Two identical chills, two identical countdowns.
After multiple attempts, Zhang Yu discovered that the two ritual forces were pushing him in different directions.
One stopped counting down after he absorbed spiritual energy, while the other stopped after he comprehended the Heavenly Martial Diagram.
Zhang Yu became increasingly certain that one of these countdowns was fake.
"It must be the effect of the Heavenly Martial Diagram," he thought.
"Facing my inner fears... so it’s recreating the pressure of the ritual force on me? But I didn’t expect the ritual force recreated by the Heavenly Martial Diagram to conflict with the real one on me."
But which of the two ritual forces was the fake one? The one that stopped counting after he absorbed spiritual energy, or the one that stopped after he comprehended the Heavenly Martial Diagram? Zhang Yu leaned toward the latter but couldn’t make a hasty decision, as the price of choosing wrong was death.
"Which one should I choose?" Listening to the ever-changing countdown in his heart, Zhang Yu was deeply conflicted and couldn’t make a decision.
"Since I can’t choose, I’ll treat both as real."
With a determined gaze, he made up his mind.
He sat down cross-legged and began circulating the Zhou Tian Qi Absorption Technique, drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
As the countdown in his heart continued, from 10 to 5 to 3, he stood up again and turned his attention to the Heavenly Martial Diagram, trying to comprehend a martial art contained within it.
Thus, under the dual pressure of the two countdowns, Zhang Yu alternated between the Zhou Tian Qi Absorption Technique and comprehending the Heavenly Martial Diagram.
Meanwhile, people at the exhibition began to notice Zhang Yu’s peculiar behavior.
The director of Xianyun Group in Songyang City looked at Zhang Yu curiously and said, "This kid is absorbing energy one moment and then standing up to comprehend martial arts the next. What is he seeing?"
Li Xuelian, standing nearby, also glanced at Zhang Yu and mused, "It looks like someone is forcing him to absorb energy. Maybe it’s out of respect for a teacher in real life."
Just then, Zhang Yu changed his actions again, stopping his energy absorption and starting to practice the 36 Body Strengthening Moves.
He had suddenly realized that the countdown that stopped after he absorbed energy might not be forcing him to absorb energy but rather pushing him down the path of studying, cultivating, going to university, and earning money.
So he began to try practicing martial arts while looking at the Heavenly Martial Diagram.
Since he had already mastered the 36 Body Strengthening Moves to the point of muscle memory, he could focus most of his attention on comprehending the diagram.
After this attempt succeeded, he felt that practicing while comprehending was still a bit troublesome, so he took out his phone and tried scrolling through study materials while looking at the diagram.
Finding that this worked too, he even played the study materials aloud, listening to them while comprehending the diagram.
Li Xuelian watched Zhang Yu absorb energy, practice martial arts, and study, and couldn’t help but sigh, "This kid must have an extremely strict teacher behind him, forcing him to work hard, to the point where that teacher has become a figure of great fear in his heart. Now, let’s see if he can break through under all this pressure."
Before she could finish, Zhang Yu suddenly moved away from the Heavenly Martial Diagram, went to the buffet table, grabbed a large plate of seafood, and returned to the diagram, starting to eat while comprehending.
He had suddenly remembered that eating shouldn’t be something the ritual would stop.
Seeing this, Li Xuelian was slightly surprised.
"Oh? He’s breaking through quickly. Under all this pressure, he’s directly adopted a ‘let it be’ mindset? This allows him to face his inner fears and continue comprehending the martial arts in the diagram. Maybe even he hasn’t realized it, but he’s already overcome his fear and passed the test of the diagram, acting normally now."
When a security guard tried to stop Zhang Yu, Li Xuelian waved him off, curious to see how much Zhang Yu could comprehend from the diagram.
As Zhang Yu ate lobster and looked at the diagram, he gradually began to see what martial art the figure was performing.
"It seems to be a set of fist techniques?" The fist techniques weren’t complicated, and after a few glances, Zhang Yu had a rough idea.
But when he looked at his Yu Book, he found no changes, indicating he hadn’t truly learned the martial art, let alone mastered it.
Based on his experience learning basic sword techniques and the Zhou Tian Qi Absorption Technique, he should have been able to see a level 0 display in his Yu Book after just one glance.
"What’s wrong?" Just then, Lian Tianji laughed confidently and said, "I’ve fully comprehended the martial art within. It’s indeed a sophisticated palm technique."
But before he could finish, Qian Shen nearby said, "What palm technique? It’s clearly a leg technique."
Normally, Qian Shen, with a score of 600, wouldn’t dare speak so boldly in front of Lian Tianji, who had a score of 670. But after the mental tempering from the Heavenly Martial Diagram, Qian Shen was at his most daring.
Their argument quickly drew objections from others.
Some argued, "No, no, it’s clearly a blade technique."
Others mocked, "You’re all blind. It’s obviously a finger technique."
Bai Zhenzhen frowned slightly.
What she saw was a sword technique.
Clearly, while Zhang Yu was eating and comprehending, more and more students had finished comprehending the diagram.
Lian Tianji, hearing the discussions, turned to Li Xuelian and asked, "Miss Li, what exactly is the martial art hidden in the diagram?"
Li Xuelian smiled slightly and said, "I can’t tell you what it is. But I’ll remind you all that the diagram has its own mysteries. If anyone here masters the martial art within, the diagram will make it clear."
Everyone understood that if someone mastered the martial art in the diagram, the diagram would give a sign.
Thinking this, Lian Tianji stepped forward confidently.
Lian Tianji, from Ziyun High School, had always been confident as a top student.
After the recent test, his confidence had peaked.
He immediately began demonstrating the palm technique he had comprehended from the diagram.
As he moved, the sound of wind and thunder echoed, and a surge of power and killing intent erupted from his body, as if he could blow the entire exhibition away.
Zhao Tianxing, observing from a distance, was amazed.
"Such high physical strength, such a terrifying palm technique. This is a martial art for combat."
Although Lian Tianji’s physical strength was impressive for a high school freshman, most of the people present were cultivators who had already graduated.
What surprised them more was how proficient Lian Tianji was with the martial art.
Some thought, "Did he really just comprehend this palm technique from the diagram? His movements are so smooth. Ziyun High’s top student is truly a genius among geniuses."
But after Lian Tianji finished demonstrating the palm technique, the Heavenly Martial Diagram remained completely still, showing no reaction.
"How is this possible?" Lian Tianji said in disbelief.
"I’ve clearly mastered the martial art in the diagram. How can it not work?"
Qian Shen chuckled and stepped forward, standing in front of Lian Tianji.
"I told you, it’s a leg technique."
He then demonstrated the martial art he had comprehended from the diagram.
Although not as smooth as Lian Tianji, his movements were still quite skilled.
Bai Zhenzhen frowned again.
"Is this a body refining martial art? Specifically for the legs?"
After Qian Shen finished his demonstration, the Heavenly Martial Diagram still showed no reaction.
"How is this possible?" Qian Shen echoed Lian Tianji’s words, equally incredulous.
One by one, students stepped forward to demonstrate the martial arts they had comprehended.
Twelve students, including Lian Tianji and Qian Shen, demonstrated nine different martial arts: fist, palm, leg, finger, claw, blade, sword, spear, and staff.
Three of them had comprehended the same martial arts as others.
But after all these demonstrations, not a single person managed to elicit a reaction from the Heavenly Martial Diagram.
Lian Tianji couldn’t help but turn to Li Xuelian again and ask, "Miss Li, with so many of us, has no one succeeded?"
Li Xuelian didn’t answer, just shook her head slightly, her eyes showing a hint of disappointment.
Just then, Bai Zhenzhen slowly stepped forward.
Under everyone’s gaze, she used her fingers as a sword and began demonstrating a sword technique.
Although her movements were sharp and skilled, most people quickly lost interest.
After all, two others had already demonstrated sword techniques without eliciting a reaction from the diagram.
But then Bai Zhenzhen’s style suddenly changed.
She used her hand as a blade and demonstrated a blade technique.
Then came fist techniques, palm techniques, leg techniques...
Zhao Tianxing exclaimed, "Has Bai Zhenzhen learned all the martial arts everyone else demonstrated?"
Lian Tianji frowned, thinking, "In such a short time, she’s managed to replicate all the martial arts everyone else showed. Which top high school is she from?"
Qian Shen’s thoughts were similarly turbulent.
He was amazed that Bai Zhenzhen could perform all nine martial arts, but also puzzled.
"Will performing all nine martial arts really work?"
Just then, to everyone’s astonishment, the man in the Heavenly Martial Diagram moved.
He looked at Bai Zhenzhen with a smile, and two words appeared on the scroll: "Well done."
(End of Chapter)