Chapter 188 : Chapter 188
Chapter 188. Sixth Layer of the Eighth Realm, Only 22 Days Away from the Martial God
At sunset, crimson light slanted across the boundless desert.
“Good! Training is over for today. Dismissed!”
Instructor Qin stood before the formation in a parade-rest stance as he made the announcement.
The tense bodies of everyone in the formation relaxed at once. Exhausted, they sat down where they were to rest for a moment, then slowly made their way back toward the military base.
All they could think about was hurrying back to wash up and rest, so they could recover their energy for tomorrow’s training.
Jiang Yichen, on the other hand, sat atop a sand dune, his eyes reflecting red-gold beneath the crimson sunset.
The environment at the East China border was harsh, but the setting sun at dusk was an exceptionally rare and beautiful sight.
Resting his chin on his hand, Jiang Yichen felt that he ought to preserve the moment somehow.
But the camera quality on a phone was not that great.
After thinking for a moment, he suddenly remembered the Enjoy-Life Essential Treasure Box the system had rewarded him with.
Maybe it had what he needed.
He opened the System Space, and the moment he opened the treasure box, a category directory appeared before him.
There were food items, household items, personal hobbies…
It covered practically everything.
As he had hoped, Jiang Yichen found a camera under the personal hobbies section.
Holding the camera in both hands, he played with the angles in interest, thinking about how to capture the sunset more perfectly.
Jiang Yichen did not really have much interest in photography, but whenever something came to mind, he always wanted to give it a try.
Even if he gave up halfway, it did not matter. As long as he was happy, that was enough.
It was the same as when he had gone sketching with Su Linyu or played around with racing cars before. Trying them out was fine, but asking him to study them seriously and achieve something with them was another matter entirely.
Smiling faintly, Jiang Yichen aimed the camera at the sunset, but he was not very satisfied with the result.
“Brother Yichen, are you taking pictures?”
At that moment, Su Linyu, who had finished cultivating, appeared behind him at some point and asked curiously.
Jiang Yichen nodded slightly. “I am, but I cannot seem to get a good shot. I will keep trying.”
Su Linyu pressed her red lips together and blinked. “Then let’s do it together. I want to learn photography too, so I can take handsome pictures of Brother Yichen in the future.”
Jiang Yichen could not help smiling. He had to admit that Su Linyu had a high EQ.
There were so many of his photos hanging up at her house that her photography skills were probably already superb.
But instead of walking up and saying, “I will teach you,” she had phrased it differently.
“Mmm… all right then. Take one of me first and let me see whether you have talent,” he said, pretending not to notice.
Su Linyu eagerly took the camera and patted her chest. “I will do my best to take a good one.”
Following Su Linyu’s instructions, Jiang Yichen posed and shifted into different stances.
Su Linyu held the camera, searching for the best angle.
Click!
Beneath the beautiful sunset, Jiang Yichen tilted his head up at a forty-five-degree angle. The warm orange glow of dusk edged him in gold, and the backlight sharply outlined his hair and shoulders…
Looking at the photo in the camera, Su Linyu’s lips curved upward as she murmured to herself, “Brother Yichen is really so handsome!”
And the people in the formation watching them from afar were green with envy.
Not only was Jiang Yichen exempt from training in the military district and free to slack off, he was even showing off his romance every day, while they could only bitterly complete their daily training.
Sigh. Their defenses were shattered.
“Oh man, when am I ever going to meet a girl that good too?”
At the foot of the sand dune, Tang Long squeezed his chubby face with one hand and sighed endlessly.
Chu Xingchen smiled. “I already told you. Lose weight first.”
“And besides, you are the Tang family’s second young master. Why would you have trouble finding girls?”
“That is different.” Tang Long wore a miserable expression. “Those girls do not have Su Linyu’s purity or sincerity in their eyes. They all come with motives. Almost none of them come because they truly love me.”
Jiang Feng let out a cool, arrogant laugh. “Women, huh. They are nothing but creatures to be easily controlled.”
Tang Long clicked his tongue. “Yeah, yeah, sure. President Jiang, you are amazing.”
Jiang Feng lifted his chin slightly. “Man, did I permit you to praise me?”
“…” Tang Long gritted his teeth slightly, recalling a line from the Slacking Cultivation Heart Method: Rather than tormenting yourself, it is better to make things difficult for other people.
What the hell am I putting up with you for?
Tang Long launched himself forward in an instant and drove a kick straight into Jiang Feng’s waist.
A miserable cry rang out. Tang Long clapped his hands and said, “Say something like that again, and I will kick you flying.”
“Fat man, you have successfully enraged me!” Jiang Feng’s voice sank as he lunged at Tang Long.
Chu Xingchen smiled and shook his head slightly.
“Come on. We have triple cultivation speed now. Let’s hurry back and cultivate.”
At those words, the two men who were grappling with each other both paused. After a brief thought, they set aside their personal grudge.
The three of them headed toward the military district, leaving only Jiang Yichen and Su Linyu behind in the beautiful sunset, laughing and taking pictures together.
…
Day after day passed, and in the blink of an eye, half a month was gone.
Morning. Dormitory Building No. 4.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. Your realm has reached the Sixth Layer of the Eighth Realm.]
Jiang Yichen rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he woke up, leaning comfortably against the headboard.
The Sixth Layer of the Eighth Realm!
At a cultivation speed of 0.0625% per hour, that meant he only needed 22 more days to break through to the Martial God!
It was getting closer and closer.
The corners of Jiang Yichen’s lips lifted. Becoming a Martial God just by lying down all day felt unbelievably comfortable and satisfying.
In an excellent mood, he finished washing up, walked to the dining table, and opened the lovingly prepared breakfast Su Linyu had already made for him.
As for Su Linyu herself… Jiang Yichen let out a sigh.
Ever since he had given them the Slacking Cultivation Heart Method, they had been cultivating day and night. Aside from seeing Su Linyu once a day when she brought him food, he could hardly catch sight of any of them at all.
And who knew what had gotten into Instructor Qin? He had directly exempted them from tactical training and simply let them cultivate.
It seemed that he cared more about increasing their strength.
But the East China Ten Military Districts’ New Recruit Tactical Exercise had still fallen to Group One.
Today was the day they would head to the eastern great desert and begin the tactical exercise.
Jiang Yichen took a bite of breakfast, and since Su Linyu and the others did not have his automatic cultivation, he gradually came to understand it.
Actually, he quite wanted to cultivate with them, but the system would not allow it.
Helplessly, he shrugged and smiled, then continued eating his breakfast before taking the elevator downstairs at a leisurely pace.
He was not worried about being late, because after the very first day of tactical training, the recruits in the formation had strongly suggested that he not be required to train with them.
Instructor Qin had no choice but to agree. Jealousy really could distort a person beyond recognition.
Jiang Yichen smacked his lips and shook his head. By the time he reached the training grounds, all the formations had already gone out for tactical training.
On the vast training field, only Su Linyu and the other three remained.
“My ancestor, you finally made it! I was just about to go and drag you here myself!”
“Did I not already tell you yesterday that I was taking you to the New Recruit Tactical Exercise today? And you are still late!”
Qin Feng spoke in a very unfriendly tone.
Er… Jiang Yichen said awkwardly, “I am a little too used to this by now. I did not control the timing well.”
Qin Feng was speechless. He said coldly, “This year, the Ten Military Districts’ new recruit exercise, after learning about your strength, has sent a veteran tactical soldier to participate among the new recruits. You need to take it seriously.”
“This exercise will use a points-plus-random-missions format. Unless you can eliminate everyone right from the start, it will be difficult to place near the top.”
After saying that, Qin Feng frowned at Jiang Yichen’s relaxed appearance and added, “Jiang Yichen, you are the group leader, so let me make this clear. If you do not bring back results from this year’s New Recruit Tactical Exercise, your training exemption will be revoked immediately.”
?
Pressure.
Just as Jiang Yichen was about to respond to those pressure-filled words, the system’s voice suddenly rang out.
[Ding! Slacking Choice triggered…]