9: Chapter 9 Advancement to Second Rank, Nine-Fold Thunder Blade

After becoming a first-grade martial artist, Zhou Bai didn't hesitate and immediately allocated his learning points to his Qi and Blood.

Qi and Blood are the key to one's realm. The limit for a first-grade martial artist's Qi and Blood is 999 units.

Upon reaching 100 units, one becomes a second-grade martial artist.

"Whoosh!!!"

As Zhou Bai willed it, his Qi and Blood power surged wildly.

40 units.

50 units.

...

...

999 units.

100 units.

Ten minutes later, Zhou Bai's Qi and Blood broke through the limit of a first-grade martial artist, reaching 100 units.

Zhou Bai directly became a second-grade martial artist.

After breaking through to second grade, Zhou Bai continued to enhance his Qi and Blood. He stopped when it reached 150 units.

"I'll use the remaining learning points to improve my martial skills. To break through to the third grade, I need 500 units of Qi and Blood, which is still quite a distance. Martial skills are also crucial for boosting combat power!"

Feeling the surging Qi and Blood within his body, Zhou Bai exhaled a turbid breath.

As for spiritual power, Zhou Bai had no plans to enhance it for now. After all, he currently had no meditation techniques nor spiritual-type martial skills. Even with powerful spiritual power, he couldn't utilize it to its full potential.

Next, Zhou Bai opened the Thunder-Breaking Saber Technique on his tablet.

After inputting it into the system, Zhou Bai once again used a Skill Enhancement Card to upgrade this A-rank martial skill.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, enhancement successful. Thunder-Breaking Saber Technique has been enhanced to Nine Heavens Thunder Saber!]

[Nine Heavens Thunder Saber]: An S-rank Martial Skill. A domineering thunder-attribute saber technique that can stack the power of lightning to amplify its might. Each layer is a heaven; nine layers can stack tenfold power.

"Nine Heavens Thunder Saber, not bad. Combined with my Dutian Divine Thunder, the power is unimaginable!"

Seeing the description of Nine Heavens Thunder Saber, Zhou Bai's eyes were filled with delight.

"System, allocate points to Nine Heavens Thunder Saber!"

Zhou Bai then immediately allocated points to learn it.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host. Consumed 10 skill points. S-rank Nine Heavens Thunder Saber has been raised to Beginner level!]

[Ding! Congratulations, Host. Consumed 50 skill points. S-rank Nine Heavens Thunder Saber has been raised to Intermediate level!]

Shortly after, the point allocation succeeded. A vast amount of profound and esoteric information appeared in Zhou Bai's mind, as if he had gained memories of arduously practicing the Nine Heavens Thunder Saber.

Zhou Bai unconsciously picked up the B-grade alloy combat saber from the box and began practicing the Nine Heavens Thunder Saber.

The B-grade alloy combat saber whistled fiercely as Zhou Bai swung it, accompanied by faint wisps of purple-gold lightning energy swirling around, causing the surrounding space to resonate with thunderous sounds.

"Crack!!!"

A moment later, Zhou Bai stacked three layers of thunder power, doubling the technique's might.

The B-grade alloy combat saber, carrying the power of thunder, struck the bronze training dummy in the martial arts room. With a violent tearing sound, the dummy, comparable to a peak second-grade martial artist, was directly cleaved in two.

"Is this the power of an S-rank saber technique? Just the Intermediate level already possesses such formidable strength!"

Looking at the destroyed bronze dummy ahead, Zhou Bai's eyes were brimming with joy.

Martial skill proficiency levels are divided into: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Mastery, and Grandmaster.

S-rank Martial Skills are top-tier techniques with immense power, and their cultivation difficulty is also first-rate.

Even those top-tier prodigies with SSS-grade Talents find them extremely difficult to master.

"learning points are too incredible. I must study hard in the future!"

Zhou Bai thought to himself.

Next, Zhou Bai opened another martial skill, [Mountain Splitting Fist].

He didn't plan to upgrade this B-rank fist technique. After all, he only had one Skill Enhancement Card left and needed to use it wisely.

"However, I can still learn it. After all, I won't always have a saber in hand!"

After inputting it into the system, Zhou Bai didn't dawdle and directly allocated points to learn it.

[Ding! Consumed 1 learning point. Mountain Splitting Fist raised to Beginner level!]

[Ding! Consumed 2 learning points. Mountain Splitting Fist raised to Intermediate level!]

...

[Ding! Consumed 10 learning points. Mountain Splitting Fist raised to Mastery level!]

"Mountain Splitting Fist has reached Mastery!"

Memories of painstakingly practicing the fist technique surfaced in Zhou Bai's mind. His comprehension of the Mountain Splitting Fist had reached the Mastery level, each punch carrying a unique essence.

"The gap between B-rank and S-rank Martial Skills is indeed huge. 60 points only raised the S-rank skill to Intermediate, while for the B-rank, less than 200 points brought it to Mastery..."

Looking at his remaining 40-plus learning points, Zhou Bai murmured inwardly.

"learning points are too important. I still need to study more!"

Finally, Zhou Bai arrived at his most important conclusion.

After that, Zhou Bai left the martial arts room to go study with Zhao Shiyu.

...

Modu Martial Arts University, Genius Class Training Room.

Inside the training room, over a dozen top-tier prodigy freshmen with S-rank Talents were cultivating.

"Not bad. You students are a bit more capable than I imagined. You've all learned the S-rank Breathing Technique within three days and successfully guided Qi into your bodies..."

"Next, I will select suitable martial skills for each of you. Breathing Techniques are the foundation, while martial skills are the branches and leaves. Only when Breathing Techniques and martial skills work in tandem can you truly unleash your real power..."

An Eighth Grade Sky Soaring Realm instructor spoke eloquently on the podium, looking approvingly at the many students before him.

These students uniformly possessed S-rank Talents. They were all outstanding among this year's Awakened, and there were even two students with SS-rank Talents.

"Instructor, I like the sword. Can I choose an S-rank sword technique martial skill?"

At that moment, a young man with a crew cut raised his hand, his eyes full of anticipation.

The surrounding students also looked expectantly at the instructor on the podium.

During enrollment, they had witnessed a Sword Dao Grandmaster from Modu Martial Arts University flying on a sword. That ethereal posture, reminiscent of ancient sword immortals, had ignited fervent admiration in many students' hearts.

"Hmph, S-rank Martial Skills? Don't aim too high. You've just barely entered the ranks. You wouldn't even understand an S-rank Martial Skill if you saw it, let alone learn it. Wait until you reach the fourth grade; only then will you have the qualifications to touch them!"

The instructor on the podium snorted coldly, then said nonchalantly,

"The difficulty of learning martial skills doesn't decrease just because your talent is strong. Although you all have S-rank Talents, if you can train an A-rank martial skill to the Beginner level within a month, that will be enough for you to contend with second-grade martial artists!"

Hearing the instructor's words, it felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over the hearts of many students.

Then, the instructor began selecting suitable martial skills based on each person's talent characteristics, assigning appropriate A-rank martial skills to everyone.

Even those two students with SS-rank Talents were no exception.

"Memorize the martial skills and try to comprehend them on your own first. Come ask me if there's anything you don't understand!"

After the arrangements, the instructor let the many students comprehend on their own in the training room.

"Qing Yao, are you thinking about your ex-boyfriend again?"

In a corner of the training room, a girl with a high ponytail asked the pure-looking girl beside her who seemed lost in thought.

Gu Qingyao looked at Shen Ninger ahead and sighed softly,

"Even though we've parted, I..."

"Qing Yao, your ex-boyfriend has already gone to Vocational College. You two are destined for different worlds. Don't linger on the past anymore!"

Shen Ninger looked at the cool and aloof girl ahead and continued seriously.

"You've now learned the S-rank Breathing Technique, entered the martial ranks, and received an A-rank martial skill. Your future is destined to reach the pinnacle of martial arts, to ascend to the Grandmaster realm..."

"As for your ex-boyfriend, at Vocational College he can only practice a B-rank Breathing Technique. Moreover, without famous teachers to guide him, he probably can't even grasp the B-rank Breathing Technique properly. He might be struggling to guide Qi into his body right now. By the time he succeeds, we might have already learned our A-rank martial skills..."

"Perhaps your feelings were good in the past, but that was then. You... are different now..."

"He chose a dead-end path with no future himself. You are no longer in the same world..."

"Yes, we are no longer in the same world."

Hearing Shen Ninger's words, Gu Qingyao clenched her fists slightly, her gaze becoming much more resolute...

"Let those past feelings drift away with the wind..."

...