High School, it never failed to disappoint him.
Watching the two figures walk away, Lei Jun sighed inwardly. If those two had been born into wealthy families, they might have had a chance to make the Ten Greats.
***
That night.
After two more hours of intense cultivation, Zhang Yu finally advanced the Indestructible Seal Technique to Level 10.
His body shuddered violently. He felt his meridians, as if forged through a thousand trials, become far more resilient and capable of accommodating the flow of various unique magic powers.
Simultaneously, his understanding of magic power guidance and repulsion coalesced into a profound insight, reaching a new level of comprehension.
Now, when he cast the Indestructible Seal, Zhang Yu was confident he could directly convert his opponent’s magic power to replenish his own.
In other words, after reaching Level 10, the Indestructible Seal Technique allowed him to grow stronger with each battle, using his opponent’s attacks to replenish his own magic power.
Of course, there were limits to this absorption and replenishment.
In a single battle, I can replenish a maximum of 30 units of magic power this way. Any more than that and my current meridians wouldn’t be able handle it.
Thinking this, Zhang Yu glanced at his Feather Book. After two weeks of relentless cultivation, his basic stats had improved significantly.
Zhang Yu
Dao Heart – Level 3 (53%)
Magic Power – 21.8
Physical Strength – Level 1.51
Ah, if only I’d learned the Cosmic Orbit Energy Gathering Method a month or two earlier and had more time to cultivate my Physical Strength.
After returning home and taking a quick shower, Zhang Yu rushed to catch the bus, setting off for Bailong High School.
***
11:31 PM.
As Zhang Yu emerged from the subway station, he saw a towering building of about thirty stories high. He knew this was Bailong High School.
But he had no time to admire it. He was incredibly hungry.
Where’s A-Zhen?
I need to find her and borrow some money for dinner. How can I compete on an empty stomach?
As for Zhang Yu’s own money, it was long gone. The Indestructible Seal Technique alone had wiped out the 30,000 yuan in his account.
The remaining change had been spent on food and medicine over the past few days.
Just as Zhang Yu was anxiously scanning the area, a hand suddenly slammed onto his shoulder.
He turned around, his face lighting up. “A-Zhen? Hurry…”
“Yu Zi, can you lend me some money?” Bai Zhenzhen clutched her stomach, her voice weak. “I’m too broke to eat dinner. My whole body feels like jelly.”
Zhang Yu exclaimed, “What the hell? You blew all your money too?”
Seeing his reaction, Bai Zhenzhen’s face contorted in pain, “You’re broke too? What kind of spending habits do you have? How can you spend so much that you can’t even afford dinner?”
