# Chapter 269: Qiu Lin of the Ten Talents of Heavenly Demon
"The cultivation technique that Bright Light Half-Saint practiced, although not as good as the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture, his understanding of martial arts is far stronger than mine. Contemplating the Half-Saint Sacred Intent Diagram he left behind will also be of considerable help to me."
As Zhang Ruochen contemplated the Sun Moon Star Diagram, the true qi within his body continuously merged into his bones, causing a faint layer of starlight radiance to emerge from his skeleton.
His physical body's strength was constantly improving.
Bright Light Half-Saint's martial arts differed somewhat from what Zhang Ruochen currently practiced. Bright Light Half-Saint placed greater emphasis on physical body cultivation, especially the training of the shin bones.
Once a martial artist chose a particular cultivation technique, it became very difficult to switch to another.
However, even if two martial artists practiced the same technique, their martial arts would be completely different—some achieving high accomplishments, others low.
Contemplating a Half-Saint Sacred Intent Diagram meant learning the Half-Saint's martial arts, thereby changing one's own martial arts to a certain extent and breaking through the limitations of the technique.
Some martial artists with extremely high talent, after contemplating the martial arts of multiple Half-Saints and Saints, could even create their own martial arts and independent techniques.
Wasn't that how the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture and Peacock Sacred Canon were created by the sages of old?
Zhang Ruochen had high expectations for himself and naturally did not want to be limited by the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture. He also wanted to contemplate the martial arts of more Half-Saints and Saints, striving to use the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture as a foundation to create even more powerful martial arts.
"With my current martial arts cultivation, I can already contend with some weaker Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artists, but the martial techniques I can use are not many."
"It's time to cultivate the fifth palm of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm, 'Elephant Force Ninefold Stack,' to Great Perfection, increasing the attack power of my palm techniques."
Elephant Force Ninefold Stack—Zhang Ruochen had already cultivated it to Sixfold Stack, able to unleash six times the attack power.
The further one went, the harder it became to cultivate.
Simply cultivating within the inner space of the Time-Space Crystal could no longer bring much progress.
Therefore, he had to go to Saint Ascension Mountain and use the special environment of the gravity cultivation chamber to help him cultivate "Elephant Force Ninefold Stack."
The gravity cultivation chamber could create an environment of tenfold gravity, or even hundredfold gravity. In such an environment, not only could one better cultivate palm techniques, but it could also enhance the physical body, making Zhang Ruochen's body even stronger.
The four realms of martial arts—"Yellow, Mysterious, Earth, Heaven"—placed even greater emphasis on physical body tempering.
The physical body was the foundation of all martial arts!
Before heading to Saint Ascension Mountain, Zhang Ruochen planned to first go to the Merit Tower to exchange for merit points.
As soon as Zhang Ruochen arrived at the Merit Tower, many people recognized him.
"Isn't that Zhang Ruochen, who has recently risen to fame? It's said that the Poison Spider Young Master, one of the seven young experts of the Black Market, died at his hands."
"Not just the Poison Spider Young Master, but also two Black Market Heavenly Extreme Realm experts were killed by him."
"What? He can kill Heavenly Extreme Realm experts? That means he already has the strength to enter the Earth Ranking. Within the Inner Palace Academy, he can probably rank in the top five."
"He's so young, not even twenty years old, yet he possesses such terrifying strength. It's likely that even Senior Brother won't be his match in the future."
"Killing the Poison Spider Young Master and two Black Market Heavenly Extreme Realm experts—I wonder how many merit points he can get. At least thirty thousand merit points."
...
All those who could enter the Inner Palace Academy were top-tier geniuses of the younger generation, not one of them mediocre. Even so, seeing Zhang Ruochen, they still felt extremely excited, as if looking up at a towering mountain.
This was a young king who could kill martial arts myths!
A heavenly proud son like Zhang Ruochen—not to mention in Heavenly Demon Ridge, even among those Half-Saint aristocratic families and Saint clans—would be a prominent figure of the younger generation.
Just then, a man wearing a silver robe walked out of the Merit Tower. He was seven feet tall, with an icy temperament, and every expression carried the imposing aura of a strong expert.
Four or five Inner Palace Academy students followed behind him like his lackeys.
Only three Inner Palace Academy students were qualified to wear silver robes, each being an expert on the Earth Ranking, considered the three overlords of the Inner Palace Academy.
Other Inner Palace Academy students had to look up to them.
This silver-robed man was named Qiu Lin, ranked second in the Inner Palace Academy, ranked 27,861st on the Earth Ranking, and also one of the Ten Talents of Heavenly Demon, enjoying extremely high fame across the thirty-six commanderies of Heavenly Demon Ridge.
Two years ago, Qiu Lin fought a battle at Tongming River against the fourth-rank savage beast, Leech King, suppressing and killing it. He then fought continuously for three days against aquatic savage beasts in Tongming River, killing over a thousand savage beasts, dyeing a hundred-mile stretch of the river red.
That battle made him famous throughout the world.
Qiu Lin stared at Zhang Ruochen from a distance, revealing a disdainful expression, and asked an Inner Palace Academy student beside him, "Is he the prince from that lower commandery who curried favor with Princess Yanchen and Junior Sister Chen Xi'er?"
Xun Guihai stood behind Qiu Lin, revealing a cold expression, and said, "Reporting to Senior Brother Qiu, he is Zhang Ruochen."
Although Xun Guihai was a top-tier figure in the Outer Palace Academy, he couldn't even rank in the top hundred in the Inner Palace Academy. Naturally, he showed great respect in front of Qiu Lin.
Not to mention that Xun Guihai hadn't grown up yet; even if he did in the future, he might not reach Qiu Lin's level.
Qiu Lin's strength allowed him to fight and kill fourth-rank savage beasts. In the Inner Palace Academy, aside from Si Xingkong, who would dare disrespect him?
Seeing Qiu Lin walk toward Zhang Ruochen, Xun Guihai revealed a gloating expression.
"Wow! It's Senior Brother Qiu Lin! He's actually at the Merit Tower too," a somewhat attractive female student said excitedly.
"It really is Senior Brother Qiu Lin. I heard he took on a mission recently to deal with a Demon Sect branch within Jingyue Commandery. He's probably completed the mission and come back to exchange for merit points."
...
...
Qiu Lin was already accustomed to the screams of those Inner Palace Academy students, a hint of a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
In the Inner Palace Academy, he was the true king. Zhang Ruochen was still too green.
Qiu Lin walked up to Zhang Ruochen, not hiding his hostility at all, and said with an overbearing tone, "Zhang Ruochen, I heard you killed the Poison Spider Young Master?"
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Qiu Lin and said, "May I ask who you are?"
"Qiu Lin," Qiu Lin said proudly.
Zhang Ruochen said, "So it's Senior Brother Qiu. I've long heard of your reputation."
With that, Zhang Ruochen bypassed Qiu Lin and walked toward the Merit Tower.
Qiu Lin ranked sixth among the Ten Talents of Heavenly Demon, so Zhang Ruochen had naturally heard of his name.
But Zhang Ruochen still had to exchange for merit points and rush to Saint Ascension Mountain to cultivate. He had no time to exchange pleasantries with Qiu Lin, so he replied with one sentence and left directly.
Qiu Lin, however, had no intention of letting Zhang Ruochen go so easily. He sneered and said, "Junior Brother Zhang, I am, after all, the Second Senior Brother of the Martial Market Academy. Don't you think you're being too disrespectful to me?"
Zhang Ruochen's gaze sharpened, and he stopped in his tracks, saying, "Senior Brother Qiu, aren't you being too harsh? How am I being disrespectful to you?"
Qiu Lin said, "You respect me? Did you bow to me when you saw me?"
Zhang Ruochen finally understood—Qiu Lin was deliberately picking a fight.
But Zhang Ruochen couldn't figure out where he had offended him.
Zhang Ruochen didn't like to cause trouble, but when trouble came, he was never afraid of it.
Standing behind Qiu Lin, Xun Guihai sneered and said, "Zhang Ruochen, do you really think that just because you killed the Poison Spider Young Master, you're invincible among the younger generation and can look down on everyone?"
Another female student who admired Qiu Lin also said, "To be so arrogant in front of Senior Brother Qiu—I really don't know where he gets his confidence."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze darkened, and he sharply stared at Xun Guihai and the others.
Xun Guihai showed no fear of Zhang Ruochen and said, "What, staring at me? Did I say something wrong? You're young and reckless—I can understand that. After all, you're Princess Yanchen's fiancé, with the Thousand Water Commandery as your backing, so no one dares to provoke you. But when you see a senior brother and don't even have basic manners, I, Xun Guihai, simply can't stand by and watch."
Zhang Ruochen laughed in anger and said, "Xun Guihai, then what do you think I should do to be considered polite?"
Xun Guihai revealed a sinister smile. He felt this was a good opportunity. Since Qiu Lin wanted to find trouble with Zhang Ruochen, it was the perfect chance to teach Zhang Ruochen how to behave.
Xun Guihai said, "Senior Brother Qiu entered the Inner Palace Academy ten years ago. He is not only our senior brother but also our elder. You've only just entered the Inner Palace Academy—you're just a newcomer. At the very least, you should bow to him, right?"
In this world, the strong were revered, and the phenomenon of the strong preying on the weak appeared everywhere.
Only the strong could be respected; the weak could only be trampled upon.
Even among Inner Palace Academy students, there were different classes.
Someone as powerful as Qiu Lin was the king among Inner Palace Academy students, standing at the very top. With just one word from him, other students would unconditionally offer their cultivation resources to him, seeking his protection.
It was precisely this cruel law of the jungle that made Qiu Lin accustomed to his lofty position. When other students saw him, they naturally showed reverence.
If someone didn't revere him, he would be very displeased.
For example, Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Qiu Lin and said, "We're all Inner Palace Academy students. We came to the Martial Market Academy only to cultivate martial arts. Why must there be so many rules?"
The few Inner Palace Academy students standing behind Qiu Lin all burst into laughter, thinking Zhang Ruochen was just a greenhorn.
"The world is so vast—how can it function without rules? Wouldn't everything be in chaos? The weak should learn to obey, should serve the strong, and should have reverence when seeing the strong."
Xun Guihai grabbed an Inner Palace Academy student at the early Earth Extreme Realm from the crowd, restrained his meridians, and dragged him in front of Qiu Lin.
"Don't you think you should bow to Senior Brother Qiu Lin?" Xun Guihai said darkly.
That Inner Palace Academy student had been in the Inner Palace Academy for half a year and was very clear about the rules there. For someone like him, who wasn't even outstanding in the Outer Palace Academy, entering the Inner Palace Academy meant he could only look up to existences like Qiu Lin.
Because if Qiu Lin wanted to deal with him, it would be as easy as crushing an ant.
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