either one person or two go down into empty arenas
The two immediately start fighting.
The only thing is that no one can die while in the arena.
Sure, you can beat someone to an inch of their life, but killing them? no way
The ones that enter an arena alone wait for someone to also jump down so they can begin fighting.
Li Huang only watched for a minute before jumping down into an empty arena.
Someone quickly jumped there as well.
He did not say anything and jumped forward with a cross.
Li Huang used her footwork to weave left and delivered a front hook into the man's temple and followed with a rear uppercut to the jaw.
The man tried to stay up, but his legs were unsteady, causing him to fall on his knees, so Li Huang put a jab right in his face, knocking him out cold.
Li Huang picked the man up by his collar and tossed him out of the arena and waited for her next opponent.
Soon another man jumped down, and Li Huang got right into it.
For the most part, she used everyone that fought her as a dummy to learn more about the technique and practice it.
After ten fights, Li Huang exited the arena herself; many were cheering for her after betting on her wins.
Li Huang began thinking as she walked.
after all those fights, she was in the late stages of the initial success of the technique comprehension and efficiency
but she felt like she was missing something, and she already had in mind what she was missing
She had attack and speed; she lacked defense.
She made her way to the library to look over what she might incorporate into her technique and quickly found it.
"silver body manual"
This was technically a body refining method, but with a simple tweak, she could use it for her defense.
Silver is one of the most conductive metals due to its crystal-like structure.
The technique sought to transform the body into silver, being able to take and conduct everything thrown at the body.
Normally, the technique takes whatever and then uses it to temper the body with some degree of safety before conducting the energy outside.
but the caveat was that the technique caused less energy to disperse when hit with whatever
but the real charm of the technique for Li Huang was two things.
the first being that even though it was a metal technique, it was technically a neutral technique due to silver's own nature.
and the second one being that she could direct where and how the energy her body took would leave
That is to say, if someone threw a punch at Li Huang, she would feel like her body took all the energy of the attack without anything being reduced by her muscles, bones, or organs, and she could then direct it out of her body in her own punch, combining both energies together.
Of course, if someone threw a punch using ice qi, she would have to be able to control ice qi to control it out of her body, or she would have to wait for it to flow out of her body naturally; the same thing goes for any other type of elemental qi damage.
Of course, to most that is a downside, but to Li Huang that was one of the biggest upsides she could have.
her path of cultivation was of a jack of all trades, master of none
Why? for her happiness, of course, if she wanted to change paths later in life, all she had to do was change her weapon, get a few techniques, or train one qi type more than the others.
but she sure as hell was going to be better than a master of one
Li Huang read the technique a few times while still at the library before just giving it back and getting her deposit back.
She then marched back into her house to begin practicing.
She then spent her days doing the same thing.
training her body to keep her strength, training her qi control and qi system in general to keep it in top shape, and training her techniques and integrating them more deeply
A week passed by in a flash, and Li Huang was over the moon.
her three integrated techniques reached the middle of success
That was thanks to all the punching bags she had been using.
They were young bloods like Li Huang, but to her they were just punching bags at this point.
Li Huang was now the undisputed first-place young blood in the hideout.
that gave her some privileges like access to manuals at cheaper prices, fewer mandatory missions, and a better house
While Li Huang was doing her thing, the world was in disarray.
eight geniuses still missing and a witch hunt all over the world hunting down the blood demon cult
seven of those geniuses were sitting in a bunker talking and training a bit
Min Ying was fighting one on one with Yang Chang.
the clang of metal hitting metal was strong
sword versus halberd
after a bit, and the two drenched in sweat, they stopped fighting and went to sit down for a bit.
While the seven were sitting down about to talk, the bunker opened, and someone walked in.
"So this is where you seven were hiding?" Xie Ning said as she looked around.
"If not for He Shui, I would not even know where Li Huang was, but I guess it's fine as long as she is alive." Xie Ning sighed; she was almost dying wanting to know where Li Huang was, and thanks to He Shui slipping her tongue, at least she knew she was safe.
for now at least
They all looked with confusion at Xie Ning.
"Who are you? How did you even know this place existed?" Yang Chang stepped forward and asked with a demanding voice.
"What? Li Huang is basically my daughter! I cleaned her butt! and she saved you seven, so treat me with a bit of respect!" Xie Ning spoke as she huffed.
"Wait, are you Xie Ning? Li Huang's aunt?" Min Ying asked as he looked at Xie Ning.
"The one and only! Anyway, I am here because I have nothing better to do, and as you seven are friends with Li Huang, I thought I could pass by and help you all improve a bit, or do you seven want to be left in her dust?" Xie Ning just had a smug look on her face.
Li Huang did not even have formal combat training and was better than most of those on her level; she truly was a prodigy.
and just thinking of Li Huang having to train in combat to survive the blood demon cult made Xie Ning think with almost certainty that she was improving by leaps and bounds.
"No offense, lady, but what could you possibly teach us?" Guo Juan added with a skeptical look
"I will let you all know I was the one that was training Li Huang and turned her into the little monster she is, and I am not some nobody; I have trained more cultivators than normal mortals, you know!"
Yang Chang shook his head.
"Okay, fine, if my father let you in here, then you must be speaking the truth. Honestly, Li Huang scares me a bit; it was like she could see through me." Yang Chang and everyone else felt a shiver go down their spines as they remembered how Li Huang had dissected them on the day they met.
the only reasons Yang Chang and Jun Lan were speared were due to them being one, as lowkey as possible, and two, being used as a stool.
"That would be my training," Xie Ning answered with a proud look on her face.
but even then, the brief moment Li Huang acknowledged them, it was as if their entire lives and personalities were laid bare for her to see.
"Anyway, detail your path and how you entered each stage and what you did; I will think of a plan after hearing that."
"Can you first tell us what Li Huang did to be so strong?" Gang Jian asked
"Sure thing." Xie Ning nodded and began describing Li Huang's path in cultivation in detail and what she did.
"She probably already began her qi cultivation and probably will begin her soul cultivation soon; she already has the method in mind and has already consumed any and all spiritual plants that would be useful for her potential, so all she has to do is cultivate."
"Damn," Gang Jian said after hearing all that. "Can we even catch up?"
"Of course, not in all aspects, but in some, she is a jack of all trades, master of none, so try and become a master of at least two." Xie Ning said after thinking for a bit
"What do you mean?" Min Ying asked in a curious tone, and everyone gathered up to hear Xie Ning talk.
Xie Ning sighed and began talking.
"When I first presented Li Huang with all options for cultivation, the first thing she said was asking, What is the most neutral one?"
"She did not care about the sword, the body, qi, soul, weapons, fighting, alchemy, runes, or blacksmithing; she wanted to do as she wished, when she wished, and how she wished, whenever she wished."
"Her potential is off the charts; she could become a master in anything, but she chose to be free from choice and do whatever."
"I honestly don't blame her; considering her talents, it's the best path for her to follow, but I sure as hell don't know why she chose it."
"When I asked what path she wanted to take, she just said the path to her happiness, whatever that may be."
"She even said that if she found out that she loved killing innocent people, she would do that just to be happy."
"Anyway, now you guys tell me how you cultivated and what path you want to follow, and I will train you considering that."
"Wait, no, go back up a bit. What is that about killing innocent people?" Yi Yan was the first to stand up.
"Well, Li Huang is an egotistical, selfish, and hypocritical girl. She does what she wants because she wants to do it, no matter the consequences, but she is also a good person, so she normally says those things just to mess with me. I don't think she can just kill an innocent person for the sake of killing, but she would absolutely do it if it made her happy."
Xie Ning then just sighed.
"She is complicated; I don't even know where she got those traits from."
"Anyway, enough about her; tell me about yourselves." Xie Ning put on a smile as everyone began telling her the path they want to follow and how they had cultivated so far.
She listened to everything and took in everything they said and even asked some questions.
She then nodded when the last one finished their explanation.
"We will begin with some physical evaluations, then we will do some tests so I can get a better understanding of your capabilities; after that, I will begin your guys training."
Everyone nodded and began doing all the tests Xie Ning told them to do.
test after test to check everything there was to check
muscles, bones, skin, organs, blood, brain, sensory organs, senses, and so on
After a whole hour, Xie Ning nodded and then began passing each one of them an exercise for them to do and a training routine.
She then began guiding them in the best way she knew how.
by slapping them if they did anything wrong
screams echoed inside the bunker as Xie Ning put the seven through hell
but they couldn't deny the effectiveness of the motivation
They really didn't want to mess up their exercises.