Chapter 109: If You’re a Brother, Come Borrow Money
On the field of competition.
Bai Zhenzhen’s form was a phantom, flashing back and forth at high speeds within the circle, constantly evading the steel balls rocketing toward her from all directions.
After two months of arduous training, the repeated tempering of the Thunderclap True Body, aided by her True Spiritual Root, had continuously elevated the reaction and explosive speed of every muscle in Bai Zhenzhen’s body.
At this very moment, nerves running through her entire frame transmitted her will, controlling the contraction and eruption of her muscles, allowing her to move and dodge the high-speed steel balls simultaneously.
Because her body’s reactions and movements were so incredibly fast, she left a trail of afterimages in her wake, always managing to dodge each steel ball in the nick of time.
“Much slower than Yu-boy’s hands.”
Compared to Zhang Yu, who went all out during their practical training, the steel balls before her seemed significantly slower, allowing Bai Zhenzhen to even spare a thought to critique them as she dodged.
Meanwhile, nearly all the contestants from the three great high schools, just like Bai Zhenzhen, were effortlessly evading the high-speed steel balls assailing them from every direction, creating a stark contrast with the other contestants who were being continuously eliminated.
In the spectator stands.
Gang Shan nodded and said, “Jingchen, you were right. These two students from Songyang High School have indeed caught up to the level of the three great high schools.”
Le Jingchen smiled. “This is the impact of breakthroughs in body tempering technology. Even students who were once far inferior to those from the three great high schools now have the potential to catch up to their top performers after undergoing surgical modification.”
“But their performance seems to be a far cry from Le Mulan’s? They don’t look as comfortable as she does,” Gang Shan commented.
Le Jingchen nodded, stating as if it were obvious, “The super-metabolism surgery brings about a comprehensive improvement in drug resistance, allowing for the excessive consumption of various alchemical enhancers. And the effects of these enhancers cover all aspects, whether it’s strength, speed, explosiveness, balance, flexibility, reaction, focus, digestion… all of the body’s various functions can be improved through potions. In other words, the enhancement a person gains from super-metabolism surgery is the most comprehensive, without any blind spots or weaknesses.”
“Take this current round, for example. Besides physical speed and reflexes, it tests the brain’s focus and endurance even more, which are things that most body tempering cultivation techniques struggle to develop.”
“But for Le Mulan, who has undergone the super-metabolism surgery, it’s just a matter of an injection into the cranium. If one shot isn’t enough, she takes two, and she can possess a level of focus that surpasses every other student on this field.”
Le Jingchen then recommended, “If anyone is interested in the super-metabolism body tempering technology, you can follow the official website of Purple Cloud Supplements, where you will find more detailed information…”
After Le Jingchen finished his spiel for Purple Cloud, Gang Shan asked curiously, “Then is this surgery very expensive?”
Le Jingchen nodded. “Purple Cloud has always wanted to benefit the world with new technology. Although the cost of this technique is not low, the surgical fee has now been brought down to under one million.”
Gang Shan said, “That price is certainly not cheap, but as it happens, the ‘Dare to Lend’ platform recently discussed something with me, and together we are launching a benefit for everyone.”
“As long as you go to the ‘Dare to Lend’ platform and borrow money from me, you can be exempt from six installments of service fees.”
“If you’re a true brother, come to me for a loan…”
Le Jingchen watched quietly from the side as the other man ran his advertisement, sighing internally, Although this Gang Shan is a body-tempering influencer, he neither sells alchemical enhancers nor cultivation techniques. He only does the safest thing, which is loan advertising. The mortality rate of his fans is among the lowest in the body-tempering influencer world. Among streamers, he’s a rare breed who cherishes his reputation.
I wonder how much the company paid to have him come here and promote the new technology.
Meanwhile, right after Le Jingchen and Gang Shan had each finished their wave of advertisements.
All the students from ordinary high schools on the field had been eliminated.
And as the space for dodging continued to shrink, students from the key high schools also began to be eliminated one after another.
He Dayou desperately dodged the high-speed steel balls coming from all directions. As the available space shrank, his mind was in a state of extreme focus, and beads of sweat dripped continuously from his forehead.
Suddenly, he felt his leg slow down; the exertion of his muscles didn’t seem to keep up with his brain’s commands.
Then, with a series of sharp impacts, He Dayou fell to the ground, unwilling to accept his defeat.
The transplanted muscles, after all, were not yet fully under his control, and after a long period of high-intensity operation, a mistake had finally occurred.
He looked at his time: 58 seconds.
Sighing with regret, he returned to the Songyang High School rest area.
Zhao Tianxing, who was beside him, looked at He Dayou with some envy. He actually lasted for 58 seconds. If I had gone up there, I probably would have lasted 30 seconds at most, right?
But He Dayou, the object of Zhao Tianxing’s envy, felt not the slightest bit of joy.
At this moment, He Dayou was gazing wistfully at the large screen broadcasting the event.
“Not a single person from the three great high schools has been eliminated?”
“The new body tempering technology… if only I could also undergo that kind of modification.”
Le Jingchen commented, “The students from the key high schools are almost all eliminated, and the circle has already shrunk by nearly half. Next, it’ll be the students from the three great high schools who start getting hit.”
Gang Shan asked curiously, “Jingchen, who do you think will ultimately take the championship in this round?”
Le Jingchen answered with composure, “The students from Red Pagoda High School generally have larger bodies, which puts them at the biggest disadvantage in this round. They should be the first among the three great high schools to be hit by the steel balls.”
“Songyang’s two students have the advantage of a smaller build, so they can last a bit longer. They’ll probably be hit after Red Pagoda High School, along with most of the contestants from Purple Cloud and White Dragon.”
“As for the final first place… it should be between Le Mulan and Yu Xinghan.”
“Although I am very confident in my younger sister’s strength and Purple Cloud’s new technology, Yu Xinghan is a Golden Core disciple, after all. The investment in him far exceeds that of any other contestant present, and all his stats are the highest in the entire field. Mulan may not necessarily be able to defeat him…”
In his commentary, although Le Jingchen praised Yu Xinghan highly, his words constantly emphasized the other’s status as a Golden Core disciple.
His intention was clearly that even if Yu Xinghan won later, the reason would be attributed to his status, whereas if Le Mulan won, it would be due to the power of Purple Cloud’s technology.
And the subsequent progression of the competition unfolded just as Le Jingchen had predicted.
First, the students from Red Pagoda High School were struck by the steel balls amidst furious, beastly roars.
Next, contestants from Purple Cloud and White Dragon High Schools began to be hit.
Bang!
Chu Qiuhe felt the impact of a steel ball on his arm. He gave a cold snort and simply stopped dodging, allowing a barrage of steel balls to slam into his body with a series of crisp cracks. He, however, walked out of the room nonchalantly as if nothing had happened.
“Dodging back and forth is so annoying. As I thought, taking it head-on suits me better.”
As he walked, he also turned his gaze to the large screen, concerned with the performance of the remaining students still in the competition.
Lian Tianji, on the other side, held on for another ten seconds or so before he too was struck for failing to dodge in time.
Facing the admiring gazes of countless students from ordinary and key high schools, Lian Tianji walked towards the rest area while staring intently at the live broadcast on the large screen, watching to see who was still competing.
A trace of regret appeared on his face. “As expected, I still couldn’t measure up to the divine number one and Zhang Yu, huh?”
But as the students from the three great high schools were gradually eliminated, Gang Shan was surprised to find that Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu were still on the field.
Besides Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, the only contestants remaining were Le Mulan and Yu Xinghan.
“They made it to the top four?”
Le Jingchen also felt a bit of surprise, but on second thought, it seemed normal.
“The physical strength of this Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen is, after all, ranked 5th and 7th on this field. With the advantage of their smaller builds, it’s quite normal for them to squeeze into the top four in this round.”
“I shouldn’t have subconsciously looked down on them because of Songyang High School. After all, they must have also applied the new body tempering techniques.”
“These two might have a chance to rank in the top five for the overall athletics meet score.”
Le Jingchen secretly reflected for a moment, then turned his attention back to the competition field.
By now, the circle had shrunk to the size of a single person. Zhang Yu had long since entered a state of full concentration, minutely shifting his body as he observed the slowly approaching steel balls, doing his utmost to evade each one.
Bai Zhenzhen, on the other hand, twisted her body again and again, performing all sorts of incredible evasive maneuvers. With astonishing speed, neural response, and flexibility, she compensated for her lack of focus and continued to hold on.
But for both of them, the most difficult part now was not the evasion itself, but having to constantly turn their heads and bodies to see the steel balls coming from all directions in the insufficient space.
Bai Zhenzhen gritted her teeth in her mind, At this rate, I won’t be able to see them all.
As the space for evasion shrank further, dodging became increasingly difficult for both Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, and they were eventually eliminated one after the other.
4th Place, Songyang High School, Bai Zhenzhen, 2 minutes 13 seconds
3rd Place, Songyang High School, Zhang Yu, 2 minutes 18 seconds
After leaving the field, Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu, met with the awed gazes of the surrounding contestants, also looked with concern toward the large screen, watching Le Mulan and Yu Xinghan who were still competing for first place.
Bai Zhenzhen said with some resentment, “Those two… how do I get the feeling they can see the steel balls coming from behind them?”
Meanwhile, Le Mulan on the other side had lost her initial composure.
Her eyes and ears, under the effect of a tenfold stimulant, were sharpened to their absolute limit, perceiving the changes in airflow all around her to judge the positions from which the steel balls were being shot.
Her brain, stimulated by a tenfold intellect-enhancement agent, was operating beyond its limits, constantly determining the sequence of her next evasive actions and following the optimal path to dodge one speeding steel ball after another.
Her surging blood flowed like a great river, transporting the alchemical enhancers to every muscle in her body, stimulating their contraction and explosion, causing each of her movements to leave behind a continuous trail of afterimages.
Even so, as the circle contracted, Le Mulan felt evasion becoming more and more difficult. Her brain grew hotter from the high-speed processing, and sweat constantly secreted from her forehead, flowing down her cheeks and along her snow-white neck.
Especially as the dodging space shrank, Le Mulan could no longer turn around at all. Her perception of the steel balls coming from behind relied entirely on her hearing, which became increasingly difficult.
Bang!
The moment a steel ball struck her back, Le Mulan abruptly relaxed. Her figure flickered, and she left the small room.
2nd Place, Purple Cloud High School, Le Mulan, 2 minutes 25 seconds
When Le Mulan, having left the competition area, looked at the large screen, she was shocked to discover that Yu Xinghan was still evading within that tiny circle.
Le Mulan was stunned. How is he doing that?
Yu Xinghan felt the world slow down. The third eye in his mind seemed to sense the shock of the countless people present.
Do you all find this difficult?
His level 10 Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art allowed him to see a slowed world when in a state of full concentration.
The third eye in his mind granted him a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree field of vision.
And his physical strength, the highest among all contestants, displayed the most terrifying speed when he unleashed it.
In the spectator stands, Le Jingchen watched Yu Xinghan’s movements and thought to himself, This guy… can see behind himself? Without the circulation of magic power, it must be the effect of some kind of physical modification?
But White Dragon High School doesn’t have any related technology either. Could it be a technique from True Person Starfire? Or… is it some innate peculiarity of this guy?
Le Jingchen couldn’t be sure, but he didn’t raise any objections.
After all, athletic competitions test physical power. Having a physical peculiarity was either a congenital advantage or a technological one, both of which were within the rules.
And in the very next moment, a wave of gasps erupted from the crowd.
On the competition field.
Just as the circle on the ground shrank to a point where it was becoming increasingly difficult for Yu Xinghan to stand, he suddenly squatted down and then pointed a single finger downward.
He actually supported himself on one index finger, with his legs crossed in a seated position, and ‘sat’ steadily within the circle.
Then, while touching the ground with only his index finger, the other parts of his body continued to adjust their posture, like a silver tree dancing wildly, continuing to dodge the steel balls with various incredible and superhuman poses.
In the few short seconds that followed, the strength, speed, balance, flexibility, and reaction that Yu Xinghan displayed to the crowd was that of a body so perfect it was stunning, a body that exhibited dominant power in every aspect.
It was not until the circle completely shrank, becoming smaller than the spot his finger occupied, that Yu Xinghan, under the astonished gazes of the entire audience, flickered slightly. With a push of his fingertip, he shot into the air, dodging the final wave of steel balls.
And the steel balls shooting from all directions also ceased their firing as the circle fully contracted.
When Yu Xinghan’s figure descended from mid-air and stood once more in the room, he still had not been hit by a single steel ball.
1st Place, White Dragon High School, Yu Xinghan, 2 minutes 33 seconds
On the large screen, Yu Xinghan gave a slight smile to everyone present and said calmly, “Starting next month, the Immortal Resonance Group will be providing demonic muscle body tempering services in Songyang City. Everyone is welcome to follow our updates.”