168: Chapter 168 Bulldozers, Staking Out, Add-ons, and the Real Benefits!

"Race Template Upgrade..."

Lu Qingyun stood at the entrance of the Government Affairs Hall, his fingertips burning slightly, his heart pounding uncontrollably.

He knew exactly what this thing was worth.

From the unremarkable white Slime at the very beginning to the later blue Slime Overlord, just two template upgrades had unlocked two major racial abilities: All-Attribute Adaptation and Body Control.

Just the Flesh Control alone had forcibly pushed his survivability to an absurd level.

If it upgraded one more level...

"On par with the Dharma Aspect Realm?"

Lu Qingyun's mouth curled into a grin, a flash of crazed fighting spirit in his eyes. "On par? That's an understatement."

Previously, he had been calculating, thinking the heavenly demon stone was the top priority and the Martial Arts Tournament was just for fun; at worst, he could just wait for the champion to be decided and then steal it.

Anyway, given his strength, intercepting a young martial artist in the Jingdu area would be child's play.

But things were different now.

With the system mission laid out before him, the temptation of a Race Template Upgrade was more than ten times greater than a mere heavenly demon stone.

"It seems... I have to cosplay as a bulldozer now."

"If I just bulldoze through everything with brute force, would it feel good?"

He slowly raised his head, his aura sinking for an instant without warning.

No Divine Intent pressure leaked out, yet it was as if an ancient beast was slowly opening its eyes beneath his skin, an invisible oppression spreading out along the hall's glass.

Behind the window, Lin Wanzhao was lowering her head to organize registration forms when she suddenly stiffened, her hair standing on end as if she had been targeted by some apex predator, and she subconsciously held her breath.

She snapped her head up, but outside the window, only a tall, receding figure remained.

Sunlight fell on the person's shoulders; he clearly looked like a young, handsome man, but that momentary palpitation she had felt was terrifyingly real.

"Universe Invincible Tyrannosaurus God of War... I can't even..."

Lin Wanzhao looked down at the information form she had just entered, her gaze landing on the line for Realm: Temporarily Sky-Flying Realm, her brows knitting together in a knot.

Temporarily?

There's such a thing as a temporary realm?

Could it be that he could just raise it whenever he wanted?

Meanwhile, in the Jingdu Martial Arts University faculty villa area.

Luo Qing was crouching behind a flower bed by the roadside, standing on tiptoe to gaze at a detached villa, her brows furrowed so tightly she could crush a mosquito.

"Damn Chen Luo, where did he run off to?"

She had been guarding this spot for a whole day and night.

Ever since her family leaked the news that this year's National Martial Arts Tournament Youth Group format included a melee round, she had thought of Chen Luo immediately.

This guy had bizarre tricks, heaven-defying recovery abilities, and HP as thick as a high-tier ferocious beast; standing in front during a fight, he was definitely a human meat shield.

With her providing support and output from behind, she could steadily secure a good result without worrying about being upstaged.

Perfect!

Luo Qing's plan was clicking into place.

But who would have thought, this person had vanished into thin air; the doors were locked tight, and he wasn't even seen at the library.

"This young lady is taking the initiative to team up with you; that's giving you face!"

"And you, you won't even show your face!"

The more Luo Qing thought about it, the angrier she became. Her small hands plucked at the rare spiritual herbs in the flower bed, tearing petals off one by one, using the flowers in her hand to vent her anger on that certain jerk.

"Don't let me catch you, otherwise... otherwise I'll make you my human punching bag for three months!"

"It looks like our little princess is waiting for someone?"

A gentle, middle-aged male voice suddenly came from behind her, carrying a hint of a smile.

Luo Qing's hand trembled, and half the flower in her hand dropped to the ground. She spun around, and upon seeing the person, her pouting face instantly switched to surprise, and she called out crisply: "Grandpa Ming!"

The person who arrived was none other than Master Ming.

He was wearing a simple Zhongshan suit, standing with his hands behind his back, his aura as gentle as water; one couldn't tell at all that he was a Dharma Aspect Realm powerhouse capable of suppressing and killing Divine Intent experts with a flip of his hand.

In terms of actual age, he was already several hundred years old; by seniority, Luo Qing's "Grandpa Ming" was actually underselling it.

Master Ming's gaze swept over the tightly closed door, then looked at the plucked petals on the ground, the smile in his eyes deepening: "What's this? Have you taken a fancy to some young talent that you have to ambush him personally?"

"No way!"

Luo Qing's face flushed red, not from shyness, but from anxiety. She quickly waved her hands: "I'm just... just looking for him to team up for the Martial Arts Tournament! Those bizarre tricks of his are very useful during a melee."

"Oh?" Master Ming raised an eyebrow, deliberately drawing out his tone. "Before, when I told you to go interact more with that stone, you were inconsistent, saying the tempering was too slow and boring. Now that it's become the grand prize of the competition, you suddenly know how to be anxious?"

Hearing this, Luo Qing stiffened her neck, unconvinced: "That's not the same! Before, it was just sitting there and couldn't run away; now it has to be snatched with real ability! Besides, I'm only 29 and already in the late Yukong Realm; in all of China, I'm at the level of a prodigy. Why can't I compete for it?"

"Yes, yes, yes, our Qing'er is a prodigy." Master Ming nodded with a smile, but his tone carried a hint of seriousness: "However, don't think too highly of yourself. This National Martial Arts Tournament is full of hidden talents. With your current strength, just go to gain some experience; don't hold out hope for the top spot."

He paused, then added: "Besides, that stone is, to put it bluntly, just an add-on. The real benefit of this Martial Arts Tournament isn't just for the first-place winner. If you perform well, when the opportunity comes, you will naturally get your share."

"The real benefit?" Luo Qing's eyes lit up, and she quickly asked: "Grandpa Ming, what kind of benefit is it?"

Master Ming smiled and shook his head, not answering.

His gaze landed back on the tightly closed villa door, and he teased: "Alright, I won't disturb you while you wait for your little partner. The romantic entanglements between young people are not something this old man will interfere with."

After saying this, he didn't wait for Luo Qing to retort; his figure flickered, and he vanished from the spot without a sound.

"What romantic entanglements..."

Luo Qing stomped her foot, her cheeks burning. Turning back to look at that cold, unfeeling door, her anger flared up again. She reached out and plucked another handful of petals, gritting her teeth as she muttered: "Chen Luo, you had better not let me catch you!"

"Once I catch you, I will definitely step on you and trample you mercilessly!"