33: Chapter 33 President of the Jiangbei Martial Arts Alliance

Just as Lin Fan finished his test and was preparing to apply for his Martial Artist badge, a young man in a suit walked over quickly, his attitude respectful.

"Student Lin Fan, our President would like to invite you upstairs."

Lin Fan's eyes moved slightly.

The President? Could it be the president of the Jiangbei branch of the Martial Arts Alliance?

In his previous life, he had studied at Jiangbei Martial University for four years and had never even seen the face of the vice president.

He hadn't expected that in this life, he would attract this person's attention immediately after his Martial Artist certification.

"Please lead the way." Lin Fan nodded.

The Martial Artists queuing for certification around them were in an uproar.

"A personal summons from the President? This kid is about to take off!"

"No kidding. An eighteen-year-old Three-Star Martial Artist—how many years has it been since one appeared in all of Jiangbei?"

"I remember the top scorer of the college entrance exam in Jiangbei Base City last year was only a Two-Star Martial Artist at eighteen, right? This kid is a whole star level higher than him!"

"It's more than just one star level higher! Didn't you hear what someone said earlier? He was only a Five-Star Martial Apprentice ten days ago! Going from a Five-Star Martial Apprentice to a Three-Star Martial Artist in ten days—what kind of Prodigy speed is that?"

"Maybe he'll have broken through to Martial Master by the time the college entrance exam arrives!"

"Hiss... A nineteen-year-old Martial Master! Just how much of a Prodigy must he be?"

The discussions rose and fell, but Lin Fan had already followed the young man in the suit into the elevator.

The elevator went all the way up and stopped at the top floor.

The corridor was covered with thick carpet, and portraits of various powerful exotic beasts hung on the walls on both sides. When they reached the very end, the young man knocked on the door.

"President, Student Lin Fan has arrived."

"Come in."

The door pushed open, and a spacious and bright office came into view. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was a panoramic view of the entire Jiangbei Base City, with traffic like a tapestry and towering buildings standing in great numbers.

Sitting behind the desk was an old man in his sixties with gray hair, a thin face, but a vigorous spirit. He wore a gray robe, and a golden Martial Arts Alliance badge was pinned to his chest.

He was the president of the Jiangbei branch of the Martial Arts Alliance, President Zhou Zhenghe.

A Peak Martial King expert, only one step away from breaking through to Martial Emperor, he was one of the strongest experts and Protectors of Jiangbei Base City. The reason Jiangbei City had not been breached by exotic beasts was largely due to his contributions.

"Student Lin Fan, please have a seat." President Zhou Zhenghe stood up and personally poured a cup of tea for Lin Fan, his demeanor so amiable that he didn't seem like a big shot at all.

Lin Fan sat down, neither humble nor arrogant: "President, hello! Did you have something to discuss with me?"

President Zhou Zhenghe did not rush to answer, but instead looked him up and down, his eyes full of scrutiny.

After looking for a long while, just when even Lin Fan, having lived two lifetimes, was almost unable to withstand the pressure, he slowly spoke:

"Lin Fan, an eighteen-year-old Three-Star Martial Artist. I have reviewed your file."

"Half a month ago, you were still an ordinary person who wasn't even a Martial Apprentice; ten days ago at the No. 3 High School Martial Arts Competition, you amazed everyone, not only breaking through to a Five-Star Martial Apprentice but also taking first place in the competition."

"And now, ten days have passed, and you have broken through directly from a Five-Star Martial Apprentice to a Three-Star Martial Artist. Lin Fan, how did you manage that?"

He paused, his gaze sharp as he stared at Lin Fan and said: "And as far as I know, your Cultivation talent is only D-rank."

"This... this... I'm not very sure either. Perhaps I awakened some kind of Physique. I feel like as long as I have enough resources, I can ignore the Bottleneck and break through indefinitely."

Lin Fan's face turned pale under President Zhou Zhenghe's stare, cold sweat flowed continuously from his forehead, and his body trembled uncontrollably as he spoke stumblingly.

This was the excuse he had thought of beforehand, and it was the best explanation for his situation.

Situations like this actually existed, and there were quite a few of them. There were no shortage of examples where someone previously had mediocre talent but, through an Opportunity, awakened some special Physique and soared into the sky.

As for the cold sweat and trembling, he wasn't faking it. He was facing a Peak Martial King, which was far beyond ordinary Martial Artists; a single glance was not something he could contend with at his current level.

President Zhou Zhenghe stared at Lin Fan for a long time, his gaze like torches. He had lived for over sixty years and possessed Peak Martial King strength; he could see through any lie told by a Martial Artist below the Martial Ancestor Realm at a glance. But the young man before him did not seem to be lying.

President Zhou Zhenghe withdrew his gaze, and the scrutiny in his eyes turned into curiosity.

"Awakened a Physique? Going from an ordinary person to a Three-Star Martial Artist in half a month... at this speed, even an SS-rank Physique would be nothing more than this!"

Lin Fan lowered his head and did not speak. In those few short seconds of eye contact just now, he felt as if his entire being had been seen through. The strength of a Peak Martial King was truly terrifying.

"Lin Fan, I would like to verify this. I wonder if you dare?"

President Zhou Zhenghe pondered for a moment before suddenly speaking. He was also very curious about what this special Physique Lin Fan spoke of actually was.

Lin Fan looked up: "Please speak, President."

President Zhou Zhenghe flipped his hand, and a jade bottle appeared in his palm out of thin air. The jade bottle was translucent white, engraved with fine spirit-sealing patterns, and it clearly wasn't an ordinary item.

He opened the bottle cap, and a rich Spiritual Qi instantly permeated the entire office. Just by smelling that scent, Lin Fan felt the Qi and blood within his body faintly beginning to stir.

"This is a grade 5 blood qi pill." President Zhou Zhenghe placed the jade bottle on the table. "It is a Medicinal Pill that only a Great Martial Master can consume; one pill has a market price of 1.2 million. If an ordinary Martial Master consumes it, they will be unable to refine it because the energy is too violent. The mildest result is Qi and blood going berserk, and the most severe is the rupture of Meridians."

He looked at Lin Fan, his eyes carrying a hint of amusement: "You said that as long as you have enough resources, you can ignore the Bottleneck and break through indefinitely. I want to see where your limits lie."

Lin Fan's pupils constricted slightly. A grade 5 blood qi pill! In his previous life, he hadn't even seen a Medicinal Pill of this level, let alone consumed one.

"President, do you want me to refine this pill on the spot?" Lin Fan asked.

"Correct." President Zhou Zhenghe nodded. "If you can truly do it, I will not only fully support your Cultivation, but I will also fight to get you more resources."

"But if you cannot..." He paused. "I will step in to help you neutralize the backlash from the medicinal power, but you won't be able to Cultivate for half a month."

Lin Fan was silent for a moment. The medicinal power of a grade 5 blood qi pill was indeed terrifying. But he was Cultivating the Divine-Grade High Grade Cultivation Technique, the Ten Thousand Dao Scripture. Although he hadn't tried it, he still had confidence.

"I will try." Lin Fan took the jade bottle.

A trace of admiration flashed in President Zhou Zhenghe's eyes. Just for this courage alone, this young man's future achievements would not be low.

"Refine it right here; I will act as your Protector." President Zhou Zhenghe pointed to the cushion beside him and said.

Lin Fan sat cross-legged, took a deep breath, and put the grade 5 blood qi pill into his mouth.

The moment the Medicinal Pill entered his stomach, a massive, overwhelming energy exploded! Lin Fan felt as if someone had stuffed a volcano into his body; the violent energy rampaged through his Meridians, as if trying to tear him apart!

"Urgh!" Lin Fan let out a muffled groan, the veins on his forehead bulging.

President Zhou Zhenghe stood to the side, ready to intervene at any moment. The medicinal power of a grade 5 Medicinal Pill was something even a 1-Star Great Martial Master had to be cautious about; for a Three-Star Martial Artist to consume it rashly was simply courting death. But he did not rush to intervene. He wanted to see just how long this young man could hold on.

Lin Fan gritted his teeth, the Ten Thousand Dao Scripture operating frantically! That violent energy was like a wild horse off its leash, rampaging through his Meridians. But the circulation path of the Ten Thousand Dao Scripture was like a giant net, firmly locking every trace of energy and guiding them to circulate within his body.

One cycle, two cycles, three cycles... The energy was refined bit by bit, merging into his Qi and blood.

Lin Fan's Qi and blood value began to climb crazily! 3500... 4000... 4500...

At this moment, President Zhou Zhenghe's expression changed. He could clearly feel that the Qi and blood within Lin Fan's body were surging at a speed visible to the naked eye. That violent medicinal energy was being forcibly suppressed and refined by some powerful force!

"What kind of power is this?"

President Zhou Zhenghe was shocked beyond measure. He had lived more than half his life and had never seen such a special Physique. He had never thought about a Cultivation Technique, because in his view, even a Heaven Rank High Grade Cultivation Technique couldn't do this. He did not know that there was a Divine-Grade above the Heaven Rank.

5000... 5500... 6000...

Lin Fan's forehead began to sweat, but his aura became increasingly stable. The operation of the Ten Thousand Dao Scripture became smoother and smoother, and that violent energy had been completely tamed.

6500... 7000... 7500...

"Boom!"

When the last wisp of energy was refined, a dull roar came from within Lin Fan's body. Eight-Star Martial Artist!

Lin Fan opened his eyes and let out a long breath of turbid air. That breath condensed and did not disperse, carrying a faint scent of the Medicinal Pill, and it hovered in the air for a long time before dissipating.

"Thank you, President, I have finished refining it."

Lin Fan stood up excitedly and bowed gratefully to President Zhou Zhenghe. The gains this time were too great; not only did he get a grade 5 Medicinal Pill worth over a million for free, but he also saved himself more than half a month of Cultivation time. Breaking through directly to an Eight-Star Martial Artist was simply an unexpected delight.

President Zhou Zhenghe stood frozen in place, unable to speak for a long time. A grade 5 blood qi pill, which even a Great Martial Master would take half a day to refine—this young man had actually refined it in just one hour? Moreover, the absorption rate was basically one hundred percent, soaring directly from a Three-Star Martial Artist to an Eight-Star Martial Artist, an improvement of a full five minor Realms!