Chapter 112 - 111: Ambitions Higher Than the Sky, Surprise, Developing 2 Genetic Abilities at Once

Chapter 112: Chapter 111: Ambitions Higher Than the Sky, Surprise, Developing 2 Genetic Abilities at Once

After leaving Yang Man Ni’s office, Ji Zhixing stepped out of the building. Standing on the steps, he took out his phone and sent a message to Xiao Mingyue. "It’s done. From today onward, I’m a student in Elite Class Five."

Not long after the message was sent, his phone buzzed. "Congratulations. I still have some things to deal with on my end, so I’m not at school right now. Go about your own business for now, and I’ll give you a surprise when I get back."

Ji Zhixing read the message. "A surprise..." he murmured. Pocketing his phone, he thought for a moment and decided to head to the training ground to practice his staff techniques.

Over the past few days in the Blood Beast Secret Realm, he had used the Nine-Tiered Tide Rod several times, but always in actual combat. He hadn’t yet calmed his mind and properly cultivated this staff technique. As a Tier-2 Five-Star Staff Technique, the Nine-Layered Tide Staff Technique was far more difficult than any staff technique he had practiced before. Even with the support of his two great talents—the Innate Staff Heart and Staff Weapon Mastery—he still hadn’t completely mastered it.

He sighed inwardly, "I have two Three-Star Staff Technique talents, and I can also use the Gene Furnace to grant my refined equipment an extremely high degree of compatibility. Even under these circumstances, I still haven’t been able to completely master a Tier-2 Five-Star Staff Technique. A Five-Star Staff Technique really isn’t that easy to learn."

Shaking his head, he quickened his pace toward the training ground.

Since it was still morning, many students were already practicing on the field. Some were exercising their genetic abilities; with a wave of their hands, various powers like flames, frost, and Wind Blades flew out to bombard the distant targets. Others were sparring, exchanging blows back and forth in heated hand-to-hand combat.

Ji Zhixing walked to a corner of the training ground, found a relatively empty area, and stopped. Taking a deep breath, he willed the Nine-Tiered Tide Rod to emerge from the Gene Furnace, and it landed steadily in his grasp.

"Over these past few days, I’ve used the Nine-Tiered Tide Rod many times, but from beginning to end, I haven’t been able to completely master this Tier-2 Five-Star Staff Technique," Ji Zhixing thought as he gripped the staff. Given his innate talent, if it was this difficult for him to train in, the difficulty for anyone else was unimaginable.

Ji Zhixing shook his head, dismissing the thought. He gripped the staff with both hands, bent his legs slightly, and lowered his waist.

"Tide Rise!"

He swung the long rod upward from below. The shaft cut through the air, bringing with it the low, roaring sound of a tide.

"Surging Waves..."

Move after move, he practiced repeatedly on the training ground.

The Nine-Layered Tide Staff Technique consisted of nine moves in total, each possessing multiple variations. When combined, they could evolve into countless methods of attack. Ji Zhixing was already very familiar with this set of staff techniques; he knew every move and stance inside out. However, if he wasn’t holding the Nine-Tiered Tide Rod, he couldn’t truly execute this staff technique.

While Ji Zhixing was cultivating, some newly enrolled students on the training ground noticed him and looked surprised. He now had a massive reputation in the school. After all, he was the only regular class student in recent years to suppress the genius class during the freshmen trials. Furthermore, when the Blood Beast Secret Realm ended yesterday, many people had witnessed the scene of Ji Zhixing stepping onto the high platform to receive his reward from the principal. Quite a few had memorized his face.

"Is that Ji Zhixing?" a scrawny boy asked, stopping in his tracks and pointing into the distance.

"That’s him," someone nearby nodded. "What staff technique is he practicing? It feels incredibly strong."

"I know about this," another person chimed in. "I heard that he snatched two Weapon Orders from the genius class students in the Blood Beast Secret Realm. The staff technique he’s practicing is most likely the one that came with the weapon he exchanged a Weapon Order for. And looking at this imposing might, it’s most likely a Tier-2 Five-Star Staff Technique."

"A Tier-2 Five-Star Staff Technique?" The scrawny boy who spoke first gasped. "He’s only integrated a Tier-2 gene. Can he really successfully cultivate that?"

"Who knows?"

The group watched from afar, discussing him animatedly. They weren’t the only ones; others on the training ground who noticed Ji Zhixing were also discussing him in low voices.

Ji Zhixing paid them no mind. Gripping the Nine-Tiered Tide Rod, he practiced his staff techniques over and over, his mind incomparably focused. Tide Rise, Surging Waves, Undercurrent, Whirlpool, Roaring Tide, Sea Burial... stance by stance, time and time again.

Sweat slid down his forehead and dripped onto the ground, quickly evaporating. His clothes were soaked, clinging tightly to his body, but he remained completely oblivious, solely focused on swinging the staff in his hands. Only during the occasional pauses to reflect would he glance around before continuing his cultivation.

"Ji Zhixing?"

Just then, a man in his thirties was walking past the area. Dressed in a dark gray martial arts uniform, he was tall with resolute facial features. It was none other than Liang Jin’s student, Zhou Mu. He had originally intended to head to the other side of the training ground to instruct a few students, but when he passed by and heard the people around him mention the name ’Ji Zhixing’, he immediately stopped in his tracks.

"Ji Zhixing?" Zhou Mu’s brow twitched slightly as he looked up toward the training ground. Soon, he spotted the figure swinging a staff. He wondered, "Is that him?"

Zhou Mu narrowed his eyes, carefully observing Ji Zhixing’s staff technique. After watching for a moment, he shook his head.

"A Tier-2 Five-Star Staff Technique?" he murmured, recognizing the grade of the technique at a glance.

As his gaze swept over Ji Zhixing, he reasoned, "A staff technique of this quality isn’t something ordinary students can master. Even for those students who have integrated a Morning Star-grade gene, or even a Tier-5 Radiant Moon-grade gene, mastering a staff technique of this level—while also possessing a matching level of staff talent—is not something that can be achieved in a short time."