Chapter 26: Mid-Tier Mortal Martial Technique (Tenth Update)

"Alright, I accept your challenge!" Xin Lang was overjoyed in his heart. "A four-star side quest, that's 20 experience points!"

"Xin Lang, no, you can't accept his challenge!" Meng Linglong cried anxiously. "Shi Lang may never have advanced to the Dark Force stage, but he reached the peak of level ten martial apprentice years ago!"

Xin Lang chuckled. "What’s there to be afraid of? He’s a martial arts instructor at Luoyang Academy, and I’m just an ordinary student from Xuyang Academy. If an instructor challenges a student, even if I lose, it’s still an honor! Besides, what if I happen to win? Wouldn’t that be even more glorious?"

"That’s impossible! Shi Lang is a level ten martial apprentice, and you’re only level five. How could you possibly win?" Meng Linglong protested anxiously.

"Well, you never know!" Xin Lang replied with a sly smile. "How about this—if I win against Shi Lang today, Headmaster, will you waive my tuition fees?"

"Alright, as long as you come out unharmed, I’ll exempt your tuition!" Meng Linglong replied.

Shi Lang was taken aback by how readily Xin Lang agreed. He tried to gauge if Xin Lang might be hiding something, but after a moment’s thought, dismissed the concern. "He’s just a level five martial apprentice. Even if he’s suddenly become a genius, it’s impossible to jump five levels in just a few days to match me at level ten. What am I worried about?"

With that thought, Shi Lang regained his confidence and said to Xin Lang and the other two, "Since Xin Lang has accepted my challenge, let’s go inside and compete on Luoyang Academy’s dueling platform."

"No need for all that trouble. Let’s just have the match right here. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can get back to the academy for dinner," Xin Lang replied.

"Go for it, classmate! I’m betting on you!" Qian Baidu cheered from the sidelines.

Several students from Luoyang Academy, led by Luo Shan, cleared a space for Xin Lang and Shi Lang, keeping the onlookers at least fifty meters away.

After the last exchange match between Luoyang and Xuyang Academies, Xin Lang had advanced to level eight martial apprentice and still had 11 experience points saved up. With additional daily quest rewards over the past days, his upgrade device now held a total of 14 experience points.

Facing Shi Lang, a level ten martial apprentice and martial arts instructor, with 20 experience points on the line, Xin Lang dared not be careless. Before the fight began, he quietly leveled up once more, reaching the peak of level nine—now just one level behind Shi Lang.

Xin Lang and Shi Lang stood at the center of the arena, drawing a large crowd of spectators.

"Is this for real? Why is a Luoyang Academy instructor challenging a Xuyang Academy student? Since when did Xuyang students get so formidable?" a bystander asked.

"Xuyang Academy is impressive now—they’ve turned a useless student into a genius, that one in the ring," another replied.

"Turning a nobody into a genius? Can that be true?"

"I saw that Xuyang student a few days ago when he came begging for admission at Luoyang Academy. He knelt at the gate for three days, but Headmaster Luo Shan said his talent was so poor that reaching level three would be a miracle! Now we can see for ourselves what level he’s reached," the second bystander explained.

"Xin Lang, be careful! As a martial arts instructor, Shi Lang definitely knows a mid-tier basic technique. If you feel you can’t win, surrender immediately!" Meng Linglong called out from the sidelines.

"A mid-tier basic technique?" Xin Lang had thought to quickly finish Shi Lang and get back for dinner, but hearing that Shi Lang would use a mid-tier move made him reconsider. He said to Shi Lang, "Show me your mid-tier basic technique!"

"Hmph!" Shi Lang replied with disdain. "To deal with a level five martial apprentice like you, a low-tier basic technique is more than enough! Watch my 'Seventy-Two Tiger Subduing Fists.'"

Though Shi Lang knew Xin Lang’s "Hundred and Eight Dragon Subduing Palms" was powerful, he believed Xin Lang was only level five, so he chose to probe with a low-tier move first.

Xin Lang also knew the "Seventy-Two Tiger Subduing Fists." Though he hadn’t upgraded it to the mid or high tier, in his eyes, the technique was already full of flaws.

"Low-tier basic technique: Hundred and Eight Dragon Subduing Palms!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Palm shadows and fist shadows intertwined as the two clashed. Though both used low-tier basic techniques, Xin Lang was slightly superior, steadily suppressing Shi Lang, the martial arts instructor.

"What’s going on? We’re both using low-tier basics—how could my Seventy-Two Tiger Subduing Fists lose to him?" Alarmed by having his moves countered, Shi Lang increased his strength from level five to level six.

Meng Linglong frowned and said to Qian Baidu beside her, "Shi Lang wasn’t using his full strength just now. If Xin Lang had used his best technique from the start, he might have had a chance, but now... sigh..."

"No, we must have faith in our classmate. He’s the strongest!" Qian Baidu declared, far less pessimistic than Meng Linglong and full of confidence in Xin Lang.

"Level five? That Xuyang Academy student is really just level five!" the first bystander gasped.

"Looks like Xuyang Academy really can turn trash into genius!" the second bystander laughed. "Tomorrow I’ll send my kid there to try it out!"

After exchanging more than ten blows, Xin Lang noticed Shi Lang had increased his strength. Xin Lang’s lips curled in a smile as he too raised his strength to the level six martial apprentice realm.

Now their force was equal, but in technique, Xin Lang still steadily suppressed Shi Lang!

"What? How is this possible? Xin Lang’s strength increased again—he’s reached level six martial apprentice! Wait... no, now he’s level seven!" Meng Linglong exclaimed in shock.

From the moment she first met Xin Lang, he had never ceased to amaze her.

Qian Baidu pumped his fist and said, "I knew it, our classmate is the strongest!"

With each exchange, Shi Lang grew more surprised. Xin Lang had already startled him at the previous exchange match as a level five, but now Xin Lang was at level eight and still showed no sign of exhaustion.

Shi Lang thought, "I can’t hold back any longer! I need to end this quickly!"

"Mid-tier basic technique—Falling Autumn Leaves Finger!"

Suddenly, Shi Lang changed his attack, switching from fists to fingers, unleashing a mid-tier basic technique.

"Falling Autumn Leaves Finger" was Luoyang Academy’s mid-tier basic technique, trained by poking at falling autumn leaves. Since falling leaves follow no predictable path, it required not just quick hands but sharp eyes. The technique’s unpredictability made it as elusive as drifting leaves.

"Good! He’s finally using a mid-tier basic technique!"

PS: The tenth chapter is up! Bai Cai promised ten updates and not a single one less! As long as my brothers support me, Bai Cai's explosive updates will keep coming!