[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-high-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er":3,"chapter-high-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er-high-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er-chapter-38":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","High Martial World: Getting Strong by Grinding Er Lang Shen's Talent",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2330405,4558,"Chapter 38: Promotion Match (Seek Follows)","high-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er-chapter-38",38,"\u003Cp>Lin Qi came alone to Room 503, the Martial Arts Chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had originally belonged to another student, but he dropped out of the top 30 in this month’s exam and lost his Martial Arts Chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had packed up yesterday, without delaying Lin Qi at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire Martial Arts Chamber had been cleaned by intelligent robots, emitting a scent of air freshener.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi stood inside the chamber; the facilities were identical to Jiang Tao’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now it was his own small space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the bathroom, Lin Qi stared at his reflection in the mirror—twenty days had passed since his fusion rate reached 5%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Increasing the fusion rate had become increasingly difficult, but it was enough for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His entire body, inside and out, had undergone a tremendous transformation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His facial contours had fully opened, becoming sharper, more defined, with rugged lines and smooth, refined skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His height had surpassed one meter eighty-five, his frame thick and broad, his shoulders wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His arms resembled two giant serpents, veins bulging like steel cables wrapped tight, brimming with explosive power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His heart beat powerfully, supplying his body with endless strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current Lin Qi stood tall and muscular, radiating a cold, stern aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He resembled the legendary Yang Jian more than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After changing into his martial arts uniform, he began taking Blood-Qi tonic. Blood-Qi capsules had been discarded, replaced by Blood-Qi tonic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With the monthly exam over, it’s time to change my goal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But first, I need to raise my rank in the Red Realm Arena to Star, and claim the 500,000 CNY prize.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Swish, swish~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hiss~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi swung his spear, the spear technique roaring with might, shadows of spears swirling in waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evening, outside Chiqiong Martial Arts Hall\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ding!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Your ICBC card ending in xxx has received 30,000 CNY. Balance: 63,128 CNY】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qi Ge, the scholarship has arrived—I got 50,000 CNY this time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Tao looked at his phone and smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi nodded: “Mine arrived too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 30,000 CNY scholarship was just an appetizer; the talent loans and activity bonuses were the real key.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go. The event ends at midnight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two entered Chiqiong Martial Arts Hall and saw Guo Heng scrolling through videos in the lobby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go. No sparring today—head straight to the virtual room for matches.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You two seize the opportunity. Less than four hours remain until midnight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So many people are here matching. Everyone’s rushing for Star rank. If I hadn’t reserved three spots in advance, there’d be none left.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Heng said, leading the two toward the virtual rooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks so much, Ah Heng!” Jiang Tao expressed his gratitude—they hadn’t thought of this at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, what’s your ranking in Tianhai City this month?” Guo Heng asked curiously as they walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi and Jiang Tao didn’t hide it—they told him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“288th and 100th? Not bad. I knew I wasn’t wrong about you two.” Guo Heng laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What about you, Ah Heng?” Jiang Tao asked back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Heng smiled, clearly proud:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m fifth in my grade at No. 1 High, and 14th in Tianhai City.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“14th in Tianhai?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi was startled. He exchanged a glance with Jiang Tao—both saw the surprise. That was even higher than Yu Jing, the second-place student in their school!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder he was a genius from No. 1 High—his strength was truly formidable. And there were still four students at No. 1 High stronger than him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to that, Tianhai No. 2 High’s overall strength was clearly weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they chatted, the three entered the virtual room. Countless people came and went; the crowd was dense, filled with murmurs and voices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after entering did they realize how many more people were inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah Heng, you finally showed up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You hoarded three spots—people are already complaining.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three people approached: two men and one woman. One of them teased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi looked at them and recognized one—a curly-haired man called “My Great Sword,” his first opponent in the Red Realm Arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d left a strong impression. How strong was he now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speaker was a broad-shouldered, muscular man with thick, dark arms and rugged features.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Heng shrugged: “So what? I paid for them. And it’s only been ten minutes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman beside him, slender and elegantly dressed, noticed Lin Qi and Jiang Tao and asked curiously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t you going to introduce these two friends?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Qi, Jiang Tao—from No. 2 High. My new friends.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lü Xiang, Wu Feng, Qiu Siying—classmates of mine from No. 1 High.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Heng gave a brief introduction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello!” Jiang Tao greeted cheerfully. Lin Qi nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. 2 High?!” Wu Feng’s expression changed; he frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Siying shook her head and laughed: “Ah Heng, you’ve got us as friends and still go out of your way to befriend No. 2 High kids?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That hurts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi and Jiang Tao felt an odd discomfort—they felt looked down upon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Xiang said nothing, but stared at Lin Qi, frowning. He felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough chit-chat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Qi, Jiang Tao, let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Heng didn’t waste words—he led them away immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three reached a corner where three virtual pods stood unused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Match quickly. Get to Star rank,” Guo Heng urged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stepped into a pod first. “Let’s go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi and Jiang Tao followed without delay, entering the pods and logging into the Red Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby, Wu Feng and the others watched Lin Qi and Jiang Tao enter the pods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those two from No. 2 High actually became friends with the aloof Guo Heng? Could they have something special?” Wu Feng wondered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Besides the famous Axe Bear, Ji Ying, and Sword Sparrow, they're nothing special,\" Qiu Siying scoffed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“True!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah Heng’s always making friends. Probably just met them,” Wu Feng agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop talking. Get into your pods.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve been hoarding spots too long—others are getting annoyed,” Lü Xiang urged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know, don’t rush me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Yang Jian, welcome to the Arena: Red Realm!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi heard the synthetic voice and stood in his personal space, summoning his personal panel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Nickname: Yang Jian】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Rank: Elite】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Win Rate: 92%】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Points: 142】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi pondered—he currently had 142 points. He needed just 8 more to reach Star rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant at least three more wins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as he didn’t lose, he’d make it in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this, he selected “Begin Matching.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Beginning match!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two minutes later, Lin Qi appeared suddenly on an empty arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opposite him, another figure materialized—a man in blue combat gear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He studied his opponent: black attire, black mask, black spear—radiating an aura of dread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother, you've got some sharp gear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He greeted aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he got in return was silence from the other side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ignoring me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blue-clad boy grew annoyed: \"Want to play cold? You picked the wrong guy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I hate guys like you who act all tough!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【3, 2, 1】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【BATTLE START!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the electronic female voice announced the start, the battle commenced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two figures shot forward like lightning, colliding in midair—wind howled, sparks flew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One minute later\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"CLANG~~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the hell!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blue-clad man swung his battle blade, retreating as he fought, frantically parrying the gunfire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who the hell is this guy? His gunning is insane—I can't block it at all!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blue-clad boy felt cursed—he’d been matched against a top player.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Puff~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A glint of spear tip flashed before his eyes; the next instant, pain pierced his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spear pierced his chest in an instant—he was dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother, you're awesome!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With those words, the blue-clad boy helplessly collapsed into nothingness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Yang Jian, congratulations on your victory!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Points +3】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Points: 145】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi returned to his personal space, saw his points, and didn’t stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Match me again!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Yang Jian, congratulations on your victory!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Points +3】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Points: 148】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Phew~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just one more match left!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his personal space, Lin Qi stared at the screen—he needed two more points; one more win would secure his promotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"According to Guo Heng, this match is called the Promotion Match—the system always assigns powerful opponents.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even the opponent might be playing for promotion—only the stronger one succeeds.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Match me again!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi’s gaze turned serious; he waited in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1378,"2026-06-20T20:27:41.493Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d5666e9efbfa3b645c84d604000fdf54b084e4a0a28da0d0c1dcd69ffe2ad681","high-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er-chapter-39","high-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er-chapter-37",992,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhigh-martial-world-getting-strong-by-grinding-er-cover.jpg"]