parentshiftbook Chapter 24, Level 2!
Chapter 24, Level 2!
"Forty-seven seconds," Flander's voice came from the edge of the yard, holding a pocket watch in his hand. "Two seconds more than yesterday."
Ma Hongjun was slightly out of breath, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead, but he had a smile on his face.
"Teacher, I think...it'll be soon."
Flanders glanced at him and nodded.
"Let's test your soul power."
Ma Hongjun walked up to the testing crystal and placed his hands on it.
Soul power activated.
A blue light appeared, displaying numbers.
twenty.
The blue light remained at level 20, stable and bright, without the slightest fluctuation.
"Level 20." Flander's voice was calm, but there was a hint of undisguised satisfaction in his eyes. "Three and a half months, from sixteen to twenty. Half a month faster than your own goal."
Ma Hongjun withdrew his hand and took a deep breath.
Level 20.
He has finally reached the point where he needs a second spirit ring.
-
"Hongjun! Hongjun!"
Oscar's voice came from behind; he arrived before Oscar did.
The young man rushed over, grabbed Ma Hongjun's shoulder, and looked excited.
"You're level 20? Really level 20?"
"Just tested it." Ma Hongjun pointed to the testing crystal.
Oscar glanced at the lingering light on the crystal and grinned.
"Amazing! I broke through to level 20 three months ago, and I'm already 23. You just broke through to level 20; you might catch up to me in another three months!"
Flander remarked calmly from the side, "It's only a matter of time before he catches up with you."
Oscar: "..."
"Teacher, could you please not be so hurtful with your words?"
Flanders said expressionlessly, "The truth always hurts."
Ma Hongjun couldn't help but laugh.
Oscar's progress over these three months has been equally remarkable.
With a soul power level of twenty-three, at the age of eight, he is already a genius among geniuses.
More importantly, his combat skills improved by leaps and bounds.
Without using his soul bone, he was able to exchange more than a dozen blows with Li Yusong without having his wooden stick knocked away.
Li Yusong privately told Flander, "This kid's combat talent is no less than that of a Soul Master."
Oscar's hard work over the past three months has paid off, earning him such high praise as the Dragon Pattern Staff Soul Emperor.
-
During breakfast, Ma Hongjun announced his plan to hunt for his second spirit ring.
"Second spirit ring, target age seven or eight hundred years." Flander put down his chopsticks. "Similar to Oscar's last one."
Zhao Wuji nodded: "This age is just right. Too high and you won't be able to handle it, too low and the improvement in strength will be limited."
"Do you have any ideas about the types of soul beasts?" Shao Xin asked.
Ma Hongjun put down his chopsticks and said seriously, "I want to continue with the Light element. My first spirit ring should be the Holy Light Sparrow, and my second spirit ring should ideally also be from a spirit beast of the same type, with high attribute compatibility and a stronger suppressive effect on evil fire."
Flander pondered for a moment: "Light-type soul beasts are indeed rare, and those that are a hundred years old are even harder to find. Seven- or eight-hundred-year-old light-type soul beasts might exist in the Star Dou Great Forest, but it depends on luck."
"I'm not afraid," Ma Hongjun said. "We'll see if we can't find it."
No one objected.
Last time, when I was hunting for a spirit ring for Oscar, although I waited for most of the day, I finally found the target.
This time, we should be lucky if we find someone for Ma Hongjun.
"Then let's get ready and leave tomorrow," Flander decided.
-
After finishing breakfast, Ma Hongjun did not rest but continued training.
Breaking through level 20 is only the first step; the real challenge lies in choosing and absorbing the second soul ring.
He needs to maintain peak physical condition to cope with any situation that may arise.
In a corner of the yard, there were dozens of wooden stakes as thick as a bowl.
This is training equipment that Zhao Wuji made specifically for him.
Ma Hongjun stood in front of the wooden stake and took a deep breath.
The first spirit ring lit up, and pale golden wings unfurled behind him.
He didn't fly, but instead used the thrust of his light wings to quickly weave between the wooden stakes.
Flash left.
Move to the right.
Forward rush.
Retreat.
Every movement was clean and crisp; with a light tap of the feet on the wooden stakes, the body shot out like an arrow.
This is a training method he figured out himself.
Ground maneuvering using the thrust of the light wings while not in flight.
Wings of Light are not just for flying.
The thrust generated when his wings are spread can significantly increase his speed in a short period of time.
Although its duration is short, it can be enough to change the course of a battle when used at a critical moment.
"Good speed."
Zhao Wuji's voice came from the side.
"But your steering is still too abrupt. The thrust is linear; you need to learn to change direction by rotating your body, instead of pulling hard."
Ma Hongjun stopped and nodded.
Zhao Wuji walked to the center of the arena, his Mighty Vajra Bear martial spirit possessing him, but his spirit rings did not light up.
"Watch closely."
He sprinted forward, and halfway there, his body suddenly spun around, using his left foot as a pivot and his right foot to draw a semicircle on the ground, turning around like a spinning top and rushing back the way he came.
"The thrust is linear, but your body is alive."
Zao Wou-Ki said, "Using the rotation of the body to change the direction of force is less strenuous and more flexible than deadlifting."
Ma Hongjun's eyes lit up, and he immediately began to try it.
The first time, I spun too hard and almost fell.
The second time, he lost control of his speed and crashed into the wooden stake.
The third time, he barely managed to turn, but the movement was stiff.
the fourth time……
the fifth time……
The tenth time...
The sun rose directly overhead from the east.
Ma Hongjun's clothes got wet and dried, then got wet again, countless times.
But he did it.
Sprint, spin, turn, keep sprinting.
The movements were fluid and executed in one smooth motion.
Zhao Wuji watched from the side and couldn't help but click his tongue.
"Flander, your disciple is a good candidate for martial arts training."
Flander leaned against the wall, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"nonsense."
-
At night, after his medicinal bath, Ma Hongjun sat on the bed meditating as usual.
The soul power circulated slowly in the meridians, becoming purer with each complete cycle.
The soul power at level 20 is almost double that at level 16.
He could feel the surging power within him, like a river that had accumulated enough water, ready to burst forth at any moment.
But not enough.
He will become even stronger after getting his second spirit ring.
After meditating for about an hour, Ma Hongjun opened his eyes.
He pulled the notebook out from under his pillow and wrote down his summary of the day.
Break through level 20.
The goal is a second spirit ring from a seven- or eight-hundred-year-old light-type spirit beast, with a holy light-type bird as the first choice.
Teacher Zhao's turning techniques are very useful; I'll continue practicing them tomorrow.
Xiao Ao is level 23 now, we can't let him leave us too far behind.
We're setting off for the Starry Sky Forest tomorrow; hopefully we'll find our target successfully.
I closed the notebook and turned off the light.
Moonlight streamed in through the window, casting a silvery-white glow on the ground.
Ma Hongjun lay down and closed his eyes.
Tomorrow marks the start of a new journey.
.....