Chapter 362 - 360: North River Sword King
His father, Lin Zhen, had a worried expression. As a traditional Xia Country citizen, he was always concerned about the nation’s situation.
Especially now that his family was happy and whole, he paid even more attention to the country’s state of affairs.
Lin Qi was worried too. His teacher, Mu Hong, was currently at the Black Dragon Base in North River Province, right on the front lines of the battlefield!
With six Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts attacking at once, the situation was far too dangerous. Everyone was in peril.
Even a Ninth Realm Martial Artist could lose their life if besieged by Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts.
As for Eighth Realm Martial Artists, it went without saying. If they were caught in the crossfire with a Ninth-Level Calamity Beast, the probability of death was extremely high.
At the Low Realm, many geniuses could kill Calamity Beasts above their level. By the Middle Realm, only top-level Awakened geniuses could do so.
At the High Realm, basically only SSS-level geniuses had the ability to fight above their level, but even then, victory was not guaranteed.
’Teacher Mu Hong only just broke through to the Eighth Realm. If he runs into a Ninth-Level Calamity Beast, his chances of survival are slim.’
...
Over the next day, everyone continued to follow the developments in North River Province.
At the same time, Jiang Miaoyin’s school acceptance banquet and Lin Qi’s birthday were held on the same day.
For becoming the provincial top scorer, Jiang Miaoyin received quite a few rewards. The first was that the villa she and Jiangtao lived in was gifted to them outright.
They no longer had to make installment payments; they finally owned their own house.
Xingyao Restaurant.
Inside a massive private room on the second floor.
A large number of teachers and administrators from No. 2 Middle School were seated inside, making for a lively scene.
Officials from the Martial Arts Education Bureau and the Red Dome Martial Arts Dojo had also come, along with other government leaders.
"Miaoyin really didn’t disappoint us. She lived up to everyone’s expectations and became the top scorer in Cang Province."
"It’s a shame she didn’t make the top ten in the country!" a teacher sighed.
"Making the top thirty is already excellent."
"After all, prodigies like Lin Qi don’t come around every year," a few teachers remarked.
"Teacher Zhang, long time no see!"
The burly Zhang Cheng, looking the same as ever, was sitting at a table with Principal Jiang Zhiguang and other school administrators. Lin Qi walked over to greet them.
"You kid, you’re really something else now!"
Zhang Cheng clapped Lin Qi on the shoulder, his face filled with amazement. He had already heard about Lin Qi’s exploits from Yue Feng.
It was truly astonishing; he had never seen such an incredible genius.
Back in middle school, Lin Qi’s talent had been impressive, but it was at least within the realm of his understanding.
But after Lin Qi entered Azure Sky Martial Arts University, he became more outrageous with each passing semester.
Now, he could even defeat SS-level geniuses. Rumor had it he was about to become the first Unawakened SS-level genius.
"Let’s have a drink!"
"Alright!" Lin Qi nodded.
"Count me in!" Principal Jiang Zhiguang said with a chuckle, raising his glass and leaning closer.
He no longer treated Lin Qi as a student. This was the effect of a change in status.
He himself was only a Sixth Realm Martial Artist. In another year or two, Lin Qi would probably surpass him.
One had to build a close relationship with a genius like that.
CLINK!
After a simple toast, Lin Qi departed, leaving just Zhang Cheng and Jiang Zhiguang behind.
"Who would have thought our school would actually produce a top-level genius," Jiang Zhiguang remarked with a sigh.
"I guess we just got lucky, huh?" Zhang Cheng roared with laughter. ...
That evening, at the Lin family home in Villa No. 66 of the Imperial View Mansion District.
In the spacious living room, only Lin Qi’s family and the Jiang siblings were present—five people in total.
The daytime had been for Jiang Miaoyin’s acceptance banquet; the evening was for Lin Qi’s birthday.
Everyone gathered around a silver table in the living room, upon which sat a three-layer cake.
Lin Qi had told his parents that a simple celebration for his birthday would be fine.
And so, it was just the five of them.
"Brother Qi, happy birthday!"
"Brother Lin Qi, happy birthday!"
"Happy birthday, son!"
Lin Qi looked at the huge cake on the table and listened to the well wishes from his parents, Jiangtao, and Jiang Miaoyin. He was another year older.
He was no longer an eighteen-year-old boy; he was nineteen now.
’In the coming year, my strength will improve immensely.’
"Brother Qi, hurry up and make a wish!" Jiangtao said with a smile.
Lin Qi nodded and silently made a wish.
His wish was simple: world peace.
’But world peace can’t be left to others. I have to achieve it with my own strength.’
...
Martial Arts Calendar, Year 2047, June 16.
The largest Disaster Beast Tide in a decade erupted in Xia Country’s North River Province. Six Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts led over a hundred Eighth-Level Calamity Beasts in a sudden assault.
The entire nation was shocked!
The Black Dragon Base on the front lines was caught completely off guard and suffered heavy losses.
At the same time, the military and the Three Great Martial Arts Dojos began to send reinforcements.
The Ninth Realm Title Level Martial Artists, Overlord and Sword Demon, engaged the six Calamity Beasts in a fierce battle outside the Black Dragon Base.
One Howling Moon Celestial Wolf was killed at the cost of grievous injuries to one of the heroes. As Xia Country’s second-strongest expert, Overlord then powerfully slew two more Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts. However, the remaining three broke away and fled, smashing through the human defense lines and entering populated areas.
Overlord and the various Eighth Realm Martial Artists began their pursuit.
The Black Dragon Base was devastated. The casualties were tragic, with a large number of soldiers and Martial Artists sacrificing their lives.
Several cities in North River Province were destroyed, with over ten thousand dead and hundreds of thousands injured.
And the number of casualties was still rising.
Xia Country had not suffered such a devastating loss in a long time.
A shadow of gloom hung over the hearts of people in many regions across the nation.
In a certain villa in the Imperial Capital.
In a spacious living room, Yu Zhuoran watched the tragic scenes of the Ninth-Level Calamity Beast attack in North River Province on television, and rage welled up inside him.
CRACKLE!!
He clenched his fists and shot to his feet, his entire body enveloped in a frenzy of silver electrical currents.
"Damn it all! I wish I could step onto that battlefield and slaughter every last one of them."
"I’m too weak right now!"
"I need to be stronger!"
With that thought, he turned and entered his Martial Arts Room to begin his cultivation.
Across the country, many other Awakened geniuses had the same thought. Spurred by the news, they all began to cultivate.
In the Martial Arts Room of Villa No. 66, Celestial Sea City.
Lin Qi was also sitting cross-legged, enduring a dizzying sensation in his head as he focused on the Refinement of his skull.
He had seen the news as well, and a fire was burning in his heart.
’If only I were a Ninth Realm Title Level Martial Artist.’
’No, even an Eighth Realm Martial Artist would be enough. I could have stepped onto the battlefield and slaughtered all six of those Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts.’
’I need to be stronger.’
’I need to Awaken.’
’And I’m so close now. I can feel it... it could happen any day.’
At this thought, he forced himself to calm down and poured his entire being into his cultivation.
...
The destruction wrought by the Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts continued, but two of the three that escaped were eventually intercepted and stopped.
Only one, a Black Gold Eagle, was still attacking a city.
Just at this critical moment, an unknown Ninth Realm Martial Artist stepped forward.
With astonishing strength, he successfully slew the Ninth-Level Calamity Beast—the Black Gold Eagle!
Furthermore, he was not any of the Ninth Realm Martial Artists known to the people of Xia Country.
In other words, he was a New Ninth Realm Martial Artist.
A New Nine Realm Title-level Martial Artist—the North River Sword King—had burst onto the scene!
With a New Ninth Realm Martial Artist joining the fray, and with reinforcements from other parts of Xia Country, the Calamity Beasts were steadily pushed back, and countless Eighth-Level Calamity Beasts were slain.
Of the six Calamity Beasts that had started the assault, four were killed and two escaped back to the Otherworld. One of the escapees was a Mountain-moving Ape!
...
"Good evening, this is the Central Broad... Evening News!"
"According to our reports, of the six Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts that attacked North River Province, four have been killed: two Howling Moon Celestial Wolves, a Black Gold Eagle..."
"Two have escaped back to the Otherworld!"
"The remaining Calamity Beasts are currently being cleared out..."
"During this Super Large Disaster Beast Tide, our nation has seen the successful emergence of a new Ninth Realm Martial Artist: Yu Zhenhai, from North River Province, currently 35 years old..."
"He has been given a title by the people of North River Province: the North River Sword King!"
In the living room of the Lin family home.
After watching the news report, his father stood up from the sofa, his expression one of excitement.
"So a new Ninth Realm Martial Artist really did emerge! They are the pillars supporting our country!"
"Every single one of them is of immense strategic importance!"
"Only Ninth Realm Martial Artists can stand against Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts!"
"Our Xia Country is vast. Every province has a War Base, and every one of them needs a Ninth Realm Martial Artist to guard it!"
"Now that a new Ninth Realm Martial Artist has appeared, Xia Country is that much more secure."
"As long as more and more Ninth Realm Martial Artists emerge in the future, we will definitely be able to wipe out all the Calamity Beasts."
After speaking, Lin Zhen looked at Lin Qi.
"Little Qi, the future of our Xia Country rests on your shoulders!"
Lin Qi nodded. "I understand!"
He opened his phone and went to the Red Dome House forums. They were also celebrating the news of the North River Sword King, and the threads were exceptionally lively.
"Haha, the North River Sword King is a badass!"
"He just broke through and he can already slay a Ninth-Level Calamity Beast. His Talent is insane."
"Of course it is! The North River Sword King is an SSS-level genius, a top-level prodigy who could escape from a Ninth-Level Calamity Beast even when he was at the Peak of the Eighth Realm."
"So he was one of those who was 100% guaranteed to break through to the Ninth Realm?"
"Our Xia Country has another new Ninth Realm Martial Artist!"
"Currently, Xia Country has produced over 20 Ninth Realm Martial Artists in total, with 17 still alive."
"Adding the North River Sword King, that makes 18. Of course, we can’t rule out that there are other Ninth Realm Title Level Martial Artists in hiding."
"There are still too few Ninth Realm Martial Artists!"
"Our country is too big, and there are too many places that need guarding."
"The number of Otherworld Calamity Beasts is far beyond our imagination, especially the Ninth-Level ones. Our experts often have to face multiple opponents at once."
"Senior Sword Demon was grievously injured this time facing the beast siege. I hope he’s okay!"
"To the poster above, Blue Star isn’t just short on Ninth Realms. You could say we’re short on High Realm Martial Artists in general."
"..."
After reading through the posts, Lin Qi found that it was just as he had guessed. Although Xia Country had Emperor Red, a supreme expert who was clearly a cut above other Ninth Realm Martial Artists, the number of Ninth Realm Martial Artists was still too low.
The number of Ninth-Level Calamity Beasts was several times greater than the number of human Ninth Realm experts.
If their numbers became too overwhelming, the War Bases could easily fall into crisis.
He then checked the small group chat he shared with Li Qing and Wang Zixuan.
Their teacher, Mu Hong, had also posted a message.
[Mu Hong: I’m fine. No need for anyone to worry about me.]
[Li Qing: I knew it! Teacher Mu Hong is too tough to die. Anyone else would’ve croaked, but not you!]
[Wang Zixuan: I’m so glad you’re okay, Teacher!]
[Lin Qi: Thank god!]
...
Lin Qi put down his phone. Seeing that his teacher was alright, he breathed a sigh of relief.
He then turned and went back to his Martial Arts Room.
Recalling the events of the past two days, a rollercoaster of emotions, he felt something stirring within his body, on the verge of breaking out.
He had a premonition: he was about to Awaken.
He immediately began to prepare.
He told his parents he wouldn’t be eating lunch.
At the same time, he prepared a large number of nutritional meals and placed them inside the Martial Arts Room.
Half an hour later, in the Martial Arts Room.
Lin Qi took a bottle of Spirit Potion from a black metal box and drank it down.
He immediately sat down cross-legged and opened the yellow scroll in front of him.
He began to cultivate the Spiritual Technique, the >.
...