Chapter 376: Secret Techniques and Reforms (4600-Word Chapter, Requesting Monthly Votes)

"The 'Diamond Fist: Lower Volume' consists of fifteen forms, derived from the six forms of the Upper Volume and further divided into five forms each for the three distinct abilities: 【Jin Feng】, 【Jin Gang】, and 【Jin Guang】."

"First is the most common 【Jin Feng】."

"Divided into five forms: Break the Void, Thousand Shadows, Split the Earth, Protect the Body, and Unify as One!"

"Each technique is both a fist method and a way to control the 【Jin Feng】 ability!"

The burly man spoke slowly as he began practicing the fist forms; Lin Qi could tell the man had awakened the 【Jin Feng】 ability.

When speaking of the five 【Jin Feng】 forms, he was calm and confident.

At the same time, the golden edges on his body grew sharper!

The man swung his fist; golden energy gathered along his arms, and his punch slashed forward like a blade.

The surrounding air seemed sliced apart, unleashing violent gales.

"The source of special abilities lies in the warrior's blood qi energy; when activated, the punch strikes as sharply as a blade or sword, capable of severing all things."

"First form of the Lower Volume: Break the Void."

"Concentrate the edges, guide the 【Jin Feng】 energy, gradually mastering its condensation and release. During cultivation, coordinate with breathing and focus your mental energy intensely to direct it..."

As Lin Qi listened to the man's description, he felt the astonishing difficulty involved.

It required coordination of breathing, mental energy, consciousness, all muscles, force, and 【Jin Feng】 energy.

Extremely complex, with very high difficulty.

No wonder the Upper Volume must be perfected first.

He guessed other awakened geniuses might need to reach the third-rank fist realm to perfect the Upper Volume.

Only then could they begin cultivating the Lower Volume.

While thinking, Lin Qi also assumed the fist stance; the forms were similar, but the requirements in other aspects had multiplied.

"Huh~"

He took a deep breath; the patterns on his skin began glowing golden, and the 【Jin Feng】 ability activated.

He clenched his fist; his muscles tensed, large and fine muscle groups moving in rhythm with his breath.

His fist swung like a hammer, stirring powerful winds; his mental energy sank into his body, sensing the movement of 【Jin Feng】 energy, guiding it to flow like blood qi within.

Halfway through the form, he felt his body change—his knuckles burned as if countless fine needles were skittering beneath his skin.

His mental energy gradually began to control the 【Jin Feng】 energy inside.

Though only a slight mastery, it was enough to make Lin Qi feel pleased.

This was a systematic cultivation method; continuing would only strengthen his control over 【Jin Feng】.

Not like before, when he was clueless and used it crudely.

The burly man continued swinging his fists:

"Second form: Thousand Shadows."

"Channel mental energy to guide the edges' division, simultaneously controlling multiple edges, accelerating blood flow throughout the body, and maintaining intense mental focus to control them..."

Lin Qi's mental energy now exceeded 400, his perception extremely sharp; combined with his Heart's Eye talent, he subtly permeated every corner of his body.

As he executed the form, he controlled the edges.

Next came Protect the Body, Split the Earth, and Unify as One.

Though only five simple forms, each had over ten variations, and the muscle engagement differed completely.

It demanded immense physical stamina, and the final form, Unify as One, was the most difficult.

After one full round, he could only roughly perform it—he couldn't yet execute it fully.

"Bang! Bang!!"

"Hummm!!"

As he practiced the fist forms, Lin Qi's face flushed red, golden light radiating from his entire body.

The edges on his skin began to shift.

After completing the entire set, a wave of exhaustion washed over him.

Both his mental and physical energy had been significantly depleted.

Lin Qi's eyes gleamed as he sensed the restless 【Jin Feng】 energy within.

He stared at his fist, suddenly exerting force; 【Jin Feng】 energy erupted, his blood qi boiled, his mental energy focused intensely, his will seemingly merging into the fist technique.

The burly man in the video continued speaking.

"The Lower Volume of the 'Diamond Fist' also has four realms: Entry, Minor Completion, Major Completion, and Perfection."

"Each breakthrough greatly elevates your fist realm."

"Until Unify as One, when the Lower Volume is perfected, you achieve perfect control over 【Jin Feng】 energy—free as your own limbs."

【You began cultivating the 'Diamond Fist: Upper Volume.' You completed one round; Upper Volume perfected. Fist skill +2%.】

【You began cultivating the 'Diamond Fist: Lower Volume.' You began learning to control the special ability 【Jin Feng】. Your insight is exceptional; your understanding of the fist forms has greatly improved. Fist skill +5%.】

【Fist skill: Third Rank 92% → Third Rank 99%.】

…

Lin Qi stared at the fist skill data on his panel.

His realm had already reached Third Rank 99%; the next step was the Fourth Rank's realm of intent.

He had already sensed the elusive realm of intent.

He believed he would soon comprehend the Diamond Fist's realm of intent; once achieved, the spear's realm of intent wouldn't be far behind.

It would trigger a chain reaction, greatly elevating his martial arts.

Thinking of this, Lin Qi rested briefly, then began practicing spear techniques.

He could even feel his spear realm loosening, drawing closer to mastering his third killing technique.

…

After the semester began, the intense cultivation environment resumed.

Everyone plunged into intense training.

Lin Qi's classes decreased; more lessons now focused on martial arts general knowledge.

Starting in sophomore year, they studied war: disaster beasts' invasions and how war bases resisted beast waves.

They needed to learn more about firearms, battlefield deployment, and potential scenarios.

By junior year, courses would further reduce; by senior year, many students would be deployed directly to the frontlines to resist beast waves.

The next day, the 'Diamond Fist' fist manual was delivered.

In the martial arts room, Lin Qi slowly opened a metal box the size of a shoebox; inside were only one or two golden manuals.

They were the Upper and Lower Volumes of the 'Diamond Fist.'

He picked up the Lower Volume and began reading.

He studied its key points.

"Special abilities enhance human combat power; with their enhancement, low-rank warriors can attain the capabilities of high-rank warriors."

"For example, force projection, force shielding, force condensation into edges..."

Lin Qi nodded; as his blood qi increased, his physical attributes improved, and each strike generated more powerful force.

Like a stream flowing into a waterfall, then a lake, finally reaching the ocean—force gradually grew immense.

More force meant more internal source energy; force rode on source energy like internal energy in martial arts tales.

It could leave the body for ranged attacks or coalesce into a shield on the surface to effectively resist both physical and special ability damage.

Force projection is achievable at the fourth rank; force shielding is a fifth-rank trait; condensing force into blade, spear, or sword edges is a sixth-rank trait.

Once awakened, one can easily achieve these feats through special abilities, greatly boosting combat power.

Lin Qi felt he could already perform force projection and shielding; with practice, he could condense force into edges too.

Special abilities also directly enable cross-rank combat.

Lin Qi continued reading; the Lower Volume was much thicker than the Upper Volume, with far more cultivation content.

Countless cultivation points, densely packed.

"After mastering all five forms of the Lower Volume, you can fuse them with weapon techniques and even killing moves, greatly enhancing their power."

Lin Qi thought of his battle with Yu Yu Zhuoran yesterday.

His 【Jin Feng】 shielding had been easily pierced; if he had perfected the 'Protect the Body' form, it wouldn't have happened.

And in the final clash of killing moves, Yu Yu Zhuoran fused lightning with his technique, greatly amplifying its power.

His control over lightning was extremely refined.

Unlike himself, who relied on brute force—like smashing bricks with raw strength—to overpower Yu Yu Zhuoran with sheer physical power.

Once he better controlled 【Jin Feng】 energy, perhaps he could enhance his own techniques as elegantly.

He continued reading, noting that using special abilities consumed immense stamina.

【Jin Feng】 energy was fixed in quantity; using it drained stamina heavily, but the more precisely you controlled it, the greater the damage dealt and the less stamina consumed.

This reminded him of body control—fist cultivation trained him to master more muscles, wasting no ounce of force.

Special abilities were another form of power; they too needed mastery like muscles—fully controlled and released with precise coordination.

This process greatly advanced his force control and benefited his spear skills.

After all, compared to wild-horse special abilities, force was far easier to master.

Lin Qi read and pondered, memorizing every passage he encountered.

Soon he reached the final section.

"Special powers are forces of nature; beyond ranged attacks, they greatly enhance combat power."

It primarily enhances strength, speed, and defense; once the fist technique is perfected, it doubles combat power in all three aspects.

Lin Qi's heart stirred—he had first used the 【Jin Feng】 power and his punch strength had already increased by at least 1.5 times.

So if he could master it perfectly, could he unleash double the power?

Such a powerful ability would crush ordinary martial artists.

Without awakening, he had to activate 【Dual Stage: Jin Gang Transformation】 just to have a chance of victory.

!

"When the fist technique is perfected, one may begin cultivating the secret technique to achieve even greater combat power enhancement."

After reading this, Lin Qi exhaled slowly, his eyes gleaming.

Secret technique?

So double enhancement isn't the limit?

It can make combat power even stronger?

He began to feel a flicker of anticipation, though he had only just begun cultivating the *Golden Fist: Lower Scroll*.

He was still at the very beginning—far from reaching perfection.

Thinking of this, he resumed his cultivation.

…

Afterward, Lin Qi returned to his normal cultivation routine, with more daily tasks.

Each morning and evening, he cultivated the Intermediate Source-Energy Technique: *White Gold Demon Tiger Evolution Method*.

The Source-Energy in the martial chamber was dense; he absorbed vast amounts, and though his blood value didn't rise, it all lay hidden within his body.

He had a premonition: once he broke through to the Fifth Realm—Internal Organ Cultivation—his blood value would surge explosively.

Besides Source-Energy cultivation, he trained in the Spirit Refinement Tower, the Gravity Chamber, and the Catastrophe Beast Trial Tower.

He also practiced daily: *Golden Fist*, *Thousand Calamities Scroll*, *Shake-Mountain Spear Technique*, *Transforming Rainbow Spear Technique*, *Lei Ying Instant Kill Step*…

He felt there was never enough time in a day.

Yet being immersed in cultivation, feeling his strength grow bit by bit each day—this feeling was truly addictive.

…

In the blink of an eye, a week passed.

In the grand conference room of the Chi Xiao Building, Ten Colleges.

This was the largest conference room in Cangqiong Martial University.

Around the massive circular black table sat ten people—the deans and vice-deans of the Ten Colleges.

Behind them, on smart chairs, sat other leaders from each college.

Xu Wen, seated at the head, spoke slowly:

"I've called you all here for a small meeting—and to chat."

"Dean Li has departed for the other world; you needn't feel undue pressure."

After Xu Wen spoke, everyone exhaled in relief.

With Li Li Qifeng, a ninth-rank martial artist, present, everyone felt pressure.

Xu Wen continued:

"The school will increase rewards for all major competitions."

"We hope students will cultivate harder."

Everyone nodded—they had sensed that as the situation grew grimmer, the responsibility on the shoulders of geniuses in this elite training ground grew heavier.

Whether for money or to protect their homeland, most would soon march onto the battlefield to fight Catastrophe Beasts.

And the main force against Catastrophe Beasts would be these geniuses.

Xu Wen continued:

"The higher-ups have decided to implement a new training method for awakened geniuses."

"They believe awakened geniuses lack sufficient competition—they must become stronger."

The leaders nodded; awakened geniuses indeed had it easier than ordinary ones.

Many of them were awakened geniuses themselves, and now as leaders, the difference was even clearer.

Though there were rankings and global freshman competitions, martial arts tournaments—all held once a year—they couldn't feel constant gaps.

They couldn't sense daily progress or regression.

Dean Liu also nodded; last semester, they had introduced Lin Qi as a "catfish" into the Ten Colleges' competition.

It had sparked a sense of crisis among them.

The results proved excellent—reform was inevitable.

Xu Wen projected vast amounts of data and began explaining:

"After negotiations, we've drafted the initial version."

"Our three top academies, the military, and the ten elite universities will collaborate."

"We will establish a new academy at the Cangqiong Base in the other world, specifically as a training camp for awakened geniuses."

"All awakened geniuses will be enrolled, competing together—including SSS-ranked geniuses."

"Four grades, encompassing all S, SS, and SSS geniuses."

"All treated equally, competing together."

As soon as the proposal was revealed, everyone was stunned.

Good heavens—this was bold indeed. In this academy, S-ranked geniuses would be the weakest students; only SS-ranked could be considered upper-tier.

The strongest were SSS-ranked geniuses—could they already feel the intense competitive atmosphere?

Vice-Dean Xu Wen continued:

"On August 15, after the Catastrophe Beast Hunting Competition, the reform will officially begin."

"Many leaders and instructors will also travel to the other world…"

He continued detailing the training camp's rules.

Everyone's expressions turned grave; they felt the tide of history rolling forward—they were all part of it.

This reform would shape the future of Xia Nation.

Half an hour later, the meeting ended, and people began chatting.

The dean of College One spoke up: "I feel the higher-ups are in a hurry."

"Though the current situation is dire, optimistically speaking, with our system and steadily rising overall strength…"

"According to projections, our Blue Planet will eventually repel the Catastrophe Beasts."

"And we have Chi Di—he's on another level. I'm certain he could slay ten ninth-rank Catastrophe Beasts even if they surrounded him."

"With Chi Di guarding us, humanity faces no extinction threat."

"Yet I sense that ninth-rank martial artists are deeply anxious about the future."

At his words, others nodded in agreement—they too harbored this doubt.

With Chi Di's power guarding Blue Planet, how many ninth-rank Catastrophe Beasts came, how many died.

Yet they still sought to train endlessly in the other world, searching for opportunities to grow stronger.

"Perhaps it's related to the Insect Clan!" someone spoke up.

"Though inferior to humans, the Insect Clan possesses top-tier technology and strength—they may one day surpass us entirely."

"And unlike Catastrophe Beasts, the Insect Clan possesses greater intelligence."

Everyone nodded; this was a major concern for many.

"Could it be related to the 【Relics】?"

Xue Zhou, in a blue robe, spoke lazily.

"Besides the Insect Clan, another civilization left behind 【Relics】."

"We humans have merely gained a fraction of their legacy—and already produced countless experts."

"What if a powerful civilization suddenly descended?"

At Xue Zhou's words, everyone fell silent.

…

(End of Chapter)