Chapter 20: The Great Perfection of the Five Elements

Ever since Xiao Yang defeated Ling Du Fei and became the leader of the freshman division, his reputation soared. All the freshmen believed that Xiao Yang was destined for greatness, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would at least become a grandmaster in the future.

With such astonishing martial potential, coupled with his handsome appearance, he naturally became the object of desire for many girls. Luo Bing’s bold seduction was merely the beginning. The daughters of noble families maintained their dignity, only proposing dates to Xiao Yang, while those from ordinary backgrounds employed every trick in the book to catch his attention.

Some would “accidentally” bump into him while walking, others would suddenly fall beside him as he passed by, and some pursued him openly and fervently. Their goal was singular: to win Xiao Yang’s heart and become his companion.

Like Luo Bing, very few took the initiative to offer themselves at night—though it wasn’t unheard of. Three nights later, another girl with good looks and a fine figure secretly knocked on Xiao Yang’s door.

Having resisted Luo Bing’s advances, Xiao Yang was naturally impervious to the allure of other women. He remained disciplined and unmoved. Each day, he poured his heart into opening his acupoints in the inheritance chamber, and at night, he held beast crystals to absorb and cultivate energy.

Time passed swiftly—half a month went by.

On July 28th, Xiao Yang opened all his acupoints, unblocked his meridians, and finally reached the moment to receive the true martial inheritance.

Lu Fang, the instructor of Class 288, led Xiao Yang into a body attribute testing chamber. Lu Fang, a fourth-grade martial artist and one of the university’s most ordinary mentors, treated Xiao Yang with great respect due to his astonishing potential.

Lu Fang explained, “The university holds martial inheritances of various attributes, so we must first test your body’s attributes. Only by cultivating an inheritance that matches your body’s attribute can you achieve twice the results with half the effort.”

Xiao Yang nodded slightly and entered a machine at Lu Fang’s guidance.

The machine soon began scanning Xiao Yang’s entire body. On the wall ahead, a large screen remained blank at first, but as the scan progressed, changes appeared.

At the bottom of the screen, five glowing spheres appeared simultaneously, colored gold, green, black, red, and yellow.

Lu Fang saw the five colors appear at once and shook his head slightly. These colors represented the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—which meant Xiao Yang possessed all five elements.

Usually, bodies with all five elements are balanced, with no dominant attribute. The university’s martial inheritances are divided into two levels: inferior and superior. Inferior inheritances are easy to cultivate but have lower limits; superior inheritances are harder but offer higher potential.

According to experience, any martial artist, no matter how ordinary, can cultivate an inferior inheritance. However, superior inheritances require certain body attributes.

Body attributes are divided into three quality levels: inferior, intermediate, and superior. If only one sphere of a color appears, it means the attribute is inferior.

Superior inheritances correspond to a specific attribute at the superior level.

If all five elements are inferior, one cannot cultivate any superior inheritance.

Inferior inheritances typically allow cultivation up to sixth-grade martial artist; even with exceptional talent and luck, one might advance to seventh-grade grandmaster at most.

Superior inheritances, given sufficient talent, guarantee at least seventh-grade grandmaster, and achieving ninth-grade is not difficult. With luck, one may even become a Martial King.

Xiao Yang became a martial artist at eighteen and possessed powerful spiritual strength. His talent was among the highest in martial history. If he cultivated a superior inheritance, he would almost certainly become a grandmaster, with a glimmer of hope to become a Martial King.

Such rare talent, of course Lu Fang hoped Xiao Yang could cultivate a superior inheritance, so humanity might gain another top expert.

However, possessing all five elements meant Xiao Yang’s attributes were scattered; achieving a superior level in any one would be difficult.

The machine continued scanning Xiao Yang’s body.

Soon, changes appeared on the screen again: five more glowing spheres of the five colors emerged. Now, there were two rows of spheres.

Lu Fang’s gaze grew more astonished.

Usually, a body with all five elements is balanced, so it’s rare for any attribute to reach intermediate quality. Having one or two at that level is already impressive.

Yet Xiao Yang’s body showed all five attributes at intermediate quality.

This made Lu Fang feel a pang of regret. If the ten spheres were concentrated in three attributes, he could have reached superior quality in three, allowing him to choose among three superior inheritances.

But now, Xiao Yang’s screen displayed ten spheres, with none at the superior level; he was still limited to inferior inheritances.

Lu Fang had seen other geniuses with only five or six spheres, but because they were concentrated, one color appeared three times, reaching superior quality. Such people cultivated superior inheritances and became grandmasters.

If Xiao Yang, due to his body attributes, couldn’t cultivate a superior inheritance, he would have to rely on luck to become a grandmaster. This meant starting a step behind others, wasting his extraordinary talent.

Lu Fang stared at the screen, hoping for another sphere to appear, just one attribute at superior quality.

As he hoped, the screen changed again—five more spheres appeared simultaneously.

Each color now had three spheres.

Metal: superior.

Wood: superior.

Water: superior.

Fire: superior.

Earth: superior.

Lu Fang, who had been waiting in anticipation, was instantly dumbfounded.

Others in the testing chamber also stared wide-eyed, full of shock.

All five attributes at superior quality—this was miraculous.

Such a physique was rare in martial history, having appeared only three times, known as the Five Elements Perfection Physique.

The three martial artists who possessed this physique were legendary.

One was already a Martial King.

One was the most outstanding ninth-grade grandmaster, the most promising candidate for Martial King in all of Dragon Country.

The third had fallen midway.

Regardless of the one who perished, the two living Five Elements Perfection martial artists—one was a Martial King, the other most likely to become one.

With such odds, there was a fifty percent chance of becoming a Martial King.

If the ninth-grade grandmaster also became a Martial King, it would be a one hundred percent chance.

Of course, with so few cases, the statistics were imprecise, but it demonstrated the potential of the Five Elements Perfection Physique.

Lu Fang and the others stared at the fifteen spheres on the screen; Xiao Yang’s talent far exceeded their expectations.

Lu Fang had thought it would be impressive if Xiao Yang reached superior quality in one attribute, but all five? Now, Xiao Yang could choose freely among the superior inheritances of Jiangnan Martial University.

The machine stopped, and Xiao Yang stepped down.

Lu Fang looked at Xiao Yang, his eyes glowing, even more respectful. “Xiao Yang, your physique is truly Five Elements Perfection. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Xiao Yang smiled lightly. “Does this mean I can cultivate any superior inheritance?”

Lu Fang nodded. “Exactly. With all five attributes at superior quality, I recommend you cultivate the Five Elements Qi Control Technique. This inheritance encompasses all five attributes and is more comprehensive than any single-attribute superior inheritance.”

Xiao Yang knew of the Five Elements Qi Control Technique; all four martial universities possessed it, but few could cultivate it.

Because the requirements were so high, only those with the Five Elements Perfection Physique could practice it.

Thus, only three people in all of Dragon Country had ever cultivated this technique—the previous three who possessed Five Elements Perfection, one now dead, one a top ninth-grade grandmaster, and one a Martial King.

News of Xiao Yang’s Five Elements Perfection Physique quickly reached the university leadership. Director Lin Shaofeng was overjoyed.

Ling Du Fei had not yet completed opening his acupoints and meridians, while Xiao Yang already had, surpassing him in both strength and cultivation speed.

Now, in terms of physique, Xiao Yang was far ahead of Ling Du Fei.

The Five Elements Perfection Physique was among the strongest in martial history. Lin Shaofeng doubted Ling Du Fei could possess such an extraordinary body.

Inferior inheritances could be taught directly by instructors.

Superior inheritances required approval from university leaders and were taught by grandmasters.

As for the Five Elements Qi Control Technique, no one at Jiangnan Martial University had cultivated it; only a copy of the inheritance remained, which Xiao Yang had to study on his own.

Of course, grandmasters had rich cultivation experience and deep insights into martial arts. Though Lin Shaofeng, an eighth-grade grandmaster, had never cultivated the Five Elements Qi Control Technique, he could still explain its key points and guide Xiao Yang.

With all his acupoints open and meridians unblocked, learning the inheritance was not difficult.

Under Lin Shaofeng’s guidance, Xiao Yang mastered the Five Elements Qi Control Technique in about three days.

Once he learned the inheritance, the energy within his body condensed into inner power, flowing through his meridians in cycles—a single cycle being one “round,” repeated endlessly.

During circulation, the body produced a devouring force toward the spiritual energy in the world; each meridian entry could continuously absorb spiritual energy.

The Five Elements Qi Control Technique required the absorbed spiritual energy to be refined into five-element inner power; compared to single-attribute techniques, it needed almost five times the spiritual energy to produce the same amount of inner power.

This meant the Five Elements Qi Control Technique was five times harder to cultivate than a single superior inheritance.

At equal absorption rates, cultivation speed would be five times slower.

Yet, the difficulty brought benefits—the refined five-element inner power was much stronger than single-attribute inner power. The same amount enhanced physical strength and explosive power far more.

Moreover, the stronger the inner power, the stronger the foundation. When reaching higher levels, such as becoming a grandmaster, cultivation would be smoother, and breakthroughs to even higher realms would be easier.

Overall, the advantages of the Five Elements Qi Control Technique outweighed its drawbacks.

Thus, anyone qualified should practice this technique.

That night, Xiao Yang held a beast crystal, cultivating the Five Elements Qi Control Technique.

He felt pure spiritual energy streaming from the beast crystal into his body, at a speed ten times faster than his previous natural absorption.

Previously, it took three nights to absorb one beast crystal.

Now, in barely an hour, he absorbed a whole crystal, feeling a marked improvement in his cultivation.

Xiao Yang was overjoyed. With such speed, breaking through to second-grade martial artist wouldn’t take long.

Other talented students might need a year or two to go from first to second grade, but at Xiao Yang’s pace, it might only take a few months.

In a few days, the Book of Hyperdimensions would open again, allowing Xiao Yang to enter the hyperdimensional world, further accelerating his cultivation and bringing forward his breakthrough to second grade.

Having mastered the inheritance, Xiao Yang would enter the lower grades tomorrow to train with other first-grade martial artist students.

It seemed he wouldn’t stay in the lower grades for long before moving up to the middle grades, to interact with second-grade students.

Xiao Yang imagined the astonishment of other students and couldn’t help but smile.

It looked as though he would soon be in the spotlight again. Xiao Yang sighed inwardly: I’d like to keep a low profile, but my strength won’t allow it! Ah, what can I do?

The next morning, Xiao Yang packed his room.

Today, he had to leave the freshman division and report to the Heavenly Pivot Institute. Given his excellence, he would naturally join the top boys’ division.

News of Xiao Yang mastering the inheritance had already spread among the freshmen; everyone knew today was his day to enter the Heavenly Pivot Institute.

He had spent barely twenty days in the freshman division before mastering the inheritance—a pace that nearly broke records.

News of Xiao Yang’s Five Elements Perfection Physique had also spread, astonishing nearly all the freshmen.

In this era of martial artists and monsters, humans competed only constructively, all eager for the emergence of more strong individuals.

Thus, with his high talent and exceptional physique, Xiao Yang was in the limelight, with no effort from the university to conceal his abilities.

Opening his door, he found Xu Ruqing waiting in the courtyard. She had specially requested leave today to see him off.

The two exchanged smiles, saying nothing, but their feelings were clear in their eyes; each understood the other’s heart.

Xiao Yang and Xu Ruqing walked out together, the handsome man and beautiful woman, like a golden couple.

Ling Du Fei, watching through the door crack, saw them leave, his face filled with both disappointment and intense unwillingness.

In their direct duel, Ling Du Fei was soundly defeated.

At the time, Ling Du Fei had boasted he would surpass Xiao Yang in inheritance mastery and cultivation, always remaining ahead.

But now, in terms of inheritance mastery, Xiao Yang had far outpaced Ling Du Fei.

Watching Xiao Yang’s figure disappear, Ling Du Fei instinctively clenched his fists, tightly.

“I, the proud scion of the Ling family of Magic City, absolutely cannot lose to you—never!”

Ling Du Fei vowed inwardly, biting his lip, his eyes burning with determination.

He clenched so hard his face twisted with strain.