Chapter 88: Great Achievement Level

Jiang Ding stepped out and was met with a chorus of cheers.

“Not bad, kid!”

Sun Xiao and the other male classmates gathered around him, slapping his shoulders: “You’ve avenged us.”

“Top ten is guaranteed.”

“That’s enough—we’ve never been good at solo combat anyway. Top ten is fine. We’ll make them cry in the practical exam.”

Someone offered reassurance.

“Yeah, alright.”

Jiang Ding couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry—our class’s morale was too good, making him feel like a fragile soul who’d jump off a building if he lost next.

“Pfft! You’re really dreaming!”

The students from No. 7 Middle School sneered.

“We’ve got Li Tie at Qi Refining Eighth Layer. You think you can beat us? Dream on. And you’re not even sure you’ll make top ten in Inner Qi—just cowards!”

“Heh, tough talk. Who’s the coward, blind man?”

The two sides began hurling insults again, defending the collective honor of No. 1 and No. 7 Middle School, with many Qi Refining students spitting saliva everywhere.

There was no dignity left.

Nearby, the Canghai Small Realm’s Yun Zong cultivators stood in rigid formation, exchanging puzzled glances.

Isn’t this just some mortal brawl?

Why treat it with such solemnity?

Besides, the immortal sect’s spells are terrifying—in the secret realm, they have near-infinite substitute-death talismans, unlike us, who are as lowly as ants, with worthless lives that vanish the moment they die.

Of course, no one thought it unfair.

Just as they viewed the humble scattered cultivators of Canghai Small Realm, immortal sect disciples naturally could take their lives in jest—merely because it was a trial.

In the cultivation world, the strong rule—it’s only natural.

The exam progressed steadily, and soon, No. 1 Middle School’s Inner Qi cold-weapon combatants were almost entirely wiped out, pushed beyond fifteenth place.

Sun Xiao sighed: “If this were some ‘warrior-dominated’ small world, all of us would be dead meat—we simply can’t match those bastards from No. 7.”

“You’re still dead meat? I’m not even human anymore.”

Li Junhao wore a gloomy face, finally recovering—he’d surrendered outright after his first match.

“Haha!”

Everyone laughed, but there was little despair.

In the end, immortal sects value cultivation realm and academic scores above all. Though we couldn’t beat No. 7, our scores were only five to fifteen points behind—we could easily make up the difference elsewhere.

After all, the entire cold-weapon exam awarded only twenty-five points for Inner Qi.

In the future, whether joining the military or seeking jobs, we’d have no disadvantage—in fact, we’d have an edge over No. 7 students with the same scores, making high-paying positions easier to land.

“Next contestant: Jiang Ding, enter the arena.”

“Contestant…”

The chatterers turned their gaze to the last remaining figure in the sky—other matches had ended; now came the round of sixteen, where winners advanced to the top eight, pulling far ahead in scores.

Jiang Ding gripped his sword hilt and opened his eyes.

The ground was blanketed in yellow sand; dozens of meters away, towering tornadoes churned—carelessness meant being swept up. Visibility was high, and the earth bore countless depressions beneath his feet.

“Perfect! Luck’s on my side!”

A short student from No. 7, having learned from Wu Jinqian’s mistakes, guarded tightly, conserving every bit of inner energy—yet he’d drawn the impossible-to-hide desert terrain.

Overjoyed, he didn’t hesitate—he seized a heavy broadsword and charged forward.

“Damn!”

Sun Xiao smacked his thigh: “Why did he get this terrain? Xiao Lianxi Shu won’t work here!”

Others also sighed in regret.

“Ah, well—there’s still the resurrection match for ninth to sixteenth place. Top ten’s still possible.”

“Bad luck…”

“Wait!”

Li Junhao frowned, raising his hand: “Jiang Ding always beats you guys in cold weapons despite lower levels—he never learned Xiao Lianxi Shu then. Why can’t he do it now?”

Sun Xiao, Li Hu, and others fell silent.

*Clang!*

Jiang Ding didn’t dodge—he drew his sword, and a precise half-arc of light flashed.

The sword tip struck the broadsword’s side; the intensely condensed sword aura pierced through layers of thick blade qi, reached the blade’s body, and erupted in blinding sparks.

Though his inner energy was weaker, he’d used one unit to erase several!

Where sword met blade, a massive portion of inner energy surged through the tip—only to be stripped layer by layer before it could enter the opponent’s meridians, vanishing entirely.

Even when cultivating the same technique, a lower minor realm could still stand perfectly equal in direct confrontation!

The short student’s face darkened—he had no time to change tactics before a swift sword thrust aimed straight for his throat, faster than lightning. He barely managed to pull his blade back in defense, blocking the tip.

In his rushed maneuver, his vast true qi network couldn’t fully mobilize—and at the point of contact, Jiang Ding’s qi concentrated its breakthrough, creating a kind of local numerical advantage.

“Get off!”

The short student couldn’t exert force, felt like vomiting blood—he slashed hard, a brilliant blade flash cutting through air, then retreated swiftly, seeking a breath to replenish his qi.

Jiang Ding thrust again—though slower than the opponent’s, it arrived first, piercing through the blade qi and closing in on his chest, forcing him to scramble even more to recall inner energy for defense—his situation worsened.

One thrust, two thrusts…

Each strike landed precisely at the moment the short student’s blade was poised to strike but couldn’t unleash full force—his cuts grew weaker and weaker, no matter how he roared.

This was a vast gap in sword art!

On the third thrust, the blade, slowed beyond recovery, could no longer block—it was pierced through the throat. Sword qi surged in, shredding all organs.

The short student froze, his furious pupils dimming, his body collapsing limply.

Jiang Ding withdrew his sword, shook off the blood, and sheathed it.

Outside, silence fell.

“...You’re right.”

Sun Xiao said to Li Junhao: “I saw myself in that No. 7 guy’s eyes during cultivation class.”

“Great Achievement Sword Art!”

Compared to them, the No. 7 warriors understood far better—they stared fixedly at the slowly fading figure on screen.

To overcome a stronger opponent like this? This was unquestionably Great Achievement-level Sword Art from the *Chu Ying Qi Fei Jue*—no, this wasn’t overcoming strength with weakness; it was strength overwhelming weakness. Inner Qi rank doesn’t always determine true power.

“It’s more than that.”

Jiang Jinxian’s face grew grave: “There are too many traces of the *Chu Ying Qi Fei Jue* in his techniques. I suspect his cultivation technique has also reached Great Achievement.”

Those around him were stunned.

The former meant skill; the latter, Great Achievement in the Dao—meaning his cultivation speed would skyrocket. Right now he could still win with inner energy advantage, but soon he won’t even have that chance!

The best martial talent in their No. 7 Middle School had barely reached Minor Achievement in technique.

“Don’t worry—his talent is terrible. Even with Great Achievement technique enhancement, his cultivation speed won’t accelerate much.”

Jiang Jinxian said, a fierce battle intent rising within him.

In the examination room.

“What a pity.”

Jin Dazheng sighed: “Such outstanding martial talent should’ve applied to our No. 7 Middle School—then his strength today wouldn’t be this limited.”

“What do you know?”

Zhang Dingjun sneered: “Beyond talent, Great Achievement techniques require deep immortal knowledge as a foundation to activate. Does your No. 7 have enough academic teaching strength?”

“Only brute force and aggression—your power surges fast at first, then dwindles ever more.”

Jin Dazheng fell silent.